It has indeed been like for quite a while. Way way pre Covid and pre layoffs.
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Have you noticed the lack on maintenance ?
- Thread starter Naplesgolfer
- Start date
Michaelson
Well-Known Member
We've been going every year for the past 7 years, usually this time of year.
Last year I was sitting on a bench across the Skipper Canteen waiting for our reservation time, and watched a maintenance person walk up to empty a garbage can that was overflowing with trash.
Not sure why it was at that stage, but it was.
They pulled out the bag, spilling a lot of paper refuse etc. in doing so, putting the bag in roll around container, then replacing it with a new bag and casually walked on.
The spilled paper/trash was left behind to blow all through the sitting area where I was sitting. They neither cared, or even looked back!
I've seen equivalent behavior at county fairs and small parks.
Needless to say, I was amazed, and when I pointed it out to a CM who walked past, they just shrugged their shoulders, said 'we'll report it', and continued walking and talking to another CM they were with about their work schedule.
My daughter actually took a photo of my wife and me looking at the Skipper Canteen menu right after that exchange, and you can see the weariness and disgust on my face. I didn't know it showed, but it sure did! It was entertaining watching the squirrel and egret fighting over the pieces of pizza left on a spilled paper plate (one of many) that hit the ground with the rest of the garbage.
When we came out after a full supper (about an hour or more), the trash was still blowing around in the seating area around the water fountain across from the restaurant. Nothing had been picked up by anyone.
We actually picked up the trash that had blown around the benches we were sitting at, but there was just too much of it. It was blown over the whole area!
So, I know it was the attitude of maintenance a year ago (February 2020). From the sounds of it, not much has changed.
Needless to say, we're going elsewhere this year, breaking a 7 year streak, which makes me sad.
WDW is my 'happy place', but I can get that kind of experience anywhere for a LOT less money, and a lot closer to home.
Regards! Michaelson
Last year I was sitting on a bench across the Skipper Canteen waiting for our reservation time, and watched a maintenance person walk up to empty a garbage can that was overflowing with trash.
Not sure why it was at that stage, but it was.
They pulled out the bag, spilling a lot of paper refuse etc. in doing so, putting the bag in roll around container, then replacing it with a new bag and casually walked on.
The spilled paper/trash was left behind to blow all through the sitting area where I was sitting. They neither cared, or even looked back!
I've seen equivalent behavior at county fairs and small parks.
Needless to say, I was amazed, and when I pointed it out to a CM who walked past, they just shrugged their shoulders, said 'we'll report it', and continued walking and talking to another CM they were with about their work schedule.
My daughter actually took a photo of my wife and me looking at the Skipper Canteen menu right after that exchange, and you can see the weariness and disgust on my face. I didn't know it showed, but it sure did! It was entertaining watching the squirrel and egret fighting over the pieces of pizza left on a spilled paper plate (one of many) that hit the ground with the rest of the garbage.
When we came out after a full supper (about an hour or more), the trash was still blowing around in the seating area around the water fountain across from the restaurant. Nothing had been picked up by anyone.
We actually picked up the trash that had blown around the benches we were sitting at, but there was just too much of it. It was blown over the whole area!
So, I know it was the attitude of maintenance a year ago (February 2020). From the sounds of it, not much has changed.
Needless to say, we're going elsewhere this year, breaking a 7 year streak, which makes me sad.
WDW is my 'happy place', but I can get that kind of experience anywhere for a LOT less money, and a lot closer to home.
Regards! Michaelson
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Buck Wheelie
Well-Known Member
Disney charges a premium price for a premium experience. If that experience doesn't meet visitor's standards for Disney the will go somewhere else. Disney is in a tough position. They are losing a lot of money but guests still expect them to provide services and an experience that justify the cost.
Lil Copter Cap
Well-Known Member
It seems they have backed themselves into a corner. Rides like Space Mountain, DINOSAUR, and Spaceship Earth have gotten worse with upkeep and ride availability (consistently being down due to maintenance issues). It's one thing to have a ride go down once a month and claim that a ticket doesn't ensure a certain ride experience, it is quite another with a ride being consistently down to the point of false advertising.
We are now in the latter half of the company not being able to promise certain rides due to ride performance uncertainty. This uncertainty could have been fixed long ago with ongoing upkeep + maintenance. The corner they are now in deals with funds having been drained due to the pandemic and new rides/construction taking up budgets. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
We are now in the latter half of the company not being able to promise certain rides due to ride performance uncertainty. This uncertainty could have been fixed long ago with ongoing upkeep + maintenance. The corner they are now in deals with funds having been drained due to the pandemic and new rides/construction taking up budgets. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Michaelson
Well-Known Member
That, and the zeal in creating a park ready for the 50th anniversary, they're letting a whole lot go.
Regards! Michaelson
Regards! Michaelson
JustAFan
Well-Known Member
I agree with that sentiment, however think about how the maintenance department could have been affected. If nearly 30,000 employees were laid off, I would guess every department was affected to some degree. Let's say, for argument, maintenance lost 10% of their staff. Their loss would certainly be noticed, right? Maybe certain projects that aren't as critical get put off for a while. A lot we don't know, but cost cutting measures have definitely paid their toll.
Model3 McQueen
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
Disney still wants to spend money on changing things like Jungle Cruise and Splash, there's no excuse as to why maintenance is lackluster even today.
ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
And they are surprisingly not losing steam during the pandemic. There’s almost a dozen refurbishment projects ongoing. It should look spectacular by the 30th.
I know. I Can’t wait. It’s really unprecedented what they’re doing in Paris. I’ve posted elsewhere about the SQ I saw last year and in 2019 but it really was a breath of fresh air to see little details working as well as the obvious things. For the love of god even the teepees at the Frontierland entrance had smoking chimneys. All the time. Every day.
NickMaio
Well-Known Member
Honestly, me too.
You pay to experience WDW, should you not want the absolute best?
Personaly, it costs too much to be so laid back about simple upkeep.
WDW is a business, maintenance is part if it, at least it used to be, once upon a time.
NickMaio
Well-Known Member
Why does WDW seem to get the shaft in regards to upkeep? Any theories?
NickMaio
Well-Known Member
How much does it cost to keep a local inside one of them puffing on a gauloise all day ?
ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
Because its guests are all to happy to take the shaft? They pay premium for the shaft.
NelleBelle
Well-Known Member
Maybe because management sees WDW as a "one-and-done" park for the many visitors? DLR is far better, IMO, in regards to upkeep. My personal theory for that is because it's a locals park and they actually give a s--t about what their park looks like? It's not perfect by any means, but compared to WDW, it's definitely a lot cleaner and I don't tend to see the graffiti every where. That's just my take on it. But whatever it is, WDW certainly has been lacking and with huge layoffs, don't see it getting better anytime soon.
SteamboatJoe
Well-Known Member
I think this is the unfortunate, likely answer. The vast majority of fans either:
a) don't care; and/or
b) don't know any better; and/or
c) don't pay attention
Animaniac93-98
Well-Known Member
DLP has continued to do extensive maintenance work, despite being closed for months at a time. Including a major rebuild of their castle.
Little Green Men
Well-Known Member
Wasn’t this after years of neglect and things falling apart?