Do You think DISNEY has gone down hlll the last few years?

[Planogirl]

There have been no layoffs in hourly staff. Hiring has continued. Some departments have increased in size. Buses just to mention one.

Weren't there layoffs some time back though? I kept hearing about those at one time.

If not or if those positions are back then I don't know why people are reporting these things.

 

[Magicbus]

Weren't there layoffs some time back though? I kept hearing about those at one time.

Those were management positions not the CMs in the trenches.

 

[flicx]

Tiger I was quoting a mailer disney sent me.They have cut back on the percentages off and what you can get a discount on.Maybe the year long dining deal is the reason.

 

[disneynutz]

I had read that there are more part time positions and fewer full time. In addition some positions were given to outside contractors.

Bill

 

[ElizabethB]

My biggest complaint is that much of Disneyworld looks rather dirty and umkempt these days. That is so different from my childhood trips to Disneyland when my parents would remark that the place is so clean, we could eat off the ground.

 

[lovealatte]

Weren't there layoffs some time back though? I kept hearing about those at one time.

If not or if those positions are back then I don't know why people are reporting these things.

Hi, from what I know I don't believe there were many layoffs, more like a hiring freeze. This time last year and into the earlier part of 2010 there was a hiring freeze that went on for quite some time. This may have something to do with a seemingly smaller staff.

 

[KellyNY]

I do not know if it is hiring feeze or cuts but I used to say that bathrooms in Disney are so clean you can perform a surgery on a floor, no more. The bathroom next to entrance to Epcot smelled all the way to bag check, unexceptable. My DD refused to use bathroom in WS because it was dirty. It is shame.

 

[Magicbus]

I had read that there are more part time positions and fewer full time. In addition some positions were given to outside contractors.

Maybe, maybe not. I don't know how any one person would know that. Can that be verified or debunked. Disney is a business and they do what they have to do from a business point of view. Even if they give work out to outside contractors, those companies hire workers. There are some things that outside contractors do better than Disney, grass cutting for one.

When I came back for the 5th time, just like the previous 4 times, they welcomed me with open arms and offered me a choice of positions. They also wanted me, and a handful of others that were hired at the same time, to be full time CMs. We rejected that and they agreed to bring us on as part timers.

I guess the bottom line is that like everything else you read or hear, not all of it is correct.

 

[Tiger926]

Tiger I was quoting a mailer disney sent me.They have cut back on the percentages off and what you can get a discount on.Maybe the year long dining deal is the reason.

I'm sorry, as I wasn't debating whether you got the mailer or not, I was wondering for what time period it pertains to?

When I checked for the holidays, there were lots of discounts, but I can't say whether they are higher or lower than normal.

Tiger

 

[Glenn]

I received a mailer from disney offering discounts starting in early Jan. They are starting to play games. I remember that they were offering 30% discounts on select mods but if you wanted to stay at the French Quarter you only got a 15% discount! They also offered 25% off on some values but again only 15% off on one of the vaules ( sorry forgot which one). With the constant price increases tied in with getting less & less for you money the value that used to be a disney vacation is fast disappearing. Is disney going down hill? If you look at the value you get for the dollar, yes, yes, yes. My vist trip was in 85 with no discounts.

 

[flicx]

I'm sorry, as I wasn't debating whether you got the mailer or not, I was wondering for what time period it pertains to?

When I checked for the holidays, there were lots of discounts, but I can't say whether they are higher or lower than normal.

Tiger

No need to be sorry tiger,just wanted to clarify where I got my info from.The dates you could use were from 1/2-4/16 and 5/1-6/5.

 

[disney11fan]

I priced out a cash vacation during Christmas week at DH's urging, and we were stunned to see Values at $100.00/night (tax inclu) and Moderates $140.00/night (tax inclu) during Christmas. Deluxes were also on sale, but I can't remember all of the different price points. We were surprised to see many rooms available, and for good discounts. We are DVC, and don't buy cash rooms, so you may be correct with the discounts you've quoted, and would probably know better as you actually purchase cash rooms, but not sure for what time period you are quoting as you didn't mention dates?



Hmmm....?

I'm not sure what you mean by waiting 20mins to make dinner reservations? Are you talking about waiting in line at a restaurant in order to make ADRs? Waiting is very common - we have waited 1 hour to be seated for an ADR that we made 6 months prior. It all depends upon the guests, and with character meals, they linger way too long, so it makes for huge line-ups at check in. You will wait very long waits just to check in for ADRs at Chef Mickey's and 'Ohanah, and then wait equally (or longer) to be seated. Would love to know what you experienced with waiting to make reservations? Long line-ups, lack of staff, overcrowded restaurant, etc.

I will highly disagree about selling DVC at gas stations. I am a DVC member, and I don't want anyone selling memberships at gas stations. It totally makes sense to sell at the actual resort - not sure why this doesn't make sense to you? If you don't want to go to a DVC desk, then don't. Seeing them shouldn't bother you, as they are small desks with signage attached. I'm not following you here...Selling at a gas station will highly devalue the membership that I spent $40,000 on. No thanks!



Ride issues have been happening for the past several years, on a consistent basis. We spend 2 weeks each summer, and the amount of rides that go down is very high. Now, you can say it's because of the big crowds, but since you are there during a not so busy time, and it's happening, I attribute it to maintenance issues, or lack thereof. Perfect weather most days, and rides broken down at all parks, is very common. We've had major portions of parks closed down (Tomorrowland) due to several rides that are closed. It's highly disruptive to crowd patterns. Add monorail issues, and you have major crowd issues.

Tiger

i am refering to the wait in line to talk to a cast member at my resort to make or change a dinning reservation. not enough help to handle the amount of guest who need help while staying on disney property.

as far as the dvc goes...always 2 or more people at there booths hawking dvc memberships. funny there is plenty of help to sell, but never enough help after the sale (making and taking reservations at the resorts...not enough help to keep quick service dinning rest. clean ,...i think you understand what i mean. i don't like seeing sales booths while i'm on vacation. reminds me of staying in town and seeing these booths outside rest or shops...asking you to take there tour. on the plus side take there tours ..they pay better anywhere from park tickets to cash (usually around $50). disney does give you icecream .. i think.

 

[Suellen]

asking you to take there tour. on the plus side take there tours ..they pay better anywhere from park tickets to cash (usually around $50). disney does give you icecream .. i think.

I'm curious if you have TAKEN a DVC tour? My guess would be no.

We got:

$100 GC
15 Instant FP for any attraction on property
Snacks and drinks for ourselves and our two girls
And yes the ice cream

Not bad for my 1 hour of time. We rode TSM so many times! Even when the FP's were gone for everyone else we walked up and put our cards in and voila!
FP for RIGHT now. Priceless. Especially with at 110 minute standby wait and a family that will NEVER make it to a park before 10:30 never mind at rope drop.

All that being said. I've heard some of the DVC booth sales people (actually always a salesman) say some pretty questionable things to those guests that were rude to them.

i.e. "Fine continue shell out tons of money to stay at a VALUE resort. It's your money to waste"


We've heard almost this exact thing at least twice.

It was snarky enough that DH and I gave each other that "did you hear that?" look.

Seemed quite unDisney like.

FWIW ~ I think DVC GS is fantastic!!

 

[disney11fan]

I'm curious if you have TAKEN a DVC tour? My guess would be no.

We got:

$100 GC
15 Instant FP for any attraction on property
Snacks and drinks for ourselves and our two girls
And yes the ice cream

Not bad for my 1 hour of time. We rode TSM so many times! Even when the FP's were gone for everyone else we walked up and put our cards in and voila!
FP for RIGHT now. Priceless. Especially with at 110 minute standby wait and a family that will NEVER make it to a park before 10:30 never mind at rope drop.

All that being said. I've heard some of the DVC booth sales people (actually always a salesman) say some pretty questionable things to those guests that were rude to them.

i.e. "Fine continue shell out tons of money to stay at a VALUE resort. It's your money to waste"


We've heard almost this exact thing at least twice.

It was snarky enough that DH and I gave each other that "did you hear that?" look.

Seemed quite unDisney like.

FWIW ~ I think DVC GS is fantastic!!

not bad. in fact quite good. you earned it. but still dvc should be sold off disney property and sold in front of gas stations and restaurant that are off disney property.

 

[Suellen]

not bad. in fact quite good. you earned it. but still dvc should be sold off disney property and sold in front of gas stations and restaurant that are off disney property.

What? That doesn't even make sense. Do you know anything about target marketing?

 

[disney11fan]

What? That doesn't even make sense. Do you know anything about target marketing?

sure do ...don't like seeing timeshares sold while i'm on vacation. feels like a walmart experience.

just my two cents on it.

 

[Suellen]

sure do ...don't like seeing timeshares sold while i'm on vacation. feels like a walmart experience.

just my two cents on it.

I feel the same way about some of the people I have to see while there too. Namely the lady in the tennis skirt with nothing on under it pushing her SO the incline at Tiki Room and having to explain to my DD why should could "see that woman's girl parts"

Yeah.... there's all kinds of stuff I prefer not to see.... a small desk off to the side of lobby with a person standing behind it that I don't have to talk to or acknowledge is the least of my problems.

 

[disney11fan]

I feel the same way about some of the people I have to see while there too. Namely the lady in the tennis skirt with nothing on under it pushing her SO the incline at Tiki Room and having to explain to my DD why should could "see that woman's girl parts"

Yeah.... there's all kinds of stuff I prefer not to see.... a small desk off to the side of lobby with a person standing behind it that I don't have to talk to or acknowledge is the least of my problems.

i guess your right. been to tiki room but confess i don't really look at all the detail.

how about this. limit timeshare sales to downtown disney only .

 

[Tiger926]

i am refering to the wait in line to talk to a cast member at my resort to make or change a dinning reservation. not enough help to handle the amount of guest who need help while staying on disney property.

as far as the dvc goes...always 2 or more people at there booths hawking dvc memberships. funny there is plenty of help to sell, but never enough help after the sale (making and taking reservations at the resorts...not enough help to keep quick service dinning rest. clean ,...i think you understand what i mean. i don't like seeing sales booths while i'm on vacation. reminds me of staying in town and seeing these booths outside rest or shops...asking you to take there tour. on the plus side take there tours ..they pay better anywhere from park tickets to cash (usually around $50). disney does give you icecream .. i think.

Are you speaking about the Concierge CM? They are notoriously busy, so that doesn't surprise me at all. I always have quicker service by calling directly to Disney Dining from my room.

By the way, we never received anything for taking our DVC tour - when you are spending thousands of dollars, an ice cream cone really doesn't matter at that point.

sure do ...don't like seeing timeshares sold while i'm on vacation. feels like a walmart experience.

just my two cents on it.

I'm with Suellen - I don't really follow your logic at all. Why would you sell a Disney timeshare off-site, where there is no connection to Disney? Not following at all...

I feel the same way about some of the people I have to see while there too. Namely the lady in the tennis skirt with nothing on under it pushing her SO the incline at Tiki Room and having to explain to my DD why should could "see that woman's girl parts"

Yeah.... there's all kinds of stuff I prefer not to see.... a small desk off to the side of lobby with a person standing behind it that I don't have to talk to or acknowledge is the least of my problems.

Tiger

 

[Suellen]

Haha Tiger! My mom, me and (unfortunately) DD5 saw it. DH was like "what? where?" LOL!

I'm trying to shush DD about "that woman's girl parts" and DH is like "where, which one?" I have to say.... we will NEVER again visit the Tiki room without thinking about this woman. Even DD5 remembered it both in July and in September was pleased as punch to tell my Dad about it while he was touring with us.