They Even Reduced The Food Amount.. Yup

[Figmentrocks]

Ok, we've all had our say about the state of affairs at Disney. Well, my wife and I went to Epcot this evening. I ended up with the chicken fingers over by The American Adventure. Well, I'm not one who eats much, but I looked at the portion and before I said anything, my wife goes "that's the kids meal".. Geez, guess they made a mistake....

....We find out that it is not a mistake. She tells the cast member that the basket always had four 'fingers' and a lot more fries. The cast member happily informs us that they just decided to reduce the number of fingers from four to three along with less fries.


It is bad enough that they take away the attractions, reduce hours, and raise prices, but then to take away from portion amounts to increase the bottom-line is just getting to be absurd. How do you continue to hold onto and grow brand loyalty when all we seem to think is "well it used to be xyz.. the parks used to be great.. everything used to be quality." That's our last meal at Walt Disney World until their property is run by management that cares about their customer, not nickle and dimes us for absolutely every darn cent.

 

[DVC-Landbaron]

Figmentrocks,

Are you absurd!!?? Is your head on straight!!?? In case you’ve forgotten Disney is a BUSINESS!!!! It is incumbent upon management to increase shareholder value! The have a fiduciary responsibility!! And if they can’t get that 10% increase by charging more (lord knows the prices are sky high already) then they have the right, NO the duty to serve less!! Just be happy they gave you three instead of two!!!

And let’s get real! Any other place in America the fries would be extra! Consider yourself lucky that Disney ‘gave’ you any!!! Remember, they are not in business to ‘give’ you food, they are in business to turn a profit!!

I really don’t know why that is so very hard for anyone to understand!!! I would think that anyone who signed up on a Disney Message Board would be happy if not ecstatic(!) that these hard working WDW management type people (who we have been told time and time again, “get it”) are finally turning a profit!!! MAN OH MAN!!! Some people are soooooo ungrateful!!









Who says I can’t argue on either side of the aisle!!

 

[BRERALEX]

glad someone else mentioned this actually. My fav place is Columbia Harbour House and noticed that now the chicken fingers areSMALLER and you get one less. I also ate in the American Pavilion and noticed the same thing in January but didnt want to post it cause i figured i'd be labeled as too negative but now that someone else jumped in HEY!!!!!! i feel your pain man i feel your pain

 

[d-r]

I agree with Land Baron - glad to see you finally get it-

 

[TRAPPED-PARENT]

WDW is a business.

Have you noticed that your bag of chips from the grocery is the same size but has fewer ounces of chips? Tuna has gone from 6 oz to 4.5 oz (I think that's right). Take a look at most things that you buy that have "stayed the same price" ... you are getting LESS for the same amount of money.

As far as the WDW servings ... most people won't notice because they don't go often enough.

It's just the way of the world ... either raise the prices or give 'um less for the same price.

 

[mickeyminnie]

number one american portions sizes are too large to begin with so perhaps this is a hidden good thing, although I wish the price would drop with the smaller portion. So yeah they are cutting the customer to save a buck.

Second the rest of the world is feeling cuts such as this, why should Disney be any different. My DH works for a company that has shareholders well they are slowly working their way to lay-offs to please those shareholders. So far it has been no bonus, then wage freeze then hiring freeze/travel freeze, etc, it keeps going all in the name of the shareholders. Screw the employees to keep the investor happy, we wouldn't want the investor to take any sort of hit. I would think that some of these investors could suck up some of the downturn and get a wee bit less for a year or 2. We sure have to.

 

[Another Voice]

One gets the occansional notion that some people could find a way to justify anything these days. No doubt many people would be happy if WDW was reduced to nothing but a credit card swipe machine along side the highway that displayed "APPROVED - HAVE A MAGICAL® DAY!" for $49.95.

Yet as attendance spirals ever downward, you have to wonder if the public at large is just as eager as the "fan" to write-off all these moves as being good for my waistline. Isn't it just possible that all these changes done in the name of "business" are actually hurting Disney instead of improving the bottom line?

 

[BRERALEX]

One gets the occansional notion that some people could find a way to justify anything these days. No doubt many people would be happy if WDW was reduced to nothing but a credit card swipe machine along side the highway that displayed "APPROVED - HAVE A MAGICAL® DAY!" for $49.95.

AMEN AMEN brother exorcise the demons please oh lord

Ive noticed that at the movies the candy on display are a different portion size then the one they give you but doesnt make it right.

WDW is a business.

they really have a suckered to fall back on that one everytime we lose something. because obviously i know it's a business everyone knows it's a business.................so if they jack up the price of admission for one day to $100's it's ok then cause WDW is a business? WDW being a business doesnt justify everything a business does.

One gets the occansional notion that some people could find a way to justify anything these days. No doubt many people would be happy if WDW was reduced to nothing but a credit card swipe machine along side the highway that displayed "APPROVED - HAVE A MAGICAL® DAY!" for $49.95.[/

darn it alomost copy and pasted a whole post

 

[CasualObserver]

If it's appropriately themed, then it certainly would make my day a bit more magical. Come on, a Mickey-themed card swipe machine on a 2' by 2' square of Disney-owned land around the country. Who couldn't love that. You could go by and get a dose of The Magic anytime.

Don't forget that you would even get to select your response phrase and a customer tracking system would make sure that the system could even - are you sitting down - PREDICT what phrase you wanted to hear.

If the line is too long at the Mickey-swipe station, my sources have told me they are working on a new system to help you, it's called "FastCASH". You swipe your card in one of several slots around the machine and you get a ticket (for the low price of $2.50) which has a magical phrase preprinted and a return time window where you can return to swipe your credit card in the main swipe station to retrieve your daily bit of magic. The new system will allow you an unlimited number of FashCASH passes during the day. Unfortunately, there is only a 15 minute window available (what do you expect for only $2.50).

There you have it. The top-secret lowdown on what has been code named "Pressler's Revenge". Aren't we lucky!!!!!


Casual Observer

 

[BRERALEX]

CsualObserver i really really really hope you stick around and post all the time. i needed that laughter on this yet one more snowy morning.

You must be an imagineer on this one.

 

[HB2K]

Oh gawsh. First butter, then pillow candy, and now one less finger of chicken (do chicken's even have fingers?).

On this day, a new "cause celebre" was born.

Triple Ughs on the house...

Scoop.

Just kidding with you of course. Thanks for posting all information. Have a great day!

I know you're kidding, but this is just another straw which broke someone's back. GCurling found his straw with the rumored Adventureland staggered opening & EE. I found mine with my second trip to DAK. Today someone's back broke because of the food portions.

Sooner or later Disney will realize that there are only so many straws that can be piled up before everyone's back breaks.

P.S. It's funny....while I may gripe about the costs of food at my local Six Flags, at least I'm full when I'm finished eating.

 

[BRERALEX]

I wonder how much i have left to break my camel. Is Gcurling's camel really broken i think he still goes often. Ive gone once this year and might go again in the summer i wonder what will finally be the end but what bothers me more is that it's like im just looking for something to finally be the last straw. and they keep throwing straws on.........ahh it ok WDW is a business.

HB2K what broke your camel about your second trip to DAK if ya dont mind sharing.

 

[TRAPPED-PARENT]

It's pretty simple ...

You have a choice. If you don't feel you are getting your money's worth, then you can choose not to patronize the business.

I'm not going to worry about how Disney is keeping their business afloat. When I don't feel like it is worth it to me, I'll stop going or will stop buying the chicken fingers. I'm not going to spend my days stressing over how many chicken fingers I get.

 

[crusader]

this is just another straw which broke someone's back.

or another brick in the wall.

Think of the benefits - less fast food portions, more walking, all they need is a fitness guru and they can tap into the diet and exercise market!

 

[BRERALEX]

I liked the new opening ceremony, i really really did. I appreciated howmany characters where everywhere. I was there January like 6th to the 13 or something like that and got my pictures back two days ago and loved how many pictures i had of my son with the characters, it was great. BUT when your used to getting something and then you go to get that same something and its less but the same price isnt that a bummer? I dont eat fish i dont eat vegetables or fruits really i'm a meat guy chicken and burgers and all the bad stuff (im clogging arteries as i write)

They killed hours, shortened them alot to what im used to. but now i should jump for joy cause they gave us an opening ceremony, it more like they owed it to us. they probably didnt do it cause they thought it would be good but to give customers back from all the complaints.

the chicken fingers are big to me. Mk is the first park i usually go to. I usually go eat at C.H.H. SO the last time i went the price is the same but less a portion and smaller a chicken finger also! it's ok cause their a business. not to me.

I do worry bout their business practices cause i really love WDW like alot of us here do.

its like dude the bar was like at like level 10 lets say late 90's and then like recently like the bar was lowered to like say level like 7 now they try BABY steps to bring the bar back up and now its like at like level 8.5 thats still not good to me I was there when it was like at a ten.

 

[BRERALEX]

Think of the benefits - less fast food portions, more walking, all they need is a fitness guru and they can tap into the diet and exercise market!

anyone from Jersey kicks @$$!!!!!!

 

[BRERALEX]

Well I'm with take a brick give me a brick

They take Timekeeper the brick give me another brick

They take Carasoul of progress the brick give me another.

They take my summer hours give me something

They take The lion King show out of Mk cool they give me mickeys philinthrapotewoegweafgao********

They gave us a bad brick Journey into imagination they gave us a better brick or tried to at least which was proactive to give us a better brick.

They take my chicken finger dude im gonna be heated.

If i can applaud the good i can boo the bad.

the new madame leota tombstone cool i love it i love people not noticing the eyes move and then getting scared. Ive got a great pic with my son.

The new opening ceremony should be enjoyed. It is alot of fun and nicely done. It's merits should stand on its own.

Not to me. Lets say they close three rides Space mountain, Splash Mountain and Haunted Mansion and then open the next day a brand new ride thriiling and great and the best ever......To me I got screwed. The new ride may be great but i had to trade 3 in exchange.

 

[BRERALEX]

Oh yeah....well.......then...thats fine too i guess, fine!!!!!

in all seriousness i just stepoped back while watching CNN and all this 'we're so close to catching Bin Laden' that i don't wanna talk about the loss of chicken fingers anymore!!!!!

and just for clarification, i may not ALways post it i appreciate all info big and small you and Safari Steve post.

Im excited for a probable Forbidden Mountain, and mickeys philinthrooueasgepjgtp*******, and mission space if not i wouldnt be a annual passholder i guess.

 

[Another Voice]

"If this loss of a chicken finger affects a large enough group of guests and their WDW experience, then WDW needs to wise up and put the chicken finger back into the basket."

But isn't this the root of the disagreement. For every person that says "I want my chicken finger" there is a marketing orc screaming "Look, Minnie Mouse is on the train!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

It's kind of hard for the customers to be heard when the company doesn't want to listen. Understanding their customer's wants, desires, and wishes requires that the company actually care about those things. Too many potential WDW visitors no longer believe that Disney really has their vacation's best interest.

Entertainment is not a rational business like making plumbing fixtures - no one sits down and says "I'll except one less chicken finger because promos for ABC's new fall shows are appearing in the vacant 'Doug Live!' theater". Sure, some people are always going to be disappointed, just as some people are always going to be accepting no matter what.

The business question is how you get all those people in the middle to still show up. Based on the numbers it's clear that more people are dropping out than dropping in. It's far easier to loss people than to get them back. Chipping away at the edges and forcing the people over the edge is very short sighted thinking with very, very, very high long term costs.

 

[crusader]

The business question is how you get all those people in the middle to still show up.

You have to convince them it is worth their time and money. WDW has to be a recurring vacation choice not just that "once in a lifetime" experience. Otherwise people will tend to put it off for another year - and there will always be that reason why. That same family however, just dropped a decent sum on a vacation to the Jersey shore - and stayed at the same place they do every year. They percieve this to be something they can manage, afford and relax and enjoy. They do not consider WDW to provide that. It gives an overwhelming appearance.