Has Disney World lost it's magic?

[Princess Disney Mom]

Just got back from a terrific magical time!!! No it's not perfect, but the good stuff out weights some of the not so good stuff.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

And you do know that Lee is no longer with Disney, as are many of the top management that were there 5-10 years ago.

I so totally want to be a fly on one of their walls...

 

[Speedemon21]

I've been wanting to address this for some time now, this seems like a good thread to do so. I have been working in the customer service industry from the day I was born, (family owned business), this includes retail, resort hotels, electric company cust. service, et al. What I have noticed is not the decline in Disney magic or customer service as a whole, but rather a severe decline in work ethic amongst people in this country.

Anyone can interview like a champ, but get them on the job and they can be horrid workers, so you get rid of them, for what, another of the same. Regardless of who Disney or any other cust. service based company hires, there is a 50/50 chance they will be lousy workers, makes no difference if they are trained for a week or a month, people no longer want to work for a paycheck. And spare me the "you get what you pay for" spiel, I've worked with some very well paid people that worked harder at getting out of doing their job.

As for Disney, I've been going there since June of 1972 and I don't notice any decline in the cleanliness, the upkeep, nor the cust. service. Is every CM a happy little elf? No, but that again goes back to the lack of work ethic. I defy any of you to find 50,000 + incredibly happy 8 hours a day, perfect work ethic CM's, not these days you won't.

I currently work on my days off at a small hotel here in South Jersey, ya know who shows up every day and works very hard cleaning rooms and doing maintenance on the property? The Russian kids that come here every summer, because American kids would never, ever do those jobs even if only for 3 months.

No, Disney magic is not gone, the desire to actually WORK for a living is.

ITA!!!

 

[PrincessV]

And you do know that Lee is no longer with Disney, as are many of the top management that were there 5-10 years ago.

DING, DING, DING! There's your answer folks. Or at least part of it.

I live near The Mouse and have logged hundreds of days there over the past 20 years. I obviously still find some "magic" since I keep going back, but the levels of service have declined significantly in those years. Around here, Disney was THE standard for excellent customer service and the full package guest experience. Now, it's absolutely on par with its competitors. Which isn't atrocious, but it sure isn't "excellence" either.

 

[MickeyNicki]

We have gone 7 times in the last year and we have noticed:

The bathrooms are not as clean as they used to be, we would always see attendants in the restrooms but not anymore, run out of hand soap, toilet paper and paper towels

Less Photo Pass Photographers out, you have to hunt them down and when you do find them they have a line of people waiting their turn

Sold out restaurants but the place is still half empty

Mousekeeping is slacking on making up the rooms and we have walked into less than stellar cleaning jobs

Not as many drink and snack stands open in the parks

Not as many CM's walking through the parks picking up stray rubbish

CS places with limited hours or just not opening up at all

 

[Nom]

The changes have been obvious for years......subtle changes...but they multiply.

I agree, there are changes overall in the experience.

* lack of Customer Service training = less prompt customer service
* Challeneged mousekeepers still cleaning rooms after 5 pm
* Dirty bathrooms
* Parks looking shabby in places
* Decline in food quallity - OMG yes!

One trip to BC 3 years ago included (as an example):

* Broken furniture in room not replaced during 8 night stay
* Debris (empty coffee cups, leaves, very messy in the corner) in stairway never cleaned even after bringing it to the Manager's attention
* Deathly horrible odor in the lobby bathroom - always a problem at BC but especially bad this time
* Mousekeepers working after 5 (this was the first time we noticed this - now common place)
* Cover of all the sidewalk lights not fastened and askew along BCV sidewalk to International gateway....not one or two...all of them.
* Multiple castmember totally unfamiliar with BC - beginning at checkin. (example of little training).

Want to know what Management said to us - castmember to castmember....."do you know how hard it is to get good employees?" AND...nothing was corrected after we spoke with him....bathroom still had it's horrible odor (sad to watch a young girl screaming NO IT STINKS) as her mother dragged her into the bathroom, lights not fixed, room funture not repaired or replaced, stairway not touched.

There is a reason many Delux Disney Resorts have only 3 star ratings.

You know, Holiday Inn, Hilton Garden Inn and Marriott Courtyards keep their hotels crisp and fresh for far less than the $300+ p/night the Beach Club charges.

I'm sorry......Disney is shabby in places.

It is very sad to watch - and more sad when people this the current level of service and product is "Disney Quality".

There seems to be more and more of us willing to admit the truth....no matter how hard it hurts.....because Disney has been our magic place. The theme of this thread is even showing up in the DVC section....and they have paid $$$$$ for this.

Our last DVC stay at the Boardwalk Villas was very disappointing. We pay castmember rates but to charge upto $600 p/night for that tired 1 Bedroom Villa is simply robbery. You can see it it's day -- it was just run down and had too many things broken.

There was a time if you whispered that there was somthing not perfect with Disney you were flamed until you were a cinder. Now there people who are agreeing with us.

DH and I do not LOOK for problems, but when we are in a room that costs up to $600 a night....we don't expect the shower and sink to run all night, 2 burners of the stove to not work, broken furniture, years of scuff marks in the walls, threadbare bedding and I expect for $600 that the lightbulbs be replaced when burned out. No one ever made an attempt to fix things....our poor mousekeeper did not speak any english so we could not communicate to her.

That is Disney quality?


Thank you for listeneing to the rant. I WILL say we have found far less problems at DL in the last two years. Last September there were actually attendants in the busy bathroom, the Grand Cali was superb, as always....puts the Grand Cali to shame.....castmembers were happy....just about everything that was supposed to work...did. Perhaps we do not know every inch of this park because at best...we are there only once a year. DH and I go to WDW enough where we know just about every inch so much better....and sadly, can see the changes.

Thank you for listening.

I am sure there are many who will disagree....and I DID take out more flameworthly language out of respect for those who disagree....you can imageine how strong the post WOULD have been!!

I would be hard to imagine anyone loving what Disney stands for more than DH and I....we just have serious trouble watching it decline.

ITA with this! I remember going on and on about the superb disney service and quality, and bringing someone with me on a trip for the first time- and being Embarrassed at how bad it had become.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Just a little update; i am now half way through listening to the book (Creating Magic by Lee Cockerell) on CD that caused me to start this thread. I almost choked when i head Lee say that WDW had hired some very top rated chefs and they had raised the quality of WDW restaurants to world wide status. That is saying alot. The book was printed in 2008 so it was probably written in 2007. What has happened to the quality in only 2 years? Economics, that's what. We have never gone for the food anyhow. We don't eat at WDW unless it's on the dining plan.

I just got the book out of the library- thanks for mentioning it, I can't wait to get started on it

 

[buzznina]

I have been going since the 70's and I do not think that the "Magic" is gone (mainly because I see it in my DD eyes everytime we go") but as for customer service and resort cleanliness it has gone down a good bit. Back when I was a LOT younger I remember my family went and there was an issue with the room and we called down and management made sure they took care of it promptly and made a very big deal out of it and even checked back the following day to make sure we were happy. Now you seem to have to complain twice as much to get half as much service. WDW still is our favorite place to go, we still feel the magic it's just sometimes you have to look a little harder

 

[Joshua_me]

Hmm...

It pains me say this, because like many of you reading this thread Disney has always been my 'magic place', but it's an undeniable fact that the quality of things, *especially* in the deluxe resorts has gone straight downhill.

I've been going to Disney since before I could walk and talk and I'm very familiar with both The Poly and the CR. Back in the mists of time those were the only two hotels on the property, and I was lucky enough to spend a week ever summer at one or the other.

Now, I know that childhood memories can often be rose-colored, but I distinctly remember a time when there were an abundance of CM's at the hotels. You were greeted and treated like royalty, waits to check in were unheard of, and folks seemed geniunely happy to be working there. From the moment you got out of your car your every whim was taken care of....

Those days are long gone.

Now, I know times change and nothing stays the same and all of that, but for the money Disney currently charges for their deluxe resorts it's absolutely unacceptable what they are trying to pull.

Worn furniture ? Thread-bare sheets ? Leftover food and other messes that are never cleaned up in a multi-day stay ? That's outrageous.

What it takes to keep a hotel fresh and clean is money. Money to pay a staff, money to keep the rooms well maintained, etc. Disney seems to have no problem charging it, but very little seems to be coming back to invest in the resort.

It's greed, pure and simple. Keep the stockholders happy, and give the paying guests the bare minimum they can get away with.

Why are there no hot tubs at The Poly ? A $400 a night resort with no hot tubs ? Guests have wondered that for over 30 years. The answer ? They won't even spend that little bit of money to install them.

It's left us feeling very used, and it's why we stay at The Dolphin these days.

It breaks my heart to see this happening to my 'magic place'.

 

[copperbrick]

Recently i acquired from my local library the book on cd titled "Creating Magic" by Lee Cockerell the former Executive Vice President of Operations for WDW. I am only into disc 2 of 6 but have already noticed were WDW is failing in recent years in creating magic. In the past 2 years my wife and i have stayed at several Disney resorts. I have noticed a lack of upkeep in the area of grounds and maintenance. Bushes desperately needing trimmed, trash around in the morning along with trays and trash outside rooms. I have also felt that the Magic Kingdom was dirtier then previous visits while cast members are not always pleasent. By reading posts concerning the quality of food served around the parks and resorts it's apparent that WDW is sliding quickly down hill in that area also. I understand that certain WDW employees read the dis-boards, so i thought this could be a good way to bring to light areas that we feel are lacking in magic and also offer suggestions to bring back the magic. So please offer up a solution if you expose a problem. Thank you and hopefully we together can restore the magic, if you feel some magic has been lost.

Thank you for posting. Please, oh PLEASE if you are right, let Disney take notice now and not when it is too late.

The world is falling apart in many ways. The best thing Disney can do is keep the Magic as high as possible so we all have a place to go where we feel the Magic.

Enough said. Please listen!

 

[avahoneybee]

We noticed during our July and November trip last year tons of trash being left behind on the monorail. Once it was so bad we had to push the trash to the side just to sit down.

I think the Disney magic has decreased for me mainly because I'm going too often now and I never realized how much it cost as a child!

I agree with a PP poster who said the problem may be the "visitors". It seems that 10 years ago people were more considerate (might be my imagination ) and less "trashy" (I mean that in a littering sense).It seems with all of the current promotions and what not some people are more interested in "Celebrating ME" or what Disney can do for them (like spending money at WDW entitles them to much more than a nice, fun, relaxing vacation).

I also agree with this sentiment.

The only things my family ask for in a Disney vacation are clean rooms, clean parks, and lots of fun.

With the vast amount of information traded on the internet, people have become so entitled to receive towel animals, and free cupcakes, and scuba divers wishing happy birthday - to name a few. I think if the visitors got back to basics (like enjoying the parks) we'd all see a huge difference.

There is no excuse for people leaving trash behind or letting their child urinate in queue lines , or any of the other disgusting things I've read. I can't imagine what some of those cm's have to clean up. It actually infuriates me.

 

[lnd2155]

I really tried to keep off this post but unfortunately I must get a few things off my chest. I work in the reservations department. I listen to guests for 11hours per day yell at me for not giving them a complimentary upgrade and screaming at me because their children will have to wait in line for rides. We can not control the weather, lines, wait times, availability for Cinderella's castle or the amount of children in the resorts. We as cast members know that this is your vacation and we WANT you to have the most magical experience that we can possibly give you, but we are not magicians. We are not cartoon characters. We are humans. We should all try and remember that sometimes we can't always be as magical as we should. This applies to both cast members and guests alike.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

OP, I don't know if you'll find the responses you're looking for because you're preaching to the wrong choir.

Honestly, I remember seeing a lot of maintenance and upkeep happening... it was actually slightly annoying because I continually had to duck around painters, landscapers and pressure washers at Pop Century for our last trip. It was a good thing though because they were making it pretty.

I also remember seeing a lot of painters around the Epcot resort area.

Have I ever found a dirty bathroom or hotel room? No. Does that mean there aren't any, of course not.

Has it declined for me? Nope, if anything the magic is only growing bigger and bigger.

 

[goopysolelady]

I really tried to keep off this post but unfortunately I must get a few things off my chest. I work in the reservations department. I listen to guests for 11hours per day yell at me for not giving them a complimentary upgrade and screaming at me because their children will have to wait in line for rides. We can not control the weather, lines, wait times, availability for Cinderella's castle or the amount of children in the resorts. We as cast members know that this is your vacation and we WANT you to have the most magical experience that we can possibly give you, but we are not magicians. We are not cartoon characters. We are humans. We should all try and remember that sometimes we can't always be as magical as we should. This applies to both cast members and guests alike.

You are an angel! I salute you and your fellow CM's. As rude and disrespectable as some people are now a days, I can not imagine what you go through! When you have a "problem guest" please remember that for every "bad apple" there are those of us that truely appreciate what you and your fellow CM's attempt to do to make us happy. SOME of us understand that not all "wishes" can be granted and really DO appreciate everything you try to do to make our vacations special. You ARE appreciated!

 

[Disneyadore]

I really tried to keep off this post but unfortunately I must get a few things off my chest. I work in the reservations department. I listen to guests for 11hours per day yell at me for not giving them a complimentary upgrade and screaming at me because their children will have to wait in line for rides. We can not control the weather, lines, wait times, availability for Cinderella's castle or the amount of children in the resorts. We as cast members know that this is your vacation and we WANT you to have the most magical experience that we can possibly give you, but we are not magicians. We are not cartoon characters. We are humans. We should all try and remember that sometimes we can't always be as magical as we should. This applies to both cast members and guests alike.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

The CM are the ones that made our stay so special. I never understood why people moan,yell,swear and curse at the CM. They are the real magicians in Disney.

The whole problems lies in the simple fact that almost everyone believes they are the King or Queen of Shebaa and entitled to be treated as a royalty by the "slaves/CM".
I never met a rude or even grumpy CM.

The simple fact is you get threatened as you thread others. Smile ,look at the bright side and you will have a wonderful stay.

If I had so many complains about a hotel or park I would never return there. Not in a million years I would spend a penny in a place that obviously did not meet my standards.

The best thing Disney can do is double the prices so they can meet everyone's standard.

 

[Cookie Princess]

We love WDW and will continue to visit. However, I often wonder what Walt himself would think of the theme parks now. He was always so interested in quality and attention to detail, and I think with changes in management and the economy that has slipped away. It is much cheaper to standardize things and decrease the quality of what is being offered such as the food at sit down spots, getting rid of "unique" hotel drink menus, etc.

Are the rooms and parks as pristine as they once were....no. Are ALL the cast members as happy as they once seemed...no. Do I think staffing/budget cuts have something to do with this...yes! Will we continue to visit...yes!

I think the leadership at WDW need to find a better balance between: Walt's vision and making money. Just my 2 cents...

 

[ambientex]

I don't think that it has lost the magic at all. Maybe some of the quality has slipped through the years, and I've encounter a disgruntled cast member myself before, but over all a trip to Disney World is still a very unique and satisfying experience. Where else can you go and experience everything that is available to you other than Disney World? One night you could be dinning of some 5 start food, the next day be inside an episode of the Twilight Zone, then later that day ride a Monorail to Epoct and sample food from around the world, and then the next afternoon watching your son light up as he meets Winnie the Pooh? Yes, details can make the difference and I would like to see improvements there, but when you consider the experience as a whole, there is nothing else like it.

 

[newharmony]

DH has been going to WDW since 1971, usually twice a year. He and I have been going since 1989 (when we married). We go twice a year, for 3 weeks each time. He used to tell me he wanted to retire near WDW and work there. It was his dream. Now, he wouldn't think of doing that. His primary reason? The guests. We have seen an big increase in bad behavior by the guests. He now says he wouldn't like having to deal with them as a CM. The magic is still at WDW for us...you'll find it in the CMs. We make sure to "see" them...they are not invisible! We talk to them and thank them every chance we get. We strike up conversations with them. That is where you find the magic. Not with the woman, who, obviously too important to stand in a line at a WDW store, called everyone in line "dare I say it? Trash." Her words. We're still going to retire near WDW. We will spend a lot of time there, take our family and friends there, and we'll love every minute of the magic. Thank you, CMs.

 

[a1tinkfans]

I really tried to keep off this post but unfortunately I must get a few things off my chest. I work in the reservations department. I listen to guests for 11hours per day yell at me for not giving them a complimentary upgrade and screaming at me because their children will have to wait in line for rides. We can not control the weather, lines, wait times, availability for Cinderella's castle or the amount of children in the resorts. We as cast members know that this is your vacation and we WANT you to have the most magical experience that we can possibly give you, but we are not magicians. We are not cartoon characters. We are humans. We should all try and remember that sometimes we can't always be as magical as we should. This applies to both cast members and guests alike.

Thanks for doing your part to make it magical for the rest of us! I can honestly say that the CM's I have met over the years have ADDED to our families experience, not detracted! Now, guests, thats another story....too many of the "all about ME" generation exist,
Now I do agree
that the food has gone "too matchy" everywhere (and too salty if I do say so myself)
Sometimes I do see trash that people walk right by rather than bending over to pick it up, a little trimming needed or some upkeep....
Soiled or really a better term, "worn" items in the resorts
BUT
I still think DISNEY is a MOST MAGICAL place, if you open our heart to it.
That being said, I do not consider ANY of the Deluxes "true" preferred Deluxe Resorts when compared to the hotel industry, they do not measure up, thus I rarely pay for that upgrade. But when I do, I know it in advance.
Hotels around the Country/World that are "distinguished" FAR exceed the Disney rank and file. Disney has their own criteria apparently,

 

[kmk1180]

Disney is as magical as you want it to be.
If you want to spend you time nit picking and looking for things wrong
or to complain about...you'll find them.
anyone can find a reason to complain about the cost of food anywhere.
or if someone threw some trash on the ground and you walked by a short while later before a cast member could clean it up.
or complain that the bushes haven't been trimmed yet today as you walk out to the buses.
(or course, if they did trim it before then, that same person would complain disney was trimming bushes at night while they were trying to relax at the resort)

Disney provides the magic, it's up to you to provide the spark to make it magical.