News Several character meet and greets to be cut at Walt Disney World as labor shortage continues

[Californian Elitist]

The pay is similar but they treat workers wayyyy better. Which is why many longtime Disney CM’s can now be seen at universal.

I don’t think universal is having staffing issues… but I honestly don’t know for sure.

I’ve worked at both Disney and Universal, and the differences were night and day. I have no plans to work at either again, but if I was forced to, Universal would be my choice, 100%. In worked with several people who came from Disney, and we all agreed that working at Universal was beyond better.

 

[flynnibus]

No no, it's a conspiracy by Chapek to bone the guests.

Notice Disney is cutting the day to day entertainment while the ticketed events are ongoing and draining resources?

Don't think those two things are related and take note of which experiences were given the knife first?

Disney prioritizing the paid events even when they knew they were short staffed still... who would have guessed?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Notice Disney is cutting the day to day entertainment while the ticketed events are ongoing and draining resources?

Don't think those two things are related and take note of which experiences were given the knife first?

Disney prioritizing the paid events even when they knew they were short staffed still... who would have guessed?

Nothing about that offends me. When resources are constrained, you prioritize your highest margin revenue streams.

 

[flynnibus]

The defenders? As in the ones who recognize the labor shortage is a national issue and not a WDW specific one? No, it’s not simple. At least not in the way you want it to be. Putting labor shortage in quotes doesn’t make it a fake problem. I’m sorry to say. As I mentioned previously, I’m dealing with it in my industry as well and throwing money at the problem (not even considering how much operating costs have raised in recent years) isn’t going to make it go away.

Disney needs to be seen as a DESIRABLE place to work... unfortunately they've spent the last 20 years ensuring everyone knows 'the magic' is more show than go for employees. Just like Disney counts on it's past reputation to lure guests, the same was for employees. Come on.. sacrafice to work for Disney.. it's Disney! Well that doesn't fly when the market tightens and wages soared everywhere else.

Disney can't fix this with just wages - but they need to fix the problem that they need to be the place people actually want to get hired at and value their spot.

 

[flynnibus]

The average is closer to $21. But the short answer is, it’s a different business model. Walmart and target probably have room to raise their wages some, but not anywhere close to what Costco does because they operate an entirely different type of business. They have more employees in store than Costco. They operate on different areas. Their customers don’t buy in bulk. They have additional costs, like major advertising, that Costco doesn’t. Costco is a smaller business with efficiencies available to them that the others do not. So if comparing Costco to Walmart and target isn’t really a fair fight, comparing to WDW doesn’t really make sense.

Disney's Parks Division has a roughly 30% gross margin to play with. Costco's is about 11%.

The 'business model' difference here is one demands a much higher return on their dollar than the other because of the market segment they are in. People expect an industry like Costco to have lower margins so they don't get beat up if they can't match numbers like a software company pushing 60+%.

Disney set their own standard of profitability because they basically defined the market to start with. They could still do that managing the analysts. Now... Disney just blames others and tries to maintain the idea of a growth company.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Disney's workforce cannot, should not, and will never be primarily breadwinners and heads of households. They need students and retirees.

Hey, Thor…

If they could find and run a massive operation with 65,000 retirees and college kids…they would have done exactly that ages ago.

Though I applaud you getting 12 likes for a completely illogical premise. Good work there.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

This is dead on. But the fact is WDW is betting that long term the labor market will become less tight and doesn’t want to commit to those higher wages, unless it is for an executive They believe they can make more by offering less. Once again, if WDW wanted to raise wages (yes for everyone) this could easily e avoided. But they would rather have that extra cash be spent as bonuses for management.

Also, anyone remember the number of people Disney unceremoniously canned during the height of the pandemic ?

So you said “dead on”…while actually disagreeing 100% with the misconceptions of the post? I like it…I’m gonna throw that off speed pitch too…

I seem to remember 36,000 was the number?
Which was an unnecessary, huge mistake for the bobs.

It is what it is…

But scholars here bypass that mistake, call it “luxury”, and preach that it’s super underpriced?

This is why they say not to eat paint chips…in case anyone needed proof?

 

[Lilofan]

Notice Disney is cutting the day to day entertainment while the ticketed events are ongoing and draining resources?

Don't think those two things are related and take note of which experiences were given the knife first?

Disney prioritizing the paid events even when they knew they were short staffed still... who would have guessed?

Someone perhaps got promoted or had gotten a huge bonus for dreaming up this idea.

 

[Joel]

I wonder what the Venn diagram looks like for people who feel this weird instinctive need to justify Disney price increases for practically any reason and people who, when someone suggests that maybe they should pay CMs a little more, are like "Nooooooo, they can't possibly do that!"

 

[Lil Copter Cap]

Record YOY profits.
Record inflation.
17% rent increases in central Florida alone.
~perhaps a $1 increase will do~

I’m not here to argue. But wages are the issue across the board in every industry be it service, retail, skilled or unskilled. Companies aren’t meeting their employees needs.

Can’t wait to see how Universal staffs an entirely new theme park with four lands, attractions, live shows, a hotel, retail, etc, etc in a couple of years. That is if Universal Creative can fill their 8 pages of job openings by then to get the thing built.

Central Florida is gonna be a wild time over the next few years as people move here to work in any other industries but tourism.

 

[Lilofan]

Record YOY profits.
Record inflation.
17% rent increases in central Florida alone.
~perhaps a $1 increase will do~

I’m not here to argue. But wages are the issue across the board in every industry be it service, retail, skilled or unskilled. Companies aren’t meeting their employees needs.

Can’t wait to see how Universal staffs an entirely new theme park with four lands, attractions, live shows, a hotel, retail, etc, etc in a couple of years. That is if Universal Creative can fill their 8 pages of job openings by then to get the thing built.

Central Florida is gonna be a wild time over the next few years as people move here to work in any other industries but tourism.

The apt builders have taken note. Huge apt complexes are being built all over Central FL as people move to the area continually.

 

[Disorbust]

So 17% my be the average but my daughters rent went up 40% in Windermere.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Someone perhaps got promoted or had gotten a huge bonus for dreaming up this idea.

There’s nobody to blame in a name tag.

It’s never been easier for them to make profit out of thin air. The customers will go along with anything.

That time indoors watching Netflix is being made out to be ALOT harder than it was for most.

 

[drizgirl]

There’s nobody to blame in a name tag.

It’s never been easier for them to make profit out of thin air. The customers will go along with anything.

That time indoors watching Netflix is being made out to be ALOT harder than it was for most.

It never ceases to amaze me how many people assume that was everyone’s experience.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It never ceases to amaze me how many people assume that was everyone’s experience.

I’m absolutely not assuming “everyone”. There was alot of hardship.

Amongst those flooding Disney parks at maximum rates and upsells? That’s a different prospect, Isn’t it?

It’s not living in a “glass house”…it’s standing outside with a bag of rocks.

Has the last 18-24 months not been a show of ridiculous largesse in Disney parks?

I’d love to hear why I’m wrong?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I wonder what the Venn diagram looks like for people who feel this weird instinctive need to justify Disney price increases for practically any reason and people who, when someone suggests that maybe they should pay CMs a little more, are like "Nooooooo, they can't possibly do that!"

I actually have that diagram:

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I wonder what the Venn diagram looks like for people who feel this weird instinctive need to justify Disney price increases for practically any reason and people who, when someone suggests that maybe they should pay CMs a little more, are like "Nooooooo, they can't possibly do that!"

Neither prices nor wages need to be justified.

Charge as much as people are willing to pay, pay as little as people are willing to take.

 

[MrPromey]

Neither prices nor wages need to be justified.

Charge as much as people are willing to pay, pay as little as people are willing to take.

You just leaked the two subtitles they're trying to pick from for Bob's upcoming book on business: "How to Erode Brand Value and Eradicate Staff Morale for Fun And Profit"

Soon to be released by HarperCollins and available in a clearance bin wherever fine books are sold.

 

[mkt]

The pay is similar but they treat workers wayyyy better. Which is why many longtime Disney CM’s can now be seen at universal.

I don’t think universal is having staffing issues… but I honestly don’t know for sure.

My experience is many MANY years old, but I worked in both, and my treatment at Universal was far superior to Disney's.

 

[el_super]

I actually have that diagram:

LOL no.... I literally posted this yesterday:

I think Cast Members should be paid more, but I also think the experience is underpriced... Gotta stay consistent.

So at least one person is on the outside of that bubble.

Now that the news is coming out that Green Army Men are coming back, and more parade showtimes are being added... how do (more than half) the comments in this thread stand up?

Disney doesn't seem to be having too much of an issue attracting talent in other areas so there can't be too much of a problem.