Disney Guest Reportedly Forced off Ride for “VIP” Family

Thousands of Disneyland Resort cast members work hard to make the magic real for guests. Whether in entertainment, custodial, or attractions, almost everyone working at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure wants guests to enjoy their Disney Park visits. Even as some struggle to make ends meet, Disney cast members serve with a smile.

But a growing number of guests claim that one group of Disneyland Resort cast members is an exception to the rule. The “plaids” are cast members who wear a coveted plaid uniform, designating them as Guest Services employees or VIP Tour Guides. The Walt Disney Company doesn’t hire outside for these positions–cast members must apply with a stellar record from another role at Disney theme parks, resort hotels, or Downtown Disney.

In a post on Reddit this week, one guest claimed that a VIP Tour Guide forced them to get off Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance so that their client could have the front row.

“During my last visit, after waiting an hour for Rise, myself and another single rider were booted from our assigned seats in the front row,” u/waiting4thatasteroid explained. “The plaid held his arm up in front of me to let 4 of the 5 guests in his group take the front row. I looked over to see that was the color I was assigned. He didn’t say much except he was having them take that row. I ended up sitting next to him and I looked over to see his name.”

The guest quietly confronted the cast member, but it didn’t go as they hoped.

“At the end of the ride, I quietly said to him that I understand he needs to provide a good experience for his group but after waiting for an hour, getting the front row, then being kicked off my assigned seat sucked,” they continued. “His reply was ‘yeah, I know you got my name.’…I responded that yes I got your name but you know complaining isn’t going to do anything. He responded with a shrug and said ‘it’s what we do.’”

A Guest Services cast member compensated the guest with a Lightning Lane for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, but they still felt the situation was unfair. They asked other Disney Parks fans if they’d had similar experiences.

“My husband is a custodial CM and they’re so entitled it’s like, wtf dude,” u/coldcurru replied. “A group of them talking to themselves about how the trash in the break room was overflowing when he was also on his break and they’re like, ‘just ask him, it’s his job.’”

One guest had a similar experience at Walt Disney World Resort.

“This was in Florida but my husband lost his phone in a gift shop,” u/mermaidmagik recalled. “The CM said she just gave it to a guest services person in plaid. My husband saw two plaids chatting and he asked them. They looked at him, scoffed, and went ‘oh no we don’t do that, we are VIP tour guides.’ He was like um okay good for you?”

Others felt Disneyland Resort was to blame, not individual cast members.

“The Disney park experience is evolving to a class system made up of general public that have a really frustrating time with crowds and those with the money to be able to bypass as much of the frustration that they are willing to spend,” u/jfdonohoe argued. “And what’s crazy is it feels like the experience the rich are shelling out for now is the basic experience everyone had 30 years ago.”

Have you ever had a frustrating or disappointing encounter with VIP Tour Guides or Guest Service cast members at Disneyland Resort? 

Please note that the story outlined in this article is based on personal Disney Parks guest experiences. No two guest experiences are alike, and this article does not necessarily align with Inside the Magic’s personal views on Disney Park operations.

This post is originally appeared on Inside the Magic.