Are we arrogant?

[CP_alum08]

Just a thought I had today...

I was listening to a Harry Potter podcast today, yes, I enjoy that too, and they were talking about IOA and the Wizarding World. They were saying how great WWoHP was but that it would never live up to what the Disney parks are. They stated all the obvious differences between the two; CM friendliness, overall cleanliness, etc. etc., but they were still willing to admit that the competitor was superior. I see the total opposite in the Disney fan base. A great deal believe that Disney is the best and dismiss everything else solely on the fact that it is NOT Disney. I thoroughly enjoy the WWoHP and think the attention to detail and theming is just about as close to Disney's as you can get and even better in some cases.

I understand that people are entitled to their opinions and that's great, but does anyone else think that we as a Disney fan base are just too arrogant to ever accept anything as an equal to Disney, regardless of what it is?

 

[Pioneer Hall]

First off, I think that a lot of people have been willing to say that WWoHP is as good as it gets at the current time. However, to the bulk of your question...I don't think it has to do with Disney as much as just taking something that has a huge fan following. We as fans are incredibly loyal to Disney and tend to stick it out through good and bad. For some, loyalty to anything can help you overlook the negatives of something. However, this certainly doesn't apply to just Disney.

 

[Dwarful]

Personally, I think it is easier to become a bit arrogant w/Disney...we have a familiar and well loved person to make that connection...Walt Disney. Our love of Walt makes us love the parks...and maybe without thinking about it we feel that being critical of the parks is being critical to the memory of Walt....I don't know, just a thought.

BTW: Our group loved IoA...HP and are taking 2 days out of our summer trip 2012 to go back.

 

[PyroKinesis]

Well... if the competition admitted it, why can't we?

 

[Hakunamatata]

I don't think you can lump everyone together as "we" the Disney Fan Base. I'm a big Disney fan, but don't dismiss everything else as inferior. Example, we visited Dolly Wood a couple years back and really enjoyed it.

 

[Timekeeper]

I understand that people are entitled to their opinions and that's great, but does anyone else think that we as a Disney fan base are just too arrogant to ever accept anything as an equal to Disney, regardless of what it is?

Well, think about where you are posting your question and who your audience is. This is a Disney fan website, frequented by who I refer to as Disney disciples. Any post that brings into question or otherwise appears to critique Disney's practices is immediately met with disagreement, and sometimes hostility.

By way of analogy, bringing up anything non-Disney as potentially superior to Disney on these boards is like discussing president Obama's effectiveness on a republican discussion forum. You'd be hard pressed to find such a strong level of bias in any other medium. Disney fan fellowship is at a cult-like level here. And that's fine, there's nothing wrong with Disney fans gathering together to discuss various topics online, but don't expect to convert any Disney disciples as to the superiority of the Wizarding World, or anything else for that matter.

Now, if you opened the comparison up for discussion on a Universal fan board...

 

[britdaw]

Taking into consideration a couple of other things I am a fan of, I think that it's not so much Disney fans, but fans in general. Honestly, anytime you have a big following of anything, the true diehard fans of that thing are going to think there is absolutely nothing better than what they love. And considering the type of fans we have here, I think you're probably asking the wrong crowd if Disney fans are arrogant.

 

[SMS55]

I wouldn't call it arrogant. Disney does put out a great product and service. It has established a reputation and followed it up with great marketing which we have all bought into. The "well it's not Disney" isn't about arrogance but good marketing by Disney.

 

[wm49rs]

There's posh tossers in any fan base. Doesn't make Disney ones any better or worse....

 

[Tom Morrow]

Regarding employee friendliness, lately I've found that Universal has been at least just as good as Disney. Maybe less individual CMs here and there willing to go "above and beyond", but as a whole, about the same. In fact I've found that Universal's TMs are more willing to theme their location these days than Disney CMs.

 

[Timekeeper]

I wouldn't call it arrogant. Disney does put out a great product and service. It has established a reputation and followed it up with great marketing which we have all bought into. The "well it's not Disney" isn't about arrogance but good marketing by Disney.

There are a lot of people out there (and maybe even some on this board, gasp!) who think that the Disney product and service - particularly the service - has been going downhill, and is no longer of the caliber on which Disney was founded.

 

[ddbowdoin]

There are a lot of people out there (and maybe even some on this board, gasp!) who think that the Disney product and service - particularly the service - has been going downhill, and is no longer of the caliber on which Disney was founded.

I guess that has to be an older generation... I'm 26 and my past two trips were fantastic, parks were pretty clean and no maintenance issues (besides the obvious EE). I guess I can't look back on late 80's early 90's times though.

 

[Timekeeper]

I guess that has to be an older generation... I'm 26 and my past two trips were fantastic, parks were pretty clean and no maintenance issues (besides the obvious EE). I guess I can't look back on late 80's early 90's times though.

One of the criticisms is that the Disney college program (cheap labor using young adults) is a major variable that has lead to a decline in customer service. You can teach young and eager employees as to what's in the handbook, but there's no substitute for the experience that only comes with time, and therefore, age.

The good news is that, as customer service has declined across the board in virtually all industries, Disney remains to be better than most.

 

[ddbowdoin]

One of the criticisms is that the Disney college program (cheap labor using young adults) is a major variable that has lead to a decline in customer service. You can teach young and eager employees as to what's in the handbook, but there's no substitute for the experience that only comes with time, and therefore, age.

The good news is that, as customer service has declined across the board in virtually all industries, Disney remains to be better than most.

I agree... people always remind me of department stores and how you had professional people, typically who were older, working and helping and were very knowledgeable. Now you have the 19 year old who greats you with a "yeah, can I help you? (as she's playing with her phone)"

 

[CP_alum08]

I don't think you can lump everyone together as "we" the Disney Fan Base. I'm a big Disney fan, but don't dismiss everything else as inferior. Example, we visited Dolly Wood a couple years back and really enjoyed it.

I was saying "we" because from an outsiders perspective we are a community as a whole. I included myself in that "we" and obviously I don't think like that!

One of the criticisms is that the Disney college program (cheap labor using young adults) is a major variable that has lead to a decline in customer service. You can teach young and eager employees as to what's in the handbook, but there's no substitute for the experience that only comes with time, and therefore, age.

The good news is that, as customer service has declined across the board in virtually all industries, Disney remains to be better than most.

Abso-freaking-lutely and I was a CP There are still those who take it seriously, but there was and still is a bigger group that doesn't. Which I didn't understand then and still don't now, why come and work for a place like Disney if you aren't going to act the part and want to go above and beyond?

I understand what you all meant about posting it here, but that is basically the point I was making; posting anything competing with Disney here gets ambushed and criticized, on the HP podcast they were able to talk about WDW in a respectful and almost flattering manner.

 

[Prototype82]

Cast members are five bajillion times friendlier at the Wizarding World. Unless you're in the Japan Pavilion. Then it's a tie.

 

[princessrachel!]

well i think that once youve experienced Disney its hard to go anywhere else without comparing them and eventually saying Disney is superior. I dont plan on going to universal or any other theme parks only because i know i wont enjoy it as much as WDW. WDW is my favorite place and its hard to admit that anywhere else is remotely close to it

 

[Prototype82]

well i think that once youve experienced Disney its hard to go anywhere else without comparing them and eventually saying Disney is superior. I dont plan on going to universal or any other theme parks only because i know i wont enjoy it as much as WDW. WDW is my favorite place and its hard to admit that anywhere else is remotely close to it

You really don't know what you're missing by planning on skipping the most innovative theme park attraction in the world...

 

[SyracuseOrange]

Cast members are five bajillion times friendlier at the Wizarding World. Unless you're in the Japan Pavilion. Then it's a tie.

Really? I've never encountered anyone rude there.

 

[Prototype82]

Really? I've never encountered anyone rude there.

It's been quite some time but I dealt with a kind of snide cast member at the Living Seas. Of course, that was years ago... WDW really does have a kind and pleasant cast. I've always enjoyed talking to World Showcase cast members. In Japan, the hospitality is amazing. They always start up conversations with you. Still, when I went to the Wizarding World, I've never interacted with so many cast members in my life. They always chat with me high-fiving me over my Hufflepuff scarf. Two cast members would just chat with me and my sister while they cleaned around my table. It was the best feeling in the world. It just felt personal.