Disappointed in Operations Manager

[Magic Maker]

I love Animal Kingdom.

It is my favorite park.

I will not ever ride Everest, (please don't bother trying to convince me, it just doesn't happen) but I still love the story and detail. My boyfriend's 14 year old son is in town for the week and we have been busy doing other things, the finale of the trip was to be a visit to Animal Kingdom and a ride on Everest.

We arrive at 3:30pm and low behold the typical afternoon thunderstorm shows up thus closing E:E. So we venture off to do other things.
Long story short for the next 3 and half hours it's raining. We get off Safari at 7pm and viola! It's gorgeous out. So I ask one of the CMs I used to work with to call to see if E:E is still down.

It is.

Even though the park has one hour of operation left, and there is not a rain cloud or chance of lightning around miles and miles, Everest was kept close.

My theory is that the CMs were told to go home and clock out as to save on payroll. I could totally understand that decision, however, we have had record numbers recently and have been plowing Everest marketing down everyone's throats. But on a Friday afternoon, during Easter / Spring Break it was kept closed. It just seems wrong.

It concerns me that Everest will be shut down for the typical afternoon thunderstorm ad then not reopened if it is too close to closing time. Although an hour is not close in my opinion.

 

[cameraguy]

That really stinks. I hope it's not like that when I go down there this summer.

 

[WDWKat26]

Well...like you said that's your theory. I could understand where you're coming from, but even though EE is such a popular ride, with one hour left I can see why they did not open it again. Plus, it was Extra Magic Hours right?

Anyway, if it was still soft openings I would probably agree with you a little more...but I wouldn't go so far as to bash an Operations Manager's judgement over an hour early closing.

 

[NemoRocks78]

I've had that thought many of times concerning this and other attractions....

 

[Computer Magic]

Well...like you said that's your theory. I could understand where you're coming from, but even though EE is such a popular ride, with one hour left I can see why they did not open it again. Plus, it was Extra Magic Hours right?

Anyway, if it was still soft openings I would probably agree with you a little more...but I wouldn't go so far as to bash an Operations Manager's judgement over an hour early closing.

Remember this is suppose to be a Magical Place. AK needs to take in account the guests. There are people on their last day and want to enjoy as much as possible.

Let's look at it from a guest Perceptive. :wave:

 

[Computer Magic]

I've had that thought many of times concerning this and other attractions....

I agree.

 

[imagineersrock]

I love Animal Kingdom.

It is my favorite park.

I will not ever ride Everest, (please don't bother trying to convince me, it just doesn't happen) but I still love the story and detail. My boyfriend's 14 year old son is in town for the week and we have been busy doing other things, the finale of the trip was to be a visit to Animal Kingdom and a ride on Everest.

We arrive at 3:30pm and low behold the typical afternoon thunderstorm shows up thus closing E:E. So we venture off to do other things.
Long story short for the next 3 and half hours it's raining. We get off Safari at 7pm and viola! It's gorgeous out. So I ask one of the CMs I used to work with to call to see if E:E is still down.

It is.

Even though the park has one hour of operation left, and there is not a rain cloud or chance of lightning around miles and miles, Everest was kept close.

My theory is that the CMs were told to go home and clock out as to save on payroll. I could totally understand that decision, however, we have had record numbers recently and have been plowing Everest marketing down everyone's throats. But on a Friday afternoon, during Easter / Spring Break it was kept closed. It just seems wrong.

It concerns me that Everest will be shut down for the typical afternoon thunderstorm ad then not reopened if it is too close to closing time. Although an hour is not close in my opinion.

Did you actually go by Everest and talk to anyone there/did you stay in the park until 8?

I assure you there must have been more to the story than just that. Everest has been going down A LOT lately. Several times daily.

From my experience- every time it has gone down, that team has done everything in its power to get the ride back up and running ASAP. Even last Friday: much like your story, the ride went down about an hour before park close. They could VERY easily have left it closed for the night (most guests expected they would, and left) but they didn't leave it closed. They did everything in their power to get it back up, and what do you know... They did at 7:50pm, and let it run for those last 10 minutes of park operation.

As you said, they have been marketing this attraction like crazy. Trust me on this one---if there was ANY way at all they could have gotten that ride back up and running, they would have.

 

[Skovdaddy]

Don't Disney union rules state that if a CM is asked to go home early, the CM doesn't have to clock out and he/she will be paid for the rest of his/her shift? I don't think Disney wanted to have EE closed, and I definetely don't think they closed EE to save on employee labor. Disney just spent a ton of money to build this new ride, why would they not do everything in their power to keep it open? EE is a new ride, and new rides always have lots of kinks to work out.

 

[WDWKat26]

Remember this is suppose to be a Magical Place. AK needs to take in account the guests. There are people on their last day and want to enjoy as much as possible.

Let's look at it from a guest Perceptive. :wave:

Don't you mean a guest PERSPECTIVE? First off, Just because i'm a CM doesn't mean I don't know what it's like to be a guest. I was a guest for 13 years before I started working for Disney. I know it's supposed to be a Magical Place, and Disney does a lot for the guests. For example, Extra Magic Hours...opening the park earlier and keeping it open later for the GUESTS.

Like ImagineersRock said, there could have been ANOTHER reason as to why the ride did not re-open for the last hour.

And SkovDaddy, Usually the CM's have a choice if they want to Early Release or Stay for their last hour of work.

 

[TimonRulz]

Sorry to hear that.

 

[TP2000]

I'm fascinated to learn that attractions, even E Tickets, shut down in the rain. Doesn't it rain in Orlando like every afternoon? So rides all over the parks just start shutting down every afternoon when the parks are busiest?

I'm blown away by that concept.

 

[KumbaRider]

Did you actually go by Everest and talk to anyone there/did you stay in the park until 8?

I assure you there must have been more to the story than just that. Everest has been going down A LOT lately. Several times daily.

From my experience- every time it has gone down, that team has done everything in its power to get the ride back up and running ASAP. Even last Friday: much like your story, the ride went down about an hour before park close. They could VERY easily have left it closed for the night (most guests expected they would, and left) but they didn't leave it closed. They did everything in their power to get it back up, and what do you know... They did at 7:50pm, and let it run for those last 10 minutes of park operation.

As you said, they have been marketing this attraction like crazy. Trust me on this one---if there was ANY way at all they could have gotten that ride back up and running, they would have.

Exactly.

There should not be blame placed on management. There is no way the park would do something like that to Everest. Although it may have seemed that way in your opinion they are required to do everything they can to get rides operational. If you left early it may have opened for a short period of time right before close.

 

[KumbaRider]

there is not a rain cloud or chance of lightning around miles and miles, Everest was kept close.

Just because rain may not have appeared to be nearby doesn't mean it was deemed safe to reopen. Disney as well as all other parks in Florida are very strict about lightning. If there is any sign of lightning nearby they will NOT operate outdoor attractions. I'm sorry to hear it wasn't open, but guest safety is their priority.

 

[Monty]

I'm fascinated to learn that attractions, even E Tickets, shut down in the rain. Doesn't it rain in Orlando like every afternoon? So rides all over the parks just start shutting down every afternoon when the parks are busiest?

I'm blown away by that concept.

I suspect that thunderstorms would shut down outdoor rides that have risks associated with possible lightening strikes. I remember in DCA, California Screamin' was kept running in the rain, but CMs were saying if there was even the slightest hint of lightening, the ride would be closed.

Thunder being just the noise from lightening, any sane person would shut down the ride. Indoor rides or rides not likely to be hit by lightening likely would still operate.

 

[c133125]

well you are assuming it was the operations manager who kept it closed...ever think there was another reason for the closure? you are making it seem like its a giant conspiracy.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Just because rain may not have appeared to be nearby doesn't mean it was deemed safe to reopen. Disney as well as all other parks in Florida are very strict about lightning. If there is any sign of lightning nearby they will NOT operate outdoor attractions. I'm sorry to hear it wasn't open, but guest safety is their priority.

What if you agree to wear rubber pants and shoes?

 

[DicksonGR]

What if you agree to wear rubber pants and shoes?

That would do the trick! :lol:

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

That would do the trick! :lol:

Salutations fellow bear

 

[Computer Magic]

Don't you mean a guest PERSPECTIVE? First off, Just because i'm a CM doesn't mean I don't know what it's like to be a guest. I was a guest for 13 years before I started working for Disney. I know it's supposed to be a Magical Place, and Disney does a lot for the guests. For example, Extra Magic Hours...opening the park earlier and keeping it open later for the GUESTS.

Like ImagineersRock said, there could have been ANOTHER reason as to why the ride did not re-open for the last hour.

And SkovDaddy, Usually the CM's have a choice if they want to Early Release or Stay for their last hour of work.

Clearing you lost the magic from a guest view...We pay for the service you mentioned. It's not OWED to the guest, it's expected in service paid. WDW makes out big time by keeping the parks opened by extra money spent in the park. The guest is what makes WDW $$$. If WDW is to keep the guest entering the park and pay your paycheck, they need to keep itself refresh and the rides moving.

 

[MaryK]

Clearing you lost the magic from a guest view...We pay for the service you mentioned. It's not OWED to the guest, it's expected in service paid. WDW makes out big time by keeping the parks opened by extra money spent in the park. The guest is what makes WDW $$$. If WDW is to keep the guest entering the park and pay your paycheck, they need to keep itself refresh and the rides moving.

No offense, but what you're saying is very idealistic. Regardless if you paid for "services" or not, they do not guarantee the ride will most definitely be operational when you go. And it's ideal and naive to believe that a ride should be 100% operational 100% of the time...not just in WDW but in ANY theme/amusement park. It's not going to happen...especially in a place that caters to thousands upon thousands of people every single day. Your guarantee is more likely to lean on the side that there WILL be closures. Also, keep in mind that this is EE's first year of operation. They are still working out any kinks and it may take a bit of time before it's operations are running smoothly.

Just because she's a CM doesn't mean she's lost the magic from a guest's view. It means she has a different perspective...and is able to see things that a normal guest would not necessarily realize, understand, and take into consideration (which typically results in jumping to conclusions on the guest's part). Guest perspectives can't only include magic...but need to include reality as well. Otherwise there will always be something to be upset and disappointed about.