What would you tell guests if you had to turn them away because a line was closed for the day?

• A. I would apologize that the character will not be meeting anymore friends today, but I would offer times for the following day that you could meet the character in all the parks.
• B. I would promise a refund immediately.
• C. I would suggest they change parks to see the character.
• D. I would ignore them.

Answer: (A)

Handling guest disappointment when a line is closed requires empathy and proactive planning. The best approach is to acknowledge the inconvenience, apologize for the disruption, and offer a concrete alternative—times the character will be available the next day across all parks. This turns a setback into a future opportunity, showing you value the guests’ time and are dedicated to helping them meet the character. It also sets clear expectations and reduces frustration by giving them a specific plan to look forward to.

Other options don’t fit well with good guest service: promising a refund immediately can erase the experience’s value and may not align with what’s possible in the moment; suggesting they switch parks is impractical and confusing; ignoring them is simply unacceptable and damages trust.