Napkins at WDW

[MouseEarsForAll]

And checking out Ebay to see how much they can get for them.

(BTW, for the person who asked earlier, the TP is already blank, I checked the rolls that I brought hom....erm..nm! (JK) ).

That was me:

 

[MouseEarsForAll]

Maybe they were too well liked.

Like poor Flynn Rider...

 

[prfctlyximprfct]

LOL!

I'm seeing LOTS of optimism on the DIS today!

Tons of optimism!!! Happiest place on earth!!!

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[Srantin]

As long as Disney doesn't switch to those brown paper towels we all used in elementary school that don't absorb moisture, just push it around, I'm okay with whatever.

 

[kaligal]

As long as Disney doesn't switch to those brown paper towels we all used in elementary school that don't absorb moisture, just push it around, I'm okay with whatever.

These new napkins are a lot like those. They're a little better, but not much.

 

[Srantin]

these new napkins are a lot like those. They're a little better, but not much.

to the torches and pitchforks!

 

[moobar25]

The fancy napkins were RETIRED like so many of the Disney characters. But I heard they'll have a special appearance at the MNSSHP.

 

[mountdew1]

I don't usually get argumentative on these threads, but I can't believe this is the second thread about napkins. Sure, they were special, but they're just napkins.

Are there really that many people that have no idea how a business runs? This isn't necessarily Disney execs being greedy! I mean, we want fridges in all the value hotels, queen beds in all the others, new resorts and all the old ones renovated, the largest expansion in WDW history. . . Oh, and we all but refuse to go without a discount of some sort. Something has to give somewhere and a business has to save money and make money to stay IN BUSINESS.

If Disney napkins are that important for your kids school lunches, grab some at Walmart. If you just don't want to pay for them, is it really Disney that's being cheap? And if you spend thousands of dollars on a vacation and consider "napkins" to be your souvenir, please consider spending $20 or $30 on a real souvenir next time. Then, maybe they'll have the extra money to throw at napkins.

They are constantly adding rides, building hotels, etc. If they found a way to save a few pennies by changing something that very few people are going to notice, that's just good business sense. And let's be realistic...Disney is a business. Their job is to make money.

Except that losing napkins doesn't help pay for a new hotel, or the FLE. Under their current structure, WDW is split up into tons of little smaller groups that all have to turn a profit. It's not one big entity. So when you get "free" dining, the resort actually has to pay the dining side the cost of your "free" dining, which is why you need to pay full price for the room. So if someone in F&B decided that they can save $.000005 per napkin by switching to plain, F&B may end up saving $20,000 per year (pulling numbers from the sky here). That means that the F&B exec who made that call, gets a $5,000 bonus, and the rest goes to the corporate bottom line, and gets cut from next years budget as something no longer needed. That $20,000 doesn't get spread around like magic pixie dust allowing for them to fix the Yeti, or build a new parade float.

An off topic response.....WDW recycles the resort soap. http://www.cleantheworld.com/

As they do every single thing they can. (Including I would assume the used napkins....) So instead of being all drastic and switching to the pump soap, first they switch to plain old (Insert generic motel soap company here) soap bars. And save the pump soap for when the napkins get replaced with rolls of paper towels.

 

[Cafeen]

Except that losing napkins doesn't help pay for a new hotel, or the FLE. Under their current structure, WDW is split up into tons of little smaller groups that all have to turn a profit. It's not one big entity. So when you get "free" dining, the resort actually has to pay the dining side the cost of your "free" dining, which is why you need to pay full price for the room. So if someone in F&B decided that they can save $.000005 per napkin by switching to plain, F&B may end up saving $20,000 per year (pulling numbers from the sky here). That means that the F&B exec who made that call, gets a $5,000 bonus, and the rest goes to the corporate bottom line, and gets cut from next years budget as something no longer needed. That $20,000 doesn't get spread around like magic pixie dust allowing for them to fix the Yeti, or build a new parade float.

But it could prevent them from raising food prices by an additional 1%, cutting back on offerings, or trimming the waste on the condiment bars (which, I bet is far more loss than the napkins).

So, if you had to make a call, and it was use cheaper napkins, cut an underperforming item on the menu, or trim down the condiment bar offerings, or raise prices by 5% instead of 4%, which would you do? (I'm not going to go extreme and state lay off a CM, since I doubt changing napkins would cover that much).

(It would also be interesting to see if it's ALL paper napkin using places, or just certain ones, since I'm pretty sure they are run as separate entities)

 

[rgf207]

So this thread is about people's disappointment in the disposable pieces of paper we use to wipe chili sauce off our face, correct?

It just strikes me as odd since I've seen people get ripped apart on this board (myself included) for making comments about park maintenance, attraction breakdowns etc.

 

[deegack]

Am I the only one who never noticed what the napkins looked like? All I care about is if there are plenty to clean the Mickey bar off my kids face and mop up the occasional drink mishap

 

[bytheblood]

Napkins again eh? A lot of angst over something you throw in the garbage.

Ok, to put this in perspective, I've talked to a LOT of people who have gone to Disney world (because a LOT of people have been there). I'm a huge fan of the place and I love to talk to people about it. Not one single person has ever said, "Oh gosh, I LOVE the napkins!" (prior to the switch) or, "Oh gosh, Disney's napkins are SO TERRIBLE!" (after the switch). In fact, I've never heard any comments about the napkins at all, nor have I ever paid attention to them myself.

I understand that there are a lot of people on the Dis who are just huge Disney fans. And that's great! However, I feel like there are people on this thread who are vastly overestimating the affect of napkins on the general population of people who affect Disney world. As long as the napkins clean off your face and hands, most people are going to be satisfied.

They are constantly adding rides, building hotels, etc. If they found a way to save a few pennies by changing something that very few people are going to notice, that's just good business sense. And let's be realistic...Disney is a business. Their job is to make money.

Originally Posted by jomommy
I don't usually get argumentative on these threads, but I can't believe this is the second thread about napkins. Sure, they were special, but they're just napkins.

Are there really that many people that have no idea how a business runs? This isn't necessarily Disney execs being greedy! I mean, we want fridges in all the value hotels, queen beds in all the others, new resorts and all the old ones renovated, the largest expansion in WDW history. . . Oh, and we all but refuse to go without a discount of some sort. Something has to give somewhere and a business has to save money and make money to stay IN BUSINESS.

If Disney napkins are that important for your kids school lunches, grab some at Walmart. If you just don't want to pay for them, is it really Disney that's being cheap? And if you spend thousands of dollars on a vacation and consider "napkins" to be your souvenir, please consider spending $20 or $30 on a real souvenir next time. Then, maybe they'll have the extra money to throw at napkins.

I love common sense!!!

 

[cablguy2]

And what is the point of having custodial in the parks at all times sweeping and picking up garbage when someone else will just add more? Why not just have all the custodial staff only clean in the hours the park is closed? That would save significantly more money than the fraction of a cent each napkin costs.


I really hope that statement is a joke?

 

[Waltgirl]

I will lament the loss of the Disney napkins, as I did the free Mickey head straws and real butter packets. Think of it as if it were a high end restaurant that slowly started replacing all the seating with plastic patio chairs. Sure, you can still sit and eat, they are still usable, but it's not quite as nice and you may feel the atmosphere no longer justifies the price.

Again, it is all a matter of personal perspective. The value of a product or service is highly subjective. For myself, it reflects a cheapening of the brand. It may be indicative of current management strategies, though sadly it is not as if the WDC is bleeding money. The removal of these small items or the changing of these products invariably brings forth comparisons between what WDW "used to be" and how it exists now. Each downgrade, (and have no illusions, they are downgrades) may not make much of a discernible difference, but when examined as a whole, is significant. New and first time visitors will not notice, not ever realizing what they missed. Only long time visitors and voracious fans will notice and regardless of their complaints, it will not stop us from visiting.

 

[richmo]

Yes, I did notice that the napkins were plain brown last week with no 'Disney Parks' on them. Did I care? No.

There was one place where we did get 'Disney Parks' napkins, but I don't recall where. (I'm thinking maybe a cart or in the Idol green room)

 

[Bus36]

I will lament the loss of the Disney napkins, as I did the free Mickey head straws and real butter packets. Think of it as if it were a high end restaurant that slowly started replacing all the seating with plastic patio chairs. Sure, you can still sit and eat, they are still usable, but it's not quite as nice and you may feel the atmosphere no longer justifies the price.

Again, it is all a matter of personal perspective. The value of a product or service is highly subjective. For myself, it reflects a cheapening of the brand. It may be indicative of current management strategies, though sadly it is not as if the WDC is bleeding money. The removal of these small items or the changing of these products invariably brings forth comparisons between what WDW "used to be" and how it exists now. Each downgrade, (and have no illusions, they are downgrades) may not make much of a discernible difference, but when examined as a whole, is significant. New and first time visitors will not notice, not ever realizing what they missed. Only long time visitors and voracious fans will notice and regardless of their complaints, it will not stop us from visiting.

And this is why this financial decision was made. The only people who will care will still come.... And will still pay. Value may be subjective, it's up to every individual if the experience is worth the price tag. The company has estimated that even those who see this as decreasing the value of the experience, it is still worth the price tag, and therefore a worthwhile risk. Take your money elsewhere is the only alternative.

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[WDSearcher]

We still have a decent supply of printed napkins at my office (backstage role, near MK). If anyone misses them THAT much or can't fathom not having extras for school lunches, diaper bags, purses, kleenex substitutes, picnics, scrapbooks or any other purpose, feel free to PM me and I'll be happy to ship some out to you.

 

[polyfor4]

What are you guys all Disney CFO's??? Sure it saves money but I hope Disney continues to prosper so they don't have to find money savers. When you grow attached to Disney details, it does make you a little sad! Especially when everything is getting more expensive, it's depressing to see even your vacation escape having to pinch a few pennies.

 

[rgf207]

http://first-world-problems.com/

 

[MrsLS]

Guess I don't care about what is printed on the napkins at WDW as I didn't notice a few weeks ago.
I'm amazed at this thread and just at all the pp that do care what napkins Disney buys. & I am at all the people that are complaining about the execs that are saving money by not printing on napkins (which is a great environmental savings to YOU & me) but in the same post are disappointed in not having all the napkins to be brought home anymore and shoved in their bag/stroller/etc...who's cheap? Its a napkin!!??? It gets used and thrown away.