Walt Disney World General
Topic: Four Parks: One Stale World?

#	Author	Message
31	MPierce Mon 11/3/2008 12:07p	I think more, and more DVC members will start to feel like you vbdad. I definetly think DVC sales will be impacted. Maybe the powers that be will get the message that they have to improve the Parks, and customer service. I think Disney has invested a lot in DVC, and they are depending on it for their future.
32	ADMIN Mon 11/3/2008 12:14p	Message removed by an administrator. Click here for the LaughingPlace.com Community Standards.
33	Disneybrad Mon 11/3/2008 2:54p	>(the cannons don't work right or light up when they fire ... the seats all have mildew and rot on top of them).> "I don't know why this made me laugh, but it did." It acctually isn't mildew, it is hard water calcium deposits, and is very hard for then to get off, i have seen custodial try and clean it. Last time it was done, about 6 months ago, they had to competly closer the theater for a day afterwards, do the the strength of the solvents it takes to remove then.
34	Spirit of 74 Mon 11/3/2008 8:57p	<<That seems to have become the norm nowdays. If you reeive exceptional service today you become excited. Instead of demanding the best we have settled for mediocrity.>> Ain't that the truth? It's like when you go to get your car repaired (something I don't have to worry about as much as when I was stupid and drove American cars) and they fix it and don't screw you and you feel like you got something special (at least I do) and then you realize ... wait, I got exactly what I should have and nothing more. We accept so much less than we should in so many aspects of life (should I mention the dude in the White House the past eight years? or most of Congress?)... I am really not tolerant of mediocrity, ignorance and outright stupidity and that often makes me an unhappy spirit. <<I don't know if the good old days were any better, but they sure seemed to be. America has slipped into a just get by mode, and we are not alone.>> They were better. And you don't have to go back that far. Even the 1980s and 90s were worlds better than what is allowed to go on in the 21st century. It's like we've devolved. Maybe we'll turn into apes (didn't Chuck Heston warn us about that?) <<You must be wealthy or well connected to receive exceptional services in much of the rest of the world also. Though I am not a world travler I have both friends, and family that do travel extensively. Everyone of them agree that service for the most part improves with smaller, and more rural communities. This holds up for most places. I just wonder if people in larger cities have forgotten how to be friendly, and civil to strangers?>> I dunno. I find places that most folks label as unfriendly (like NYC and Paris ... and even LA to a large extent) as the opposite. But I'll agree about small towns too. While some places have treated me like an outside city boy 'with a pretty mouth' ;-) many have been great ... from Mississippi to Vermont ... from California to Arkansas, I have been treated great in tiny little specks on the map. So I guess I don't know what the answer is ... I do feel like I live in one of the least friendliest places in the country and Orlando is much worse IMHO.
35	Spirit of 74 Mon 11/3/2008 8:58p	<<God, I cannot wait to hear Spirit's reactions when he finally goes to the TDR.>> Neither can I. Neither can I. :-)
36	Spirit of 74 Mon 11/3/2008 9:04p	>>The economy hasn't effected the numbers at all.<< <<It has. Atleast they are in full defense mode... I don't know exact numbers but while the parks seem to be hanging in, resorts are rollercoastering it much more than usual.. The convention centers are suffering pretty good (to the fact that we are all on reduced hours- sigh back to eating ramen for another month- I had moved up to mac n cheese..) >> You don't want to eat either, em. That stuff is bad for you! especially the mac n cheese! I can say that I visited the Swan, Dolphin, BW, WL, FW, DAK Lodge and Contemporary on my recent visit (meant to drop you an email, but couldn't find your addy!) and they all seemed quite uncrowded. Parking lots at most were very empty. There were people ... conventioners at some ... but it sure seemed like the average load at those resorts was a lot closer to 50% than 100%. One night I walked by the Flying Fish at about 7:30 and the place was half empty with no one waiting to get in. I've never seen that. Ever. The Mouse might want to think about some special meal deals for locals ... and maybe that $42 steak should go back to $28?
37	Spirit of 74 Mon 11/3/2008 9:19p	<<I have a theory about why, if it is true, the CM's are getting a little, shall we say, short with people is not unique to WDW. It is a general and long overdue change of attitude. That attitude is that I am no longer going to be someone's whipping boy just because you spent a few bucks to get in here. Your spending money does not justify treated another person without respect or consideration. This has been an ongoing trend for that past years. Treat people like crap and you will eventually upset someone enough to get comped for your trip. People are starting to say, minimum wage is not enough to put up with dehumanizing behavior from anybody. Treat me well and I will treat you well. Approach me like an obnoxious twit and I will call you on it.>> I believe there is certainly a lot of truth in that statement. BUT ... I also am speaking of bad behavior initiated by CMs. You should never make eye contact with a CM (at say the FW boat dock) and be met with a psychotic glare in return. You should never say hello to a CM (numerous locations) and have them look at you and ignore you. There's way too much of an upswing in boorish CM behavior (as well as guest behavior I'll grant you ... and certainly exec behavior if you have the misfortune of dealing with one and not telling them how wonderful they are and how magical WDW is). In the 'good, old days' people would just be fired. But since Disney hires bodies these days and not individuals. And since it pays a sub-human wage. Well ... you don't get the pick of the litter ... more like the litterbox. Frankly, I am amazed at how many wonderful CMs there are (most of 'em) and that I attribute to the College Program, International Program and retirees. But to go back to your point, Goof, I don't feel that how little someone's wage somehow allows them to take it out on guests. If you don't like what you make or the company you work for, don't. I'd sleep under a bridge before I worked for $7 an hour servicing the general public. But as Nikki will tell you, I am an elitist snob who feels he's too good for such work (she's right!) <<Before I get shot, I was not talking about you Spirit. >> I know you weren't and didn't take the comment in that fashion at all. <<I was talking about public behavior in general. My humble opinion is that if one person is involved in more than one incident the only common denominator in that scenario is that one person. I'm sure it wouldn't take to long to discover exactly what is happening and why. In my roll dealing with customer complaints I will tell you one thing, the complaints are getting dumber and dumber. Thus those that deal with the complaints are starting to fight back and say enough is enough. Stop treating me like I'm an idiot is the battle cry. You would not believe the outright lying that is going on as well. We have camera monitors installed and they show that at least 90% of the time, the complainer is out and out lying about the incidents. Thank god for modern technology.>> No, I would believe it. That's the problem with American society these days. Everyone is a victim. So, therefore no one is. That's why I almost never complain at WDW. I well understand that most everyone is trying to scam the Mouse somehow. I also understand that many are doing so by being loud, rude and crude thinking that it will (and it usually sadly does) result in them walking away with something free. So immediately the fact I am polite and professional and respectful is almost held against me ... the CM usually feels like 'this is one I can win' and it doesn't matter whether the complaint is valid. That's why I never complained about the security weasel at the Beach Club ... or the pair of winners on Buzz Lightyear ... etc ... it just wasn't worth my time to get a meaningless apology and maybe a free Fastpass. This victimization complex is really vile because it allows an anything goes mentality in our society. (The courts actually love this too as they can screw over true victims using things like the woman who spilled coffee on her lap and took millions home from mcDonald's as reasons to deny paydays to those truly wronged.)
38	Spirit of 74 Mon 11/3/2008 9:24p	<<I will concur and agree with all of your statement. These past few weeks I've worked several "two way parade control" shifts at the MK for the Halloween parties (figured since I couldn't afford to go to them- Id work them) and it was very amazing to me how degrading and downright mean to us the guests were. >> Those guests should have been tossed out on their asses after being warned. I know it will never happen because folks like Phil want every dollar and don't care how the cast gets treated, but it is wrong and it further WalMarts the parks. I also noticed far more trashy guests than normal this visit (seemed like the UK's version of trailer trash were all visiting) ... one who cursed out a PoC CM who warned a Brit twit who had his head stuck out of a boat that was headed toward a wall. I wonder if many of the guests were visiting by burning out their last credit line or two and had no intentions of paying back. <<There were some very nice guests but for every great guest we had there were 5 who were rude, crass and offensive to us. I was run out of my spot more than once by an ecv or stroller who apparently thought we were brightly colored bowling pins not people. I had my fair share of bad experiences to last a lifetime during those 4 hour shifts... >> Sorry to hear that. You guys certainly have a largely thankless job.
39	Spirit of 74 Mon 11/3/2008 9:28p	<<I remember an incident when I worked at Mervyn's back in college.>> OK, I don't have anything to add to Nikki's anecdote other than the fact Mervyn's are going out of business (and even though I didn't really shop there ... they lasted in Florida from about 1990-95) but I am shamelessly trying to up the post count on this thread as I started it on another Disney site and as of last check was in the 200 post neighborhood. So ... let's all try harder. Unless you want to talk politics? Oh, and Circuit City is the next retailer to close shop ... just wait ... good thing I just used up the last $200 I had on one of their gift cards!
40	Spirit of 74 Mon 11/3/2008 9:34p	<<Right now, Universal has Hollywood, Rip, Ride, Rockit coming to the studios, And The Wizarding world of Harry Potter with 1 massive new E-Ticket, one new state of the art special FX show and a innovative interactive game coming to IOA. Disney has AI and new timeshares on the horizon. As of yet, not only is Diney not planning on countering HP, but they aren't even positioning themselves to take advantage of the influx coming for HP.>> Disney's 'leadership' team doesn't know how to spell words like 'vision' and 'creative' ... so the fact they are only looking at ways to cut costs going forward should come as no surprise. Do they realize at all how stale a product they have? Do they realize how far they have fallen? Do they care about anything beyond their bonuses, stock options and company Escalades? Maybe I shouldn't be so critical ... maybe I should just try and be nice to the team Disney PR (Social Media Team is what it is being called) is putting together to try and co-opt the fan community so threads like this never see the light of day or die quick deaths.

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