the Disnoids are freaking out again

[macraven]

that's ok
we all have an opinion.......

the one opinion i can agree with everyone is the rising prices of tickets !!


i bought my disney 10 day hopper dec 31. price increase the next day.
i saved 65 by buying a day early.

i can remember when the ap at disney went for $275.........

bless universal with having promos on cheap tickets.


these prices are killing everyone that has a family. buying the ap is not the best way for some families as they only go once a year for 5-6 days.

 

[Figment22]

I've seen messy restrooms in the Universal parks too, actually at a higher percentage of overall restrooms than at the 4 Disney theme parks (at least in 2003).

I totally disagree. I think the UO rest rooms are amazingly clean. Rarely have I entered a UO rest room where there wasn't an attendant nearby. Several times I've thanked them for the service they provide. We are at UO approx. 5-7 times a year at all different seasons and I cannot recall ever thinking, "Wow, this rest room needs attention." I can't say the same about the WDW parks.

 

[Tekneek]

I totally disagree. I think the UO rest rooms are amazingly clean. Rarely have I entered a UO rest room where there wasn't an attendant nearby. Several times I've thanked them for the service they provide. We are at UO approx. 5-7 times a year at all different seasons and I cannot recall ever thinking, "Wow, this rest room needs attention." I can't say the same about the WDW parks.

You can say it does not match your experience, while you go there much more often and more recently than I have. I have been to Universal for exactly 3 days since 2002. I have been to WDW about 20 days since 2002. So with a smaller sampling size, it is entirely possible that what I experienced was far off from what is normal for Universal. It doesn't make it a lie or an impossibility. It just means I caught it at a bad time. If it never happens now and they stay spotless, that can only be a good thing.

There is a significant difference in the number of guests as well. It could also be a situation where Disney puts less effort into AK since it is their least attended park, which still gets more people than IOA or US. That doesn't make it ok, but should lend some perspective from a management position.

 

[Figment22]

There is a significant difference in the number of guests as well. It could also be a situation where Disney puts less effort into AK since it is their least attended park, which still gets more people than IOA or US. That doesn't make it ok, but should lend some perspective from a management position.

Which is why Disney needs to employ more attendants to keep the restrooms up to standard, but this is an area where Disney budget cuts have had a direct effect on what the paying public sees and experiences.
Because we visit UO so often, I've used every restroom in both UO parks and I can rarely remember a time when I haven't seen an attendant in the restrooms regardless of their location. There's always someone in there, mopping the floor, taking out the trash or refilling the paper towel dispensers. I think they do a fabulous job.

 

[damo]

Which is why Disney needs to employ more attendants to keep the restrooms up to standard, but this is an area where Disney budget cuts have had a direct effect on what the paying public sees and experiences.
Because we visit UO so often, I've used every restroom in both UO parks and I can rarely remember a time when I haven't seen an attendant in the restrooms regardless of their location. There's always someone in there, mopping the floor, taking out the trash or refilling the paper towel dispensers. I think they do a fabulous job.

That's exactly what my son said about our visit this week. He figured there was an employee assigned to each washroom as there always seemed to be one in there!!!

 

[Tekneek]

Which is why Disney needs to employ more attendants to keep the restrooms up to standard, but this is an area where Disney budget cuts have had a direct effect on what the paying public sees and experiences.

Not to turn this into anymore of a Disney thread than it already is but, you are getting into why Disney is less regarded today than in the past. It really is about the little things. The loss of focus was from the top down to the very bottom of the company. The emphasis was on building a media empire and if that meant squeezing every extra penny out of the parks and animation along the way, then that is what they did. Quantity was the emphasis, rather than the quality. Hopefully those days will be in the past soon.

If Universal *is* much better at the little things, why are they having attendance woes (even decreases)? Does Disney just offer too much variety in terms of on-resort hotels, parks, and amenities?

 

[damo]

The decreases were from the year before when Mummy was introduced and the park had significant increases in visitation. In 2004 Universal Studios at Universal Orlando saw 6.7 million visitors up 14% from 2003. Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando, had 6.3 million visitors, up 13% from 2003. Magic Kingdom was only up 8% in 2004. The top 50 parks across the world were, on average, up 2.2% from 2003. Thus the numbers for 2005 were down. In the raw numbers, Disney still blows Universal away.

It will be interesting to see what the numbers are like for this year with the kids free thing. There seems to be a lot of interest but I wonder if it will be that noticeable. There needs to be a new major attraction. Hint, hint, nudge, nudge.

Disney still has a huge monopoly on the younger visitors. I don't know if Universal will ever be able to capture that audience. They will really have to add a lot of kiddie rides.

 

[MsDisney]

I think the restroom thing is interesting because I have noticed a decline recently in the upkeep of Disney restrooms...but then, I'm old school where if a guest dropped a candy wrapper, there was someone there to whisk it into his dustpan! Unfortunately, budgets have been cut and that isn't always the case anymore. I also think that alot has to do with the attendant(s) assigned to a given area on a particular day/time and unfortunately, no matter where you go, there are some employees that are not up to par. I have seen some pretty bad scenes in restrooms at WDW but I also have to say that while it's not the norm, last weekend at Universal the restrooms by Dueling Dragons were in HORRIBLE shape! I went in a couple of times and it still hadn't been taken care of. Now, I sort of expect that a little more in areas like Monsters or Finnegan's at Universal on a Mardi Gras night because it must be almost impossible to keep up with the traffic...but this was mid day. Though, I will also say, as a frequent restroom visitor I have spent MUCH time at Universal waiting while attendants refill toilet paper, etc. So it CAN happen anywhere, but as a frequent visitor to both parks, I'd have to say they are both top notch in the area of cleanliness and anything else is a matter of poor timing and coincidence.

And guests at both places really need to wash their hands when they're done....ewwwwww!!!!

Karen / MsDis

 

[macraven]

tekneek, first you posted you hadn't been to uo since 2003.

you later posted it was 2002..........and that was for a few days.


why bring up something over 4 years ago......??

 

[Figment22]

And guests at both places really need to wash their hands when they're done....ewwwwww!!!!

Well that's a pet peeve of mine, ANYWHERE!!!

 

[ChrisFL]

IIRC, Universal has better toilet paper than Disney.

 

[MsDisney]

Well that's a pet peeve of mine, ANYWHERE!!!

Oh yeah, me too...I guess I just see it more at the parks since I'm AT the parks more and therefore in alot of restrooms!


Karen / MsDis / MrsMIB999999

 

[Tekneek]

tekneek, first you posted you hadn't been to uo since 2003.

you later posted it was 2002..........and that was for a few days.


why bring up something over 4 years ago......??

I haven't been since 2003. I said I had been 3 days since 2002. It's not that difficult, is it?

Because it was relevant, wasn't it? Just as relevant as relating some anecdote from a bartender about people lining up in the middle of Main Street, isn't it?

 

[MsDisney]

I haven't been since 2003. I said I had been 3 days since 2002. It's not that difficult, is it?

Because it was relevant, wasn't it? Just as relevant as relating some anecdote from a bartender about people lining up in the middle of Main Street, isn't it?

Ya know...My anecdote actually HAD a place because I was pointing out how people tend to be sheep and just follow without reason. It had to do with the notion of Disney offering FOTL to guests because more than likely, many people would actually queue up in THAT line, regardless of the normal stand-by line. It's not a knock on Disney, but rather the mentality of many tourists...and it was an example of it.

I'm not sure why I'm even justifying myself to you...let's face it, Disney draws the lion's share of the tourists....so by default...they are a point of reference for silly tourist stories. I'm sorry if you were one of the people who got in that line and maybe that's why you're harping on it.

I sure wish I understood why the need to be nasty and defensive.

Karen / MsDis / MrsMIB999999

 

[Tekneek]

I'm not sure why I'm even justifying myself to you...let's face it, Disney draws the lion's share of the tourists....so by default...they are a point of reference for silly tourist stories. I'm sorry if you were one of the people who got in that line and maybe that's why you're harping on it.

I sure wish I understood why the need to be nasty and defensive.

Karen / MsDis / MrsMIB999999

Sorry, I didn't know I was being nasty and defensive. I have no problem with you and the line in Main Street thing after initially questioning it. I understood what you meant when you responded to my questioning earlier in the thread.

I'm just wondering how a personal experience at IOA has its relevance questioned when that anecdote would seem to have less relevance (on its face). It's nothing personal and really has nothing to do with you. My question was posed to the person I quoted.

 

[phamton]

Tekneek, I think what people are trying to say is that a few years ago, Universal and IOA really wasn't so clean and Disney was sparkling. But the last 3 years, Universal has become much cleaner while Disney has been more slack in cleanliness.

I moved here about 3 years ago. Before that, we used to vacation at both WDW and Universal. We often commented on how much cleaner WDW was and how the castmembers were friendlier. Right after we moved here, Universal began to really improve while Disney went downhill. Cast member morale began to go down at WDW and many were flocking to Universal because they paid better and treated their employees better. The team members at Universal appeared to be happier than the ones at WDW and also the parks began to clean everything much better and started painting and making the grounds/surroundings nicer. My family noticed the change as it was occurring.

Last year, I was a Philharmagic, and the inside queue was littered with spilled popcorn, empty cups (one which was still leaking some kind of red drink all over the carpet), water bottles, and trash everywhere. No one was cleaning anything up and I was shocked. Years ago the castmembers at WDW were responsible for keeping their area clean but now the Union has only the cleaning staff actually cleaning. At Universal, all the employees have a broom, mop, windex, or vacuum as needed. They still have cleaning staff but each team member is also responsible for cleaning their area as needed.

Because we have all witnessed the change in the last 3 years, we have been pointing out that you haven't been lately. It's not that we think you are lying but that your experience is dated and things have changed since your last visit. In 2002, the team members were not as freindly and the parks weren't as clean. WDW had them beat in those areas but not anymore.

I still go to WDW regularly and have an AP but there has been a change and not for the better there. I love WDW and it saddens me to see the decline in cleanliness and the decline in castmember morale.

 

[Figment22]

I'm just wondering how a personal experience at IOA has its relevance questioned when that anecdote would seem to have less relevance (on its face).

I'm the one who's probably going to sound nasty here but this is the Universal Forum. Those of us who hang out here think of USF/IOA as "our" parks. (Maybe I shouldn't speak for everyone, but that's how I feel). This is the one place on the DISboards where we don't have to constantly defend the place we love. Those who are WDW fans have umpteen forums to discuss everything Disney. We don't. And while I really don't care if the Disnoids go nuts on UO on any of the other forums, it does bother me when I see it here. It feels like trolling.

Just for the record, I used to be a total DISnut, which is how I ended up on these forums in the first place but in the past decade, I noticed a general decline in many areas of service at Disney. As such, my family has not felt the need to go to WDW since 2001, even though we went at least once a year every year since 1985.

 

[macraven]

well said figment

 

[bubba's mom]

well said figment

i thought so too......btw, absolutely LOVE the smilie!!!

 

[Sylvester McBean]

maybe because I'm the kind of guy that still acts like he's living in a college dorm, I don't notice the cleanliness issues. but like phamton said, the last 2-3 years have seen the tide definately turning in favor of UO. in terms of customer service, I don't go to theme parks to be waited on I go to have fun. and the TM's at UO are definately in character more than the CM's at WDW anymore.

earlier this year we went to renew our AP's at the TTC in Disney. I forgot my license, but my wife had hers. the CM refused to renew them, even though she acknowledged she had our info on her screen for me to verify. she said we would have to purchase 3 one day passes to enter the park for the 3 of us to process them at guest services. I ended up flipping out at the MK turnstiles until they had a CM escort us into guest relations. the CM there said, "no big deal, just verify your information". they ended up discounting our AP's. WDW is slipping big time.