Have you noticed the lack on maintenance ?

[HauntedPirate]

Eh...I’ve gotten the “angry right flank Boston guy” vibe on this one...

Nothing to see behind the curtain.

It may be just me...because I did work in a number of spots including TDO...but to contest that the standards are not QUITE there as they were under the old guard or even the second guard is indisputable. There were directives even in my day to “squeeze” the maintenance budgets. This isn’t imagined.

That doesn’t make the place is a “dump”. But as evident by most of my rants...it’s OK to have fun at a place while still pointing out flaws/areas to address. Capitalism 101: every time you pay, question what you get. It’s good for everyone involved in the long game.

In the US, we have bemoaned the diminishing yield/work Ethic for decades. I bet grumpy here does it. “People don’t know how to work anymore”.
It’s largely true...so if you apply it to Maintenance at WDW...wouldn’t that by default mean their standards have slipped some just on workforce?

It’s common sense. But we like to fight against that concept these days.

Exactly. It’s not as if maintenance has declined to the point of being a safety concern (that’s reserved for Pressler-era DL ). But it has declined. Garbage bins should not be overflowing. Rooms should be cleaned to the same standard every day. Paint should not be faded to 10% of original color to be redone. Monorails should not literally be falling apart. Show effects should be working. Space Mountain’s track should have been replaced with the 2008 refurb. Etc. Ok, maybe the SM track could end up being a safety concern. Not that Disney would let the track at Space Mt get so back as to have to close the ride suddenly one day...

 

[danyoung56]

A good example would be the "twinkle" lights on Main Street. Used to be they were replaced before failure, at something like 70% of expected life. Now they have to fail (and be visible to the guests) before being replaced. So the old standard was to never let the guests see a dark light. Now it's replace them after they've failed. The old standard cost a bit more, but I liked it more.

 

[Brad Bishop]

...and still people line up at the gate screaming, "TAKE MY MONEY!"

They (management) doesn't see the cumulative effect of this. All they see is (individually):
- a light bulb is out
- a bathroom stall isn't clean
- a door opened on the monorail
- the monorail is stinky
- some fountain no longer works
- the Yeti is broken
- etc.

None of those things, individually, amount to much and people keep lining up at the gates. Will the cutbacks stop? Probably not. Disney has one of the few customer bases that not only accepts these cutbacks but defends them while the price is increasing. Few other businesses have that. Disney can pretty much do what they want with regards to letting things go.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

...and still people line up at the gate screaming, "TAKE MY MONEY!"

They (management) doesn't see the cumulative effect of this. All they see is (individually):
- a light bulb is out
- a bathroom stall isn't clean
- a door opened on the monorail
- the monorail is stinky
- some fountain no longer works
- the Yeti is broken
- etc.

None of those things, individually, amount to much and people keep lining up at the gates. Will the cutbacks stop? Probably not. Disney has one of the few customer bases that not only accepts these cutbacks but defends them while the price is increasing. Few other businesses have that. Disney can pretty much do what they want with regards to letting things go.

Though I agree with you 100%...my belief is those things are a direct mental link back to the pricing policies of the bob’s. I could see people not dwelling on these things if the prices aren’t relentlessly jacked. And relative to inflation they are off the charts as far as value.

High price hotels and food...sure...thats always been the standard there.

But now you have upscale metropolitan a la carte prices for what used to be rather mediocre park locations. $60 steak in the converted Canadian cafeteria is just insane.

And we are far to close already to block ticket pricing in the parks due to the misdirection of fastpass and upsells...

There will be a day where a standard, rather well off parent will look at an overflowing bin, broken AA, or malfunction light panel and say, “wow...I’m paying the whole day price for an inferior, but full day amusement park for this HOUR...”

Because that’s where they are leading us and no one is fighting back. But that doesn’t mean it works forever.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Also, the front door of The Adventurers Club is broken. It doesn't seem to work. In fact, there must be some shrubbery that needs to be taken care of, because I can't even find the front door anymore.

 

[nickys]

Also, the front door of The Adventurers Club is broken. It doesn't seem to work. In fact, there must be some shrubbery that needs to be taken care of, because I can't even find the front door anymore.

Hmmm, I found it no problem. And the door was opened for me.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Also, the front door of The Adventurers Club is broken. It doesn't seem to work. In fact, there must be some shrubbery that needs to be taken care of, because I can't even find the front door anymore.

...winner

 

[John park hopper]

Question ----Does Disney have people that walk routinely through the parks looking for maintenance issues or trash issues so they can call it in and be corrected immediately?

 

[marni1971]

Question ----Does Disney have people that walk routinely through the parks looking for maintenance issues or trash issues so they can call it in and be corrected immediately?

Trash issues should be noticed by any CM and called in (personally I can’t comment on visible trash issues aside from the odd bathroom issue)

Cast should also notice maintenance issues. Attractions should regularly be ridden to check for show quality issues (aside from the pre opening quality checks) - each attraction should have a check list of what effects / visuals / animation / projections there are. To go further for example, documents are published for each attraction detailing every move every figure should have. On the odd occasion a guest reports an issue it should be investigated and rectified as quick as possible. I’ve done this often myself, with varying results - but that would depend on the nature of the problem.

It has become more and more prevalent that management reserve the right to run an attraction with quality issues depending on park attendance and what other attractions are down at any given time. This is policy. This also is a get out clause should the auctioneer figure be frozen in PotC and the ride is still open, but if for example it’s a busy day and Splash and Thunder are also already down. In theory once Splash and BTM reopen PotC should close to see if the figure can be fixed quickly.

Which brings us to another point - what constitutes a breakdown and what’s needed to fix it. If at 10am a cable snaps on the auctioneer in theory it could be fixed with 30 minutes of closure. But if at 10am the auctioneer needs a new arm (again for example) then that could take several hours and could be left until closing to attempt to fix overnight. They can’t always work miracles so the social media posts of “OMG the figure was broken” have to be generally ignored if the context isn’t understood. Go back in a few hours or the next day and have another look.

DACS and the CEP used to monitor how long bulbs on average would last and alert when it was coming up to probably needing replacing. Company made projectors would incorporate a spare bulb that would automatically replace a burnt out one in a second. As time has passed these systems are less common and there are less people available to take care of quick fixes.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

I haven't really noticed a "trash issue". Sure you get the odd litter here and there - and every once in a while you run across an overflowing garbage can. Maybe others have had different experiences.

 

[John park hopper]

Dirty diapers in the shrubbery come to mind our visit in 2019. several overflowing trash cans. Never saw that from 1972 to 1999

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Question ----Does Disney have people that walk routinely through the parks looking for maintenance issues or trash issues so they can call it in and be corrected immediately?

The standard was always immediate response...by any and everyone.

Beyond that...the parks are “overmanaged”. There are roving low level managers for just that reason: saturation.

It’s not just there...having 3+ managers at a restaurant or hotel ops location is overkill...which is a good thing.

 

[Tamandua]

My impression of epcot last week was that they are spending nothing on maintenance. I never thought about how the Soarin ride worked until one of the multiple projectors got out of sync with the others. Usually when that kind of thing happens they're like "wow. So sorry. Ride it again and it will work this time." but instead it seemed like that was just par for the course.

 

[NelleBelle]

My impression of epcot last week was that they are spending nothing on maintenance. I never thought about how the Soarin ride worked until one of the multiple projectors got out of sync with the others. Usually when that kind of thing happens they're like "wow. So sorry. Ride it again and it will work this time." but instead it seemed like that was just par for the course.

Great. Something to look forward to on the next trip! *sarcasm filter*

 

[FettFan]

Coming back from our recent trip staying at the Beach DVC villas I was once again struck by pitifully poor visual / decorative maintenance in the elevators and lobby doors. A number of rides, (Tower of Terror, Roarin, Grand fiesta etc. )seemed to have many issues with dents in decorative mental work, Paint, many ride features and figures malfunctioning etc etc. Given the cash cost of beach club rooms on the hotel or DVC side and the ticket cost to the parks, why the lack of maintenance? The rides were getting like this pre Covid . Looking at the Beach Club area's I suspect they were like this in 2019 as well. I would be for $ 5 added to tickets to be put toward park maintenance ( 200 Million). Are Disney Executives in the parks getting bonused by cutting maintenance ? Disney has always been expensive, I just don't understand why they can't make lots of money and deliver a quality product. Starting to become more and more disenchanted with the direction of the parks given my large financial commitments with DVC/ other memberships with Disney.

You DO realize what website you’re on, right?

We’re the ones who will demand Bob Chapek’s head on a platter when a single lightbulb burns out.



seriously though, I ordered his head nine months ago. What gives?

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

seriously though, I ordered his head nine months ago. What gives?

They're looking for a big enough tray.

 

[JoeCamel]

You DO realize what website you’re on, right?

We’re the ones who will demand Bob Chapek’s head on a platter when a single lightbulb burns out.



seriously though, I ordered his head nine months ago. What gives?

They're looking for a big enough tray.

Covid - holding up the supply chain. Once the trays come in from Shanghai we can get Bob's head right out to you. Similar to the length of time for AP refunds

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Covid - holding up the supply chain. Once the trays come in from Shanghai we can get Bob's head right out to you. Similar to the length of time for AP refunds

I got a Trader Sam's line I really want to use. But I'll defer. I don't think he ever even thought about Chapek in the potential trade.

 

[Gramma Dodo]

It’s one thing to push off new attractions, but if they are going to be open, existing attractions should be show-ready. If they can’t afford to do that, they should close.

Somehow, horticulture is managing.

I am new to this post and was an annual pass holder for years until 3 years running the trams were broken and the only way to the Magic Kingdom from the transportation center was the ferry. Now the focus is on new hotels and the sky ride. Parks are closed to hotel guests because they’re at capacity and you have to pay for the new “Fast Pass” replacement system. Paying hundreds if not thousands of dollars for a hotel and meals for a week, and not being allowed into a park is unacceptable. Even the park bathrooms are showing signs of neglect

 

[RollerCoaster]

I am new to this post and was an annual pass holder for years until 3 years running the trams were broken and the only way to the Magic Kingdom from the transportation center was the ferry. Now the focus is on new hotels and the sky ride. Parks are closed to hotel guests because they’re at capacity and you have to pay for the new “Fast Pass” replacement system. Paying hundreds if not thousands of dollars for a hotel and meals for a week, and not being allowed into a park is unacceptable. Even the park bathrooms are showing signs of neglect

The trams? Do you mean monorail or parking lot trams.

Much, if not most, of what you say is not true.

If referring to the the Magic Kingdom monorail They have not been closed for 3 years at any point. There are occasional closures for maintenance and at times the monorail will operate with reduced hours making the ferry the only method to go to and from Magic Kingdom. Generally this occurs during after hour parties.