Adventureland Veranda - Skipper Canteen restaurant

MarkTwain

Well-Known Member
"Should have been"? What kind of entitled nonsense is that? I'm sure there are lines of people willing to do it for minimum wage. If you didn't like it, you were free to transfer or never take the job in the first place. I assume the expectations and compensation were clear to you when you took the position? And you AGREED to those conditions? Why would you agree to something so clearly beneath your vast talents?

That's not the point. There are tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of aspiring singers that would love to sing on Broadway. There are probably an equal number of talented designers and Disney fans that would die to be an Imagineer.

That doesn't mean Broadway singers or Imagineers should make minimum wage just because they're easily replaceable, and they could find someone to work for that much. Those are challenging jobs, and the people that work them should be compensated accordingly.

Being a Disney cast member is also a challenging job. You must deal with difficult guests, who may speak many languages, in a fast-paced and hectic working environment, to Disney's high standards of etiquette and professionalism, all while keeping a smile on your face.

Being a Jungle Cruise skipper is even more challenging. You must do all those things, while being stared at by a boat-full of people staring at or filming you, and then try to get them to laugh. All while operating a boat. Backwards. In a job that doesn't provide a single moment of air-conditioning, even in its breakroom.

They deserve much more than minimum wage.
 

MarkTwain

Well-Known Member
I have to say, I really love this idea overall. :) While I agree with @lazyboy97o that it does continue Disney's obsession with being self-referential, I think in this case the source material (the Jungle Cruise) is definitely worthy of having its themes explored a little bit more. Honestly, the idea works perfectly for a restaurant. Themed "entertainment" dining like Prime-Time Cafe and Whispering Canyon are both fun and popular, and hopefully this restaurant will take be popular enough to take some strain off Be Our Guest and Cindy's Place.

As for the backstory... it's certainly unfortunate and maybe a bit insensitive, but I really doubt it was anything intentional. The Imagineers who came up with the backstory are likely clueless as to what being a front-line cast member is like, and I'm guessing the managers who signed off on it didn't thing much about it either.
 

Eckert

Well-Known Member
As a theme park employee, I think the backstory for the Jungle Cruise Cafe is quite clever and very in line for the Jungle Cruise brand of humor. I've heard enough skippers take jabs at themselves for being paid minimum wage to know that it's something they accept and understand. I'm pretty sure one of the criteria for being a good Jungle Cruise Skipper is to be able to make fun of yourself.

And besides, nobody is laughing at the Skippers; they're laughing with them. They are Disney World rock stars!
 

Imagineerwannabe

Active Member
This was just posted front page on Yahoo...

http://www.eater.com/2015/3/23/8280...ntial-jungle-cruise-themed-restaurant-alcohol

Let the controversy over alcohol begin!

I'd be curious if their source of the potential for alcohol was something they read here. :hilarious:

Given the revised price point of the new format wishes dessert party at $49 per person and the statement regarding offering "sparkling cider" in the same way the EPCOT illuminations dessert party offers sparkling prosecco in the $49 price, it's possibly an indicator of an already changed attitude to serving alcoholic beverages under certain restrictions in MK.
 

lebeau

Well-Known Member
All it would take to appease those "offended" is to tweak the story to say, JC Skippers opened a restaurant to capitalize on the popularity of their cruises. Problem(I use that term loosely) solved.

Exactly. It's an easy fix. Most people probably won't even be aware of the backstory. But for those who are, the "skippers are underpaid" version is problematic. I don't work for Disney, but the first thing that came to my mind when I heard this was "Is that really a good idea for a company that is constantly under fire for paying their employees poorly?"

It's such an easy issue to sidestep. Hopefully it's a non-issue.

I like the overall concept. It's actually what I have been hoping for. Hopefully the execution is there.
 

CaptainAmerica

Premium Member
Exactly. It's an easy fix. Most people probably won't even be aware of the backstory. But for those who are, the "skippers are underpaid" version is problematic. I don't work for Disney, but the first thing that came to my mind when I heard this was "Is that really a good idea for a company that is constantly under fire for paying their employees poorly?"

It's such an easy issue to sidestep. Hopefully it's a non-issue.

I like the overall concept. It's actually what I have been hoping for. Hopefully the execution is there.
Disney does not pay their employees poorly. Disney pays their employees market rates. Food service employees make food service wages, animal keepers make animal keeper wages, and finance managers make finance manager wages. The problem is that some people looove Disney so much that they try to make a career out of a job that's really not meant to be a "career" type job. There are opportunities for advancement from those roles, but people who never leave the "front lines" can't expect to make more than "front line" pay.
 

NYwdwfan

Well-Known Member
Being a Jungle Cruise skipper is even more challenging. You must do all those things, while being stared at by a boat-full of people staring at or filming you, and then try to get them to laugh. All while operating a boat. Backwards. In a job that doesn't provide a single moment of air-conditioning, even in its breakroom.

I'm curious - I thought the boat is on a track - how much is controlled by the skipper?
 

lebeau

Well-Known Member
Disney does not pay their employees poorly. Disney pays their employees market rates. Food service employees make food service wages, animal keepers make animal keeper wages, and finance managers make finance manager wages. The problem is that some people looove Disney so much that they try to make a career out of a job that's really not meant to be a "career" type job. There are opportunities for advancement from those roles, but people who never leave the "front lines" can't expect to make more than "front line" pay.

You're ranting for no reason. I didn't say Disney pays their employees poorly (although I do hold that opinion).

Whether or not you believe that castmembers are paid a fair wage is irrelevant. Regardless of whether or not their pay is fair, the perception is out there that Disney pays its employees poorly. It is a frequent topic of conversation. Disney would do well not to call attention to it.
 

NYwdwfan

Well-Known Member
I'm not a CM but the impression I've always had the the skipper controls the motor thrust, but the track provides the steering.

OK - that's what I thought. When the poster said the part I quoted in bold (all while operating a boat) I thought I may be wrong about the track.
 

Jon81uk

Well-Known Member
OK - that's what I thought. When the poster said the part I quoted in bold (all while operating a boat) I thought I may be wrong about the track.
I wonder what would happen if they forgot and left the motor on full thrust for the entire ride circilt? I assume you would hit the boat in front of you eventually, but I guess there could also be corners that the boat can't take at speed! Man overboard!
 

NYwdwfan

Well-Known Member
I wonder what would happen if they forgot and left the motor on full thrust for the entire ride circilt? I assume you would hit the boat in front of you eventually, but I guess there could also be corners that the boat can't take at speed! Man overboard!

I'm guessing it would be a similar ride to when I floored the car on the speedway and my son decided not to turn the wheel. At all. Not once.
 

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