Stuck in a Crisis

I am a firm believer in the power of hands-on learning. Reading and studying various topics can help you form an understanding of that topic, but you really won't know until you experience or witness it personally.

While ONU PRSSA was at Disney World for the day before our conference began, three of our members witnessed a crisis while at Disney's Hollywood Studios. I was lucky enough to be one of them, and surely I took notes to learn from this experience.

While riding Toy Story Mania, the ride broke down and we were stuck in the middle of this 3D arcade game attraction. I thought that the workers handled this crisis well and there were three things in particular I noticed they paid attention to while handling this. I'll call them the "Three S's".

1. Safety. With any situation or crisis, safety should be the number one concern. As soon as the ride broke down, an announcement was made to sit and wait patiently in the cars. Of course, this is to ensure no one leaves their car and could get hurt walking around unassisted. The workers came to each car, unlocked the doors and helped us out. They also lined us up against the wall to keep us in order and away from the tracks, where someone could potentially trip and fall.

2. Speed. We did have to wait for all riders to get unlocked and out of their cars, as we formed one large line, but I didn't think this took very long. I would say we were inside during the crisis for about 15-20 minutes. I think the speed and responsiveness of the workers was efficient, not to mention they all remained calm as they unlocked the ride as quickly as possible.


3. Sign. It's important to offer a gesture by which you express apologies to those involved in the crisis. Disney did this by offering a Fast Pass to any ride in the park. This is a pass that allows you to jump the line and avoid waiting. Our pass didn't expire that day either, which I thought was great because it didn't limit how we could use this. This was a small gesture, but it was still something that helped ease our negative experience with the ride.

Next time you're in a crisis or dealing with one, remember the "Three S's" and see if these tips help make the experience better!