A Spirited Dirty Dozen ...

[Cesar R M]

And at WDW the Little Mermaid ride replaced what was once a big Walt-era E Ticket attraction that many people loved. At DCA the Little Mermaid ride replaced what was once a Pressler-era B Ticket movie that no one ever went to.

Anaheim definitely got the better deal there on that one.

But whatever happened to that C List celebrity Imagineer that was in charge of Little Mermaid for both coasts? Lisa Girolami is her name. According to LinkedIn she still works for WDI. But she was trotted out at D23 Expo and various media events as the celebrity brainchild of the Little Mermaid ride. Then when the ride fell flat upon opening, and needed two big refurbishments in DCA to fix and alter to get it to a semi-decent stage, we haven't really heard from Ms. Girolami since.

I dont think that would be her fault but the WDI workers who actually BUILT the ride (light engineers).
She might be the creator and designer, but I dont think all the blame must be on her.

 

[ProfSavage]

Agreed, all workplaces have some form of dress code regardless if you are Guest facing or sitting in an office. I work in an office and they are just as strict with what is allowed and not allowed. I can't dye my hair a crazy color or get a bunch of piercings. It's called grow up and be professional.

Yeah, this is something Millennials have a hard time grasping. I see it in my students all the time. The sad part? I am, technically, part of that generation (tail end, and I self-identify as a Gen Xer, but I digress) and I don't even get the whole "but I am a special snowflake!!!" mindset.

 

[RobbinsDad]

Talk about a sense of entitlement! The poor dear---- she is over 5 ft. 6 inches and wears larger than a size 10 so she won't be hired to be a Disney princess. What a shame (sarcasm). Heck, if I had been born with more fast twitch muscle fiber, I would have been a much better athlete.. You live with and appreciate what you have. I'm sure we all could say "if only" about something.

As for those who want to be able to express their indivuality, they should have thought about earning a living before they got tatoos,piercings and dyed their hair eggplant purple. They are certainly entitled to look the way they want, but they have to realize that is a look not terribly acceptable in any job requiring public relations or even in most business settings. Whether thay like it or not, that is the way it is.

Other than that, many of the comments are legitimate. Working with the public in any job,,can be frustrating and difficult.

I'm a Career Counselor. I tell students all the time - what is most important to you? If your individuality is important, I value that, but don't expect all employers to do the same. You will need to research and target companies that share your values, and understand that it limits your prospects.
Voluntary alterations to appearance will never be a protected class.

 

[gmajew]

Exactly. I think that Enchanted tales with Belle has some really impressive effects, but I think something of more substance like the E-Ticket Tokyo is getting would've been much preferred. Its fun once or twice, but it seems that even young kids feel that way and that is a problem.

Here is how I look at meet and greets they are not for every trip... how many pictures of Mickey can you have... I think they are crowd eaters and allow you something to do as you wait for your fast pass time.... it is no different then the game in magic kingdom. Cool but really just a time killer as you wait for something else to do.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

In other news THIS just in from the Daily Mail

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/t...f-Staff-reveal-s-REALLY-like-work-Disney.html

Disney is really losing control of the media narrative these day, Even 6 months ago I could not imagine articles like this being published in mainline outlets.

What those of us here already know.

How 'have a magical day' is code for 'go <bleep> yourself': Staff reveal what it's REALLY like to work at Disney

I think the issues in this article have less to do Disney's enforcements and more to do with spoiled, entitled society going even further down the crapper. The fact that some CM's think they have the right to things previous generations of CM's weren't and shouldn't have been entitled to is absolute bull$#*+. There are reasons Disney doesn't want you to dress like a goth piece of $#*+ because most guests don't want distracted by the appearance a bunch of Hot Topic freaks. Being a Cast Member is a job for people with a special type of temperment, so if you're too above Disney to live up to their standards, then go work somewhere else.

 

[RobbinsDad]

I'm a Career Counselor. I tell students all the time - what is most important to you? If your individuality is important, I value that, but don't expect all employers to do the same. You will need to research and target companies that share your values, and understand that it limits your prospects.
Voluntary alterations to appearance will never be a protected class.

I take that back. Anyone should be allowed to dress like a pirate in all professional situations.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

Here is how I look at meet and greets they are not for every trip... how many pictures of Mickey can you have... I think they are crowd eaters and allow you something to do as you wait for your fast pass time.... it is no different then the game in magic kingdom. Cool but really just a time killer as you wait for something else to do.

The problem isn't meet & greets in and of themselves, but how they are done now. Usually, they're in buildings where it is treated very orderly. In some cases like talking Mickey, this makes sense. But for the most part, I think meet & greets are best when they're outdoors and more spontaneous. There used to be a proper balanced between organized indoor and free roaming meet & greets, but its unfortunatley tilted more towards the former in recent years.

 

[dupac]

Lean is spreading around job duties so that there is little wasted time. The system as a whole becomes more efficient.

Effort above the minimum required takes time which throws the efficient system off.

WDW is evolving into a warm, unique, industrial experience.

? Lean is nothing to do with 'bare minimum'

Eliminating waste is not the same thing as optimizing... Lean does not encourage throwing away value or ignoring it... But is just the opposite. Focus on the value, drop the wasteful stuff.

Lean is focus on value... Not "strip down"

One of my regular professional arguments is that 'Lean' and 'Six Sigma' don't have the same applications in a customer service environment as they have in the a manufacturing environment without significant modifications. 'Waste' is a very subjective topic in a Customer Service environment.

I like the discussion! Defining value is the key factor here, and like @Rodan75 pointed out, that can get tricky in a service environment. Just cutting cost is not the same as eliminating non-value added activity-- thus why I said a misapplication/misunderstanding of Lean.

 

[Mike S]

I think the issues in this article have less to do Disney's enforcements and more to do with spoiled, entitled society going even further down the crapper. The fact that some cast members think they have the right to things previous generations of cast members weren't and shouldn't have been entitled to is absolute bull$#*+. There are reasons Disney doesn't want you to dress like a goth piece of $#*+ because most guests don't want distracted by the appearance a bunch of Hot Topic freaks. Being a Cast a Member is a job for people with a special type of temperment, so if you're too above Disney to live up to their standards, then go work somewhere else.

Disney still has standards?

 

[FigmentForver96]

Makes me worried about what kind of classroom I'll be forced to create when I'm done with my degree next year. I shudder at the thought of having to select novels that are "tame" out of fear of emotionally hurting someone.

I wouldn't but then again they would probably remove me pretty fast. So don't listen to me lol

 

[gmajew]

The problem isn't meet & greets in and of themselves, but how they are done now. Usually, they're in buildings where it is treated very orderly. In some cases like talking Mickey, this makes sense. But for the most part, I think meet & greets are best when they're outdoors and more spontaneous. There used to be a proper balanced between organized indoor and free roaming meet & greets, but its unfortunatley tilted more towards the former in recent years.

I have no problem with them being inside and events... Kids (the target audience) love them and love seeing there favorites.... and with the way people are today can you imagine the uproar if you did not or could not find your favorite.... parents would go nuts... like they do if there kid does not get to play pitcher even if they can not get ball to the plate....

 

[ProfSavage]

Makes me worried about what kind of classroom I'll be forced to create when I'm done with my degree next year. I shudder at the thought of having to select novels that are "tame" out of fear of emotionally hurting someone.

This is why I teach college, while some can't handle criticism, it's easier to tell them straight up: you didn't follow directions, you're not writing properly, your citations are a mess and half those sources aren't legit.

At least I don't have parents emailling me telling me I hurt their child's self esteem

 

[Donaldfan1934]

Disney still has standards?

I get what you mean, but technically they do. At least from a customer service standpoint they still do. So the fault in this case doesn't go to Disney, but rather the me above all attitude of certain CM's. Although, I'm not overall worried about Disney from this standpoint since most of my experience with CM's up until this point has been excellent. Obviously as in any job, there are bad ones. that's the whole point of this discussion. But if Disney has maintained anything from days gone by, its customer service.

 

[Bocabear]

Here is how I look at meet and greets they are not for every trip... how many pictures of Mickey can you have... I think they are crowd eaters and allow you something to do as you wait for your fast pass time.... it is no different then the game in magic kingdom. Cool but really just a time killer as you wait for something else to do.

That is true...the problem is now Disney has made the Meet & Greets as important as having attractions...and the Sheeple eat it up for some reason... We lost an actual Snow White ride so that we could put in a Princess Hug zone that looks like a hotel function space......You have to hand it to Disney for making people believe they really need to meet a college kid in a costume rather than go on an actual attraction....Next they are going to convince everyone that a cot in a cinder block room is a deluxe hotel suite....

 

[ProfSavage]

I'll be teaching college also, so I'm hoping my pessimistic fears won't be realized.

You should be okay then!

 

[Donaldfan1934]

I have no problem with them being inside and events... Kids (the target audience) love them and love seeing there favorites.... and with the way people are today can you imagine the uproar if you did not or could not find your favorite.... parents would go nuts... like they do if there kid does not get to play pitcher even if they can not get ball to the plate....

I agree that every child should have the chance to meet their favorite characters, but my point was that there was a better mix of both when I was growing up and still is at Disneyland. In fact, if a child's favorite character isn't one of the Fab 5, a Princess, or from a very recent movie, your child's chances of meeting their favorite character are slimmer than they were in years gone by.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

That is true...the problem is now Disney has made the Meet & Greets as important as having attractions...and the Sheeple eat it up for some reason... We lost an actual Snow White ride so that we could put in a Princess Hug zone that looks like a hotel function space......You have to hand it to Disney for making people believe they really need to meet a college kid in a costume rather than go on an actual attraction....Next they are going to convince everyone that a cot in a cinder block room is a deluxe hotel suite....

The characters have been in high demand for decades without Disney's overbearing influence on them. Its how Disney has responded to the demand in recent years that is the problem. I liked what they did with NFL as a whole, but I'm in strong agreement with you that Princess Fairytale Hall taking up perfectly good dark ride space is unacceptable. If MK's Fantasyland is to ever truly become greater than or equal to DL's, then it still has to redo OFL as well by removing the fiber glass tent facades and use as much space for dark rides as possible.

 

[Cesar R M]

Absolutely there is NOTHING new in this article, But the fact that it was published AT ALL by a major outlet even though it's a tabloid rag speaks to Disney no longer being able to maintain the narrative that 'Disney Parks are better now than they have EVAH been' Burbank and Celebration Place's social media efforts are now failing.

Its interesting that before, you could hardly find any videos on youtube. Now a lot of exCMs now post their experiences everywhere.
There are a lot of AMAs in reddit as well.

Yeah. but the Daily Mail is still a tabloid. Cracked.com and other "humor" websites have been running articles about the behind the scenes stuff at Disney for years (a lot of it not all that shocking or different than working for a major hospitality company, like the Ritz Carlton or Hyatt). And some of those complaints on Whisper borderline pure bs or College Program students/Millennials complaining about not being able to express their "individuality" by dyeing their hair obnoxious colors. They seem to think if they worked somewhere else they would?

Just saying, consider the source. Still interesting to see it published, regardless, even if it isn't that new.

I agree with you as well.
The fact that the article focuses too much on the "individuality" and "dress code" complains, even when they are hilariously stupid.
I mean, why did you sign to work there then? there is always a dress code in most companies. Do not expect to have piercings or tatoos everywhere!. More in the hospitality segment, where international visitors may frown on tatoos, piercings or any other disparate stuff.

 

[brb1006]

The problem isn't meet & greets in and of themselves, but how they are done now. Usually, they're in buildings where it is treated very orderly. In some cases like talking Mickey, this makes sense. But for the most part, I think meet & greets are best when they're outdoors and more spontaneous. There used to be a proper balanced between organized indoor and free roaming meet & greets, but its unfortunatley tilted more towards the former in recent years.

At least the Inside Out Meet And Greet location looks well designed but I agree about proper organized indoor and free roaming characters. I remember seeing a group of characters heading to the parade entrance where the Share A Dream Come True was about the begin back in 2004. I will never forget that memory.

 

[Cesar R M]

Yeah, this is something Millennials have a hard time grasping. I see it in my students all the time. The sad part? I am, technically, part of that generation (tail end, and I self-identify as a Gen Xer, but I digress) and I don't even get the whole "but I am a special snowflake!!!" mindset.

Dont worry, you still can get your participating trophy

I take that back. Anyone should be allowed to dress like a pirate in all professional situations.

Remind me of the whole "Dress the job you want, not the job you have" line.