Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> Are you someone who would be bothered by having to walk through food and other refuse to get down Main Street and realize its because of cutbacks in custodial << It bothers me a lot. I end up picking up a lot on my own to help. But then I do notice that custodial is out there, and doing all they can with what they've got. I draw comfort in the fact that the park still does start each day clean and picked up. I don't know how they manage that in the light of the budget cutbacks. And it's still the cleanest public place you can visit. EVERYWHERE else is crummier. (A sad comment on society in general) Psychologically it is SO important to keep that first piece of trash from hitting the ground. Once it does and it stays there for a while, it's altogether too easy for someone ekse to add a second piece. And once you get to three or four, all bets are off. >> filthy bathrooms << I must admit I've run into this myself a few times. Not often, but I have. How terribly embarrassing. My view is that it's the result of high volume usage times. But then I figure that's when they ought to have a person in there full time to accomodate. Not just "on my next round." And the same argument from above applies to bathrooms. Once a toilet is blocked with paper and is allowed to remain for too long, it makes it easier for someone else to add to the mess and make it worse. Someone actually being in the room during high volume times makes it harder for stupid people to make a mess in a bathroom just because they can. I came into a non-busy (and clean!) bathroom the other night and found two kids balling up wads of hand towel paper, wetting them in the sink, and then tossing them like baseballs against the wall to see if they could make them stick. When I came in, they simply stopped and left. >> a recently renovated room at the Beach Club made their feet dirty from the carpeting, had hair and mold in the bathroom and torn sheets all for prices higher than Ritz Carlton? << I wouldn't stop with Guest Relations on this one. I would go all the way to Lee Cockerell, VP of Operations. Not so much for compensation, but to tell him how terribly disappointed you are. He tells us regularly about how important it is to hold high standards, and how things are done at Disney. ---------------- Do I wish they would spend more, not less? Yes. Is competition for workers higher than it used to be? Yes. Are there some CM's who don't care? I'm sorry to say I think so. BUT NOT THAT MANY. Most are real Disney believers, and feel bad when things happen that shouldn't.
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> I draw comfort in the fact that the park still does start each day clean and picked up. << I also get to see them pressure cleaning the streets and walkways in the early mornings when I come in. Who else does that? And most guests don't see it. Maybe they used to do it every day -- maybe now they don't do it as often -- I don't know. But they still do it. They were doing this the other day early morning at Epcot World Showcase.
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> Please summarize the major differences between WDW and the other worldwide resorts << I almost laughed when I read this. It sounds like a question on the Civics final. And as TDLFAN points out, is probably as hard to answer in a short time and such a small space.
Originally Posted By demderedoseguys >>#1 reason why I am so hated here. No one knows why I say the things I say and no one knows where I come from with my frustrations. Time for a trip to Tokyo for you << I don't think your hated here at all. I think "misunderstood" is more appropriate. >I almost laughed when I read this. It sounds like a question on the Civics final. And as TDLFAN points out, is probably as hard to answer in a short time and such a small space.<< I didn't ask for a thesis, simply a brief comparison of the major differences. I do it everyday in my line of work. Bullet points, my friend, bullet points.
Originally Posted By Labuda "I don't think your hated here at all. I think "misunderstood" is more appropriate. " Actually, some of our new trolls do seem to hate TDLFAN.
Originally Posted By LuvDatDisney >> Are you someone who would be bothered by having to walk through food and other refuse to get down Main Street and realize its because of cutbacks in custodial << "It bothers me a lot. I end up picking up a lot on my own to help." I just don't think it's my job as a guest, even a weekly one, to pick up trash. If people are pigs, and they are, Disney needs to react. In some ways I think people are worse now, but then I remember the 70s and how filthy our country was ... the public service announcements with Eagle Eyes Cody on horseback at a landfill and a tear dripping down his face (95% of the people here probably weren't around then anyway and I'm not THAT old!) and I realize people werew as bad then or WORSE. Yet the MK, and later EC, was pristine every day. No trash. No dirt. No wood rot ... no rusting fences ... no sections that look like they're abandoned ...and that's when I realize that frankly, with all due respect to the apologists, that it's 99.9% Disney's fault as it's their parks and they've made the conscious financial choices to allow the parks to be maintained in a certain way. "But then I do notice that custodial is out there, and doing all they can with what they've got." I never said otherwise, but what they've got isn't enough. Not nearly. "I draw comfort in the fact that the park still does start each day clean and picked up. I don't know how they manage that in the light of the budget cutbacks." I find that debatable. When things fall into disrepair, all the basic cleaning doesn't really matter. "And it's still the cleanest public place you can visit. EVERYWHERE else is crummier. (A sad comment on society in general)" No. It's not. I was at Sea World a week ago. It's not even close. IOA is also cleaner, especially the restrooms which are immaculate, even though it needs paint on some areas. "Psychologically it is SO important to keep that first piece of trash from hitting the ground. Once it does and it stays there for a while, it's altogether too easy for someone ekse to add a second piece. And once you get to three or four, all bets are off." And that's what Walt and his successors preached. You think Dick Nunis would be happy with the way the MK (as well as the other parks) look? There was a reason why when you dropped popcorn, there was someone picking it up before the last kernel hit the ground. Now cheesburger baskets sit on the ground on Main Street after Wishes and may sit for hours until they begin the close cleaning. Sorry, but that's not acceptable to me. >> filthy bathrooms << "I must admit I've run into this myself a few times. Not often, but I have. " Spend more time at Disney-MGM Studios. They are always the worst by far. "How terribly embarrassing. My view is that it's the result of high volume usage times. But then I figure that's when they ought to have a person in there full time to accomodate. Not just "on my next round."" In the past, there would always be a CM on duty to clean a restroom. Now, someone may be responsible for half of a land, and that just ain't cutting it. "And the same argument from above applies to bathrooms. Once a toilet is blocked with paper and is allowed to remain for too long, it makes it easier for someone else to add to the mess and make it worse. Someone actually being in the room during high volume times makes it harder for stupid people to make a mess in a bathroom just because they can. I came into a non-busy (and clean!) bathroom the other night and found two kids balling up wads of hand towel paper, wetting them in the sink, and then tossing them like baseballs against the wall to see if they could make them stick. When I came in, they simply stopped and left." When you allow one person to act like a swine, more people are encouraged to get down in the mud and do so. Disney understand this, but is so cheap they aren't willing to do what's needed to live up to their own standards. >> a recently renovated room at the Beach Club made their feet dirty from the carpeting, had hair and mold in the bathroom and torn sheets all for prices higher than Ritz Carlton? << "I wouldn't stop with Guest Relations on this one. I would go all the way to Lee Cockerell, VP of Operations. Not so much for compensation, but to tell him how terribly disappointed you are. He tells us regularly about how important it is to hold high standards, and how things are done at Disney." I've met Lee. He talks a great talk, but walks the corporate BS walk. My friends did make a complain at the desk when they checked out. They were given $75, by a very unfriendly 'manager', off a few thousand dollar bill. I told them I would have told Disney to take the money and well ... you know. I would advise anyone with a serious problem to contact him, though. I would be a chronic with him and I have no desire to give Disney free advice when they pay consultants millions of dollars to tell them how to save money by cutting quality. That's why I'm hesitant with what I post here. We're being monitored and if you come up with a good idea you can rest assured it'll be taken. "Do I wish they would spend more, not less? Yes. Is competition for workers higher than it used to be? Yes. Are there some CM's who don't care? I'm sorry to say I think so. BUT NOT THAT MANY. Most are real Disney believers, and feel bad when things happen that shouldn't." I don't share your view of CMs. While in general they are acceptable. They used to be universally great. There are plenty of low-lifes that have no business working for Disney, but since Disney won't raise it's minimum pay by a dollar or two to attract a higher-caliber worker, they are forced to hire anyone who walks into casting.
Originally Posted By LuvDatDisney "I also get to see them pressure cleaning the streets and walkways in the early mornings when I come in. Who else does that? And most guests don't see it. Maybe they used to do it every day -- maybe now they don't do it as often -- I don't know. But they still do it. They were doing this the other day early morning at Epcot World Showcase." They used to do it everywhere, everynight. That was stopped in the mid-90s. I don't know the schedule now, but if you walk around some park areas ... like Frontierland and see the cakes on bird waste, turkey leg and ice cream and soda stains etc ... it's apparent that some areas haven't been done in months (or more).
Originally Posted By Labuda ">> Are you someone who would be bothered by having to walk through food and other refuse to get down Main Street and realize its because of cutbacks in custodial << "It bothers me a lot. I end up picking up a lot on my own to help." I just don't think it's my job as a guest, even a weekly one, to pick up trash." ssWEDguy is a CM, not a guest. Not in custodial, but a CM nonetheless, and one of the fabulous ones who takes great pride in his job and in his employer.
Originally Posted By LuvDatDisney ^^I gathered as much, Labuda. I as speaking from my POV. And I have read comments from others here in these type of threads where guests will talk about cleaning up from others. And, FWIW, most WDW CMs who aren't in custodial don't do what ssWedGuy does. Even if that's what's taught in Traditions, if they haven't downsized that right out of existence. I see CMs all the time walk by trash and leave it where it's at.
Originally Posted By leemac <<That's why I'm hesitant with what I post here. We're being monitored and if you come up with a good idea you can rest assured it'll be taken.>> Does the CIA have a Walt Disney World office now?
Originally Posted By LuvDatDisney ^^No, Leemac, but you know so well that WDW execs, minions, marketing folks and your pals read these sites ... not to mention folks in Burbank, Glendale and Anaheim. You're accutely aware of that fact. But thanks for replying to a post of mine. Hey, did you see the Disney Magic is going to do DCL cruises in Europe?
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> I just don't think it's my job as a guest, even a weekly one, to pick up trash << You know, I was going to answer some of your points here, but I can't compete. You see too many wrong things. You may actually be accurate. But what do you want me to do about it? Feel bad with you? One thing I will add is that it drives me nuts to have people tell me what Walt would do if he were still with us today. You can't do that. You don't know. I'm sorry Walt's not around anymore. I miss him too, and I regret daily that he didn't at least live another 10 years to see his Florida project built his way. We can only work with what we know, utilize what we've got, and go forward from there. Yes there will be mistakes. But hopefully in the final analysis we'll be happy with the job we did and tried to do. You just make it sound like the reason things are the way they are is because they're taking these piles of money and keeping it for themselves instead of investing enough back into the park.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>Does the CIA have a Walt Disney World office now?<< The way posts are being ridiculously ADMIN'd around here lately...you would think otherwise
Originally Posted By TDLFAN As for preassure cleaning the MK every night... I am beginning to believe that is not the case. I go there often enough to see the same dirt spots from one week to the next. If they are preassure washing...they certainly aren't using soap!
Originally Posted By LuvDatDisney "You know, I was going to answer some of your points here, but I can't compete. You see too many wrong things. You may actually be accurate. But what do you want me to do about it? Feel bad with you?" This isn't a competition. I'm looking for intelligent discussion. And, yes, I do see too many wrong things, but that's because they -- SADLY -- are there. I don't really want you to feel anyway other than how you do feel. But I'd also like for people to look at things realistically. WDW has been damaged greatly in the last decade -- even though it did give us the amazing 2/3rds complete DAK -- by getting too big. Ultimately, that -- and the desire by Burbank to not properly fund everything from new transports like monorails, new CMs, added custodial CMs ... -- has led to a much lower quality WDW product, one focused on marketing above all else. And one that cares more about selling timeshares and pins than keeping parks clean, staffed with high quality CMs and with modern attractions. ''One thing I will add is that it drives me nuts to have people tell me what Walt would do if he were still with us today. You can't do that. You don't know.'' And it drives me nuts to have people toss aside his amazing creative legacy as one of the greatest Americans who ever breathed air because it's easier to do that than face the facts that it wasn't only Walt that kept the standards high. It wasn't just Roy. It wasn't just Roy's son who brought in Michael and Frank and revitalized the company creatively. It was a whole mindset of an organization. And that organization has been profoundly changed over the past decade by outsiders, MBAs, consultants and execs, who not only don't care about Walt but have openly mocked the products their own company puts out, the cast that creates and works at them and the consumers who purchase them. The OLD Disney organization was all about respecting the intelligence of its guests and the creativity of its cast. The current one has been all about breaking tradition and we've seen the results. Now, it looks like Bob Iger is trying to turn some of that around. My initial feelings about him are high, but he needs to break the corporate culture at Disney and remake it in the old image and it won't be easy. ''I'm sorry Walt's not around anymore. I miss him too, and I regret daily that he didn't at least live another 10 years to see his Florida project built his way.'' He didn't. But the Florida project, at least in the first decade, pretty much did turn out how he was expecting. EPCOT was never going to be built in the early-mid 70s. Disney needed the funding that the opening of WDW was going to give the company. ''We can only work with what we know, utilize what we've got, and go forward from there. Yes there will be mistakes. But hopefully in the final analysis we'll be happy with the job we did and tried to do." You sound like a person with integrity, and that's why I respect your words. But too many in power at Disney don't have it. I'm sorry if that hurts you, but that's the way I've seen it. ''You just make it sound like the reason things are the way they are is because they're taking these piles of money and keeping it for themselves instead of investing enough back into the park.'' I'm not sure who you refer to when say 'they're' ... Disney execs? Eisner? Al Weiss? "And you may be right. I just hope not." I wish I weren't. But I also know I am. :-(
Originally Posted By LuvDatDisney "As for preassure cleaning the MK every night... I am beginning to believe that is not the case. I go there often enough to see the same dirt spots from one week to the next. If they are preassure washing...they certainly aren't using soap!" They absolutely are NOT pressure cleaning the MK every night.
Originally Posted By LuvDatDisney I am not someone in the habit of quoting myself. That's taking the split-personality thing to a whole nother level. But I posted the following the other day on the DCA Board in a thread about spending/investing in the parks. I kind of feel it fits here very well. Both on the original topic of the thread AND of the one its morphed into. It also may give some of you an idea of where I am coming from when I rip Disney management and when I get angry at people telling me Disney can't spend $$$ on making WDW what it was in the 70s and 80s -- the premier resort destination on the planet, so here goes: <<TWDC spent over a billion for an ill-conceived Internet venture. And who can forget them overpaying billions for Fox Family, a network that insiders will tell you they still have no clue how to program. And what about payments to Ovitz and Katzenburg, and other less prominant execs Eisner got rid of? I think those numbers add up quite bit. Forgetting anything? Oh yeah, how much did Disney overspend on the Angels and Mighty Ducks? Anything else? Yeppers. How much did they spend on regional entertainment concepts like DisneyQuest and Club Disney? Anyone want more examples? Guess what folks, the one thing these items all had in common -- other than being unbelievably bad business decisions -- was that the funds went to non-creative, non-theme park ventures. Sure seems like they spent money like they were printing it on those ill-conceived ventures. Those things never seem to come up when people attack those who wish to see Disney build places like TDS or Epcot instead of DCA and DSP. So, pardon my opinion if it offends, but I sure think Disney can spend billions investing in its parks and resorts PROVIDING it was spent wisely.>>
