CRAZY guest trick at Lost & Found!

[GuestJockey]

I have a new favorite crazy-person-at-Disneyland story!

I'm the Lost and Found working lead (again. balls.)and CM#1 comes back to me and says "I think I have the crazy woman on the night. You're up." I rolled my eyes and went onstage. Little did I know at the time, she had the crazy person of the YEAR.

"I need to know who to talk to about taking back my business." she said forcefully.

"Uh...what business?" I ask.

"THIS business." she says, pointing at the floor/my counter.

"...Lost & Found?..." I venture a guess

"NO. DISNEY. MY BUSINESS."

"Uhm...I'm sorry mam, I don't think I understand. Are you a shareholder?"

"No. I DESIGNED this."

"Oh, are you an Imagineer?" I ask, as the other L&F guests start snickering and one man winks at me.

"NO! I DESIGNED ALL OF DISNEY!"

"Again, I'm sorry...do you mean the theme parks or animation or...?" (Thinking MAYBE she's not nuts and I'm just not getting something. More shocking things HAVE happened.)

"ALL OF IT. Disney! I designed...me and Mr. Linkletter....We...I DESIGNED THIS! I DESI...I need to talk to someone about taking back my BUSINESS!!! GET ME A SUPERVISOR!"

At this point, two guys at L&F walk away from the counter so she won't hear them laughing, and my CMs have one by one moved to the back and closed the curtain so they can listen. I have now given up on thinking it was me. She's clearly off her rocker, so I decide to mess with her just a bit. (We don't get paid enough to not find the fun in encounters like this!)

"I am the supervisor in this location mam. Again, if I understood better what it is you want, I could try to get you a phone number or contact information."

"You are NOT a supervisor for long, I will see to that! I want whoever is in charge."

"Who's in charge of me or who's in charge of the parks or...?"

"DISNEY."

"OK. Our CEO is B..."

"I AM your Chief Executive Officer!"

"Mam, Bob Iger is our Chief Executive Officer"

"Yes. Bob Ig...I am him. I am the Cheif Executive. I designed this!"

I stifle the biggest laugh EVER, and say, "Mam...I hate to disagree, but this was designed in the '50's."

"Yes, I know...the 50s...Don't you think I know that, I designed it! Art Linkletter and I designed it. And it WASN'T Mr. Disney, so don't try that. I designed it. NOw get me someone who can give me back my business!"

"OK, I'm going to get you my supervisor, one moment."

I go in the back and call my coordinator with the best parting gift EVER. "Hi, CM#2? I have a woman who is quite irate over at L&F."

"What's her deal?"

"She claims she's Bob Iger, and would like possession of the Walt Disney Company back from Lost and Found."

"I'm not coming over there! Call security!"

So I did. Security answers in the Com and I tell him I have a 10-99 at Lost & Found. He asks what the concern is, and I say "The woman is claiming to be Bob Iger and would like possession of TWDC back from L&F."

Security laughs and says, "Really? OK, but I'm putting out over the radio EXACTLY the way you just said it."

"OK!" lol

A few minutes later 3 officers and Delta 1 show up and I fill them in. Unfortunately before they got there, the woman had approached my coordinator again (who had been the only one brave enough to go back out on the counter with her still there after I walked away). She yelled at my coordinator, "WHY was I directed here!"

"Uhm...I don't know?"

"I NEEDED GUEST RELATIONS and THAT'S over THERE!" she says as she points at the window.

"Well mam, we're ALL Guest Relations, so they can do the same thing there that I can here. The manager that's coming is the same person either way. You're welcome to go over there if you'd like."

"FINE!" she said as she went and lined up at GRCM#2's window. Luckily, this was when security arrived, so GRCM#2 was spared (she got stuck with crazy Jasmine man 5 minutes later anyways.)

The woman was a bit calmer with security, but told them her story anyways. Security was smiling and nodding as she recounted her adventures in the 50s (she was like 35) with Art Linkletter designing "Disney". A few minutes into the story, however, and mid-sentance, she stops and says, "I want IHOP."

Delta 1 says, "OK, how about we go to IHOP?"

"Can I go through Downtown Disney?"

"No, You need to go out this way."

"OK" she says, and they follow her all the way to Harbor to make sure she's off property.

Scene.

[sean1966]

I don't know how you guys put up with this nonsense.

[hobie16]

Sounds like she got hold of an off brand of magic dust. It must have come from China.

[Big Wallaby]

That is downright scary.

Just a reminder, please don't use names here. We don't want to see any Cast Member get in trouble. I know some managers personally who would want to fire you just for being mentioned here, whether or not you had even heard of SGT.

Thanks, everyone.

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

hehehehe

now the kicker...was it anyone you KNOW???


sadly, I have had to deal with these types of people. They think they are in charge and can make everyone do what they want.

The sad part is the poor women will probably go through her entire life believing her rantings! (she probably was off her meds!)

[Mad Maxx]

Man, L&F got a guest even Crazier than the Leprechaun Lady? I remember that guest from a few times last year at grad nites... Stories like this at times make me want to go to Guest Relations. Almost make me want to...

And I wish I could have heard that all-call...

[Ho-say]

LOL...and I thought that *I* had some doozies in Guest Services at my resort. I had folks tell me once that they're room was covered in spiders, yet even having a housekeeping manager personally inspect the room to find absolutely nothing, and even after offering a new room (updgraded!) to the guest, they told me "no,it's Ok...I just wanted you to know." :confused: :rolleyes:

"FINE!" she said as she went and lined up at GRCM#2's window. Luckily, this was when security arrived, so GRCM#2 was spared (she got stuck with crazy Jasmine man 5 minutes later anyways.)



Ok, so I have to bite. Who was "Crazy Jasmine man"? :)

[Noctourne Wonderland]

The woman was a bit calmer with security, but told them her story anyways. Security was smiling and nodding as she recounted her adventures in the 50s (she was like 35) with Art Linkletter designing "Disney". A few minutes into the story, however, and mid-sentance, she stops and says, "I want IHOP."

WOW :EEK:

That's one of the best stories ever. I swear, there must be a mental institution built next door to Disneyland to lock these folks in. Not only does she think she's way older than she appeared to be, but she's got multiple personality disorder (she thinks she's Iger?) and gender confusion (again- IGER?!). I do love the image of a woman in DL ranting her head off and then suddenly stopping to share with security that she want's IHOP. That is classic. :D:

[hobie16]

I do love the image of a woman in DL ranting her head off and then suddenly stopping to share with security that she want's IHOP.
Gotta keep the energy level up. A day of ranting can wear you down fast.

[GuestJockey]

Ooops! I just copy-pasted from my personal blog and completely forgot I had used names in the original. Thanks for fixing it for me!!!

The crazy Jasmine man wasn't really crazy, he was just a guy who someone decided to make magic for earlier in the day, so he had it in his head that we could and SHOULD just do anything he asked us to. He wanted his kid to meet Jasmine, but missed the storytelling, so he showed up at the window and was yelling at one of our CMs because she wouldn't pull the Jasmine from the Hyperion OFF THE STAGE to come meet his kid in the Esplanade.

Just another day in Plaid! lol

[mechurchlady]

You are in L&F, wow, that warning of mine really did scare all the CMs into hiding. I never go to L&F as they seem to have never found my lost marbles.

Disneyland is older than me so I wonder how she thought she created DL. If she and Art designed the park then shouldn't she be sharing with him? Greedy of her to demand to own the park she and Art created without sharing with him.

I wonder if she was mad because they did not eat with her at IHOP.

[DisneyMom]

Kind of Scary.....

Many people go through life this way until they are determined to be a danger to self or others.:(

[Syndrome]

It's funny in a way, but sad in a way too when I view it with my professional counseling hat on. People with certain disorders such as schizophrenia really believe the oddest things. Unfortunately, some of their beliefs cause them great distress. It sounds like Iger Lady's delusion caused more distress for those around her than for herself, although I imagine that not being recognized and acknowleged for being the CEO probably pissed her off.

[turkeyham]

That lady is a royal nut case. The 2 face lady with 2 different personalities.
How did she end up so twisted? I will have to keep my eyes open for this type of excitement when people watching. :eek:

[Disneyguy85]

That was one nutty person.

This is the kind of thing that's both amusing and sad at the same time.

[Main Streeter]

D L Security was joking about who would actually drive & eat with her at IHOP. :D: Security decided CFA SUV would be the most appropriate ride. After thinking things over Security decided to let Delta 1 escort her to IHOP since they are paid more. :rolleyes: This story simply rolled bigger & better by 2330.That shuttle to K Lot was hysterical. Every Security Officer had their own version of what they did & what they saw & heard, or how this "crazy" should have been dealt with. Just to be on this shuttle & hear the comments was an E+ ticket ride. :cool: Perks of a CM @ DL. HA!

[kurtisnelson]

I was waiting in line at guest relations at MK. (Person at the confectionary said birthday fun card was not scanning right and I should get it replaced)
Old couple comes in line behind me. Asks to the room: "Is there where I buy tickets to ride the train?" I turn around and say "you don't have to have a ticket to ride anything in the park." "But I want to ride the train" "Which train are you talking about? The steam train is right over *there*." "No that's not it." "What train are you talking about?" "The one that goes around the park, I need to buy a ticket here." "The train you are talking about is right up those steps." Finally the person behind them in line jumps in to agree with me and say the train really is there. They believe him. He says "Did they think we were trying to force them on small world?" "No, I just think they were really stuck in the 70s."

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

I was waiting in line at guest relations at MK. (Person at the confectionary said birthday fun card was not scanning right and I should get it replaced)
Old couple comes in line behind me. Asks to the room: "Is there where I buy tickets to ride the train?" I turn around and say "you don't have to have a ticket to ride anything in the park." "But I want to ride the train" "Which train are you talking about? The steam train is right over *there*." "No that's not it." "What train are you talking about?" "The one that goes around the park, I need to buy a ticket here." "The train you are talking about is right up those steps." Finally the person behind them in line jumps in to agree with me and say the train really is there. They believe him. He says "Did they think we were trying to force them on small world?" "No, I just think they were really stuck in the 70s."

Hmm, I wonder if the last time they were at the park they were still using the A-E ticket books?

talk about stretching out your visits! hehehehe

[Shorty82]

talk about stretching out your visits! hehehehe

That part sounds like my dad. He's only been to Disney once and that was in the late 70's. So long ago he can't remember exactly when it was though I was able to narrow it down a little as he told me there was only one roller coaster at the time.

He was supposed to come down this past weekend for a few days but both he and his wife got sick and they had to cancel. I'm going to work on getting them to come down for about week at some point in the future. I'm not sure he understands how much WDW has changed since his last visit.

[Lasolimu]

I think I know where she went after this, http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7014605087. Fits the description of crazy.

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

She musta had to go REAL BAD!

hehehe

[smart1hermione]

i.... don't know what to say...

WOW.

[joanna71985]

This is why I could never work in GR- I don't have enough of a spine to deal with some people.

[leftcoaster]

This is why I don't work as a front line CM or even as a GR CM.

I would get walked off property within the hour, because I would tell the SG's that they are dopes, idiots, morons, etc. :twisted:

[Ho-say]

And while I've worked front desk and guest services, I have incredible respect for our GR and Vacation Planners as I just don't know if I could do their jobs (though "secretly" would love to try being a plaid).


This is why I could never work in GR- I don't have enough of a spine to deal with some people.

Joanne: but you get people screaming at you because Mickey, Stitch or the Tremaines have to take a quick intermission or are leaving and won't be back for 3-4 hrs....and you have the joy of cutting off an unhappy queue. I don't know if I'd have it in me to do that, even though I know I'd probably enjoy working with our characters...

[GuestJockey]

Joanne: but you get people screaming at you because Mickey, Stitch or the Tremaines have to take a quick intermission or are leaving and won't be back for 3-4 hrs....and you have the joy of cutting off an unhappy queue. I don't know if I'd have it in me to do that, even though I know I'd probably enjoy working with our characters...

I was gonna say the SAME thing. That's the one job I know I couldn't do is character hosting and having to turn kids away from meeting their favorite characters. I always feel like we're lucky in City Hall since by the time they get all the way down to us, they've walked it off a bit.

[Disneyguy85]

I always feel like we're lucky in City Hall since by the time they get all the way down to us, they've walked it off a bit.

That's a good point.

[joanna71985]

Joanne: but you get people screaming at you because Mickey, Stitch or the Tremaines have to take a quick intermission or are leaving and won't be back for 3-4 hrs....and you have the joy of cutting off an unhappy queue. I don't know if I'd have it in me to do that, even though I know I'd probably enjoy working with our characters...

I was gonna say the SAME thing. That's the one job I know I couldn't do is character hosting and having to turn kids away from meeting their favorite characters. I always feel like we're lucky in City Hall since by the time they get all the way down to us, they've walked it off a bit.

Yeah, it can be hard closing off the character line. But the majority of guests are good about it (I probably can count the number of times I had issues with guests on 1 hand). For me, the good moments from working with the characters far outweigh the bad ones.

[SmallWorldGuy76]

I have a new favorite crazy-person-at-Disneyland story!

I'm the Lost and Found working lead (again. balls.)and CM#1 comes back to me and says "I think I have the crazy woman on the night. You're up." I rolled my eyes and went onstage. Little did I know at the time, she had the crazy person of the YEAR.

"I need to know who to talk to about taking back my business." she said forcefully.

"Uh...what business?" I ask.

"THIS business." she says, pointing at the floor/my counter.

"...Lost & Found?..." I venture a guess

"NO. DISNEY. MY BUSINESS."

"Uhm...I'm sorry mam, I don't think I understand. Are you a shareholder?"

"No. I DESIGNED this."

"Oh, are you an Imagineer?" I ask, as the other L&F guests start snickering and one man winks at me.

"NO! I DESIGNED ALL OF DISNEY!"

"Again, I'm sorry...do you mean the theme parks or animation or...?" (Thinking MAYBE she's not nuts and I'm just not getting something. More shocking things HAVE happened.)

"ALL OF IT. Disney! I designed...me and Mr. Linkletter....We...I DESIGNED THIS! I DESI...I need to talk to someone about taking back my BUSINESS!!! GET ME A SUPERVISOR!"

At this point, two guys at L&F walk away from the counter so she won't hear them laughing, and my CMs have one by one moved to the back and closed the curtain so they can listen. I have now given up on thinking it was me. She's clearly off her rocker, so I decide to mess with her just a bit. (We don't get paid enough to not find the fun in encounters like this!)

"I am the supervisor in this location mam. Again, if I understood better what it is you want, I could try to get you a phone number or contact information."

"You are NOT a supervisor for long, I will see to that! I want whoever is in charge."

"Who's in charge of me or who's in charge of the parks or...?"

"DISNEY."

"OK. Our CEO is B..."

"I AM your Chief Executive Officer!"

"Mam, Bob Iger is our Chief Executive Officer"

"Yes. Bob Ig...I am him. I am the Cheif Executive. I designed this!"

I stifle the biggest laugh EVER, and say, "Mam...I hate to disagree, but this was designed in the '50's."

"Yes, I know...the 50s...Don't you think I know that, I designed it! Art Linkletter and I designed it. And it WASN'T Mr. Disney, so don't try that. I designed it. NOw get me someone who can give me back my business!"

"OK, I'm going to get you my supervisor, one moment."

I go in the back and call my coordinator with the best parting gift EVER. "Hi, CM#2? I have a woman who is quite irate over at L&F."

"What's her deal?"

"She claims she's Bob Iger, and would like possession of the Walt Disney Company back from Lost and Found."

"I'm not coming over there! Call security!"

So I did. Security answers in the Com and I tell him I have a 10-99 at Lost & Found. He asks what the concern is, and I say "The woman is claiming to be Bob Iger and would like possession of TWDC back from L&F."

Security laughs and says, "Really? OK, but I'm putting out over the radio EXACTLY the way you just said it."

"OK!" lol

A few minutes later 3 officers and Delta 1 show up and I fill them in. Unfortunately before they got there, the woman had approached my coordinator again (who had been the only one brave enough to go back out on the counter with her still there after I walked away). She yelled at my coordinator, "WHY was I directed here!"

"Uhm...I don't know?"

"I NEEDED GUEST RELATIONS and THAT'S over THERE!" she says as she points at the window.

"Well mam, we're ALL Guest Relations, so they can do the same thing there that I can here. The manager that's coming is the same person either way. You're welcome to go over there if you'd like."

"FINE!" she said as she went and lined up at GRCM#2's window. Luckily, this was when security arrived, so GRCM#2 was spared (she got stuck with crazy Jasmine man 5 minutes later anyways.)

The woman was a bit calmer with security, but told them her story anyways. Security was smiling and nodding as she recounted her adventures in the 50s (she was like 35) with Art Linkletter designing "Disney". A few minutes into the story, however, and mid-sentance, she stops and says, "I want IHOP."

Delta 1 says, "OK, how about we go to IHOP?"

"Can I go through Downtown Disney?"

"No, You need to go out this way."

"OK" she says, and they follow her all the way to Harbor to make sure she's off property.

Scene.

LOL, you've really made my day with this story! Makes me wish I were back working at DL.

[Captain C]

This has to go as both the best and scariest story here :eek:

[glendalais]

I go in the back and call my coordinator with the best parting gift EVER. "Hi, CM#2? I have a woman who is quite irate over at L&F."

"What's her deal?"

"She claims she's Bob Iger, and would like possession of [The Walt Disney Company and Affiliated Companies] back from Lost and Found."

"I'm not coming over there! Call security!"

Don't you just love when Management does that? :rolleyes:

[drcorey]

and it's hard to sooth the common guest beast.
give them some free stuff and they just get greedy.

[Disneyguy85]

and it's hard to sooth the common guest beast.
give them some free stuff and they just get greedy.

So true.

[BRWombat]

It just dawned on me... Did anyone bother to check whether she really was Bob Iger???

[Syndrome]

That linked airplane story made me think of someone I saw once who could have been Iger Lady's mom or grandma. When I was a kid, my mother took me on a Greyhound bus from Chicago to Yuma, Arizona (my mother was rather crazy herself). DAYS on the road...ugh! One of the passengers was a woman who would sit in the middle of the aisle and talk to people who weren't there. Then she would lock herself in the bathroom for literally an hour or two. I'm not sure how she could even stand the smell in there. They finally kicked her off the bus when she opened several people's luggage during one rest stop and was trying on some of the clothes.

[GuestJockey]

Don't you just love when Management does that? :rolleyes:

It was actually pretty funny. Sad part was that it was one of our favorite manager's last day, so we called him thinking it would be an AWESOME "goodbye from Guest Relations" present. After it was over and we told him what had happened he was really sad he didn't come over and chat with her. We still laugh about it with him.

[praline3001]

It was actually pretty funny. Sad part was that it was one of our favorite manager's last day, so we called him thinking it would be an AWESOME "goodbye from Guest Relations" present. After it was over and we told him what had happened he was really sad he didn't come over and chat with her. We still laugh about it with him.

After reading the board ALL day as I am LOVING these stories, you get the blue ribbon hands down :D:
That has to be the silliest thing I have read so far!!!
Kudos for keeping your composure ~ I would have wet my drawers and keeled over on the floor laughing until I passed out. Heck I might have given her Bob's home phone number (of course starting with 555) LOL

[Goofyernmost]

Don't you just love when Management does that? :rolleyes:

Management does that because that is what needs to be done. Just exactly what do you think management would have done that would have made it better. Calling Security was long overdue in this case. I'm not faulting the CM in this case because they did the best they could to defuse the situation, but the only remaining solution was Security.

[GuestJockey]

Management does that because that is what needs to be done. Just exactly what do you think management would have done that would have made it better. Calling Security was long overdue in this case. I'm not faulting the CM in this case because they did the best they could to defuse the situation, but the only remaining solution was Security.

As I said in the OP, I was calling him because it was his last day with our department, and I thought he might want to experience one more crazy Guest before he left us. I didn't mind at all that he didn't want to come over, but he called me back once he heard the radio call for Security and was upset that he hadn't. We still laugh about it when I run into him every once in a while. :)

[Brervixen]

That is the most genius story ever, at least it keeps everyone entertained! :o: