Splash Mountain falling apart (literally?)

[Brian Noble]

The water canons are of course a gamble.

if we don't want to get hit by those, we bring a single poncho with us, and put it up like an umbrella/tarp when we get around the drop. After that, it's pretty smooth sailing.

 

[RSoxNo1]

They are doing things right now that indicate they're aware of the problem. Cutting Splash from EMH and extending the usual month long refurb are a step in the right direction if maintenance is actually being done. I just don't know if the refurb will actually be enough.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

They are doing things right now that indicate they're aware of the problem. Cutting Splash from EMH and extending the usual month long refurb are a step in the right direction if maintenance is actually being done. I just don't know if the refurb will actually be enough.

It also doesn't help that the maintaince dept. is hopelessly understaffed.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

It needs to be closed for 6 months to a year. No, it doesn't need an interactive queue, a new meet and greet, apps for your mobile device, video screens, RFID Fastpass Plus or whatever. It needs to go back to being like it was in the early 90s, packs and all.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

It also doesn't help that the maintaince dept. is hopelessly understaffed.

They can correct me on this if I misheard, but I'm pretty sure Lee or someone said there are actually plenty of maintenance people working for WDW. They just cannot do anything unless they are told to do so, so it's a problem of lack of approval from higher ups.

Again correct me if i'm wrong here.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Here you go @MerlinTheGoat

I can personally attest to having the maintenance depts shrink to almost minimum levels. When I started there was only 2 parks and now there is 4 and more water parks and resorts. I think we have less people now than before. WE have had plenty of lay offs before, but since 9/11 everything has been shrinking by attrition, when people retire, get fired, quit, or move away, they hardly hire any new people. The rate of outside contractors has increased considerably because of lower costs (initially), but also lower quality workmanship and if it breaks again, then we have to repair their job and then fix it correctly.

That's part of the problem, they lowered their standards. The SQS (Show Quality Standards) dept has been gutted, there is only a few people left. They still do show reviews and reports but it doesn't carry any weight anymore. I have seen Show Directors shut down attractions before because the show quality was so bad, but that wouldn't happen anymore.​

​

Hourly rider counts and ride safety is the only things that count now, everything else takes a backseat. I had a manager that thought a "B" or "C" was good enough for show quality as long as they could save money on the budget even though some WDI show programmers argued with him about keeping up show quality. And where are they now? The WDI Show Programmer is still working hard to maintain show quality and programming new shows but still basically in the same position. The manager who was trying to save money and cut budgets and forget about Show Quality, well he is now a Senior Vice President and making a lot more money and making more cuts.​

​

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

Thanks for the info! Seems like even ride safety isn't so important anymore though sadly with the falling rock work.

 

[articos]

Here you go @MerlinTheGoat

Unfortunately, everything @Alektronic says is all too accurate.

I'll chime in here on Splash's rockwork. You have to realize the attraction is 20 years old now, 21 if you count construction. Attractions are generally designed & planned to a 20 year lifespan, IF regular preventative (annual) maintenance is performed. Disney's history had a stellar maintenance program, but that's slipped over the past 10-15 years. The underpinnings of the mountain should be inspected and repaired annually and more in-depth every 3-5 years on a wet attraction. And the rockwork should be resealed on a regular basis. That can't happen with the way things are maintained nowadays, without a committed plan to do this type of maintenance during the monthly downtime, which also means the animatronics and show quality must be maintained separately during the year as it breaks. It's not physically possible to do all the work that needs to be done in a month downtime if you spend all of your resources (budget and manpower) on show scenes, without thinking about the stuff that's taken for granted, meaning the rock and fake woodwork that has simply been patched and painted over the years. Not to mention the hours avail to work on the attraction have shrunk over the years. It's honestly not surprising the rockwork is degrading and gravity is taking its course. It shouldn't be this way, but it's right on time to have things start to need some TLC, esp with the way things have been taken care of.

 

[copcarguyp71]

You should write a letter saying that to the head of DVC (is it still Dijuan Rivers?) and CC to Meg and Tom Staggs.
You will get a response ... and likely not the Joan Martin treatment.

I sent a letter to Claire Bilby and CC'd Tom and Meg. We will see what sort of response it gets. I really just did it to throw my hat in the ring for everyone who is increasingly frustrated with deteriorating standards. If I hear anything I will pass it along. Thanks WDW1974 for your help.

 

[copcarguyp71]

I sent a letter to Claire Bilby and CC'd Tom and Meg. We will see what sort of response it gets. I really just did it to throw my hat in the ring for everyone who is increasingly frustrated with deteriorating standards. If I hear anything I will pass it along. Thanks WDW1974 for your help.

So, no real surprise but I got a phone call from a "representative" of the executive team who basically stated they were discussing the matter but that they understand that the DVC is not for everybody. Wished me a magical day and told me they would like to welcome me home sometime soon...that was pretty much it. Below is the actual letter that I sent to them:

Disney Vacation Development, Inc.
200 Celebration Place
Celebration, Florida, 34747-9903


Dear Claire Bilby,

Our family has had the wonderful fortune of being able to vacation nine times at the Walt Disney World Resort (four of which have been since 2003). We have enjoyed the parks on many levels and it is a wonderful vacation that we really enjoy.

Back in November of 2006 we sat at a DVC desk in the Wilderness Lodge during our stay there and discussed the benefits of DVC ownership. At that time we were given information but not offered a look at any villas or areas on property for DVC members. On our next trip in 2008 we enjoyed the parks a great deal but ignored the DVC membership desks entirely and upon returning home we agreed that perhaps we should consider membership once again, we decided to look very carefully at the parks in future visits as prospective owners and not just touristy vacationers. Over our next two trips (one in 2010 and one this year in 2012) we made quite a few observations and discussed our thoughts with one another when we returned home once again.

In all honesty after looking over the parks and the contracts of the DVC ownership I have to say that we have noted a decline in overall value for the dollar in our vacation as a rack rate type guest and after looking over contracts from other DVC members I see no responsibility of the DVC that guarantees condition or upkeep of the parks or properties. In essence the only thing I can see that the DVC is required to do is to supply lodgings with a perceived sense of ownership. I have to say that we are not at all comfortable making a 30-40 year commitment to a company that does not give any guarantee of ROI for our investment dollar either in the form of written contract or by examples we noted in the parks over the past four years.

As a business owner myself I wanted to take time to write you with my concerns as someone who started my own love of Disney with my first vacation to the world at the age of six in August 1977 and as someone who is seeing the resources squandered and left to decay in the form of empty pavilions, rides with all too frequent break downs and attractions not updated due to lack of corporate sponsorship for far too many years.

We have two more vacations planned over the next two years and in fact booked a bounceback for Sept 2013 in hopes that we see improvements that can help rekindle that wonderful feeling of magic in our hearts.

Thank you for your time and kind consideration in these matters.

Very hopefully yours,

Mr & Mrs XXXXXXX

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Disneyland's doesn't have tarps in the loading area, does it?

 

[Loretta]

We were there Nov. 8th and not only was it shut down, but suits were standing right were you go in after the fall looking at it. Never did get back to it.

 

[Joseph Robinson]

I read through this entire thread, and I have that feeling in the pit of my stomach that is very similar to when I found out Santa wasn't real way back when. Maybe it is just because I'm a youngster and been in love with Disney since I first went in '96; but none of the things mentioned about WDW were really apparent to me before now. But when I think about it I can remember Splash Mountain having problems for a long time. Heck, when I went in December of '03 with some friends for Christmas break the fountain elements in The Laughing Place weren't working. We rode something like 8 times in a row too so it wasn't just a glitch (got wicked sick btw: there is a reason that the line was empty on a 45 degree day it seems!)

Haunted Mansion was/is pretty glitchy too, even after the refurbishment. Something else that comes to mind is the old fort on Tom Sawyer's Island. Whatever happened to that? It's been a long time since I went over to the island; but I remember no one ever knowing what was going on. That's just the tip of the iceberg too.

This thread is making me consider taking a trip to Disneyland next year rather than WDW.

It makes me want to enact a hostile takeover of whatever Disney entity I need to take over to get things in order. If Walt were around he would absolutely flip. Forget money, get these things working right, no matter how much money or time it takes (IIRC Walt was famous for stressing perfection over initial cost, guessing correctly that profits would come after the fact from putting out such a great product. I wonder where they lost sight of that?)

WDW means too much to too many people to let things degrade to a point where people are seriously saying that Universal and Sea World are making up ground. Forget. That. Noise. It's supposed to be no competiton: Disney World in its own class and then everyone else. I'm glad that I finally decided on pursuing a degree in Business/Hospitality Management when I get into school. Someone needs to kick butts and take names lol.

yeah, or first initial then last name or sometimes a . between the names and sometimes not...just looking to be certain I am not wasting my breath sending them to a dead end...although that may be what happens anyway even if it does make it to the correct destination

I saw from your posts after this that you got a letter sent to what should be the right address; but I would still like to bring up something else that I didn't see mentioned that you and others like yourself could try: an "open letter" that could be published on a website/blog you own, or heck even on a public forum like this if the rules allow it. If you can craft it the right way and garner enough public outcry/copycats behind it you might be able to actually get even more attention than you would with a singular letter. Just throwing the idea out there (in fact, I might try it myself).

Wow, that got a lot more long winded than I expected. This thread made me sad, but I'm going to hold on to my belief that WDW can and will be fixed, just like I believe again that Santa Claus is real (see: Rise of the Guardians trailer. You can't make Santa look that awesome and not have him exist).

 

[copcarguyp71]

I saw from your posts after this that you got a letter sent to what should be the right address; but I would still like to bring up something else that I didn't see mentioned that you and others like yourself could try: an "open letter" that could be published on a website/blog you own, or heck even on a public forum like this if the rules allow it. If you can craft it the right way and garner enough public outcry/copycats behind it you might be able to actually get even more attention than you would with a singular letter. Just throwing the idea out there (in fact, I might try it myself).

See my post above with the blue font for the letter that I sent and a brief synopsis of the inaction that it garnered from DVC.

Unfortunately I do not have the time or gumption to get a letter writing campaign together and I truly feel like it would do little good anyway. As long as the resorts are packed and DVC is selling like hotcakes they could sincerely care less about fanbois like us.

 

[janoimagine]

Disneyland's doesn't have tarps in the loading area, does it?

Nope.

 

[Joseph Robinson]

See my post above with the blue font for the letter that I sent and a brief synopsis of the inaction that it garnered from DVC.

Unfortunately I do not have the time or gumption to get a letter writing campaign together and I truly feel like it would do little good anyway. As long as the resorts are packed and DVC is selling like hotcakes they could sincerely care less about fanbois like us.

Yep, saw the response and it was one of the reasons that I recommended the letter writing campaign. I can totally understand that the idea wouldn't be for everyone though (we have lives after all) and your pessimism given the nonchalant way that they responded to you. I think I'll still try the idea out on my own anyways, but I've also been told that I'm too idealistic for my own good sometimes too . I guess the worst that could happen is that I look like a total fool.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Disneyland's doesn't have tarps in the loading area, does it?

Does DL's have any of the problems WDW's Splash Mountain has?

 

[Captain Chaos]

See my post above with the blue font for the letter that I sent and a brief synopsis of the inaction that it garnered from DVC.

Unfortunately I do not have the time or gumption to get a letter writing campaign together and I truly feel like it would do little good anyway. As long as the resorts are packed and DVC is selling like hotcakes they could sincerely care less about fanbois like us.

Thing is, resorts aren't packed and the DVC is no longer selling like hotcakes...

 

[copcarguyp71]

Yep, saw the response and it was one of the reasons that I recommended the letter writing campaign. I can totally understand that the idea wouldn't be for everyone though (we have lives after all) and your pessimism given the nonchalant way that they responded to you. I think I'll still try the idea out on my own anyways, but I've also been told that I'm too idealistic for my own good sometimes too . I guess the worst that could happen is that I look like a total fool.

Then definitely keep me in the loop. Although I lack the time to build the bandwagon I would be happy to jump on yours!

 

[copcarguyp71]

Thing is, resorts aren't packed and the DVC is no longer selling like hotcakes...

We were so close to going in on DVC and I can see where it is an easy thing to throw your hat in the ring on especially while they have you in their grasp. I am glad we took the time to come home and get introspective about it to realize we had genuine concerns about the "ROI" of our vacation dollar.

Maybe someday the management team will wise up....or not.