Anyone notice a decline in parks housekeeping?

[Luv2Run]

I noticed this on our most recent trip to WDW in February of this year. The worst parts were:

-The bathrooms at the base of Spaceship Earth at EPCOT (very messy with toilet paper strewn about and water covering nearly every square inch of the bathroom floor, countertops, and walls),

and

-The area of benches for eating outside of Columbia Harbor House at MK (people left trays of food/plates/cups/napkins just sitting out rather than disposing of their remnants, which attracted flocks of birds which were annoying to constantly shoo away, so we chose to eat inside).

I think people are just careless now, since they know that Disney is devoted to cleanliness, so they assume that a cast member will come by within seconds and clean up after them. My bf and I realize that it is our responsibility to clean up after ourselves, and we even went so far as to wipe down the table with a wet nap after we finished eating QS meals, so that others could use our table when we left.

 

[hookedonears]

I noticed this on our most recent trip to WDW in February of this year. The worst parts were:

-The bathrooms at the base of Spaceship Earth at EPCOT (very messy with toilet paper strewn about and water covering nearly every square inch of the bathroom floor, countertops, and walls),

and

-The area of benches for eating outside of Columbia Harbor House at MK (people left trays of food/plates/cups/napkins just sitting out rather than disposing of their remnants, which attracted flocks of birds which were annoying to constantly shoo away, so we chose to eat inside).

I think people are just careless now, since they know that Disney is devoted to cleanliness, so they assume that a cast member will come by within seconds and clean up after them. My bf and I realize that it is our responsibility to clean up after ourselves, and we even went so far as to wipe down the table with a wet nap after we finished eating QS meals, so that others could use our table when we left.

That's a shame. In the old days, the restrooms at the base of Space Ship Earth were always sparkling clean. They alone were one of the reasons I was always impressed with Disney.

 

[luisov]

And people want WDW to look as impecable as Tokyo DL... We have to change out culture before asking Disney for cleaner parks.

 

[skylizard]

When we are in the parks (or anywhere for that matter) and I see some one just leaving or throwing trash around......I always want to pick it up and sneak it in their purse, backpack, stroller, etc. That way when they stick their hand in for their wallet a few hours later, they will find the stick, drippy ice cream wrapper that they left on the bench they got up from that afternoon.

That would be awesome!

 

[hookedonears]

There are also way more people in the parks than ever before. There are also many different cultures coming where it may be ok to leave trash. It's a hard job to keep up with when there is record attendance.

Could be very true. We were at the MK during the parade and fireworks in July a few years ago, when a tremendous group of Brazilians, (there must have been hundreds) were sitting in the circle in front of the castle watching same. After it was over and everyone was leaving, I have never in all of my years going to Disney, seen such a large pile of trash left behind where they were sitting. It was incredible and disgusting.

 

[flicx]

1)

NOTE: Ogre (I mean Iger) has to make his $34.3 million pay somehow.

Wow they actually cut his pay. A few years back it was 53 million plus stock options. Wonder how he can make ends meet with that kind of pay cut?

 

[hookedonears]

Wow they actually cut his pay. A few years back it was 53 million plus stock options. Wonder how he can make ends meet with that kind of pay cut?

Iger's done a good job and deserves every penny. They could replace him. I hear Shinseki's going to be looking for a new job pretty soon.

 

[DisDreamsAshley]

On our trip a few weeks ago one thing that really stood out to us was the amount of over flowing trashcans about in the Magic Kingdom. I don't think I'd ever seen one until this trip. Trash was spilling out onto the floors and stacked on top of the cans.

 

[mickeymom629]

We have been going for many years and I have noticed this, too. I definitely think it is the "guests" and not just (or maybe not at all) the international guests.

I don't blame it on the CMs or the cutbacks.

There are more and more people going to WDW who are not appreciating and respecting the vacation/resort place that it is.

Back when we started going with the kids, we had to save up for a year and stay off-site because we couldn't afford to stay on property. Years later, Disney was giving away trips on every radio station I listened to, built the discount resorts (yay!), promoted, promoted, promoted!!

A little off topic but - I miss the days when you could walk out of the MK as it was closing and NOT hear the vacuum of the street cleaners.

 

[disney1990]

We hate to see trash in the parks and will pick it up and throw it away. Once when we did this, a cast member came over and handled us coupons for free ice cream. We weren't looking for a reward, but it was nice.

 

[L&Lfan]

I admit I don't do much to pick up the bathrooms-I wanna get in and out of there ASAP! But I've ALWAYS picked up trash that was left on benches/on top of trash cans, etc. It just makes me feel part of the Disney family to look after "my" parks and I really don't mind it at all.

My personal experience has been that the parks are still pretty clean at opening but by late afternoon/evening I've never seen them dirtier. And I've noticed the chipping paint and burned out light bulbs. Last November we were on the second floor of the train station at dusk and there were 2 large light poles where the bulbs were burned out. I thought that was odd and I checked them deliberately each of the nights were at MK. By the end of our visit 6 days later they were STILL burned out.

I thought I had read once (this probably dates back to the '70s) that a maintenance crew at both WDW and DL changed light bulbs and did paint touch-ups and gum removal every single night! Guess those days are gone and it saddens me.

 

[Tonyz]

You absolutely cannot blame the cast members. They always do an impeccable job.

But look at what they have to deal with: an ever-increasing roving herd of entitled people who feel free to do whatever they want with the parks because they're "paying customers". They don't treat the parks with any respect. To them Disney is nothing special. It's just an amusement park that they drag their kids to during vacation time.

Of course, this isn't directed at everyone who steps through the gates. But our society has no shortage of filthy self-absorbed individuals who simply don't care about anyone but themselves. And sadly, they feel the need to come to Walt Disney World every once in a while.

Hopefully they stay home in September.

 

[over50visits]

Iger's done a good job and deserves every penny.

Yes he has.

No he doesn't.

 

[Sparkly]

I've definitely noticed the restrooms being slightly more dirty last time. More water and paper EVERYWHERE! Especially in the bathrooms by Pirates.

 

[hookedonears]

Yes he has.

No he doesn't.

I think Disney Corporation believes otherwise. They believe he's earned his compensation, or he wouldn't be there.

 

[MC0810]

Sure, a dirty toilet here or there...otherwise we did not have any problems with the park mousekeeping or POP century's mousekeeping when we were there 2nd week in May Maybe we were lucky. I am a bit of a germaphobe too...Only noticed GROSS people doing GROSS things. The parks itself were A-OK

 

[TheRustyScupper]

I think Disney Corporation believes otherwise. They believe he's earned his compensation, or he wouldn't be there.

1) That is a good thought.
2) But, the Peter Principle is in effect at Disney/ABC.
3) Almsot like government jobs, it is almost impossible to get fired or dismissed.
4) Look how long they kept Eisner. *

* Eisner did a GREAT job during the first 10-years. Arguably, he saved the
company. However, the second 10-years he was a tyrant, and things did
not progress as well as they should. BUT, they kept him.

 

[Love Tink]

But our society has no shortage of filthy self-absorbed individuals who simply don't care about anyone but themselves. And sadly, they feel the need to come to Walt Disney World every once in a while.

Only noticed GROSS people doing GROSS things.

If you are so contemptuous about other humans, why come to the world's most popular tourist destination? Saying, "I think people are too careless with their trash" is a far cry from calling people "filthy" and "GROSS."

Statistics show that people are actually far more responsible with their litter than we were, as a society, 50 years ago. A lot of that is due to education and efforts regarding ecology and recycling, which have made people more aware. Another big factor, of course, is how the percentage of people who smoke has decreased (about 50% of litter is cigarette butts).

But you will never convince people who want to believe that society has gone to hell in a handbasket that they are wrong. (Any more than you could convince people with the same attitude in 1925, or 1955, or 1985.)

 

[surferdave]

Statistics show that people are actually far more responsible with their litter than we were, as a society, 50 years ago. A lot of that is due to education and efforts regarding ecology and recycling, which have made people more aware. Another big factor, of course, is how the percentage of people who smoke has decreased (about 50% of litter is cigarette butts).

But you will never convince people who want to believe that society has gone to hell in a handbasket that they are wrong. (Any more than you could convince people with the same attitude in 1925, or 1955, or 1985.)

Yep. I said that the last time someone here mentioned that the parks were dirtier and people tried to blame guests (domestic guests especially) for being messier. If it's older people who think everything is worse than it was when they were young they've definitely let their memories become sanitized. When WDW opened the highways were lined with garbage. Disney earned their sterling reputation back in the day partly because the parks were the only clean spot in the country.

 

[MarineVet]

And people want WDW to look as impecable as Tokyo DL... We have to change out culture before asking Disney for cleaner parks.

My son is in the Navy and has been stationed in Japan for the last 3 years. I've gotten to visit him, and Tokyo Disneyland, twice, and I totally get what you are saying. (I also lived in Iwakuni for a year a long time ago.)

I do believe people are leaving a lot more trash behind in general; my family still carries our popcorn and soda containers out with us at the end of a movie, but it appears we are in the minority. I hated to see the garbage slung around in the ride load areas. No wonder Disney won't sell gum on property.