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

[cheezbat]

It's so obvious the cuts are already happening. I was at the Magic Kingdom today and it was far from a busy day...and yet three times I saw popcorn and trash scattered throughout Fantasyland...and each time it sat there, as I waited for my friends...easily ten minutes went by the first time before someone swept it up. The second time we walked past Peter Pan and returned about a half hour later and it was still there!
Also, using the restrooms near Space Mountain, 2 of the urinals wouldn't stop flushing and were almost overflowing, 2 hand sinks were clogged up, and only two of the five paper towel dispensers actually worked. Now these were all custodial related, but I also noticed fewer people staffed at attractions and service was the slowest I've ever seen at Pecos Bills.
The monorail was down too...supposedly for the automated pilot testing they're doing(eliminating human drivers)...more money saving.

For the ridiculous amount of cash these parks make, it sickens me that WDW seems to get shafted because of everyone else's underperformance.(I'm looking at you Paris, Hong Kong, and Shanghai!) If anything, we should see MORE in this resort.

 

[ToTBellHop]

It's so obvious the cuts are already happening. I was at the Magic Kingdom today and it was far from a busy day...and yet three times I saw popcorn and trash scattered throughout Fantasyland...and each time it sat there, as I waited for my friends...easily ten minutes went by the first time before someone swept it up. The second time we walked past Peter Pan and returned about a half hour later and it was still there!
Also, using the restrooms near Space Mountain, 2 of the urinals wouldn't stop flushing and were almost overflowing, 2 hand sinks were clogged up, and only two of the five paper towel dispensers actually worked. Now these were all custodial related, but I also noticed fewer people staffed at attractions and service was the slowest I've ever seen at Pecos Bills.
The monorail was down too...supposedly for the automated pilot testing they're doing(eliminating human drivers)...more money saving.

For the ridiculous amount of cash these parks make, it sickens me that WDW seems to get shafted because of everyone else's underperformance.(I'm looking at you Paris, Hong Kong, and Shanghai!) If anything, we should see MORE in this resort.

Just wait till they open up the fences and invite us to pee in the bushes. Environmentality.

 

[VJ]

I mean his ideals and what the company represented, not his "human" form.

That's not even his final form.

 

[fillerup]

This is nothing but speculation on my part but I'll throw it out there anyway.

It seems to me it's becoming increasingly possible that Sounds Like Summer concerts won't be returning this year. Typically the bands are booked by late December or early January and several of the usual suspects aren't showing WDW on their schedules.

Steve Soares' website is showing three groups but four slots still open. Additionally, if you click through Steve's links to the official Disney site, I'm unable to find any mention of these concerts. They talk about "Awaken Summer" and clicking the entertainmen links you'll get to meet Anna and Elsa, Frozen singalong, and Celebrity Spotlight - Coming soon. No mention of concerts.

Seems to me this would be an easy cut to make. They aren't needed to get people in the parks in July and they mostly matter to us local passholders. Most of you out of towners couldn't care less - understandably so.

If I'm right, my renewal decision is going to be mighty easy come September.

If anyone knows something I don't, please add.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

This is nothing but speculation on my part but I'll throw it out there anyway.

It seems to me it's becoming increasingly possible that Sounds Like Summer concerts won't be returning this year. Typically the bands are booked by late December or early January and several of the usual suspects aren't showing WDW on their schedules.

Steve Soares' website is showing three groups but four slots still open. Additionally, if you click through Steve's links to the official Disney site, I'm unable to find any mention of these concerts. They talk about "Awaken Summer" and clicking the entertainmen links you'll get to meet Anna and Elsa, Frozen singalong, and Celebrity Spotlight - Coming soon. No mention of concerts.

Seems to me this would be an easy cut to make. They aren't needed to get people in the parks in July and they mostly matter to us local passholders. Most of you out of towners couldn't care less - understandably so.

If I'm right, my renewal decision is going to be mighty easy come September.

If anyone knows something I don't, please add.

Looking back through wdwmagic news, the 2015 Sounds Like Summer concert series wasn't even announced until April 16th. There's still time.

 

[Cesar R M]

That's not even his final form.

 

[mimitchi33]

It's so obvious the cuts are already happening. I was at the Magic Kingdom today and it was far from a busy day...and yet three times I saw popcorn and trash scattered throughout Fantasyland...and each time it sat there, as I waited for my friends...easily ten minutes went by the first time before someone swept it up. The second time we walked past Peter Pan and returned about a half hour later and it was still there!
Also, using the restrooms near Space Mountain, 2 of the urinals wouldn't stop flushing and were almost overflowing, 2 hand sinks were clogged up, and only two of the five paper towel dispensers actually worked. Now these were all custodial related, but I also noticed fewer people staffed at attractions and service was the slowest I've ever seen at Pecos Bills.
The monorail was down too...supposedly for the automated pilot testing they're doing(eliminating human drivers)...more money saving.

For the ridiculous amount of cash these parks make, it sickens me that WDW seems to get shafted because of everyone else's underperformance.(I'm looking at you Paris, Hong Kong, and Shanghai!) If anything, we should see MORE in this resort.

Oh my goodness, that sounds terrible! I hope it's not like that when I go in April!

 

[stevehousse]

You know who isn't hurting from the cutbacks? All the executives!!! I find it scathing that they can claim Shanghai is the reason for cutbacks, but when you are making record billion dollar profits, and giving your execs hundred of thousands if not millions of dollars in bonuses, I see a huge problem. If the execs are making bad decisions involving the company, shouldn't it be them that suffer from not receiving those insane bonuses, saving the company money instead of making their guests pay the price? Corporate welfare at its finest. Walt would be ashamed...

 

[Cesar R M]

You know who isn't hurting from the cutbacks? All the executives!!! I find it scathing that they can claim Shanghai is the reason for cutbacks, but when you are making record billion dollar profits, and giving your execs hundred of thousands if not millions of dollars in bonuses, I see a huge problem. If the execs are making bad decisions involving the company, shouldn't it be them that suffer from not receiving those insane bonuses, saving the company money instead of making their guests pay the price? Corporate welfare at its finest. Walt would be ashamed...

And people still complain about "wealth redistribution". Pretty much its like that, from the masses, to the top.

 

[Next Big Thing]

2 of the urinals wouldn't stop flushing and were almost overflowing

I've come across this problem a few times in MK, mostly in my time as a CP (as custodial). The proper procedure is for the CM to call maintenance base and have a utility worker come and fix it.

Problem is, they normally take their sweet a** time in getting there. Or with staff cuts, just too many calls, not enough bodies is another reason.

 

[dstrawn9889]

I've come across this problem a few times in MK, mostly in my time as a CP (as custodial). The proper procedure is for the CM to call maintenance base and have a utility worker come and fix it.

Problem is, they normally take their sweet a** time in getting there. Or with staff cuts, just too many calls, not enough bodies is another reason.

flat-bladed screwdriver and turn the valve all the way anticlockwise... at least it would turn off the flow

 

[Sonconato]

How convenient that this thread surfaced again tonight. We were at MK tonight and we were rather surprised at a couple things we saw while walking through the Park. Could this be a result of the cuts?

This first photo is just outside Columbia House. There was trash on the ground as well but I had trouble getting this photo because so many people kept walking by.

This next one was in the Emporium and this is one of two that look exactly the same. I've never seen it like this before. Granted, it's awful that guests leave a mess but there probably just isn't enough CMs to keep up with this chaos.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

How convenient that this thread surfaced again tonight. We were at MK tonight and we were rather surprised at a couple things we saw while walking through the Park. Could this be a result of the cuts?

This first photo is just outside Columbia House. There was trash on the ground as well but I had trouble getting this photo because so many people kept walking by.
View attachment 134008

This next one was in the Emporium and this is one of two that look exactly the same. I've never seen it like this before. Granted, it's awful that guests leave a mess but there probably just isn't enough CMs to keep up with this chaos.
View attachment 134009

That's sad. I remember going down to the WDW back in 2004 for the first time as an adult (went in 1974) and was amazed how clean everything was kept. Even the bathrooms were spotless.

 

[Sonconato]

That's sad. I remember going down to the WDW back in 2004 for the first time as an adult (went in 1974) and was amazed how clean everything was kept. Even the bathrooms were spotless.

It is sad and this type of thing seems to be coming more the norm than not. It's hard to blame Disney totally since much of this is due to the lack of respect guests have for Disney, but making cuts is just wrong when they are bringing in record crowds.

 

[JoFu]

How convenient that this thread surfaced again tonight. We were at MK tonight and we were rather surprised at a couple things we saw while walking through the Park. Could this be a result of the cuts?

This first photo is just outside Columbia House. There was trash on the ground as well but I had trouble getting this photo because so many people kept walking by.
View attachment 134008

This next one was in the Emporium and this is one of two that look exactly the same. I've never seen it like this before. Granted, it's awful that guests leave a mess but there probably just isn't enough CMs to keep up with this chaos.
View attachment 134009

Cleanliness is supposed to be something Disney parks have over other parks, at least in my mind. Super sad sauce.

 

[ford91exploder]

flat-bladed screwdriver and turn the valve all the way anticlockwise... at least it would turn off the flow

Not in a union shop need a plumber to do that

 

[ford91exploder]

Cleanliness is supposed to be something Disney parks have over other parks, at least in my mind. Super sad sauce.

And until the last couple of years this was true even given the lack of respect shown by many of the guests.

But now we are seeing the effects of the "sharp pencil boys" Walt warned about decades ago.

 

[wdisney9000]

How convenient that this thread surfaced again tonight. We were at MK tonight and we were rather surprised at a couple things we saw while walking through the Park. Could this be a result of the cuts?

This first photo is just outside Columbia House. There was trash on the ground as well but I had trouble getting this photo because so many people kept walking by.
View attachment 134008

This next one was in the Emporium and this is one of two that look exactly the same. I've never seen it like this before. Granted, it's awful that guests leave a mess but there probably just isn't enough CMs to keep up with this chaos.
View attachment 134009

The pigeon holing will continue to get worse. Sure, you can still visit and have a nice time, but all those new first time guests that the company druels over may not be as inclined to return anytime soon after spending $8,000 for a 6 night stay and waiting in line for everything from their FP+ selections which they thought were "walk right up and get on the ride" to waiting in line for food or not being able to get and ADR at BOG and noticing that the parks and queues for rides are dirty. Let that same family have to switch their plans on the morning of and not be able to get decent FP+ selections or Dads MB fails to open the resort room door for the third time and he is back at the front desk for another ten minutes. They return home and tell family and friends they had a nice trip....BUT...the parks were dirty, EVERYTHING had a long wait, the MB failed a few times, couldnt get into BOG, and the whole FP+ thing isnt exactly what the magical Disney emails and videos made it out to be and the Frozen ride at Epcot was a 2 hour wait everyday. They will explain how if you dont have all of it planned and booked days or weeks in advance, forget about it. Its not exactly a sales pitch and its definitely not the description a family would have given after returning from a trip in the 80's 90's or early 2000's.

My brother just got back from a week long trip. Said they had a wonderful time. Told me all the stories of the kids having fun and showed me all the pictures. He eventually got to the "but" and told me about the several trips to GR, MB failing at room door, complete chaos of crowds in MK, MDE crashing several times a day, etc

 

[raven]

How convenient that this thread surfaced again tonight. We were at MK tonight and we were rather surprised at a couple things we saw while walking through the Park. Could this be a result of the cuts?

This first photo is just outside Columbia House. There was trash on the ground as well but I had trouble getting this photo because so many people kept walking by.
View attachment 134008

Ah, yes. Sometimes this is simply due to the Custodial CM (or CP) taking a nap in the break room or hanging with friends instead of doing their duties. Not saying this is, but that happens rather frequently in custodial as management never monitors them.

 

[FigmentForver96]

The pigeon holing will continue to get worse. Sure, you can still visit and have a nice time, but all those new first time guests that the company druels over may not be as inclined to return anytime soon after spending $8,000 for a 6 night stay and waiting in line for everything from their FP+ selections which they thought were "walk right up and get on the ride" to waiting in line for food or not being able to get and ADR at BOG and noticing that the parks and queues for rides are dirty. Let that same family have to switch their plans on the morning of and not be able to get decent FP+ selections or Dads MB fails to open the resort room door for the third time and he is back at the front desk for another ten minutes. They return home and tell family and friends they had a nice trip....BUT...the parks were dirty, EVERYTHING had a long wait, the MB failed a few times, couldnt get into BOG, and the whole FP+ thing isnt exactly what the magical Disney emails and videos made it out to be and the Frozen ride at Epcot was a 2 hour wait everyday. They will explain how if you dont have all of it planned and booked days or weeks in advance, forget about it. Its not exactly a sales pitch and its definitely not the description a family would have given after returning from a trip in the 80's 90's or early 2000's.

My brother just got back from a week long trip. Said they had a wonderful time. Told me all the stories of the kids having fun and showed me all the pictures. He eventually got to the "but" and told me about the several trips to GR, MB failing at room door, complete chaos of crowds in MK, MDE crashing several times a day, etc

I'm sorry you guys had such a negative time. We just came back and our trip was pretty much spectacular. Nice service, bands worked flawlessly, low crowds, we virtually waited no more then twenty minutes for anything!