Guest Treatment from Team Members - Bad Experience

I too have noticed a difference in the general demeanor of the park employees between Disney and Universal. Not necessarily rudeness exactly, but there's just something different.

It has always seemed to me that they are a little over the top on the whole what you can take on rides thing. I purposely wear clothing with deep pockets and bring very little into the Universal parks for this reason.

If not for the HP aspect, I would be skipping Universal and choosing to add SeaWorld as a side trip from Disney myself.

We had a similar experience this past October. I found it to be a hassle to constantly have to put everything in a locker. We had one particularly bad experience while getting in line for Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. DH went to get in line, forgetting he had his hat on, so as we approached the entrance a team member told him he could not wear the hat, not a big deal, he took it off and put it in his cargo short pocket and the team member told him it must go in a locker. We go put it in a locker real quick and come back to the line and the team member basically accused DH of still having the hat in his pocket, which he did not, and actually reached to grab his pocket. I was shocked and DH was very annoyed to say the least. It really put us in a bad mood.

We have never encountered any extremely rude Team Members during any of our Universal trips. I would say we didn't find them to be any different than Disney CMs. Actually, and this is definitely because we've been to Disney more and have had more interactions with Disney CMs, but I can come up with more stories about less than stellar CMs at Disney than I can at Universal.

Perhaps I am in the minority, but I completely understand why many of the Universal attractions don't allow carry on items. Those rides are much wilder than any of the "thrill" rides in WDW. I imagine it would be more of a pain to have to wait for them to fish a lost item out of a ride than to stow it away in a locker. I'm not sure why this would come as a surprise to most people. From our very first trip to Universal I was aware that for many of the attractions I'd have to put our things in a locker. There were no surprises there.

There have been a couple of incidents resulting in guest injury at Universal Orlando. One guest lost an eye on the dragon challenge ride (back before it was HP land). Another I believe suffered a very severe ankle break after a loose camera hit him on the same ride.

So, yes, there is a good reason for this locker policy.

But, I agree that it is annoying to have to always be going to the lockers and I agree that the team members at Universal are not usually very kind.

We were NOT impressed with Universal, when, a few years ago, we spent a day there. We actually ended our day earlier than expected ( 3 hours earlier than we planned) and headed back to WDW.

I doubt we'll ever go to Universal again. We'll keep going where the magic is:thumbsup:

BrerGnat;2453502 wrote: There have been a couple of incidents resulting in guest injury at Universal Orlando. One guest lost an eye on the dragon challenge ride (back before it was HP land). Another I believe suffered a very severe ankle break after a loose camera hit him on the same ride.

So, yes, there is a good reason for this locker policy.

But, I agree that it is annoying to have to always be going to the lockers and I agree that the team members at Universal are not usually very kind.

I completely understand that, and while I found it to be a hassle, we did follow the rule. What I took issue with was a team member grabbing at my husband's pocket and accusing him of lying. I have never experienced anything like this while in WDW.

goofy89;2453507 wrote: I completely understand that, and while I found it to be a hassle, we did follow the rule. What I took issue with was a team member grabbing at my husband's pocket and accusing him of lying. I have never experienced anything like this while in WDW.

Same - I have no problem putting away items in a locker. But the way the team members spoke (or yelled) at guests and treated guests was inexcusable and unnecessary.

Nope, I've never had any issues at Universal

LittleSpirit02;2453515 wrote: Same - I have no problem putting away items in a locker. But the way the team members spoke (or yelled) at guests and treated guests was inexcusable and unnecessary.

I agree that guests should not be subjected to that kind of treatment at UO. However, since the tightened safety measures (including the metal detectors) were put in place only recently, I wonder if some of the behavior you witnessed was a result of stressed team members trying to enforce a new and difficult (and unpopular) policy. Honestly, it has to be next to impossible to enforce, and as lines get even longer as a result, I'm sure guests start to lose their temper too. It's similar to the complaints heard about WDW cast members when Fastpass+ was first being implemented. CM's were trying to do their job and follow policy, but I'm sure it was extremely stressful and they didn't always handle things the way they should have.

My son and I were at Universal in mid-March, just before all this started and we had a great time. The Universal staff seemed very friendly and helpful to us, certainly on par with what we experienced with CM's at Disney World. If anything, they seemed a little more laid back, as in less inclined to bark orders. Of course, we didn't have the lines that I've been seeing now in the news for attractions like Dragon Challenge. We had the Express Pass too, so most of the rides were a breeze to get on. The one complaint that I would have was the lack of available lockers with Gringott's and Forbidden Journey. They should have put more in and not crammed them into tiny cramped areas. :shake:

BTW, there is a lot of talk on a Universal blog that I subscribe to that the new safety measures are partly due to the increase in selfie sticks being brought into the parks, many for the express purpose of recording footage on rides where their use would potentially be very dangerous. I think maybe the Universal PTB decided to be proactive before an accident happened.

TMs are under stress due to this recent decision to install metal detectors at the coasters, and the rule where everything must be put in a locker...

If people didn't act like animals and throw things cause they think it is funny while on a coaster, then we wouldn't have these issues...

And, to piggyback Nat, someone's iPhone also flew out of their hands almost hitting a child in the head, and several other people, standing by the exit to Dragon Challenge...

A guest in Universal Hollywood brought a gun into the park and committed suicide by the Despicable Me attraction...

These actions are for tightened security until a better system can be developed and instituted....

So yes, the TMs are under a lot of stress and pressure...

I find the TMs in Universal to be much better than Disney's CMs lately... Last trip, I encounter a record number (in all my trips) of rude CMs while being surprised at the drastic change of the attitudes of TMs in Universal... Much better than Disney lately...

Universal has gone nutso with the no loose articles policy. I understand not vbeing able to physically hold something in your hands while riding and I agree with that policy-most amusement parks have this rule. However, if I have cargo shorts with a pocket that buttons shut, or zips closed, why must everything come out of my pocket?! I have never experienced this policy at any other amusment park across the country and all if them have rides similar and of the same nature as Universal.

Cedar Point, Busch Gardens, Kings Doninion-all have rides that are as intense, or in a lot of cases, more intense than anything Universal has and they don't make me completely empty my pockets that fasen shut.

Metal dectors at rides? Give me a break.

DonaldDuck1117;2453558 wrote: Universal has gone nutso with the no loose articles policy. I understand not vbeing able to physically hold something in your hands while riding and I agree with that policy-most amusement parks have this rule. However, if I have cargo shorts with a pocket that buttons shut, or zips closed, why must everything come out of my pocket?! I have never experienced this policy at any other amusment park across the country and all if them have rides similar and of the same nature as Universal.

Cedar Point, Busch Gardens, Kings Doninion-all have rides that are as intense, or in a lot of cases, more intense than anything Universal has and they don't make me completely empty my pockets that fasen shut.

Metal dectors at rides? Give me a break.

I agree with you. Although to be fair, many theme parks have metal detectors at the park entrances. Six Flags does, at least. There has to be more going on that we don't know about.

I' m sorry but I really don't think that is a fair assessment. It is posted all over the place in both parks that you can not take anything that doesn't fit in your pocket on many attractions. We have also talked about this in detail on many, many threads on INTERCOT. To be upset that you had to follow the rules isn't fair. The rules are for safety purposes, not to get guests upset.

I personally do not see a difference in employees at either parks. I have been going to Universal since 1992 and only remember having two staff members that I thought acted totally uninterested in helping me. I just returned from Disney last week and ran into the rudest cast member at the Dinosaur ride in AK. He was so bad I almost went to guest services but didn't bother. I also had an uninterested cast member at the MK. You will run into bad employees not matter where you are and Disney and Universal are no exceptions.

NJGIRL;2453590 wrote: I' m sorry but I really don't think that is a fair assessment. It is posted all over the place in both parks that you can not take anything that doesn't fit in your pocket on many attractions. We have also talked about this in detail on many, many threads on INTERCOT. To be upset that you had to follow the rules isn't fair. The rules are for safety purposes, not to get guests upset.

I personally do not see a difference in employees at either parks. I have been going to Universal since 1992 and only remember having two staff members that I thought acted totally uninterested in helping me. I just returned from Disney last week and ran into the rudest cast member at the Dinosaur ride in AK. He was so bad I almost went to guest services but didn't bother. I also had an uninterested cast member at the MK. You will run into bad employees not matter where you are and Disney and Universal are no exceptions.

I agree with you that bad employees can be anywhere. Fortunately in my experiences I have only faced a really over-the-top rude employee once and it happened to be at Universal. Obviously, different people will have different experiences. I am not saying that I don't think I should have to follow the rule, in fact, we did follow it and had no problem until someone went to touch my husband's pants pockets because he thought he was lying. I'm sorry but that is going too far. I'm pretty sure they should not be allowed to grab at you. I also understand that people have bad days and dealing with people can be difficult at times (I work in retail) and hopefully this was an isolated incidence. Don't get me wrong I did enjoy my time at Universal and their Harry Potter section was incredible and I am sure at some point we will go back!