Am I a Disney Scrooge?

As you know I have a little side business where I sell Disney collectibles and souvenirs. We had a really good Halloween and I’m hoping it extend through Thanksgiving into Christmas.  One of the best things about my business is the people that I meet at Disneyland, especially the cast members.  For the most part, the cast members are really friendly to me and Laurie.

The Rant

Before I rant I want to let you know that I have the upmost respect for cast members and the great job they do, I just want to vent a little.

I’m at Disneyland so much that often I feel like a hunter. My goal is to show up at a store, buy what I need to buy and get out.  Yesterday, though, I was able to get to the store, but getting what I wanted was taking forever. I noticed a few things that made my day take so long.

Short staffed – I was there on a Wednesday and the park was closing early, many of the stores only had two people running it.  It’s just too many people for two people, especially after the parade ends and the park is closing.

Pin trading – I’ve noticed that Cast Members are encouraged to trade pins with guests (not a problem with me), but many times the pin traders get to cut in line to look over pins while there is a long line guests trying to buy things.  I think Pin Traders needs to get in line and wait their turn. It’s only fair.

Random questions – Any guest can walk to the head of a line and ask a complicated question, like when does the parade start.

Chit Chat – I’ve stood in line at times for 2 minutes after a transaction ends for the guest in front of me and waited while the cast member and guest talk about where they are from and about how their vacation is going.  C’mon, I just need to pay for this stupid hat.

Manager Approval – sometimes when returning items for getting things from the back room, a manager is required. I probably wait on average of 3 to 7 minutes for managers to arrive. It’s a little frustrating for what seems like a simple request.

The Realization

Before you start getting mad at me, I realize that many of the things that I complain about are the very things that set Disneyland apart from all other theme parks.  In fact, all of the times that I visited Universal Parks in Orlando; I was amazed at how badly trained and unfriendly the employees are.  I like the fact that Cast Members at Disney Theme Parks are friendly and willing to talk to you. I like that courtesy is stressed in their training.  So as frustrated as I get, I wouldn’t want any of this to change. I guess it’s worth the extra time to continue to get exceptional service.