Inquiry from newspaper reporter

[charlespbg]

Hi, I was given permission by Pete Werner to post to the message boards for a story I'm working on.

My name is Charles Passy and I'm a writer based in Florida. I'm doing a story for the New York Times' Sunday travel section that looks at customer service at Disney parks and resorts. It's tied to the 50th anniversary celebration.

I'm particularly trying to gauge if customer service has improved or declined in recent years at Disney parks and resorts (in Florida and California). I'm a longtime Disney World passholder myself and recently had a rather bizarre and problem-riddled stay at the Saratoga Springs Resort. But I also had some marvelous experiences at the parks during that visit.

I'm curious if others have interesting stories to tell -- good or bad -- about recent visits to the parks and resorts. Let me know if you're interested in speaking to me (you can post to this board or contact me via email link) and we can arrange a time for a phone interview.

Thanks!

P.S. If you would like to verify my credentials before we speak, I'd be happy to put you in touch with my Times editors or provide email links to my stories.

 

[BostonRob]

I'd be interested to hear if you find anybody who DOESN'T think that the level of service at WDW has declined in recent years.

 

[cbusby]

I'll be arriving in 10 days....my first trip since 1980 and back then WDW
was the best.....the employees were awesome, terrific, wonderful, I'm running out of adjectives.......I felt like a queen the whole time I was there .... now my stay was at the POLY.

However I will be staying a POP this time.......so I will see what kind of service I will get.

 

[BostonRob]

Brace yourself. The World has changed since 1980.

 

[cbusby]

I figured it probably did..........I am going to prepare myself.
This could be very interesting................

 

[dturner]

In the 80's I used to go to WDW at least twice a year and did so until 1989 - at that time a gum wrapper or any piece of litter that was thrown on the ground was immediately picked up by maintenance - the maintenance men with their little brooms where everywhere, the parks were spotless, the rides were spotless, everything always looked brand new.

My most recent trip was in 2002 and I was so disappointed to see trash on the ground, see paint peeling in/on the rides - WDW just didn't have the same "feel" to it that it did years ago. I never saw any maintenance men out cleaning up.

So sad!!

 

[BostonRob]

In the 80's I used to go to WDW at least twice a year and did so until 1989 - at that time a gum wrapper or any piece of litter that was thrown on the ground was immediately picked up by maintenance - the maintenance men with their little brooms where everywhere, the parks were spotless, the rides were spotless, everything always looked brand new.

My most recent trip was in 2002 and I was so disappointed to see trash on the ground, see paint peeling in/on the rides - WDW just didn't have the same "feel" to it that it did years ago. I never saw any maintenance men out cleaning up.

So sad!!

There's no doubt that the service levels at WDW have changed immensly (and for the worse) since the early 80's. I guess my question is, what does Mr. charlespbg mean when he says "in recent years"? I would take recent years to mean in the last 5 years or so, but I suppose it could mean longer than that.

 

[melindaandrob]

I don't think that customer service has declined over time. I do think that because of the internet people are more knowledgeable about the 'extras' that Disney sometimes provides and have raised their expectations to unrealistic levels. Just reading these boards confirms this. Birthdays are a huge example.
I was amazed at the number of 'guests' who were verbally abusive to cast members.
When we had breakfast at Chef Mickey's their was a Mom who was leading her child around to the characters for autographs. When the handlers asked her to sit down she caused a scene saying it's her childs birthday and they were done eating. Minnie was trying hard to visit with other children and this Mom made such a fuss that Minnie finally stormed into the kitchen. This type of attitude that we are owed something was repeated throughout the trip.
My opinion, customer service hasn't declined, we demand more, expect more and want to pay less.

 

[BostonRob]

we demand more, expect more and want to pay less.

I believe this statement is dead-on accurate.

As to your assertion that service levels haven't declined, I'm curious to know, since when? Since 2001? Since 1998? Since 1995? Since 1989? Since 1982? We need to establish parameters to have a meaningful discussion.

 

[wdwfanva]

We were at WDW in March and if anything , I feel customer service has improved !!! With the way we heard some "guest " speaking to cast members
you'd think the guests owned Disney and the cast members !!!!! The only problem we encountered was with other guest not Disney people !!!
I don't see where the MAGIC is gone , most people "just want their cake and to eat it too"!!!!!!!!!!!!! you can't go to a place like Disney and expect no problems at all with the number of people going through the gates.
We've been going to Disney since 1974.

 

[MarchingChief]

I don't think that customer service has declined over time. I do think that because of the internet people are more knowledgeable about the 'extras' that Disney sometimes provides and have raised their expectations to unrealistic levels. Just reading these boards confirms this. Birthdays are a huge example.
I was amazed at the number of 'guests' who were verbally abusive to cast members.
When we had breakfast at Chef Mickey's their was a Mom who was leading her child around to the characters for autographs. When the handlers asked her to sit down she caused a scene saying it's her childs birthday and they were done eating. Minnie was trying hard to visit with other children and this Mom made such a fuss that Minnie finally stormed into the kitchen. This type of attitude that we are owed something was repeated throughout the trip.
My opinion, customer service hasn't declined, we demand more, expect more and want to pay less.

I couldn't agree with you more! Guests today are completely different then they were say 20 years ago. People just want more and more and pay less and less at the same time. Sure the service levels my have changed in the past few decades, but look how much larger WDW is. There is no way that you can make 55,000 cast members be the friendliest people you have ever met. Some cast members that you may run into at the parks look like they would rather be anywhere else, but look at the ammount of cast members you see who ARE smililing and creating great guest experiences! They far outnumber the bad ones!

We have come to expect way more than WDW could ever deliver! However, Disney still is #1 in my mind when it comes to great service...don't believe me, go to Universal and see for yourself how much better it is a Disney!

 

[dznyntnh]

I don't think that customer service has declined over time. I do think that because of the internet people are more knowledgeable about the 'extras' that Disney sometimes provides and have raised their expectations to unrealistic levels. Just reading these boards confirms this. Birthdays are a huge example.
I was amazed at the number of 'guests' who were verbally abusive to cast members.
When we had breakfast at Chef Mickey's their was a Mom who was leading her child around to the characters for autographs. When the handlers asked her to sit down she caused a scene saying it's her childs birthday and they were done eating. Minnie was trying hard to visit with other children and this Mom made such a fuss that Minnie finally stormed into the kitchen. This type of attitude that we are owed something was repeated throughout the trip.

I could not agree more. As wonderful as these boards are, I think they also go a great way towards raising peoples expectations to crazy levels.

As to whether or not service levels have decreased, this would all be relative to the persons expectations in the first place.

Do I think service has decreased on the whole? No, but I don't have outrageous expectations or make ridiculous requests that will never be met. I don't hold Disney to any higher expectation than I do any resort or travel destination and I don't feel they have ever let me down.

 

[cbusby]

If my memory serves me right I believe I was greeted at the front door of the PLOY as Mr and Mrs (They knew we were coming)......and again at the checkin as Mr & Mrs......

I don't expect a greeting at POP or the PLOY like that now.....however I expect to be greeted with a smile and a hello good morning welcome to WDW

For what the cost is to go to WDW....I believe that's what we are intitled to.

Am I going a little overboard if so please let me know.

 

[Minnesota!]

I agree wholehartedly with Melinda. Want more, want it now, want it cheaper. I believe WDW and your vacation are what you make it. If you are kind to the CM's and other guests, relaxed, realize that things aren't ALWAYS going to run on schedule, etc, you will have a wonderful time. However, if you are commando, gotta do this now, that next, etc, expect to be #1 always, you will ruin your vacation AND quite possibly people around you, their vacation, too. I think CM's in general are wonderful. I am hard pressed to think of one that has been surly or rude or anything less than stellar. I think people need to post more about the wonderful CM's they have and let little things slide. Would you be cheery 100% of the time making $7/hr in the hot Florida sun with crabby tourists and crying kids? No. It's is their job and they "should" be happy a good portion of the time, BUT realistically, everyone has a bad day now and then. And, you just might be the one that catches them on that day. Ignore and move on. It shouldn't ruin your day. HELLO - you are in DISNEY WORLD!!! YOU ARE ON VACATION, IN FLORIDA. YOU ARE NOT HOME SLAVING OVER THE STOVE, OR DEALING WITH CLIENTS, OR NAVIGATING RUSH HOUR!!

Ok - sorry about that tangent. I think the service is still stellar. I have never seen a dirty park. Never trash on the street. Only 1 place I have been in WDW has been nasty - that was The Electric Umbrella in EPCOT. Won't return because of it.

 

[NCombs]

I don't think that customer service has declined over time.

I don't have enough experience to know about this one. Our first trip was last year but I thought service was fine.

I do think that because of the internet people are more knowledgeable about the 'extras' that Disney sometimes provides and have raised their expectations to unrealistic levels. Just reading these boards confirms this. Birthdays are a huge example.

Three cheers for this comment. I completely agree. Towel animals are another great example.

 

[Minnesota!]

I don't have enough experience to know about this one. Our first trip was last year but I thought service was fine.



Three cheers for this comment. I completely agree. Towel animals are another great example.

Another example - room requests. People pitch a fit if they don't get upgraded, don't get a perfect view, don't get this or that. HELLO!! Not every room is looking at the one savannah. Deal with it.

 

[abline]

Just imagine how many people work at WDW as well as Universal and Sea World and so on. It was easy when there was only one park and three hotels and the campground but the place is huge and 99.5% of the CM's are still the best and I haven't seen any rudeness what so ever except for guests who think Disney owes them the world.

 

[Gooofy-Blade]

I began going to WDW in 1972 when it was basically the Magic Kingdom. I remember one occassion where my brother dropped a paper and it was swept away before he could even grab it. The sanitation was awesome throughout the 70's and into the 80's. However, after years of absence and recent returns to Disney resorts, I feel the basic standards have lowered but soooo many perks have been added it doesn't seem to matter as much. So, to answer the question, the service may have dropped but the overall opportunities have increased so much it overshadows the rest. I will say that the deluxe resort staff tend to understand that we are paying for overpriced rooms and they do generally hold to high standards! No concerns there!

Oh, by the way, 86 more days and a wake up until my return to WL!!!!!

 

[BostonRob]

SINCE WHEN?

Oh pretty please can we include some dates in our comments that indicate when we received whatever level of service we received?

I'm not trying to belittle any comments I've read, but I can't help but wonder if some of these people who say the service level hasn't declined were ever in WDW in the '80s.

Lets try not to turn this into a thread where we all complain about people who complain about things. Lets talk about how service was THEN, and how it is NOW, and try to mention exactly when THEN was.

 

[BostonRob]

I began going to WDW in 1972 when it was basically the Magic Kingdom.

Thank you, Goofy-Blade.