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Is maintenance as bad today as in the 90's?
- Thread starter JD2000
- Start date
Phroobar
Well-Known Member
Well no one has died due to poor ride maintenance since 2003 when a man was killed on Big Thunder Mountain derailment due to poor maintenance. This was the first and only time it wasn't the guest's fault in Disneyland's history. Disneyland President Cyntha Harris was later removed from her position in the company.
- On September 5, 2003, a 22-year-old man died after suffering severe blunt force trauma and extensive internal bleeding in a derailment of the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad roller coaster that also injured ten other riders.[25] The cause of the accident was determined to be improper maintenance.[26] Investigation reports and discovery by the victim's attorney confirmed the fatal injuries occurred when the first passenger car collided with the underside of the locomotive. The derailment was the result of a mechanical failure which occurred due to omissions during a maintenance procedure. Fasteners on the left side upstop/guide wheel on the floating axle of the locomotive were not tightened and safetied in accordance with specifications. As the train entered a tunnel, the axle came loose and jammed against a brake section, causing the locomotive to become airborne and hit the ceiling of the tunnel. The locomotive then fell on top of the first passenger car, crushing the victim.[27] Some people blamed the new cost-conscious maintenance culture brought in by Paul Pressler and consultants McKinsey & Company in 1997, which included Reliability-centered maintenance.[28]
TwilightZone
Well-Known Member
yeah as long as another instance like this happens again, then the big guys at disney are good in my eyes, no matter how cookie cutter they are or unimaginative.
Darkbeer1
Well-Known Member
It goes in spurts, depending on who is in charge at the time, and who replaces them. For example, Matt Ouimet inherited a mess, and he spent the money to clean things up, and did the same thing when he took over Cedar Fair.
New folks look at the budget, and try and find ways to cut expenses, and until it gets bad enough that enough guests complain, and then it gets more attention.
I was created with the major refurb for the Mark Twain, due to photos and articles I wrote. And yes, certain folks pointed me to the issues I documented, basically shaming Disney to take immediate action. And that was what those who operated the attraction on a daily basis wanted, but was falling on deaf ears to those who sign the checks.
Six Flags went through a period where it got bad, and the corporation is still catching up on deferred maintenance, but has gotten a lot better. The current mandate from corporate is for more interaction with guests, and fan groups like Coaster Enthusiasts. ACE recently had an event that SFMM hosted at no charge (if you had an SP, otherwise the cost of a discounted admission) . Opened the park early, had a backstage tour, then a "Happy Hour" event where most park management had to attend, just to get the thoughts and reactions of the invited guests.
They are well aware of social media, and is one reason why the chain keeps winning the large Newspaper and Magazine polls for "best" things like overall theme park, best Halloween Event, etc. They have a lot of SP Holders at many different locations in North America to influence in things like letting them know the poll is open and looking for votes. Of course, they can't force to vote on a specific par, but like others who run "Get out the Vote" campaigns, they feel enough of them will vote they way they want.
Looks like the current Disney Parks Management is focused on making more money with things like after hour events, and maintenance is not as high as some of the previous Management groups. And why some folks are worried about who will replace Bob Iger.
New folks look at the budget, and try and find ways to cut expenses, and until it gets bad enough that enough guests complain, and then it gets more attention.
I was created with the major refurb for the Mark Twain, due to photos and articles I wrote. And yes, certain folks pointed me to the issues I documented, basically shaming Disney to take immediate action. And that was what those who operated the attraction on a daily basis wanted, but was falling on deaf ears to those who sign the checks.
Six Flags went through a period where it got bad, and the corporation is still catching up on deferred maintenance, but has gotten a lot better. The current mandate from corporate is for more interaction with guests, and fan groups like Coaster Enthusiasts. ACE recently had an event that SFMM hosted at no charge (if you had an SP, otherwise the cost of a discounted admission) . Opened the park early, had a backstage tour, then a "Happy Hour" event where most park management had to attend, just to get the thoughts and reactions of the invited guests.
They are well aware of social media, and is one reason why the chain keeps winning the large Newspaper and Magazine polls for "best" things like overall theme park, best Halloween Event, etc. They have a lot of SP Holders at many different locations in North America to influence in things like letting them know the poll is open and looking for votes. Of course, they can't force to vote on a specific par, but like others who run "Get out the Vote" campaigns, they feel enough of them will vote they way they want.
Looks like the current Disney Parks Management is focused on making more money with things like after hour events, and maintenance is not as high as some of the previous Management groups. And why some folks are worried about who will replace Bob Iger.
SuddenStorm
Well-Known Member
That wasn't the first, or only time someone in the park died due to Disney's negligence. A man also got killed by a cleat on the Columbia. From Wikipedia:
- On December 24, 1998, a heavy metal cleat fastened to the hull of the Sailing Ship Columbia tore loose, striking one employee and two park guests. One of the guests, a 33-year-old man, died of a head injury. The normal tie line, an inelastic hemp rope designed to break easily, was improperly replaced for financial reasons by an elastic nylon rope which stretched and tore the cleat from the ship's wooden hull. Disney received much criticism for this incident due to its alleged policy of restricting outside medical personnel in the park to avoid frightening visitors, as well as for the fact that the employee in charge of the ship at the time had not been trained in its operation.[29] After this incident, Disney reinstated lead foremen on most rides and the Anaheim Police Department placed officers in the park to speed response.[30] This accident resulted in the first guest death in Disneyland's history that was not attributable to any negligence on the part of the guest. California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health investigated the incident and found fault with the training of the park employee who placed the docking line on the cleat. The cleat was not designed to help brake the ship and the employee should have been trained to recognize when the ship was approaching too fast. Ride procedures called for the ship's captain to reverse the ship if it overshot the dock and re-approach the dock at the correct speed. Disney was fined US$12,500 by Cal/OSHA and settled a lawsuit brought by the victim's survivors for an estimated US$25,000,000.[31]
EricsBiscuit
Well-Known Member
Links to your articles? I'm interested!
It is most disappointing to visit any Disney park, as a premium experience, and not see everything in pristine and top working order.
And with both the Auctioneer and Ursula having lost their heads recently. It has me wonder even more.
But regardless of the past, we shouldn't accept the current amount of maintenance.
And with both the Auctioneer and Ursula having lost their heads recently. It has me wonder even more.
But regardless of the past, we shouldn't accept the current amount of maintenance.
Nerdman3000
Member
Serious, the Auctioneer and Ursula must have really p***ed off the Queen of Hearts. Though in light of them losing their heads, the Auctioneer in particular, I wonder if that will cause the Refurbishment of PotC to start even earlier.
But yeah, for two animatronics to lose their heads in literally the same week just goes to show just how bad maintenance is in the park.
But yeah, for two animatronics to lose their heads in literally the same week just goes to show just how bad maintenance is in the park.
Disneysea05
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
The auctioneer lost his head at Disneyland Paris not California, it just came back from refurbishment 6 months ago.
Phroobar
Well-Known Member
Granted there is a difference between an AA that is falling apart and the safety of the ride vehicles. They are unrelated and maintained by different groups but it does make you wonder what shortcuts ride maintenance takes. They seem to be maintaining the rides but slacking on the decorations. See Splash Mountain. However, at the price we are paying, they should have the ride functioning at 100% and that includes the decorations. Even Magic Mountain is putting a new focus on refurbishment of the ride buildings after decades of being ignored and focusing on ride maintenance only.
George Lucas on a Bench
Well-Known Member
I do admittedly notice a lot of broken things. The bats and explosion on BTMR, the sky on POTC and the pop-up heads on sticks in the HM cemetery haven't worked right all year for me. I'm sure it comes down to managers not wanting to take rides down and things not being considered important enough to be a priority for maintenance to fix.
SuddenStorm
Well-Known Member
Not to be *that* guy, but the Columbia death wasn't the guest's fault either...
Edit: I'm just now looking at when this thread started. Yeesh. Talk about a stealth bump, I thought it was a new thread.
Phroobar
Well-Known Member
Well the OP did bump it from a year and half ago.
Has it been that long?!
SuddenStorm
Well-Known Member
Amazing how relevant this thread is still. Space Mountain reopened from refurb without the blue tunnel lights working back in '17- and again in '19!
History repeats itself. I remember back in '18 when they were rebuilding the Splash flume and thinking "Maybe THIS is the time they finally fix the attraction's show scenes.".... man, how naive I was then.
History repeats itself. I remember back in '18 when they were rebuilding the Splash flume and thinking "Maybe THIS is the time they finally fix the attraction's show scenes.".... man, how naive I was then.
Mac Tonight
Well-Known Member
Has anyone else noticed that “Carlos” doesn’t get fully submerged in the well anymore on POTC? I’m struggling to remember the last time I saw him working.