Mr Bill
Well-Known Member
It's happened before.
In 2003, Disney admitted that improper maintenance led to a train derailing on Thunder Mountain at Disneyland, killing one guest.
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TDO light maintenance becoming a joke!
- Thread starter Scuttle
- Start date
In 2003, Disney admitted that improper maintenance led to a train derailing on Thunder Mountain at Disneyland, killing one guest.
COProgressFan
Well-Known Member
They may only be indirectly related, but Disney used to have a reputation (and rightly so) for everything being perfect, or near perfect. They have completely abandoned even attempting to acheive that, however.
Nevertheless, seeing maintenance or cleanliness issues anywhere across WDW certainly doesn't instill a lot of confidence in the operation of the resort as a whole.
dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
Any why is that? And it's not just the safety of the ride, its the whole experience. Big Thunder is still safe if the rocks stop moving, and the goats and possums are gone, and the geyser stops working. But all those separate it from a run of the mill coaster. And in the case of any cutbacks, outward appearances are usually the last to go. When people go bankrupt, many people still keep their lavish cars and houses til the bitter end so they still look rich. Plenty of stores and restaurants slap on a fresh coat of paint to hide all sorts of issues. So when anything stops caring about its outward appearance, its public face, then what are they hiding inside that you cannot see? If someone in your family suddenly stopped shaving, started wearing old thread worn clothes, would you be concerned that something was wrong with them either mentally or physically? Or think of it this way, you are in a new town, and want dinner. Knowing nothing about the restaurants in front of you, You have two choices. One that is a bit grubby with trash by the door, the sign that says "Town Diner" is only lit up to say "Tow D ne ", and the windows that need to be washed. And the one right next door that is sparkling clean, sign says "Good Eats" that you could read it from the other end of the block and has no visible garbage anywhere? Pretty much guarantee that you would try the one that says "Good Eats". The same exact thing applies here. If they don't care enough to make a good first impression on the outside, what else do they not care about?
Clever Name
Well-Known Member
I agree. For a long time I have thought management at WDW has demonstrated that they have some mental problems. :wave:
Animaniac93-98
Well-Known Member
I saw this picture on Daveland web from Jan 1972 that shows what looks like burnt out bulbs on Main Street (look to the right on the Emporium sign)
Looks like Disney's "80%" rule, wasn't always practical, even way back when.
However, there's not denying those Grand Floridian pics look bad and even from those who say they don't care/are not bothered appear not to be suggesting that it looks good either (I also find it hard to believe nobody notices this example even if they don't mind). To me that just makes it even more unacceptable, especially when the average rate at said hotel is $572.50 for a garden view room (range is $440 to $705). People should care for all the reasons mentioned before.
It may not be realistic to have 100% of the bulbs working 100% of the time, but things should never get this bad, especially at a "Deluxe" hotel.
Looks like Disney's "80%" rule, wasn't always practical, even way back when.
However, there's not denying those Grand Floridian pics look bad and even from those who say they don't care/are not bothered appear not to be suggesting that it looks good either (I also find it hard to believe nobody notices this example even if they don't mind). To me that just makes it even more unacceptable, especially when the average rate at said hotel is $572.50 for a garden view room (range is $440 to $705). People should care for all the reasons mentioned before.
It may not be realistic to have 100% of the bulbs working 100% of the time, but things should never get this bad, especially at a "Deluxe" hotel.
CP_alum08
Well-Known Member
Oh I get it, I guess I just don't care and I don't let it bother me. I understand that Disney is the vacation kingdom of the world and I understand that they used to have much higher standards, but we have to face facts, if you can name any company that has been around for decades that still hold its self to the standards it used to and does not cut costs I will start my own web site dedicated to all the light bulbs out on property.
No one can deny that Disney standards have declined in recent years but they are still ahead of everyone else and eventually they have to turn themselves around because they will start losing money because of it. With record profits last year though, what reason do they have to increase spending on maintenance?
Lee
Adventurer
Certainly bulbs did occasionally burn out, no system is perfect.
The question is...how long did they stay burned out. I'd wager it was hours or days, not months.
I'm not going to try to equate bad show with poor ride maintenance...
But once you head down the slippery slope of cutting corners, it's hard to turn back. The increased "profits" look too good on paper to investors.
Until something like this happens...
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Animaniac93-98
Well-Known Member
I can't say for the example I showed, but I think it's fair to leave a burnt out bulb alone during park hours and then fix it the next after-hours shift.
Weeks or months on end is unacceptable to me too.
I wondering though how did they expect to keep up the 80% rule? Did they try and track every bulb's replacement date and where it was on a map?
Lee
Adventurer
Completely agreed. That sort of maintenance is for third shift work.
And yes, they changed all the bubs in a particular area at the same time, thereby being able to keep track of when they went in and when they should be changed. It was a constant rotation.
WDW1974
Well-Known Member
That's really the biggest problem in O-Town. Way too many 'fans' have the same apathetic 'tude. They are willing to accept whatever crap Disney puts out.
Any Marriott in the USA would be embarrassed to have the lighting issues the GF does. And I can't think of any that average close to $600 a night for a standard room. Funny how back in the 80s and 90s Disney was vastly less costly to visit and stay at, yet they could somehow afford to do things the right way, the Disney Way.
And Disney is NOT ... is NOT ... do I need a third? ... ahead of everyone else. Sorry, this isn't 1978 or 1988 here. They aren't. They have so many basic issues of keeping things up and running and clean because of a decade plus Walmarting of the product and expectations by folks like yourself.
It disgusts me to hear 'fans' defend paying more for less all the time.
As a celeb Imagineer told me back in September at DL 'WDW's fans are the biggest reason (why nothing ever seems to improve)'. :xmas:
ght
Well-Known Member
See, I could buy that if it was like this at all the Disney parks but it is not. I grew up going to the MK and until I moved to Phoenix I used to dismiss all the talk about how DL is maintained better than WDW as DL fanboy talk. That was until I started going to DL and going to both places in the same year, sometimes within a couple of months. There is a difference between the upkeep at DL and at WDW. Does it completely ruin the trip? No, but it is irritating when you can see that Disney can do it better by simply going to the other coast.
THEMEPARKPIONEER
Well-Known Member
Has anyone noticed the lights on the Fountain of Nations, they are almost as bad as they were before they fixed them. Little things like lights are so neglected these days.
Thrill
Well-Known Member
I have always believed that the true fans are the ones willing to criticize. If you don't care enough to admit that there's a problem, then you don't care enough to be a fan.
It's what, to me, drives the difference between a fan and a fanboy. A fanboy looks and says, "Ooh Disney logo. Must be great." A fan says, "This is not worthy of the Disney name. Fix it."
CP_alum08
Well-Known Member
And yet, you're a fan and go to the parks right?
I am absolutely apathetic towards light bulbs, yes, and this thread was started specifically to complain about light bulbs. I just cant be bothered with insignificant things light that. It wouldn't bother me at a Marriott either. I have never and probably will never pay $600 for a hotel room, anywhere. Personally I do not see the value in spending that much on a room. Others do and I think that's great, it keeps the economy rolling, not just Disney's.
Other things like general cleanliness of the parks, broken projectors, upkeep to ride vehicles, etc., things that take away from the overall experience bother me. Things like light bulbs and chipping paint do not.
I think Disney is and will always be "best" because it already has had the reputation of being the best. Even if every guest walked out of MK disgusted and went home and told everyone they knew how awful it was, people would still flock there. It's almost got to the point where Disney isn't selling a product anymore but an experience. Even if the parents know how horrible it is they will still take their kids there because it's sort of a right of passage as a child.
I'm not arguing at all that Disney's standards have fallen significantly, they have, I'm arguing that nothing will be done about it until they start losing money because of it. And if I were in charge
ROFLOL I couldn't give a crap what the 'fan boys' think, they/we will never be satisfied.
So what do fangirls do?
BrianTheMute
Member
I understand that GF should have better upkeep, but as far as ToT goes, I think the lack of upkeep just adds to the run-down haunted feel of it. As long as the elevator goes up and drops as it should, I'm happy.
Write slashfic.
"Bad" is left out because it implies that there is such a thing as good slashfic. (Curse the lack of a strikeout tag!)