"partners statue" in the dark. Has disney become sloppy?

[Tomorrow Child]

Dear Disney Friends.

Here´s a e-mail that I´ve sent to WDW Guest Service and I want to share with you.

Sorry my English

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Dear Fellows Cast Members.


I´ve been to Disney World for the first time in 1993, I was 13 at that time. I still can recall how I felt: dazzled! I never imagined that the complex was bigger than a whole city.

Since my first visit I´ve been dreaming to come back.

In the mean time I´ve read the Tom Connelans book "Inside de Magic Kingdom", and I never forgot what he said about "Disney amazing attention to details": "they paint almost everything on MK everyday, so, the park looks brand new always...". "There is no single lamp broken, they have a system that tracks every lamp in the hole complex, and warns the maintenance if one is broken"

I must admit that I was too young to remember things like that. So, finally in 2005 I was able to come back to Disney as a CM part of the ICP. It took so long that I have a lot of new things to do and to see. But, I needed to check out what Tom said: and what I found? Plenty of broken lamps in the Main Street USA, roofs apearing old (not painted in years) and the water in front of Cinderella Castle with a dirty appearance.

Tom Connelan lied? Or Disney became slopy and lazy? The profits became more important than Disney magic and philosophy?

Well, in 2006 I went back to Disney and took my wife with me. We expend more then 20 days to explore every single corner of the complex. In BoardWalk there was so many broken lamps that I couldn´t count. Even the BoardWalk logo had a whole letter off. So not the Disney style.

2009/10 (Christmas and New Years) we took our Godson to his first visit. Guest what? At night, the "Partners Statue" was dark because the plants around the spot lights were so big, that covered the lights. More deception: no photos with that beautiful, golden statue with the amazing castle with all those stuning colors in the back.

2011 - 3 days ago we went back, my wife´s pregnant of our first son, we decided to go to Disney to make a lot of pictures of his first visit (inside his mom). Great fotos... with the day light. At night, once again, the Partners Statues was half dark: the two spot lights pointed to Walts statue were off, just Mickey had his lights on. Result: no beautiful fotos like in 2006.

Disney friends: what is happening with you? It´s not a little detail like a single light bulb in the Main Street; we´re talking about the Center Piece of the Main Square in front the Castle. We´re talking about the Statue of the Creator and his Creature. It´s more than lack of attention to details; it´s a disrespect to the guests and worst, to Walts legacy and memory. The man who made it all possible in the dark? Why not just take the statue away?

You can´t imagine how disapointing all this is for a Disney fan that travel 10.000km from Brazil to find things this way.

I sincerely hope to find things better in the next time when I will visit the new Fantasyland, and also in July at Disneyland Anahein (my first visit).

Please, bring the Disney Magic back, if you think just about the profit you will became just another theme park, and Disney is about a lifetime experience. Let the "park title" to the poor Universal. Disney is Disney: beyond compare. Unless you continue to do things this way, letting Walt in the dark.


I wish you all the best and hope to see you soon in the best shape ever!


Kind regards


PS: If you want, I have all the photos here.


Renato De Vuono - HUGE FAN!

 

[Krack]

Excellent letter

 

[CP_alum08]

This is one of the biggest things that drives me nuts about 'Disney fans'. You feel the need to complain whenever something isn't perfect. I totally understand that Disney holds it's self to much higher standards than just about any company in the world, especially other amusement park companies. But you have to cut them a little slack every now and then.

Of course you are going to find things wrong if you are specifically looking for them. I've never noticed the paint on the rooftops fading, you know why, because I've never walked around saying "I wonder what I can find that isn't perfect today?' I'm too busy enjoying my time to worry about the little things like light bulbs being burnt out.

I guess this is a case where people have to agree to disagree, but I bet if you went to a mall and saw a light bulb out and a sign missing a letter you wouldn't write to the mall complaining that it ruined your experience.

 

[rsoxguy]

For all of the valid points that you were making, your English is just fine with me.

 

[disney4life2008]

I love how every Guest Relations email starts off with the persons childhood memory of WDW. :king:

Wonderful letter though.

 

[SleepingMonk]

...I totally understand that Disney holds it's self to much higher standards than just about any company in the world, especially other amusement park companies.....

Can't have it both ways.

If they claim to be the best they need to at least TRY to live up to it.

Lately it feels like they've stopped trying.

 

[CP_alum08]

Can't have it both ways.

If they claim to be the best they need to at least TRY to live up to it.

Lately it feels like they've stopped trying.

Yes, but even Disney's 'stopped trying' is still much better than other parks 'trying'. While the general upkeep may not be what it used to be, it's still better than anywhere else.

 

[SleepingMonk]

...it's still better than anywhere else.

But for how long?

 

[KanineKrunchies]

Disney has brought this on themselves and therefore perfection is what people expect.

It's no secret that Disney has cut back on certain things over the recent years and it has shown in these areas, yet they continue to raise prices on passes, food service & resorts.

I'm not one that goes out looking for these specific items like Tomorrow Child but there has been enough of a change were a frequent visitor like myself can see.

 

[CP_alum08]

But for how long?

personally I think they have quite a ways to go before they become 'another theme park.' The CM's are still very friendly, all of them are well mannered and well kept (no viable tattoos, huge holes in their heads, green hair, etc. etc...and I have tattoos and had my ears pierced so don't say Im discriminating). There are trash cans every few feet that are almost always empty so there is no garbage just lying around.

The single fact that there is a fireworks show that is put on every night that costs thousands (maybe more) seems to be a pretty good example of how Disney is still the best, to me.

I really do understand that people expect more from Disney. But I just don't think a few burnt out light bulbs and some fading paint are enough to be that concerned over.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

Well they are in the process of the Fantasyland expansion. So I don't think we can say they are doing absolutely nothing

 

[Clever Name]

Many years ago a fellow by the name of ParrotHead hosted a website called “Walt Disney World Blues”. It was dedicated to showing WDW photos of faded paint, chipped paint, burnt out lights, cracked concrete, peeling paint and all manner of other examples of poor maintenance at WDW. It was a very popular website for awhile. Disney liked the idea so much they opened up Animal Kingdom! Ever notice that a major part of the theme in AK revolves around broken sidewalks, chipped paint, burnt out lights and poor maintenance? Disney has had such great success with AK that the new poor maintenance theme is now being introduced at the other parks and DTD as well. :wave:

 

[Sarabell]

IMO attention to detail is a must. specially in WDW. I understand a broken lightbulb is not a huge deal, but it becomes one when you have a bunch of them and do nothing to fix it. I know some of you might think ¨it´s just a lightbulb right?¨ but if it´s just a lightbulb it shouldn´t take forever for it to be replaced.

The same happens with chipped paint and other small maintenance issues. It´s not that people are constantly looking for flaws, it´s that when they start happening and don´t get fixed, people start noticing. if you have a small hole on your pants it´s probably just an accident and people won´t see it, but if you go around with your pants full of holes... it´s whole different story

 

[Stitchaholic84]

Can't have it both ways.

If they claim to be the best they need to at least TRY to live up to it.

Lately it feels like they've stopped trying.[/QUOTE]

Yeah but I bet it wont stop you from going!

Im not necessarily talking about Sleeping Monk but just to say the people who complain are the types that go 2,3 sometimes more times a year.
Maybe if you went less you'd appreciate it more when you did and stop picking holes in things that normal people dont even notice.

To complain about a broken lightbulb or some chipped paint is pretty pathetic - get a life!!

 

[bgraham34]

I think until Disney World starts looking like Nara Dreamland I will be trying to go yearly.

 

[tizzo]

Obviously there's a diversity of opinion here as to how much someone should care about the state of the parks. Keep in mind however that Disney wants to know what their guests are thinking - all of them, whether you (or for that matter Disney) thinks they are being unreasonable.

A complaint is a data point. And data is hugely valuable to operating an organization like WDW.

 

[dreamfinder]

To complain about a broken lightbulb or some chipped paint is pretty pathetic - get a life!!

But where do you draw the line? It starts with a light bulb here or there. And then goes to duct tape holding building pieces on. And then to rides that run with strobe lights because they don't want to fix them. And then to having Mickey take an hour long lunch break while you wait in line. And then only running one monorail on each track. And using school buses instead of the WDW bus fleet. And then having guests clean their own rooms. Etc etc etc. Where do YOU feel the need to complain? Disney has prided itself on their service and experience. And push that heavily in their marketing.

 

[mkeim]

Can't have it both ways.

If they claim to be the best they need to at least TRY to live up to it.

Lately it feels like they've stopped trying.

Couldn't agree more. Above someone said what drives them nuts about Disney fans is they complain? Disney does claim to be the best, if they are not going to keep up with maintenance, and the little details that they claim to care so much about, then don't say you are.

 

[Hot4Hudgens]

I think this is more nitpicking than anything else, but it's not like the points are invalid. As far as telling the guy to get a life? Come on. Take a look around. You're on a discussion board full of Disney fanatic. People here talk about everything from the detail of attractions to the toilets even. Ok, maybe not, but you get my point.

 

[rsoxguy]

I think the toilets are fine. It's the people inside that foul things up.