Disney just canceled our Capture your moment sessions!

[xipotec]

You truly think you can force someone to work overtime?

Force? Who said anything about force? I am sure if standard time and 1/2 was offered people would jump on it

The real story is you're making assumptions about the situation based on your own ignorant biases. In my opinion, the last-minute nature of this shortage is possibly due to a pocket outbreak of COVID amongst the photographers. Nobody likes forced or "encouraged" overtime, and if management tried that, it could have led to other photographers quitting, further exacerbating the problem.

Ignorant bias? This is a common theme across all businesses as well as Disney Properties. Do you actually believe the nonsense that "no one want to work?" People just want a job that can pay the bills of everyday living, and to be respected at that job...

If Disney is having staffing issues, its a simple fact that they are not paying employees enough money to deal with the average entitled theme park goer. Being a CM is a VERY demanding job, full of stress. If they are not offering enough money for people to deal with that stress and live in an area where daily living prices are sky rocketing.

I am sure the greater LA area is FULL of photographers......its just not full of photographers that will work for pennies.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

Force? Who said anything about force? I am sure if standard time and 1/2 was offered people would jump on it

Ignorant bias? This is a common theme across all businesses as well as Disney Properties. Do you actually believe the nonsense that "no one want to work?" People just want a job that can pay the bills of everyday living, and to be respected at that job...

If Disney is having staffing issues, its a simple fact that they are not paying employees enough money to deal with the average entitled theme park goer. Being a CM is a VERY demanding job, full of stress. If they are not offering enough money for people to deal with that stress and live in an area where daily living prices are sky rocketing.

I am sure the greater LA area is FULL of photographers......its just not full of photographers that will work for pennies.

LA?? What does photographers in LA have to doors with anything? Do you even know where WDW is?

News flash, no. Money won't make people work overtime. Maybe some but you can't say it's enough for their needs

 

[bravenyc]

There is a wonderful group on facebook - Ear for Each Other. It is comprised of laid off castmembers who have businesses providing a range of services - or current castmembers who have side businesses for extra income. I am almost positive that there are some photographers in the group.

 

[cyndiella]

Try this: find a photopass photogragher who is not busy (like one who is standing around right after the Calvacade goes by)... perhaps one who is in an out of the way place, and VERY politely ask if they can take a few pictures of your grad in her cap, etc... Be thankful and gracious and fun for everyone. You can go to the 'camera store' at the front of the park in an hour and ask to look at the pictures before you buy... Then buy that day's worth or just a couple..
I have done this and it works if there is not a line up.. I got 5 minutes of pictures of my husband napping at MK... No worries.. he laughed when he saw them... then got me back the next year..

 

[MinnieMSue]

Try this: find a photopass photogragher who is not busy (like one who is standing around right after the Calvacade goes by)... perhaps one who is in an out of the way place, and VERY politely ask if they can take a few pictures of your grad in her cap, etc... Be thankful and gracious and fun for everyone. You can go to the 'camera store' at the front of the park in an hour and ask to look at the pictures before you buy... Then buy that day's worth or just a couple..
I have done this and it works if there is not a line up.. I got 5 minutes of pictures of my husband napping at MK... No worries.. he laughed when he saw them... then got me back the next year..


View attachment 673508

This photo is awesome!

 

[Dug720]

Yup, thats bad management…..really bad.

Do not sell a service if you cannot provide it, even at a loss.

Thats the real story here. They CAN do it with overtime and higher wages…..they just dont wanna….

There IS the possibility that the photographers who do those sessions (they don't just pull any PhotoPass photog - I talked with them a lot when I did it at AK in July; the CYM photogs *can* go out for regular PhotoPass, but they have specialized training) - or at least some of them - tested positive in the last 24 hours and they NOW simply don't have the people to do it to the quality that CYM sessions are.

They seem to assign the photog to each slot, so it's not just "You get whoever's there" - I know when I checked in for mine, they specifically said "Your photographer is on his way" - so especially if the assigned photographer tested positive and all the others were already booked, what choice do they have? Send one that doesn't have the training/experience and therefore the pictures are not up to CYM quality?

 

[scrappinginontario]

There IS the possibility that the photographers who do those sessions (they don't just pull any PhotoPass photog - I talked with them a lot when I did it at AK in July; the CYM photogs *can* go out for regular PhotoPass, but they have specialized training) - or at least some of them - tested positive in the last 24 hours and they NOW simply don't have the people to do it to the quality that CYM sessions are.

They seem to assign the photog to each slot, so it's not just "You get whoever's there" - I know when I checked in for mine, they specifically said "Your photographer is on his way" - so especially if the assigned photographer tested positive and all the others were already booked, what choice do they have? Send one that doesn't have the training/experience and therefore the pictures are not up to CYM quality?

While I appreciate what you're saying, OP was cancelled 4 days before their session. It's really disappointing that Disney is booking things so tight that with 4 days notice they can't make adjustments.

Others in this thread also reported having their sessions cancelled at the last minute. If this is a recurring problem Disney either needs to train additional photographers or sell less sessions. Disappointing customers this way is not acceptable.

 

[Dug720]

OP was cancelled 4 days before their session.

Disney policy when one tests positive is you test on the 5th day after the positive test and if you test negative on Day 5, you are back to work on Day 6. It you're still positive you stay out and test on Day 10 to come back on Day 11. And we don't know how many in their pool have tested positive. Certainly if it is a COVID+ situation, anyone who has worked with them (their assistant, anyone else in their area who was in direct contact with them for a certain time) would be a close contact and would be testing every day.

Should they have more who are trained? In an ideal world, yes. And they may be trying to get there. But in terms of "scheduling things so tightly it doesn't allow room for error" - I don't blame them for not paying someone to be on schedule just in case. Outside of a few Broadway shows (Phantom, Wicked) where they literally have a stand-by whose only job is to be in the theater or in a 5-block range and reachable by phone for certain roles to go on last-minute, I don't know of any employer who will schedule - and therefore pay - someone to just be there to hang out in case something happens.

It definitely sucks, but outside of just sadly cancelling the people assigned to that photographer, how would they decide. Put all the names in a hat and draw out names to get to stay. And also, we don't know who else may have been scheduled on that day who also got a call 4-days out. Much as we like to think we are the majority of Disney fans, we are a tiny portion of people who go to the parks. Many don't post here or on any forum.

 

[Narcoossee11]

This position is not like a food server or attraction CM. Disney can't just move an average cm.
They have to be trained to take photos .

CM have a life. They don't want to work 6-7 days , 10-12 hours.

 

[JodyK]

Disney has really been policing outside photographers on Disney property lately so most photographers have stopped offering sessions at MK and I saw yesterday even at the resort hotels which had been safe before.

For this particular situation I would do the suggested and just find photopass photographers that aren't too busy. I got engaged at MK and it was just regular photopass at that time and the photopass photographer was great and captured a lot of photos with 2 seconds notice lol I would also try stopping in at Box Office Gifts same-day and asking if there's any last minute appointments/cancellations explaining the situation and maybe there will be some magic. Good luck!

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

I'm so sorry! That is disappointing and I would be very upset too. Not sure if this helps because I know you wanted pics in MK, but we stayed at Polynesian last weekend and both afternoons there was a PhotoPass photographer hanging around between the pool and Pineapple Lanai. DH and I just wanted a quick photo with a special 50th prop he had and he ended up doing a ton of poses/magic shots/etc. with us - must've gotten 25+ photos. I don't know if they always have a photog there but if you happen to be out that way you could keep an eye out.