PDA

View Full Version : Proof that APs are 2nd class citizens (like you needed any!)



Pages : [1] 2 3

Morrigoon
02-01-2004, 11:44 PM
So today, Gaucho and I went to the park with a friend of his who was on the basic 2fer ticket. The main gate being absolutely overrun (Super Bowl Sunday and all) we opted to enter via the monorail. Gaucho only got a "Hey there" in response to his initiating contact by saying hello. I, not initiating, did not get so much as a "Hiya". The friend, OTOH, got a huge greeting involving well wishes and 'was he enjoying himself?'

Uh yeah. Not like we needed proof, but there it is. We entered at the same time, same turnstyle.

BornieoTheLoveBug
02-02-2004, 02:44 AM
You should try a firm hug next time...

Walk up, arms extended, embrace for 30 seconds - pat them on the back, walk away..

EandCDad
02-02-2004, 07:55 AM
So if an AP has one instance where they were going through the turnstile and they are given a big welcome, is that "proof" that AP's are not second class citizens? I don't much care how I get greeted when I go through the gate but I can think of many circumstances when I've gotten a very friendly welcome. Is that then "proof" which contradicts the "proof" listed in the origional post?

I'm a little hesitant to draw the sweeping conclusion listed in this thread title based on the events described.

Cadaverous Pallor
02-02-2004, 08:02 AM
I think it proves that that one castmember has their own bias.

I used to get the most friendly hellos from gate CMs when I wore a Dland hat with my name on the brim. They'd address me by name and give a hearty "welcome back"! I think CMs may appreciate APers that really go for the "magic".

I had a gate CM stare down my AP the other night and glare at me as if to say "this isn't you!" Only after examining me and the photo 3 times did she let me though. My husband got through with nary a glance. The only difference between how I looked and how the picture looked was the fact that I was wearing a knit cap. :rolleyes:

So yeah, always a mixed bag at the gate. I have more stories too.

Not Afraid
02-02-2004, 08:11 AM
I don't think I've ever got a second rate welcome because of my AP. But, I usually just bowl them over with friendliness and don't give them a chance.;)

idesign
02-02-2004, 08:24 AM
One could suggest that only an oversensitive AP on the lookout for discrimination would notice. One determined to find offence usually will.

tod
02-02-2004, 08:27 AM
One of The Little tods got in the Hot Seat the other day and the host (blonde lady who isn't Elise, I can never remember her name) asked him if he was an Annual Passholder.

He said he was, and you could feel the mood of the crowd go from support to dislike.

(Okay, I didn't help matters in my section of the audience when the CM came up to me (as the attending parental unit) and said "You know what to do, right?" and I replied "Yeah, I'll see you backstage." Casualness and use of jargon. I should have known better.)

We AP-types are NOT popular among the general park population. Why ANYBODY would wear the identifying gear is beyond me.

--T
keeping a low profile.

Morrigoon
02-02-2004, 09:03 AM
Originally posted by idesign
One could suggest that only an oversensitive AP on the lookout for discrimination would notice. One determined to find offence usually will.

Oversensitive? Excuse me, but as a former CM I know the bias is out there, I personally went out of my way to treat APs well to counteract the negativity that was coming from other CMs. And furthermore, we're talking about 3 people together, two APs (see, he had two chances), and one paper ticket. The first AP only got a reluctant "hey there" greeting AFTER saying hello to the CM (who, if you know the service code, is expected to "Initiate guest contact)." The second guest (myself) was not greeted, and the guest with the paper ticket had the verbal welcome mat rolled out for him. I'm sorry, one needn't be oversensitive to notice that.

diznydreamr
02-02-2004, 09:09 AM
To be completely fare to APers perhaps Disney should adopt the Militaries "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy? This would possibly keep anymore of these embarassing episodes of "outsting" when perhaps an APer wasn't quite ready to go public yet with his or hers ticket holding status!
I am NOT an AP holder..........Not that there's anything wrong with it, but if I was, which I'm NOT, I would want to be treated with the same dignity and respect as my fellow straight ticket park attenders.
How you enter the Park turnstiles is your own personal business, and no one elses. I would feel more than comfortable bringing my kids to a park FULL of APers.
Can't we all just get along? Because when it comes right down to it aren't we all just Disney lovers? ;) :p :D

danyoung
02-02-2004, 09:12 AM
Or could the assumption be that someone on a traditional ticket might not be a regular visitor, and thus warrants a bit of extra pixie dust from the CM? Doesn't mean that the AP'ers were dissed, just that they pour it on a bit more for the guest that might not have been there as many times. You admitted yourself that you didn't initiate any conversation, so why should it be returned?

FWIW, in the few times that I've had to discuss my AP status with a CM, I've never been treated unfairly. In fact, I even raised the question a couple times about attitude toward AP'ers, and was greeted with a blank stare (not a rude one, just confused as to what I was talking about). Maybe company line, but I bought it.

mamabot
02-02-2004, 09:18 AM
When the kids and I passed through the turnstiles yesterday, we were well greeted. Then there was the survey taker who glanced at me for a second and then turned he gaze toward the turnstile to see if there was a non-AP behind me to survey. When I did surveys a way long time ago, we were told to count people on order to have a random sampling. It is odd that the APers are looked over intentionally (based on what I have read here).

Ou CM experiences were incredible yesterday once we got past the survey taker. Had two great experiences in Fantasyland and one at the Carnation Cafe. I think their bias could have been thrown by the precious kids I had with me! :D

Forbin
02-02-2004, 09:47 AM
Hmmm...I'm always given a great big WELCOME back whenever I use my passes.

But I think it's to my daughter, she's a lot cuter than I am :p

sediment
02-02-2004, 10:06 AM
Originally posted by mamabot
It is odd that the APers are looked over intentionally (based on what I have read here).

An AP holder's ideas on what would bring them back to the park (i.e., pay more to go, tell friends in far away places, etc.) don't seem to hold water. Most AP holders here (reading MP, MA, JHM, LP, etc. ) know all the "problems" with DL and still come back.

Now, if there were a survey of AP holders asking what they'd like to see in order to renew future AP's or to tell their friends to buy AP's, that would be different (and far more relevant to the company's bottom line).

poohbunnieshutch
02-02-2004, 10:17 AM
I have always been greeted quite warmly by most CMs. Probably because I'm in a chair because I don't ever remember being greeted as a ticket holder at Disneyland or WDW before I became disabled. Go figure.

Anyhow, for the most part, the treatment is superb, occassionally you get a grinch or two and I chalk that up to partially the reduced work ethic (okay, I'm dating myself) the CM view as a temporary position and jaded customers expecting 50's customer service, with 90's politeness.

Doesn't anybody realize that we are caught in a vicious circle? Cm behaves badly, guest behaves badly, children behave badly,cm behaves badly, guest behaves badly,children behave badly and round and round we go.

But wouldn't it be nicer if CM bevhaves nicely, guest behaves nicely, children behave nicely, cm behaves nicely.....

You get what you put out (for the most part) if you put out nice, you get back nice. If you put out nasty, you get nasty back.

There will always be that one CM you are nothing but nice to, but he is nasty and there will always be one guest who is treated royally, but behaves badly.

But for the most part: nice is as nice does....Thank you Forrest Gump

cstephens
02-02-2004, 10:54 AM
Originally posted by Cadaverous Pallor
I think it proves that that one castmember has their own bias.

I agree wholeheartedly with this. I think it's weird to take one specific instance and use it to describe an entire general situation. I'm sure there's a mixture of CMs who do and don't like APs. The ones who don't hide their personal feelings are those who I think aren't doing their job properly.

Kimi_Coconuts
02-02-2004, 10:56 AM
I've never felt like a second class citizen at Disneyland. My family is always greeted nicely and they usually say, welcome back ____ to each one of us using our names.

I have never even considered that anyone would treat us differently, maybe it's a perception thing.

Anyway, even if I didn't get a big hello from the ticket taker it wouldn't bother me or cause me to even ponder the message it sent, I'd just think the CM isn't having a good day.

Morrigoon
02-02-2004, 12:16 PM
Kimi: I think nothing of it either, when I enter by myself or with my usual group of AP friends. What threw this into view was the contrast between the two APs and the guest with the paper ticket who was with us.

Also worth noting, since some people brought it up: I don't make a big deal of being an AP. Because I know (from backstage conversation and occasional slips of the tongue even in training!) that there is a biased, negative attitude towards APs, I wouln't consider wearing anything identifying myself as such, or waving my pass around expecting special treatment. The CM only knew I was an AP because he was a turnstyle CM and HAD to see the AP to let me in.

I do, however, expect equal treatment at a park whose training motto USED to be every guest is a VIP. I say used to be because the second time I hired in, training had been cut back by over 50% and that particular phrase was never heard, though it had been drilled into the minds of trainees the first time I'd hired in.

In reality, it all comes down to two things: cast morale and cutbacks in training. My first trainers made a point of teaching CMs to respect the show because there WERE people who would notice if the show wasn't 100%. Today, that is not taught, and CMs later learn, through other CMs, to resent the guests who notice rather than respecting the show that got their attention. It's a difference in approach which is at the base of many of the issues we have with CMs these days.

3894
02-02-2004, 12:27 PM
Morrigoon, are you saying the assumption is that non-AP guests will not notice if the show wasn't 100%?

Photographer
02-02-2004, 12:39 PM
I've never been snubbed. Usually they say "Welcome back." Or "Are you having a good day?" Of course I'm usually smiling from ear to ear waiting to go thru the turnstiles and often call the CMs by name. I like the CMs over 60 the best. I've got a soft spot for seniors, I just treat them all like they're my grandparents.


:D

marron-cream
02-02-2004, 01:08 PM
Maybe you just got someone who had a bad day. I mean, I could say that CMs visiting as guests are treated as third class citizens. Any time I've gone to the park as a guest, the minute I pull out the ID or Maingate pass, my guests and I barely even get a grunt.

BornieoTheLoveBug
02-02-2004, 02:08 PM
Howard Johnson's Right!

{I still like my idea, though}

Ghoulish Delight
02-02-2004, 02:35 PM
Originally posted by mamabot
It is odd that the APers are looked over intentionally (based on what I have read here). The in-park surveys are designed to get the opinions of day guests (meaning anyone not on an AP...multi-day park hoppers are surveyed). If the taker HADN'T noticed you with the AP, the first question asked would have been, "What kind of ticket did you purchase," and had you answered "AP" the survey would have ended.

I suppose they know that they already get plenty of feedback (solicited or otherwise) from APers in other forms and don't need the formalized surveys. Witness a near-torch bearing (yet polite) mob of 20 or so letting their feelings be known at City Hall about the "new and improved" tea cups.

Morrigoon
02-02-2004, 02:46 PM
Feelings which, you will note, were never written down, and instead deflected with a snow job story about how they're always tighter after rehab and an assurance that they would loosen up over time.

Sorry sweetheart, not THAT much tighter... see ya in a couple months.

jswtsang
02-03-2004, 08:50 AM
what do they ask in the surveys? If I remember correctly when we went in september my b/f was only asked 'what is your zipcode' and we went on our merry way.

I have to say that I didn't have any name identifying stuff in DL, but once when I went to WDW I had bought one of those name tags and everyone kept smiling at me and saying 'welcome back jennifer' and I had no clue how they were doing it and my sister started laughing at me and pointing out the nametag :-P

jt

Kimi_Coconuts
02-03-2004, 09:01 AM
The AP thing ending the survey isn't true. We have been surveyed almost ever single trip we've taken. We've even been approached BECAUSE we have an AP! "I see you are an AP holder, would you take a few minutes to answer some questions for us?"