Flooded POTC boats

[poison ivy]

Why would you think this defies a company directive rather than supports one? The water is too shallow for the boats to sink or capsize so it's just wet feet and butts. Loading less people just jacks up wait times which is already an issue as we know the current management believes time not spent in line equals gift shops and restaurants.

boats packed with guests and listing with water surging in on one side; standing water beading on plastic seats as guests enter and exit the ride vehicles and soaked conveyor belts are all obvious safety issues. That's the company directive.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

boats packed with guests and listing with water surging in on one side; standing water beading on plastic seats as guests enter and exit the ride vehicles and soaked conveyor belts are all obvious safety issues. That's the company directive.

The company directive is to empty the guests wallet and that doesn't happen in lines. Churn and Burn.

 

[poison ivy]

The company directive is to empty the guests wallet and that doesn't happen in lines. Churn and Burn.

that was really funny and I can't stop laughing, but we're getting waaay off tangent!!!
of course in writing the policy does promote Safety First! This thread is hopefully making somebody nervous in legal.

 

[Planogirl]

that was really funny and I can't stop laughing, but we're getting waaay off tangent!!!
of course in writing the policy does promote Safety First! This thread is hopefully making somebody nervous in legal.

Too often people in legal won't do much until legal actions are taken. I hope that it doesn't come to that.

 

[Lisann]

My automatic reply from several minutes ago:

Greetings from the Walt Disney World Resort!

Thank you for writing to us. We sincerely appreciate your loyalty to Disney and value the time you took to share your thoughts.

I personally assure you that your message has been received. Depending on the nature of your request and the amount of research required, our response time may vary; however, a member of my Guest Experience Services Team will contact you within five days.

If you are visiting the Walt Disney World Resort within the next seven days and need immediate assistance, please call us at (407) 560-2544, Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:00am and 5:00pm (EST). We may also be reached Sunday and Saturday between the hours of 10:00am and 5:00pm (EST).

Again, thank you for your message. We look forward to assisting you soon.

Sincerely,

Debbie Bellavia-Hart
Director, Guest Experience Services
Domestic Theme Parks and Resort

I've always had good luck with Guest Relations, so I hope this topic of frustration will be no different. And I've always gotten a phone call, which is nice, because one can go into further detail about the problem. One year I complained about the tea shop in Epcot not having enough stock....next time I visited, stocked to the rafters, and I called and thanked them. I've also contacted them on other issues, and they seem to always respond.

I hope everyone will contact them about this...it will change if we do.

 

[piccolopat]

My automatic reply from several minutes ago:

Greetings from the Walt Disney World Resort!

Thank you for writing to us. We sincerely appreciate your loyalty to Disney and value the time you took to share your thoughts.

I personally assure you that your message has been received. Depending on the nature of your request and the amount of research required, our response time may vary; however, a member of my Guest Experience Services Team will contact you within five days.

If you are visiting the Walt Disney World Resort within the next seven days and need immediate assistance, please call us at (407) 560-2544, Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:00am and 5:00pm (EST). We may also be reached Sunday and Saturday between the hours of 10:00am and 5:00pm (EST).

Again, thank you for your message. We look forward to assisting you soon.

Sincerely,

Debbie Bellavia-Hart
Director, Guest Experience Services
Domestic Theme Parks and Resort

I got the same automatic response. Here is what I sent to them:

When will you fix the Pirates of the Caribbean ride? This is not supposed to be a "wet" ride like Splash Mountain and Kali River Rapids. When the boats were replaced with new ones, the problem started. Before then, we would get a very small splash at the bottom of the falls and when the cannons went off. Now people are getting drenched, as in thoroughly wet. It is totally unacceptable that there are inches of standing water in the boats and that tidal waves of water are cascading over your guests. I don't know who you have to send this off to but Disney must FIX THIS PROBLEM!!!
Many people on several of the Disney related boards that I read are totally disgusted with this situation. Everyone that I know that has experienced this is disgusted with this situation. Clothing, shoes and personal belongs have been damaged. People are so drenched that they cannot enjoy the rest of the day. Aren't your guests important to you anymore?

 

[Brittany12]

I rode this ride the day it was running after the refurb. The boat leaned to the left to entire time and I did get soaked after the drop. I was in the second row and a wave of water came from the left side. The people in the front row were soaked and upset since one of them had a camera out. It was only my boyfriend and I in the row but there were 4 people in the front row and 4 in the row behind us. I remember because the people behind us were complaining of how they were jammed in and only two people in my row. The CM at the unload station told us to complain to guest relations about the problem. I did not but sent an email upon returning home. The only response I ever received was the generic reply message. I hope Disney fixes the problem but I do not see it happening until next year.

 

[wisblue]

Too often people in legal won't do much until legal actions are taken. I hope that it doesn't come to that.

Often it's exactly the other way around. Lawyers warn of a possible problem and suggest preventive action, but the business decision makers think the lawyers are overreacting and don't take action until something happens.

 

[wisblue]

I have been on POC twice in the last 4 days. The first time there were no issues with water in the boat or splashing in.

Today just before 10 AM they were only loading on one side and stuffing people in. The boat listed to the right the whole ride and the water level was almost to the edge of the boat. My daughter who was on the right side weighs about 100 pounds, so she wasn't the problem. The boat got stuck briefly and made abnormal noises at every turn.

Not a fun trip. They'll be getting a message from me when I get home.

 

[BC1836]

Two weeks ago, on Oct. 27, we expressed our concern about the current state of POTC with post #1. We appreciate all those who have shared their similar concerns, especially those who have contacted Guest Relations. Over 450 DISboards posts and nearly 38,000 views have provided WDW execs with a collection of messages that represent a call to address the problem at hand. It's time. Now.

 

[sharona]

After reading all of these posts, I've decided that we'll definitely be skipping this on our December visit. Not worth the aggravation and worry. Too bad because it's one of my favorites (although I did like the Disneyland version better).

 

[The Hub]

For those trying to reach out to Disney and taking the stance of a safety related concern rather than sharing you prefer not to get wet, you can try reaching out to Walt Disney World's SafeLine. SafeLine allows Cast Members to anonymously address safety issues with the company. In addition to emails sent to Guest Experience Services, the phone number for SafeLine is 407-WDW-SAFE.

 

[DISnewjersey]

When I was in Disneyland recently, every POTC boat had the last row empty. Does anyone know why they were doing that?

It wasn't the offseason either, there was a 30+ minute wait outside.

 

[Planogirl]

I have been on POC twice in the last 4 days. The first time there were no issues with water in the boat or splashing in.

Today just before 10 AM they were only loading on one side and stuffing people in. The boat listed to the right the whole ride and the water level was almost to the edge of the boat. My daughter who was on the right side weighs about 100 pounds, so she wasn't the problem. The boat got stuck briefly and made abnormal noises at every turn.

Not a fun trip. They'll be getting a message from me when I get home.

That would literally scare me. Wow, it's just incredible that they would send out boats like that.

 

[pattyw]

For those trying to reach out to Disney and taking the stance of a safety related concern rather than sharing you prefer not to get wet, you can try reaching out to Walt Disney World's SafeLine. SafeLine allows Cast Members to anonymously address safety issues with the company. In addition to emails sent to Guest Experience Services, the phone number for SafeLine is 407-WDW-SAFE.

Thank you- DH and I will call this number and tell them we take issue with their lack of concern for safety! The current state of POTC is truly a tragedy waiting to happen.

 

[OKWJan]

Rode it last night at the Christmas party....4th row...2 people...some water on the floor but did not get wet. HOWEVER.....we were stuck right next to Captain Jack in the treasure room for 45 minutes . Enough yo ho's to last a long time. At first, when they made announcements, Captain Jack would be quiet and you could hear what they said, but for most of the time, Captain Jack was so loud you could not hear anything they said. The natives were getting very restless. They gave everyone 1 fasts good until Nov 30, but not for SDMT, fireworks, or parades. Big deal...for 45 minutes of party time lost.

 

[wilkeliza]

For those trying to reach out to Disney and taking the stance of a safety related concern rather than sharing you prefer not to get wet, you can try reaching out to Walt Disney World's SafeLine. SafeLine allows Cast Members to anonymously address safety issues with the company. In addition to emails sent to Guest Experience Services, the phone number for SafeLine is 407-WDW-SAFE.

Safeline is for cast members only. It is more about unsafe working conditions. Please don't call that number simply because you don't want to get wet.

 

[larryz]

Please don't call that number simply because you don't want to get wet.

Can I call it if I slip and fall getting into a Pirates boat?

 

[wilkeliza]

Can I call it if I slip and fall getting into a Pirates boat?

Unless you are a cast member you should not be calling that line.

 

[AngiTN]

When I was in Disneyland recently, every POTC boat had the last row empty. Does anyone know why they were doing that?

It wasn't the offseason either, there was a 30+ minute wait outside.

I'm not sure about DL but prior to the refurb at WDW they did not use the last row of the boats because some guest in the last row decided to stick his hand in the water, or otherwise outside of the boat and got his finger tip cut off. Somehow it was decided the last row was the only row that had an issue where the guest could be harmed.

When we rode last month they were loading the last row so I'm not sure what was corrected during the refurb or if it was a mistake that day