EPCOT Explorer
New Member
Exactly. We are very like minded.
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Disney Parks: Has Efficiency Replaced Guest Service in Strategic Importance?
- Thread starter MousDad
- Start date
CaptainMichael
Well-Known Member
And the Adventurers Club/Pleasure Island will still be closed:fork:
prberk
Well-Known Member
I wonder how much the slowdown in guest spending is a result of the proliferation of the same merchandise in every shop?
I know that that fact alone has slowed down my spending at WDW when I go. I can only buy the same souvenir so many times (like once, maybe -- or none if I don't like it).
And I am afraid that is going to get worse, with the layoffs and new emphasis on sharing more management with Disneyland. I have a feeling more generic merchandise will about, probably saying "Disney Parks" instead of the unique destination that you have make the effort to visit.
Paul
prberk
Well-Known Member
They do compliment each other, but I do think that quality ("show" here) brings its own efficiency (by making an impression and bringing loyalty and return customers). So it does trump efficiency, at least the chicken-and-egg category.
There is a reason that "The Disney Way" is often studied in business schools -- and it is not because of off-the-shelf models of efficiency. It is about making something special, with supreme customer service, that yields loyalty and sets them apart.
And Walt even did it with movies, when he would chop off major parts and re-shoot to get a better story or ending.
So, you do have to think about limits of spending, but I definitely think that quality trumps efficiency at least by a hair.
Paul
ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
I agree with you on that--I struggle to find anything worth buying anymore. Fine by me...I enjoy keeping my money, but I'd gladly spend it if the product was better. Of course, the amount of money I spend on food has significanly risen the last few years, so that takes a bite out of my budget...
Lee
Adventurer
I am.
Show trumps efficiency. Always. Period. End of story.
I can't imagine a time when it shouldn't.
hnp929@optonlin
Active Member
Giving it all away
:shrug::shrug:OK i understand that the economy has hurt EVERYTHING .I get why they are doing the 4/3 nights deal.Keep everyone there as long as they can so they spend as much money as possible.Here is the part i don't understand,If the restaurants make so much money for Disney. Why have i not been able to walk up and have dinner at any of the better restaurants?This has been going on for the last 3 years.If we don't set up reservations 180 days out, you don't dine where you want.Sorry 90 days .If it is not that the "staff has been trimmed "then the resis are full because of the free dinning.Any way you look at it restaurants cant make money unless they turn over the tables as fast as possible.They also cant make money if the free dinning table turns over to another free table then another.
:shrug::shrug:OK i understand that the economy has hurt EVERYTHING .I get why they are doing the 4/3 nights deal.Keep everyone there as long as they can so they spend as much money as possible.Here is the part i don't understand,If the restaurants make so much money for Disney. Why have i not been able to walk up and have dinner at any of the better restaurants?This has been going on for the last 3 years.If we don't set up reservations 180 days out, you don't dine where you want.Sorry 90 days .If it is not that the "staff has been trimmed "then the resis are full because of the free dinning.Any way you look at it restaurants cant make money unless they turn over the tables as fast as possible.They also cant make money if the free dinning table turns over to another free table then another.
hrcollectibles
Active Member
And the 9 days they are clsoed they can do refurbs.. lol :ROFLOL:
I do believe you can have a balance of efficiency and maintain great customer service
goodtimes5286
New Member
when the economy is good you work on guest service, when it's bad you work on maximizing revenue, thats standard opperating procedure. the problem is that when the economy gets going good, they dont go back into full magic mode at Disney HINCE the steady decline since the park's inception. i have no problem with revenue being the focus when the economy gets going bad (b/c disney IS a bussiness after all), BUT when you come back, come back bigger and harder then before bazooka's blazin. make up for all that lost customer service AND more that way you leave the place more magical then when you found it. its the only way to keep disney going strong imo
brucie
Active Member
I think the reason Disney has been a market leader for so long is because they put guest satisfaction over efficiency. You don't become number one and keep it that way by doing what everybody else is. Sure efficiency has to come into it at some point but I fear the balance may be tipping more towards efficiency and away from guest satisfaction then it ever has before. It's a bit scary.
goodtimes5286
New Member
Your 100% right, and the scary thing is you can see the writing on the wall. Walt built is NAME on overimpresing guests above and beyond, thats how disney got such a great reputation and why it is number 1-8 when it comes to visited parks (with WDW's MK taking numero uno with a monster lead and 16.1 million guests in 2K7). The future looks grimm and when they numbers for 08 come out in may, we'll know.
The more you move away from guest service in this economy/a time with soooo many vacation options, the more you will drive people away. I know it all comes down to the bottomline, but if you dont wanna lose your occupancy and you want to have a monster monitary rebound when the economy upswings, then cut back on the profits for a bit. Making $5 to $1 is EXTREMELY rare and not necessairy to function (esp during a bad economy), $2-1 is MORE then enough profit for the already rich prefered stockholders getting MONSTER dividends.
will someone please buy 51% already so we can bring back the magic.....
WDWLOVER1957
Active Member
totally agree, we refuse to buy anything that says Disney Parks if it don't say WDW we're not buying.
SirGoofy
Member
Good news! You'll be saving a lot of money on your next trip!:lol:
I have an exercise for you guys. Define "Show". I think if we can nail down what that term really means we could find some common ground on this issue.
For me show breaks down to a few things. The first and most important thing is the condition of the parks and attractions. The simply is no excuse for poor maintenance. All the effects on the attractions should be working, the parks should be clean, the landscaping should be perfect, etc. The cast members should be nice, well groomed, in costume and professional. The restaurants, shops, and attractions should be adequately staffed. If it is noon and there are only 2 CM's working at Pecos's Bills or it is park closing and there is only one register open at Mouse Gear there is a problem. But half a dozen or so people in a line run by a competent CM is no big issue for me.
What show does not include for me is how long it takes to get on an attraction as long as the previously mentioned criteria has been met. If they start removing CM's from attraction and load time go up as a result then I have an issue with it. But if a CM can be moved to a location were he/she can be more productive or eliminated entirely and save money then it should be done.
So what do you guys think?
For me show breaks down to a few things. The first and most important thing is the condition of the parks and attractions. The simply is no excuse for poor maintenance. All the effects on the attractions should be working, the parks should be clean, the landscaping should be perfect, etc. The cast members should be nice, well groomed, in costume and professional. The restaurants, shops, and attractions should be adequately staffed. If it is noon and there are only 2 CM's working at Pecos's Bills or it is park closing and there is only one register open at Mouse Gear there is a problem. But half a dozen or so people in a line run by a competent CM is no big issue for me.
What show does not include for me is how long it takes to get on an attraction as long as the previously mentioned criteria has been met. If they start removing CM's from attraction and load time go up as a result then I have an issue with it. But if a CM can be moved to a location were he/she can be more productive or eliminated entirely and save money then it should be done.
So what do you guys think?
SirGoofy
Member
These are the main components of show, as it is defined to us by the company. The problem is that the bolded has dropped significantly. Too much for Disney standards. The rest is still up to snuff for the most part IMO.
The cast is in fairly good shape. Of course you are always going to have bad apples, but for the most part I don't see a problem.
Landscaping and custodial have also still been doing a great job.
I don't blame Maintenance for the current state of MK. They don't have the manpower or the time to fix everything that needs fixing. Face it, they just can't do everything during third shift, especially when the parks open at times at 7AM and close at 3AM.
Agreed
Yes, this is more of a efficiency problem.
Lee
Adventurer
Here's where I'm coming from:
Doors to shops are left open with the air conditioning on high.
Costs more for the company, but is courteous for guests. Courtesy trumps efficiency - well done.:sohappy:
Performers/show taken out of Diamond Horseshoe to save money. Good for the company, but the guests loose a valuable piece of show and theming, as well as entertainment connected to Frontierland. That puts efficiency above show and courtesy - not good.:dazzle:
Hannan Montana/HSM merchandise in the exit shop at Space Mountain. Good for the company as it alows it to sell even more of that stuff. Bad for show because, umm.....why is Hannah Montana in Tomorrowland? Remember that guy Walt? The one who hated seeing Frontierland CMs walk through Tomorrowland? Ring a bell? Efficiency over show - bad.
Dining plan almost totally dominates table service restaurants. Good for the company since prices are inflated and menu's are reduced. Bad for guests, since unless you play their little DDP game, it's nearly impossible to get a table at at decent time for a meal. Efficiency over courtesy. Bad.
In many cases management's bonus payout is directly related to how much money they save out of their allotted budgets, including maintenance. Therefore, in the interest of keeping costs down, preventive maintenance has given way to reactive fixing, causing guests to experience more instances of attractions in less than totally show-ready condition. (Remember, light bulbs used to be replaced at 80% of their expected life, preventing guests from ever seeing a burned out bulb.) Efficiency over show. Ugh.:hurl:
Certain establishments, which were extremely popular with many, many guests, and more or less profitable for the company, were closed in order that the company could lease out the locations and try to make even more money off of third-party operations. The result - unhappy guests with a suddenly limited availability of non-park nighttime activities on property. Good for company profit (in theory, anyway....:lookaroun) bad for guests. Efficiency over show and courtesy. Very bad.
Whew...I wish I couldn't come up with more.....but I can.
Computer Magic
Well-Known Member
Computer Magic
Well-Known Member
THIS IS THE BEST POST I HAVE EVER READ.Here's where I'm coming from:
Doors to shops are left open with the air conditioning on high.
Costs more for the company, but is courteous for guests. Courtesy trumps efficiency - well done.:sohappy:
Performers/show taken out of Diamond Horseshoe to save money. Good for the company, but the guests loose a valuable piece of show and theming, as well as entertainment connected to Frontierland. That puts efficiency above show and courtesy - not good.:dazzle:
Hannan Montana/HSM merchandise in the exit shop at Space Mountain. Good for the company as it alows it to sell even more of that stuff. Bad for show because, umm.....why is Hannah Montana in Tomorrowland? Remember that guy Walt? The one who hated seeing Frontierland CMs walk through Tomorrowland? Ring a bell? Efficiency over show - bad.
Dining plan almost totally dominates table service restaurants. Good for the company since prices are inflated and menu's are reduced. Bad for guests, since unless you play their little DDP game, it's nearly impossible to get a table at at decent time for a meal. Efficiency over courtesy. Bad.
In many cases management's bonus payout is directly related to how much money they save out of their allotted budgets, including maintenance. Therefore, in the interest of keeping costs down, preventive maintenance has given way to reactive fixing, causing guests to experience more instaces of attractions in less than totally show-ready condition. (Remember, light bulbs used to be replaced at 80% of their expected life, preventing guests from ever seeing a burned out bulb.) Efficiency over show. Ugh.:hurl:
Certain establishments, which were extremely popular with many, many guests, and more or less profitable for the company, were closed in order that the company could lease out the locations and try to make even more money off of third-party operations. The result - unhappy guests with a suddenly limited availability of non-park nighttime activities on property. Good for company profit (in theory, anyway....:lookaroun) bad for guests. Efficiency over show and courtesy. Very bad.
Whew...I wish I couldn't come up with more.....but I can.
Well done.