Orange County Register - Southern California still a growing tourist area

[Deleted member 107043]

Much of this discussion reminds me of debates I've read about Apple Park, the $5 billion donut shaped Apple HQ in Cupertino. No one diagrees that Apple's commitment to expand in the city hasn't been financially beneficial and good for jobs. However, crtics rightfully point to the lack of nearby public transit (the complex sits in a primarily residential area 30 miles from downtown SF) which has increased traffic, and zero mandates to build housing nearby. While Apple did nothing inherently wrong by not adequately addressing these big issues, but projects like this one are having an adverse effect on quality of life for all Bay Area residents, namely traffic congestion and an overheated housing market. At some point enough is enough and citizens will question why local officials aren't demanding more from huge corporations at the negotiating table.

 

[Darkbeer1]

At some point enough is enough and citizens will question why local officials aren't demanding more from huge corporations at the negotiating table.

Alas, the answer is simple, companies pay for lobbyists that make large donations to politicians and special interest groups like Unions. The special interest groups keep quiet, and the politicians don't react since there is a lack of pressure.

For example, the Anaheim 4 star Hotel Tax rebate wouldn't be in the news if the Wincome Group would sign a labor Agreement to use union labor for its day to day staff. The referendums would never had been circulated, and they wouldn't have pushed their ally's Tait and Moreno.

 

[Darkbeer1]

Here is a good look at Port Disney and DisneySeas, including conceptual art that was the "competition" to Anaheim, and its Westcot project. Disney claimed they would only do one of the two projects.

http://www.longbeachize.com/long-beach-lost-dramatic-tale-disneysea-theme-park-dtlb

>>“Dollar signs that killed that project,” Crawford said. “[Concurrent development in Anaheim prompted people to think that] Disney never really intended to build Port Disney. It was, they claimed, merely a ruse to force Anaheim officials to accept a less favorable deal on infrastructure and zoning. If it was all a feint, it was an expensive one. Disney spent several years and many millions of dollars on the Port Disney project, only to give up when many felt success was still possible.”<<

 

[DLR92]

^
Shame that Port Disney Project failed. Long Beach would have benefited the project.

 

[Curious Constance]

Have you read the LA Times thread recently?

https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads...aying-its-fair-share-in-anaheim.933818/page-8

I was involved in some of the behind the scenes research, and I know things that were left off intentionally.

The piece was requested by a group of folks, with the main players being the UNITE Here union, and the Democrats/Liberals who are already planning for the 2018 elections, and trying to keep the current "Tait/Moreno" alliance in charge on the Anaheim City Council.

And many folks that got interviewed, and never made the paper agreed. I know the list I provided was cherry picked.

http://www.anaheimblog.net/2017/09/23/the-myth-of-the-anti-disney-anti-resort-backlash/

http://www.anaheimblog.net/2017/09/25/dear-los-angeles-times-yes-disney-pay-fair-share-anaheim/

http://www.anaheimblog.net/2017/09/25/dear-los-angeles-times-yes-disney-pay-fair-share-anaheim/

http://www.anaheimblog.net/2017/10/02/la-times-disney-anaheim-sins-of-omission/

http://www.anaheimblog.net/2017/10/...-times-is-disney-paying-its-share-in-anaheim/

So while we got a set of articles, what we really got was a set of opinion pieces to make you decide in a specific way.

I know this is basically how the media works now, but it doesn't make me any less angry to hear it. I think we should replace journalists with impartial robots.

 

[Darkbeer1]

I know this is basically how the media works now, but it doesn't make me any less angry to hear it. I think we should replace journalists with impartial robots.

I know, being in the business, and having many friends in the field.

I have done hard news stories, the fluff pieces you find in places like an Airline Magazine, or a tourism website. Commentary/opinion. and even the rumor mill, where you try and make people understand that it is un-confirmed, and might change.

But when the story is on the front page of the Main Section of the Newspaper, I expect a hard news story, not an opinion piece.

But yes, most news has become that,

And then the morning news TV programs and their pay to play segments, If they come off as advertisement, they usually are.

 

[Darkbeer1]

One thought about the average service wage.

While not true for Theme Park Employees, but for many otjers (Servers, bellhops, maids, valet, taxi drivers, tour guides, and more) they get tips, which is not included in the amount mentioned. And heck, the typical tip has gone from 15% to 18-20% in the last few years, and since that is sometimes not reported for tax purposes.

Some maids make additional income selling items left in thr room after checkout (not true valuables, things like car seats left with a note).

So even that number is under reported and should be higher.

 

[truecoat]

And yet, there's a giant wave growing on the horizon that can replace these low-skilled workers with robotics and digital automation over the next 5 to 10 years. This Westin employee will NEVER go out in front of his hotel at dawn and beat a metal pot to annoy his customers and his employer.

Too bad those robots don't pay taxes or support the economy like the worker they replace. If the burgers are flipped by robots, the carpets are cleaned by robots and the cars are driven by robots what replaces those lost jobs?

 

[Phroobar]

It's surprising how loud a metal spoon banging against a metal pot can be at 6AM. This is a Disneyland Cast Member doing this, by the way.

This is when a good tourist would call ICE and watch them scatter like cockroaches when the lights are turned on.

 

[DLR92]

Also addressed in that OC Register article is the issue of labor automation.

I was chatting with someone recently who had just retired from a long executive career in the hotel business. He told me the industry is actively pursuing automation for housekeeping, food service and bell desk functions. The more white collar front desk is already seeing sweeping automation with smartphone based self-check-in and check-out tools. Westin already is rolling out robots to deliver room service meals and run errands at their hotels. There's a giant wave of robotic automation coming to the hotel industry in the 2020's.

And yet Hotel unions like Unite HERE continue a very aggressive and adversarial approach to the hotels they work for, making the business difficult for companies trying to run profitable hotels. A robot that can deliver breakfast to your room and then clean it and change the sheets will never call sick, never complain to HR, and never require a dental and medical plan.

Nor will those robots ever go on strike and beat pots and pans at 6AM on Disneyland Drive just to upset the paying customers like Unite HERE did during their last contract negotiation with Disney a few years ago.

Good morning! You silly tourists didn't want to sleep in on vacation, did you?!?

It's surprising how loud a metal spoon banging against a metal pot can be at 6AM. This is a Disneyland Cast Member doing this, by the way.

And yet, there's a giant wave growing on the horizon that can replace these low-skilled workers with robotics and digital automation over the next 5 to 10 years. This Westin employee will NEVER go out in front of his hotel at dawn and beat a metal pot to annoy his customers and his employer.

I seen lots of CM at the hotels being unhappy. I remember walking toward GCH and saw two chefs coming back from brake to GCH about their boss. LOL

 

[Curious Constance]

I seen lots of CM at the hotels being unhappy. I remember walking toward GCH and saw two chefs coming back from brake to GCH ******** about their boss. LOL

This is one of my biggest pet peeves. Don't talk crap about your job/bosses/co-workers in front of paying customers!

 

[Deleted member 107043]

This is when a good tourist would call ICE and watch them scatter like cockroaches when the lights are turned on.

 

[DLR92]

This is one of my biggest pet peeves. Don't talk crap about your job/bosses/co-workers in front of paying customers!

I had an incident of a CM at Splash Mountain actually complain about her job, the guest, Everything. with another fellow CM agreeing with everything. That ticked me off more than those chefs. To me the chefs were more ranting about typical life of being in a low paying job. Their just ranting. But this CM acted like she deserve to be treated better and be handed life to be easy.

Worse was when she told a random child to get out of the line, this is Fastest line, not the stand by line. Very rude and condensing to the child. The poor kid looked like he wanted to cry.

 

[TP2000]

I seen lots of CM at the hotels being unhappy. I remember walking toward GCH and saw two chefs coming back from brake to GCH ******** about their boss. LOL

Stay classy, Cast Members!

 

[TP2000]

Too bad those robots don't pay taxes or support the economy like the worker they replace. If the burgers are flipped by robots, the carpets are cleaned by robots and the cars are driven by robots what replaces those lost jobs?

Robot repairmen and software engineers? (Only half joking)

But you have a very valid point. Raise the labor rates high enough, and make being an employer of humans difficult enough, and you have a growing chance of being replaced by a robot or digital App by 2025.

 

[Disney Irish]

Robot repairmen and software engineers? (Only half joking)

At least I'll always have a job, cause I can do both...

 

[truecoat]

Robot repairmen and software engineers? (Only half joking)

But you have a very valid point. Raise the labor rates high enough, and make being an employer of humans difficult enough, and you have a growing chance of being replaced by a robot or digital App by 2025.

Not to get off topic but we'll have a huge problem when automobiles are self driving. Sure, it might not happen as fast as Elon Musk wants but when it does, what is going to replace those jobs? Truck driver/transportation is one of the biggest employment sectors of any state and no one can afford to have that many people out of work. The insurance companies, the truck stops, etc will all feel it. It's going to be a huge change.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I ultimately respect the Haunted Mansion employees because they operate the attraction and have to deal with thousands of obnoxious people every day. I don't know how they do that job. As a guest going there for my personal enjoyment, I want to gas the elongating rooms sometimes. Wait, did I just post that out loud?

Anyway, so I'm generally understanding of Disney employees. I've seen some freak out, but I don't feel like they're doing anything wrong. They're humans just like us. Literally! Just like us!

As for a massive Disney attraction in Long Beach...what a traffic nightmare that would have been.