WOC Cancelled tonight- fountain broke

[DizNee Luver]

I feel bad for all those involved & for the poor CM's that took the heat from something they had no control over.

I just wanted to point out that when we made our reservations for AG for late July, we were told the passes were NOT guaranteed for the show....it would depend on when our dining time was & how many reservations were made. There would be a limited amt of the passes. We took the first seating time & she said we shouldn't have any problems. But, there is always a chance of a glitch & not receiving them. With that said, we went ahead & booked.

With a new show, that's a huge draw....there are many things that still need to be worked out. Unfortunately for the people last evening....they were the guinea pigs for flooded seating. I'm sure there will be other technical issues over the upcoming months & as hard as it is (and disappointing) we need to try & be respectful to the CM's. I hope the "suits" are working on solutions now to be ready for future problems.

Sir--I'm so sorry this happened....especially on your birthday!! I hope you still enjoyed your day & thank you for sharing this experience with us!!!

 

[djc6535]

I was there last night and I second Sir Rod's thoughts. In fact, things are even worse today. In short, we were told while we waited in line that AP members were being given front of the line passes for a return trip and ticket buyers were being comped and that if we wanted to go home we could... calling Guest relations in the morning would result in the same offer. My call this morning was handled by a lady who assured me that they were offering no compensation what so ever. Go Disney!

The full story:

My wife and I made it to CA Adventure at around 10:20 in the morning and stood in line about an hour and a half for our WoC viewing area tickets. We got the 10:15 show in section Blue. We are AP holders and usually don't stay a full day but we kept doing little things we don't normally do, the mantra being "We're really here for World of Color, till then we can just kill some time with this, that or the other".

At around 8:45 we saw that the line was forming for the 10:15 show so we joined in. At 9 this cluster was pushed into a holding pen area along the route to the viewing areas and past Wine Country Trattoria. There we sat for an hour. You could see bits of the show and hear the whole thing. Once they cleared everybody out of the 9:00 show they sent us to the viewing area, probably to make room in the holding pen for the 11:15 viewers. Eventually a CM was sent out to tell us the show was canceled due to the burst pipe in the yellow premier viewing area.

I second everybody's thoughts that yelling at a CM is unacceptable. I did my level best to stay calm. It was obvious these people were as confused as we were... which is part of the problem really. Complete and total lack of communication. It appeared to me that the park was practically offering up their CMs as fodder to the mob. "Go out there, get yelled at, say you're sorry. It'll be over in a few hours". One manager named Cameron practically martyred himself saying "You all have a right to be angry. Be mad at me. I didn't break the pipe but I'm responsible for this area. I'm sorry I have nothing more to offer you. You can try Guest Relations".

That said, the way it was handled is simply unacceptable, and has become worse now that I find I'm not going to have any opportunity to make up for my wasted visit. A guest relations line that stretches for blocks is not the Disney I know. Having no recovery plan is not the Disney I know. Things break. I understand that. I've been sent out of line on technical details before but they've always made it right immediately. When people commit 3+ hours of time in lines for an event, you have to deliver or make it right. Otherwise you're just not Disney.

On a personal note, does anybody have the email address of someone high in the food chain? Someone like Mary Niven or George Kalogridis or anybody really above your basic guest relations person I would really appreciate the ability to forward my complaint.

 

[djc6535]

It's called a disaster recovery plan, and I'm sure they have one.

Sadly that's exactly the problem... they don't. The exact quote I remember was "We do not have recovery here, you'll have to try guest relations"

Being told by guest relations over the phone that nothing is going to happen reinforces my belief that there isn't a recovery plan for this at all.

 

[sandgrace]

It's really surprising to me that the mangement didn't have a plan in place when the WOC had technical difficulties. I mean it's understandable that there are problems with something as complex as the WOC. I would be very upset if I paid the money for a dinner for the preferred seating and Disney didn't offer me a way to see the show with the preferred seating.

I just ordered the picinic online with preferred seating and if they had problems I be upset if I didn't get a chance to see WOC with preferred seating after only paying the price for the picnic meal. I'd also expect something else from Disney like a universal fastpass too for my inconvenience.

 

[brergnat]

What does everyone expect Disney to do? The truth is, the back of EVERY ticket, park map, times guide, etc. clearly states that "information and entertainment is subject to change." So, if a fountain breaks, and the show cannot go on, TOO FLIPPIN BAD. Is society above disappointments these days? Does everyone deserve "compensation" when things don't go their way? Incredible.

NO ONE forced anyone to book a pricey meal. There are other ways to view the show without spending a penny! Those who booked dining packages did so for the PERK of a "better" viewing spot. BUT, I guarantee that this is not the first show that will be cancelled. Just wait until those Santa Ana winds kick up late in the summer and watch the shows get cancelled day after day after day...

Sorry, but you can't blame Disney for this one. Nor the CM's. What SHOULD have happened is that the GUESTS should have, instead of reverting to "angry mob" status, behaved with some dignity and respect, and calmly walked out of the park, albeit disappointed, but without holding a grudge..

 

[djc6535]

What does everyone expect Disney to do? The truth is, the back of EVERY ticket, park map, times guide, etc. clearly states that "information and entertainment is subject to change." So, if a fountain breaks, and the show cannot go on, TOO FLIPPIN BAD. Is society above disappointments these days? Does everyone deserve "compensation" when things don't go their way? Incredible.

NO ONE forced anyone to book a pricey meal. There are other ways to view the show without spending a penny! Those who booked dining packages did so for the PERK of a "better" viewing spot. BUT, I guarantee that this is not the first show that will be cancelled. Just wait until those Santa Ana winds kick up late in the summer and watch the shows get cancelled day after day after day...

Sorry, but you can't blame Disney for this one. Nor the CM's. What SHOULD have happened is that the GUESTS should have, instead of reverting to "angry mob" status, behaved with some dignity and respect, and calmly walked out of the park, albeit disappointed, but without holding a grudge..

While angry mob status is never acceptable, especially when some poor CM is just doing what he's been told to do, I disagree that the answer is to just send everybody home. Sure Disney doesn't HAVE to do anything, but only doing what they HAVE to is simply not how people are treated at a Disney park.

A very large part of that very expensive ticket is the well earned trust that no matter what happens you will have a fantastic day and experience superior service. Disappointment isn't really in the Disney vocabulary.

Disney doesn't HAVE to have people clean the grounds the way they do, but they do because they're Disney. Disney doesn't HAVE to give people passes when a ride shuts down and forces folks out of a line they stood in, but they do because they're Disney. There is a reason why, from day one, they refer to ticketbuyers as "Guests" and not "Customers."

Guests in that group sacrificed an hour and a half of newly opened park time when the lines are short. They sacrificed an hour and a half of night time park events. They sacrificed the ability to see Fantasmic, the fireworks show, and even the ability to see the 9:00 World of Color from a different viewpoint, in order to see it well. A very significant part of their Disney day was lost.

Disneyland didn't get to be Disneyland by taking situations like that and telling the guest "Oh well. Visit us again soon." There is no reason for anybody to behave like a baby (and many many people did) or to take out frustrations on poor CMs, but I think it is fair to expect something from Disneyland to correct the situation and make it right.

As Walt once said, if we lose a patron because we were cheap, we'll spend 10 times that much to get them back.

 

[sandgrace]

As Walt once said, if we lose a patron because we were cheap, we'll spend 10 times that much to get them back.

I love Disney and am an admitted addict, but sadly I don't think that Walt's quote is evident today at Disney. JMO

 

[brenda1966]

There is no reason for anybody to behave like a baby (and many many people did) or to take out frustrations on poor CMs, but I think it is fair to expect something from Disneyland to correct the situation and make it right.

As Walt once said, if we lose a patron because we were cheap, we'll spend 10 times that much to get them back.

Agreed. If people are spending money to see a show and the show does not go on, then there should be some alternate solution. It's just bad business not to. Now I do feel bad for the FP holders who've spent time to see the show, they are pretty much out of luck. But for people who have booked a dining package and spent $100 for about $50 worth of food, that other $50 is a good will dontation toward a show ticket. If the show doesn't happen, that should be refunded in some way.

when I go to the movies and something happens to the projection or the fire alarm is pulled, I'm given a free pass to come back. If I buy a ticket to see a musical act and they turn up sick, i am given a refund of the ticket price (not the fees). So, the "ticket" portion of the overpriced meal should be compensated back to the buyer in some form (a FP to another show, a park FP, something!).

If Disney wants to remain as the gold standard in customer service, vacation resorts, and theme parks, they need to have a remedy for the dining packages (for F! too!)

 

[MCSfromWA]

Wow! I am staying in GC in one of the villas with a view of PP. I would have a perfect view of the show except that the Zephyer blocks some of the projections.

We purchased the dining plan last Thursday at AG and even though we didn't stand in line in the morning for a FP we still invested a huge amount of time in WOC -- as well as money. I would have been so disappointed if it had been cancelled.

Last night I was preparing to watch what we can see from our room when we heard the announcement about the cancellation. I am really sorry for all of you who invested time and energy for the 10:15 pm show only to have it cancelled and no other compensation -- such as a FP for another showing. I couldn't believe what I was hearing and as I watched the crowd I was thinking about how much we spent at AG and how long we had to stand out there for our own viewing.

I hope that Disney is able to find a way to make it right. But there are still many things that they need to work out -- including an acceptable disaster plan. I know that this is the newest show in town but I wonder once more people have seen it if they will think it is worth the investment of time to return to see it again. Some people are in line and/or waiting for a total of 4 hours. That is a lot of time to invest for a fountain show. It was good. But my DD thinks fantasmic is far better. And fantasmic has the option of preferred seating. JMHO.

 

[darph nader]

I learned along time ago."If that's the worst thing that happens in your life,count yourself lucky." If you don't believe that,ask the people in 3 certain buildings,or on 4 certain planes.
Things could be a LOT worse.

 

[NVDisMom]

Call me crazy, but I would have been rather upset as well. Seeing WoC takes a dedicated block of time and money, especially if you are paying for preferred seating. Which is precisely what you are doing when you make dining reservations with the WoC package. The meal is entirely secondary to the preferred seating and therefore what you are really paying for. I don't care how many disclaimers there are. What would I have expected Disney to do? Comp that nights meal. Simple as that. You take the hit in the pocket book in order to make the guest reasonably happy. This would allow future shows' preferred seating guests to go on unimpeded by the cancelled show and probably have resulted in most of those guests re booking the experience for a later date. For the guests that waited in line for FP, I would have comped them a picnic meal for any future show, reservations required. Yes, it costs Disney in the short term, but could you imagine the positive stories we would be hearing instead of the negative? People would feel reassured that Disney was doing everything they could to care for their guests even when something beyond Disney's reasonable control went wrong.

 

[reynmagsmom]

The thing with compensation from Disney is it has come to be expected from thier level of customer service so it isnt out of line to expect some form of compensation for a $$$$$ dinner pkg as someone said worth $$ with the knowledge that you will get your FP for WOC and then a glitch causes it to be cancelled there should be some form of making it up to the guest that is a DISNEY expectation!!!

 

[Disney Dreams]

I am sorry that the show was canceled and understand the disappointment in not getting to see World of Color. I am not sure what exactly people expect of Disney when a show has technical issues.

Disney did not consciously choose to cancel the show, leaving guests without a show.

If you go to the movie theatre and the movie cannot be shown due to technical reasons, they refund your money because you paid to see a movie.

If you go to the Park and TSMM is down the entire day due to technical issues, does Disney owe you a refund? I think we would all agree, "No."

If one shop in Disneyland is closed for the day or one ride doesn't open does Disney owe a refund? What if the Tiki room doesn't open? That's a show.

In the case of World of Color, two entire Parks were open throughout the day for enjoyment, so I don't understand how one could argue that the money spent on Park admission is due to them - the Parks were there for them for enjoyment. And yet it sounds like Disney even DID offer this.

As for a refund for a WoC Dinner package, I suppose the question comes down to: Are you paying for the dinner or for the show. I think Disney would argue, you are paying for the dinner and receiving priority seating for a FREE show that no one has pay any additional money (beyond Park admission) to see. You do not HAVE to pay to see WoC. It's a free show.

It's a very unfortunate situation and one that no one wants to have happen, but I just don't understand the giant lines at Guest Relations or the sense of entitlement for compensation. It's a free show that experienced technical difficulties. What exactly does Disney owe?

I did find the solution of presenting your FP to get in for the 3rd show humorous in an ironic sort of way, as the FPs have been collected. Oops. But again, remember, the front line in a situation like that is someone getting paid probably $8/hour doing the best they can - hoping not to get hurt when breaking news to angry Disney guests for something they don't have the power to change.

- Dreams

P.S. "You" is meant in the general sense and not directed at anyone individual.

 

[AStamm]

I'm sitting in my 1-bedroom GCV right now and can clearly see mini-blasts of water--when I looked out this morning they were full-on testing one of the sections of jets.

The villas would be the ultimate place to watch WOC if it weren't for the Zephyr blocking the view of the projections. I saw WOC for the 1st time last Wednesday night from the back of the blue section--VERY hard to see with lots of tall people in front of me! It is so nice to be in the room or out on the balcony enjoying a snack while watching in my pj's.

Here comes the Play Parade--time to head to the balcony .

 

[Eeee-va]

I'm sorry to everyone who missed the show! I agree that technically the FPs are not guaranteed, but Disney loses a lot of goodwill when they don't put forward the effort to try to make it right. If you were in line for a ride for 90 minutes and then the ride closed down, Disney might offer you a front-of-the-line pass as a way to try to make it right. They don't HAVE to, but it will greatly improve your experience.

While it would be nice if Disney would better plan for contingencies before they occur, I hope most of all that they'll learn from this experience. In a perfect world I think they would've run a 12:30 show, but I know the logistics of that (and the forced extra hours on the CMs!) would've been a real problem.

But at the least, going forward, I think Disney should not plan to use the Preferred Dining area as general viewing for the 11:30 show. That way if something happens to either the 9:00 or 10:15 show, you'll have those spots to offer. If everything goes fine, you can still fill those areas in with yellow/blue FP-holders; there will just be some extra room, which is probably OK

Beyond that, I'm not sure what else they could do. Maybe give Picnic folks FPs for tomorrow's show? (If the 10:15 show was canceled, they could more or less accomplish this by a combination of selling fewer Picnic meals for 10:15 and distributing fewer FPs from the machines. If 9 PM Picnic people wanted access to the next night's 9 PM show, that might cause problems because all the 9 PM picnic spots are already reserved.)

For goodwill, I'd give a couple "front of the line" passes to people who waited in line for a FP (and maybe make that an option for the Picnic people as well). Heck, if I were Disney, I'd consider making a line for FP-users at TSMM, with the caveat that the only way you can get that FP is if you were waiting for WoC and it got canceled!

 

[lcasa]

But at the least, going forward, I think Disney should not plan to use the Preferred Dining area as general viewing for the 11:30 show. That way if something happens to either the 9:00 or 10:15 show, you'll have those spots to offer. If everything goes fine, you can still fill those areas in with yellow/blue FP-holders; there will just be some extra room, which is probably OK

Now that's a darn good idea. How do we get it to the folks that can execute on it?

It is very disappointing there was no contingency plan. I really feel for those from out of town - although anyone that spent that kind of cash in this economy deserves some restitution.

for another missing contingency plan - take look at the gulf.

 

[Disney Dreams]

Now that's a darn good idea. How do we get it to the folks that can execute on it?

It is very disappointing there was no contingency plan. I really feel for those from out of town - although anyone that spent that kind of cash in this economy deserves some restitution.

for another missing contingency plan - take look at the gulf.

Ummmm.... we aren't really going to even attempt to draw a comparison between not getting to see a 25 minute water and lights show as one part of a theme park experience to something that has caused the loss of life to countless animals and the lose of livelihood to those in the Gulf Coast, are we!?!?!

A little perspective. A cancelled show is a bummer. It's hardly a disaster or a travesty.

 

[lcasa]

Ummmm.... we aren't really going to even attempt to draw a comparison between not getting to see a 25 minute water and lights show as one part of a theme park experience to something that has caused the loss of life to countless animals and the lose of livelihood to those in the Gulf Coast, are we!?!?!

A little perspective. A cancelled show is a bummer. It's hardly a disaster or a travesty.

Actually I was apparently too subtle-y trying to say that very thing. I am horrified at what is happening in the Gulf - and the recent congressional hearings that showed that all the oil companies have the same faulty backup plan that BP did - and that there are plans to drill in the Arctic with a horizontal run where NO access would be available during the winter if an "accident" happened then.

But there may be a common thread that companies are rushing things these days and not planning as well as they should.

 

[aussiegirls]

I agree with Dreams and Darth Nader etc. I am not quite sure what people expected Disney to do - particularly for the regular FP holders.

I understand that the people that have paid for PS might want some kind of compensation but I am not quite sure what would have sufficed. Maybe a $10 gift card or a voucher for 50% off at a restaurant or something would have been ok, but only because these people have actually paid money to see the show.

All other FP holders should not be entitled to compensation. They did not pay out any further money (apart from getting into the park) for something they did not receive. They still had full access to the park. I am sorry but someones choice to spend multiple hours waiting in lines etc is not Disney's fault.

I guess that I just see it as taking the good with the bad. I mean really, at the end of the day, it's just a show

xxx

 

[mdsd8700]

We have a dinner package for next month. We have 4 adults (well according to Disney age anyway ). We are paying a lot of money for not only a special dinner but a preferred view for WOC. With the emphasis on preferred seating. With that being said, Disney cannot control when something goes awry however there does have to be a plan in place "just in case". Did Disney really think this wouldn't ever happen? No one should go off on a CM and yes it is a sad state on how people think it is okay to treat other people, especially when the CM's have nothing to do with the problem at hand. Still Disney has to realize that customer service is part of the "contract" if you will. We are paying a for a service (regardless of what that service is; a show, a ride, a preferred seat, a meal) when that service hasn't been properly meet it is required (imho) of Disney to try and make it right, which sometimes cannot be a one shoe fits all response. Who knows the varying circumstances of each person who was supposed to see the show. However any guest who is dissatified for whatever the reason and respectfully requests that it be addressed, should be heard and should be given a gesture of good will. Something that says to the Guest we are sorry, we cannot guarantee everything in our parks/resorts at all times however your satisfaction is of the utmost important to us please take "this" as a sign of comittment. Honestly I think that most people would be satified with that. (Of course some wouldn't but that is a whole other issue). Everyone just wants to feel they have been treated fairly. The compensation obviously can't be huge (refund of meal or park ticket) but understanding the mind set of the guest in that situation can go a long way which will not only serve both Disney and the guest at the moment, but carry the goodfaith in the future as well. I will cross my fingers that all goes well for our WOC dinner package next month and if not, well hopefully Disney will have a better plan in place. If not I guess I will have to decide for myself what I will do, although I am sure I would at the very least write a letter to customer service upon returning home.