Not so magical

[Cubfan300]

Just one comment on the thought that people insist on going during school holidays. Back when my kids were little and you needed to take the family someplace, be it vacation or family requirements you just called the school told them that you child would be out for a few days. Ask to have assignments given to fill in for the time missed and went about your merry way.

Now it takes an act of congress to get your child out of school during unscheduled times. And in their over-educated logic, they punish the child for something that the parent is doing, as if the student had any say in the matter. It's practically a criminal offense now. As my kids neared the end of their required educational obligation they were actually threatened by school officials to be denied graduation if they had unauthorized lost time. And they were both Honor Roll students. If people want to go, they have to go during school breaks. It's the only time that they can without a whole set of unpleasant results.

Reason #8724 why we home school.

 

[xstech25]

If the people have to stay to help customers Disney is being mean and doesn't care about their employees. If they shut the doors and tell everyone they have to leave, the same people get mad and say Disney doesn't care about customer service.

I seriously doubt the parks actually make more money by keeping the stores open until everyone that wants to shop is done. I was at DHS once and there were like 4 people lingering in the store, and all those people working (not only in the store, but also at the main entrance, bus drivers waiting at the transportation hub to take them back wherever they are going, etc are still on the clock). A few people in a store isn't going to justify all that labor expense. It's the same reason the Magic Kingdom will stay open until 1am sometimes even when the last hour is totally dead and you can reride everything. They do it because it's good service and makes those paying customers that are there happy.

 

[Prince-1]

In the entire 7 days you've been a member here?

Hey if he said it's the funniest post ever then it is the funniest post ever. Let's not argue with the man.

 

[Chef Mickey]

So instead of adding rides and lands, which they are in beginning phases of (whether we agree with those themed lands or not), the "fix" is to raise prices? Say they do raise the prices and crowds thin, that's going to hurt their brand AND bottom line because they have all this empty space and no one there to fill it, thus, they will have to raise the prices on other commodities and souvies in the parks to make up for the lost revenue of not filling the rooms.

Current management is doing what businesses today do. They listen to the money. If you're willing to pay more, don't think for a second that Disney is going to keep the same profits. They could hike the price to whatever they wanted to and the fact remains that even though the people may be gone, the same park would be there the next day, and then there'd be threads about the "neglect of the park for the $$ I'm paying to go".

I guess you're just choosing not to read or you're latching on to just one aspect of my thesis. I've said countless times that both need to happen and raising prices is the only short term fix seeing as new lands and expansion would take a lot more time.

I'm also very familiar with business as some who know my background can attest. I am not saying that their strategy is hurting the bottom line, yet....which is why they haven't acted. It is hurting their product and the market hasn't been quite saturated with first time visitors. Repeat business will eventually suffer if they don't change.

I'm simply stating what I would want and that my strategy would be effective in thinning crowds/improving the experience. I'm also saying that current state of the parks will eventually hurt their brand, but they are addressing the space concern, at least partially. Unfortunately, I'll just have to wait until the expansion(s) to get some relief. Alas, more people will come, but I guarantee price increases are coming as well. Time for 'Muricans to get out the old credit cards.

 

[raven]

After all, if you're hanging out at the hub then you're keeping the custodial staff and security from leaving on time.

...or keeping the overnight shift from cleaning and fixing the park.

Do you realize how many times the 3rs shift people have to wait backstage outside of the gates that lead into the park because there are guests that just don't want to leave? And when MK closes at 3am and reopens at 8am during the holidays it's even worse (give an hour after the park closes before 3rd shift can enter and an hour before guests arive they have to be out of the park = 3 hours to clean and fix everything). So many times they can't complete their work because people just hang out too long. The next time you use a restroom in MK notice a sign on the wall that says "Floors may be wet." This is because they have to hurry up and complete their work in a very short time. But Disney has an expectation to make the park sparkling new as the new guests arrive, which is a curse for overnight staff.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

Even when Disney tries to correct abuse of the system in any way, lawsuits and complaining starts on the other side.

Really the company can't do anything right and please everyone. And they certainly can't actively discriminate against people who aren't breaking any laws within the parks or outlawing personal electronics based on their size.

And god forbid the ECV debate kicks into high gear again, it ignites some of the worst in people...

The bottom line is that any company, Including Disney, is not responsible for policing every behavior at its parks and hotels. Past keeping people safe, you can only encourage with the examples the employees and others set. At the end of the day, it is up to the guests to treat each other with respect and understanding and have a good time.

 

[rob0519]

3 of the 4 parks have the land and unused pavilion space available to essentially double "capacity" in them (MK being the exception). We do not need another gate. We need 3 proper theme parks to accompany the Magic Kingdom. Currently, there's one complete park, and 3 half parks.

Yes, there is available space in each of the other parks. The problem, even if that space was utilized, would be getting people out of MK to those new spaces. Everyone that comes to WDW will wind up in the MK because that is the park that is the best known, has all the classic characters and icons and basically is the most child friendly and entertaining of all the parks. TDO needs to figure out how to build spaces and attractions in the other parks that parents and children will want to see. Maybe that means creating some sort of "mini-MK" at Hollywood Studios. Until you give people an alternative to the most popular place on earth, those overcrowded conditions will just continue to get worse by the year.

 

[DisneyGentleman]

All I could do was laugh at them and politely called them classless...

I'm wondering how one does that?

 

[draybook]

The bottom line is that any company, Including Disney, is not responsible for policing every behavior at its parks and hotels.

Um, yeah, they kind of are. At my job, we have an EHS supervisor. It's his job to make sure that everyone is following the policies and SOP's set forth by the company. If they are not then it's his job to follow up with the department supervisor to devise an action plan on how to correct the behavior. If it's not corrected then it goes through HR until it's either A)corrected or B)the employee no longer is employed.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

Um, yeah, they kind of are. At my job, we have an EHS supervisor. It's his job to make sure that everyone is following the policies and SOP's set forth by the company. If they are not then it's his job to follow up with the department supervisor to devise an action plan on how to correct the behavior. If it's not corrected then it goes through HR until it's either A)corrected or B)the employee no longer is employed.

I was referring to the behaviors of the guests, not the employees. You can't police rudeness, or coldness, or behavior that Americans don't culturally approve of but isn't harming anyone.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Funniest. Post. Ever. #1 would get me a lifetime ban from WDW.

Yeah, my hubby would be banned for the gas thing. Probably would have been banned on his first visit.

 

[yensid67]

Except that rules mean nothing if you don't enforce them, and that IS Disney's fault.

I think DISNEY can and should do something about the tour groups, Brazilians particularly. I work at Epcot and MK in 1998-1999 and it was the same complaints then as there is now...obviously Disney didn't do anything except take their money! They ARE RUDE & OBNOXIOUS, they have no respect for other guests. Maybe DISNEY needs to send a message and tell them they will be asked to leave if they don't start curtailing their shinanigans . I feel VERY SORRY for those staying at whatever resort they stay at! If they are that rude and obnoxious in the parks, I hate to see how they act at the resorts...probably 20 to a room, loud and noisey, disrespectful. Do you think DISNEY would be responsible if your vacation was ruined because of a tour group? What would you want for compensation!?

 

[DisneyMusician2]

I think DISNEY can and should do something about the tour groups, Brazilians particularly. I work at Epcot and MK in 1998-1999 and it was the same complaints then as there is now...obviously Disney didn't do anything except take their money! They ARE RUDE & OBNOXIOUS, they have no respect for other guests. Maybe DISNEY needs to send a message and tell them they will be asked to leave if they don't start curtailing their shinanigans . I feel VERY SORRY for those staying at whatever resort they stay at! If they are that rude and obnoxious in the parks, I hate to see how they act at the resorts...probably 20 to a room, loud and noisey, disrespectful. Do you think DISNEY would be responsible if your vacation was ruined because of a tour group? What would you want for compensation!?

I think there should be a line, but we all need to be careful about how to draw it. I was once kept up all night by a crying infant, should we segregate people with young kids to different resorts? And I've been more disturbed by Pop Warner teams at resorts and rude ECV drivers hitting my kids in the parks than Brazilian tour groups over the years.

I know I'm being extreme, but its to illustrate that for a company like Disney who is trying to promote WDW as a worldwide destination, there is sometimes the uncomfortable reality of the unruly behavior. I hesitate to blame Disney, companies and destinations all over the world have this issue all the time. I would want complaints dealt with however, maybe a guest complaining will get a new or upgraded room, or perhaps a room at a different resort.

The 20 to a room thing would have to be policed, as that is simply a public safety hazard, but I have never seen evidence of that in person.

 

[wdisney9000]

Im all for ECV rules. I understand some people DO need them, but there needs to be ground rules for them. We watched a lady attempt to maneuver hers into the turn styles at the Starbucks at MK. It was painful watching her make an eight point turn and not realizing that geometry was against her. Of course she got stuck. It was early morning and crowded and nobody could get by. After getting the scooter unjammed she decided it would be easier for her husband (who was not in ECV) to place the order.

 

[JohnD]

Here we go again. There is always merited criticism whereever you go, not just Disney. But maybe unmerited too if you blame the vacation destination for everything.

For all of the complaining of what you got out of it, what did you put into it, Bubba? For it to be "magical" maybe an attitude adjustment was in order?

 

[Goofyernmost]

Im all for ECV rules. I understand some people DO need them, but there needs to be ground rules for them. We watched a lady attempt to maneuver hers into the turn styles at the Starbucks at MK. It was painful watching her make an eight point turn and not realizing that geometry was against her. Of course she got stuck. It was early morning and crowded and nobody could get by. After getting the scooter unjammed she decided it would be easier for her husband (who was not in ECV) to place the order.

All the rules in the world will not stop stupid from happening. Scooters do take a little getting used too, that's for sure. I drove 18 Wheelers and 44 foot buses through crowded city streets and the one time that I needed a scooter I almost flipped it. It's not for the faint of heart.

One word of advice for people that aren't needing to use one. Get on your knees and thank whomever your god is for not needing one. They are humiliating and cumbersome. They are tons of additional work even if you can walk or remain standing for a reasonable distance and time. You get scorned and doubted as if you chose to be unable to maneuver without one. Not to mention you spend the day looking directly at everyone's butt.

On your part there are a couple of things that you should know. They don't have any manual brakes. They stop by letting off the pressure to the trigger switch. There is a lag time. You may get run into because your attitude made you decide to step out in front of one without looking. The controls to make it stop are completely counter-intuitive. When you learned how to ride a bike that had the brake handle on the handle bars, if you wanted to stop you pull the handle. With a scooter it is the opposite... you have to let it go. (not a reference to the movie song) In a panic, your brain will do the complete opposite and you will pull even harder on the trigger. In short, no one purposely runs into another person at a theme park, if it happens it is accidental and from my experience it is almost always because someone stepped out in front of them without looking. So take a little responsibility for your own safety and look before you change direction or stop in a crowd. They may be the ones that hit you but you are the one that gets hurt. Try and avoid that. It can be done. I have been visiting WDW for 31 years and have never been touched by either a stroller or a scooter. Instead of blaming others for what happens to you, make some effort to protect yourself by paying attention to your surroundings.

 

[Dad 2 M & M]

And I've been more disturbed by Pop Warner teams at resorts and rude ECV drivers hitting my kids in the parks than Brazilian tour groups over the years.

I know I'm being extreme, but its to illustrate that for a company like Disney who is trying to promote WDW as a worldwide destination, there is sometimes the uncomfortable reality of the unruly behavior. I hesitate to blame Disney, companies and destinations all over the world have this issue all the time. I would want complaints dealt with however, maybe a guest complaining will get a new or upgraded room, or perhaps a room at a different resort.

The 20 to a room thing would have to be policed, as that is simply a public safety hazard, but I have never seen evidence of that in person.

Wow!! I was beginning to think I was one of the few that noticed the Domestic groups, i e Pop Warner, Competition Cheerleader, etc.... seemed to behave much worse than those from South America. I chuckled at the 20 per room comment....that seems to be one to the stereotypical code phrases for peeps from South of the Border/South America.

 

[Dad 2 M & M]

I have been visiting WDW for 31 years and have never been touched by either a stroller or a scooter. Instead of blaming others for what happens to you, make some effort to protect yourself by paying attention to your surroundings.

Paying attention to my surroundings? Not my responsibility! I paid $xxx.xx to get in and am entitled to do whatever I see fit!

 

[Goofyernmost]

Paying attention to my surroundings? Not my responsibility! I paid $xxx.xx to get in and am entitled to do whatever I see fit!

Yea, well there is that!

 

[draybook]

I once paid attention while I was walking a straight line and a lady proceeded to run directly into me with her loaded stroller. Had there not been a child inside of the stroller I would have conducted punt practice that day. And this past September, we were exiting the Haunted Mansion when a lady in an ECV ran clean into the back of my wife and over her left foot. She didn't even say sorry and actually acted as if my wive dove into her path like some kind of kamikaze.

I realize that they might be difficult to maneuver, especially in a crowded environment, but that's really up to the user to get a handle on. I do agree that it's not always the fault of the ECV users, especially after I've witnessed many people just wandering into the paths of one without even noticing. That drives me crazy, as I'm sure the ECV driver is already having a tough enough time of it.