Inquiry from newspaper reporter

[Princeton Charming1]

We love, love Disney too, and we're thinking about joining DVC, but come on people...it's not heresy to critique Disney's quality and service. Let's face it, the cutbacks have definitely made an impact. Some CMs are dedicated and some are not. You can be a DVC member but please be honest and not pollyanna about how Disney is changed.

I spoke to a CM once about this very subject and she said that there are four words that best sum up the state of WDW...they are: "what would Walt say?".

Those of us that are TRUE Disney fans, unfortunately, know in our hearts what his answer would be...

 

[rinkwide]

...I'm doing a story for the New York Times' Sunday travel section... ...and recently had a rather bizarre and problem-riddled stay at the Saratoga Springs Resort...

SSR bashing hits the mainstream press. This is getting out of hand.

 

[Cruelladeville]

I have been going to WDW since 1976, and the most important change is that there are fewer people to keep the bathrooms clean. Let's face it: some of you don't know the proper way to use a bathroom. With budget tightening, the people aren't there to clean up as often.

I have visited WDW 60-70 times, and most of the time my trip is wonderful!! That's why I continue to visit, I get a great value for my money. This is my #1 best experience: I stayed at Port Orleans, and got a horrible sunburn. I was so sick! It felt like the worst case of the flu that I have ever had, with "the runs", nausea, headache, hot and cold flashes, and pain in my joints. I hurt so bad I couldn't walk to get myself food after my family had gone to the parks for the day. When the maid came and found that I was ill, she got her supervisor, and together they brought me ice water, and soup and pop from the snack bar, and brought me extra blankets and pillows. They checked on me every two hours throughout the day, until my family returned from the parks. I was stunned by such a caring attitude, and the fact that they continued to check up on me during the remainder of my visit.

 

[lllovell]

We love, love Disney too, and we're thinking about joining DVC, but come on people...it's not heresy to critique Disney's quality and service. Let's face it, the cutbacks have definitely made an impact. Some CMs are dedicated and some are not. You can be a DVC member but please be honest and not pollyanna about how Disney is changed.

I spoke to a CM once about this very subject and she said that there are four words that best sum up the state of WDW...they are: "what would Walt say?".

Those of us that are TRUE Disney fans, unfortunately, know in our hearts what his answer would be...

Charming - I think you will find that while some have on rose colored glasses, the rest of us that are saying its great feel like -- - well, its great. I have had wonderful experiences with CMs. I am amazed at how things seem to stay up and running so well for a place that never closes. I think the little touches are still there.

We are not long timer WDW vacationers, so I can't compare it to childhood memories or 20 years ago (crud - I am getting old) but I also think that some of those memories are jaded as well and don't reflect the true nature of WDW. Do you think your children notice trash? Rude CMs? (whatever else others have said they have seen) I would say probably not. I also believe that as time passes, and more and more trips are taken to the world that we notice things that we might have missed on our first 10 trips. Its not as magical because the things that struck us as "magic" on our first trip come to be expected. So, when you don't receive the washcloth animal in your room or you don't have an experience where a CM goes out of their way (but does a wonderful job doing their job) then some are let down by the experience. Also, the internet (especially places like this) has created a HUGE entitlement feeling among people visiting Disney, so if something extra special doesn't happen for some, they are apt to say it wasn't a great trip too. (sad for them, no?)

I still walk around in awe of the grounds in the parks and resorts. I still say hello and smile at the CMs I come into contact with and they do the same back to me. I still cannot believe that my child can hug a hero or a best friend or get their pictures made with Darth Vader (who was quite menacing to older people and a kitten to my 3 and 5 year olds). I love that I can give my son's experiences that we might not get elsewhere. I am often saddened that the only damper on our trip is other people around us. People using horrible language (yep - I do it too - but I would be mortified if I screamed out a profanity in front of children...and am if I do it in front of my own - much less total strangers), being rude to each other, pushing, being fussy, saying horrible things to their children, and just the general MEMEMEMEMEME that I am trying to teach my children NOT to mimic. These same people are the ones that are causing excess wear and tear on the parks, leaving behind mounds of trash that must be cleaned, causing CMs to become frustrated with demands that are outlandish but they feel entitled to. The general public is changing, sadly for the worst. To me THAT is the biggest reason there might be any noticable decline in WDW service.

Luckily for my family, we are able to go and enjoy ourselves and ignore most of that other junk. WDW is still wonderful to us.

 

[ddave]

:thewave:

However, I think cutbacks have effected the level of upkeep. Trash in the "nooks & crannys" I had not seen before. Perhaps too much upkeep performed in front of guests instead of after hours.

I believe they have turned this around. I agree that post 9/11 during the cutbacks this was going on. A couple of years ago, and as recent as last October, I was pretty disappointed in a trip we took as the garbage cans were overflowing, litter was not picked up, bath rooms on the iffy side, things in need of a paint job. I remember thinking that things were looking bad and maybe it was time to sell our DVC and move on. In a recent trip 3 weeks ago, these have all been addressed. I don't think I have ever seen things so spotless! My DW commented that she had never seen restrooms so clean. Hotels, restaurants, parks restrooms were all spotless. Never any empty TP or the Seat paper thingys. Never saw anyone cleaning anything.

They have gone all out for this DL 50 Years celebration. Things were looking new, spotless and shiny again as it should.

 

[ceejay13]

We are Kansans with Annual Passes for both WDW and Disneyland. We are DVC owners who visit WDW a couple of times a year and generally only one visit to DL but the discounts associated with the Disneyland annual passes make them very affordable. TheRustyScupper makes some good points and is the closest to my feelings. The "Magic" is still there after all these years for us at both parks. My home away from home is the Boardwalk Villas at WDW and can't tell you how much we love it there. Our rooms have always been in great condition and have stayed at studios through the 3 bedroom Grand Villas. At Disneyland we are big fans of the Grand Californian. There is no other Disney hotel/resort in the US that you can get a theme park view and watch the park from your room 24 hours a day. Have we encountered the occasional rude castmember - yes. The vast majority, however, make our stays much more special. Last month we made our last visit to WDW and I wrote in about three encounters with castmembers. One was our tour guide on the Magic Behind Our Steam Train Tour at the Magic Kingdom. He was a retired Coast Guard pilot with a passion for his work with the trains like you rarely see. This was 50 something grown man who had seen the world and was busting at the seams with excitement for his work and Disney. Another castmember works at the Art of Disney store in Epcot. A couple of years ago had taken down my interests in merchandise. I have received a call a couple of times a year as she has gotten something in she though I might be interested in. No pressure, just a friendly call. When I entered the store last month to pick up an item I ordered she remembered my first name immediately after I told her my last name to pick up the merchandise. The last comment I made was a complaint about a castmember in the camera store at the front of Epcot. He was rude in an encounter about a return and definitely took some of the "magic" out of my day. This was the first time in all our trips that I took the time to write out my comments both good and bad, but felt strongly about all three. We are going on our first Disney cruise in August with a couple of days at Disneyland prior to getting on the ship and cannot wait. Obviously we are Disney lovers but still can see the parks positives and negatives. We also visit Las Vegas yearly and every few years a trip to Hawaii. My adult nephew recently asked us if we could only take one more trip in our lives where would it be - for us it would be at the Boardwalk at WDW for one more trip "home". I sure hope that is something we don't have to think about for a very long time.

 

[RAD]

I will agree with a number of the other posters about the service being good but that the upkeep of the physical plant isn't what it used to be. My example is the big illuminated Boardwalk sign that's on top the resort. Much of the time a good number of the lights are burned out, it just looks plane bad. On our trip last month even my wife commented on how much trash is laying around where you used to never see it, someone was always walking around with a broom to clean up.

 

[Y-ASK]

We stayed at SSR last Dec. and while the overall expereince was fine, I do have one complaint. That is or was the bus service. Over a 6 night stay there were three different times that I found myself sitting on the curb at Epcot or AK or MK waiting on the bus to take me and very tried two year old back to SSR. It just seemed like there were plenty of buses for all the other resorts but none for SSR. Now I know the resort is new and does not have that many people staying there yet but it was a real bummer when I had to wait over 45 minutes at Epcot for a bus that is suppose to run, what every 10 or 15 mintues. After problems at MK and AK I timed the wait and it was over 45 minutes. Guess I was just spoiled when we stayed at OKW a year before. At least the line for the bus was always short and bus was hardly ever crowded.

Y-ASK

 

[RayJay]

My 2 cents.

The whole reason why I go to Disney is because how you get treated. If you have a good attitude and just try and chill out, you'll be alright. We go because the "magic" is in many things at Disney, the CM's, the rides, resorts, characters, etc....

If you let it you can get away from your job and immerse yourself in some "fantasy" some "magic", some "fun" whatever you want to call it.

In the end people are people and your going to come across bad service. For the most part Disney has awesome Customer Service, no one is perfect.

I choose to just take a chill pill and enjoy, you'll let anything get to you if you let it. Don't let it.

Have a great weekend
RayJay

 

[rantnnravin]

I was two years old when I entered Disney World for the first time -- it was the park's opening year and my only memories are the faded photographs and faster fading stories my mom shares about them. Fast-forward to my tween years where i was able to go to the Florida's MK twice--before there was an Epcot and the only resorts were the Poly and the Contemporary. I remember the sheer fantasy of it, the magic, the awesome wonder of being transported to different places and times. It was all so clean, sparkly and fresh. The cast members were bubbly and polite--they truly put on a show--whether it was using a "western" accent at a fast-food place in Frontierland or a costumed character engaging you in a conversation without words, you were immersed in the fantasy.

Fast-forward to now. I brought my own daughter for the first time when she turned three. The complex had grown from that one magical place to 4 seperate parks, 2 water parks, and I don't know how many hotels! How had it gotten so big? I believe it was the dream that it created for all of those families, who, like me, wanted their own children to share the same experience. Sadly, the magic of the monorail was overshadowed by the diesel smoke of buses crawling their way throughout the resort. The spectacle of an evening light parade and fireworks is quickly forgotten when waiting over an hour to climb onto a "standing-room only" bus with a pooped out pre-schooler draped over your shoulder. Certainly Walt didn't intend for his guests to be herded as so much chattle.

One cannot help but notice that the characters barely spend the time for the flash to spark on your camera before they are reaching for the next autograph book. The fun rides that a family can experience together have been replaced with stage shows and circle-vision films--as awe-inspiring as they may be-- the parks need a fresh infusion of family-oriented attractions filled with state-of-the-art special effects and ride technologies, not low budget theater presentations and recycled rides.

We don't want to wade through a sea of TP while trying to reach the toilet, but that has become status quo. When we see the dust-laden audioanimatronics struggling to move in It's a Small World, when the sound is non-existent in the Haunted Mansion, when the paint is peeling, we Main Street is naught but a mound of trash, this is what makes us weep.

Where are those enthusiastic cast-members and energetic characters? Where are the managers who used to bend over to pick up a stray hot dog wrapper? Why would families spend such an exorbitant amount to be treated by cast members just as they would at home by grocery store clerks?

Jaded as i may sound, I still love Disney because it stands for something that has become scarce in this world, but seems to be becoming scarce even at this special place. We have recently purchased DVC because we want to leave WDW as a legacy for our daughter. My question is, will she still want it then?

 

[RweTHEREyet]

Where are those enthusiastic cast-members and energetic characters? Where are the managers who used to bend over to pick up a stray hot dog wrapper? Why would families spend such an exorbitant amount to be treated by cast members just as they would at home by grocery store clerks?

Where are those enthusiastic cast members and managers? I can tell you that I have one in my family. My son was on the College Program about a year ago. He was a lifeguard at Storm-a-long Bay at the Yacht and Beach. He is back working for Disney this summer in a different location. We were down there visiting him this past week and we had dinner one night at Beaches and Cream. While waiting for our table, we walked around by the pool that was closed at the time. My son saw some trash near the pool and he stopped to pick it up and put it in the trashbin. He then made sure that he straightened the chairs at the table we had been sitting at while waiting for our ressie. So, those CM's are still there, maybe you jsut haven't had the pleasure of encountering them recently.

 

[rantnnravin]

. So, those CM's are still there, maybe you jsut haven't had the pleasure of encountering them recently.

sadly...that is my point, you wouldn't have to "encounter" them, you were surrounded by them.
It's wonderful that your son is following in tradition. Thank him for our family

 

[Cruelladeville]

Many of the CMs echo your attitude. When I make a joke, the CM immediately perks up, and I get great service! It hasn't failed me yet, but if it does, I would speak up,"Oh, you have had a bad day, too, haven't you?" and I usually hear what the problem is--usually a rude guest, or a complaint that they consider unjustified. We all have days like that. I meet the public every day, and I do not remember the 100 compliments, but I keep returning to the 1 complaint, which is nearly always something petty and stupid. Meeting the public is a pretty awful job, generally speaking, and it's too bad that the one bad apple spoils things...

 

[rantnnravin]

As a HS teacher i echo your sentiments, Cruelladeville, it is very difficult to be in a job where you have to be "on" and entertaining throughout the entire day. And yes, it is quite difficult to remain upbeat when the people you are trying to entertain don't want to be there (of course, that's where my job and WDW diverge) I approach EVERY CM i encounter with courtesy and kindness because that is how i would like to be treated myself...
but... i think the lack of appreciation and support from the corporation also has a lot to do with the CM experience. After all, would these poor guys be hearing so many guest complaints if the company was adhering to the standards that have become iconic?
Please don't misconstrue what i am saying. I am an optimist. When life throws lemons, i say, "hey! free lemons." I LOVE Disney. Everything they do is 100 times better than the way the "other guys" do it. It's just not the same as it once was. Perhaps it can be viewed as a "tortoise and hare" story: they're so far ahead of the pack, they feel like they don't need to try anymore? I don't know what the answer is. I'm not CM bashing, just making an objective comparison between then and now. If some take offense, i apologize.

 

[Cyndy]

We've just returned from another wonderful visit and I must say that there were more magical moments like, the DVC Birhcday Certificates and a Special Birthday Card to our "Jasmine" from our waiter at the Pricess luncheon or an even more surprising "Pixie" Certificate our 2 grand daughters received for finding Roo in the Pooh Shop at MGM. All these things were done above and beyond the call of duty and customer service by CMs who as that "face of Disney" make it all the more special

Here is just one example of 2 or 3 difficult guests we saw at just one seating for dinner at Epcots English Pub. My DH and I were out alone for dinner and since we have seen Illuminations several times both from Birthday Cruises we have chartered and from the deck in the English Pub, we were happy to sit inside, while waiting for our table we heard several Mom's complain that they had be promised an Illuminations view and were waiting 45 mins. to get the perfect table and soon the show would start and where was there table @%#&)@$$%^^@@#!!!

Needless to say the young women (who all start at the registration desk after arriving from the UK) were clearly stressed by these very assertive women, they apologized and explained the PS was only a seat not a specific table at a specific location and as soon as the tables opened they would be seated, but that since they had such large parties it may take some time. As a party of 2 we were seated after a 45 min wait to one of the best tables on the upper deck. At that time it became obvious that diners who had scheduled earlier seatings were clearly remaining for and hour or more after completing their desert simply to see the fireworks and then making it miserable for everyone. We asked if people were lingering and our server chuckled and told us the people we had watched ask for 3 coffee refills during the time we sat waiting for dinner after a cocktail and salad had been there for 3 hrs. We were dumbfounded, and promised to try to remain ever mindful of how many things are simply out of the CM control. Sadly we noted at least 3 other tables doing the same thing.

Since we are DVC members we usually go when the crowds are light except when traveling with the grandkids, then we see what others struggle with often.

From now on I am going to try to remember that much of the magic is controlled by guests and some can be very boorish!

I think that consiering the lack of manners of many guests today, Disney's CM are some of the greatest people in the customer service indusry!

 

[drakethib]

All I can say about Disney World service is this: being locked in the Wilderness Lodge during Hurricane Jeanne in September, 2004 with hundreds of children could have been a nightmare. Instead, Disney castmembers made it a dream. In fact, that day turned out to be the day my kids had the most fun! This just sums up how wonderful the service is at WDW.

Plus, I have to ditto Pecos Bill on the food. Everyplace we ate, the food was terrific. And we have high standards - we're from Louisiana, where people truly know how to cook!

Amen.

We do know how to cook.

Drake Thibodaux

 

[drakethib]

Sorry, Double post.

 

[Cruelladeville]

This thread was started by a reporter--has anyone else heard from him? Just curious.

 

[drakethib]

.


I think that consiering the lack of manners of many guests today, Disney's CM are some of the greatest people in the customer service indusry!

I agree.

We love Disney and always will, but we can't stand to see "guest" acting like jerks.

If I had one complaint, it would be that the billing seems to be not as accurate as it should.

I have had to make several calls trying to get some room charges that were not mine of my account.

 

[sarhenty]

The article is in:


http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=878621