UOR staff accused of "Fat-Shaming"

[Nick]

Not just UOR, too. Capacity hungry managers are a huge problem at some parks, to the point where they become vicious and counter-intuitive to both employee morale and customer service. You have no idea what replacing anyone at load for being too slow does to both an employee's self-esteem and the pressure put on the remaining TMs.

Like Joe says, management is seeing guests as a number instead of people. Case-in-point is back in my ride op days where managers would sit on deck at control watching the numbers tick up as the hour passes on and is screaming "FASTER! FASTER! REPLACE (BLANK) NOW! THEY AREN'T FAST ENOUGH!" If that grouper lets a person a seat go empty they are immediately replaced as the manager screams their head off to the dispatch leads, straight to the groupers who are radio'd by the schedule board lead to rotate them out. Just so the number can be nice and high so they can pass it on to their higher ups who notch it down that one ride's operations was picking up the slack that day.

That's what causes these situations, it's the vicious underbelly of ops that is rarely witnessed by normal guests. Now it's bitten them on the ass when a guest is furious and uses the poor customer service to their advantage. IMO nothing more, nothing less. Universal should've accommodated and she was denied because of this culture.

Yup.

The next time any of you guys are at UOR (or WDW), take a moment to watch the TMs at load. They may wave and put on a fake smile for you right before you leave, but up until that point they are very likely stressed and moving quickly to send the ride vehicle off at 100% capacity ASAP.

I get wanting to keep a high capacity for the day, but if this TM didn't have it in the back of their mind that they need to fill the whole truck or management will get pissed at them, this wouldn't have been an issue. There does need to be a line on what you can allow, but this woman's request was not unreasonable. Guest Service basically completely goes out the window when you start thinking like a calculator and looking at all of the guests as numbers to fit into your equation.

 

[devinp267]

Yup.

The next time any of you guys are at UOR (or WDW), take a moment to watch the TMs at load. They may wave and put on a fake smile for you right before you leave, but up until that point they are very likely stressed and moving quickly to send the ride vehicle off at 100% capacity ASAP.

I get wanting to keep a high capacity for the day, but if this TM didn't have it in the back of their mind that they need to fill the whole truck or management will get pissed at them, this wouldn't have been an issue. There does need to be a line on what you can allow, but this woman's request was not unreasonable. Guest Service basically completely goes out the window when you start thinking like a calculator and looking at all of the guests as numbers to fit into your equation.

Funny this came up because I seen it tonight on hulk lol. Not one looked happy tonight. Now this is true now I feel bad that I had to switch to a modified seat and they had to release the restraints on my row

 

[Nick]

Funny this came up because I seen it tonight on hulk lol. Not one looked happy tonight. Now this is true now I feel bad that I had to switch to a modified seat and they had to release the restraints on my row

Never feel bad for having to move because you needed a modified seat or something like that. That's one of those things that just happens and honestly it's expected that little things like that will pop up here and there.

 

[Ryan]

At least it's not Intamin and there are modified seats.

 

[Nick]

At least it's not Intamin and there are modified seats.

Or literally any Disney coaster. Disney keeps making their coaster seats smaller and smaller and not offer other options that are more accommodating.

 

[devinp267]

Never feel bad for having to move because you needed a modified seat or something like that. That's one of those things that just happens and honestly it's expected that little things like that will pop up here and there.

I know it's just that I didn't know it was that serious on the load platform. He could've pushed and made it as I know I can fit on any seat on hulk, seems like he was maybe new or they don't allow pushing at your request anymore.

Or literally any Disney coaster. Disney keeps making their coaster seats smaller and smaller and not offer other options that are more accommodating.

Do you think I'll have a problem on expedition Everest or fop tomorrow if I can fit on gringotts and mummy? It is a tight fit but I always fit on those 2.

 

[Ryan]

Or literally any Disney coaster. Disney keeps making their coaster seats smaller and smaller and not offer other options that are more accommodating.

Vekoma grr

 

[Nick]

Vekoma grr

Slinky is Mack though and that looks like it will also not have anything beyond regular seating.

 

[Ryan]

Apparently Time Traveler is also having those issues atm so that would not surprise me.

 

[jrn14]

Come on dude, you know this is ridiculous.

Other parks work with guests of various body sizes fine, this isn't a safety issue. It's easy to play armchair TM here and I do not blame them for this, it's a cultural thing that both WDW and UOR has.

I'm pretty sure this sort of thing happens at all the parks all the time... This isn't the first time someone felt uncomfortable in their ride vehicle it's just the first time it's making news. Also, I have worked in theme parks I think you are underestimating the amount of special requests and guests who don't want to follow the rules. It's not easy to always spot who has a geniune legitimate request and who is just being selfish/greedy, so in fast paced situations such as this you usually have to follow blanket all or nothing type rules that's what the management wants.

 

[anihilnation]

As much as I think the girl might make a bit too much of a deal of it; I think that she should have been accommodated, as even with regular dimension people Kong tends to feel cramped. Hard to enjoy a ride when everyone is cramped together. Perhaps TMs should be trained to be a bit more observant, doubt it would affect capacity that much.

 

[DK745]

Yup.

The next time any of you guys are at UOR (or WDW), take a moment to watch the TMs at load. They may wave and put on a fake smile for you right before you leave, but up until that point they are very likely stressed and moving quickly to send the ride vehicle off at 100% capacity ASAP.

I get wanting to keep a high capacity for the day, but if this TM didn't have it in the back of their mind that they need to fill the whole truck or management will get pissed at them, this wouldn't have been an issue. There does need to be a line on what you can allow, but this woman's request was not unreasonable. Guest Service basically completely goes out the window when you start thinking like a calculator and looking at all of the guests as numbers to fit into your equation.

Ah so they claim to be about the guests but really they only care about metrics. That sucks.

 

[Ultranel]

Why is it that America seems to be the only country in the world to whine so much about seats getting smaller? Same thing we do with Airlines and I know for a fact that is not true. If people use their rational sense (if any!) then they should understand that WE have to accommodate the ride, not all the way around. These are mechanical things that can only do so much, anything beyond that could be a safety issue. So just like an airline that would make you buy 2 seats, because why should another passenger ride uncomfortable due to someone’s voluntary decisions in life? Same thing applies here, we should not risk safety at the expense of someone’s feelings, especially when they are the reason for the situation. This is not a fat-shaming opinion, this is a self-responsibility opinion. Trust me I have made choices earlier in life that are affecting me today, but instead of whining about how unfair this world is, I accepted the actions I’ve made in the past to get me into this situation… so I know the only one to blame here is me. Sorry but I’m not one to cater to someone’s irresponsibility, because no one has ever cater to mine.

Ah so they claim to be about the guests but really they only care about metrics. That sucks.

every corporation in America works this way.... "Guest Service" it just a saying that sounds nice.... and that's as far as it goes.

 

[Ridgepole]

Why is it that America seems to be the only country in the world to whine so much about seats getting smaller? Same thing we do with Airlines and I know for a fact that is not true. If people use their rational sense (if any!) then they should understand that WE have to accommodate the ride, not all the way around. These are mechanical things that can only do so much, anything beyond that could be a safety issue. So just like an airline that would make you buy 2 seats, because why should another passenger ride uncomfortable due to someone’s voluntary decisions in life? Same thing applies here, we should not risk safety at the expense of someone’s feelings, especially when they are the reason for the situation. This is not a fat-shaming opinion, this is a self-responsibility opinion. Trust me I have made choices earlier in life that are affecting me today, but instead of whining about how unfair this world is, I accepted the actions I’ve made in the past to get me into this situation… so I know the only one to blame here is me. Sorry but I’m not one to cater to someone’s irresponsibility, because no one has ever cater to mine.

Please don't include airlines. Are you aware that many have added seats while not stretching the plane? Do you fly?

 

[Ultranel]

Please don't include airlines. Are you aware that many have added seats while not stretching the plane? Do you fly?

We are talking about width not length (spacing of rows). Length I can understand, but that’s based on greed, which is part of our culture today. Also yes I do fly a minimum of 2 trips a year and I worked for the airlines for 20+ yrs.

 

[Ridgepole]

Ah...greed

 

[deathcab4cutie]

lets stop and think here for a moment what is the biggest complaint people have about theme parks.its the long wait time the only reason the waits aren't longer is because they push. now imagine if they didn't push and you waited 2 hours for Kong and see the grouper putting only 4 people in a row because people complain its too tight.you would be super pissed.Also lets say they have this whats to stop someone from trying to sue because their kid wasn't tall enough to ride the ride they wanted.

 

[Ridgepole]

I'm OK with pushing. But I also always have express so have no standing addressing the regular queue.

 

[fryoj]

Why is it that America seems to be the only country in the world to whine so much about seats getting smaller? Same thing we do with Airlines and I know for a fact that is not true. If people use their rational sense (if any!) then they should understand that WE have to accommodate the ride, not all the way around. These are mechanical things that can only do so much, anything beyond that could be a safety issue. So just like an airline that would make you buy 2 seats, because why should another passenger ride uncomfortable due to someone’s voluntary decisions in life? Same thing applies here, we should not risk safety at the expense of someone’s feelings, especially when they are the reason for the situation. This is not a fat-shaming opinion, this is a self-responsibility opinion. Trust me I have made choices earlier in life that are affecting me today, but instead of whining about how unfair this world is, I accepted the actions I’ve made in the past to get me into this situation… so I know the only one to blame here is me. Sorry but I’m not one to cater to someone’s irresponsibility, because no one has ever cater to mine.


every corporation in America works this way.... "Guest Service" it just a saying that sounds nice.... and that's as far as it goes.

We are a "Me First" society. No one takes personal responsibility, and it's always someone else's fault. It's only going to get worse.

 

[Ultranel]

We are a "Me First" society. No one takes personal responsibility, and it's always someone else's fault. It's only going to get worse.

Haha This reply automatically brought an annoying picture in my mind. I can not stand families asking question after question to a greeter of an attraction, while completely blocking the attraction's entrance not allowing others to enter, and if you say anything, then you are automatically rude. So yeah! We desperately need to get back in touch our human side and be more considerate with our surroundings.