News Disney updates its legendary Four Keys model to include a fifth key

[_caleb]

That's an unrealistic hypothetical. The idea that Disney would discriminate absent legal requirements doesn't remotely jibe with their behavior in other areas.

I think @MisterPenguin was actually saying the same thing, just trying to also acknowledge that some of that Disney does't to accommodate is actually government-mandated.

Also, I just HAVE to jump in here and thank you for using the correct word, jibe (as in, agree with), instead of the commonly-used wrong word, jived (dance or slang). Seriously. Thank you!

 

[larryz]

Isn't that a verse from the Tiki Room?

I think the phrase is actually "Don't forget ze kamikazes."

 

[Minthorne]

I thought anyone who could pay was included. I do think the second ‘secret’ key has always been reconciliation - as in ‘the bill’.

 

[larryz]

Then it has no place in the operational focus of the Four Five Keys.

FTFY

 

[No Name]

Let's get rid of "safety" since if you're courteous to people, you'll surely be concerned about their safety!

To your point, if you’re actually courteous to people, you’ll also care about show and efficiency. They all fall under courtesy. It’s a very broad and vague word compared to the other keys, which is where the issue really lies and always has lied.

God forbid I suggest the keys have been flawed for 60 years!

 

[_caleb]

Then it has no place in the operational focus of the Four Keys.

I think it is operational. I would imagine that, among other things, CMs will be trained not to refer to people as "sir" or "ma'am" anymore, and not to assume pronouns for guests. These are seen as "exclusionary."

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I’m personally interested to see where on the pecking order it falls. The keys are presented as Safety, Courtesy, Show, Efficiency because that is the order in which they are intended to be followed in the event that one must be sacrificed.

Maybe "Inclusion" can come first to make sure none of the other 4 are skipped to save time or money?

 

[Animaniac93-98]

The company has long been known as inclusive, and it feels like a token corporate buzzword that already falls within “Courtesy.” I’m not one to beat the “woke” drum because it quickly dissolves into a political discussion, but at some point we have to ask if we’re addressing real issues or imaginary ones. There is no blanket answer; it depends on each company and its existing culture.

As I’ve said before, I’ve served on diversity committees, and in my experience, most volunteers were people who created problems and imagined issues everywhere they looked. They weren’t interested in true resolutions; they just wanted their personal opinions to be mandates.

I hope this is a harmless corporate buzzword.

It's always easier to throw out a buzz word in a press release, instead of enforcing or improving such things as employment standards, pay and housing for staff, park rules etc

 

[lazyboy97o]

Thanks for giving me the benefit of the doubt and interpreting my post charitably.

What I "literally" said was:


It's the "(in effect)" part that showed I was trying to apply one thing (people across the United States crying out to be treated fairly) to another (Disney adding a new "Key" to CM training and guidance). It's entirely possible that my response wasn't well-written, but I was trying to address those who were jumping in to say, "They don't need to add a Key, "Inclusion" is part of Courtesy!" Well, apparently Disney thought it needed to be prioritized and receive special attention it wasn't getting.

This is a social issue because Disney is responding to the public social conversation with internal changes in order to ensure CMs have sufficient guidance to treat guests in accordance with Company values.

They’re adding something that is seemingly unrelated. It’s not that it is unimportant, but just because something is important doesn’t mean it is relevant. Adding guidance implies a deficiency. That’s something that should be identifiable. The Four Keys are a distillation, a quick and simple way of expressing the priorities of how to operate. Adding other items, even if important, detract if they are unrelated. There are many important issues in the world but they’re not necessarily about working in a theme park.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

If employees regularly face harassment by guests, it's because Disney values revenue more than it's employees or rules (same reason they're less likely to enforce the dress codes at restaurants).

Will adding another "key" change that? Not if employees and managers aren't empowered or fear termination if they stand up for themselves.

 

[Joel]

Cultural transformation, lol

 

[easyrowrdw]

Also, I just HAVE to jump in here and thank you for using the correct word, jibe (as in, agree with), instead of the commonly-used wrong word, jived (dance or slang). Seriously. Thank you!

I actually looked it up just to be sure. Haha

 

[el_super]

Considering this board is filled with people who practically live in the parks and this is (out of a thousand consistent complaints) something that is never mentioned, tells me it's the latter.

Just because it hasn't been seen or noticed, doesn't equate to it never happening. You can be courteous and exclusionary at the same time. A white Cast Member can pick a white child for a special interaction with a character over a black child and fit the criteria of being courteous (to one race) and exclusionary to the other. I have heard of and have seen Cast Members afraid to approach guests of different skin types and cultural backgrounds because of a fear of cultural clashes and language barriers, that are often times unwarranted. I would never say that those CMs are doing so with any form of malice either, they just aren't equipped to handle these situations in an inclusive manner.

Then it has no place in the operational focus of the Four Keys.

It is a misunderstanding of the four keys to think that they solely have an operational focus.

They’re adding something that is seemingly unrelated. It’s not that it is unimportant, but just because something is important doesn’t mean it is relevant.

Part of the decision to include this in the four keys, was a desire to shake things up and show that inclusion is so vitally important to how Disney will be defined in the future, that they were willing to change something that hadn't been changed in 60 years and was considered untouchable.

Much like the four keys before, the new five keys will be built into the indoctrination of every Cast Member through Traditions. Traditions is something required for every Cast Member, from churro vendors, duty managers and even up to Imagineers and Vice Presidents. That's why it's off to classify this as solely pertaining to operations. In a perfect world of course, the churro vendors of today, will be the imagineers and vice presidents of tomorrow.

 

[Rteetz]

I personally think it says a lot about this website. This thread has 5 pages with discussion on why this is a problematic change and how this shouldn’t be included. Other sites it is barely getting talked about and people aren’t batting an eye.

Maybe it is a publicity thing but who cares? It doesn’t impact any of us negatively at all. Getting worked up about this shows maybe you are part of the problem that something like this is trying to address.

 

[el_super]

Anyway, this is clearly pandering. It’s all the rage in hopes of keeping the money flowing in. It’s dumb but it won’t impact anything, aside from ruining Splash Mountain.

It will impact everything. There were mentions today of Iger's inclusion council and D'Amaro basically said they have a long way to go. There will be a lot more Splash type changes coming in the future.

 

[raymusiccity]

Cultural transformation, lol

I think we're reimagining the transformative, cultural........Oh, you know, the thing!

 

[WDW862]

Love watching a bunch of white, 50 year old men argue about something that has zero affect on them. Your vacations are ruined now, aren't they? Every CM I know (myself included) supports this change.

 

[Tha Realest]

Love watching a bunch of white, 50 year old men argue about something that has zero affect on them.

Except when it results in negative changes to more than half a dozen beloved rides and attractions, and diminishing menu options so as to be inclusive to those that choose to be vegan. You’re right, absolutely no affect at all.

 

[Rteetz]

Except when it results in negative changes to more than half a dozen beloved rides and attractions, and diminishing menu options so as to be inclusive to those that choose to be vegan. You’re right, absolutely no affect at all.

Uh... So far it hasn't impacted any ride. Splash is still open with no closing date. As for menus that shouldn't even be part of this discussion. Disney has always been open to dietary restrictions.

 

[Rteetz]

Apparently you haven’t ridden Pirates in the past 20 years.

I have it is still very much enjoyable. Pretty popular I believe too. But keep telling me how this inclusion key is ruining your vacation.