George K to Replace Meg Crofton as WDW head in early 2013

[MattM]

You certainly did. Some of the users put on a great show in the best thread ever. I almost joined in, but I was afraid of using language I rarely use. You missed it, it was a huge show/mess.

Which thread was it? The thread with Oinks and m.rudolf? I saw some of that but didn't know the exchange had its own name haha

 

[Alektronic]

Any suggestion then as to making sure cones don't happen? I can address from the top down, but I can't guarantee the word will make it to the right ears who are the ones allowing said cones to happen.

They use the cones in a lot of rides, they use it to remind operators not to load that particular or vehicle. They also use velcro or clip on colors, red is bad, green is good. They all supposed to be removed before the day's operation.

Before, they would take that vehicle or boat off the ride if it had a problem, but now ops just put cones in the vehicles so they don't have to take them off the ride. I guess they are worrying about capacity issues or they don't have a spare vehicle to put on the ride or they just don't want to take the time to pull it off.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Which thread was it? The thread with Oinks and m.rudolf? I saw some of that but didn't know the exchange had its own name haha

There were a couple of people responding in it. Those two users were involved, yes. It was the original "Guy makes a movie in WDW/Disneyland" thread. It's gone now, the mods took it down. It was a very entertaining thread. Patty was getting what was coming to her (him?) and she/he didn't like it and felt we all conspired to get her/him off the boards.

 

[flynnibus]

Patty was getting what was coming to her (him?) and she/he didn't like it and felt we all conspired to get her/him off the boards.

Looks like maybe it happened?? Don't she her username anymore.. or sent into witness protection

 

[Californian Elitist]

Looks like maybe it happened?? Don't she her username anymore.. or sent into witness protection

I think he/she is gone, too. He/she was saying some things (things she's/he's been saying all along, actually) and I guess he/she's gone, now.

 

[MattM]

There were a couple of people responding in it. Those two users were involved, yes. It was the original "Guy makes a movie in WDW/Disneyland" thread. It's gone now, the mods took it down. It was a very entertaining thread. Patty was getting what was coming to her (him?) and she/he didn't like it and felt we all conspired to get her/him off the boards.

Oh. Actually, I didnt see that thread. I think the one I saw was in "spitired news, etc" where m.rudolf was laying it down on Oinks. Sorry I missed it.

 

[Belowthesurface]

Being looked at strangely doesn't phase me in the slightest, especially if correcting something that is bad show and is not within SQS guidelines.

Assuming the area knows what SQS is, what the guidelines are and if they care more about getting people on the ride rather than addressing an issue.

 

[unkadug]

Assuming the area knows what SQS is, what the guidelines are and if they care more about getting people on the ride rather than addressing an issue.

SQS ?

SQS Spatial Query Server
SQS Supplemental Qualifications Statement
SQS Supplier Quality Surveillance
SQS Shuqun Secondary School
SQS Standing Quad Stretch
SQS Skill Qualification Score
SQS Systems Qualification Specification
SQS Separable Quantum State
SQS Sales, Quality and Service
SQS Service Quality System
SQS Software Quality Standard
SQS Software Quality Systems
SQS Sediment Quality Standards
SQS Single Queueing Station
SQS Simple Queue Service

 

[Snowflake82]

SQS ?

SQS Spatial Query Server
SQS Supplemental Qualifications Statement
SQS Supplier Quality Surveillance
SQS Shuqun Secondary School
SQS Standing Quad Stretch
SQS Skill Qualification Score
SQS Systems Qualification Specification
SQS Separable Quantum State
SQS Sales, Quality and Service
SQS Service Quality System
SQS Software Quality Standard
SQS Software Quality Systems
SQS Sediment Quality Standards
SQS Single Queueing Station
SQS Simple Queue Service

Show Quality Standards, I believe.

 

[WDW1974]

The 2 primary questions that GK should be asked: Will you take an afternoon and take Andy - sans nametag - and go experience your parks like an average guest, and observe/listen? Call dining and try to make a reservation. Go stand in lines. Observe the cast interactions. Look at the conditions of the attractions. Make notes. Eat a burger. Talk to guests as equals. Then: Will you talk to your cast members and go spend time with them afterwards? Take those notes and ask the painters why the wall has mismatched paint or hasn't been touched up. Ask why BTMRR has effects not working from the techs working on it at night. Not their managers, or your VP, the actual guys doing the work, and ask them to be honest. Find out what is preventing them from doing the job. Find out what procedures work and what doesn't and change them. Do both of these within the first 30 days, and I think he'll be off to a good start.

It isn't about budgets or staffing or NextGen when you take over a role like this for the first month - yes, you need to be on top of those initiatives, but more importantly, you have to understand the basic state of the product. The absolute first thing is getting down there and getting a feel for what's going on. Look at the day to day and work from there. George used to be a detail guy - he needs to get back to that for a while to set an example.

Yep. Great point.

George can't go with entourage and nametag. He has to wander incognito and see the resort like his guests do. ... I know that George understands what SQS are all about. After spending time in Paris and Anaheim he may well be shocked by how bad they are and how basically lip service is paid to the whole concept. Also, he'll be in charge of a resort that has actually gotten smaller since he left (capacity wise as attractions, show venues, dining facilities and even retail locales have disappeared), which means there are always issues when attractions go down. This week, for instance, I've heard of long lines at MK yet the crowds aren't there. But Splash Mountain is down. WDW desperately needs the ability to close multiple attractions at multiple parks at once to keep things running nicely without sending the resort into chaos.

I truly hope he can look at the big picture. I know he isn't stupid. And I would hope he hasn't let his ego get ahead of his sense of self-preservation.

 

[WDW1974]

Good question - he and nearly every other Disney exec have all toured IOA recently. All the CA execs have been on Transformers as well - there's a habit of inviting each other to openings at USH and DL. Not as much in Orlando, although the creative teams tend to more than the ops/exec management.

I'd be shocked if George has been on Transformers. He tends to not tolerate thrill rides well ... Andy as well. I'll never forget his reaction when I tried to get him to ride Screamin at DCA!

I was amused when I saw him (GK) say his favorite DLR attraction was the Matterhorn as I don't recall him ever actually riding it. Maybe he has in his recent stint in Anaheim or maybe he did as a visitor 25 years ago... don't know.

 

[doctornick]

Also, he'll be in charge of a resort that has actually gotten smaller since he left (capacity wise as attractions, show venues, dining facilities and even retail locales have disappeared), which means there are always issues when attractions go down. This week, for instance, I've heard of long lines at MK yet the crowds aren't there. But Splash Mountain is down. WDW desperately needs the ability to close multiple attractions at multiple parks at once to keep things running nicely without sending the resort into chaos.

This is a point that concerns me when it comes to many of the rumored attractions. In particular, if they plan on shutting down LMA and Backlot in DHS to do a Pixar Place expansion, that's removing a lot of capacity from that park for a long time before restoring/adding to it. I wonder if they are actually going to add something in the meantime before taking LMA/Backlot offline (like putting something in the Hunchback theater or Sounds Dangerous).

 

[WDW1974]

They use the cones in a lot of rides, they use it to remind operators not to load that particular or vehicle. They also use velcro or clip on colors, red is bad, green is good. They all supposed to be removed before the day's operation.

Before, they would take that vehicle or boat off the ride if it had a problem, but now ops just put cones in the vehicles so they don't have to take them off the ride. I guess they are worrying about capacity issues or they don't have a spare vehicle to put on the ride or they just don't want to take the time to pull it off.

I have never seen a parking cone in an attraction and if that is what SQS have come to, then someone needs to sit WDW's 'leadership' team down and 'splain that no, that isn't how it's supposed to be done.

 

[WDW1974]

SQS ?

SQS Spatial Query Server
SQS Supplemental Qualifications Statement
SQS Supplier Quality Surveillance
SQS Shuqun Secondary School
SQS Standing Quad Stretch
SQS Skill Qualification Score
SQS Systems Qualification Specification
SQS Separable Quantum State
SQS Sales, Quality and Service
SQS Service Quality System
SQS Software Quality Standard
SQS Software Quality Systems
SQS Sediment Quality Standards
SQS Single Queueing Station
SQS Simple Queue Service

Disappointing, Dug ... disappointing ...

 

[WDW1974]

This is a point that concerns me when it comes to many of the rumored attractions. In particular, if they plan on shutting down LMA and Backlot in DHS to do a Pixar Place expansion, that's removing a lot of capacity from that park for a long time before restoring/adding to it. I wonder if they are actually going to add something in the meantime before taking LMA/Backlot offline (like putting something in the Hunchback theater or Sounds Dangerous).

There will be issues at that park, no doubt about it.

Worse, I haven't heard plans for any added entertainment to sorta add smaller options during the work period.

This IS what happens when you overbuild parks in numbers, allow them to stagnate and then wonder what you will do.

I'd love to be a bug on the wall when Staggs and Iger descend on WDW next week ... although, who knows, I may just overhear something with my Spirited ears?

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I'd love to be a bug on the wall when Staggs and Iger descend on WDW next week ... although, who knows, I may just overhear something with my Spirited ears?

Has either Iger or Staggs ever ripped anyone a new one and if so, do tell?

 

[articos]

This has been the way they've "tagged" cars on Peoplemover for a few years at least, so I'm surprised it took you this long to notice. I know a few people who work/have worked that attraction and have discussed the ride with them (once a ride op, always an operations observer, even to a fault), and if there's an easy way to lock them shut, no one is being trained or told that by anyone now. I believe part of it has to do with union related issues (i.e. locking the doors may involve a mechanism that maintenance views as something ops shouldn't touch, and having an ops CM doing such may be seen as "taking away work" for a maintenance person), so they place a cone for a tag and let maintenance handle it at night. It may also be related to "safety" in that it takes the CM's attention off of possible guests while the ride is in motion, and the exit CM sometimes has a hard enough time getting the foreign guests to understand that their ride is over and to get out or they need to shut their door for another 10 minute ride. Those are my best guesses based on what I know, so I may be wrong, but that's how I see it.

I'm based on the west coast these days, so when I've been in, I've just never seen a cone used to tag a faulty vehicle. Been lucky I guess. If I had seen a cone, I would have dug into this a long time ago. A couple things here: the cone issue is a separate issue from the reasoning, if what you're saying is correct. If this is truly a "don't touch my kingdom" issue, ie, union-related, that is not in the spirit of the union contracts. The unions are worried about taking care of their membership, and their membership numbers, but WDW is one of the few places where they are made acutely aware there is a show to put on. If the union bosses are trying to pull things like telling ops they either can't lock out a vehicle or they can't call maint. to come lock out a vehicle, that's bad and needs to be negotiated. There is no safety issue here - you pause the ride, lock the vehicle out, start the ride and load guests. If any of these are being used, they're excuses, and need to be looked into. As far as cones are concerned, they should never be used within guest view. Period.

They use the cones in a lot of rides, they use it to remind operators not to load that particular or vehicle. They also use velcro or clip on colors, red is bad, green is good. They all supposed to be removed before the day's operation.

Before, they would take that vehicle or boat off the ride if it had a problem, but now ops just put cones in the vehicles so they don't have to take them off the ride. I guess they are worrying about capacity issues or they don't have a spare vehicle to put on the ride or they just don't want to take the time to pull it off.

Alek, you said "removed before the day's operation." So, are cones a matter of course during the day now, or is it they can be used at night to signify and then should be pulled before guests enter in the am? The velcro or clips are fine, as they aren't as glaringly obvious - these tags have been used forever as well. They can be hidden, and were supposed to be a second line of defense - originally, if it's a vehicle you can shut the doors, that was the preferred way of doing things. I'm not even getting into trying to get ops to pull a boat or vehicle, as we both know that's not going to happen - but putting a cone in is bad show, and this is something easy that I can and will address with the right people.

Assuming the area knows what SQS is, what the guidelines are and if they care more about getting people on the ride rather than addressing an issue.

If any manager doesn't know what SQS is, they have no business being a manager. If training is getting that bad, where GSMs don't know the operations of a ride in their area, or they don't know what SQS is, again, that's something that needs to be addressed.

I'd be shocked if George has been on Transformers. He tends to not tolerate thrill rides well ... Andy as well. I'll never forget his reaction when I tried to get him to ride Screamin at DCA!

I was amused when I saw him (GK) say his favorite DLR attraction was the Matterhorn as I don't recall him ever actually riding it. Maybe he has in his recent stint in Anaheim or maybe he did as a visitor 25 years ago... don't know.

Alright, I'll amend, I know they've all been in the building. Don't know if George has been on a circuit of the ride in operation on the motion base, but I know a whole cadre of Dis people walked the building and rode with their counterparts from Uni when it opened. (I would have loved to have seen that reaction.)

I have never seen a parking cone in an attraction and if that is what SQS have come to, then someone needs to sit WDW's 'leadership' team down and 'splain that no, that isn't how it's supposed to be done.

Exactly.

 

[unkadug]

Disappointing, Dug ... disappointing ...

I know...I will relinquish my card after a due hearing in front of a panel of my peers...

However....I've seen that acronym on here several times....I HAD to ask.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who could not place the meaning.

 

[Belowthesurface]

If any manager doesn't know what SQS is, they have no business being a manager. If training is getting that bad, where GSMs don't know the operations of a ride in their area, or they don't know what SQS is, again, that's something that needs to be addressed.

It's just about the numbers at WDW. I've witnessed many occasions where maintenance/leaders have no clue about an attractions special effects. As far as training, I know for a fact that Trainers are not given access to any kind of details about SQS. They basically train Ops Cast how to get as many people on the Attraction possible.

 

[COProgressFan]

I truly hope he can look at the big picture. I know he isn't stupid. And I would hope he hasn't let his ego get ahead of his sense of self-preservation.

The one thing I'm hoping for is that really George doesn't have much to lose this time. If this stint is his swan song and he'll be retiring in 3 or so years anyway, I'd like to think he'll just do what's right in getting the job done. His time for politics and sycophancy should be past at this point. By the time its all over, Iger/Staggs could be gone anyway, and if he wanted to keep working after retiring from Disney, it's not like he couldn't get a job elsewhere.

So, note to George, (or your people reading this)....please, do what's right for WDW.