A Spirited Perfect Ten

[alphac2005]

I think it's coming sooner than later, All WDW needs is some event which disrupts travel and the assumption that 'first timers will always come' will be broken and they will NEED the repeat visitors (who kept them alive post 9/11) again.

I agree. It's funny that you mention that because when we were in Orlando this past weekend, I was thinking about what a heck of a rebound there has been in Orlando since 9/11 (and we lived there before and after for several years in Orlando at the time) and wondered about if any type of conflict would cause a huge disruption in what has been built back up there.

 

[Mike S]

I think it's coming sooner than later, All WDW needs is some event which disrupts travel and the assumption that 'first timers will always come' will be broken and they will NEED the repeat visitors (who kept them alive post 9/11) again.

Will enough repeat visitors be there though?

 

[ford91exploder]

I agree. It's funny that you mention that because when we were in Orlando this past weekend, I was thinking about what a heck of a rebound there has been in Orlando since 9/11 (and we lived there before and after for several years in Orlando at the time) and wondered about if any type of conflict would cause a huge disruption in what has been built back up there.

Any type of 'real' conflict such as a 'real' war would immediately divert nearly all civil transport aircraft to the war effort - we would go back to a WW II type travel priority system.

 

[ford91exploder]

Will enough repeat visitors be there though?

Insufficient data to predict, Though the AP holders and locals did keep the place alive post 9/11 even though many of the hotels were mothballed indefinitely and the PoP expansion was on hold for 12 years to become AoA

 

[Next Big Thing]

True but if you play computerized scheduling games you can ensure your workers never exceed 32.5 hours in a week (ACA Threshold) yet may have to clock in 2x per day for 'short shifts' and as such NEVER are eligible for overtime, Gone are the days when companies would boost pay for those events and ask for volunteers.

As to working more than 20 hours per day - just talk to some IT or Engineering guys like me, Consecutive all nighters are not unusual and being exempt you never get more than your base pay, There is a reason Tech employers generally have shower facilities on site a nice icy shower can sub for a few hours of sleep.

1.) Disney will schedule people up to 40 hours a week regularly. Personally, I know that CPs can't be scheduled LESS THAN 32 hours. They also will give OT if it's needed no problem. They try not to, but they allow it all the time. It's really not that uncommon.

2.) Working 20 hours on your feet in a theme park dealing, answering stupid questions over and over and doing whatever possible strenuous tasks you've been assigned to is much different than an IT or engineering guy. Not saying what you do isn't important as it's at the heart of what makes a theme park tick, but there's a lot more physical work being done as a frontline CM.

Sustaining yourself over 20 hours is hard work in itself with what Disney asks from their CMs.

 

[Next Big Thing]

SeaWorld announced the name for their new coaster. Mako will go 200 ft high and 70 mph.

http://www./2015/05/seaworld-orland...-coaster-the-tallest-and-fastest-in-the-city/

73 mph actually

Sea World wants to specify 73 because otherwise it's not the fastest in-state (it'd be tied with Shiekra over at Busch Gardens).

 

[ford91exploder]

1.) Disney will schedule people up to 40 hours a week regularly. Personally, I know that CPs can't be scheduled LESS THAN 32 hours. They also will give OT if it's needed no problem. They try not to, but they allow it all the time. It's really not that uncommon.

2.) Working 20 hours on your feet in a theme park dealing, answering stupid questions over and over and doing whatever possible strenuous tasks you've been assigned to is much different than an IT or engineering guy. Not saying what you do isn't important as it's at the heart of what makes a theme park tick, but there's a lot more physical work being done as a frontline CM.

Sustaining yourself over 20 hours is hard work in itself with what Disney asks from their CMs.

Nice try on saying IT is easy work, Try debugging wireless in a steel mill sometime in a protective suit next to the ladles and furnaces and doing that for 2 days straight because some critical system in the plant is not working correctly.

 

[Next Big Thing]

Nice try on saying IT is easy work, Try debugging wireless in a steel mill sometime in a protective suit next to the ladles and furnaces and doing that for 2 days straight because some critical system in the plant is not working correctly.

I never said it was easy work. But I bet you have a lot more freedom to sit down or take a break every now and then, don't you? CMs are a slave to the mouse. Try and go against them at all and you'll be canned pretty damn fast.

All frontline CMs are replaceable. IT guys aren't as much.

 

[Bairstow]

SeaWorld announced the name for their new coaster. Mako will go 200 ft high and 70 mph.

http://www./2015/05/seaworld-orland...-coaster-the-tallest-and-fastest-in-the-city/

"Mako" is a good name for a speedy, jumping, shark coaster, but once again Sea World has named a coaster after an animal they have no hope of being able to display to the public.

 

[Next Big Thing]

an entertaining parade

You'd really consider Superstar Parade "entertaining"? lol, even the biggest Uni fanbois agree that it's a blemish on Comcast's mostly shiny record.

 

[Mike S]

You'd really consider Superstar Parade "entertaining"? lol, even the biggest Uni fanbois agree that it's a blemish on Comcast's mostly shiny record.

Hopefully that could change soon. Would Nintendo allow their characters to be in a parade? I don't see why not.

 

[Shaman]

CMs are a slave to the mouse. Try and go against them at all and you'll be canned pretty damn fast.

It always amazes me when I see the treatment CMs receive not by Disney, but by guests. Not sure why I'm surprised. I deal with the public on a regular basis, and I think most people who work in any kind of customer facing capacity will agree: People suck.

I sit and watch the masses being herded through Mainstreet and the Hub...the man power needed for it...misery. And these vacationers, you would think are happy, but no, they're hostile. I can only imagine the kind of patience needed just to keep one's composure...forget the pixie dust. Needless to say, I try to be as nice to CMs as possible.

Disney could raise these CMs wages and it wouldn't negatively impact the bottom line all that much. Happy employees are good for business...and good for fostering, in employees, that special magic Disney is known for....which makes for a better experience for customers.

But this is hardly a Disney-only problem...especially in a state like Florida.

 

[Next Big Thing]

It always amazes me when I see the treatment CMs receive not by Disney, but by guests. Not sure why I'm surprised. I deal with the public on a regular basis, and I think most people who work in any kind of customer facing capacity will agree: People suck.

I sit and watch the masses being herded through Mainstreet and the Hub...the man power needed for it...misery. And these vacationers, you would think are happy, but no, they're hostile. I can only imagine the kind of patience needed just to keep one's composure...forget the pixie dust. Needless to say, I try to be as nice to CMs as possible.

Disney could raise these CMs wages and it wouldn't negatively impact the bottom line all that much. Happy employees are good for business...and good for fostering, in employees, that special magic Disney is known for....which makes for a better experience for customers.

But this is hardly a Disney-only problem...especially in a state like Florida.

They actually did raise the minimum wage they can pay their employees to $9 in an agreement with the Union last August or so. However, that alone doesn't change everything.

$9 is still hard to live on. You need two jobs minimum to support yourself and where Disney really hurts themselves is how management treats CMs. That's why when people work at Disney and then they go over and work for Uni, I always hear how much people love it more over there. I've been on both sides as well and Uni just knows how to keep their employees happy. At Disney, you constantly feel like your being watched, and that's not a good feeling for the morale of the CMs.

 

[Katie G]

My point is that there isn't any time of year that they can say has reduced demand. There's damn busy, even busier, and "Oh Hell No."

Doesn't that count as 3 seasons? Even if you don't call it a slow, moderate, and busy season, there are clearly times of year that are busier than others. And not all parks are as busy as the MK, so the "damn busy" season at MK might actually be slow at AK.

 

[Katie G]

I think they would be nuts to do this. But your gold ticket calculation only applies to July and the first week of August. The rest of the year has all 3 tiers sprinkled in most trips.

Still doesn't make it OK to raise a MK ticket up to $125 after just breaking the $100 barrier.

On one of the forums discussing this survey, they said a question was included about willingness to pay a higher rate to guarantee lower attendance. So would you be willing to pay that additional $20 to guarantee that you were in the park on a high demanded day with less crowds? I know I would.

 

[bhg469]

Isn't that what they're banking on?

Absolutely! They do nothing to entice repeat customers. The only thing I can think of that makes people return is that intangible pixie dust that IMO hasn't existed for at least 10 years now.

 

[MKCP 1985]

Disney could raise these CMs wages and it wouldn't negatively impact the bottom line all that much. Happy employees are good for business...and good for fostering, in employees, that special magic Disney is known for....which makes for a better experience for customers.

But this is hardly a Disney-only problem...especially in a state like Florida.

You've touched on what I believe is part of the unacknowledged change in Disney over the past generation. When I actually was an MKCP in 1985, we were paid what I considered to be well over minimum wage to do a minimum wage job. Disney "only" employed about 10,000 people at the time and the Disney recruiters boasted that only 1 in 5 applicants for open positions were hired.

Fast forward 30 years (has it really been that many? wow) and Disney has what, 50,000 employees? in Central Florida and from what I am told seems to have an attitude of "you'll do" in the hiring process at times. Orlando area friends with teens tell me Universal is the place to work. I am afraid the "Disney magic" is becoming a joke in some quarters and I don't say that because I am mad at Disney or no longer enjoy the parks because I do. But remember the tv commercial last Christmas where the mom is doing her stressed out shopping for a princess house that won't fit in her car and the sales clerk wishes her a magical day or words to that effect? I recall the mother's reaction was, to put it nicely, "yeah, right."

The change in compensation and perks to cast members - who are we kidding, they are employees - along with the change in allowing rides to operate when major show elements are decidedly out of order (Everest, Dinosaur, Splash Mountain at times), the homogenization of parks and resorts under the "Disney Parks" brand, neglect of monorail transportation, etc. etc. - this all goes along with the "it's good enough" philosophy that maximizes profits and share price. Sign o the times and unlikely to change, it would seem.

edit: good job raising the pay, a move long overdue and one has to question why that was ever allowed to occur anyway.

 

[space42]

On one of the forums discussing this survey, they said a question was included about willingness to pay a higher rate to guarantee lower attendance. So would you be willing to pay that additional $20 to guarantee that you were in the park on a high demanded day with less crowds? I know I would.

I'd pay a higher price to guarantee more attractions be built. Oh wait - we already are paying more - for less.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/28/s...rruption-charges-blatter-isnt-among-them.html

 

[Cesar R M]

Actually it makes the poster look less intelligent and unable to hold up their side of a discussion or argument. A quick meme or GIF response is just dismissive, rude and sometimes insulting. Disrespecting fellow members is not the way we should act. We are all guilty of saying the wrong thing at times but I tend to believe for the most part we have a fairly intelligent and respectful group here on the forums. I may be giving some too much credit though.

There is a huge difference in using it as "holding up" (or protect a real lack of argument).
I find them funny when used correctly (or as reaction).
Also, trust me.. there are certain individuals that DESERVE just a quick meme gift as response, because they're not worth a full answer.

I Also find your argument funny. The part where you say it makes someone less intelligent.
Inteligence will always be better mediated on what people do not what they say.