Things may be improving at the World

[manning]

Just got back from WDW and noticed the following:

The bathrooms and parks are looking cleaner. Outsourcing must be working. (And it was busy last week. I think the whole state of NJ was there.) A news report while there said the custodial people who were transferred to other jobs want their old ones back. Could it be they found out what working is like?
From what I'm seeing on this one Disney should hold their ground and tell them no.

There were at least a dozen cleanup workers with brooms and pans working (the old fashion way)MK.

Several CM say it is too early to tell how Iger is working out but did say more on hold projects are starting to get the green light. Especially in the cleanup area.

Main Street railway station is getting a facelift.

One CM said there will be a 5th park. Told her I'll believe it when the shovel hits the ground.

 

[DVCDawn]

Of course all of NJ was there -- it was Jersey Week! Most NJ schools were closed Tuesday (election day), Thursday and Friday (New Jersey Education Associaton Convention) last week.

Glad to hear things are getting back to where they used to be. It was sad to see them slip a little.

OT -- Tell me -- was it unbearably crowded? We're thinking of going that week next year.

DVCDawn

 

[dbm20th]

JERSEY IN THE HOUSE!!!

I was there then, and from NJ I'm proud to say, and it was crowded but only on the weekends when the locals were in for the Food and Wine Fest in EPCOT. Forget about Soarin if you ain't there at 9:01 am!

 

[las3888]

I thought it was really pretty busy for early November. Jersey week probably explains it I guess. We go every year in Oct/Nov and it was by far the most crowded it has ever been for this time of year. It wasn't unbearable, but we are used to going and not having to worry about making PS's or waiting too long in lines. We waited about 15 minutes to get into AT&T EPCOT ball...usually we walk right on this time of year.

I'm not sure that we had the same experience that manning did - we found things to be a little up in the air. The workers seemed extra-frazzled and not as Disney friendly as we are used to but it could just be our experiences. My friend works at WDW and he said that things are really up in the air right now due to the change of the guard. He thinks that addressing worker's pay is an issue that will no longer be pushed off to the side and things are coming to a head in that respect.

I think in future I will probably try to avoid Jersey week (no offense!) - I am hoping that the crowds will be a little lighter the weeks b4 or after...

 

[MiknMinMouse]

Things needed a bit of improving ~ glad to hear they may be headed that way . What is Jersey week? Meaning the dates? We're headed to WDW the first week of Nov of next year. There's going to be a crowd of us so I need to know in advance if it's going to be crazy there. We used to go in Oct but found we were coinciding with the British holidays to it was really busy. Now we typically go in Jan and will go this Jan but our family wants to do the group thing in November and not January.

 

[DVCDawn]

As explained earlier, Jersey Week is the week in November that all New Jersey schools have at least two days off (Thursday and Friday for a teachers convention) and most schools have the Tuesday of that week off as well. Although they have not officially announced next year's dates yet, the convention almost always takes place during the week of Election Day, which is always the first Tuesday of November.

Hope this helps!

DVCDawn

 

[peter11435]

Election Day, which is always the first Tuesday of November.

Not to be picky but that’s not exactly true. Election day is not always the first Tuesday of November. It is technically the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Thus Election Day can never be November 1st.

 

[kathrynmtague]

I'm from NJ (and proud of it) and I would definitely avoid NJ week! You all are right...it's much more crowded that week! To verify the dates go to www.njea.org to review their upcoming convention dates. I think it lists out the dates through 2010. Basically - avoid that week unless you want summer-like crowds in the middle of a usually wonderfully quiet time to visit!

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

I thought the outsourcing was of the nightshift which would mean the daytime folks are Disney employees... Or have I got this wrong?

 

[peter11435]

I thought the outsourcing was of the nightshift which would mean the daytime folks are Disney employees... Or have I got this wrong?

You would be correct. No daytime positions were outsourced. Only nightshift custodial at the RESORTS was outsourced. Apparently Manning did not read the article.

 

[manning]

Nope, just going from what I overheard at WDW. Evidently they had it wrong. But the parks did look cleaner. Maybe it's the looking over the shoulder factor or management is getting serious about bringing old standards back!!!