A Spirited Dirty Dozen ...

[jme]

I understand that. Makes sense.... I was more interested in Job Title and if he was with the company than anything else. And yes.... he's on the payroll. Good to know.

No problem - I removed his name, but not his title.

 

[bcoachable]

We just finished a fast trip to "O" town to drop of a kiddo. She will be participating in the DCP. I wanted to share some quick insights as to what we saw while there. Before some of you Pickle Suckers tell me this goes in a trip reports thread, I will mention that we didn't actually go to a Disney park. We did see some security things that I felt the rest of you would find comforting. So I will share:

1. It is not the end of the world if you don't stay on property. We do feel a bit more immersed when we do, however, but that is not what this trip was about.
2. Disney Springs, when it is done will be a very nice outdoor shopping and eatery experience. The traffic and parking situation as it is now, however is pretty frustrating.
3. The Jock Lindsey Ice Machine (well done, Aaron!), and story being told with the decor, is evidence of what imagineering can do when they
get to.
4. On the urging from some on here (74), we took a day to visit Universal and the immersive experience that they have created there. Wow. Blew us away. If you haven't gone, go...
5. Should have ordered the Nachos from Margaritaville...
6. Disney has a system of getting DCP kids to sign up, set up in the apartments, and trained... and it operates like a well oiled, yet clunky machine.
7. The construction on the Wilderness lodge DVC looked great. That resort is beautiful.
8. Rode the monorail Red (I think) from Polly around to MK to take some grad pictures with daughter 2. Car was clean, and AC was great. Pilots looked to be doing more of the driving than trains being automated, but how can you really tell??
9. We walked through the non bag check entrance to get a bit closer for a few pictures. I was "randomly" selected to walk through the metal detectors. During this moment, a couple with two strollers attempted to enter without going through bag check. When politely asked to go back, the dad threw a fit for being asked. I found it disheartening our population thinks that rules do not apply. A supervisor came to bring the situation to a amiable solution. While that happened though, from behind, two uniformed officers made there presence known. In addition, we noticed a plain clothes man, who was standing near by, also take notice. There may be people out to do harm, but Disney is going to do everything in their power to protect us and their investment. We Feel Safe. To finish.. my wife spoke with the supervisor to make sure he understood that the CM was not acting out of line etc. He thanked her. When we finished, we thanked all the officers (minus the plain clothes guy) for being diligent in their efforts.
10. Sometimes we get frustrated that the magic is being neglected at the parks (no push the talking trash can comes to mind as I type). But then something happens to remind our family that it is a pretty cool place. On our boat ride back to the Poly to get to our car, we had a boat Captain named "Marty". As we approached the Grand Floridian, he broke out in a great rendition of "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow..." Made us appreciate taking the time we spent, even if it wasn't in the parks..

 

[ChrisFL]

I didn't think the monorails were automated yet

 

[ChrisM]

We just finished a fast trip to "O" town to drop of a kiddo. She will be participating in the DCP. I wanted to share some quick insights as to what we saw while there. Before some of you Pickle Suckers tell me this goes in a trip reports thread, I will mention that we didn't actually go to a Disney park. We did see some security things that I felt the rest of you would find comforting. So I will share:

I just want to take this opportunity commend you on your use of the Pickle Sucker moniker. Kudos.

 

[ford91exploder]

Well this seems like a good of a place as any to put this…

The Department of Labor has issued new overtime rules. As of December 1, anybody who makes less then $47,000 a year is entitled to overtime pay regardless as to whether they are a salaried employee or an hourly employee.

So all of those guest service managers but Disney hires right out of the college program and tease junk change to in exchange for working 60 hours a week are about to get fairly compensated for their time… Or more fair then it's been in the past.

What does this mean to us? Well… Disney's labor costs are about to go through the roof in all segments, not just theme parks.

Nope - these positions will be outsourced to body shops or sent overseas, #ThanksDC

 

[gmajew]

Well this seems like a good of a place as any to put this…

The Department of Labor has issued new overtime rules. As of December 1, anybody who makes less then $47,000 a year is entitled to overtime pay regardless as to whether they are a salaried employee or an hourly employee.

So all of those guest service managers but Disney hires right out of the college program and tease junk change to in exchange for working 60 hours a week are about to get fairly compensated for their time… Or more fair then it's been in the past.

What does this mean to us? Well… Disney's labor costs are about to go through the roof in all segments, not just theme parks.

This is a job killer in the retail and restaurant world.... I have been in meetings all day trying to figure out how to handle the change as I don't get credit for everything we pay them that does not count as salary. For example the bonus they earn and how I get them to perform I get a 10% credit on it. Well that sucks when they make 24-30K in bonus....

And it just gets worse what will end up happening is I will have one salary manger per location and then hourly managers. I will raise prices on my product 6% - 25 percent on items to cover the new cost on top of the health insurance i know have to pay. I always did but my cost on it has increased 45% in three years.

This is just more business killer materials.... So all those happy about it great but this is not a good deal because the customer is the one that ends up footing the bill for this.... And those that had great jobs will be working 40 hours a week with no bonus and no OT so business can have 1.5 of them no on payroll to do same job.

 

[marni1971]

Like others this post belongs here as good as anywhere.

In the UK, Disney are now advertising on TV with a single joint DLP / WDW commercial. Bizzare. A mix of buildings not in WDW (Paris ToT for example) and things (Epcot) that are not available at DLP.

Not to mention obviously cannibalising ones potential guests for the others.

They used to advertise separately.

 

[Mike S]

Like others this post belongs here as good as anywhere.

In the UK, Disney are now advertising on TV with a single joint DLP / WDW commercial. Bizzare. A mix of buildings not in WDW (Paris ToT for example) and things (Epcot) that are not available at DLP.

Not to mention obviously cannibalising ones potential guests for the others.

They used to advertise separately.

It's spreading like a virus.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Like others this post belongs here as good as anywhere.

In the UK, Disney are now advertising on TV with a single joint DLP / WDW commercial. Bizzare. A mix of buildings not in WDW (Paris ToT for example) and things (Epcot) that are not available at DLP.

Not to mention obviously cannibalising ones potential guests for the others.

They used to advertise separately.

DIZNEE PARKZ

 

[ProfSavage]

It's spreading like a virus.
View attachment 142588

Yeah, I saw someone comment on a DL BTMRR video on Youtube saying: "I went on this a few years ago, but it was different..."

Probably because you went on it in FLA... I don't get people who have visited WDW and think they visited DL. That's like visiting Branson and thinking you went to Vegas. While there are similarities...

 

[JustInTime]

Earl's is sorta like the Dole Whip of Disney sandwich shops ... so overrated. At DLP, it's a lifesaver because they don't have hardly any QS options and their McD's is pretty much the worst one in Europe! But in O-Town? Bleh ... and they are all over FL. You can't stop at a rest area on the Turnpike to relieve yourself without seeing one. Many malls have them as well. They just are not all that.

Sorry to quote you on an unrelated topic, but how do you feel about Dinosaur going down for 3 months? Do you think there will be any kind of attempt to return the ride to form (and I don't mean the countdown form, I'm sure that is dead forever). This will leave Everest as the ride without a refurb since pretty much everything else has been done in the last couple years. With that begin said, if Everset does go down, Disney would almost have to address the Yeti in some way, right??

 

[PhotoDave219]

This is a job killer in the retail and restaurant world.... I have been in meetings all day trying to figure out how to handle the change as I don't get credit for everything we pay them that does not count as salary. For example the bonus they earn and how I get them to perform I get a 10% credit on it. Well that sucks when they make 24-30K in bonus....

And it just gets worse what will end up happening is I will have one salary manger per location and then hourly managers. I will raise prices on my product 6% - 25 percent on items to cover the new cost on top of the health insurance i know have to pay. I always did but my cost on it has increased 45% in three years.

This is just more business killer materials.... So all those happy about it great but this is not a good deal because the customer is the one that ends up footing the bill for this.... And those that had great jobs will be working 40 hours a week with no bonus and no OT so business can have 1.5 of them no on payroll to do same job.

So… What you're saying is that for years businesses haven't been paying their employees fairly and as a result of that it's going to be detrimental to the bottom line?

I mean for years… And we're going back to 1980 with this one… People of been telling trickle-down economics. Well, the money never trickle down and there was no investment made. Instead, companies cash game at Wall Street. This is a correction for that.

I'm sympathetic to you and other small businesses but I cannot accuse an excuse that It will cut into profits… Because that's the same excuse sweat shop owners give.

I see how this affects the small business owner but I simply don't like that big business has taken advantage of the labor force for at least 30 years at this point.

 

[roodlesnouter]

t night, at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, we hosted the Closin

Speaking of options and fixings, the fixings bar has been removed from The Mara, which still has great QS food (Disney will raise prices 21% and reduce quality as soon as they read this). I actually had a BBQ burger there and it was very high quality(much better than the burger I should have returned at Lombard's over at UNI a few days earlier) with either fries (that I passed on) or cous cous, which I had. The African chicken salad also got universal praise from my entourage. Just remember, until Disney reads here and does away (or attempts to) you can get a small/kids soft drink for $1.99 at the resorts and fill it five times.

Fixings bar been gone for a long time buddy, couple years maybe. Food at the Mara is indeed good but prices raised every time I stay. Other noticeable nickle and diming here are the the zebra domes, used to get 6 per pack which went down to 5 with a prices increase, then the following visit they were down to 4 with a further increase, was expecting a triple pack this May but was pleased to just find a price increase

 

[yaksplat]

Hello fellow buffalonian. If you go to the Walden galleria location, much like the Walden chipotle, you can expect a lesser experience. It seems they just can't staff these places with good workers.

I did the one in east Amherst on transit. Grover's is a much better option and the new Bugsy's is quite amazing as well.

 

[ford91exploder]

So… What you're saying is that for years businesses haven't been paying their employees fairly and as a result of that it's going to be detrimental to the bottom line?

I mean for years… And we're going back to 1980 with this one… People of been telling trickle-down economics. Well, the money never trickle down and there was no investment made. Instead, companies cash game at Wall Street. This is a correction for that.

I'm sympathetic to you and other small businesses but I cannot accuse an excuse that It will cut into profits… Because that's the same excuse sweat shop owners give.

I see how this affects the small business owner but I simply don't like that big business has taken advantage of the labor force for at least 30 years at this point.

I suggest looking at Financialization for part of the reason why this is bad policy, Having been in the salaried class most of my life and conforming to the expectation that a salaried employee puts in at least 50-60 hours per week when being paid on a 40 hour basis, I am sympathetic but without systemic changes all this is going to do is put people on the unemployment line. Just like Obamacare cut hours for millions of hourly workers.

For a more detailed explanation why 'Trickle Down' does NOT trickle down.

https://www.dissentmagazine.org/onl...reet-financialization-and-american-inequality

Short answer small business gets the shaft, Big Business sends MORE jobs overseas and lots of people get their walking papers.

 

[TalkingHead]

Since he was mentioned earlier and I know he's a favorite around here...

I just listened to 15 min of a podcast and I didn't know it was possible, but Jim Hill sounds even less credible when he's talking about Universal.

His explanation for the Seuss Landing trolley delay sounds utterly preposterous.

 

[gmajew]

So… What you're saying is that for years businesses haven't been paying their employees fairly and as a result of that it's going to be detrimental to the bottom line?

I mean for years… And we're going back to 1980 with this one… People of been telling trickle-down economics. Well, the money never trickle down and there was no investment made. Instead, companies cash game at Wall Street. This is a correction for that.

I'm sympathetic to you and other small businesses but I cannot accuse an excuse that It will cut into profits… Because that's the same excuse sweat shop owners give.

I see how this affects the small business owner but I simply don't like that big business has taken advantage of the labor force for at least 30 years at this point.

Get your facts right and understand how the business works.... I invest 3 million in a restaurant. I generate a profit of 7% on that investment if the store is decent. 15% if it is high. This is on sales of between 1.8m and 2.5M per unit. My mangers with bonus made 75-90K with bonus but we are bonus driven. This law takes away my incentive to motivate wth bonus as that does not count towards salary. So I will see a reduction in profit further because they no longer will manage the establishment as they are given x pay no for sure.

It happens it is a truth and a year of test in some one of my markets of 10 restaurant shows it. I am now making now between 4-8% profit on this investment and with loans etc the stores do not cover the payment at the low end.

Pay what people are work but pay for performance because most people will just take a check. Now the GM have been fine assistants have been horrible and not caring as they are now hourly with over time. They used to work 55 hours a week as we tracked it the job the same job is now taking them 60 or more.... hmmm wonder why....

 

[gmajew]

That's what you get when you have a King in the WH who has never had to make a payroll, Plus with the ACA would it not be 2 workers at 29.5 hours per week to avoid the ACA mandates ?

LOL I have always paid my people health insurance. Always, was something I wanted to do for my employees. What stinks about the ACA is that my cost are up over 45% in three years but you know lets pay for everyone else insurance in the country through the back of business.

 

[WDW1974]

Spirited Quickee of WDW News that is sure to be lost in posts about burgers and why we should or shouldn't be on FB:

WDW summer projections are in the toilet. No one is clearly excited by the Awakens promo, which is almost non-existent compared with marketing for UNI and now SW/BGT. You could tell something was up by the lack of CM blockouts this summer. Then we had the 35% off AP rates at WDW resorts. And now ...

Now, WDW is about to announce that those FL resident tickets that were supposed to be blocked out for the entire summer will now be good the entire summer (except for July 1st-4th).

Yup. Nothing is wrong in the swamps. The ticket increases and food and beverage increases and cuts are having no effect at all ... sure.

OK, y'all have great afternoons and go back to whatever you were talking about.

 

[ProfSavage]

Spirited Quickee of WDW News that is sure to be lost in posts about burgers and why we should or shouldn't be on FB:

WDW summer projections are in the toilet. No one is clearly excited by the Awakens promo, which is almost non-existent compared with marketing for UNI and now SW/BGT. You could tell something was up by the lack of CM blockouts this summer. Then we had the 35% off AP rates at WDW resorts. And now ...

Now, WDW is about to announce that those FL resident tickets that were supposed to be blocked out for the entire summer will now be good the entire summer (except for July 1st-4th).

Yup. Nothing is wrong in the swamps. The ticket increases and food and beverage increases and cuts are having no effect at all ... sure.

OK, y'all have great afternoons and go back to whatever you were talking about.

So much like Reince Preibus, TDO is standing there like...