Just Back - Observations

[RSGroup]

We just got back from the world (Oct. 27-Nov.1). A couple quick thoughts:

1. This was our first time at a value, and we loved ASSp. It was NEVER crowded, the staff was awesome, the pools were never crowded, and the food court food was good and had a big enough variety for us. Very pleased, and would stay there again.

2. We tried to follow the per-park level numbers from TP. Early mornings were great, but parks were always crowded by the early afternoon. Wait times were minimal during our whole stay (except TSM), but it felt really crowded - much more so than we expected. Evidently, Disney has done a great job using free dining to fill in all the slow times, so that now there really aren't any.

3. We love the MSEP - it is worth fighting the crowds to see. And Wishes is probably the best on-going fireworks show around.

4. The F&W festival is a great idea, but the walkways are so narrow in WS, and the crowds are so thick, it ruins it for us. We were there as soon as it opened on Friday, and it was just not worth it to fight the crowds by 2:00. Would it not be practical (meaning financially feasible) to offer some version of that concept year-round (booths with snack-size portions)? It seems to me with the popularity of the dining plans and snack credits, it could work and would be a nice addition.

5. We did the QSDP, and for us (heavy eaters) we loved it, and still brought home a lot of snacks. It is very convenient, and we like not eating up a lot of time on sit down meals.

6. I was surprised at how many attraction CM's there were in announcer roles that had thick foreign accents. To me, this is a quality issue, and a negative. Overall, our interaction with CM's, especially the bus drivers, was great. A couple cashiers here and there were definitely not in the Disney frame of mind, though.

7. Physically, I thought the resort (with the exception of all the MK work) looked great.

8. DHS really, really needs a massive overhaul, I think. The Backlot Tour and Narnia are both now completely lame attractions. The GMR is tired and needs some newness. And it is way past time to switch out IJ and Beauty and the Beast. Just my opinion, of course.

9. We had my parents with us on scooters, which Disney does a great job trying to accommodate. I wish there was a way to make the bus transfers easier for everyone, but I can't think of what that would be.

If you are headed down soon, have a fantastic trip. Any questions, fire away...

Jesse

 

[GovieMom]

2. Early mornings were great, but parks were always crowded by the early afternoon. Wait times were minimal during our whole stay (except TSM), but it felt really crowded - much more so than we expected. Evidently, Disney has done a great job using free dining to fill in all the slow times, so that now there really aren't any.

8. DHS really, really needs a massive overhaul, I think. The Backlot Tour and Narnia are both now completely lame attractions. The GMR is tired and needs some newness. And it is way past time to switch out IJ and Beauty and the Beast. Just my opinion, of course.

Great observations; I particularly agree with the above two.

 

[Oglet]

6. I was surprised at how many attraction CM's there were in announcer roles that had thick foreign accents. To me, this is a quality issue, and a negative. Overall, our interaction with CM's, especially the bus drivers, was great. A couple cashiers here and there were definitely not in the Disney frame of mind, though.

Someone with a foreign accent announcing things a quality issue and a negative??



Can you please explain that a bit more because from how I read that It comes across very racist and ignorant.

 

[Tink*My*World]

Wow, I didn't read that as racist and ignorant. I read it as with the thick foreign accent the announcers were difficult to understand

 

[cyb]

We just got back from the world (Oct. 27-Nov.246. I was surprised at how many attraction CM's there were in announcer roles that had thick foreign accents. To me, this is a quality issue, and a negative.

Are you talking about foreign CM's at Epcot? They hire people from different countries to purposely work and represent the country they are from in World Showcase.

 

[Anonymousllama]

Hello,
We are hitting the parks in 2 weeks and have never been before. We are staying outside the resort so our close time will be 8pm. I'm a little nervous about the fireworks display. The hours say it starts at 8pm but that we have to leave at 8pm. Is this display only for the guests that stay within the park?
Also if anyone has had any experience with this time of year at the parks and how the lines are I'd love to hear! Thank you

 

[Oglet]

Well that is how it comes across to me. There are people from all parts of the world visiting WDW as well as working there. I am sure many German people find the gentleman with the German accent easy to understand and the same could be said for many different situations involving people from other countries or even different regions within the US itself.

Just because we have trouble understanding someone with a accent it doesn't make it a negative or a quality issue.

 

[Oglet]

Please stay on topic, consider this your first warning.

What about the original post... Geesh

 

[Oglet]

Hey I am a CM and I am not American and I personally took offense to the comment and asked for clarification because it comes across very racist and ignorant in my eyes...

Key word asked for clarification...

 

[TisBit]

Someone with a foreign accent announcing things a quality issue and a negative??



Can you please explain that a bit more because from how I read that It comes across very racist and ignorant.

I presume he is talking about rides like the Great Movie Ride/Backlot where there is an actual CM narrating the ride.....which I could see as a quality control problem. We experienced this in a couple of shows/rides where they were telling people to secure belongings, etc. Some of these CM's were extremely difficult to understand, I chalked it up to WDW moving more and more CM's out of Epcot World Showcase into other area's to help cover.....

 

[si-am]

Well that is how it comes across to me. There are people from all parts of the world visiting WDW as well as working there. I am sure many German people find the gentleman with the German accent easy to understand and the same could be said for many different situations involving people from other countries or even different regions within the US itself.

Just because we have trouble understanding someone with a accent it doesn't make it a negative or a quality issue.

I think Germans would find someone speaking German easy to understand, but not necessarily any other language spoken in a German accent.

I get what the OP is saying... sometimes "normal" accents are hard to understand through microphones, much less thick foreign ones!

I like the idea of doing the F&W fest all year long, but I doubt it would ever happen.

 

[cmurray234]

Hey I am a CM and I am not American and I personally took offense to the comment and asked for clarification because it comes across very racist and ignorant in my eyes...

Key word asked for clarification...

It was neither racist nor ignorant. A person in a role such as the safari driver should be able to speak in a way that easily understood. The commentary is part of the ride. If the English is not intelligible, that is a problem.

Are you offended that they don't hire any over-weight Ariels or blonde Aladdins?

 

[bobbiekins]

sorry but....

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

Hey I am a CM and I am not American and I personally took offense to the comment and asked for clarification because it comes across very racist and ignorant in my eyes...

Key word asked for clarification...

I think it's hilarious that someone's first two posts were warnings to you.

[Don't feed the troll]

P.S. - half of their avatar-thingy is starred out and their "occupation" is both tacky and offensive.

 

[Bradsdadg]

I understand what the OP is saying. Sometimes it is hard to understand people with thick accents. I don't think it was said in a mean spirited way. I agree about DHS, but I actually think AK is worse off.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Moving on!!!! I definitely agree that DHS needs an overall! It's a big place with few rides and much of it is outdated. The popularity of Toy Mania and how hard it is to get into shows how much the park needs new attractions. For us it's a 1/2 day park at best!

 

[Anonymousllama]

Hello,
We are hitting the parks in 2 weeks and have never been before. We are staying outside the resort so our close time will be 8pm. I'm a little nervous about the fireworks display. The hours say it starts at 8pm but that we have to leave at 8pm. Is this display only for the guests that stay within the park?
Also if anyone has had any experience with this time of year at the parks and how the lines are I'd love to hear! Thank you

 

[Oglet]

It was neither racist nor ignorant. A person in a role such as the safari driver should be able to speak in a way that easily understood. The commentary is part of the ride. If the English is not intelligible, that is a problem.

Are you offended that they don't hire any over-weight Ariels or blonde Aladdins?

Characters are a very different situation since they are hired to look just like a particular characters image from a movie or book so I'ts a very different situation and argument.

There have been many times that I have had trouble understanding someone both in and outside of WDW because of their accent, I understand that it's not ideal if you have trouble understanding someone because of their accent however it shouldn't be viewed as a negative and a quality issue.

I am sure there are people who have a rough time understanding some things I say from time to time (probably more than I know) and I have come across many people who I have a hard time understanding, many who are from the United States but that is just life, we are all different, we all speak a little different and to say something is a negative or a quality issue just because we couldn't understand them I feel is plain wrong.

The OP used the word Foreign, so although many people have a hard time understanding people from different regions in the US that would be okay?

 

[TaraPA]

ITA with the orignial poster that it's a service/quality issue when the guests cannot understand the person speaking - regardless of accent or if they're just speaking too quickly, not clear enough, etc. When we entered Captain EO a CM was at the podium saying something - we couldn't understand one word, and the people in the row behind us also couldn't understand. Now had that been a safety message, or something important we needed to know before viewing the show, then it's definitely a quality issue & the CM needs to be told to speak in a more clear manner that can be understood.

I didn't find the OP's comment ignorant, offensive or racist in any way.

 

[RSGroup]

Not to drag this out, but for the record, I am not a racist (as anyone who knows me personally would attest) and hopefully am not ignorant. I was not referring to CM's in World Showcase, as I know they try to employ people from those countries. I was simply saying that it was very difficult for us to understand some of the announcers, and this was our first trip where we noticed that. It was a change from our previous experience, and not a positive one. Please forgive any offense - it wasn't intended.