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Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV
- Thread starter WDW1974
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jensenrick
Well-Known Member
Actually, that's already being built.
Not an infomercial – just the truth. There's something truly magical about Portofino Bay. Some of the WDW hotels are great, but there's a sense of calm, magic and a special touch that the Disney Resorts just don't have. No matter how nice the hotel is, I just can't ever truly feel like I'm away from hustle and bustle at the Disney Resorts.
And as far as the rooms themselves, you feel at WDW like they've taken every inch they possibly can out of the room to make sure they maximizes profits. At Portofino, the rooms are spacious, the ceilings are high and you never feel crowded.
The fact that you can walk to City Walk and the two parks is an added bonus that Disney can't compete with either.The EPCOT resorts are close, but still not the same.
prfctlyximprct
Well-Known Member
Saw guys dressed up pretty fancy at Epcot when I was there last week.. thought it might be you! Don't mean to derail this thread.. just saying!
Just a quick note on the subject of guest recovery, but one night last week I decided I wanted to steal me some Coke (actually Cherry Coke) at the 's End Zone Food Court one last time before those absurd and pricey RFID readers come into play.
Wound up talking to an extremely disenchanted, but friendly CM on the IP working the front desk. Now we wouldn't have talked at all except I was curious about how much a room there would be since I had just booked myself into Portofino Bay and wanted a comparison. I knew Disney printed rate sheets and asked him for one. Neither he nor his American compatriot had a clue what I was talking about and swore up and down that there was no such thing as a rate sheet brochure. And that I must be talking about something only available at the deluxe resorts. This song and dance went on for a good 5-7 minutes before a friend spotted said rate sheet at the end of the desk sitting against a wall and reached over and grabbed one. The young CMs were shocked as they had never heard of this info and had never seen what was right near them in seven months of working for the Mouse. This led to a discussion of how they are basically not given any training at all and largely told to lie and make things up instead of saying 'I don't know' but I'll try and find out'.
That in turn led to a discussion about the dude's opinion of the USA (fairly high), Florida (not so high) and Disney (well, let's not even go there). He wants to work in advertising and didn't get why he was cast in a front desk capacity until he saw the way Americans reacted to an international with accent. What he felt was telling and troubling was he learned in the first two weeks that Disney didn,t really care about making guests happy or filling the dreams and wishes of the young and young at heart. It was all about money and bullying guests who came to the front desk with legit complaints that should have resulted in comps and discounts being given. But any lowlife scammer who came to the desk with BS issues was basically given whatever they wanted. Of course, I've known this for years. The 'net is a breeding ground for folks who want to learn new ways to scam Disney, like by becoming a Lifestyle Blogger. But to hear it from a 22-year-old kid without prompting sorta tells you all you need to know.
Anyway, back to my Earl of Sandwich leftovers while you ponder/comment on that.
Wound up talking to an extremely disenchanted, but friendly CM on the IP working the front desk. Now we wouldn't have talked at all except I was curious about how much a room there would be since I had just booked myself into Portofino Bay and wanted a comparison. I knew Disney printed rate sheets and asked him for one. Neither he nor his American compatriot had a clue what I was talking about and swore up and down that there was no such thing as a rate sheet brochure. And that I must be talking about something only available at the deluxe resorts. This song and dance went on for a good 5-7 minutes before a friend spotted said rate sheet at the end of the desk sitting against a wall and reached over and grabbed one. The young CMs were shocked as they had never heard of this info and had never seen what was right near them in seven months of working for the Mouse. This led to a discussion of how they are basically not given any training at all and largely told to lie and make things up instead of saying 'I don't know' but I'll try and find out'.
That in turn led to a discussion about the dude's opinion of the USA (fairly high), Florida (not so high) and Disney (well, let's not even go there). He wants to work in advertising and didn't get why he was cast in a front desk capacity until he saw the way Americans reacted to an international with accent. What he felt was telling and troubling was he learned in the first two weeks that Disney didn,t really care about making guests happy or filling the dreams and wishes of the young and young at heart. It was all about money and bullying guests who came to the front desk with legit complaints that should have resulted in comps and discounts being given. But any lowlife scammer who came to the desk with BS issues was basically given whatever they wanted. Of course, I've known this for years. The 'net is a breeding ground for folks who want to learn new ways to scam Disney, like by becoming a Lifestyle Blogger. But to hear it from a 22-year-old kid without prompting sorta tells you all you need to know.
Anyway, back to my Earl of Sandwich leftovers while you ponder/comment on that.
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tirian
Well-Known Member
This.
Within the last three weeks, two groups of family friends came to Orlando and spent their entire vacations at Uni. Both families used to visit WDW every 2-3 years, and both make high 6-figure incomes. One of the families spent a day at Epcot too, and the other one spent a day at Sea World.
They raved about Universal. Neither was interested in WDW because "everything is old." The family that went to Epcot complained that there wasn't enough to do "in the front half" (they meant FW). The others, who went to SW, couldn't stop talking about Antartica.
Yeah, this is just anecdotal, but these people are also exactly the demographic that Disney wants. Both families used to visit WDW every few years. And they're not interested in Disney anymore.
What info do you need?
I may have it, I may not ...I may not be able to spill.
what's on your mind?
fractal
Well-Known Member
While I was at the Poly last week the front desk professionally and happily handled all my requests. They even knocked off half the cost of my rented cabana without me asking due to a rainy morning, but I guess at Portofina they would have given me a free cabana and drinks.
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I sorta resent your comment. First, I am not hyping anything. I am trying to pass along information and news that is interesting to me and many who read what I write. I am under no obligation to put it out on your timetable or anyone else's but mine. I used to always hear the same crap leveled at Al Lutz when he'd go more than 2-3 weeks without a column.
I also never proclaimed I had earth shattering information. I may well, but if I do you can bet this isn,t the place for it.
You go by my pace and my ability to post when I can (I do have a faux one percenter's life when not here). If that doesn't suit you than by all means go elsewhere and rest well in the knowledge that whatever I do lute out here will eventually get borrowed all over the Disney fan community.
the.dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
So how did Disney off Alan Horn?
Cody5242
Well-Known Member
I just want to know whats coming to Universal. Are they still going to expand Jurassic Park with an E ticket? Is Lord of the Rings replacing Toon Lagoon? Will there be a phase 3 for the WWoHP? Whats replacing Kid Zone? I saw a rumor that it will be based off the Smurfs, which would be a huge waste of space
IHeartArt
Active Member
I can see how this could actually happen.
By the way, great to see a new thread, Spirit. Your posts are always quite thoughtful and fun to read. Keep up the good work!
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tissandtully
Well-Known Member
If it were ANY company but Disney you would see mass casualties in the exec ranks. Everyone from Nick Franklin and Jim MacPhee to Jay Resulo and Tom Staggs would have their exec headhunter on speed dial.
Th8s will cost multiples of what it was expected to, will not drive revenue like Disney promised the Board and will never be fully implemented as originally planned. It also won,t be exported to Anaheim and Paris as planned either.
tissandtully
Well-Known Member
Lets not forget that this is a spot currently used to sell souvenirs and sign people up for credit cards. I also used to man a hot dog stand at the hub in the early days.
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HMF
Well-Known Member
So the fact that it is Disney means that we won't see these people fired?
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
Once again, there are several competent people that are on these boards, have business degrees, and could have told them that roughly 2 billion dollars ago.
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
This is somewhat self serving, but I remember back when I was doing the podcast, we discussed Disney's inability to successfully build something technologically advanced. NGE is seemingly no different, other than it's more costly then their other recent failures.
TalkingHead
Well-Known Member
I remember years ago when you started hinting that Uni was looking at doing the Potter expansion in the Studios park. It sounded far-fetched. And then the rumor that they'd be connecting the two parks with a ride?!
It sounded too outlandish, too ballsy, too creative. It sounded like the kind of anecdotal blue-sky stuff WDI talks about but never does.
After seeing how serious Uni has gotten with construction and expansion, I wouldn't doubt any rumor -- at this point, building a monorail sounds believable and exciting. Even though it'll never happen since building a mile of monorail track costs $100,000,000,000,000.
Ten years ago I would never have believed that there would come a day when Universal's plans would be the most exciting thing in Orlando. But, uh, here we are.
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