Warning: Soapbox Rant.
So honestly these Holiday Packets are starting to become a total joke. Let's just break this down here:
1.) The Dining Coupons. I mean, really, with the amount of block outs and restrictions placed on these is there really any point in using them anymore? It's getting to the point that for it to be honored your reservation has to be on a random Wednesday in April when there is a quarter moon in the sky and your party comprises of no more than 3.5 people one of whom must be a paraplegic. It seems like they keep cutting back on places as well, as if our meager coupons are really cutting into their bottom line. Have you seen the overly inflated prices at all the restaurants explicitly done to increase the perceived value of the dining plan?
2.) The Resort Discount. 60% off? Great! It's nice that you put a little disclaimer that says "The number of rooms for this offer is extremely limited" but really someone needs to inform the people that make this book that limited =/= non-existent. I just did a search for every resort category every week of the offer for a party of four and got literally ZERO results. It's one thing if financially you can afford to not offer the discount this year, but for God's sake don't give people false hope.
3.) The Discounted Dining Plan. This one goes hand in hand with the above. It's coupled with the 60% off. Thanks to DRC's new policies though, you cannot simply modify an existing reservation to add this. It has to be rebooked as a new package. And if there's no rooms available, you can't package it with anything. Ergo, it's not available either, but yet is advertised like it is. They probably just needed filler pages in the book, let's be honest.
4.) The Merchandise Discount. 40% off. Great. Oh and I have to pay for it? So I get a slightly higher discount on the same stuff you sell year round and it has to come out of my already paltry hourly wage because God forbid I offer to extend the discount to someone who is traveling with me the entire time and who is clearly wanting to give you their money either way? Let's not forget that anyone that's Full Time or Part Time automatically gets 35% off after 3 years so 5% more isn't making much of an impact. This is only further exacerbated by the fact that Universal gives literally 0 craps about somebody else paying when my discount is applied as long as I'm standing right there.
5.) The extra admissions. Never mind the fact that I've never been placed in a position where I've had to let in more than 3 people at once (and quite honestly never would because more than 4 people at a theme park is already a logistical nightmare) but all these new rules about e-passes that are listed in this booklet are making my head spin. Are they hoping to get to the point that it is so complicated for the non-technologically compatible that they just don't want to go through the hassle anymore?
6.) The Free Food Coupons. These are always a point of contention with me. It's like, really? A free 20 oz bottle of soda? Or some slightly stale popcorn? I love how Disney tries to buy Cast Member love with free food that literally costs them pennies on the dollar.
All in all, I think it's getting to the point where this whole charade needs to come to an end. It's so much less about Cast Member appreciation and really just creating the perception of Cast Member appreciation. And as we all are aware, at Disney, perception is TRULY reality (or more to the point, an excuse for laziness & lack of objectivity). I'm sure people could and will say to me "You should be thankful, they don't have to give you anything" to which I reply "You know, it's almost like they didn't."
So honestly these Holiday Packets are starting to become a total joke. Let's just break this down here:
1.) The Dining Coupons. I mean, really, with the amount of block outs and restrictions placed on these is there really any point in using them anymore? It's getting to the point that for it to be honored your reservation has to be on a random Wednesday in April when there is a quarter moon in the sky and your party comprises of no more than 3.5 people one of whom must be a paraplegic. It seems like they keep cutting back on places as well, as if our meager coupons are really cutting into their bottom line. Have you seen the overly inflated prices at all the restaurants explicitly done to increase the perceived value of the dining plan?
2.) The Resort Discount. 60% off? Great! It's nice that you put a little disclaimer that says "The number of rooms for this offer is extremely limited" but really someone needs to inform the people that make this book that limited =/= non-existent. I just did a search for every resort category every week of the offer for a party of four and got literally ZERO results. It's one thing if financially you can afford to not offer the discount this year, but for God's sake don't give people false hope.
3.) The Discounted Dining Plan. This one goes hand in hand with the above. It's coupled with the 60% off. Thanks to DRC's new policies though, you cannot simply modify an existing reservation to add this. It has to be rebooked as a new package. And if there's no rooms available, you can't package it with anything. Ergo, it's not available either, but yet is advertised like it is. They probably just needed filler pages in the book, let's be honest.
4.) The Merchandise Discount. 40% off. Great. Oh and I have to pay for it? So I get a slightly higher discount on the same stuff you sell year round and it has to come out of my already paltry hourly wage because God forbid I offer to extend the discount to someone who is traveling with me the entire time and who is clearly wanting to give you their money either way? Let's not forget that anyone that's Full Time or Part Time automatically gets 35% off after 3 years so 5% more isn't making much of an impact. This is only further exacerbated by the fact that Universal gives literally 0 craps about somebody else paying when my discount is applied as long as I'm standing right there.
5.) The extra admissions. Never mind the fact that I've never been placed in a position where I've had to let in more than 3 people at once (and quite honestly never would because more than 4 people at a theme park is already a logistical nightmare) but all these new rules about e-passes that are listed in this booklet are making my head spin. Are they hoping to get to the point that it is so complicated for the non-technologically compatible that they just don't want to go through the hassle anymore?
6.) The Free Food Coupons. These are always a point of contention with me. It's like, really? A free 20 oz bottle of soda? Or some slightly stale popcorn? I love how Disney tries to buy Cast Member love with free food that literally costs them pennies on the dollar.
All in all, I think it's getting to the point where this whole charade needs to come to an end. It's so much less about Cast Member appreciation and really just creating the perception of Cast Member appreciation. And as we all are aware, at Disney, perception is TRULY reality (or more to the point, an excuse for laziness & lack of objectivity). I'm sure people could and will say to me "You should be thankful, they don't have to give you anything" to which I reply "You know, it's almost like they didn't."
