am i the only one?

[epcot71]

i have been going to disney world since 71-the first year it opened. i have seen many changes-some good some bad. one of the bad i want to comment about is since last march allowing males to have a mustach.now keep in mind my own dad sports a full beard so im not knocking facial hair in general but disney has been known for its super clean parks and super clean cut squeeky clean cast members.most guests dont really careabout this at all but my point is if u will lower ur standards(since the 50's at disneyland) for this what comes next????-visible tatooes,nose rings, and purple hair-i was just at wdw last month and noticed the newly hired cast members who came aboard with mustach didnt really fit the disney squeeky clean look-not just their facial hair but there shirts were hanging out and they looked not happy to be there-im not saying that makes them bad but once u start loosening the strings alot more slips through the cracks

 

[Ariel]

I wouldn't care so much for appearance of facial hair. But sloppiness and attitude are what's important, most especially attitude. I would hate to see Disney allow their employees to slack off on the attitude that they have always seemed to have. That is one thing they have always been known for, so to see that slipping would be rather disappointing.

 

[Tramp]

Originally posted by Ariel
I wouldn't care so much for appearance of facial hair. But sloppiness and attitude are what's important, most especially attitude. I would hate to see Disney allow their employees to slack off on the attitude that they have always seemed to have. That is one thing they have always been known for, so to see that slipping would be rather disappointing.

Funny you should mention this.....
the thing I noticed first this trip was a substantial number of cast members with noticeable apathetic attitudes. This was prevalent not only in the theme parks, but in the hotels and restaurants as well. Too bad...but Disney is experiencing the same recruitment problems for low wage jobs as many other companies and may be forced to hire mediocre employees and/or change the appearance standards to accommodate them.

 

[Rooster]

Originally posted by Tramp



Funny you should mention this.....
the thing I noticed first this trip was a substantial number of cast members with noticeable apathetic attitudes. This was prevalent not only in the theme parks, but in the hotels and restaurants as well. Too bad...but Disney is experiencing the same recruitment problems for low wage jobs as many other companies and may be forced to hire mediocre employees and/or change the appearance standards to accommodate them.

You hit the nail on the head. With unemployment as low as it is in places. The only people without jobs are the ones that don't want one. I was a Hotel GM and was just happy if people would pass the drug screening and police backround check. Sometimes you have to hire people you would probably not otherwise just because their is nobody else or the other choices are even worse. This goes for line level management as well.

 

[Debbie]

Boy, have times have changed! I remember when I first went to work in 1980, I was 16 and willing to work for my own clothes, eat where I wanted, and get my own wheels. I noticed the workforce really got an attitude in the '90's. The employees attitute was "screw you, I don't work past five, on holidays, or weekends." People nowdays do not believe in starting from the bottom and working to the top. They want seniority from the get go. I am sorry to see Disney be affected by this general attitude but I figured it would catch up with them sooner or later. Everywhere I would go around the Outlet malls on International Drive had help wanted signs and with all the construction going on, I wondered how everyone would staff their business with quality help. They can't. The younger generation, for the most part, has never been hungry or without. People don't have as many kids as back then, and they can give their kids everything we didn't have. So, why should this generation bust when they know they don't have too?

 

[Rooster]

Originally posted by Debbie
Boy, have times have changed! I remember when I first went to work in 1980, I was 16 and willing to work for my own clothes, eat where I wanted, and get my own wheels. I noticed the workforce really got an attitude in the '90's. The employees attitute was "screw you, I don't work past five, on holidays, or weekends." People nowdays do not believe in starting from the bottom and working to the top. They want seniority from the get go. I am sorry to see Disney be affected by this general attitude but I figured it would catch up with them sooner or later. Everywhere I would go around the Outlet malls on International Drive had help wanted signs and with all the construction going on, I wondered how everyone would staff their business with quality help. They can't. The younger generation, for the most part, has never been hungry or without. People don't have as many kids as back then, and they can give their kids everything we didn't have. So, why should this generation bust when they know they don't have too?

Debbie you and I are the same generation. I couldn't agree with you more on most of your comments. I do know there are some hard workers out there however. I have quite a few working for me. Unlike my hotel GM position I now work for a company that quickly eliminates inadequate employees and strongly rewards excellence. No more warm body syndrome. I'm happy as a lark.

Oh and on a lighter note. You have got to stop using terms like "back then" and "younger generation" We are not that old!!!!

 

[MickeyMoose15]

Attitude is the number one thing for a cast member when it comes to me then its appearance. If the attitude is bad, the magic is lost and I have a bad time.

 

[epcot71]

what i have noticed

im 30 ft myers fla-im 3 hours from my favorite place in the universe-i go twice a year maybe sometimes more.i have noticed through my 30 years going to disney-first year i was one-pics with me in plaid bell bottoms-he he-anyway i think the best years of the parks-between positive cast members and the park being top notch in the way it was kept clean-was1985-1990.i dont know why but every time i went it was perfect -after that is seemed to slip-any comments.-maybe eisner being there since 84 was in his -watch what i can do stage

 

[RogueHabit]

I had never really notice this before, until March when I out there for a week. Maybe it was just the fact that I normally visit in high season and in March it was very quiet. But it was especially visible in the restaurants and food kiosks.

I refuse to feel guilty for interupting a conversation to be served my coke, it's what they are paid for!!!

 

[markymark]

The attitude of the CM is the most important issue, I realise it was a departure, the allowing facial hair issue, but as long as the service you get is just as good, then fine. I dread the day when Disney CM's treat you in the same apathetic manner that you get in Universal or IOA (yes I know this is a huge generalisation, but it's just my personal experience) is the day when Disney really need to get their act together.

I just like the Disney idea of you being a "guest" the day this slips will be a very sad day indeed.

 

[popkid]

Originally posted by markymark
I dread the day when Disney CM's treat you in the same apathetic manner that you get in Universal or IOA (yes I know this is a huge generalisation, but it's just my personal experience)

i was just going to say that at least it's not as bad as over at IOA, but yes, I also dread the day it gets to that (if it gets to that)... i don't think it's a 'huge generalisation', i think it's just the truth...

 

[mightyduck]

I have to agree that in the past 10 years, service has slipped tremendously. I saw a CM sent to guard the door of the pin trading area on Sunday night refuse to let a man in at 8:58 pm because they were closed despite the fact that he was carrying a small child and on a radio with his wife in a wheelchair who needed him to come inside to get her. There's no excuse for that. Only when he started freaking out did they let him in, but it had already caused a scene. I remember when that was the last thing they wanted...

Some of the CMs don't seem to be buying into the whole idea, and that's disappointing. My father was so angry with the way they treated us for New Years 2000 he said it was his last visit to the mouse...

I hope not, because it makes him happy to go, but I understand why he feels that way.

 

[Sheri]

There was a time they would let people with long hair go into the park at DisneyLand! It doesnt bother me much but as long as the CM's are as freindly as they were the timez I've been there, I'll keep going back.
But dont some people have to go somewhere before they can work there, like, Sparkle Camp or something? Soundz crazy but one of my teachers told me her sistar or someone had to do that.

 

[epcot71]

not sparkle camp but close

before an interview an applicant will watch a short video -called the disney look-then u will fill out application and interview.you are given a small booklet outlining disney grooming standards-males now can have neatly trimmed mustach-but no beards or go-tees-must have neatly groomed short hair-no punk or radical cuts.no visible tatooes or piercings -that are visible-one ring per hand-this might have been laxed over last couple of years.
first day at disney traditions orientation class if u for some reason did not get the hint about the grooming standards between interview,video ,and booklet then u are politely taken aside and asked to shave,hair-cut or fix any other infraction-if u refuse u are asked to leave-have a disney day

 

[Fievel]

I saw that video...i was checking out the college program, but I decided against it because i had to move in the middle of summer. The funniest part is watching people getting excited about being a trash sweeper at disney. If it was anyplace else, we'd get upset if that's what they had us move to another state to do. But because it's disney it's all good. It's not the only job you can get with the college program, but let's say that if it's your first year, chances are you won't be getting a glamour position.

 

[Sheri]

Disney's pretty strict about some stuff huh?