Was Disney lying about perfection and standards?

[jpinkc]

In my opinion I think this was true at one time. As time went on I think TWDC became more and more focused on its share price. This became the highest priority and everything else became a lower priority.

Today TWDC will do anything to try to protect its share price. At this moment we must also include the pandemic as a factor, but to be very clear, the thousands of layoffs made in the name of the pandemic was made to lower costs to protect the share price.

Its also true that long before the pandemic, the aim for perfection was replaced by the aim to reduce costs to protect the share price. This is especially noticed in the theme parks; very expensive to run and keep running, never mind to perfection.

As I have said before. The Parks show the real state of TWDC, they are living breathing places, when the US Parks are showing the rot instead of being the GOLD Standard (or close to it) of what Theme Parks should be, there is trouble in Paradise no matter what the Stock Price is. Thats one thing alot of investment types overlook. People also forget what got TWDC through the rough times was DL and WDW!! They kept the company afloat. D+ and movies are ephemeral and really dont show a living breathing example of a companies health for lack of a better word. If the parks are suffering I take that as a big sign that things arent well in Paradise (TWDC) no matter what they say.

 

[John park hopper]

That is the problem if Disney wasn't using park profits to buy and keep others a float and plowed park profits back into the parks we would not be having this discussion

 

[Splashin' Ryan]

I vividly remember watching a promo DVD or vacation package video in the early 2000s and it showed the maintenance cast members going over every bulb on main street every night or touching up paint overnight etc.
Simply put it's visible that this isn't happening anymore.

It feels like an "if we get to it we get to it and if we don't we don't" mentality.

 

[Yellow Shoes]

If OLC runs it the park would be cleaner. The cleanliness of the Tokyo parks compared to CA/FL parks is like day and night.

There's also that huge cultural difference between Japan and the US. Japanese culture values cleanliness and order--the US these days--not so much. IN GENERAL, Americans tend to think that "someone else" will...pick up that litter, put the shopping cart away, wait patiently in line, etc.
Not to minimize the lower standards of 2020 WDW to 1990 WDW..

 

[Piebald]

I'll bite and say that what you are describing is how Disney used to be. Rides used to be unavailable for riding until the broken animatronic was fixed. Or the fuzzy speaker may have been something you heard that one night but if you went back the next it would have been fixed. What we have been seeing as of late is a lack of that attention to detail that used to really captivate those of us who remember that time.

I will say that if you go to Tokyo Disneyland (I have not personally) my understanding is that this high standard and level of perfection still remains to this day. However, I believe that is because of the Oriental Land Company rather than the Walt Disney Company.

TDR is truly incredible. We were fortunate enough to go and as a WDW local it was a little bit of a let down going back to WDW (and this was pre covid and things have gotten even worse)

As a former CM I respectfully say the worst CM at TDR is like a top 10% CM at WDW and DL. They truly love their job and take great pride. Even the characters were better because I actually felt like I was meeting Scrooge McDuck and not a very visibly bored college kid in a suit.

Maybe we got really lucky the 3 days we spent there but it was way better than here in just about every category. The food...oh god the food is incredible and the merch is like nothing you'll find here (although that I understand is clearly unique because of OLCs demands)

 

[sinead]

Yes, there are stockholders seeking answers if profits drop - but that does not excuse the lack or delay of maintenance within the parks.
Maintenance was always done after hours when the parks were closed - however the parks closed hours are much less due to early entry and late closures being more common. But cleanliness within the parks should never be short. I have noticed that there is a slower effort to keep the parks clean - but they are still clean and brooms were much more visible during my last visit than last few years, Covid aside.

The pride that management had during the Roy Disney days and throughout the 70s and early 80s has slowly disappeared. It is time that it was brought back and if staff does not comply - get new staff. Enough terminations early on will result in less terminations as time goes by.

If you're referring to Cast Members, Traditions (CM training for every role) has been drastically reduced & altered. It was once a full week of immersion into what made Disney different from other entertainment venues & how to deliver that 'magic' to every guest every day. When I attended a few years ago, it was a day. One short day... The CMs conducting the training clearly had no clue how to model the expectations. I can say that as a WDW frequent guest beginning in '72. Becoming a CM in retirement had been a lifelong goal.

Bottom line: Don't blame the CMs. The job performance we expect from them is NOT what their bosses expect. And working conditions are extremely difficult.

Cast members deserve better & so do we.

It's the culture of the company that is at fault. And Chapek seems fine with that.

 

[Miss Bella]

As I have said before. The Parks show the real state of TWDC, they are living breathing places, when the US Parks are showing the rot instead of being the GOLD Standard (or close to it) of what Theme Parks should be, there is trouble in Paradise no matter what the Stock Price is. Thats one thing alot of investment types overlook. People also forget what got TWDC through the rough times was DL and WDW!! They kept the company afloat. D+ and movies are ephemeral and really dont show a living breathing example of a companies health for lack of a better word. If the parks are suffering I take that as a big sign that things arent well in Paradise (TWDC) no matter what they say.

So don’t go then. It amazes me that people spend everyday on this website posting about Disney’s demise. The parks are packed. If you don’t like the parks find something else to do.

 

[Disstevefan1]

So don’t go then. It amazes me that people spend everyday on this website posting about Disney’s demise. The parks are packed. If you don’t like the parks find something else to do.

You are correct. It’s ironic that WDW used to brag that they put period correct underwear (obviously something no one would ever see) under the costumes of the animatronics as an example of their attention to details.

Today, it does not matter the prices or offering, the parks will be packed.

The pent up demand IS STRONG.

 

[Quinnmac000]

There's also that huge cultural difference between Japan and the US. Japanese culture values cleanliness and order--the US these days--not so much. IN GENERAL, Americans tend to think that "someone else" will...pick up that litter, put the shopping cart away, wait patiently in line, etc.
Not to minimize the lower standards of 2020 WDW to 1990 WDW..

I think Japanese culture values the group over the individual. (Less cleanliness and order but its the how does it effects others vibe) That's why the standards are different. They are actually service oriented whereas we are benefits oriented. Selfless vs Selfish.

 

[Duckberg]

That is the Disney I remember in the 70's and 80's everything was done at night and the MK was spotless and perfect. Not so any more

Amen! If you saw something off on property, come back a little later & it was fixed. In that era.

 

[Trackmaster]

In my opinion I think this was true at one time. As time went on I think TWDC became more and more focused on its share price. This became the highest priority and everything else became a lower priority.

Today TWDC will do anything to try to protect its share price. At this moment we must also include the pandemic as a factor, but to be very clear, the thousands of layoffs made in the name of the pandemic was made to lower costs to protect the share price.

Its also true that long before the pandemic, the aim for perfection was replaced by the aim to reduce costs to protect the share price. This is especially noticed in the theme parks; very expensive to run and keep running, never mind, to perfection.

But you haven't established how running the parks into the ground and alienating customers will improve a share price. Wouldn't the fact that they're motivated by profit lead them to focusing on their product and improving guest satisfaction? My opinion is that its mismanagement and rogue agents who are stealing from trusting investors. Every other park chain is doing very well from the extra business that the pandemic has brought. Why is Disney struggling so much?

 

[Disstevefan1]

But you haven't established how running the parks into the ground and alienating customers will improve a share price. Wouldn't the fact that they're motivated by profit lead them to focusing on their product and improving guest satisfaction? My opinion is that its mismanagement and rogue agents who are stealing from trusting investors. Every other park chain is doing very well from the extra business that the pandemic has brought. Why is Disney struggling so much?

It does not look like to me that Disney is struggling. The recent photos I seem to show the parks MOBBED to pre pandemic levels. Price increases on everything, folks still show up and pay.

We have complained about this stuff on these boards for many, many years and even a GLOBAL PANDEMIC did not stop the disney parks to charge more for less, folks still show up and pay.

Yes there are some, who may never go to a disney park ever again, but there are many, many more who are return guests and many many more who are first guests.

 

[jpinkc]

They are running it into the ground and have little respect for the property or the STANDARD it used to represent. The bean counters are in charge of the world, Wall Street matters more than Main Street USA being clean or in good condition. If anything makes me sadder its that in 50 years it all might be gone!! If they dont start to care.

 

[Trackmaster]

It does not look like to me that Disney is struggling. The recent photos I seem to show the parks MOBBED to pre pandemic levels. Price increases on everything, folks still show up and pay.

We have complained about this stuff on these boards for many, many years and even a GLOBAL PANDEMIC did not stop the disney parks to charge more for less, folks still show up and pay.

Yes there are some, who may never go to a disney park ever again, but there are many, many more who are return guests and many many more who are first guests.

I think that people overestimate how much 50% of Americans truly care about the pandemic. Theme parks may have been slow for a month or two in mid-2020, but people quickly showed that they couldn't care less. Those who were freaking out about Covid were still patiently staying at home, but the rest of the country mobbed the parks.