Has Disney dropped the magic ball?

[3DisneyFanz]

LOL - no, and 100 times, no. If it meets your definition for such, so be it. I really can't help you understand my point of view any more than I already have. I don't mind that you feel differently. We should just agree to disagree on this point.

Agreed. I don't think I'm going to be able to take not caring that simple things have been broken for years as anything other than acceptance.

 

[flicx]

Didn't read all of the posts but here's my take. Disney not only has dropped the magic ball. They have kicked it to the curb and are busy running around with a piggy bank in their hands ala scrooge McDuck!!! As far as pixie dust goes for 10 bucks they'll sell you a vile in the gift store!

 

[Micca]

Has Disney dropped the magic ball?

No, I don't believe so, not at all.

 

[flicx]

It is actually almost flat since the 1990s. Literally. Attendance at MK is about the same it was in 1991.

I was at the magic kingdom the years it was the most crowded(90's). The parks were kept spotless! Always some one walking around sweeping up paper, repainting things etc! Now if attendance is about the same as then in the magic kingdom why then are there so many sources speaking of dirty restrooms and things in disrepair? The logical reason seems to be cutbacks in help/ money saving on disneys part! It's simple, priorities have changed. Disney was once the leader in customer service now sadly they have lost their way trying to maximize profits!

 

[mom2rtk]

I think we always create our own magic. Disney just gives us a place for it to come out.

If Disney is offering "self service" magic, then they should probably stop charging "full service" prices.

 

[Disney Khaleesi]

If the parks are crowded, shouldn't Disney have enough custodial staff to make sure the bathrooms are clean?

Bathrooms get messy very quickly and custodial staff have a lot of other responsibilities besides bathrooms.

At my job (movie theater,) ushers are responsible for checking the bathrooms periodically. We try and do this as often as we can, but between all of our other duties, bathroom checks are no more important than anything else. In the half an hour between bathroom checks, I have seen paper towel run out, popcorn spilled on the floor, etc. It doesn't mean Disney doesn't have staff checking out the bathrooms, but with so many guests and other responsibilities it is difficult to manage everything at once.

 

[flicx]

Bathrooms get messy very quickly and custodial staff have a lot of other responsibilities besides bathrooms.

At my job (movie theater,) ushers are responsible for checking the bathrooms periodically. We try and do this as often as we can, but between all of our other duties, bathroom checks are no more important than anything else. In the half an hour between bathroom checks, I have seen paper towel run out, popcorn spilled on the floor, etc. It doesn't mean Disney doesn't have staff checking out the bathrooms, but with so many guests and other responsibilities it is difficult to manage everything at once.

Disney could afford a bathroom attendant for each bathroom in the park. Almost every casino in las vegas has one and they aren't making the cash Disney is.

 

[midge3426]

I don't think Disney is quite producing the quality product that was once enjoyed. The parks, hotel, landscaping are not up to the same standards as they once were kept. The Cast Members are not trained as well as they have been in the past. The planning for WDW is not done as well. Everything seems to be thought out on the quick and executed. I blame the management of Disney, the really big boys who make the really big money. If Walt Disney were still alive, I am sure that a bunch of people would be fired. It is not okay that there is a shortage of employees and that we should not expect quality customer service. It is not okay that this is 2015 and we should not expect a high quality experience. Expect less and you will receive less. Disney costs a lot of money and you should receive a quality experience. There are always people who find fault in everything, everywhere. I do not believe that the OP is one of those people. Disney is slacking on cleanliness and maintenance. It is not wholly the fault of nasty visitors in the park. It is the fault of the management who cut back on employees hours. They cannot do their job properly if the job is not staffed.

 

[tiggerdad]

Have been on three 10-14 day trips and the only lack of magic we have found is the occasional rude "World revolves around me" guests.

 

[mom2rtk]

What happened? I believe that when the parks took their big dip in attendance and Disney cut staff, they decided to experiment with seeing if they could continue to grow attendance without putting back the staff.

 

[socrateze]

I don't think Disney is quite producing the quality product that was once enjoyed. The parks, hotel, landscaping are not up to the same standards as they once were kept. The Cast Members are not trained as well as they have been in the past. The planning for WDW is not done as well. Everything seems to be thought out on the quick and executed. I blame the management of Disney, the really big boys who make the really big money. If Walt Disney were still alive, I am sure that a bunch of people would be fired. It is not okay that there is a shortage of employees and that we should not expect quality customer service. It is not okay that this is 2015 and we should not expect a high quality experience. Expect less and you will receive less. Disney costs a lot of money and you should receive a quality experience. There are always people who find fault in everything, everywhere. I do not believe that the OP is one of those people. Disney is slacking on cleanliness and maintenance. It is not wholly the fault of nasty visitors in the park. It is the fault of the management who cut back on employees hours. They cannot do their job properly if the job is not staffed.

Great post, thanks.

 

[flicx]

I don't think Disney is quite producing the quality product that was once enjoyed. The parks, hotel, landscaping are not up to the same standards as they once were kept. The Cast Members are not trained as well as they have been in the past. The planning for WDW is not done as well. Everything seems to be thought out on the quick and executed. I blame the management of Disney, the really big boys who make the really big money. If Walt Disney were still alive, I am sure that a bunch of people would be fired. It is not okay that there is a shortage of employees and that we should not expect quality customer service. It is not okay that this is 2015 and we should not expect a high quality experience. Expect less and you will receive less. Disney costs a lot of money and you should receive a quality experience. There are always people who find fault in everything, everywhere. I do not believe that the OP is one of those people. Disney is slacking on cleanliness and maintenance. It is not wholly the fault of nasty visitors in the park. It is the fault of the management who cut back on employees hours. They cannot do their job properly if the job is not staffed.

Very well said!

 

[BuckeyeBama]

If Disney is offering "self service" magic, then they should probably stop charging "full service" prices.

Disney isn't responsible for your state of mind - you are. Sure, Disney can make it easier to get in touch with that magic, but it always come from inside ourselves. Disney really never created anything - they just helped us find it in ourselves.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

What happened? I believe that when the parks took their big dip in attendance and Disney cut staff, they decided to experiment with seeing if they could continue to grow attendance without putting back the staff.

That is certainly possible. How have their employment numbers tracked over time? We know that they invest less in training now that they used to.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Bathrooms get messy very quickly and custodial staff have a lot of other responsibilities besides bathrooms.

At my job (movie theater,) ushers are responsible for checking the bathrooms periodically. We try and do this as often as we can, but between all of our other duties, bathroom checks are no more important than anything else. In the half an hour between bathroom checks, I have seen paper towel run out, popcorn spilled on the floor, etc. It doesn't mean Disney doesn't have staff checking out the bathrooms, but with so many guests and other responsibilities it is difficult to manage everything at once.

I believe if I was the staff, I would be overwhelmed and go home crying. It WAS BAD. Like, each stall I went to check and had to pass on. I'm not talking out of TP and bits of it everywhere not clean. I'm talking stuff from bodies. I think animals may have been cleaner...(at least mine try to dig it lol). In seriousness, They need at least two dedicated bathroom attendants for this stuff and then they need a stiff drink when they get home! This is a sheer lack of employee support. I can see a few stalls here and there, but this many bad ones???! This is a cut back management problem....

 

[tony609]

In regards to the restrooms, I think many people don't care about just picking up after themselves. I throw my paper towels away in the trash can or anything else away. I know at work, children's retail people who use our restroom are slobs. They leave paper towels, toilet paper on the floor, they often don't flush (really!??) the leave price tags, facial tissues, hand soap squirted on the wall etc...flour etc etc. people just figure someone else will clean it up.then there's bodily fluids ugh!

 

[cruisingtwins]

We went to MK today. Can confirm the disgusting bathrooms, rude cms and our monorail car reeked of urine.

 

[Ariel8676]

First off, you are right. We are all very lucky. I don't think anyone is bemoaning their overall quality of life because a Disney trip is sub-par. That said...

Where do you draw the line? I've seen people defend bad experiences at Disney with harmless juxtaposition to shoveling snow and going so far as to crassly demand people be grateful because hey, at least you don't have cancer. So my question is, when can people complain? Or because it's an experience only a lucky few will ever experience, is complaining not allowed? If I go to a restaurant and the food is bad, is my complaint less valid because there are starving people who would be grateful to have any food, even burnt food?

I'm not targeting you, and I hope it doesn't seem like I'm picking on you, I'm just trying to understand this ubiquitous rebuttal. I'm not saying a Disney trip has to be completely seamless, that's unrealistic. However, it seems like people on the board are becoming more and more militant whenever anyone questions the integrity of the park experience.

I don't feel like you are picking on me at all!! I get all sides of this, I guess I just look at things different . People get upset about things I would never think to get upset about and everyone has the right to complain if they don't feel like they are getting what they deserve. i just wish people would realize how very lucky they are and not to sweat the small stuff

 

[gdrj]

We were at WDW for 12 days in July and we felt it was one of our best stays ever. If you want to argue loss of consistency, very possibly a fair point. Of course compared to the rest of the World I think service in general in all service industries has slipped. It may be more of a societal issue than a WDW issue. I don't know of many companies that aren't striving to do more with less. 20 years ago when you went on vacation, you didn't check emails, take client calls, text work.

With over 50,000,000 annual visitors over 30,000 hotel rooms on property, I can't even imagine the challenges. While we were down there we commented on madness of just trying to do a work schedule for one small area of the a park, when it might have EMH's until 2AM and open up 6 hours later. While the OP's complaint are valid based on their stay, I would say that based on our visits we are amazed at rudeness, and lack of social etiquette of the guests. The language used by some guests, the inappropriate clothing ( I can only guess that a lot of peoples luggage got switched with a person 3 sizes smaller- or they left everything in a dryer for two days).

The number of people who sneak in front of others, be it online or standing for a show or fireworks. Have a clue do you really think putting your kid on your shoulders in front of a person is a wheelchair is a good idea. The taking of selfies or flash photos on rides. The guests who think a late dinner with young kids is a good idea after spending all day in a park, of course climbing on chairs. under the table. letting them disrupt everyone around them, seems to be the norm for some parents. Taking up 6 lounge chairs and a table in the shade in case u get too hot, while families are looking for seats.

For all of that we still enjoy the escape of Disney, and the overall excellent service we have gotten.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Disney could afford a bathroom attendant for each bathroom in the park. Almost every casino in las vegas has one and they aren't making the cash Disney is.

And if they had one for every bathroom, people would complain the bathroom were being closed too often for checks.