Cuts coming to every area of parks and resorts - thanks to Shanghai and Paris

[COProgressFan]

I agree, I've been in so many dirty bathrooms, it's just disgusting. I wish the Exec's would have to clean the bathrooms.

Or even just have to use them! I'd love to see top execs actually visit the parks without plaid guides, backdoor entrances, and VIP access. Just show up one day, bring lots of money, and experience things like we all do. Then ask themselves if this is the experience they feel is appropriate for their customers.

Funny, I know a company where people in charge use to do just that....

 

[betty rose]

Or even just have to use them! I'd love to see top execs actually visit the parks without plaid guides, backdoor entrances, and VIP access. Just show up one day, bring lots of money, and experience things like we all do. Then ask themselves if this is the experience they feel is appropriate for their customers.

Funny, I know a company where people in charge use to do just that....

Yes. Me too. I miss that company a lot.

 

[Cesar R M]

I think this is more due to guest behaviour than the standard of cleaning. People now think it is acceptable to leave toilets a mess as someone will clean after them. 60 years ago people had a lot more respect for others.

IT scares me how many people do not even wash their hands after using the restrooms.

 

[ford91exploder]

Or even just have to use them! I'd love to see top execs actually visit the parks without plaid guides, backdoor entrances, and VIP access. Just show up one day, bring lots of money, and experience things like we all do. Then ask themselves if this is the experience they feel is appropriate for their customers.

Funny, I know a company where people in charge use to do just that....

As I recall it was called The Walt Disney Company...

 

[betty rose]

As I recall it was called The Walt Disney Company...

It sure was.

 

[BernardandBianca]

From today's Orlando Sentinel:
"Thee Reedy Creek Improvement District on Wednesday added $4 million to the $360 million budget for improving transportation around Disney Springs. Reedy Creek is a Disney-controlled taxing district. Disney is its primary taxpayer. Extra costs were about $4.7 million but were offset by a $750,000 decrease in the Buena Vista Drive reconstruction price tag.

Most of the extra money covers increased expenses in parking garages, which will cost $157 million."

Probably not a cause for the present cuts, but I don't think this would have helped avoid them. Wonder how much of this expense was for the electronics and sensors to let everyone know that a space is open in a row?

 

[habuma]

Just moments ago I saw this: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...citizens-of-hollywood-cut-20160229-story.html

CoH/HPW are one of my favorite ways to spend time in DHS, so this is a real bummer, not just for me but for those affected. At the same time I'm happy that it wasn't all of them and that I'll still get to see them on my next trip. With all that's changing in DHS, I've been fearful that CoH/HPW will go away completely. (And I recognize that they still may.)

Now hoping that they don't cut some of my favorites (Officer Peabody, Evie Starlight, Paige Turner, Dorma Nesmond, Jack Diamond).

 

[G00fyDad]

Wow, you couldn't be more incorrect. Stock Buybacks are essential, and actually shows a company is healthy by using excess cash on hand. That is finance 101. Price Increases have been annual every year Disney has operated (with maybe 2 or 3 years being the exception), so you are wrong there too. Want to take another swag at your doomsday post? Anemic reinvestment is also quite a stretch, you can get away with saying that about Epcot, but really every other area is getting plenty of reinvestment. Do you think when you post?

I was so confused by your post I actually had to click "show ignored content" in order to understand what you were talking about. Yeah. That's par for course for him. Back to ignoring him.

 

[Horizons '83]

I was so confused by your post I actually had to click "show ignored content" in order to understand what you were talking about. Yeah. That's par for course for him. Back to ignoring him.

The absurdity of his posts are just getting out of hand and getting quite annoying. It's become difficult to have real conversation sometimes.

 

[Brad Bishop]

Closing down half of DHS to make way for Star Wars, then taking 5 years to build it - is probably a smoke and mirrors way of saving money too.

I'm expecting the Millennium Falcon to be an elaborate pin station.

 

[note2001]

I think this is more due to guest behaviour than the standard of cleaning. People now think it is acceptable to leave toilets a mess as someone will clean after them. 60 years ago people had a lot more respect for others.

I think the sort of thinking that the older generations were more respectful and cleaner is just something we want to believe. My mom still tells stories of being a child traveling by train between Chicago and Boston several times a year, and how men would often miss the mark leaving the mess for 'someone else'.
If the restrooms are indeed in worse shape it is due to higher usage, and only the same (or less) manpower to keep them clean.

 

[celluloid]

Agreed. Murder, rape, and unkind people I think are just about the same as it has always been. There are just more people than ever so the negative is easier to notice.

I do think that the staffing has not increased the same amount. One Cast Member on a typical operating night typically makes the rounds of three or so bathrooms. That is their entire shift and it is one Cast Member, sometimes there is a bathroom floater(we used to laugh about that of course immaturely on the CP) who assists and helps on busy nights. But really. Two people constantly roaming the busiest and most visited bathrooms on the planet. Not enough, especially on Mainstreet where every guest passes by some of those restrooms at least twice in their day.

 

[DisneyGigi]

I just wanted to say, to all concerned about cuts- Take the time to contact Disney. Someone is reading the emails, and even though I didn't get any real answers about the cuts, I was told that guest's opinions will be taken into consideration on future plans. Take it with a grain of salt, but I did get a phone call after I emailed.(in about 12 hours) One thing that is for sure, if we don't say anything, we are saying it is okay. We can all fuss online all we want but take the time to write as well. What can it hurt?

 

[vinnya1726]

As I try and follow all these threads that talk about these cuts that are coming to the parks, it got me thinking if anyone had put together a detailed list of these cuts and maybe a detailed list of what is supposed to be coming this Summer. I have to believe that some of these cuts might have to do with the fact that in a few short months we are going to have Rivers of Light open, that according to what I have read on these boards will have 3 shows a night. That is going to need a full contingent of Cast Members, then they are adding the New Star Wars Stage show, those will be new cast members or at least some of them you would think, the new Fireworks Show in DHS, which I would think could be pretty expensive to run from the concept art. Frozen will open in Epcot at some point, and with that new cast members and a new meet in greet. I have seen rumors about other new characters as well coming the parks, so while these cuts are painful and do take away from some of the magic, sometimes you just cannot add something without taking something away. I run a two million dollar budget in a private school, and even though I raise tuition, I have to make difficult decisions and cut things I do not want to becuase their is no way I could raise tuition enough to cover the increases in costs. The increase in Medical over the last six years has gone up nearly 10% each year, and I am sure a company Disney's size has to deal with those increases many times more than I do. I am not saying that this is good, and I am not saying I am happy with any of this, but I do think this story has many more layers to it than we realize. I only wish Disney, that Mr. Iger would get up and have a press conference and answers some of these questions, throw in a few questions why Disney can't seem to build as quickly as we like and maybe we will get some answers, but then again that would take away the fun of reading everyone taking out the pitch forks.

 

[JoeCamel]

As I try and follow all these threads that talk about these cuts that are coming to the parks, it got me thinking if anyone had put together a detailed list of these cuts and maybe a detailed list of what is supposed to be coming this Summer. I have to believe that some of these cuts might have to do with the fact that in a few short months we are going to have Rivers of Light open, that according to what I have read on these boards will have 3 shows a night. That is going to need a full contingent of Cast Members, then they are adding the New Star Wars Stage show, those will be new cast members or at least some of them you would think, the new Fireworks Show in DHS, which I would think could be pretty expensive to run from the concept art. Frozen will open in Epcot at some point, and with that new cast members and a new meet in greet. I have seen rumors about other new characters as well coming the parks, so while these cuts are painful and do take away from some of the magic, sometimes you just cannot add something without taking something away. I run a two million dollar budget in a private school, and even though I raise tuition, I have to make difficult decisions and cut things I do not want to becuase their is no way I could raise tuition enough to cover the increases in costs. The increase in Medical over the last six years has gone up nearly 10% each year, and I am sure a company Disney's size has to deal with those increases many times more than I do. I am not saying that this is good, and I am not saying I am happy with any of this, but I do think this story has many more layers to it than we realize. I only wish Disney, that Mr. Iger would get up and have a press conference and answers some of these questions, throw in a few questions why Disney can't seem to build as quickly as we like and maybe we will get some answers, but then again that would take away the fun of reading everyone taking out the pitch forks.

One huge difference. Are you responsible to show stockholders a year over year growth in the profits of your school?

The company has decided that rather than grow income they will reduce costs to show the expected growth and prevent a mass exodus of the institutional investors that own the stock in mutual funds, pension funds and brokerages. If the company does not return the numbers year over year they take their money out and buy others that do.

Some companies choose to find new customers, some choose to charge their existing customers more each year.

 

[vinnya1726]

One huge difference. Are you responsible to show stockholders a year over year growth in the profits of your school?

The company has decided that rather than grow income they will reduce costs to show the expected growth and prevent a mass exodus of the institutional investors that own the stock in mutual funds, pension funds and brokerages. If the company does not return the numbers year over year they take their money out and buy others that do.

Some companies choose to find new customers, some choose to charge their existing customers more each year.

No we do not, and I agree with what you are saying. I was just wondering how much is really being cut with all the stuff that is being cut. It probably is not important, but I tend to think that the biggest problem is Disney's lack of honesty or maybe Transparency with us the customers.

 

[ford91exploder]

One huge difference. Are you responsible to show stockholders a year over year growth in the profits of your school?

The company has decided that rather than grow income they will reduce costs to show the expected growth and prevent a mass exodus of the institutional investors that own the stock in mutual funds, pension funds and brokerages. If the company does not return the numbers year over year they take their money out and buy others that do.

Some companies choose to find new customers, some choose to charge their existing customers more each year.

The problem with this strategy is it ALWAYS ends in bankruptcy, I'll once again quote the Sage of Omaha "If you manage only for the bottom line, Soon you will not have a bottom line to manage" - Warren Buffet. Disney has done SQUAT to improve top line revenues under Iger relying instead on cuts and accounting tricks.

 

[ford91exploder]

No we do not, and I agree with what you are saying. I was just wondering how much is really being cut with all the stuff that is being cut. It probably is not important, but I tend to think that the biggest problem is Disney's lack of honesty or maybe Transparency with us the customers.

At one time Disney was a company who managed their products and services to give the best customer experience possible, i.e. managed like a luxury brand. Now Disney is simply just another multi-national real estate and IP holding company managed by a management team which does not give a whit about customer service or experience it's simply managed to maximize their portfolio value.

The irony here is now Disney is priced like a luxury brand, yet managed like a bottom tier retail brand.

 

[networkpro]

The problem with this strategy is it ALWAYS ends in bankruptcy, I'll once again quote the Sage of Omaha "If you manage only for the bottom line, Soon you will not have a bottom line to manage" - Warren Buffet. Disney has done SQUAT to improve top line revenues under Iger relying instead on cuts and accounting tricks.

Like Buffets investments in Walmart, Tesco, Dexter Shoes, and US Airways paid off so well. (minus billions)

 

[ford91exploder]

Like Buffets investments in Walmart, Tesco, Dexter Shoes, and US Airways paid off so well. (minus billions)

Yeah he's SUCH a loser, That's why a single share of BRKA is trading for $202,505 today.... Plus taking a loss also means he still knows how to take risks, Something that Iger and Co cannot do.