Some Disappointment in US/IoA

[Jennasis]

don't think we expended more than 5 minutes total securing one, despite the extreme crowds i mentioned previously.

peeps need to realize that only 1 person in each group that'll be sharing a locker actually needs to enter the room to do the fingerprint scan & store the 'collective' gear. (naturally, im not advocating that u leave small children unattended!) Perhaps stationing a TM outside the locker room (controlling access during peak times) would help with the overall flow.

I agree with you and wish people would do just that. We were a group of 7 and sent only ONE person to the lockers (DH), who was often stuck behind a mass of families with members milling around or unable to figure out the lockers.

It makes me feel better to know my experience wasn't typical, and I look forward to trying USO again.

 

[Planogirl]

Me too - I don't take a bag to the parks (any park) and more. I have my room key, debit card and ID, chapsitck and one of those clip on small sunscreens and my phone then I am good to go. It is very liberating. Though I do like that stretchy waist bag on the link that Damo posted. We buy food and snacks - hey I budget when I am not on vacation so I can eat and enjoy my vacation. Though one money saving trip we do use in the parks both at Disney and UO is to get the free cups of filtered water from the counter service restaurants so we don't have to carry bottles or pay for water.

You carry what I do except I throw in a comb. It is very liberating not to have to worry about a bunch of junk the whole day. I was all set to get a locker at WDW to store our "junk" when it hit me that that would be silly for me.

 

[keishashadow]

I agree with you and wish people would do just that. We were a group of 7 and sent only ONE person to the lockers (DH), who was often stuck behind a mass of families with members milling around or unable to figure out the lockers.

It makes me feel better to know my experience wasn't typical, and I look forward to trying USO again.

you really should, novelty will wear off as it always does with the big new thing in town. For truly pampering experience, consider onsite for even 1 night to give FOTL for 2 days.

 

[damo]

Jennasis, if your cousin was able to fit on Afterburn (Top Gun) at Carowinds, he (she) should fit at all rides Universal. Afterburn has the same cars as Dragon Challenge -- both are inverted B&M coasters. Both have the same modified seats. Reports coming back from riders indicate that if you can fit on the coasters, you can fit on FJ.

 

[poeticdiabetic]

To me, it was annoying and downright jarring, coming from the atmosphere of WDW to have those salespeople coming hard at me.

But you know what? I've learned to give a short, concise no. I ate at Finnegans. I agree with the assessment of "Meh." I think that the CMs are better at WDW than US/IOA. There are some shortcomings.

But the rides are downright better. You gotta give US/IOA credit for that.

Oh, and side-note: When we went to US/IOA, I had that 3 month pass from Costco (Great, great deal. And for $89 with no tax? ) So when we went one time and the TV people came by and asked us to participate, we did. And they paid us money! Each of us!

That was the very first time where I went to a theme park and they paid me.

All in all, US/IOA is a great place to have some fun and excitement.

 

[the Dark Marauder]

But you know what? I've learned to give a short, concise no. I ate at Finnegans. I agree with the assessment of "Meh." I think that the CMs are better at WDW than US/IOA. There are some shortcomings.

Some of the CMs at WDW also work at Universal. Your argument is invalid.

 

[damo]

Some of the CMs at WDW also work at Universal. Your argument is invalid.

Also, we know how wonderful the TM's are because of the tons of time they put into helping others here on these message boards. They are a devoted bunch.

 

[poeticdiabetic]

Some of the CMs at WDW also work at Universal. Your argument is invalid.

Sorry if it offended you, but I'm only speaking of our personal experience. So it's perfectly valid if your experience one place is different than the experience at another. Plus, it's just one aspect of the entire post.

Geesh! Such testiness!

 

[Planogirl]

Sorry if it offended you, but I'm only speaking of our personal experience. So it's perfectly valid if your experience one place is different than the experience at another. Plus, it's just one aspect of the entire post.

Geesh! Such testiness!

A lot of the people here work at Universal and seem to try hard to make things fun for guests. I can see why some might be protective.

I've personally had great service for the most part at both resorts. There have been exceptions at both but I really can't complain.

 

[poeticdiabetic]

A lot of the people here work at Universal and seem to try hard to make things fun for guests. I can see why some might be protective.

I've personally had great service for the most part at both resorts. There have been exceptions at both but I really can't complain.

Makes sense. And the TMs at Universal aren't bad. It's just that I have had better experiences at WDW. That's a matter of opinion. I just hope it wasn't a TM that tried to invalidate my comment, that's all. In business, you got to see criticism and feedback as an opportunity. You can acknowledge the feedback, respond to it positively and then isolate it with other, more positive feedback in order to make the negative feedback an outlier.

But to respond that way creates a picture that the feedback rings true because the response seemed to hit a nerve. An emotional response creates another emotional response.

Sorry for the diatribe, but I market for a living. Social networking have the potential to damage brands based upon responses. I teach that any feedback is an opportunity for a brand.

 

[PartofDisney'sWorld]

Makes sense. And the TMs at Universal aren't bad. It's just that I have had better experiences at WDW. That's a matter of opinion. I just hope it wasn't a TM that tried to invalidate my comment, that's all. In business, you got to see criticism and feedback as an opportunity. You can acknowledge the feedback, respond to it positively and then isolate it with other, more positive feedback in order to make the negative feedback an outlier.

But to respond that way creates a picture that the feedback rings true because the response seemed to hit a nerve. An emotional response creates another emotional response.

Sorry for the diatribe, but I market for a living. Social networking have the potential to damage brands based upon responses. I teach that any feedback is an opportunity for a brand.

Wow - you sound like business stat teacher and marketing teacher all rolled into one!

 

[damo]

Makes sense. And the TMs at Universal aren't bad. It's just that I have had better experiences at WDW. That's a matter of opinion. I just hope it wasn't a TM that tried to invalidate my comment, that's all. In business, you got to see criticism and feedback as an opportunity. You can acknowledge the feedback, respond to it positively and then isolate it with other, more positive feedback in order to make the negative feedback an outlier.

But to respond that way creates a picture that the feedback rings true because the response seemed to hit a nerve. An emotional response creates another emotional response.

Sorry for the diatribe, but I market for a living. Social networking have the potential to damage brands based upon responses. I teach that any feedback is an opportunity for a brand.

To respond that way also reflects the continuous Universal bashing on a Disney website.

 

[Planogirl]

To respond that way also reflects the continuous Universal bashing on a Disney website.

That's the biggest problem IMO.

You see bashing from people who haven't even been to Universal! It's hard to take such comments seriously after all of the pointless nastiness that's occurred here over the years.

Besides, it's true that many CM's are also TM's. Unless they change into different people somehow, their service would likely be at least similar.

 

[poeticdiabetic]

Wow - you sound like business stat teacher and marketing teacher all rolled into one!

Nah! I am a consultant and I assist small companies in brand marketing. I also teach entrepreneurs about how to establish and market a brand. I also mentor churches on how to respond to negative feedback. Social Media is a great tool for that.

The reason why I responded so strongly to the dismissive comment was because negative feedback is common for organizations. If you are public, you are going to get negative comments, period. That's business.

And negative comments aren't bad. They are great for business! The reason why is because people are talking about YOUR product or service. People care so much that they take time out of their day to describe a negative experience. As a company, you want that because that helps you to improve. It helps you to understand your market and reach out to those individuals that feel that way. They are giving you, as a company, the opportunity to make amends, or turn around a negative experience. The worst thing that can happen to a company's brand is not some random negative feedback, but no feedback at all.

Take my comment about "I think that CMs at WDW are better than Universal." First of all, it's a comparison- not a bash of any sort. I'm comparing two experiences.

A better way to handle it would have been to ask me why I thought that way. In short, you want to open the customer up in order to isolate the negative experience.

If that happened, I would have went on to talk about how, on two occasions, two separate WDW CMs really did a great job: Once, at ToT- that tall CM that have that weird smile stayed in character while simultaneously helping this little girl overcome her fear of him. That was amazing to me. And second, when my grown DW wears her crown, most CMs at WDW will address her as "Princess." That's amazing, because I forget she even have it on!

So it's not because the TMs are rude or doesn't do their job. I've never had a bad experience from a TM before. All that I was saying was that my experience with the CMs were better.

But here's the interesting part: I talk about how the rides are better at US/IOA and that's not mentioned. I go to the Disney threads and say the same thing- that the rides at US/IOA are better and more exciting, and my comments aren't dismissed.

In other words, not all negatively comparative comments are "Bashing." Bashing is when someone is unfairly and relentlessly targeting you or your firm with untrue, negative comments with the intent to damage your brand. And there have been bashing going on in this forum. But there have been even MORE bashing in the Disney forums because Disney's market-share and exposure is greater than Universal's. Therefore, there are more raw negative emotions expressed towards the Disney brand than the US/IOA.

 

[Planogirl]

You make some good points. I think a lot of it has to do with people. Personally, I tend to defend people more than rides or restaurants for example. I think that most CM's and TM's are basically good, hard-working people, most of whom are definitely not in it for the money. I have seen so many people slam the TM's and I think that that feelings get a little raw. I don't think that either the TM's or the CM's deserve it based on MY experience.

As for rides being better at Universal, I agree. No controversy there.

 

[BuckeyeGuy28]

Some of the CMs at WDW also work at Universal. Your argument is invalid.

Really? Invalid??

I can understand that some TM's at Universal are great at what they do but people's experiences are different. I personally have only had bad service at Disney, but I just hit a couple of bad spots. Disney focuses more on customer service than Universal does.

Also, there are a lot of TM's that don't work as CM's also, so to call someone's opinion 'invalid' seems sort of...invalid

 

[bumbershoot]

Besides, it's true that many CM's are also TM's. Unless they change into different people somehow, their service would likely be at least similar.

I once had three jobs at the same time. Barmaid, prep-person in a kitchen, and kitchen-worker. We'll just talk about the two kitchen jobs. At one, I was beloved. At the other, I got in trouble. One manager liked my work, the other didn't. Almost the exact same jobs. And different reactions to my work.

It is ENTIRELY possible to be good at one job and bad at the other.

And negative comments aren't bad. They are great for business!

Take my comment about "I think that CMs at WDW are better than Universal." First of all, it's a comparison- not a bash of any sort. I'm comparing two experiences.

In other words, not all negatively comparative comments are "Bashing." Bashing is when someone is unfairly and relentlessly targeting you or your firm with untrue, negative comments with the intent to damage your brand.

I agree with all of that.

 

[Timmy Boy]

That's a good point you have. It's just hard for the Team Members when they get asked asked questions such as:

"Where do you get Fast Pass?"
"Oh I'm sorry we don't have that here. To skip the lines, you do actually have to purchase a seperate ticket."
"Disney's is free!!"
"Yeah, I know haha, but we don't have that here, sorry"
::guest sighs heavily shaking hand and walking away::


"Why do I have to put my purse in a locker??"
"It's actually a safety requirement. If a bag comes loose it could hit someone and cause injury, or you could possibly lose it"
"Disney lets us keep all our stuff with us!!"
"Yeah, I'm sorry we don't allow loose articles on the coasters"
"Well then I'm just not riding"

It's also not fun for us when a guest comes back and says "We immediately knew we were in for a bad time when we saw trash in Port of Entry." Then they always end with the phrase, "this wouldn't happen at Disney."

OR, they make up stuff to justify their bad experience, even though they didn't have one, because they feel "bad" actually enjoying themselves outside WDW. Things such as:

"Too much trash on the ground, Disney would have been cleaner."
- Okay, maybe their was trash on the ground, but I have waited in the Jungle Cruise line and seen a trash can full, and a pyramid of trash on top of it. It just happens.

"The employees were sloppy and were on their phones a lot."
- All I know is that if a TM is caught with a phone out while ANYWHERE operating an attraction it's a immediate counseling. Some may even get fired due to the severity of it. I highly doubt every Team Member they saw was on their phone.

"The Harry Potter area was so lame, it was so crowded! Disney would have done it better."
- It Harry Potter were at Disney, and J.K. Rowling had it built the exact same way, these people would say it would be the most amazing thing that Disney has ever ever done. They would say "I don't care how crowded it is, I love it there and I know the company is making lots of money!" But since it's at Universal, it's "meh"

Sorry for the rant, it's just frustrating when Universal Orlando is always seen 2nd in Orlando, when they do actually have the better product, but stuck up Disney people won't venture out.

 

[Planogirl]

BOTH companies have good products IMO. They are just wired differently.

I do see the constant bias from some WDW fans. I have definitely seen criticism of Universal coming from people who have never been to Universal or haven't been in many years. Things change.

It's hard to take comments such as CM's are better than TM's seriously too. I'd want to know more details because the resort styles are different and it could be that the person just prefers the Disney style. I personally love the more edgy, playful style at Universal. I can see that it might not be for everyone though.

 

[poeticdiabetic]

That's a good point you have. It's just hard for the Team Members when they get asked asked questions such as:

"Where do you get Fast Pass?"
"Oh I'm sorry we don't have that here. To skip the lines, you do actually have to purchase a seperate ticket."
"Disney's is free!!"
"Yeah, I know haha, but we don't have that here, sorry"
::guest sighs heavily shaking hand and walking away::


"Why do I have to put my purse in a locker??"
"It's actually a safety requirement. If a bag comes loose it could hit someone and cause injury, or you could possibly lose it"
"Disney lets us keep all our stuff with us!!"
"Yeah, I'm sorry we don't allow loose articles on the coasters"
"Well then I'm just not riding"

It's also not fun for us when a guest comes back and says "We immediately knew we were in for a bad time when we saw trash in Port of Entry." Then they always end with the phrase, "this wouldn't happen at Disney."

OR, they make up stuff to justify their bad experience, even though they didn't have one, because they feel "bad" actually enjoying themselves outside WDW. Things such as:

"Too much trash on the ground, Disney would have been cleaner."
- Okay, maybe their was trash on the ground, but I have waited in the Jungle Cruise line and seen a trash can full, and a pyramid of trash on top of it. It just happens.

"The employees were sloppy and were on their phones a lot."
- All I know is that if a TM is caught with a phone out while ANYWHERE operating an attraction it's a immediate counseling. Some may even get fired due to the severity of it. I highly doubt every Team Member they saw was on their phone.

"The Harry Potter area was so lame, it was so crowded! Disney would have done it better."
- It Harry Potter were at Disney, and J.K. Rowling had it built the exact same way, these people would say it would be the most amazing thing that Disney has ever ever done. They would say "I don't care how crowded it is, I love it there and I know the company is making lots of money!" But since it's at Universal, it's "meh"

Sorry for the rant, it's just frustrating when Universal Orlando is always seen 2nd in Orlando, when they do actually have the better product, but stuck up Disney people won't venture out.

OK, let's continue this discussion, because obviously there are plenty of hurt feelings here. Let me help out a little bit.

First of all, Universal Studios will always play second fiddle on this board. That's a given. Why? Because it's a DISNEY BOARD! It's 'Disboards' and it doesn't matter how fair the moderators will try to make it, any other attraction will play second fiddle. My suggestion will be to start a board specifically for US/IOA.

Another thing: Perceived value IS reality. US/IOA may be cleaner. US/IOA may have better customer service. But as long as the customer perceives that Disney has better customer service, US/IOA would have to make measure to change that perception.

For instance, take the FastPass thing. The fastpass have glaring problems in administration, but it gives the perception of fairness of "first come/ first served." The fastpass is a customer service ploy by Disney in which they can market.

Take another issue about the lockers. The lockers are great, but I have yet to see any TM in all the times that I have been at US/IOA sell them adequately. When someone talks about the locker, they should sell it as a customer service asset, that US/IOA is making sure that the customers keeps their belongings from getting lost on the rides. All I have heard is that it's a safety issue.

Watch this: A company keeping you from losing your belongings benefits you. A company keeping you from hurting others benefits the company (from liability.) Once again, perception becomes reality.

But here's what I am really trying to make: The manipulations of these perceptions vs. reality is what makes Disney truly a company that is admired by business students. It's truly a show.

But US/IOA have a strong opportunity to carve out a niche and really do some good stuff these next few quarters. It goes back to this: the rides are better. But with WWHOP, they may extend that to the immersible adventures can be better. But they will have to expand beyond WWHOP, though.

Last thing: If there was anything that I would propose if I was able to enter into a US/IOA boardroom, here would be my pitch:

I would expand WWHOP to the point where it would have it own gate. I would make it into a world. But then, I would REALLY upstage Disney by doing this: I would build a hotel INSIDE WWHOP. I mean, with the vision I would try to create is one where you actually VACATION INSIDE Harry Potter's world!

(OK, I'm not going to do anymore US/IOA imagineering.)