First the napkins, now the cups?

[unkadug]

I visited Six Flags today. They had Six Flags themed cups. Just thought it was interesting.

But were they indicative of the local park or just "Six Flags" generic?

 

[ParentsOf4]

But were they indicative of the local park or just "Six Flags" generic?

I think they had "Disney Theme Parks" on them. Wait, maybe we've found the missing cups!

All kidding aside, they read Six Flags with a profile of a roller coaster. I asked my DD if she wanted me to ask for an unused one for her collection and she replied, "No, it's not Disney."

 

[ParentsOf4]

I think they had "Disney Theme Parks" on them. Wait, maybe we've found the missing cups!

All kidding aside, they read Six Flags with a profile of a roller coaster. I asked my DD if she wanted me to ask for an unused one for her collection and she replied, "No, it's not Disney."

I also left a message on the Six Flags website telling them that every employee I spoke with was very polite and the facilities were clean. I just got a phone call from their Guest Relations (about 2 hours after I left the message) thanking me for the feedback. It made me wonder when was the last time I received a call from WDW.

Maybe Six Flags is learning something from WDW. Now if only WDW would learn something from WDW.

 

[DisneyBunny]

Not weighing in on bonuses or class-ism, or any other hot topic. Just wanted to say that my family collected the napkins. It all started from the olden days white napkins before they went brown. It had a picture of Mickey on it (with RED shorts and all) saying "Golly, this food sure looks good!" on it. For some reason it cracked everyone in our family up and we took one home to put in our shadowbox with other mememtos from the trip. We've saved napkins ever since. Different season napkins especially. I usually take a few home to pack in the kids' lunches as a surprise, or to use in the days before a trip to get everyone excited. Now that little extra magic is gone, and we are all sad about it. It was one of the ways of keeping the magic alive at home. I also miss the red and white checkered napkins they used to have at Trail's End. Then they went standard white, but at least they said Disney on them. All the little things that make me happy are eroding. Heck, the shampoo bottles are getting smaller, they don't even have Mickey on the soaps anymore (sorry, don't care about Tinkerbell). Just makes me sad.

 

[captainkidd]

I also left a message on the Six Flags website telling them that every employee I spoke with was very polite and the facilities were clean. I just got a phone call from their Guest Relations (about 2 hours after I left the message) thanking me for the feedback. It made me wonder when was the last time I received a call from WDW.

Maybe Six Flags is learning something from WDW. Now if only WDW would learn something from WDW.

I think I posted this in my trip report, but just in case, when we were on vacation in July, I had a really great experience with an employee at Universal. I called when we got home to praise him. I was immediately transferred to his manager who thanked me repeatedly for calling, and letting me know he would make sure the employee was recognized. On the flip side, we had one issue last year at the Royal Pacific that I let them know about in an email. In return, they gave us a free nights stay.

Sadly, I haven't dealt with any CM's that did anything all that special in recent memory, but we did have a very bad experience at Ohana. I emailed Disney, and got a call about 2 weeks later apologizing in the most generic way imaginable.

 

[John]

I apologize if my position was not made clear enough. I think because I have been in executive positions for a while I take for granted how some every day business decisions and practice may not be basic ideaology for most people.

In the Fortune 500 company I worked for previously the CFO was given a GP margin goal, if she exceed those goals she got a percentage of the overage. So what did she do? She took sodas away from the kitchen (not a big deal but one of those little perks that made the company nice), she cancelled the company retreat (ok ... I don't like that all that much but it was a day off work), she stopped catering meetings (ok who needs free food, no big deal), she changed the bonus structure and cancelled holiday bonuses (ok ... now it's adding up) ... so yes those are little things but added up at the end of the year her percentage of the overage was $107,000.00 after taxes ... the little things add up.

So I apologize ... let me try and be clear ...

It's not about the napkins (at least for me it is not) ... I don't care if they use brown, blue, yellow, white, or no napkins. I don't care if they charge me for napkins. Sure in a perfect world the detail art on napkins adds to the whole experience but is that vital? Hardly. Would I miss it? No.

The problem we have with Iggy (granted its indirect because he doesn't make napkin decisions) and TDO is that they are making these cost cutting decisions like napkins, plates, EMH, LoW, and all the other things with the sole purpose to better their GP margin which directly impacts their bonus. Yes, that's within their right, and yes, that's how they can choose to do business.

Yes, napkins or cups or plates or whatever savings they get from that alone cannot subsidize new attractions or impact maintainence to the point where we can get the refurbs we need. However, as a whole the savings from those little items add up, then add them to things like EMH, Splash cuts, LoW, a Yeti turned off for years, etc ... all THOSE savings SHOULD be used to better the park.

I work for a large corporation so I understand how these things work, so don't misunderstand me as some fanboy thinking I should get new E-Tickets every year ...

This is all I want ... take those savings and invest them in the park ... how about new paint for Peter Pan? Could napkins pay for that? How about extra man hours for Splash? Could LoW pay for that?

So it's not about the napkins or cups or whatever it's that those cost saving devices are not used where they should be used ... which speaks to a bigger problem that TDO and indirectly Iggy cares less about the quality of the park and more about their bonuses.

But that's their right to do ... but's its our right to say hey, we don't like it.

Thank the 6 pound baby Jesus.....finally someone who can explain it from another view point. IT ISNT ABOUT THE FACT THAT IT IS CUPS AND NAPKINS!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bunnyman]

You've all got to be kidding with this! WDW is in the middle of the huge FLE, other changes taking place, and people are actually comlaining about napkins and cups? As a stockholder, I'm actually glad they're not flushing funds down the tube on this stuff! I highly doubt there is any correlation between cups/napkins and revenues.

 

[unkadug]

You've all got to be kidding with this! WDW is in the middle of the huge FLE, other changes taking place, and people are actually comlaining about napkins and cups? As a stockholder, I'm actually glad they're not flushing funds down the tube on this stuff! I highly doubt there is any correlation between cups/napkins and revenues.

Exactly...it's all about yearly bonuses!

 

[bunnyman]

Exactly...it's all about yearly bonuses!

Profits = Bonuses! Disney company 2nd quarter up 24%! Stock is doing well! I can live with plain napkins and coke cups.

 

[captainkidd]

Profits = Bonuses! Disney company 2nd quarter up 24%! Stock is doing well! I can live with plain napkins and coke cups.

78 posts in 10 years, I'm sure you can. Don't read that the wrong way. Post count is irrelevant, but obviously, you're not as big a Disney fan as others, so things like this aren't going to matter to you.

 

[alissafalco]

You've all got to be kidding with this! WDW is in the middle of the huge FLE, other changes taking place, and people are actually comlaining about napkins and cups? As a stockholder, I'm actually glad they're not flushing funds down the tube on this stuff! I highly doubt there is any correlation between cups/napkins and revenues.

This is who owns Disney stock?? There is no hope....

 

[unkadug]

Profits = Bonuses! Disney company 2nd quarter up 24%! Stock is doing well! I can live with plain napkins and coke cups.

These bonuses are paid out BEFORE profit sharing.

 

[bunnyman]

These bonuses are paid out BEFORE profit sharing.

I never said profit sharing.

 

[unkadug]

I never said profit sharing.

Bonuses are paid out before stock dividends.

 

[Florida_is_hot]

Marketing, all the little things add up and gives you a feeling says this is Disney.
You start subtracting the small things people may not even know it but they maybe less likely to recommend a Disney vacation to friends they maybe less likely to go be themselves.

 

[captainkidd]

You've all got to be kidding with this! WDW is in the middle of the huge FLE, other changes taking place, and people are actually comlaining about napkins and cups? As a stockholder, I'm actually glad they're not flushing funds down the tube on this stuff! I highly doubt there is any correlation between cups/napkins and revenues.

You proved the entire point of this thread with this post. You, like the uppers at TDO, are only concerned with making money. Obviously, any business has the objective of making money. But what Disney is doing is short term thinking. Let's save a few bucks on print, but not think at all about guests getting ed off about the cheap cutbacks.

 

[bunnyman]

This is who owns Disney stock?? Oh boy, there is no hope....

Thanks for the insult! So by your rude comments you're a better Disney "fan"? I've been to WDW too may times to count, and I simply do not see it as big a deal as others do. Like you all, I am entitled to my opinion, but from other's tones unless you agree with them then the insults fly.

 

[captainkidd]

Thanks for the insult! So by your rude comments you're a better Disney "fan"? I've been to WDW too may times to count, and I simply do not see it as big a deal as others do. Like you all, I am entitled to my opinion, but from other's tones unless you agree with them then the insults fly.

So, you post this little comment:

You've all got to be kidding with this! WDW is in the middle of the huge FLE, other changes taking place, and people are actually comlaining about napkins and cups?

Yet you think someone else started with the insults?

 

[bunnyman]

So, you post this little comment:

You've all got to be kidding with this! WDW is in the middle of the huge FLE, other changes taking place, and people are actually comlaining about napkins and cups?



Yet you think someone else started with the insults?

My comment was made as a generality, and not directed at any one person as was what I said in reaction to the "oh boy" comment.

 

[alissafalco]

Thanks for the insult! So by your rude comments you're a better Disney "fan"? I've been to WDW too may times to count, and I simply do not see it as big a deal as others do. Like you all, I am entitled to my opinion, but from other's tones unless you agree with them then the insults fly.

Your comments weren't rude?? I'm not a better Disney fan, I just hold Disney to much higher standards than you. For a stock holder I would think that you should care a little more about the product that you own.