Parking Lot Woes

[TowerTimmy]

Hello everyone. After a while of not posting, I thought I'd come back. I had my job at Tower of Terror (hence the username, which I honestly hate now) and then went to go work for the big company down the road with the wizard that is destroying Disney. Anywho, things didn't work out there, so I came back to Disney, finished my degree, and I am in...

dun dun dun... the parking lot!!!!

So I have about 5 years attractions experience (attendant, trainer, and team leader), and Disney was not hiring ANYWHERE for attractions. Bummer. They suggested parking. It's a job, I needed one, whatever.

So I'm out there, it's pretty relaxing, honestly. When it's slow, and nice, with good people, it's really not bad. Hop on the tram, do a few laps driving, do some spieling, it's cake. Anywho, in my few weeks there being on my own, I will narrow down the type of people we come across, and have special tactics designed just for them.

Doesn't Want To Go To The End Of The Row - Guy

In the morning, the parking lot is busy. We have a system set up to maximize the flow of cars into the lot, and to expedite the travel time from auto plaza to the lot. When one row is complete, we start the next one, we have to cut the flow of cars at some point and send them all the way down. Yes, you've been there, I've been there, but it's one of the necessities of life. It is very aggravating that the car in front of you parks super close, and you have to go all the way down, but someone HAS to do it. And honestly, things could be much worse. Texas has sleet and freezing rain, and no power and schools are closed. Florida is 80 degrees, short wearing weather, and they're at Disney, so they can stfu.

So anyway, we really can not honor giving out "accommodations" for people who want to park close because of the impact it will have for the all the cars behind them. Remember guys, theme park guests = sheep. (Sheeple). It would create chaos and back ups.

Today we had a guest who simply did not want to go all the way down, so he started down the row, and about 8 spots down, decided to pull in and stop. The cars behind him, started to slow too, and luckily we had enough cast to wave them past, which they did luckily, then the swam of yellow banana cast members came to the parked car and told the guy to go all the way down, me included. He wouldn't roll down the window to talk to us, we kept hand motioning, and he eventually rolled down the window saying this:

"You people charge us $14 dollars to park, my daughter can not walk far, we need to park here."

One of the old timers who has been there for years (who is a total bad @ss btw) comes and literally points to the line of cars coming in behind him and says "Sir, we have a system here, you stopping will mess up everything. We have a tram running, your daughter can take that then get a wheelchair at the front of the park, but right now we need you to go down all the way." He still refused. Security always parks where we're parking cars and have our backs 100% of the time, so he got out and walked over (as the guy was getting out of his car) and asks what the problem was. I didn't hear what was said as I walked away, but I could see the man using lots of hand gestures and arm movements, and eventually the man got back into the car, backed up (which we had to stop traffic for him) drove down the row (which was basically parking somewhat close to him now) and followed the white arrows out and left.

So moral of the story, I know it sucks to go to the end of the row, we know that, but when you do it, and do it nicely, it helps out a lot. Plus, walking never hurt anyone, it probably helped. Also, it's a theme park. Walking is required.

[TowerTimmy]

CONTINUED

I'm Just Dropping Off - Guy

This one has been a hot topic lately. The way our system works is that after we fill our lots (or however manager wants us to) we go back to Re-Park, where we go to the first lot that we started and fill in the holes. Then move the next lot, and so forth, until we go into Self-Park (where no one directs traffic).

Until recently, our system for drop offs had been just send them down to handicapped parking, let them drop off, then take the white arrows out. Managers walked the lot and found out a LOT of people were lying and just parking (I could have figured that out myself). So what happened was during re-park, the lot that we had filled first this morning was now almost halfway full. So, now anyone claiming to "drop off" we have to send down a couple lots to the poles, down another lot, to the Drop Off sign, then to the actual Drop Off area. That way, if they are lying, they will realize what trouble that has gotten them into, and they will realize that they may be out of luck, as they basically have no idea where they are going. If they do decide to park, oh well, it's normally in a lot we're not using anyway.

I'm A Passholder - Guy

Then you ought to know that pass holders do not get any special parking privileges, so park with everyone else please.

My Wife Had Knee Surgery - Guy

Okay, that's fine, go to the Medical Assist lot, one row behind handicapped. Just don't park in handicapped without a tag, because Orange County patrols and may ticket you. (Most just go in the first empty spot they find, thinking they're sneaky. Oh look, the wife can walk!)

Anywho, that's all for right now. The negative guest situations in parking are BY FAR much less than in attractions, but the ones we do get really show me how lazy people are.

[hobie16]

Oh look, the wife can walk!

That's called an amazing recovery.

Welcome back!

[DLRFantasmic!Dan]

That's called an amazing recovery.

Welcome back!

I heard about the Magic of Disney, I did not know that disney can do this!!! :)

[DLRFantasmic!Dan]

One of my Parking Pet Peeves is when the CMs are parking cars at the Mickey and Friends Parking Structures is that the cars, eventhough they are directed to a certain parking spot, they just pull forward to the next aisle and park themselves close to the front to avoid walking from their cars all the way in the back to the front of the aisle. I mean, a little excercise won't kill ya! :mad: It's the same thing if you walk past an open parking space, run back into your car and move it towards the front. I just want to block their space that they are going for and go "NUH UH!!!" :twisted:

[TalkingHands]

One of my pet peeves is when a CM wants us to park in a spot that is not van accessible in Alternate Medical Parking. I have a ramp that has to deploy to get my wheelchair out. If we park where you want we will need to stop traffic while we deploy the ramp and get the wheelchair out before we can park the van. Not safe for me, not efficient for you. Either that or don't park someone in the spot next to us so the ramp can be deployed and I can get in and out of the van with my wheelchair. No it cannot be lifted out. It weighs more than 200 pounds.