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As a passholder, I frequent the parks as much as I can. I have dealt with my share of cast members with bad attitudes. I understand that working in the world of guest relations and customer service is a rough one. Especially in the wake of the pandemic. Disney is slowly losing its magic and part of that magic are the cast members. Paying lots of money and getting little to bad service is. Making the Disney parks worth doing for a few hours. Gone are the days of spending a full day in the parks.
It is typical of the more well to do guests to base their experience on their wallets. The lack of empayhy makes it very easy to mock the day to day efforts of those who put their jobs before their families to provide “The Magic” for yours. Furthermore, the more wealthy guests also had the protective bubble of financial security that carried them through the middle-class shattering Covid-19 pandemic. People who had to rely on a fraction of their wages from unemployment after they were forced to stay home from their jobs. And then when the aristocrats were finally allowed to return to their lives of travel and luxury, these cast members are expected to work rotating six to seven day work weeks, only getting one day off every other week. And they’ve been doing it since July, 2020. They don’t get holidays. Their vacations are not guaranteed, and they are often blocked out from experiencing the very “magic” they’re supposed to create. They are extremely low paid. And tet, they go to work because they love working at Disney. But, make no mistake, no-one outside of corporate likes working FOR Disney. Modern guests, the ones who can still afford to go, are overly entitled, and often obnoxiously so. Guests physically assault cast members every day and corporate threatens them into not pressing charges. Guests are rude, ignorant of the job the CM is responsible for, and always are looking for ways to squeeze free cheese out of the Mouse. If cast members are miserable at the “Happiest place on Earth”, I assure, there is very much a reason.
Been going to Disney for over 25 years. Sad to say, the magic is gone! Questionable whether even worth the money anymore. Even the portion size and the quality of their food has declined. Disgruntled employees, filthy bathrooms, and ridiculous increase in prices with less services. Fireworks and shows cut, food portion sizes smaller, resort prices off the charts! May not return for a long time, overall a very disappointing and sad time!
The 'feedback' in the article almost entirely lays blame on guests. I disagree. We went in April 21, and noticed cast members no longer said prince / princess to the children, were flat out rude and demanding about masks (yes, you can enforce this is a respectful manner), made smart ass responses when asked for directions, etc. It was the first DW trip that I had to make a complaint about an employee there (called my daughter a liar with me standing right next to her!). I think the entitlement attitude lies with the cast members. They now expect guests to accommodate their needs versus the other way around. Too many people seem eager to make excuses for DW employees, which only encourages more of the same bad service/attitude. Frankly DW is no different than any other local them park now, and still costs five times as much. We're saying goodbye to any more visits and hold on to the memories of better times there.
Virginia, that's really sad to hear. I am worried about going back and being disappointed as I only have brilliant memories of Cast Member interactions from our previous trips. Hopefully as time moves on we will see more of that Disney sparkle returning.
Don't Blame you!
I just returned from DisneyWorld June 17-June 22. I have been going to disney world for over 25 years and I can honestly say that the attitudes of the staff has changed tremendously. On this particular trip most cast members at parks were down right rude, not friendly and disgruntled employees! The high quality Disney once had in their parks and resorts no longer exists. Not as many employees around to assist, dirty bathrooms, and very few smiles! Very disappointing.