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Adult Couple Alleges Disney World Denied Them Ride Entry Despite High Costs

This week, a viral four-minute TikTok took the Disney Parks fans community by storm. In it, an adult couple that many have deemed “entitled” complained that Walt Disney World Resort offered terrible customer service when they couldn’t ride a popular attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

The Couple’s Experience With Walt Disney World Customer Service

In a now-deleted social media video, Freeman Arthur (@freemanarthur on TikTok) and his wife detailed their experience rope-dropping Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. When they arrived, Disney cast members told them the ride was broken and suggested they try another attraction.

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After riding Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, Arthur and his wife returned to the other Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge ride. They found that Disney cast members had opened the line in anticipation of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance operating, but they alleged that the queue was full. They claimed that Disney cast members wouldn’t let them enter the line, preventing them from experiencing the attraction.

Stormtrooper stare ahead in the Rise of the Resistance queue
Credit: Disney Parks Blog

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Later that day, Arthur and his wife went to Guest Services to complain about their experience. They spent much of the now-deleted TikTok detailing their bad experience with customer service at Walt Disney World Resort, claiming that the cast members spent time on mobile devices and avoided talking to them.

The couple then asked for a supervisor, who they claim said it was “not their problem.” The Disney Park guests said that all they wanted was an apology and an explanation, but the “awful” Walt Disney World customer service wouldn’t offer it.

Arthur later explained that the original video was removed after viewers reported extensive bullying in the comments section to TikTok moderators. He made a second video to reiterate his and his wife’s negative experience at Walt Disney World Resort:

@freemanarthur

Our Disney Experience #disney #disneyworld #hollywoodstudios

♬ original sound – Freeman Arthur

“Clearly, a lot of you who are out there being so judgemental and so hateful towards us don’t really understand what happened,” Arthur said.

He claimed that Disney cast members “literally roped off that section of the park and pushed everybody elsewhere.”

“There’s a lot of people that say, ‘You’re the ones who left the line. You should’ve stuck around,’” Arthur said. “We literally could not. There was a stampede of people literally behind us. They were pushing the crowd somewhere else.”

Daisy Ridley's Rey as a Hologram on Rise of the Resistance
Credit: Inside the Magic

Arthur alleged that the Disney cast member they approached at Guest Services “did not want to talk” to them.

“She clearly just did not want to be there,” he said. “That’s the vibe that I got. I explained, calmly and happily, really, just what happened… I just wanted an explanation.”

A Disney cast member allegedly told the couple that there would be no line unless the ride were opened:

“I tried to explain, ‘Ma’am, they are actually in the stanchions. They’ve let a line form. We just don’t understand why we can’t go get in it.’ And she just continues to double down and say there’s not an actual line…’ Your ticket says that you’re not guaranteed to be able to ride the rides, anyway.’ So I don’t like the attitude that she’s giving me…That’s whenever I asked to speak to her supervisor.” 

Disney Parks Fans and Cast Members Respond

Minnie Mouse and Pluto ride in a cavalcade of Disney characters at Disney's Hollywood Studios during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Credit: Jess Colopy, Inside the Magic

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Disney Parks fans and cast members were furious with Arthur. Many called the theme park guests “entitled” for expecting to ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance without paying for the Individual Lightning Lane that would guarantee access.

“Not to sound insensitive or anything, but was anyone else thinking, ‘Just buy the Lightning Lane like everybody else?’” @jackievilla300 asked in a video response. “If you want to ride it that badly…If you’re spending thousands of dollars at Disney World and you spent hours complaining about one ride that you weren’t able to ride, the $50 to guarantee that you would get on the ride really wouldn’t have made that big of a difference.”

@jackievilla300

Excuse the look… It’s past my bedtime. #disneyworld #disneyadult #disneycouple #fypage #fypシ゚viral

♬ original sound – Jackie V

Vanessa Marie (@xvanessaxmariex), a former Disney cast member, also chimed in. She felt there were inconsistencies in the couple’s story.

@xvanessaxmariex

Be nice to cast members. 🩷 . #wdw #waltdisneyworld #disneyworld #disney #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #foryoufeed #dcp #disneycollegeprogram #character #characterattendant #tips #tricks #hacks #disneytips #disneytipsandtricks #disneyhacks #meetandgreet #entertainment #story #storytime #storytimes #skit #karen #castmember #excastmember #disneycastmember

♬ original sound – ✨ Vanessa Marie ✨

“I don’t think they told them, ‘You’re not allowed to get in this line,’ and I don’t think that there [were] cast members on their phone who were trying to ignore you,” the former Disney cast member argued. “The only way that a cast member would be on their phone onstage would be if it’s a company-issued phone…They were probably trying to figure out what was going on with the ride.”

“Nothing is guaranteed, no matter how much you pay…,” Vanessa said. “No matter how much you pay, you’re not guaranteed to do everything.”

Commenters overwhelmingly agreed with Vanessa.

Entrance of Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort under an overcast sky, featuring art deco-style architecture and three flags atop, with a large crowd of visitors in front.
Credit: Ed Aguila, Inside the Magic

“The cast member definitely didn’t say ‘not my problem,’” said @verticalsea. “It was probably something more like ‘there’s nothing we can do to assist you with this issue’ …Same thing but more polite.”

“Disney adults are the WORST,” @jennthewitch wrote.

In his response to dissenters, Arthur argued that because the couple stayed at a Disney Resort hotel, they weren’t given the Early Entry perks they paid for.

Four teenagers laughing and talking in front of the twilight zone tower of terror attraction in Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park on a sunny day.
Credit: Disney

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“The point I was trying to make is, whenever people are spending thousands of dollars extra by staying on the property, by buying Genie+, Disney needs to accommodate those people because you’re selling those perks,” he said. “We paid for a service, and we didn’t get that service.”

Ultimately, the couple enjoyed their vacation to Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.

“We still had a great time overall,” Arthur concluded. “Every other cast member that we interacted with was great.”

Do you think the couple’s complaints about Walt Disney World Resort’s customer service are justified? In the comments, share your thoughts with us. 

Jess Colopy

Jess Colopy is a Disney College Program alum and kid-at-heart. When she’s not furiously typing in a coffee shop, you can find her on the hunt for the newest Stitch pin.

One Comment

  1. I have a hard time believing any cast member would be rude or uninterested in helping a customer. Not saying it isn’t possible, but we’re talking Disney here.

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