A Big part of the Big Problem... Staffing

[john7994]

I know some had issues with how Eisner ran things.... but he built two theme parks a number of new resorts and helped expand both MK and Epcot.

Iger is the one I blame more for the corporate mentality of always needing to increase and maximize profits. How can we make more money... without it costing us anything? Hey let's charge for parking at the resorts... they do that in big cities all the time. Let's build a whole new "land" with a couple of new attraction... we can close a couple of attractions and cut operational cost and then charge extra for the new attractions... YoY.

Chapek has gotten in there and to make it seem like he is doing a good job... he has to cut cost and raise prices so they can show an improvement in profits. And let's face it with TV, Film and now streaming all taking a hit.... Parks and Resorts us the CASH COW he has to milk.

CEO work for investors, not customers...

I have noticed less staffing issues on my last trip at attractions and restaurants... at least what you can see. But still issues getting attractions going in the morning - is that not enough staff for operations? Or not enough staff and spending on maintenance?

Eisner did oversee 20+ Ticket increases from 1984-2005, so not exactly shy about needing to increase and maximize profits.

 

[4Ds4Diz]

Teenagers are in school during the day. These places are open during school hours too.

My son's are working at a local fast food restaurant. Two years now in the summer and winterbreaks from high school/college. They have gotten 2 raises, albeit small, for being good productive workers. Full time workers have gotten raises and promotions. If you are willing to work hard, you will succeed and move up within the franchise. If you are the main income provider, your budget will be tight, but nothing in life comes easy. I know college isn't for everyone, but learn a trade to improve your circumstances, that can't be handed out as free passes.

 

[New Mouse]

What really incredible is people who seem to think there are enough “teenagers” to stafF

Mcdonalds
Burgerking
taco bell
Subway
Chikfilt
KFC
Jimmie Johns
In and Out
Wendys
and the dozens of other fast food chains
Walgreens
Cvs
Rite aide
Walmart
Target
Kroger
Wegmans
Lowes
Home depot
All local eateries (pizza , Chinese, etc)
ice cream shops
vape stores
Cell phone providers
Pet Smart
TJmaxx
Marshalls
Office Depot
Dunkin doughnuts
Starbucks


and the dozens and dozens of “jobs that dont deserve a living wage” and are only for “teens”

Take a look around your area, and tell me again how those places can be staffed with just “people looking for money for a date”

Never mind Disney world….

And how those places remain open 9 to 5 Monday to Friday, many of which make the majority of their money during that 12 to 2 times lot.

 

[New Mouse]

My son's are working at a local fast food restaurant. Two years now in the summer and winterbreaks from high school/college. They have gotten 2 raises, albeit small, for being good productive workers. Full time workers have gotten raises and promotions. If you are willing to work hard, you will succeed and move up within the franchise. If you are the main income provider, your budget will be tight, but nothing in life comes easy. I know college isn't for everyone, but learn a trade to improve your circumstances, that can't be handed out as free passes.

A company like Disney doesn't benefit from promoting within as you then need to replace those entry level workers. They are quite content for their staff to remain complacent, lack ambition and be ok pushing a button and nothing more.

 

[dreamer17555]

I'm gen x.

When I finished up university in the 90s, both inflation and rates were much higher. And I didn't have a smart phone. There were far fewer subscription based services, so there are a lot of opportunities to find places to cut today. The market dropping now feels more like the early 2000s than 2008.

We'll all adapt and figure this out. Employees definitely need to get paid more.

My daughter doesn’t actually subscribe to anything. She might use our subscriptions from time to time but she herself doesn’t have any places to cut. In fact I’m trying to think of any of her friends at the age of 18 to 20 who have a ton of subscriptions in their own name and I’m not thinking of any. The only subscription I can think of that she has in her own name is the one that came with her Verizon phone. She’s paying zero dollars for that for a year and that’s for Disney+.

Also wouldn’t that be the equivalent of cutting cable in back in the day? Which I’m pretty sure my family did at some point I remember not having it for a very long time. Cable always was a luxury just like subscription services are kind of now.

I’m not sure how losing either service really helps with the inflation we are seeing. Since she is staying past January 1 her rent even goes up at Flamingo crossing in the new year.

 

[dez1978]

Its amazing you’re so close to understanding it…..

Its cute when people are so sure they right when they have no understanding of how a franchise vs the overall corp works.

 

[4Ds4Diz]

A company like Disney doesn't benefit from promoting within as you then need to replace those entry level workers. They are quite content for their staff to remain complacent, lack ambition and be ok pushing a button and nothing more.

Well then if you have the ambition, move on to a new job. If you are not ambitious you stay and make the minimum wage. Not complicated.

 

[New Mouse]

Well then if you have the ambition, move on to a new job. If you are not ambitious you stay and make the minimum wage. Not complicated.

Yeah and they all figured it out and now Disney will have to pay up or remain short staffed.

 

[4Ds4Diz]

Yeah and they all figured it out and now Disney will have to pay up or remain short staffed.

Yep and based on some of the employees I saw on my trip in April, they are scraping the bottom of the barrel!

 

[dreamer17555]

Yep and based on some of the employees I saw on my trip in April, they are scraping the bottom of the barrel!

Whoa. I’m sorry but are you kidding me? I’m sure you might’ve encountered some less than perfect cast members but Disney CMs have never been bottom of the barrel when it comes to service. I just think guests are getting a little more demanding than ever. Have you ever worked a service job like disney with their exacting standards and everyone expecting perfection while yelling at you about things outside of your control? Especially while you’re potentially shortstaffed??

I think a little bit of grace for all of these hard-working employees is needed.

 

[HopperFan]

A company like Disney doesn't benefit from promoting within as you then need to replace those entry level workers. They are quite content for their staff to remain complacent, lack ambition and be ok pushing a button and nothing more.

Disney used to promote from within. It was one reason they got so many qualified college graduates to work in the lower level jobs. They were willing to put in the time and work to move up the ladder. There was (not sure there still is) quite the organization chart in each area/park.

Well then if you have the ambition, move on to a new job. If you are not ambitious you stay and make the minimum wage. Not complicated.

True in the simplest form. Disney and Orlando (and it's job market) are a different animal and unless you have family support to help you "escape" it can be difficult. Orlando is a service industry town. Across the board pay is not great. Often it is simply a lateral move, but now low man on the pole. It is difficult to save money to make those kinds of moves timed perfect with end of leases etc.

DD worked there, met many who had planned to stay there and work their way up. The ladder climb stopped well over a decade ago. Disney made a decision to stop their CM growth. Most that she knew in management have all left (while she was there they told her not to stay), others DS is friends with were working their way up, have also left. Disney still tries to hire based on their old work your way up philosophy but it's time for them to restructure their own image of their work force so they can fill all their open positions - if they are even really trying to hire.

Yep and based on some of the employees I saw on my trip in April, they are scraping the bottom of the barrel!

Whoa. I’m sorry but are you kidding me? I’m sure you might’ve encountered some less than perfect cast members but Disney CMs have never been bottom of the barrel when it comes to service. I just think guests are getting a little more demanding than ever. Have you ever worked a service job like disney with their exacting standards and everyone expecting perfection while yelling at you about things outside of your control? Especially while you’re potentially shortstaffed??

I think a little bit of grace for all of these hard-working employees is needed.

Since 1971 I can probably count all the negative CMs I have encounter on my fingers. Since COVID maybe 2 I would say were cranky. Having seen it myself, I chalk it up to they just experienced an awful guest. The awful guests and how they treat others is why I dropped my AP at end of 2019 to take a break. LOVED the WDW part, hated the guest part.

Since I've been going back, sure there are many who are doing just the basics, say their spiel, don't ooze magic. BUT Disney isn't hiring enough CMs to operate their business like before and these poor CMs don't even stand a chance to feel magical. Unless a CM outright crossed a line, I'm going with it's more a guest issue, especially if it happened a few times or more.

 

[4Ds4Diz]

Whoa. I’m sorry but are you kidding me? I’m sure you might’ve encountered some less than perfect cast members but Disney CMs have never been bottom of the barrel when it comes to service. I just think guests are getting a little more demanding than ever. Have you ever worked a service job like disney with their exacting standards and everyone expecting perfection while yelling at you about things outside of your control? Especially while you’re potentially shortstaffed??

I think a little bit of grace for all of these hard-working employees is needed.

Well, I am not talking about a cranky CM having a bad day. I am talking about what is now allowed with regards to changes in strict dress codes, being part of it. I base this on what I saw and also a conversation with a CM that we did an excursion type event. The CM was expIaining changes. I don't want to give details that would identify the person, because on a personal level they were awesome. So much so that I will request the person again. Another CM, probably the best example was our bartender at our pool. Nice enough service, but not someone Disney would have hired years ago to be there "face of the company".I will leave it at that.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Well, I am not talking about a cranky CM having a bad day. I am talking about what is now allowed with regards to changes in strict dress codes, being part of it. I base this on what I saw and also a conversation with a CM that we did an excursion type event. The CM was expIaining changes. I don't want to give details that would identify the person, because on a personal level they were awesome. So much so that I will request the person again. Another CM, probably the best example was our bartender at our pool. Nice enough service, but not someone Disney would have hired years ago to be there "face of the company".I will leave it at that.

Yeah..that actually sounds worse IMO.

If you described it as bottom of the barrel with the above information means it's about appearance. And describing someone like that is well that's not at all nice. Are you the poster who was all up in arms over seeing a beanie hat on a CM?

 

[nancipants]

Well, I am not talking about a cranky CM having a bad day. I am talking about what is now allowed with regards to changes in strict dress codes, being part of it.

Seriously?

No wonder people don't want to work at Disney.

 

[afan]

Well, I am not talking about a cranky CM having a bad day. I am talking about what is now allowed with regards to changes in strict dress codes, being part of it. I base this on what I saw and also a conversation with a CM that we did an excursion type event. The CM was expIaining changes. I don't want to give details that would identify the person, because on a personal level they were awesome. So much so that I will request the person again. Another CM, probably the best example was our bartender at our pool. Nice enough service, but not someone Disney would have hired years ago to be there "face of the company".I will leave it at that.

Tattoos, hair color and piercings don't affect anyone's ability to do their job, be a great, nice or amazing human. What would this person think if they knew, well we liked them cause they were nice so we'll ask for them again but it'd be great if we didn't have to look at them while they did their job.

It's rude, and hopefully that person never finds out.

It's great that Disney is finally letting cast members be themselves while they are working rather than having to cover it up or whatever. Disney is trying to be inclusive for everyone and this is part of it.

 

[snikki]

So bottom of the barrel is based on appearances?

 

[4Ds4Diz]

So bottom of the barrel is based on appearances?

What ever happened to standards? What you do in your free time, off the clock is your personal life. When you come to work, your appearance should represent the business you work for. I shouldn't be having a bartender, with sores covering their arms, serving me food or drinks. Just sayin. That is my idea of bottom of the barrel. Sorry if you are more open to that, I guess that is where we differ.

 

[4Ds4Diz]

Yeah..that actually sounds worse IMO.

If you described it as bottom of the barrel with the above information means it's about appearance. And describing someone like that is well that's not at all nice. Are you the poster who was all up in arms over seeing a beanie hat on a CM?

No, wasn't me. My experience was a bit more than that.

 

[4Ds4Diz]

Tattoos, hair color and piercings don't affect anyone's ability to do their job, be a great, nice or amazing human. What would this person think if they knew, well we liked them cause they were nice so we'll ask for them again but it'd be great if we didn't have to look at them while they did their job.

It's rude, and hopefully that person never finds out.

It's great that Disney is finally letting cast members be themselves while they are working rather than having to cover it up or whatever. Disney is trying to be inclusive for everyone and this is part of it.

I guess with that thought process they might as well drop the uniforms/costumes. I never had a hard time looking or interacting with the CM. I am not what you are describing, just have some expectations based on experience and service in the past. That is not bashing the CM's providing the service. Most did their jobs well, some "just doing their job." That was not our experience in the past.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Seriously?

No wonder people don't want to work at Disney.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking too as I'm reading through this thread. The way people talk about Disney employees and minimum wage workers in general is the exact reason why people don't want to work these jobs. People don't want to be berated by entitled guests for their entire 12 hour shift every single day for horrible pay.

My sister used to work at WDW before the pandemic (not the college program but as a full time employee) and she was yelled at by entitled guests all day every day. She loved her coworkers and Disney, but she could not deal with the awful guests, management never backing her up when situations got dicey and she wasn't earning enough to make it worth it. She ended up leaving for a better paying job and moved out of Florida entirely. She still talks to the people that worked at the same attraction and none of them work at Disney anymore. One of them even went to Universal due to better benefits and treatment.