The Disney Difference? Very interesting article.

[Oglet]

I'm sorry I just don't care what corporation you are running no one is worth 20+ million dollars a year plus stock options and all the perks that go along with it. Companies always seem to cut from the bottom while they increase spending at the top.

In 2009 Bob Iger earned around 29 Million dollars in total including options etc which was actually a little less than the year before, regardless of the job you think he is doing can you honestly tell me that you couldn't find someone who would be just as good at that job that wouldn't do it for millions less? This country is full of amazing talent that could do his job quite easily.

Its the same story all over corporate America.

People have a right to make money, there should be rewards for working hard its what this country is founded now with that said can you honestly say anyone is worth that much money?

 

[Stacy's a freak]

Just my two cents, but from where I sit, I see a nation filled with people who have a false sense of entitlement

Well said! I have heard that it's a generational thing. I am sure that I will offend many here but here is the theory: The Gen X'ers (30's) and older tend to know the value of a job well done. The next generation, the Gen Y'ers (20's) are becoming known for their sense of entitlement. "I exist on earth and deserve a good job making good money." And let's face it, many of the people on the front lines of Disney customer service (or any other company) tend to be the younger group. It's too bad that the good customer service skills aren't being thrust upon them because they are the face of the company.

 

[Tekneek]

Adjusting for inflation, I doubt Walt Disney was pulling down millions. He was always investing his personal money and assets into each major venture the business got into as well. There is a big difference between the skin that founders put into the game and what managers who come along later put in, while the latter usually tries to shake out a disproportionate amount of money while taking on little to no risk.

 

[Donut23]

Just my two cents, but from where I sit, I see a nation filled with people who have a false sense of entitlement. How many McMansions were being built not too long ago that had people buying them even though they couldn't afford them. I went into some, and you have rooms sparsely furnished, windows with no drapes or blinds... Why, well, they couldn't afford to furnish the house, but hey, look at me, I got a big house.
I will be at Disney in December staying at the AKL and the Poly. I got a Pin Code from Disney for 40% off my room. If I didn't get that pin I would still be going, I just would be staying somewhere else instead of a Deluxe hotel. I am very grateful to Disney for offering me that code, but I didn't think that I was entitled to it.
People need to start thinking less about just themselves, and realize there are other people out there too.
OK, I will step off of my soap box now.

Is there room on that soapbox for DH and me too?

I actually feel sorry for people in their relentless pursuit of ME. We call them the Me Firsts!

 

[Tekneek]

And let's face it, many of the people on the front lines of Disney customer service (or any other company) tend to be the younger group. It's too bad that the good customer service skills aren't being thrust upon them because they are the face of the company.

That is a decision that the company is deciding to make. Not the front line CMs. The company has decided to use more part-timers than in the past. Not the front line CMs. The company has decided to bank on the reputation of the Disney name, rather than continuing to operate with the same values and ethics. I don't see any reason to believe that the problems are caused by the CMs at the bottom. I am not going to blame them for the way the company treats them. If the company sees no value in you and treats you like a liability, it is going to eventually change the way you approach your job. I've seen that first hand with people of varying generations, so I am more inclined to believe it is a human thing rather than being generational.

 

[eliza61]

Is there room on that soapbox for DH and me too?

I actually feel sorry for people in their relentless pursuit of ME. We call them the Me Firsts!

LOL,
I love soapboxes. I think we're Disney lovers. Think about it, would we really care this much if we didn't love the house that Walt built?

I'm one of those "weird" people who see value in complainers. Not random whiners but us folks (who me, whine, never) who voice displeasure. I think we do hold Disney to a higher standard and that's a very good thing.

 

[NonScents]

I'm sorry I just don't care what corporation you are running no one is worth 20+ million dollars a year plus stock options and all the perks that go along with it. Companies always seem to cut from the bottom while they increase spending at the top.

In 2009 Bob Iger earned around 29 Million dollars in total including options etc which was actually a little less than the year before, regardless of the job you think he is doing can you honestly tell me that you couldn't find someone who would be just as good at that job that wouldn't do it for millions less? This country is full of amazing talent that could do his job quite easily.

Its the same story all over corporate America.

People have a right to make money, there should be rewards for working hard its what this country is founded now with that said can you honestly say anyone is worth that much money?

Replace Bob Iger with ME!!!
I will take the job for 1/10th of what they are paying him!
And then I would have money to fix the Yeti.

 

[Disco]

LOL,
There are quality slips and there are sound business judgments. Not spending a ton of money to fix a giant animated Yeti that you see for two seconds on a ride is a sound business call.
I would bet money that if you polled people coming off the ride before and after the Yeti broke down the results would be the same. A third of the people would say it did move, a third that would say it didn't and a third who would say "what Yeti?"
I'm guessing that Disney has been wondering why they built a multimillion dollar monster that many people miss on the ride. A bit of bad Imagineering IMO. If they could enlarge the room or slow the coaster down through that bit they would get a better interaction with the guests.
I doubt it really matters, they’ll probably fix it when they need to refurb the ride and not before that.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

LOL,
There are quality slips and there are sound business judgments. Not spending a ton of money to fix a giant animated Yeti that you see for two seconds on a ride is a sound business call.
I would bet money that if you polled people coming off the ride before and after the Yeti broke down the results would be the same. A third of the people would say it did move, a third that would say it didn't and a third who would say "what Yeti?"
I'm guessing that Disney has been wondering why they built a multimillion dollar monster that many people miss on the ride. A bit of bad Imagineering IMO. If they could enlarge the room or slow the coaster down through that bit they would get a better interaction with the guests.
I doubt it really matters, they’ll probably fix it when they need to refurb the ride and not before that.

No offense but IMO, you are so wrong.

 

[Tekneek]

What are your thoughts on why we demand this? Would you say it started to happen when living costs such as utilities started to go through the roof which has caused many people to require the cheapest product at the cheapest price purely for survival or is it something else or a combination?

It has been building for a long time. I suspect that a lot of our problems can be tied to the fact that the average wage, in terms of real dollar value, peaked in the early-to-mid 1970s. That much is economic fact and is not really disputed. As the real value of wages for much of the population has dropped since then, there has obviously been pressure to get better deals for everything.

 

[ConcKahuna]

Just my two cents, but from where I sit, I see a nation filled with people who have a false sense of entitlement. How many McMansions were being built not too long ago that had people buying them even though they couldn't afford them. I went into some, and you have rooms sparsely furnished, windows with no drapes or blinds... Why, well, they couldn't afford to furnish the house, but hey, look at me, I got a big house.
I will be at Disney in December staying at the AKL and the Poly. I got a Pin Code from Disney for 40% off my room. If I didn't get that pin I would still be going, I just would be staying somewhere else instead of a Deluxe hotel. I am very grateful to Disney for offering me that code, but I didn't think that I was entitled to it.
People need to start thinking less about just themselves, and realize there are other people out there too.
OK, I will step off of my soap box now.

In general I agree with this, but when it comes to a Disney vacation, I disagree.

I used to work club level at the Poly. I didn't care if it was a celebrity, or a free upgrade on a discount plan, I tried to make sure everyone was treated like royalty because THAT's what Disney is about, and why they can charge so much for rooms. In Traditions, they used to teach you "everyone is a VIP" and that's something I tried to keep in mind no matter what position I worked in at Disney, and it not only made my job more fun but made the guests' vacations better.

I disagree with people who have the entitlement complex most of the time, but Disney is the one place where EVERYONE should be able to have it to a degree.

 

[Tekneek]

One thing that I noticed last week at WDW that I had not on any previous trip was the sarcastic comments made by CMs. It didn't seem to matter what the age of the CM was either, as I heard the same caustic kind of remarks from female CMs who looked like they could be grandmothers and young ones who looked like they were right out of high school. I just don't remember that happening before. Maybe I just missed it.

 

[zulemara]

I attribute the problem to 2 things
1. The college program
2. TDO's arrogance

CPs have a great opportunity here and I was one multiple times. But these kids are paid minimum wage to work LONG and LATE hours day after day, sometimes putting in 50+ weeks. On top of it, they did things like cutting traditions to half a day. I could teach WAY more about traditions than they do today. Heck they don't even tell these CMs to take off their nametage(this is a whole other discussion) when not working so they are not "in costume"(again, don't get me started) The reality is a lot of these kids are young, inexperienced in the customer service industry, and inexperienced in working hard for relatively small money.

With the arrogance, it is quite simple. If we are the #1 destination worldwide and have the most attended of all Disney parks, why are we cutting budgets? If we INVESTED in this place, we would make more. Sure, they are attempting the FL expansion and finally updating Star Tours, but it's the little things they don't do anymore that causes problems. They have the attitude of "We're the best so people will come no matter what"

1. They closed PI and thought vendors would jump at that space. They were wrong
2. They don't fix the yeti because they think ppl won't notice
3. They stopped painting things and taking care of things. Did you guys know the boats don't even get washed everyday? They look like **** because they get washed once every 12 days!!! WALT DISNEY WOULD NEVER allow that! It has gotten to the point where I encourage people to complain to management because they won't listen to us!

The problem starts at the top and works its way down. They cut cut cut and take away power from the CMs. Conk you can attest to the changes in what you were allowed to do to people. That eventually wears on the front line people, who end up with a bad attitude and say screw it! It's not the frontline CMs that are the problem in many cases(though I still stand by my CP statement) it's MANAGEMENT that is incompetent!

I'm seasonal, I work when I want, and after working a LOT of hours this summer, I decided I needed a good break because these things were starting to get to me. Hopefully when I go back again to work, I'll be able to get back to how I felt at the beginning of the summer, when I looked forward to working and tried my best to make magic for people because I have had so much magic made for me. Someone has to keep Walt's dream alive, because management sure isn't doin it!

 

[Donut23]

I attribute the problem to 2 things
1. The college program
2. TDO's arrogance

CPs have a great opportunity here and I was one multiple times. But these kids are paid minimum wage to work LONG and LATE hours day after day, sometimes putting in 50+ weeks. On top of it, they did things like cutting traditions to half a day. I could teach WAY more about traditions than they do today. Heck they don't even tell these CMs to take off their nametage(this is a whole other discussion) when not working so they are not "in costume"(again, don't get me started) The reality is a lot of these kids are young, inexperienced in the customer service industry, and inexperienced in working hard for relatively small money.

With the arrogance, it is quite simple. If we are the #1 destination worldwide and have the most attended of all Disney parks, why are we cutting budgets? If we INVESTED in this place, we would make more. Sure, they are attempting the FL expansion and finally updating Star Tours, but it's the little things they don't do anymore that causes problems. They have the attitude of "We're the best so people will come no matter what"

1. They closed PI and thought vendors would jump at that space. They were wrong
2. They don't fix the yeti because they think ppl won't notice
3. They stopped painting things and taking care of things. Did you guys know the boats don't even get washed everyday? They look like **** because they get washed once every 12 days!!! WALT DISNEY WOULD NEVER allow that! It has gotten to the point where I encourage people to complain to management because they won't listen to us!

The problem starts at the top and works its way down. They cut cut cut and take away power from the CMs. Conk you can attest to the changes in what you were allowed to do to people. That eventually wears on the front line people, who end up with a bad attitude and say screw it! It's not the frontline CMs that are the problem in many cases(though I still stand by my CP statement) it's MANAGEMENT that is incompetent!

I'm seasonal, I work when I want, and after working a LOT of hours this summer, I decided I needed a good break because these things were starting to get to me. Hopefully when I go back again to work, I'll be able to get back to how I felt at the beginning of the summer, when I looked forward to working and tried my best to make magic for people because I have had so much magic made for me. Someone has to keep Walt's dream alive, because management sure isn't doin it!

Amen! Truth from the inside.

 

[Donut23]

LOL,
I love soapboxes. I think we're Disney lovers. Think about it, would we really care this much if we didn't love the house that Walt built?

I'm one of those "weird" people who see value in complainers. Not random whiners but us folks (who me, whine, never) who voice displeasure. I think we do hold Disney to a higher standard and that's a very good thing.

You are totally right! We hold Disney to........Disney Standards!

 

[yitbos96bb]

I found this article on another disney forum and found it to be very interesting.

I'm an avid Disneyophile which can be a awesome thing but some times is a bad thing.
One of the times that it is a negative is that I notice little things that probably dont get much attention to the 1st timer.

Lately I've be dismayed by the lack of "quality" I see at the world. I don't compare Disney to other places, I compare Disney to what it use to be.

My #1 is the "homogonization" of items. My #2 is a brand new "broken" attraction. The Yeti, has never worked right for longer than 2 days. IMO, this is simply a severe case of "I don't give a crap" from the powers that be.

Evidently others have noticed.
http://thedailydisney.com/blog/2010/07/disney-fans-dismayed-with-disco-yeti/

I feel you speak the truth and subscribe to your theories... especially #1 which is an immoral Disney sin.

 

[Donut23]

LOL,
There are quality slips and there are sound business judgments. Not spending a ton of money to fix a giant animated Yeti that you see for two seconds on a ride is a sound business call.
I would bet money that if you polled people coming off the ride before and after the Yeti broke down the results would be the same. A third of the people would say it did move, a third that would say it didn't and a third who would say "what Yeti?"
I'm guessing that Disney has been wondering why they built a multimillion dollar monster that many people miss on the ride. A bit of bad Imagineering IMO. If they could enlarge the room or slow the coaster down through that bit they would get a better interaction with the guests.
I doubt it really matters, they’ll probably fix it when they need to refurb the ride and not before that.

....but it's not just the Yeti. Don't forget the Fantasmic Dragon in DL. It was the centerpiece of summer Nightastic 2009......and during the dress rehearsal the night before it's introduction......the head fell off. It missed the ENTIRE summer.

It's GREAT - saw last December....but there is no excuse for the head to fall off.

 

[TinaLala]

I hear you! I worked at a non-Disney big name restaurant and I was trained by the best of the company. Yut years later when I went to train the next level I was told to just go over the high level stuff, forget about the historical fun fact stuff that people love. Teach them more about selling and add-ons then about the Southern hospitality feeling we need to give to our guests. It was depressing.

I just think businesses think more about the bottom line then about what is really important - the people whether it's staff or guests. This is true no matter what business or industry we're talking about. In my work I see people climb up the ladder with pay increases while departments are slashed to bare bone regardless of the effectiveness or cost to the company.

I have two favorite quotes from Walt Disney that I wish ABC Execs would take heart to:

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing."

"All your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them."

Stop worrying about Universal and the Potter attraction and get back to the Walt-ways!!

 

[Disco]

....but it's not just the Yeti. Don't forget the Fantasmic Dragon in DL. It was the centerpiece of summer Nightastic 2009......and during the dress rehearsal the night before it's introduction......the head fell off. It missed the ENTIRE summer.

It's GREAT - saw last December....but there is no excuse for the head to fall off.

Not saying there aren't issues with Disney's QA. Just saying in this specific Yeti case, I agree with not fixing it at this point. It probably makes a big financial difference to fix it when they need to refurb the ride in the future than to do it now. If they decide to never fix it I might be a little disappointed but frankly I can get over it. It's an impressive piece of machinery but, considering you'll miss it if you blink, you don't really get to experience it anyway.

 

[Tekneek]

If they decide to never fix it I might be a little disappointed but frankly I can get over it. It's an impressive piece of machinery but, considering you'll miss it if you blink, you don't really get to experience it anyway.

I am wondering if that would've flown with Walt. I know he would take things out of Disneyland if they could not be fixed, but did he ever choose to leave something in that was broken because many guests couldn't tell the difference? Just wonder if that sort of philosophy would have ever worked with him. Anybody in here a student of Walt, particularly his general philosophy toward quality and the guest experience?