The Vacuum Good Night

[raidermatt]

Well, for a 9:00 closing, fireworks BEGIN at 9:00. So clearly they do not expect anyone to leave before 9:10 or 9:15. In fact, they want everyone to stay, which is why they close the parks on these events.

By making it such a zoo to get out, more people will want to wait for the crowds to die down. No problem, says Disney, hang out on Main Street, or in the hub, or Plaza. Wait for the crowds to thin out. We'll even give you a "good night kiss" later on.

Of course, this means more people will go into the stores on Main Street and drop more dough, some because they would have anyway, but others because they are avoiding the crowds and get sucked in.

That's all well and good. (actually, its neither well nor good, but that's not the issue at hand).

But if they are going to use this strategy to increase merchandise and food sales, the least they could do is keep the Bradley Fighting Hoovers in the barn during this period.

CMs with dustpans could very easily keep us from having to "slog our way through piles of trash". Until the crowds start the thin, the BFH's aren't much faster than the dustpans anyway. In others words, most people have slogged their way through whatever trash there was before the BFH's have that much of an effect. Further, it is most certainly not a 'safety' issue. If safety really is the main concern, the fireworks shouldn't be held at closing, so the crowds could better disperse afterwards.

It is most certainly a cost issue. I guess one can argue that the cheapest way is the best way, but let's at least be honest about it.

 

[raidermatt]

Things must be getting better at MK if the big complaint is the big red vacuums running at bad times.

That's right, I forgot about the reduction of the chicken finger.

And the shorter hours.

Closed attractions with no replacements.

Lack of major additions recently or in the works.

No nightime parade scheduled at all in May, including Memorial Day weekend.

Lack of unique merchandise.

In room package delivery changed to "resort delivery".

Then there's a whole truckload of more subjective complaints.

Hope that helps with the understanding, since the search function is disabled....

 

[raidermatt]

Only have a second right now, but unless I missed a recent post or three, only ONE person said the chicken fingers were "twice as big as the old ones", which of course would mean Disney actually increased the portion size.

Others disagreed with this assessment.

The CM who was asked about the reduced number cheerfully explained that yes they had reduced the number as well as the french fry portion. No mention of larger pieces.

I think we need a bit more before we put any credence at all in the "jumping to conclusions" point.

 

[Another Voice]

"...but then it was later reported that the now three combined chicken fingers were more chicken than the previous smaller four."

But the "rumors" are saying all food portions are undergoing a 5%-20% reduction in size in lieu of a price increase. Perhaps one should not jump to conclusions without looking at all of the possibilities (anyone weigh your salad recently)?

The problem with the vaccums isn't the labor savings - it's that Disney frankly no longer gives a chicken finger about their guests. How on earth could anyone think for the slightest possible moment that hauling out industrial machinery right in fornt of the guests is even remotely Magical®???

Perhaps we should rephrase it as "Where the Magic Lives - just don't expect to hear it".

 

[YoHo]

Exactly, RM, the Chicken finger situation was never resolved in any reasonable manner.


I'm confused though RM. DEspite Landbaron's grousing about the magical our of Midnight they used ot give you for free after official park closing, Disney has ALWAYS kept Mainstreet open at least an hour later then the rest of the park for merchandising. This is not a new thing although the Kiss goodnight I think is.

Why is it Neither Well nor good?

 

[raidermatt]

Ah crud, one more quick point...

I doubt the vacuum drivers only job is to drive the vacuums in MK.

Also, the vacuums do give the sense that you are to move out of the streets...either out the door or into the stores.

If reduced costs and/or increased revenue have anything to do with the reasons for this practice, do you REALLY believe that anyone from Disney is going to tell us that? Maybe we'll get a CM to "talk out of school", but if they don't, and instead say its for safety, or some other reason, that won't prove anything.

Actually, if I remember correctly, Baron did speak with a park manager about it... Perhaps he can re-state what he was told?

 

[OnWithTheShow]

Voice,

I dont think it is that Disney Management no longer gives a Chicken Finger about the guests. It must be that Disney Management NEVER gave a chicken finger about the guests. They have been using these vacuums after parades and the fireworks since my first trip in 1983 and I have heard it goes back earlier than this. Also did anyone consider that the vacuuming going on during the kiss could have been a cast member that doesnt know better. Did you complain to guest services or better yet a manager (there are plenty on Main Street at that time of night). Believe it or not most WDW managers are good people. It is the higher ups you have to worry about.

 

[KNWVIKING]

When did they start the Kiss ? Is this fairly new ? Also, will they have the Kiss for the general public on an E-night ? My point is that if this was an E-night evening,maybe the Vacula's are out asap to prepare for the E-night event. Just a thought.

 

[DisneyKidds]

Exactly, RM, the Chicken finger situation was never resolved in any reasonable manner.

Just like Sadam's fate, we may never really know the truth........

They have been using these vacuums after parades and the fireworks since my first trip in 1983 and I have heard it goes back earlier than this.

I agree with you Show. I know I recalled seeing the BFH's on my earlier trips..............yet I believe the Baron insists they are a relatively recent phenominon.

 

[Another Voice]

"Did you complain to guest services or better yet a manager…"

No I didn't. My previous experience with the Mother of All Vacuum Cleaners was not at park closing. It was only after the parks had been well cleared of guests and it was only the maintenance guys and us suits wandering around. Perhaps I have been fortunate to never have seen these on stage at WDW – but even "we've been doing it a long time" is not an excuse.

And I do not expect to have to inform anyone at Disney about something so mind-numbingly simple as this.

I do not expect to have to tell WDW not start painting in my hotel room at 3:00 am.

I do not expect to have to tell WDW not turn the work lights on inside The Haunted Mansion while guests are inside.

I do not expect to have to tell WDW to not mow the lawns at 6:00 am.

But suddenly I am now expected to tell WDW that running industrial machinery large enough to eat children is a bad thing to run while paying customers are in the park.

Otherwise it's all my fault and Disney is perfect as always.

Isn't that the real crux of the disagreement here?

 

[KNWVIKING]

Personally, the vacaholics never bothered me but I can understand the irratation they could cause. But the part of this thread I find odd is the negative comments about informing guest services of the problem. If we as Disney's biggest fans see a problem, shouldn't we inform Disney of such. Isn't the first or second thread on this board a list of names and addy's of people we should voice our complaints to ? There are tons of "complaint" type threads on this board and many posts giving advise that the poster should contact so-and-so at such-and-such and complain.

I operate a service department. If one of my techs make a mistake and the customer lets me know, I can usually make it right and keep the customer as a customer. But I have had customers take their business elsewhere because they were upset, but since I never knew there was a problem I had no chance to fix it.

 

[YoHo]

KNWVIKING, I don't think its negativity towards informing Guest services. In fact, I think that it's an excellent idea and there is no excuse not to. Oh, I know some will say, but I'm on vacation and going to guest services will ruin it, but these are some of the people that go to the World multiple times a year, so It's not like they won't have ample oppertunity to come back and maybe have their action improve their next experience.


No, the issue is that many, myself included feel its a shame, perhaps a tragic shame that we should HAVE to go to guest services. It is't that you shouldn't when something like this happens, but that something like this shouldn't happen.


So in short, I find it perfectly understandable. By all means go to guest services, Shame on you if you don't, but also, be upset that the situation came up in the first place.

 

[magicmaker]

I suppose you are welcome to dismiss my post as some type of pro-disney propaganda, but my post was not intended to justify poor service but to give an explanation for the use of the vacuums.

Many on this board seem to feel the vacuums are a tool used after the close of the park, but they were insitituted (and are used) primarily for clean up after the large events (parades and fireworks). Despite comments to the contrary, it is not safe to leave the amount of waste that is deposited after large scale entertainment events in the street especially when so many guests are trying to exit the park.

If the Walt Disney World Resort did not care about the Guest experience they would simply leave the trash on the ground until the Guests had all left. It would be much easier to clean up the trash after the park is closed and would require less Cast Members. The intention behind using the vacuums seems to be based on the desire to restore the Magic Kingdom to show-ready appearance for GUESTS.

I'm a little disconcerted by the amount of uproar this is causing. This seems to be a relatively small problem that is only affecting a small group of people. That is not to discount the concern-- If you find youself in this small group of people that is having their final moments in the Magic Kingdom disturbed by the use of vacuum cleaners during the Kiss Good Night, I would suggest writing to Guest Communications to let your voice be heard.

However, I don't think this issue works as an example of a downturn in Disney's Guest Service.

 

[raidermatt]

Either way, it's about high time that WDW management put a stop to these rogue vaccummiers....

I'll just go with this. I know I never saw them at Disneyland through the 70's and 80's, but regardless of when they began, they are bad show.

KNWVIKING, I don't think its negativity towards informing Guest services. In fact, I think that it's an excellent idea and there is no excuse not to.

Correct, there's nothing wrong with going to guest services, though a customer does not need an excuse not to either.

But I have had customers take their business elsewhere because they were upset, but since I never knew there was a problem I had no chance to fix it.

See, here is the crux of the problem. Its true, as a conscientous customer who cares about the health of WDW, one probably should formally lodge all complaints. However, no service company can afford to simply wait for complaints to come in and respond to them. We know that the majority of customers are not going to lodge a complaint. Its just a fact of human nature.

Therefore, a service company must do two things:

1- Consider a small number of complaints to potentially be the tip of the iceberg, and not dismiss them.

2- Understand what might be an irritant to their customers and seek to eliminate those things without being told.

In this case, we're not talking about something difficult to figure out. This isn't chipping paint in a remote location, or something like guests preferring hand blowers over paper towels (or vice versa). Anybody knows that the noise coming from an industrial strength vacuum cleaner is unpleasant.

Is there anybody who really disagrees with that?

If there are managers all over Main Street* at this time, certainly they have heard the things go by, and certainly they have been engaged in conversations when they went by.

Now, for the record, I don't really believe that WDW management, or even Burbank management, don't care at all about the guest experience. As magicmakers says, they could always just leave the trash be. What seems apparent, however, is that the company as a whole doesn't care as much about it as it once did. Maybe the budget is so tight for MK management that the only way they can meet their budget is by using the BFH's, even if they would rather wait until an hour after closing. Regardless, the problem exists.

Something that has been brought up before is that this doesn't seem to happen in the other parks.

AK gets pretty empty by closing, and MGM's event lets the majority of folks out by the gate. But the MGM exit that leads out onto Sunset gets very crowded too, and we have lingered in the shops for quite awhile and never seen the BFH's. Same with World Showcase after Illuminations. Maybe I've just missed them in the other parks?

Believe it or not most WDW managers are good people. It is the higher ups you have to worry about.

I'm sure nobody thinks that all WDW managers are thoughtless, pointy headed, Dilbert-type managers (I know I don't). The frustration is more from the end result of many decisions and policies, and its understood that these aren't made by front line managers.


*Show, I'll admit, I haven't looked for manager types around MK's closing, but all that I've noticed is that the CMs who are in the middle of the people are mainly concerned with crowd flow (and rightly so). After that, the only ones I've noticed on Main Street (other than the cleaners) are the ones in the shops, who are all engaged with the many guests shopping at that time. I'll take note next time.

 

[mudhen]

I think the reason people are so peeved about this "little incident" is that it seems to be one of many "little incidents"
lately.
Whether it's a reduction of park hours, bad show, increase in
ticket prices, penny pinching budget cuts, or one less chicken
finger, the perception is the consumer (guest) is being nickle and
dimed to death, and I tend to agree.

Now we hear about "rumors" of the water parks being closed
on alternate days, and even the theme parks possibly going
to six day per week operations (although I challenge any
business type to prove shutting down the Magic Kingdom for
a day is more profitable to the bottom line than packing it with
what, 30,000-40,000 people??)

Some of us only see this trend getting worse, not better. The
vacuum cleaner situation is just one more little "dig" in the gut.

 

[raidermatt]

Now we hear about "rumors" of the water parks being closed

That's no longer a rumor... According to Disney.com, for the first 3 weeks of May or so, both water parks will only be open on Wednesdays and Thursdays. One will be closed the other 5 days. I think its BB on Fri and Sat, and TL on Sun, Mon and Tue.

and even the theme parks possibly going to six day per week operations (although I challenge any
business type to prove shutting down the Magic Kingdom for
a day is more profitable to the bottom line than packing it with
what, 30,000-40,000 people??)

IF this comes to pass, I'm pretty sure MK will not close.

 

[raidermatt]

Why is it Neither Well nor good?

Sorry, forgot to answer this...

I didn't mean to say that the practice of keeping the shops open after closing is a problem. On the contrary, I think its great. You can do your shopping without missing open park time, or you can simply soak up Main Street. Wonderful!

My problem is with the scheduling of the evening's entertainment at closing. It creates a mob scene, with at least part of the intent being to force many people into the shops in an effort to avoid the herds outside.

Provide the option of hitting the shops, but don't try to get me to do it because I'm annoyed with the other option.

 

[HB2K]

We ought to find out more by writing WDW or asking while we are there or a variety of other investigative options to make sure we aren't missing something here like the potentially premature chicken finger complaints. Granted, of the top of my head, I can't think of a good reason for doing this. That's why I've taken the time to send out some emails to friends at WDW trying to figure out if there is any logic behind this other than wanting to be done vacuuming 15 minutes earlier than before.

It might help us all if we took the time to seek out an explanation even if we don't think there could possibly be a good one.

It might put us at ease with our arguement, but don't you think there are large numbers of guests who have been turned off by the Bradley Fighting Hoovers and just don't bother to go back?

That's my point. I know a batch of people on this board will keep going back (it's evidenced by the apathy). It's the people we don't know about or hear from who makes me think Disney should be scared....and I don't know how you don't see it. You're call to tell a manager, write emails, etc may help you as an individual...but Disney doing it in the first place hurts the park's future...and wether you say something or not, that will affect you as well (6PM FutureWorld closing anyone?).

Disney's habits as of late has been to blame the guest will bite them in the long run. Period.

The answer to a park whose attendance makes it a ghost town by 4PM is not to close it earlier. The answer is to give people a reason to stay in said park longer.

The answer to cleaning up the trash is to have more people picking it up, not parading down Main Street USA with the Bradley Fighting Hoovers attacking anyone's hearing who comes within 10 feet of them.

The answer to decreasing numbers in your reservation system is not to close up hotels and force people to something they didn't want...the answer is to adjust your pricing and give people a REASON to stay in your hotels.

But hey, this isn't any company, it's Disney....so it's not their fault, it's the guests fault that attedance is down.

 

[mcnuss]

...don't you think there are large numbers of guests who have been turned off by the Bradley Fighting Hoovers and just don't bother to go back?

No, I really don't. Most guests love WDW, are awed by the experience and would love to go back. But talk to your average guest (not the people like us who are clearly obsessed as evidenced by our addiction to these boards) and you will find that most of them are there for a "once in a lifetime" trip.

They don't notice the vacuum cleaners, for heavens sakes! You notice them bc you go all the time.

The answer to a park whose attendance makes it a ghost town by 4PM is not to close it earlier. The answer is to give people a reason to stay in said park longer.

I don't think you are wrong here, but you are not looking at the myriad factors which make this happen. Let's start with the famous, "it's the economy, stupid" (just quoting, not calling names...). Five years ago a person might have been in the same income bracket as today, but today their 401k is gone, their health insurance premium went up 25%, etc... Vacations like Disney vacations are not going to happen. Second, there are lots & lots of people afraid to fly still - between the terrorist "threat" and the war, they are nervous. Third, people are afraid that their airlines will go belly up and they will lose their fares. And so on.

I am not saying that Disney has not contributed to its own dilemma, but in order for the company, and hence the parks, to remain in existence, they must employ cost-saving measures. It is unfortunate but true. So do I prefer that they close FW early rather than closing the park entirely, yes!

 

[DVC-Landbaron]

Because Mr. Baron goes to the effort to say that this is one of the two things that broke the Disney World camel's back for him.....and he does this just as he's heading out the door to WDW.

Scoop,

Since I'm leaving....

Do you try to be this dense, or does it just come natural to you?

See Ya!! I'll check in from WDW.