Al Lutz Update Today: News on Fantasmic, DCA Preview Center and New Parade

[HydroGuy]

Here is a link to Al's article today over on MiceAge:

http://miceage.micechat.com/allutz/al080508a.htm

Some highlights are:

- Summer attendance down at DLR
- DLR hotel occupancy down
- GardenWalk off to a slow start
- McDonalds leaving
- Nestle / Stouffers sponsorship ending
- Written comments at City Hall no longer to be accepted
- Indiana Jones ride problems
- Sleeping Beauty's Castle re-opening
- DCA Preview Center to open in Sept at DCA
- Fantasmic refurb news
- New World of Wonder parade at DL delayed until 2010
- Pixie Hollow - Tinkerbell meet 'n greet area update

 

[wazowskiLOVER:)]

Thanks so much HydroGuy for posting !

I'm really excited about Fantasmics new projectors and the Worlds of Wonder parade. I'll just have to try and keep myself busy to be patient

 

[kelmac284]

Thanks for the great update! Lots of interesting news! Not sure I like the fact that you can no longer give any kind of complaints whatsoever! That is kind of weird. But otherwise great update! Thanks again!

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Thanks for the update.

Looks like there is a lot going on and the perfect reason to plan another trip! I know my girls will LOVE the meet n' greet with Tinkerbell.

 

[cseca]

WOW... customer can no longer complain or give suggestions?
And it's amazing what people would sue for nowadays isn't it?... They just ruin it for everybody. What if we want to praise a CM? Is that not allowed too? That's no fun for CMs...

 

[wendylady36]

That was a very interesting update. It amazes me what people think sometimes and what they will sue for.

I will not be sorry to see McDonald's go.

Thanks for letting us know about the update!

 

[bumbershoot]

- McDonalds leaving
- Nestle / Stouffers sponsorship ending

Woohoo!!!!!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

People can still leave compliments or complaints with Disney either via snail mail or the contact us form on Disneyland's website. It's quite sad that a few people think that Disney owes them money because Disney ended up incorporating a suggestion. Do they honestly believe that they're the only person in the world who suggested that.?

 

[perlster]

Thus far, the Disneyland place-names Carnation Cafe and Carnation Plaza Gardens are still safe. Even though Carnation Ice Cream, yet another Nestle' owned brand, is now off the menu, the Disney lawyers have come to a tentative agreement with Nestle' that the names have historical significance that outweighs their association with a specific ice cream once served there.


Er, OK, but isn't that a form of false advertising?

 

[perlster]

People can still leave compliments or complaints with Disney either via snail mail or the contact us form on Disneyland's website. It's quite sad that a few people think that Disney owes them money because Disney ended up incorporating a suggestion. Do they honestly believe that they're the only person in the world who suggested that.?

Nope. You must have missed the part about the royal runaround you will receive if you want to mail in suggestions. The update doesn't mention the web site, but I would guess if the lawyers had their way, submitting comments would be disabled.

 

[bumbershoot]

Isn't this what was going on already? When we made our comments, we dictated it to the CM and she wrote it down. I'm not seeing the difference, from our experience in either Sept or Dec.

the Guest Relations hosts and hostesses that staff that busy desk will only take verbal comments, whether good or bad. The Guest Relations office then compiles a list of the comments and phones the manager or department mentioned in the comment. The comments are given verbally over the phone, and the list of comments are then shredded in the back office throughout the day.

That snail mail thing is crazy! I'm sure they'll all calm down after a few months of it though...this sort of over the top, fear-based thing generally does in corporate situations...

 

[Sleepless Knight]

The article did not say that guests were forbidden to write letters or send emails to Disney. I honestly don't think Disney is going to suddenly ignore guest compliments or complaints. The new policy is merely in place to protect the company from greedy people who think that Disney owes them money because they wanted something to happen, which ended up happening.

 

[disneegrl4eva]

WOW... customer can no longer complain or give suggestions?
And it's amazing what people would sue for nowadays isn't it?... They just ruin it for everybody. What if we want to praise a CM? Is that not allowed too? That's no fun for CMs...

no kidding huh??? but whats more amazing than that is that people think they single handedly were able to get it implemented???? yeah thats right...you were the ONLY one who thought about that in all the millions of visitors and Disney just thought because 1 person wanted it then they should go ahead and get right on that..so for sure you should sue....they OWE you!!!

 

[perlster]

Again, you obviously didn't read the update carefully. No one can prohibit you from using the United States Postal Service. Disney can, and will, ignore whatever you write and send you a legalistic form letter telling you so.

As for email, I bet messages will be redirected to /dev/null

 

[hikingblondie]

Wow, interesting!! That explains all of the closures during our trip. Good information!!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

From MiceChat's article:

If a visitor absolutely insists on writing a letter, the Guest Relations CM's can give the park visitor the snail mail address for Disney's corporate legal office, and that's when the real fun begins. Assuming the park visitor actually takes the time to write a letter the old fashioned way and send it to Burbank, the letter is opened by hand and scanned by a small batallion of office drones in cubicles, and when the letter contains a phrase or sentence that mentions a visit to a Disney park, it is folded closed. Once closed, the visitors letter is attached to a form letter that politely informs the reader that this correspondence has been formally rejected by Disney for liability reasons and has been returned to the sender without further acknowledgement of the company.

The form letter and the visitor's original letter are then stuffed into a larger envelope, and the packet is returned to the sender via regular mail. The whole thing should prove to be pretty frustrating for anyone complaining about cold gumbo or swarms of vending carts, but at least the lawyers can breathe easier.

Saying that Disney is forbidding guests to leave written feedback is inaccurate. I was pointing out that you're still allowed to write letters to Disney complimenting and/or complaining. Nowhere in the article does it say that Disney will not allow you to write letters to them. Indeed, the article even mentioned that they will give people an address to write to. In the end, Disney does not have to pay attention to any feedback left either verbally or written. I just don't that they're going to suddenly ignore everything that shows up in writing from a park guest. They may have to take steps to protect themselves from greedy people, but that's another matter.

 

[perlster]

This is tiresome. You're just wrong. Write all you want - the postal service can use the business, but it will accomplish nothing.

when the letter contains a phrase or sentence that mentions a visit to a Disney park, it is folded closed.

If that isn't being ignored, the word is meaningless. Over and out.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

I don't think that we're accomplishing anything here either.

Do you happen to know why they're scanning the letters after they receive them? It seems odd to scan something that they don't intend to keep.

 

[Whidbey5]

Doing a big old happy dance in this house to hear that Nestle is leaving the parks!

(crosses fingers) Please, please, PLEASE bring in some good coffee.

 

[bumbershoot]

Doing a big old happy dance in this house to hear that Nestle is leaving the parks!

(crosses fingers) Please, please, PLEASE bring in some good coffee.

Oh I hadn't even thought about that when I "woohoo"d. I was just thinking that, especially since I put a bee in Chef Chris' bonnet (something I do not expect compensation for...his reaction was all I need as it was priceless), maybe they'll bring in "safe" ice cream for my son. Ice cream that's more natural, without corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup.

Perhaps make Mickey Bars without corn syrup; since they can make the chocolate coating for the chocolate covered bananas without it, and since Haagen Dasz can do it with SOME of their bars, surely they can figure out a Mickey Bar that my son can eat without going ballistic.

Ooh, maybe they'll just pull HD from DTD and they will be in charge of all the ice cream...they have safe flavors for DS (and some unsafe).

Why yes it IS all about my son, LOL.