Major reorganization of the manager structure at the parks coming soon

[peter11435]

The potential here for more competitiveness between divisions is interesting and concerning.... A lower-level manager might now have the power, for instance, to shut down a small attraction or food location to open up another merchandise location. This would have been difficult before without stepping on a F&B or ops manager's toes. That concerns me
.

They won't have that kind of power.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Corporate musical chairs or a big shift in the right direction - Wonder if they are they finally waking up or just flipping the pillow over?

 

[Hakunamatata]

So what are they going to do at DHS? Potentially two positions:

Disney Hollywood Studios General Manager-Open Stuff
Disney Hollywood Studios General Manager - Stuff Under Construction

 

[flyerjab]

Sounds like the creation of integrated process teams, or IPTs, to me. We did this at work several years ago. We switched from specialized departments to an IPT structure. This aligns everyone in the IPT to the same objectives and goals. Instead of arguing among departments, all members of the IPT now worked side by side to make X number of batches, shorten timelines, etc. This also led to the creation and adherence to spans and layers. This ultimately created less managerial positions, making top level managers closer to the "shop floor."

And now Bob Chapek wants things done faster and cheaper. Lean manufacturing principles and LSS should eventually be instituted if they have not been already. WDI sounds like it could benefit from this as far as bloated budgets are concerned.

I in no way am saying that this is the best way to go. There are pros and cons to every business model. This might be more appropriate at the current time. Who knows.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

The best way to describe this.....

 

[cindy_k]

The Orlando Sentinel article on it.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-disney-overhauls-management-20160122-story.html
(Thanks for pointing out the thread to me.)

 

[JohnD]

I pity the poor SOB that is given Future World. "Here, here is a bunch of crap attractions and empty buildings, try and keep up with Judy over in World Showcase."

OTOH, someone might actually be motivated to do something about that wasteland. Can't go anywhere but up.

 

[danlb_2000]

So what are they going to do at DHS? Potentially two positions:

Disney Hollywood Studios General Manager-Open Stuff
Disney Hollywood Studios General Manager - Stuff Under Construction

... and the first one would be a part time job.

 

[jhastings74]

The Orlando Sentinel article on it.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-disney-overhauls-management-20160122-story.html
(Thanks for pointing out the thread to me.)

Thanks for sharing the link. One question, though, is that the article refers to 'Disney Sports'. Do they mean the 'Wide World of Sports' area?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Important to note that this isn't just a theme park change, but the resorts as well. Each resort will now have its own General Manager. Previously, some GMs had authority over more than one resort.

 

[cindy_k]

Won't this make staffing harder? I imagine that MK floats retail staff around depending on coverage needs.
Wouldn't this make it more difficult for the Haunted Mansion store, to borrow a cast member from the Main Street store, because someone called in sick. Etc.

 

[stretchsje]

I like the idea of mangers overseeing a land as a cohesive whole. In theory, at least.

Hopefully this will end the bickering of, for example, being unable to remove Stitch's Great Escape because Stitch is good for merch.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Won't this make staffing harder? I imagine that MK floats retail staff around depending on coverage needs.
Wouldn't this make it more difficult for the Haunted Mansion store, to borrow a cast member from the Main Street store, because someone called in sick. Etc.

This is strictly for management. An F&B frontliner is still going to be an F&B frontliner. Same with the GSMs and other low-level managers.

ETA: Most cast members have their own costumes, so it'd be less common than you think for someone to be reassigned from Main Street to Liberty Square. Flexible deployment within zones is much more common, i.e. moving from the pin cart in Frontierland to the Splash Mountain gift shop.

 

[asianway]

Important to note that this isn't just a theme park change, but the resorts as well. Each resort will now have its own General Manager. Previously, some GMs had authority over more than one resort.

I've heard this was a done deal as of the time Thea left

 

[DrewmanS]

The potential here for more competitiveness between divisions is interesting and concerning.... A lower-level manager might now have the power, for instance, to shut down a small attraction or food location to open up another merchandise location. This would have been difficult before without stepping on a F&B or ops manager's toes. That concerns me.

Although the "thematic cohesiveness" theory sounds nice, I really doubt this was the reason they did this, so I can't imagine this will do much visibly for guest experience. I imagine the main benefit will simply be reducing costs and creating a more streamlined operation.

These are GM's, they will not have the authority to change operations, their role will be to manage the operations. Instead of a GM being in charge of all merchandise locations or attractions or custodial, a single GM will be responsible for all operations within his/her land. Decisions about what merchandise to sell, what attraction to build, restaurants to open, prices will remain at a higher level. What the guest can hope for here is that a manager of a land will be more diligent in eliminating "bad show" anywhere in his land whether it be upkeep, custodial, landscaping, or staff.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

A lower-level manager might now have the power, for instance, to shut down a small attraction or food location to open up another merchandise location.

Definitely not. Even the GMs (who are several steps above the low-level guest service managers) will have zero power to make any unilateral changes like that. They'll be a voice in the conversation, but a major decision (think any decision that changes the park map) will need buyoff from the Park VPs, not to mention Finance and a whole slew of other departments.

 

[rael ramone]

This is strictly for management. An F&B frontliner is still going to be an F&B frontliner. Same with the GSMs and other low-level managers.

ETA: Most cast members have their own costumes, so it'd be less common than you think for someone to be reassigned from Main Street to Liberty Square. Flexible deployment within zones is much more common, i.e. moving from the pin cart in Frontierland to the Splash Mountain gift shop.

My last trip I saw people working Dinosaur wearing Chester & Hester uniforms.

 

[Adam N]

It seems to me like this is an opportunity for all parts of a land to not only thematically be together (which I'm sure was not a factor) but most importantly to operate together. Now the whole land operates as one unit in a way, as opposed to having essentially several different businesses. There is someone closer to the front line cast member who can know about the other facets of the land. If that made sense.

 

[rael ramone]

Here's a potential 'positive' from this...

I have seen China Pavilion CM's out and about the pavilion cleaning up trash. Not waiting for understaffed park custodial to get to it - a definite pride in representing their pavilion (and likely more important to them their home country).

Having managers take ownership of everything that falls in a lands geography may mean more attention to cleanliness - and perhaps more avenues for guests to address these issues with CM's (instead of having to wait in line at Guest Relations).

 

[hopemax]

Won't this make staffing harder? I imagine that MK floats retail staff around depending on coverage needs.
Wouldn't this make it more difficult for the Haunted Mansion store, to borrow a cast member from the Main Street store, because someone called in sick. Etc.

No, this doesn't happen. People are assigned to a certain region. For example, my Mom worked merchandise in Upper Frontierland which was Briar Patch, Splash Photos, and the squeeze breeze cart (it's been a few years, can't remember if it is still there). Then there was Lower Frontierland which was Big Al's, the Pin Store, and the Candy Store. You bid for hours in one of those 2 places, and worked in only one of those 2. Occasionally, someone might move between Upper and Lower in an emergency situation. If you were on the stocking/Heart of House team, there might be a situation where you would be called to assist in a different land. Frontierland and Liberty Square were sort of partners. And if things really got weird, sometimes Adventureland. But the stockers don't wear a land specific costume. It's the blue/grey shirt and blue pants/shorts property wide, and so they are permitted to move around more freely.