How is there a recession when i can't get through on the disney phone line

[drp4video]

Come to Michigan where unemployment is now in excess of 10%...here, we are in a depreseeion.

 

[wedway71]

I thought I was the only one that had problems with trying to get someone.

I was on hold for an HOUR the other night. I kid you not, I heard the song loop 4 times. I actually heard "OH CANADA" 4 different times.

I was joking with the lady and asked if everyone was fired...
She said -no just very very busy with new reservations.

 

[wedway71]

and i believe that you're in for a rude awakening :dazzle:

if you're job is secure and you have never over extended yourself in terms of money, then you have nothing to worry about with a recession anyway. But if you're in an expendable position and you have multiple mortgages on your home, you aren't paying off your credit card every month, and/or you bought a Lexus when you could really only afford a Civic, then yeah, it's going to be a bad couple of years....

I hope that you're not in that case! But the economy is going to get worse before it gets better. The media outlets aren't lying about home values and companies failing and needing "bailout funds" and consumer spending being way down...

Yep, you are right. I sold my house near the beach in Florida to move to Indiana. I got teased everyday saying how stupid I was to do so.

Well I sold my house in Florida bought a new bigger house here in Indy, paid off all of my debt and now at age 37 with a new home and NO MORTGAGE.

No worries here.:sohappy:

 

[Gorjus]

My manager said that historically, WDW does NOT do lay offs. After Sept 11, 2001, they offered people voluntary separations and reduced hours to the minimum. That got them through the rough period.

And they are reducing hours again. In my department we have been lucky to get 35 hours a week, usually 32. That is why it is a bit harder now to find a photographer at all the parks.

These past 2 weeks, you could walk up to the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique at Downtown Disney and find not one little princess getting made over. You could walk up to Akershus in Norway without a reservation and get right in to the Princess meal. So if people want to know when to come without crowds, these last 2 weeks were it.

 

[Computer Magic]

My manager said that historically, WDW does NOT do lay offs. After Sept 11, 2001, they offered people voluntary separations and reduced hours to the minimum. That got them through the rough period.

And they are reducing hours again. In my department we have been lucky to get 35 hours a week, usually 32. That is why it is a bit harder now to find a photographer at all the parks.

These past 2 weeks, you could walk up to the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique at Downtown Disney and find not one little princess getting made over. You could walk up to Akershus in Norway without a reservation and get right in to the Princess meal. So if people want to know when to come without crowds, these last 2 weeks were it.

Some companies don't want to advertise they are laying off people, doesn't look good for business. So they reduce hours, cut overtime, don't back fill positions when someone leaves or retires and reduce the CP Internship. Disney has clever ways in reducing the workforce without calling it a layoff. But there are fewer employees today at Disney then say 8 months ago.

 

[Gorjus]

Some companies don't want to advertise they are laying off people, doesn't look good for business. So they reduce hours, cut overtime, don't back fill positions when someone leaves or retires and reduce the CP Internship. Disney has clever ways in reducing the workforce without calling it a layoff. But there are fewer employees today at Disney then say 8 months ago.

But that is not a layoff. That is good business management. A layoff is when you take perfectly good workers and tell them they no longer have a job because the company can't afford them.

 

[Erika]

But that is not a layoff. That is good business management. A layoff is when you take perfectly good workers and tell them they no longer have a job because the company can't afford them.

It's not a layoff, but it's still hard on the people who depended on those hours.

We personally haven't been hit with anything too major (other than our investments, but that just means we can afford better shares) but I see it in my husband's customers, our friends, and our family who have lost their jobs or suffered cutbacks. If my husband was in his old line of work we'd be doing some serious belt-tightening right about now.

For anyone who is in decent shape, though, now's a great time to find some good deals and Disney is no exception.

 

[Uncle Lupe]

Chief Executive Robert Iger received $2 million salary and a $13.9 million bonus for fiscal 2008, and his overall compensation was up nearly 11% from 2007, according to a proxy statement filed by the company.
According to the filing, Mr. Iger's total compensation for 2008 was valued at $30.6 million, which was up from the year before, when his total compensation was valued around $27.7 million. Disney's fiscal year ended Sept. 27.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123214722152391805.html

This year's bonus was $2.4 million less than he was entitled to; the company said Mr. Iger decided to forgo that money as a gesture of goodwill.

 

[Computer Magic]

But that is not a layoff. That is good business management. A layoff is when you take perfectly good workers and tell them they no longer have a job because the company can't afford them.

Correct what Disney is doing is more Attrition. That is why Disney uses so many seasonal workers and CP Internship. They can increase or decrease based on econony without being one of those companies that layoff. What Disney does is the right way to do business. I hate employing people unless I know that will be a long term decision. Otherwise I would rather bring in temp workers or under contract for a certain time.

But like Erika stated so well (insert kissing up moderator), call it what you want but people income is being affected.

 

[Computer Magic]

It's not a layoff, but it's still hard on the people who depended on those hours.

We personally haven't been hit with anything too major (other than our investments, but that just means we can afford better shares) but I see it in my husband's customers, our friends, and our family who have lost their jobs or suffered cutbacks. If my husband was in his old line of work we'd be doing some serious belt-tightening right about now.

For anyone who is in decent shape, though, now's a great time to find some good deals and Disney is no exception.

Agreed this is a great time to increase you investments.

Also a great time to visit Disney. You can spend less then past visit or pay the same and get more. For example, we plan to stay AKL conceige and are paying the same as if we stayed in a standard deluxe. This will allow us to do the two safari's tours. Something we wouldn't otherwise do.

 

[Upgrade117]

Tried to call today, and took 25 mins on hold for them to let me put in reservations at Teppan Edo at Epcot.