3/20 Show Topic - Service at WDW

[DLgal]

That article is from 2015. I’d have to imagine that number has gone up.

They only have so much housing though. There is a hard limit to how many CP kids they can have at any given time.

Regardless, it is NOWHERE near 60% of even just front line cast members.

 

[rteetz]

They only have so much housing though. There is a hard limit to how many CP kids they can have at any given time.

Regardless, it is NOWHERE near 60% of even just front line cast members.

They have upped how many they put in a room. Some rooms will have three beds. So you’ll have 6-8 in an apartment now.

I would agree though that it’s likely not 60%.

 

[DLgal]

They have upped how many they put in a room. Some rooms will have three beds. So you’ll have 6-8 in an apartment now.

I would agree though that it’s likely not 60%.

I have heard that. I'm surprised that is even legal. Seems like it probably violates fire codes.

 

[lthiesfeld07]

I love what Ryno said. I hope Disney was listening, because he was spot on!

When I was little, my parents took my sister and I to WDW twice. With today’s pricing, I doubt we would’ve been able to come at all.

 

[halfpintpeggy]

The DIS podcast indicated they weren't just talking about the college program, but actually temp employees. They stated that 60% of frontline CM's are temps.

 

[DLgal]

The DIS podcast indicated they weren't just talking about the college program, but actually temp employees. They stated that 60% of frontline CM's are temps.

Disney doesn't hire "temps."

They hire "seasonal" cast members at Holiday time. Pete was referring to the College Program when he said "temps."

 

[halfpintpeggy]

Disney doesn't hire "temps."

They hire "seasonal" cast members at Holiday time. Pete was referring to the College Program when he said "temps."

Alrighty then...just going by what he said since he seems to know more than we do.

 

[halfpintpeggy]

Excellent presentation on pricing and reductions in service. I've been going to the World for many years. I remember in days gone by certain things. First, once you got into the park, food and souvenirs were pretty reasonably priced. If someone tossed a candy wrapper on the ground, there was a CM right behind sweeping it up. Rides didn't dump into a gift shop. "Crowded" wasnt really that crowded.

I've watched all these things change (not for the better), but kept going with a smile. Maybe it's the pay to park that's finally pushed me over the edge. We drive because it's too expensive for our family of 5 to fly. Sorry, the rooms are pricey enough without gouging us for parking. The food is way expensive for the quality. Forget souvenirs (especially the limited edition cups). The parks are definitely not as clean, but not trash filled as some posters have suggested. Hearing about the low salaries is just sad.

Hey Disney, give us a break, please???

 

[WDW_Ding]

Regardless, it is NOWHERE near 60% of even just front line cast members.

I have to agree...

I have heard that. I'm surprised that is even legal. Seems like it probably violates fire codes.

For real.

The DIS podcast indicated they weren't just talking about the college program, but actually temp employees. They stated that 60% of frontline CM's are temps.

What some of us are saying is that the 60% figure isn't backed up by any data...

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I would agree that the more often you go or at least the frequency of the number of trips in X time can impact your perspective.

From a person who goes about every 6 years I do not notice food quality, cleanliness, CM friendliness, etc It's just I don't go often enough to have that in my memory combined with the fact of how old I was in my previous trips. Also in September it was the first time I ate at TS period so I have no other time to compare it with in.

What I do notice is the cost factor of a variety of things between trips. I do not expect the pricing to stay the same but the pricing increases from an infrequent visitor becomes a salient factor-it's expected but still. Combined with the loss or gain of rides/attractions/shows from my previous visits. That's the type of stuff I notice.

This all goes for Universal as well.

Now I suppose as time goes on and I have more trips under the belt from a standpoint of memories my perspective may change.

 

[MorpethMiss]

I agreed with a lot of what was said during the podcast. I may be coming from a different perspective from others who have posted here. I have only recently started visiting Disney, and just returned from my 3rd trip in 3 years. This time, the shine had worn off the magic. I did notice garbage, dirt, and other areas of neglect. It was distracting for me. One morning, we were in line for Big Thunder shortly after the park had opened. We noticed a plastic spoon just outside the "window". We wondered if it had been tossed there that morning (this could only have been at most an hour after the park had opened), or if it was there from the previous day. Upon closer inspection, and I wish I hadn't looked closer, I noticed that it was on top of what can only be described as a mud puddle of waste that included wads of gum. It was a gross grey sludge puddle. I know that the Magic Kingdom is processing tens of thousands of people daily, but if they can't manage the crowds, they need to manage the dirt. Because it is starting to accumulate. Another morning, we were in the Test Track queue at 9:00. There were stickers on the floor that had to have been there from the previous day. We rode TT several at least 6 times last week. Each day, I noticed that the windshield of the super cool concept car at the queue entrance was dusty. Shouldn't it shine? And my son was pretty peeved that the Magic Band readers didn't display his car as he went through the ride. Surely they can afford to hire more maintenance staff, or block out minutes of time each day for mid-day maintenance. I noticed maintenance issues in many areas, in each park and at my resort, on this trip. I wasn't searching for them, I just noticed them. And I do not come from decades of experience and expectation at Disney World. My first 2 trips were so excellent that I did not hesitate to book this third experience. Part of what Disney markets is magic. The magic was definitely lacking this month. It was those little things that made our first trips so engaging. I will not be rushing back.

 

[Mickeymouseisking]

I’m 33 and I’ve been to WDW about 28 times, including this past summer. We had a truly amazing time and found CMs were at the top of their game.

That being said, it was also the first time we noticed CMs that weren’t up to Disney standards and that were representative of what happens when you look for cheaper employees whom you overwork and underpay. This was apparent especially at the resort we stayed at - SSR - as full hotel guests, not DVC. Gone were the room attendants that say hello to you with a smile (excluding two), and the service we got in our room was terrible...I’m talking returning late from HEA to find sheets with blood on them on our bed, or grabbing a towel at the end of taking a shower to find it covered in black gross circles...or the kitchen floor not being cleaned at all during a three week stay, even after leaving a note to please clean the kitchen floor.

In the parks we did encounter some bathrooms that were pretty disgusting. In those bathrooms there was always an attendant that was clearly not doing a good job. Either they’re not right for the job or it’s just impossible to keep up with that volume of work and those bathrooms need two attendants. Either way it’s not up to Disney standards. But if you don’t go into those specific bathrooms you’ll be sure the problem doesn’t exist.

In a different thread I wrote about our irritating morning at TL, where they artificially created a huge line for crush n grusher at RD by not allowing guests to take inner tubes from the pile, instead having you wait until guests came off the ride and handed you their inner tube. We were the first guests of the day on the slide and got off the slide to an enourmous line. Think of guests who payed for a day ticket to TL and came to RD to get in as many rides with no wait as possible who then find themselves in massive lines dispose the park being empty. That’s not good business.

Either is canceling the buses to the two water parks from Disney resorts. Another bizarre decision by Disney that takes away from the benefits of staying on property. What was weirder was that (at least back in August) those busses had not been removed from the bus screens. So every time we were at the bus station at our resort there was a family either sitting around and waiting or just walking up and waiting for a bus to the WPs. Every time I was the person who informed them such busses do not exist anymore and explained what they had to do. Why should it be necessary to have a well informed Disney fan at a bus stop for people to get basic information? Shouldn’t that be clearly stated at the bus station?

So while we did have an amazing vacation, we also became worried from the quality of some of some of the service and new practices of artificially creating long lines. Again, it wasn’t enough to majorly affect our stay, however it did make us concerned about how Disney treat their employees and the growing affect that will have on the guest experience.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Disney doesn't hire "temps."

They hire "seasonal" cast members at Holiday time. Pete was referring to the College Program when he said "temps."

They also have the international program - so basically everyone in World Showcase is a “temp” of sort

I too struggle to believe it is 60% but I am also sure front line CMs (the ones you are more likely to interact with) have a higher percentage of “temp” hires than for the overall CM universe

 

[DLgal]

They also have the international program - so basically everyone in World Showcase is a “temp” of sort

I too struggle to believe it is 60% but I am also sure front line CMs (the ones you are more likely to interact with) have a higher percentage of “temp” hires than for the overall CM universe

Yes, that is true, but that has always been the case in World Showcase. Frankly, the WS cast members are among the best at WDW, IMO. They are truly enthusiastic and outgoing, helpful, and service oriented. They are also on longer contracts, I believe.

 

[SorcererHeidi]

Yes, that is true, but that has always been the case in World Showcase. Frankly, the WS cast members are among the best at WDW, IMO. They are truly enthusiastic and outgoing, helpful, and service oriented. They are also on longer contracts, I believe.

Yes, I've seen some international CM vloggers, and I believe they're on a one year contract (if not 2, but I believe only 1).

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Yes, that is true, but that has always been the case in World Showcase. Frankly, the WS cast members are among the best at WDW, IMO. They are truly enthusiastic and outgoing, helpful, and service oriented. They are also on longer contracts, I believe.

I very much agree with that (and I actually disagree with the DIS team in general in this as I have always had excellent CM experiences (and actually better at WDW than Disneyland)) - just was trying to think of other groups that could technically be grouped in with “temp”

 

[disneyholic family]

I’m 33 and I’ve been to WDW about 28 times, including this past summer. We had a truly amazing time and found CMs were at the top of their game.

That being said, it was also the first time we noticed CMs that weren’t up to Disney standards and that were representative of what happens when you look for cheaper employees whom you overwork and underpay. This was apparent especially at the resort we stayed at - SSR - as full hotel guests, not DVC. Gone were the room attendants that say hello to you with a smile (excluding two), and the service we got in our room was terrible...I’m talking returning late from HEA to find sheets with blood on them on our bed, or grabbing a towel at the end of taking a shower to find it covered in black gross circles...or the kitchen floor not being cleaned at all during a three week stay, even after leaving a note to please clean the kitchen floor.

In the parks we did encounter some bathrooms that were pretty disgusting. In those bathrooms there was always an attendant that was clearly not doing a good job. Either they’re not right for the job or it’s just impossible to keep up with that volume of work and those bathrooms need two attendants. Either way it’s not up to Disney standards. But if you don’t go into those specific bathrooms you’ll be sure the problem doesn’t exist.

In a different thread I wrote about our irritating morning at TL, where they artificially created a huge line for crush n grusher at RD by not allowing guests to take inner tubes from the pile, instead having you wait until guests came off the ride and handed you their inner tube. We were the first guests of the day on the slide and got off the slide to an enourmous line. Think of guests who payed for a day ticket to TL and came to RD to get in as many rides with no wait as possible who then find themselves in massive lines dispose the park being empty. That’s not good business.

Either is canceling the buses to the two water parks from Disney resorts. Another bizarre decision by Disney that takes away from the benefits of staying on property. What was weirder was that (at least back in August) those busses had not been removed from the bus screens. So every time we were at the bus station at our resort there was a family either sitting around and waiting or just walking up and waiting for a bus to the WPs. Every time I was the person who informed them such busses do not exist anymore and explained what they had to do. Why should it be necessary to have a well informed Disney fan at a bus stop for people to get basic information? Shouldn’t that be clearly stated at the bus station?

So while we did have an amazing vacation, we also became worried from the quality of some of some of the service and new practices of artificially creating long lines. Again, it wasn’t enough to majorly affect our stay, however it did make us concerned about how Disney treat their employees and the growing affect that will have on the guest experience.

that's insane that they didn't have updated information at the resort busstops about how to get to the waterparks....that's already been in effect for a while...plenty of time to update the signs....and in any case, it should have been updated immediately....people pay a fortune to stay at the resorts, wasting their time by not providing correct information shows a lack of respect to their guests..
.

 

[WDW_Ding]

Frankly, the WS cast members are among the best at WDW, IMO.

I agree!

Yes, I've seen some international CM vloggers, and I believe they're on a one year contract (if not 2, but I believe only 1).

Do have links to any of the videos? I'd love to see them...

 

[SorcererHeidi]

I agree!



Do have links to any of the videos? I'd love to see them...

Since I don't want to possibly violate the TOS here, I've PM'd you.

 

[Alicenwonderment]

It’s not always for college credit. Since they are paid at least minimum wage it doesn’t fall into the normal unpaid internship rules. You just have to be a college student during the semester before you apply, you don’t have to be attending or receiving credit during your program.

12,000 is likely the number that are in the program at any time not the total for all 5 program options. However usually the people in the program are your front line cast members.

The reason people pay for the college credit especially when I was there in the 90s is it kept you on your parents health insurance. The hardest part of the program for me was trying to figure out how the taking a semester off was treated with my university. (UNH) In the end I had to withdraw from my university and I took 10 credits through Central Michigan University. CMU sent something in our acceptance mail that advertised their program. Basically you paid for the number of credits you wanted. The requirements was attend all the Disney Seminars (this was also required by Disney), do an interview with someone in a different department from where you were working. I also took a few self learning classes at DU. Once we left the program we were required to write a paper about each aspect of the program (living, working, seminars). Paper length depended on number of credits. After program I reapplied to my college and transferred in credits as electives at my college. This way I was allowed to stay on parents health insurance because I was enrolled in course work.

As for CP dates I believe the spring advantage starts in January and ends in August.(If you want I could get actual program dates since they still send me email from it. ) I have heard the program just keeps getting bigger every year. I think Pete or someone on the team gave the 60 percent number. Also CPers couldn't join the union when I was there so there really wasn't many benefits for CP. Another thing to keep in mind is that besides the college program there are also cultural ambassadors, and advanced internships. Perhaps that adds to the number of temp help.