On layoffs, very bad attendance, and Iger's legacy being one of disgrace

[ImperfectPixie]

Hiring now is freaking miserable... horrible work ethics, irrational expectations, people think they can show up when they want, and then whine a company sucks when they get fired for not doing basic things like SHOWING UP ON TIME.

My SIL is 43 and literally useless. She can't make a cup of tea (tried to use a frying pan to boil water, gave up, and instead microwaved a mug of water to just above luke warm, stuck a tea-bag in it and served it to our MIL), and was beside herself when she was fired from a bank teller position because her cash drawer was never even. She couldn't understand why the bank was so upset.

 

[DVCakaCarlF]

My SIL is 43 and literally useless. She can't make a cup of tea (tried to use a frying pan to boil water, gave up, and instead microwaved a mug of water to just above luke warm, stuck a tea-bag in it and served it to our MIL), and was beside herself when she was fired from a bank teller position because her drawer was never even. She couldn't understand why the bank was so upset.

She’s one of those people I know stealing oxygen from the rest of us...

 

[flynnibus]

This is where I usually jump in, and point out how Disney in Orlando has corrupted this basic premise, by importing labor from the Caribbean and the College Program. Local wages do not have to increase, if you can simply get people from somewhere else. The House always wins. Yet somehow we still declare the system fair to all.

I was going to mention this earlier in the wage discussion but opt'd not too... but your right.. when they start importing labor from other areas with less resistance to low wages... it disrupts the market pushback against sub standard wages. They simply don't have to raise wages to attract employees if they can keep filling with new suckers. CP is a good example of that.

Cruise industry is a great example of this... by tapping a global labor force they can easily pull from lower cost places.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

She’s one of those people I know stealing oxygen from the rest of us...

I really don't like her very much. She's funny once in a while, but that's pretty much it. I almost knocked her out once for inserting herself into a heated conversation I was having with her husband about his behavior with my sons - he was wrong, and she was trying to defend him even though they don't have children and she's never even been a babysitter. Waste of oxygen is putting it lightly as far as I'm concerned.

 

[flynnibus]

My SIL is 43 and literally useless. She can't make a cup of tea (tried to use a frying pan to boil water, gave up, and instead microwaved a mug of water to just above luke warm, stuck a tea-bag in it and served it to our MIL), and was beside herself when she was fired from a bank teller position because her cash drawer was never even. She couldn't understand why the bank was so upset.

Damn... when I was a grocery cashier my til had to be within a dollar or I got sent to the principals office (the assistant manager..). And that was over probably hundreds of transactions per shift. Back then we had to wear ties too...

One of my summer jobs the candy store owners prided themselves on making people count change back rather than using the register to tell you the change needed. I bet they had to give that up too...

 

[gwhb75]

I’d have to research to discus further, but, in the meantime, I’ll default to that it is material.

Saved you some research - as per Disney's accounting policy in their annual report - " Revenues from annual pass sales are recognized ratably over the period for which the pass is available for use."

 

[ImperfectPixie]

Damn... when I was a grocery cashier my til had to be within a dollar or I got sent to the principals office (the assistant manager..). And that was over probably hundreds of transactions per shift. Back then we had to wear ties too...

One of my summer jobs the candy store owners prided themselves on making people count change back rather than using the register to tell you the change needed. I bet they had to give that up too...

My check got docked if my drawer was off when I worked as a cashier at Auto Palace for a short period of time in the 90s. I didn't last long in that position once they realized that I was into cars and could work the parts counter with one hand tied behind my back.

 

[DisneyDebRob]

I really don't like her very much. She's funny once in a while, but that's pretty much it. I almost knocked her out once for inserting herself into a heated conversation I was having with her husband about his behavior with my sons - he was wrong, and she was trying to defend him even though they don't have children and she's never even been a babysitter. Waste of oxygen is putting it lightly as far as I'm concerned.

I didn’t get that from reading your post.

 

[mkt]

This is where I usually jump in, and point out how Disney in Orlando has corrupted this basic premise, by importing labor from the Caribbean

Where in the Caribbean are they importing from?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

They have to adhere to GAAP.

Theoretically correct, but materiality factors in as well. While the correct accounting procedure is as you described (defer revenue and recognize over the term of the pass), if the total of all passes is relatively low, they could just take it all to income at some other time (e.g. first use of the pass) rather than the defer and recognize method....but that's enough boring technical accounting for this forum.

I love the technical accounting talk...

...so much more interesting than “How Magical is POR?!?”

 

[Archie123]

My SIL is 43 and literally useless. She can't make a cup of tea (tried to use a frying pan to boil water, gave up, and instead microwaved a mug of water to just above luke warm, stuck a tea-bag in it and served it to our MIL), and was beside herself when she was fired from a bank teller position because her cash drawer was never even. She couldn't understand why the bank was so upset.

Well technically you can boil water in a frying pan and it would boil faster due to the water covering a larger surface area. But it’s stupid so I’ll give that to you.

 

[hopemax]

Where in the Caribbean are they importing from?

I believe mostly Puerto Rico, because they are already American citizens and don't have to worry about visas. Haiti is another big one. It's been a few years, since I did the whole "Disney forum thing," so current links to news items aren't my thing anymore but I remember Disney talking about their international job fairs. I think they even expanded into Western Africa. Mostly, housekeeping and other back of house positions, I think.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

Well technically you can boil water in a frying pan and it would boil faster due to the water covering a larger surface area. But it’s stupid so I’ll give that to you.

The best part would have been watching her try to pour boiling water from a frying pan to a mug with no pour-spout on the pan.

 

[mkt]

I believe mostly Puerto Rico, because they are already American citizens and don't have to worry about visas.

That doesn't surprise me. Disney's recruited in Puerto Rico for many years. I remember seeing their ads and flyers in the local news in PR.

Some go back though, the culture shock of Florida vs Puerto Rico is a bit too much for them.

 

[Archie123]

The best part would have been watching her try to pour boiling water from a frying pan to a mug with no pour-spout on the pan.

2nd degree burns can be highly entertaining!

 

[mkt]

New here: Why do we trust Pheinex? Do they have a good track record for company insights?

Yes. He's generally accurate, and has a network of higher up inside sources.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Leave 20 minutes earlier.

Well these days I just dont leave my house....

 

[asianway]

Sorry to interrupt the conversation.

New here: Why do we trust Pheinex? Do they have a good track record for company insights?

He knows every time a lay-off is coming for at least ten years

 

[Miss Bella]

He knows every time a lay-off is coming for at least ten years

I don't think you need to be an insider or rocket scientist to see that layoffs are coming.

 

[tirian]

Sorry to interrupt the conversation.

New here: Why do we trust Pheinex? Do they have a good track record for company insights?

Oh yes.

For its first few years, this “News and Rumors” forum was essentially an online club for many insiders to trade gossip. Think of a local bar after work. Pheneix was one of those original members. Lee and Marni were others. Their track records were impeccable.

Edit: At one point, former Imagineer Eddie Sotto also joined the boards and freely, openly discussed back history from his time during the ‘90s.

Iger had just become CEO and his original policy for WDW was “maintain, don’t build.” Disney refurbed Main Street USA and the HM but ignored almost everything else. You can imagine how negative the insider opinions were.

As the site became more popular and the forums gained more Pixie Dusters, the new members couldn’t handle the realistic conversations and labeled the insiders “Doom-and-Gloomers,” an issue that did exist on many Disney fan sites but was rarely a problem here. But it became tiresome to constantly battle, and many of the new members set themselves up as self-styled experts even though they were not insiders at all—just curiously defensive fans. Original insiders began to fade away.

We also had a few good years with a certain Spirit who left MiceChat and headed here; and even though his attitude was gruff, his Disney business knowledge was dead-on. But he frequently mixed political and personal opinions into his posts, and people joined the boards to tail him and constantly argue even when his Disney news was right.

Steve (Mr. WDWMagic himself) still knows what’s going on, but there are fewer insiders constantly posting. For one thing, many left the company. Others were afraid of revealing their sources when Lasseter cracked down on leaks during his brief stint at WDI. The Spirited discussions on here also attracted Disney Social Media employees who set up accounts specifically to argue and defend. And Lee, Pheneix, and others drifted off.

These are still the best WDW fan forums; and tbh, once a site grows like this, it can’t be the office water cooler for gossip. There are just too many people. Most of the modern news isn’t interesting anyway.

It’s good to see Pheneix again.