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

[Alektronic]

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.

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.

It's definitely not a union issue. It's all due to Operations management, the most important thing is HOURLY RIDER COUNTS, that is all that matters to them SQS is an afterthought and after hours. Even if they notice then, maintenance used to do hourly ride checks to check proper operation of the ride and show, but they got rid of that. SQS does a show check once a year and submits a list to maintenance. Ops are the show quality people now as they do all the ride throughs but most of them don't know what they are looking for. So when somebody does finally notice something, "Oh, really? That has been turned off for 3 days now" a lot of them are pretty clueless but that is because of their training.

I remember when it used to be one on one training and the trainer would take one week to train a person and they had a big book with all the info and they would explain everything and let them operate and be shown everything. Then it went down to 3 days of training then it went down to 3 trainees in one day and ok you are fully qualified and good luck. During some 101's I remember going to the control tower and the CM in there had no idea what to do except call for a manager. She had no idea what to do except if a light blinked she was supposed to push that button.

 

[Bolna]

It's definitely not a union issue. It's all due to Operations management, the most important thing is HOURLY RIDER COUNTS, that is all that matters to them SQS is an afterthought and after hours.

Yes, efficiency before show once again. To me putting cones in ride vehicles looks like a cheap fair ground - not like a premium resort.

A cone does not ruin someone's vacation. But neither is it something that people expect from Disney where even mundane things are supposed to be magical. Unless that cone would be a themed cone in one of the Cars Land attractions, it does not have any place on a Disney attraction.

 

[midwest_mice]

Yes, efficiency before show once again. To me putting cones in ride vehicles looks like a cheap fair ground - not like a premium resort.

A cone does not ruin someone's vacation. But neither is it something that people expect from Disney where even mundane things are supposed to be magical. Unless that cone would be a themed cone in one of the Cars Land attractions, it does not have any place on a Disney attraction.

I haven't seen any cones yet. Last week I did notice a CM in the Haunted Mansion accidentally put a rider in a doombuggy that had a cardboard "bat" on the side indicating it was defective. They stopped the buggies for a few minutes while they tried to figure out why her lap bar didn't come down.

 

[Yensid1974]

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?

So, my bosses are coming to ride my boat on the Jungle Cruise then? lol

 

[RSoxNo1]

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.

They must be out of planters.

 

[articos]

It's definitely not a union issue. It's all due to Operations management, the most important thing is HOURLY RIDER COUNTS, that is all that matters to them SQS is an afterthought and after hours. Even if they notice then, maintenance used to do hourly ride checks to check proper operation of the ride and show, but they got rid of that. SQS does a show check once a year and submits a list to maintenance. Ops are the show quality people now as they do all the ride throughs but most of them don't know what they are looking for. So when somebody does finally notice something, "Oh, really? That has been turned off for 3 days now" a lot of them are pretty clueless but that is because of their training.

I remember when it used to be one on one training and the trainer would take one week to train a person and they had a big book with all the info and they would explain everything and let them operate and be shown everything. Then it went down to 3 days of training then it went down to 3 trainees in one day and ok you are fully qualified and good luck. During some 101's I remember going to the control tower and the CM in there had no idea what to do except call for a manager. She had no idea what to do except if a light blinked she was supposed to push that button.

This is what I expect, knowing Ops. This is something that can fought against on a few fronts - letting Ops have the keys almost always results in the same show quality issues, due to exactly what you're saying above. Thanks for clarifying.

I haven't seen any cones yet. Last week I did notice a CM in the Haunted Mansion accidentally put a rider in a doombuggy that had a cardboard "bat" on the side indicating it was defective. They stopped the buggies for a few minutes while they tried to figure out why her lap bar didn't come down.

Aside from the CM not realizing or understanding what that bat was, that's at least something that fits the theme and the way a down vehicle should be be signified if a door can't be closed or a lap bar locked down. Cones, no.

 

[Belowthesurface]

It's definitely not a union issue. It's all due to Operations management, the most important thing is HOURLY RIDER COUNTS, that is all that matters to them SQS is an afterthought and after hours. Even if they notice then, maintenance used to do hourly ride checks to check proper operation of the ride and show, but they got rid of that. SQS does a show check once a year and submits a list to maintenance. Ops are the show quality people now as they do all the ride throughs but most of them don't know what they are looking for. So when somebody does finally notice something, "Oh, really? That has been turned off for 3 days now" a lot of them are pretty clueless but that is because of their training.

I remember when it used to be one on one training and the trainer would take one week to train a person and they had a big book with all the info and they would explain everything and let them operate and be shown everything. Then it went down to 3 days of training then it went down to 3 trainees in one day and ok you are fully qualified and good luck. During some 101's I remember going to the control tower and the CM in there had no idea what to do except call for a manager. She had no idea what to do except if a light blinked she was supposed to push that button.

So much truth. I know firsthand of Coordinators at certain Attractions that take it upon themselves to do a major SQS purge.

However, that's done only if they are self motivated and are given the resources to do it.

A lot of training these days is "this is how to work this."

 

[Belowthesurface]

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

I LOL'd

 

[Lee]

So much truth. I know firsthand of Coordinators at certain Attractions that take it upon themselves to do a major SQS purge.

However, that's done only if they are self motivated and are given the resources to do it.

A lot of training these days is "this is how to work this."

The obvious answer is the establishment of an SQS department, answering to someone above park VP, who has the power to enforce standards and to take whatever steps are necessary to do so.

 

[MarkTwain]

The obvious answer is the establishment of an SQS department, answering to someone above park VP, who has the power to enforce standards and to take whatever steps are necessary to do so.

...much like the current safety auditors. Anonymous "guests" patrolling the parks with checklists of safety standards, making sure they are all being met. From what I understand, manager's annual bonus depends largely on the results of the safety audit. You can bet that commands their attention.

A similar incentive program, perhaps with "SQS auditors," would work great IMO.

 

[Belowthesurface]

...much like the current safety auditors. Anonymous "guests" patrolling the parks with checklists of safety standards, making sure they are all being met. From what I understand, manager's annual bonus depends largely on the results of the safety audit. You can bet that commands their attention.

A similar incentive program, perhaps with "SQS auditors," would work great IMO.

safety audits are taken VERY seriously. the questions and answers are drilled into the Casts' head.

 

[GymLeaderPhil]

Unless the mechanism for the doors is broken, it's easy to shut them and lock them out. This was (and still should be) the preferred way to take one of the peoplemover cars offline for decades. CM's should never have a problem asking for a lead or an area manager if asked. Period. Pain in the butt is not an excuse within the company. Ever.

It would be helpful if there was at least one maintenance CM at each attraction. Many are responsible for multiple attractions and since they're aging those attractions have more failing safety-critical components (or more pressure to fix one versus another based on popularity/FP.) To the maintenance CM show quality is something that third-shift will do - hopefully - unless a leader puts their foot down to fix it (and their on the line as their hourly ride counts plummets.)

Also, never seen anyone mechanically disable a door on a PeopleMover car. The vehicle doesn't have a metal bar to attach a flag or a clip. Although I did see duct tape being used once to keep it closed.

 

[GymLeaderPhil]

Also George was walking one or more of the parks today with an entourage.

 

[Alektronic]

The obvious answer is the establishment of an SQS department, answering to someone above park VP, who has the power to enforce standards and to take whatever steps are necessary to do so.

They already have a SQS dept and they are good at their job, very good. They just need a lot more people.

Here is a normal example.-

SQS emails the Attractions maintenance dept about the upcoming SQS inspection usually 3-4 weeks ahead of time.

They try to get the attraction ready before the inspection.

SQS makes up a hit list and it is usually pretty detailed. For instance, you watch the Hall of Presidents show and it looks good, their list probably has 75-100 problems ie, Lincoln’s right arm twist was only 50%.

Then SQS send that hit list to that respective Attractions maintenance dept

The Attractions maintenance dept makes up work orders to repair the items.

Some things are corrected and some things aren’t a lot are ignored.

The problem is there is no follow up, nobody checks and sees if everything was completed and SQS doesn’t check again until the next inspection.

 

[GymLeaderPhil]

SQS doesn't have much power though, if I'm correct they're under WDI. Ops and Maintenance really hold all the control over keeping an attraction closed for show quality outside of planned refurbishments. And they rarely will since their budgets are directly tied to doing as little costly maintenance as possible and keeping the attraction's uptime and turnstile clicks quotas at ever increasing rates.

 

[Belowthesurface]

SQS doesn't have much power though, if I'm correct they're under WDI. Ops and Maintenance really hold all the control over keeping an attraction closed for show quality outside of planned refurbishments. And they rarely will since their budgets are directly tied to doing as little costly maintenance as possible and keeping the attraction's uptime and turnstile clicks quotas at ever increasing rates.

Ops has an amazing amount of pull over WDI.

 

[Lee]

Ops and Maintenance really hold all the control over keeping an attraction closed for show quality outside of planned refurbishments. And they rarely will since their budgets are directly tied to doing as little costly maintenance as possible and keeping the attraction's uptime and turnstile clicks quotas at ever increasing rates.

Therein lies the problem.
As I said, they need an SQS dept that has power, that can override ops, that can do frequent unscheduled inspections, and that only reports to a level above park VP.
Maybe they need a VP of Guest Experience resort wide. (I'd do it, but the commute would be a killer...)

 

[WDW1974]

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

I've got stories, but most are not stories I can put out for an audience ... unfortunately, much of my 'A' material gets to sit in the vault collecting dust.

 

[WDW1974]

So, my bosses are coming to ride my boat on the Jungle Cruise then? lol

I doubt it ... unless Lasseter somehow tags along!

 

[WDW1974]

The obvious answer is the establishment of an SQS department, answering to someone above park VP, who has the power to enforce standards and to take whatever steps are necessary to do so.

Absolutely and they have to be anonymous. You can't be George and expect to not get recognized by at least two out of every 10 CMs.

But they know they have a problem and they need outsider who are familar with both their product and their competitors for something like this. I can think of a handful of folks who would be perfect for that type of work off the top of my head.