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

[disneynutz]

...this one's a hard one for me to weigh in on, but I guess I'll jump in and put my 2 cents in...

While I'm at the parks, I find that I'm really trying my best to be a GUEST and as a mom who wants to experience Disney with her daughter and put on THOSE sunglasses and not see things through the eyes of a CM and that has been the toughest challenge for me.

I've loved Disney since I was a little girl and growing up, I had a Mickey Mouse bedroom, was one of those who cried when I saw Beauty & the Beast and Little Mermaid and my folks took us to Disneyland when we were 7 or 8 and then again when I graduated from HS and then I was hooked. When I had the chance to work at WDW, I took it...and in a few years when we retire, I'm hoping to go back!

At the time, I didn't realize it, but I had THE BEST SUPERVISORS ***EVER*** while working at WDW. In the mid-90s, "empowerment" was the buzz word and at the groundlevel, it was instilled in us that we were empowered to make decisions since we were the "face" of Disney that the guests saw up close & personal. Loved that. In exchange for that responsibility, we were to make sure that everything in our work place was in tip-top shape--no litter on the floor, it's raining, the floor's slick--safety issue--quick! Go get a mop & a sign so no one slips. Call maintenance that a lightbulb's out [and the bulb was--indeed--replaced the very next morning ]. We'd even see cobwebs--knock them down--if we could. If they were too high, then we'd call for them to take care of that overnight [and it was ]. If we saw a palmetto bug or two --our 'supe' made sure that was addressed too. What I did not know at the time and found as I continued to work there, I had hard-nosed "old school" supervisors who had it drilled in them and, in turn, they drilled it into me/us--people are here from all over the world, they take vacation time to get away, they spend $$$, our business is 'magic'--let's do all and everything we can to make it as magical as possible for them.

Were our supervisors on us? ABSOLUTELY. Every single day, they'd check in with us and make sure we were on our toes--had a bad day? Leave it backstage. Have a tough encounter with a guest? Go backstage, take a break, collect yourself and them come back out--I'll take over for you 'til you can come back out. Hey, you're looking sweaty, go change and wipe down. Tuck your shirt in. Your nails--don't use that color. Your eye makeup is on too heavy. Did you put highlights in your hair or are you just getting too much sun? You got too much sun--you're skin's peeling--that's not very Disney. We even had breathmints in the office so that we wouldn't have coffee breath--or worse--while talking to a guest. There was a lightning strike and my neighbor got her entire face burned by the corded telephone she was using during the storm and had to work backstage because of how she looked until she got better. Your uniform is too tight--you need the next size up. [I'm not the skinny kid I used to be and the weight I am now, I probably wouldn't be able to work onstage--I know I'd probably be backstage.] We were inspected from head to toe. When we were hired, we knew we were hired for a role and the park was our stage--we knew the rules upfront and we could take them or take them. There was no "leave them." It was expected of us. Many times, guests safety was in our hands--and at least our team--we didn't take that lightly! We didn't want to let our supes down.

They'd even have undercover CMs in disguise that were testing/checking us out, how we'd act under pressure, if we fit the "disney look," if we were courteous, if we used the 'two finger' point, etc. And we'd get the 'report cards' later and 'coached' if necessary.

So, fast forward to now--I'm a guest, we've been going every year for 4 years, and every year I really try to go as a GUEST and enjoy myself, but it's hard--especially when I see safety issues and I see older guests with canes headed that way [like at the Figment ride at EPCOT just this past year]. I saw 2 guests in a row slip and fall on their @sses--serious hard falls because they were both wearing crocs and it had just rained and people were running inside to get to the ride because of the rain. I was sitting there for just a few minutes as I got dd out of the stroller, and boom! Someone fell and then boom! another fell. Sorry--I can't just let that happen, esp. when I see someone elderly getting ready to walk in. What are the CMs doing??? Chatting with each other--they saw what happened, but they continued on making their plans for later that night. That was for me. I told one of them to get a mop or call someone to get a caution sign out, get a rug so people wouldn't slip as they walked in. Their reaction? Oh--that's not necessary. You just saw 2 guests slip and fall and you think that's not necessary? That was it--I then asked to speak to their supe.

The flagrant safety things that are obvious to me (either because they are really obvious or because of the training I received at WDW) makes me wonder about training now or maybe they don't care? I was on a thread about CMs wearing their costumes offsite. We would've never dreamed of ever doing that. It was part of the magic and we didn't want to do anything that would detract from anything less than an incredible magical stay at WDW.

I bought the magic bit--hook, line and sinker. It's hard for me to see the changes--the declines, if you will--even in just the past four years. While checking into All Star Music last year, there were 2 CMs actually ARGUING with each other in front of the guests while there was a mile-long wait for guests waiting and watching the whole thing. "I'm off the clock, you take the next guest" "no, I'm on a break, you take him"--it was awful. Called the supe over again since these two CMs couldn't seem to work it out after several back-and-forths of this. My point is, you've got guests, like us, who were just checking in and you have two CMs in a very loud, verbal altercation near the front door? Yeah, no. That was my first impression when we walked in after flying all day, anticipating our visit for a year, planning, getting a rental in high heat and humidity and you walk in with such great anticipation to find that--sorry. That's a 'no go' for me and a chip in the 'magic.'

I've noticed over the past few years that Disney has taken on a large contingent of CMs from other countries [namely China] and haven't seen so many American CMs--I'm curious as to why from a management perspective. That probably wouldn't even enter the minds of a regular guest.

Now, would these sorts of things bother/enter the minds of the regular guest? I don't know. Probably they wouldn't notice these things or it wouldn't bother them. But it's not the Disney that was drilled into me.

But, that's how I see some decline in my beloved Disney...This next trip will be our last for a few years as dd will start school fulltime. Maybe with knowing it's the last trip 'til I don't know when, it'll be my farewell trip filled with once again...

Sadly Disney has changed it's business model. They are shifting to quantity, not quality. Their goal is to hire the cheapest help available, from any country or college. Locals are hired as temporary, part time, and seasonal to reduce their benefits. Repeat guests will notice the changes at Disney while first timers still think that it's a great place and it is the best of the worst. When bean counters take over a company, cuts happen, quality suffers, people get hurt, but they make more money in the beginning. In the long run after the bonuses are handed out and management moves on to their next conquest, we are left with a shell of a company ripe for take over. I hope that that doesn't happen to our beloved Disney.

Bill

 

[vellamint]

...this one's a hard one for me to weigh in on, but I guess I'll jump in and put my 2 cents in...

While I'm at the parks, I find that I'm really trying my best to be a GUEST and as a mom who wants to experience Disney with her daughter and put on THOSE sunglasses and not see things through the eyes of a CM and that has been the toughest challenge for me.

I've loved Disney since I was a little girl and growing up, I had a Mickey Mouse bedroom, was one of those who cried when I saw Beauty & the Beast and Little Mermaid and my folks took us to Disneyland when we were 7 or 8 and then again when I graduated from HS and then I was hooked. When I had the chance to work at WDW, I took it...and in a few years when we retire, I'm hoping to go back!

At the time, I didn't realize it, but I had THE BEST SUPERVISORS ***EVER*** while working at WDW. In the mid-90s, "empowerment" was the buzz word and at the groundlevel, it was instilled in us that we were empowered to make decisions since we were the "face" of Disney that the guests saw up close & personal. Loved that. In exchange for that responsibility, we were to make sure that everything in our work place was in tip-top shape--no litter on the floor, it's raining, the floor's slick--safety issue--quick! Go get a mop & a sign so no one slips. Call maintenance that a lightbulb's out [and the bulb was--indeed--replaced the very next morning ]. We'd even see cobwebs--knock them down--if we could. If they were too high, then we'd call for them to take care of that overnight [and it was ]. If we saw a palmetto bug or two --our 'supe' made sure that was addressed too. What I did not know at the time and found as I continued to work there, I had hard-nosed "old school" supervisors who had it drilled in them and, in turn, they drilled it into me/us--people are here from all over the world, they take vacation time to get away, they spend $$$, our business is 'magic'--let's do all and everything we can to make it as magical as possible for them.

Were our supervisors on us? ABSOLUTELY. Every single day, they'd check in with us and make sure we were on our toes--had a bad day? Leave it backstage. Have a tough encounter with a guest? Go backstage, take a break, collect yourself and them come back out--I'll take over for you 'til you can come back out. Hey, you're looking sweaty, go change and wipe down. Tuck your shirt in. Your nails--don't use that color. Your eye makeup is on too heavy. Did you put highlights in your hair or are you just getting too much sun? You got too much sun--you're skin's peeling--that's not very Disney. We even had breathmints in the office so that we wouldn't have coffee breath--or worse--while talking to a guest. There was a lightning strike and my neighbor got her entire face burned by the corded telephone she was using during the storm and had to work backstage because of how she looked until she got better. Your uniform is too tight--you need the next size up. [I'm not the skinny kid I used to be and the weight I am now, I probably wouldn't be able to work onstage--I know I'd probably be backstage.] We were inspected from head to toe. When we were hired, we knew we were hired for a role and the park was our stage--we knew the rules upfront and we could take them or take them. There was no "leave them." It was expected of us. Many times, guests safety was in our hands--and at least our team--we didn't take that lightly! We didn't want to let our supes down.

They'd even have undercover CMs in disguise that were testing/checking us out, how we'd act under pressure, if we fit the "disney look," if we were courteous, if we used the 'two finger' point, etc. And we'd get the 'report cards' later and 'coached' if necessary.

So, fast forward to now--I'm a guest, we've been going every year for 4 years, and every year I really try to go as a GUEST and enjoy myself, but it's hard--especially when I see safety issues and I see older guests with canes headed that way [like at the Figment ride at EPCOT just this past year]. I saw 2 guests in a row slip and fall on their @sses--serious hard falls because they were both wearing crocs and it had just rained and people were running inside to get to the ride because of the rain. I was sitting there for just a few minutes as I got dd out of the stroller, and boom! Someone fell and then boom! another fell. Sorry--I can't just let that happen, esp. when I see someone elderly getting ready to walk in. What are the CMs doing??? Chatting with each other--they saw what happened, but they continued on making their plans for later that night. That was for me. I told one of them to get a mop or call someone to get a caution sign out, get a rug so people wouldn't slip as they walked in. Their reaction? Oh--that's not necessary. You just saw 2 guests slip and fall and you think that's not necessary? That was it--I then asked to speak to their supe.

The flagrant safety things that are obvious to me (either because they are really obvious or because of the training I received at WDW) makes me wonder about training now or maybe they don't care? I was on a thread about CMs wearing their costumes offsite. We would've never dreamed of ever doing that. It was part of the magic and we didn't want to do anything that would detract from anything less than an incredible magical stay at WDW.

I bought the magic bit--hook, line and sinker. It's hard for me to see the changes--the declines, if you will--even in just the past four years. While checking into All Star Music last year, there were 2 CMs actually ARGUING with each other in front of the guests while there was a mile-long wait for guests waiting and watching the whole thing. "I'm off the clock, you take the next guest" "no, I'm on a break, you take him"--it was awful. Called the supe over again since these two CMs couldn't seem to work it out after several back-and-forths of this. My point is, you've got guests, like us, who were just checking in and you have two CMs in a very loud, verbal altercation near the front door? Yeah, no. That was my first impression when we walked in after flying all day, anticipating our visit for a year, planning, getting a rental in high heat and humidity and you walk in with such great anticipation to find that--sorry. That's a 'no go' for me and a chip in the 'magic.'

I've noticed over the past few years that Disney has taken on a large contingent of CMs from other countries [namely China] and haven't seen so many American CMs--I'm curious as to why from a management perspective. That probably wouldn't even enter the minds of a regular guest.

Now, would these sorts of things bother/enter the minds of the regular guest? I don't know. Probably they wouldn't notice these things or it wouldn't bother them. But it's not the Disney that was drilled into me.

But, that's how I see some decline in my beloved Disney...This next trip will be our last for a few years as dd will start school fulltime. Maybe with knowing it's the last trip 'til I don't know when, it'll be my farewell trip filled with once again...

What a beautifully worded post...thank you so much for sharing.

 

[tiedyetony]

do i think it has gone down hill? well i know the prices haven't

 

[PeterPan09]

...this one's a hard one for me to weigh in on, but I guess I'll jump in and put my 2 cents in...

While I'm at the parks, I find that I'm really trying my best to be a GUEST and as a mom who wants to experience Disney with her daughter and put on THOSE sunglasses and not see things through the eyes of a CM and that has been the toughest challenge for me.

I've loved Disney since I was a little girl and growing up, I had a Mickey Mouse bedroom, was one of those who cried when I saw Beauty & the Beast and Little Mermaid and my folks took us to Disneyland when we were 7 or 8 and then again when I graduated from HS and then I was hooked. When I had the chance to work at WDW, I took it...and in a few years when we retire, I'm hoping to go back!

At the time, I didn't realize it, but I had THE BEST SUPERVISORS ***EVER*** while working at WDW. In the mid-90s, "empowerment" was the buzz word and at the groundlevel, it was instilled in us that we were empowered to make decisions since we were the "face" of Disney that the guests saw up close & personal. Loved that. In exchange for that responsibility, we were to make sure that everything in our work place was in tip-top shape--no litter on the floor, it's raining, the floor's slick--safety issue--quick! Go get a mop & a sign so no one slips. Call maintenance that a lightbulb's out [and the bulb was--indeed--replaced the very next morning ]. We'd even see cobwebs--knock them down--if we could. If they were too high, then we'd call for them to take care of that overnight [and it was ]. If we saw a palmetto bug or two --our 'supe' made sure that was addressed too. What I did not know at the time and found as I continued to work there, I had hard-nosed "old school" supervisors who had it drilled in them and, in turn, they drilled it into me/us--people are here from all over the world, they take vacation time to get away, they spend $$$, our business is 'magic'--let's do all and everything we can to make it as magical as possible for them.

Were our supervisors on us? ABSOLUTELY. Every single day, they'd check in with us and make sure we were on our toes--had a bad day? Leave it backstage. Have a tough encounter with a guest? Go backstage, take a break, collect yourself and them come back out--I'll take over for you 'til you can come back out. Hey, you're looking sweaty, go change and wipe down. Tuck your shirt in. Your nails--don't use that color. Your eye makeup is on too heavy. Did you put highlights in your hair or are you just getting too much sun? You got too much sun--you're skin's peeling--that's not very Disney. We even had breathmints in the office so that we wouldn't have coffee breath--or worse--while talking to a guest. There was a lightning strike and my neighbor got her entire face burned by the corded telephone she was using during the storm and had to work backstage because of how she looked until she got better. Your uniform is too tight--you need the next size up. [I'm not the skinny kid I used to be and the weight I am now, I probably wouldn't be able to work onstage--I know I'd probably be backstage.] We were inspected from head to toe. When we were hired, we knew we were hired for a role and the park was our stage--we knew the rules upfront and we could take them or take them. There was no "leave them." It was expected of us. Many times, guests safety was in our hands--and at least our team--we didn't take that lightly! We didn't want to let our supes down.

They'd even have undercover CMs in disguise that were testing/checking us out, how we'd act under pressure, if we fit the "disney look," if we were courteous, if we used the 'two finger' point, etc. And we'd get the 'report cards' later and 'coached' if necessary.

So, fast forward to now--I'm a guest, we've been going every year for 4 years, and every year I really try to go as a GUEST and enjoy myself, but it's hard--especially when I see safety issues and I see older guests with canes headed that way [like at the Figment ride at EPCOT just this past year]. I saw 2 guests in a row slip and fall on their @sses--serious hard falls because they were both wearing crocs and it had just rained and people were running inside to get to the ride because of the rain. I was sitting there for just a few minutes as I got dd out of the stroller, and boom! Someone fell and then boom! another fell. Sorry--I can't just let that happen, esp. when I see someone elderly getting ready to walk in. What are the CMs doing??? Chatting with each other--they saw what happened, but they continued on making their plans for later that night. That was for me. I told one of them to get a mop or call someone to get a caution sign out, get a rug so people wouldn't slip as they walked in. Their reaction? Oh--that's not necessary. You just saw 2 guests slip and fall and you think that's not necessary? That was it--I then asked to speak to their supe.

The flagrant safety things that are obvious to me (either because they are really obvious or because of the training I received at WDW) makes me wonder about training now or maybe they don't care? I was on a thread about CMs wearing their costumes offsite. We would've never dreamed of ever doing that. It was part of the magic and we didn't want to do anything that would detract from anything less than an incredible magical stay at WDW.

I bought the magic bit--hook, line and sinker. It's hard for me to see the changes--the declines, if you will--even in just the past four years. While checking into All Star Music last year, there were 2 CMs actually ARGUING with each other in front of the guests while there was a mile-long wait for guests waiting and watching the whole thing. "I'm off the clock, you take the next guest" "no, I'm on a break, you take him"--it was awful. Called the supe over again since these two CMs couldn't seem to work it out after several back-and-forths of this. My point is, you've got guests, like us, who were just checking in and you have two CMs in a very loud, verbal altercation near the front door? Yeah, no. That was my first impression when we walked in after flying all day, anticipating our visit for a year, planning, getting a rental in high heat and humidity and you walk in with such great anticipation to find that--sorry. That's a 'no go' for me and a chip in the 'magic.'

I've noticed over the past few years that Disney has taken on a large contingent of CMs from other countries [namely China] and haven't seen so many American CMs--I'm curious as to why from a management perspective. That probably wouldn't even enter the minds of a regular guest.

Now, would these sorts of things bother/enter the minds of the regular guest? I don't know. Probably they wouldn't notice these things or it wouldn't bother them. But it's not the Disney that was drilled into me.

But, that's how I see some decline in my beloved Disney...This next trip will be our last for a few years as dd will start school fulltime. Maybe with knowing it's the last trip 'til I don't know when, it'll be my farewell trip filled with once again...

Your Disney is the one I thought I was going to work for-but the reality is vastly different. It is very difficult to be the CM who wants it to be like it was, you feel like you are swimming upstream against a tough current. I think a lot of folks that have that ideal end up leaving because they get so frustrated with the reality, and that furthers the decline. Disneynutz is correct about the bean counters ruining the place, and I do fear for the future. I don't want to see the Disney I love reduced to just another theme park.

As for ICP's from Asia-think bigger-Disney has 2 parks open in that area already and are working on a third. These kids are here to learn the operation so Disney has a ready trained workforce over there.

 

[WDSearcher]

I totally agree. Give me Universal anytime. WDW is feeling very dated and stagnant. I would take DL over WDW any day. At least they are keeping things fresh and exciting.

When you say "Universal" are you really talking all of Universal or are you really just talking WWoHP? Because as much as I like WWoHP, I can't imagine anyone walking through the REST of Universal or IOA and not thinking that it's dated and stagnant.

Seuss Landing so very badly needs a coat of paint -- remember how that land used to literally pop out of the landscape, it was so brightly colored? Superhero Island is dirty, faded and has no real entertainment or ... well ... anything really. There's absolutely nothing new at Universal Studios -- it's all the same stuff that was there ten years ago. Spiderman is still amazing, but the rest? Jaws ... ET ... Dudley Do-Right (do kids even know who he is any more?) ... Cat in the Hat ... you don't consider any of those to be dated and stagnant?

I think WWoHP is quite possibly the most amazingly themed world I've seen. But there's no way that the REST of Universal holds up. It's like they put every penny into WWoHP and barely maintained anything else.

 

[WDSearcher]

I'm sorry... When you have the CEO saying these things--it just doesn't leave me with a feeling of warm & fuzzies.

You do have to put them in context, though. What question was he answering? It's unlikely that he just spontaneously made that remark. If the question was something like, "Is Disney afraid of Universal now that WWoHP is there?" or if he's responding to someone saying how Harry Potter just did blockbuster business or something similar, then it's just your standard Disney "spin" answer, isn't it?

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

...this one's a hard one for me to weigh in on, but I guess I'll jump in and put my 2 cents in...

While I'm at the parks, I find that I'm really trying my best to be a GUEST and as a mom who wants to experience Disney with her daughter and put on THOSE sunglasses and not see things through the eyes of a CM and that has been the toughest challenge for me.

I've loved Disney since I was a little girl and growing up, I had a Mickey Mouse bedroom, was one of those who cried when I saw Beauty & the Beast and Little Mermaid and my folks took us to Disneyland when we were 7 or 8 and then again when I graduated from HS and then I was hooked. When I had the chance to work at WDW, I took it...and in a few years when we retire, I'm hoping to go back!

At the time, I didn't realize it, but I had THE BEST SUPERVISORS ***EVER*** while working at WDW. In the mid-90s, "empowerment" was the buzz word and at the groundlevel, it was instilled in us that we were empowered to make decisions since we were the "face" of Disney that the guests saw up close & personal. Loved that. In exchange for that responsibility, we were to make sure that everything in our work place was in tip-top shape--no litter on the floor, it's raining, the floor's slick--safety issue--quick! Go get a mop & a sign so no one slips. Call maintenance that a lightbulb's out [and the bulb was--indeed--replaced the very next morning ]. We'd even see cobwebs--knock them down--if we could. If they were too high, then we'd call for them to take care of that overnight [and it was ]. If we saw a palmetto bug or two --our 'supe' made sure that was addressed too. What I did not know at the time and found as I continued to work there, I had hard-nosed "old school" supervisors who had it drilled in them and, in turn, they drilled it into me/us--people are here from all over the world, they take vacation time to get away, they spend $$$, our business is 'magic'--let's do all and everything we can to make it as magical as possible for them.

Were our supervisors on us? ABSOLUTELY. Every single day, they'd check in with us and make sure we were on our toes--had a bad day? Leave it backstage. Have a tough encounter with a guest? Go backstage, take a break, collect yourself and them come back out--I'll take over for you 'til you can come back out. Hey, you're looking sweaty, go change and wipe down. Tuck your shirt in. Your nails--don't use that color. Your eye makeup is on too heavy. Did you put highlights in your hair or are you just getting too much sun? You got too much sun--you're skin's peeling--that's not very Disney. We even had breathmints in the office so that we wouldn't have coffee breath--or worse--while talking to a guest. There was a lightning strike and my neighbor got her entire face burned by the corded telephone she was using during the storm and had to work backstage because of how she looked until she got better. Your uniform is too tight--you need the next size up. [I'm not the skinny kid I used to be and the weight I am now, I probably wouldn't be able to work onstage--I know I'd probably be backstage.] We were inspected from head to toe. When we were hired, we knew we were hired for a role and the park was our stage--we knew the rules upfront and we could take them or take them. There was no "leave them." It was expected of us. Many times, guests safety was in our hands--and at least our team--we didn't take that lightly! We didn't want to let our supes down.

They'd even have undercover CMs in disguise that were testing/checking us out, how we'd act under pressure, if we fit the "disney look," if we were courteous, if we used the 'two finger' point, etc. And we'd get the 'report cards' later and 'coached' if necessary.

So, fast forward to now--I'm a guest, we've been going every year for 4 years, and every year I really try to go as a GUEST and enjoy myself, but it's hard--especially when I see safety issues and I see older guests with canes headed that way [like at the Figment ride at EPCOT just this past year]. I saw 2 guests in a row slip and fall on their @sses--serious hard falls because they were both wearing crocs and it had just rained and people were running inside to get to the ride because of the rain. I was sitting there for just a few minutes as I got dd out of the stroller, and boom! Someone fell and then boom! another fell. Sorry--I can't just let that happen, esp. when I see someone elderly getting ready to walk in. What are the CMs doing??? Chatting with each other--they saw what happened, but they continued on making their plans for later that night. That was for me. I told one of them to get a mop or call someone to get a caution sign out, get a rug so people wouldn't slip as they walked in. Their reaction? Oh--that's not necessary. You just saw 2 guests slip and fall and you think that's not necessary? That was it--I then asked to speak to their supe.

The flagrant safety things that are obvious to me (either because they are really obvious or because of the training I received at WDW) makes me wonder about training now or maybe they don't care? I was on a thread about CMs wearing their costumes offsite. We would've never dreamed of ever doing that. It was part of the magic and we didn't want to do anything that would detract from anything less than an incredible magical stay at WDW.

I bought the magic bit--hook, line and sinker. It's hard for me to see the changes--the declines, if you will--even in just the past four years. While checking into All Star Music last year, there were 2 CMs actually ARGUING with each other in front of the guests while there was a mile-long wait for guests waiting and watching the whole thing. "I'm off the clock, you take the next guest" "no, I'm on a break, you take him"--it was awful. Called the supe over again since these two CMs couldn't seem to work it out after several back-and-forths of this. My point is, you've got guests, like us, who were just checking in and you have two CMs in a very loud, verbal altercation near the front door? Yeah, no. That was my first impression when we walked in after flying all day, anticipating our visit for a year, planning, getting a rental in high heat and humidity and you walk in with such great anticipation to find that--sorry. That's a 'no go' for me and a chip in the 'magic.'

I've noticed over the past few years that Disney has taken on a large contingent of CMs from other countries [namely China] and haven't seen so many American CMs--I'm curious as to why from a management perspective. That probably wouldn't even enter the minds of a regular guest.

Now, would these sorts of things bother/enter the minds of the regular guest? I don't know. Probably they wouldn't notice these things or it wouldn't bother them. But it's not the Disney that was drilled into me.

But, that's how I see some decline in my beloved Disney...This next trip will be our last for a few years as dd will start school fulltime. Maybe with knowing it's the last trip 'til I don't know when, it'll be my farewell trip filled with once again...

I was a CP in 1999 and although some of our inspections weren't as detailed as you've mentioned EVERYTHING else in your post is EXACTLY how I felt while I worked there and EXACTLY how I feel now. There are CMs who still have the magic, but it isn't EVERYONE! I hate seeing CMs chatting instead readying their area!

 

[brunette8706]

As a few of you know, I haven't been able to respond back to this thread, as hubby has been in hospital. We had a very stressful week, and were due at Disney today, but we had to cancel.

I am linking a thread I just started on the DVC board about how amazing they have been with us:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2764644


I wanted to share it here as a way to show you all that Disney has not gone downhill in terms of helping guests who are faced with emergencies, such as we were. They truly showed a level of compassion, kindness and support, that not many other companies show to customers/guests.

Thanks, Tiger

*
Hello Tiger-

Oh my gosh! I am so sorry to hear this. May your husband have GodSpeed. Take care of yourself. Please keep us posted. Hopefully he will get better soon.

Take care of yourself.
Brunette

 

[Planogirl]

When you say "Universal" are you really talking all of Universal or are you really just talking WWoHP? Because as much as I like WWoHP, I can't imagine anyone walking through the REST of Universal or IOA and not thinking that it's dated and stagnant.

Seuss Landing so very badly needs a coat of paint -- remember how that land used to literally pop out of the landscape, it was so brightly colored? Superhero Island is dirty, faded and has no real entertainment or ... well ... anything really. There's absolutely nothing new at Universal Studios -- it's all the same stuff that was there ten years ago. Spiderman is still amazing, but the rest? Jaws ... ET ... Dudley Do-Right (do kids even know who he is any more?) ... Cat in the Hat ... you don't consider any of those to be dated and stagnant?

I think WWoHP is quite possibly the most amazingly themed world I've seen. But there's no way that the REST of Universal holds up. It's like they put every penny into WWoHP and barely maintained anything else.

Sigh.... I've been told that Seuss Landing was just painted. I won't comment on the rest because there's just little point except to mention Jungle Cruise, Tiki Birds, Winnie the Pooh, It's a Small World, Buzz Lightyear, etc. A lot of attractions at just MK could be called dated and stagnant, or perhaps classic.

 

[brunette8706]

As a few of you know, I haven't been able to respond back to this thread, as hubby has been in hospital. We had a very stressful week, and were due at Disney today, but we had to cancel.

I am linking a thread I just started on the DVC board about how amazing they have been with us:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2764644


I wanted to share it here as a way to show you all that Disney has not gone downhill in terms of helping guests who are faced with emergencies, such as we were. They truly showed a level of compassion, kindness and support, that not many other companies show to customers/guests.Thanks, Tiger

*
That's great to know! Now that's the Disney Difference. Hurry and get well soon!

 

[blondietink]

I think it is the mentality of the people coming to WDW, the "I paid a lot of money for this vacation and I demand that you give me what I want, as much as I want, when I want it." This leads to people who are frustrated with not getting what they want, when they want it, etc. and verbally telling everyone within ershot of their displeasure.

Last August when we were there at CBR we were waiting for the bus. You know, it was 98 degrees with 80% humidity. We had stayed at the pool and were going to the parks at 4 pm. A lady gets off the MK bus with her family (we were waiting for the Epcot bus). She is on the telephone with somebody at home crying about how hot it was (It's Florida in August, stupid and you went to the park in the middle of the day), how crowded it was, how they had to wait in line all day, how terrible the food was, how expensive everything was, and how she was never going to come back again (good for us!), etc. Some people just shouldn't go on any vacation. No vacation is perfect. I don't care how much money you spend.

the point is that the CM's have to put up with this kind of stuff all day long from people. I don't know how they keep a smile on their face and I can absolutely understand when they are sometimes less than kind when they are dealing with stupid people. I don't think WDW is declining, just they have been very successful with their marketing and now they have to deal with stupid people all day long which makes it seem less magical to the rest of us.

 

[Princess Sara's Mom]

As for ICP's from Asia-think bigger-Disney has 2 parks open in that area already and are working on a third. These kids are here to learn the operation so Disney has a ready trained workforce over there.

Ahhh...ok--makes sense...

 

[WDSearcher]

Sigh.... I've been told that Seuss Landing was just painted. I won't comment on the rest because there's just little point except to mention Jungle Cruise, Tiki Birds, Winnie the Pooh, It's a Small World, Buzz Lightyear, etc. A lot of attractions at just MK could be called dated and stagnant, or perhaps classic.

Absolutely! I totally agree. Although I do think that Disney would take a LOT more heat if they announced they were closing down Jungle Cruise and "small world" to build something new than Universal would if they announced they were closing down Dudley Do-Right Falls. People feel differently about the older rides at Disney than they do about the ones at Universal. You have to admit that.

Being a "classic" and being "stagnant" are two very different things. Great Movie Ride is stagnant. "it's a small world" is a classic.

My question, though, was how could someone walk through Amityville, Seuss Landing, Superhero Island, etc. and say that Universal is not dated and stagnant? Do people really not see Jaws as dated? Do you really not think that rides like Dr. Doom's Fearfall or the Sky Seuss Trolley are stagnant?

I think when people go to Universal these days, they visit Harry Potter, and then they kind of give Universal a pass on anything else that looks old or worn. They visit Harry Potter and then the rest of the park is kind of something they do on their way out and they don't really care so much what it looks like.

 

[Princess Sara's Mom]

You do have to put them in context, though. What question was he answering? It's unlikely that he just spontaneously made that remark. If the question was something like, "Is Disney afraid of Universal now that WWoHP is there?" or if he's responding to someone saying how Harry Potter just did blockbuster business or something similar, then it's just your standard Disney "spin" answer, isn't it?

Yeah, I see what you're saying...but I just don't think I'd use that particular "spin" response to answer any question--and maybe Iger's candor in his answer reveals much about how he feels & by saying that, he's not giving into the Disney spin machine. So, yes, I see what you're saying from that standpoint. But, when I first read the post & the article--with my marketing, PR & journalism --well...Iger's response...frankly, it just made my jaw drop . That was my initial reaction.

However, Thomas Staggs said in an interview [and I included the question] a few months ago: [http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/thomas-o-staggs-at-the-helm-of-the-disney-brand/1149712]

How do you view the success of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, introduced by your competitor Universal Studios Orlando? Is it the same as the used-car dealer who sees the competitor down the block as bringing more customers his way? Do you say, we'll take the punch for a year or two?

If you just sort of … analyze the effect, it's hard to see a dramatic step one way or the other, so far, in overall attendance.

I think that at the end of the day, to the extent that if anyone builds something that brings more people to Central Florida, given the strength of our offering, we do well with that.

So (Wizarding World) is a good thing from that standpoint. But they built a really nice attraction. … I don't think I'm going to tell you that it is a boon (for Disney World), but I also don't think it is a dramatic negative in any sense.

====

I think that's a far more appropriate response when asked about US--again, my opinion. From a CM spin standpoint, I'd say absolutely "given the strength of our offering, we do well with that." From a guest standpoint, I'm saying, hey buddy, you've got your Disney on. There's gotta be some improvements here and from I see, "low hanging fruit" like safety, cleanliness, the guest service Disney is known for, etc. should be addressed first.

I liked you challenging me on that--made me look at it in a different way.

 

[Princess Sara's Mom]

Being a "classic" and being "stagnant" are two very different things. Great Movie Ride is stagnant. "it's a small world" is a classic.

Excellent point.

 

[disneyholic family]

responding to the OP - yes, many of the CMs aren't what they used to be...

 

[OllieDannyandMe]

Now, would these sorts of things bother/enter the minds of the regular guest? I don't know. Probably they wouldn't notice these things or it wouldn't bother them. But it's not the Disney that was drilled into me.

But, that's how I see some decline in my beloved Disney...This next trip will be our last for a few years as dd will start school fulltime. Maybe with knowing it's the last trip 'til I don't know when, it'll be my farewell trip filled with once again...

Princess Sara's Mom, thank you so much for the time it took to compose your post! I so needed to read it. And it does give me faith to know that what I once believed in DID truly exist. You verbalized exactly what I experienced on every trip in the 1980s and 90s, and still experience in part, but it has diminished considerably since 2006.

I am a regular guest. I have never worked at Disney, but I have read up on their original business model and understand a little bit about the Show. I notice in detail everything you are describing. I see the decline, and it DOES bother me. And when I do see an old-school CM, I am so appreciative. Thanks again for posting. It means a lot to know that others see what I see and remember something more.

 

[OllieDannyandMe]

I definitely think the dining plan in general was a bad idea leading to lower quality and free dining is it's evil twin sister!

I agree with this statement at face value, and yet, I started going to Disney on a regular basis in 1980. And from that year until 1989, we were a part of the Magic Kingdom Club. Every single visit we had a package with park tickets and dining included.

Our dining plan even included lobster at lunch on the Fisherman's Deck of the Empress Lilly Riverboat, and dinner in the prestigious Empress Room.

So while it is easy to blame the dining plan, at least some form of it has been around for a long time, and for years, it did not cause quality to suffer.

It's more likely that Disney's massive size is the real culprit. Disney has grown so big that quality control has become impossible. Ironically, what may be doing Disney in, is called the Dis-Economy of Scale. I am beginning to believe that Disney may no longer be at an Ideal Firm Size. If you look strictly at the parks, I do believe we have witnessed obvious growing pains. I am not sure if Disney is able to maintain the quality service it was known for, at the size it is now, and still maintain a profit.

 

[andylcq]

I'm not sure Downhill
and didn't notice much 'downhill'.

 

[WDSearcher]

Yeah, I see what you're saying...but I just don't think I'd use that particular "spin" response to answer any question--and maybe Iger's candor in his answer reveals much about how he feels & by saying that, he's not giving into the Disney spin machine. So, yes, I see what you're saying from that standpoint. But, when I first read the post & the article--with my marketing, PR & journalism --well...Iger's response...frankly, it just made my jaw drop . That was my initial reaction.

However, Thomas Staggs said in an interview [and I included the question] a few months ago: [http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/thomas-o-staggs-at-the-helm-of-the-disney-brand/1149712]

How do you view the success of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, introduced by your competitor Universal Studios Orlando? Is it the same as the used-car dealer who sees the competitor down the block as bringing more customers his way? Do you say, we'll take the punch for a year or two?

If you just sort of … analyze the effect, it's hard to see a dramatic step one way or the other, so far, in overall attendance.

I think that at the end of the day, to the extent that if anyone builds something that brings more people to Central Florida, given the strength of our offering, we do well with that.

So (Wizarding World) is a good thing from that standpoint. But they built a really nice attraction. … I don't think I'm going to tell you that it is a boon (for Disney World), but I also don't think it is a dramatic negative in any sense.

====

I think that's a far more appropriate response when asked about US--again, my opinion. From a CM spin standpoint, I'd say absolutely "given the strength of our offering, we do well with that." From a guest standpoint, I'm saying, hey buddy, you've got your Disney on. There's gotta be some improvements here and from I see, "low hanging fruit" like safety, cleanliness, the guest service Disney is known for, etc. should be addressed first.

I liked you challenging me on that--made me look at it in a different way.

I think you're very right about Staggs' answer being the better of the two. A far better response to a leading question by the press.

As far as safety, cleanliness, etc. -- Disney could report that they have just put a million dollars into building a perfect safety record, better guest service, and consistently cleaner bathrooms, and the bulk of guests will still say, "You spent a million bucks on THAT? Where's our new coaster?" WWoHP opens, so what's Disney got? People want parity, and if they don't get it, that means that Disney is slipping.

Personally, I think Disney was exactly right to not open anything "in response" to WWoHP. There is absolutely nothing they could have put on the street short of an entirely new theme park that would have been able to compete with a franchise like Harry Potter and the anticipation of those millions of rabid fans.