Disney World may be “The Most Magical Place on Earth,” but we can assure you — there’s a LOT of complaining going on in the parks.
Whether it’s bad weather, a ride closure, a rough experience at a dining reservation, or issues with the app, Disney World guests pretty much always have something to complain about. Now, we’re definitely not saying that it’s a bad thing — you paid a LOT of money to go on this vacation and it’s valid that you’d want to have the best time possible. But if you’re going to complain, we’re going to teach you how to do it the right way!
The main place where people go to complain in Disney World is at Guest Relations. There’s at least one Guest Relations location in each of the theme parks, and they probably hear hundreds of gripes from visitors each day. So if they’re listening to complaints all day long, how can you make sure yours is actually HEARD? Let’s talk about it.
Rule No. 1: Be Kind
There’s an old saying that “you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar” and boy does that apply in this scenario. Guest Relations hosts are trained to solve your problems and they want you to have the most magical vacation possible, but a little bit of kindness can go a long way.
Treating the Guest Relations Cast Member with respect and understanding can be the difference between getting your problem solved the regular way and getting a little extra “pixie dust” along with the solution. Plus, we guarantee that these poor people get yelled and cursed at all day, so it’s good to just be a decent human and treat them well.
Basically, the Guest Relations people don’t get enough thanks for the hard work they do and all the garbage that they have to put up with! Be kind to them.
Report Your Issues to the Right People
If you’re ready to make a complaint, the first thing you’ll want to do is make sure that you’re reporting your problem to the correct person. If you had an issue with a meal in the parks, then the manager at that restaurant will likely be able to fix things quicker than someone in Guest Relations could.
The same rule could apply to rides or merchandise as well. If there’s an issue with a ride or attraction, or you have a question about a piece of merchandise, go directly to those locations first. You don’t want to waste time waiting in line at Guest Relations if there’s someone who can fix your problem more directly and conveniently!
Adding on to this — many times if you have an issue, you may not have to go all the way to Guest Relations. Disney World has added Guest Experience kiosks around the parks in the past few years, and they can be particularly helpful when you’re dealing with smaller problems like Genie+, the My Disney Experience app, or other technical glitches.
They may still send you to the main Guest Relations location in the park, but it’s worth a try to stop here first.
Take Ownership
One thing that we’ve heard from Guest Relations hosts in the past is that they’re more likely to go the extra mile if the guest owns up to the problem. If you made your Park Pass for the wrong park or you accidentally left someone off of your Genie+ selection, it’s okay to say that.
It’s refreshing for Cast Members to hear guests admit to making mistakes instead of having them pin it on another Cast Member or Disney as a whole. It also shows that you’re able to be calm and logical about the situation, which usually bodes well for getting a favorable solution. We’re all only human, and we all make mistakes! You’re probably not the first person to encounter your particular problem, and you won’t be the last.
Be Realistic
Of course, when you’re heading to Guest Relations to report a problem, it’s helpful to know whether the Cast Members there can realistically solve it. Maybe you’re mad that the yeti is still broken on Expedition Everest or you miss The Great Movie Ride, but going to Guest Relations to complain will really just be wasting your precious vacation time.
Large-scale opinions and complaints like those are best left for letters and emails written to Disney directly after the fact. Disney World also sends out surveys to guests pretty frequently, so you may get the chance to drop your thoughts there as well.
Marching down to Guest Relations to complain about the weather (or some other thing that poor Cast Member has no control over) will just be a waste of your time and of theirs.
Sometimes, Be Like Elsa
Speaking of wasting time — that’s one thing you need to consider with this last piece of advice. We’ve encountered innumerable issues in Disney World over the years, but we certainly didn’t report every single one. Sometimes, you just have to be like Elsa and “let it go.”
There will be mishaps and glitches and things that don’t go according to plan on every vacation, and sometimes they’re worth taking the time to complain about…but sometimes they’re not. If it’s not something that needs to be fixed, why would you want to spend your time standing in line at Guest Relations? Instead, you could just let it roll off your back and head off to your next ride, snack, or show.
Believe us, we all want our vacations to be magical and perfect…but that’s not always the case. The best you can do when problems arise is to handle it with a level head, and then move on to enjoy the rest of your trip. You’ll thank us later if you do!
So there you have it — our complete guide to complaining in Disney World. We’ll make sure to keep you updated with more tips for how to have the most successful trip!
Everything You Need to Know to Have a GREAT First Disney World Trip — Click Here!
Have you ever been to Guest Relations in Disney World? What was your experience like? Tell us in the comments!
I would write nice emails to Guest Services after our trip expressing my issue (if any) and giving them suggestions. You know, don’t complain unless you can offer a solution. I use to get a response, but not anymore. I’m guessing they’ve been flooded with complaints. I keep thinking a cast member at Guest Services is just hitting the delete button. 🙂
As a retired cast member who worked at the front desk at a resort, I want to thank you for this article. Cast members always want to help make your trip memorable and come up with the best solution to your issues. Wishing all quests a wonderful visit to the Most Magical Place on Earth.
Your recommendations are very good and appropriate. However, I suspect there are some (a lot?) of people who have no clue what you’re talking about. Or they don’t care. But, they’re not likely to be reading this post. I don’t know where the term “Karen” came from, but I see it far too often these days.