"Trash" Mountain at the MK - Yuck

[Leota]

You saying that cleaning up some of their rides will lead to them closing their doors is ridiculous! We are talking about SMALL things that need taken care of here. Existing resources can be used to make some of these small positive changes that are needed. I'm not speaking of making changes that will create cost deficits. Hiring a new executive, opening a new department, dumping $100 million into a new headliner attraction, or buying a new media outlet are the types of things that will cause small shifts in stock valuations.

We are talking about applying some management to their existing resources in order to take some nasty gum off a cement wall. We are talking about more efficient upkeep of the very attractions that draw paying guests into their parks. If you allow one of the attractors of your profit centers to become a shabby representation of your operation as a whole, you will certainly have a negative effect on that source of revenue. Take a look back at the potential guest within this very thread that was questioning a $6000 investment in the Disney Parks after hearing about the disrepair some of the attractions were in. That, right there, is a solid example of the negative effect not keeping up with the standard you have set within your business model, in the first place, can cause.

Again, small requests of upkeep from paying guests is NOT an unrealistic thing to ask for. As far as theme parks go, Disney does one of the best jobs in their market of doing this...they just need to keep on the ball. I would say that cleanliness is definitely on just about EVERYONE'S top 5 favorite things about Disney parks list.

-J

CrazyJ - I agree with just about everything you posted on this thread - It has been such a disappointment watching this steady, uncalled for decline in upkeep at WDW -
I should have written to guest relations after our April trip. I think I will be more conscious of doing so after we return in August if we notice the same decline...... Thanks for that little shove out of complacency.....

 

[Northern Lights]

Just to clarify, Disney does not lose money when the value of its stock falls on the secondary markets. I suppose Disney would lose money if it announced a new public offering and thus the price of the new stock would have to be set lower, but I would bet if Disney needed to raise money in the capital markets it would be with a debt offering.

To close the loop on the profits argument, however, management does care about the price of Disney stock b/c, besides consideration for their options, if the value of Disney stock falls too much, the institutional investors that control most established companies nowadays would kick senior management off the gravy monorail.

 

[puddleduck]

I don't understand why it is unrealistic to expect any ride or attraction at WDW to be clean. Like pp have stated, you go to WDW in part because there is a magic to it. If all I wanted was a day at an amusement park, I could go to Six Flags and save a ton of money. What would it cost to hire one extra person per shift whose only job is to pick up litter? Yes, the guests themselves should be more considerate, but the bottom line is, it is WDW job to make sure the park is clean. Also, if no one complains, then the attitude will be, the guests must not be concerned about the cleanliness of the park, so why bother with such high standards? You risk more of the attractions becoming trashy. Just because it's Disney does not mean people don't have the right to complain. Sometimes, I wonder how bad it would have to be before some people felt that others had a right to complain.

Sharon

 

[PamNC]

I don't want the public to see the world they live in while they're in the Park. I want to feel they're in another world.--Walt Disney

Give the public everything you can give them, keep the place as clean as you can keep it, keep it friendly.--Walt Disney

I'm glad you quoted Walt here - totally appropriate.

Splash Mountain is our favorite attraction - our last trip was back in November and I didn't notice anything. Not gum, nor trash, nor music out of whack. In fact, it was absolutely perfect. We're going again on 7/2-7/9 so I'll pay close attention this time. I hope I don't find my favorite attraction in such a mess. That is uncalled for. We pay too much money to visit the World and I expect pristine conditions. Just like Walt.

PamNC

 

[woody1967]

I'd have to say that sadly, the shape of the ride is mostly due to the people visiting the parks. It is sad that people have so little respect for others that they throw their trash anywhere they want to. It is a reflection of our current society. Disney for the most part does a great job at the parks keeping them clean and neat. However, when you have literally thousands of guests each day, and some are pigs, it makes it very difficult to keep up with cleaning up there messes and bad habits. Could Disney do better? I'm sure at times they could. In reality though, we as guests can help them by addressing other guests who are pigs and throw their trash anywhere except the trash cans. If more guest would take the time to do this it would cut down on the problem. Peer pressue is very effective when you are a teenager and is just as effective when you are an adult. The next time you see a guest throw his trash on the grouns go up to him and ask him if he needs help locating a trash can. I bet you it will make a difference.

 

[Tinkerbellz]

When we went to WDW in November of last year, I noticed none of the stuff ya'll are talking about. I was there to enjoy Disney with my family. I wasn't looking for things to complain about. We stayed at POP Century after reading on these boards how "horrible" it was. Loved it As a matter of fact, we are planning to stay there again in June 2006. It's all in how you look at it. My children are older (DD16 and DS14) and they certainly don't put trash where it doesn't belong. My DD is the worst...she will almost accost people who litter. She's very conscientious.

I just want to say that if you go looking for flaws, you will certainly find them. Go and have fun. We went to Astroworld the summer after our 2001 trip to Disney and we will always choose Disney... Talk about disrepair and trash...well, that's another board. Just wanted to put in my 2 cents.

 

[Laurajean1014]

I experienced the EXACT same thing while I was at the MK last week. Splash Mountain was an ugly mess when I first rode it on 4/25. This article posted to micechat sums it up perfectly. What the heck is going on with one of the super headliners in the MK? I didn't even want to get on this ride more than once during my vacation given the shape it was in. Guest relations will be getting a nasty letter from me on this one.

-J

**snip*** from micechat.com ***snip***

My partner G-Fan and I took the time to visit the MK today (4/24th) since it was such a lovely sunny and cool afternoon to be outdoors for a change.

We rode Splash because it was the only ride we had FP for since the MK was packed to the gills.

The conditions in which we found Splash Mountain were to say the least...deplorable. As we enter the cave just after the point where stand by and FP lines meet, we gagged at the "lovely" wall of chewing gum on display there across from that window where you see the shadow of Brer Frog on his rocking chair. About 2/3 of the wall was covered in what appeared to be 50 chewing gums or so stuck to the wall. Gums of different colors, shapes and sizes in a very ugly display of human insensitivity and lack of class.

Then, we were on the ride... everything was fine until after going up the first hill. The bushes in the outdoor portion of the ride are in most unkept form. Trash can be seen in almost every other scene of the ride...discarded napkins, empty plastic bottles and the likes, littering the outdoor AND indoor scenes of the ride. Plus once again!!! More chewing gum bits stuck to the rocky set across from the female rabbit house just before we see Brer Bear hanging in his own trap. I was simply appalled at this. As the ride progressed I counted at least 5 AA's that were out of commission and not even on display or removed from the scenes, including the ever so problematic jumpin Brer Rabbit AA (which for some reason is always in good working order at TDL's Splash and *never* misses his cue but here at MK??? It's a miss more than a hit)

All in all...I think it's atrocious and downright disgusting how bad things are allowed to get in regards to these maintenance issues, especially when they apply to a high profile ride like Splash Mountain. Yet, WDW is not all to blame, although they have allowed the problem to get worst due to the short staffing in Custodial. Some guests are being inconciderate pigs (and I am being polite here) and these are the ones who are spoiling the little magic that is left at WDW with their unruly, disgusting habits. As a former WDW CM and usual guest to the resort..I was downright embarrased by this situation. If I was here on vacation and paying the big bucks to enjoy WDW, I would have angrily complaint to Guest Relations.

What a sad sad visit this was for both G-Fan and I today to the MK.

Did you discuss this with WDW personnell or just want to rant your complaints here?

 

[Ilovestitch]

We were just at WDW in May and noticed the parks looked cleaner than ever! I think they are super clean for the 50th celebration since a lot of celebrities and press are there. We noticed a lot of CM's out cleaning and helping guests.

 

[woody1967]

Jovidan, I have to disagree with you. People are much worse than they were 25 years ago. There is much less respect for others and their property. People have the attitude that they can do whatever they want, when they want, and no one has the right to put restrictions on them. That is hogwash to say the least. We need to "police" ourselves and others and that would help Disney and other places out.

 

[crazyj4488]

Did you discuss this with WDW personnell or just want to rant your complaints here?

Yes, of course, I wrote them a lovely little letter and got a response back. They promised to do better at meeting the challenge of upkeep at Splash. It was looking better in May than it did in April...so, they are doing, at least, something and I am very happy with their efforts...still needs a lot of work IMHO though.

 

[Ariel Wanna-be]

I'm happy to report that we rode SM 5-6 times over Memorial Day weekend, most of the times very late at night, and there wasn't a single piece of trash to be seen.

But you do NOT want to know what we saw on the "boardwalk" leading up to BTMR!

 

[mousemom218]

We rode SM on Friday. I looked for the gum wall but didn't find it, so I assume it was cleaned up. All the AAs seemed to be working, but there were a lot of dark portions of the ride, and a lot of speakers not working. And the water jumping in the laughing place--I can't remember the last time we saw that!

 

[crazyj4488]

Jovidan, I have to disagree with you. People are much worse than they were 25 years ago. There is much less respect for others and their property. People have the attitude that they can do whatever they want, when they want, and no one has the right to put restrictions on them. That is hogwash to say the least. We need to "police" ourselves and others and that would help Disney and other places out.

There is an article on mouseplanet in regards to the awesome (top theme park in the world) Tokyo DisneySea and this very subject. The claim was that our culture and lack of respect would prevent a company like Disney from ever being able to build and sustain a park such as DisneySea here in the states. In Tokyo, people have much more respect for other's property. As an example, many of the props at DisneySea are simply loose in the park. Nobody bothers anything though. The Japanese view paying to get into the park and being in the park as a privilege versus a right. I've never seen any park as pristine as Disneysea. They even have pics of people cleaning all the railings and such with things like toothbrushes each morning. LAFF. They take great pride in their park and have a deep respect for their surroundings. Sadly, our culture has lost that kind of respect and appreciation.

Anyways, check out the photo of the incredible DisneySea if you haven't already. It's absolutely UNREAL:

http://www.mouseplanet.com/tokyo/tdstour/tdstour1.htm

 

[Jakesmom1]

My two cents.

I remember a Disney, where if someone threw garbage on the ground, it almost didnt hit the ground, because a cm was there to pick it up immediately.


We havent been to the world since 2003, so I am curious to see next month if it is that bad, I have to tell you in all the years I have been there I dont remember it beeing dirty, not even once.

Maybe I am just enjoying the whole experience too much to notice , but I will be on the look out next month.


I do agree with what we pay to go to WDW for a week, it should be clean.

 

[SqueakyMouse]

We were at WDW from May 21-30 and didn't notice any problems with Splash Mt. In fact, the entire WDW resort seemed as clean as ever. We noticed no problems with cleanliness -- despite the large crowds over Memorial Weekend.

 

[gingermommy94]

We were at WDW from May 21-30 and didn't notice any problems with Splash Mt. In fact, the entire WDW resort seemed as clean as ever. We noticed no problems with cleanliness -- despite the large crowds over Memorial Weekend.

Ditto! Except we were there May 14 - 28. The parks and rides all seemed very clean and well kept. Also, we rode Splash Mountain throughout our stay..and on the last day we noticed that they had possibly done some refurb to it? The hand bars on the boats themselves were new and that musty smell was completely gone from the entire ride. Also, looked like some new paint had been added...it just looked 'fresher'.