WDW a dirty mess?!

[PhilosophyMagic]

There's always a lot of talk about WDW being less cared for... we all know the cleaning budget has been reduced, and none of us are happy about that. It takes away from the barrier between Disney and the dirty world we have to deal with in our everyday lives. But is it that bad? Yes, compared with the way it used to be. ...but compared with the outside world, isn't it still tremendously clean and beautiful? What I'm trying to ask is this: when you walk around the parks, are the imperfections really that noticable, or do you still feel like you're in a much nicer, cleaner world?

 

[WDWScottieBoy]

I've never felt like I was in reality while visiting WDW. It's always been superb with the cleanliness. Yes, there might be a slight change, but it's still the cleanest place I've ever been to. After all, take a look on the streets, benches, tables, etc....it's still practically bare from any mess. I love how many hours and care they put into WDW for how it looks. So to your question, I still feel like I'm in a much nicer, cleaner world!

 

[General Grizz]

WDW got to such a low for a few years, that wdwblues.com opened, showing all the theme park problems! Since then, we've gotten new management, and frankly, some parts of the parks are looking better than ever!

(Although I will say Toontown is the dirtiest. )

 

[MissM]

It may be less "clean" then it used to be (in that they don't get around as much to keep it spotless), it's still amazingly cleaner then other theme parks. I get grossed out using the restrooms at Busch Gardens for example. They're always wet, and dirty and just a mess. So despite a reduced budget, they definately still have higher standards then most.

And I agree too that it doesn't feel like the "real world" when you're in WDW, so it's hard to compare with my everyday meanderings. :lol:
-m

 

[joel_maxwell]

There's always a lot of talk about WDW being less cared for... we all know the cleaning budget has been reduced, and none of us are happy about that. It takes away from the barrier between Disney and the dirty world we have to deal with in our everyday lives. But is it that bad? Yes, compared with the way it used to be. ...but compared with the outside world, isn't it still tremendously clean and beautiful? What I'm trying to ask is this: when you walk around the parks, are the imperfections really that noticable, or do you still feel like you're in a much nicer, cleaner world?

i think that all depends on the eye of the guest. if you grew up in the golden years of WDW or DL then you may notice imperfections in things. if you are new to these places or are of generation X, im not sure that they are to noticable. generation x (partly the generation working the parks as CM) has grown up in a totally different world than kids did in the 50's and 60's.

ill give one example, in those generations there was more self pride in the fact that peoples appearance ranging from the way they dressed to the up keep of thier property was trmendously higher then than now. back then you knew everyone on the street you lived in................. I remember this growing up in the 70's and early 80's, but now, people are more recluse. i have lived in an apartment for 2 years now and have never met the people i share a wall with. i sleep within 20 feet of these people and dont know them.

so to answer your question, in my opinion, i think that we are still entering a peaceful and beautiful environment, but i think that different generations care about different things. the older generations may see the park and want to see it clean, the younger generations may not care as long as the next thrill ride isnt in rehab or long waits (ooops i just dropped a napkin, oh well, nobody saw that).

sorry for the novel.

also, im not trying to be stereotypical. i was just refering the the norm...... i know there are exceptions to the rule and i know there are good citizens in generation x and some bad apples from the older generations.

thanks

 

[phlydude]

I think the whole area, not just WDW is much cleaner than what I am used to. I drive 150 miles of highway each and every day and all I see lining the roads is trash and car parts. I will have to say that the Orlando are does keep itself cleaner, much more so than areas in the Northeast.

But in WDW, I think it is very clean. You may still be able to find the penny that you left on top of the stall in the bathroom but that's OK, how rententive can you get?

 

[MKCP 1985]

The parks are clean. Yes, there are isolated areas that look bad, but anybody who goes out with an agenda of finding problems can find something to complain about. Having been there in April, I can say that if you go with an open mind, chances are good you will be impressed at how grand it all appears.

 

[Pixie Duster]

The parks are clean, and I have friends / family who have gone to Universal, Six Flags, all the other guys, and they still feel no one does it better than Disney. Although Universal is learning a few things.

 

[Foolish Mortal]

On my last few visits i've noticed the parks werent as clean as prior visits. Nothing that I think people should be complaining about. But overall they are drastically cleaner than the real world. While driving back to my office today, I saw a nitwit throw some trash out of her window today, I wanted to yell something at her except my truck is a moving billboard.

 

[colliera]

Generational prespective

From jmaxwell007 I think that all depends on the eye of the guest. if you grew up in the golden years of WDW or DL then you may notice imperfections in things. if you are new to these places or are of generation X, im not sure that they are to noticable. generation x (partly the generation working the parks as CM) has grown up in a totally different world than kids did in the 50's and 60's. . .

I saw some research last week that pointed out the Boomer generation has as a trait to leave things better than they found them :fork: :fork: . That person that would pick up the napkin on the ground even though they didn't drop it. That person being more sensitive to imprefections in park presentation and apperance. Even the earlier generation of Walt's carried this value and it is instutionally suppose to be passed down to CMs as an aspect of good v. bad show.

Before Disney as a corporation decided they were going to sell something undefineable and call it "magic" they liked to promote how they were so detailed driven. An example would be how the building outline line strings on Main Street are wired to fail a set of ten lights if one of the ten failed making it easier to spot and replace the string of ten instead of spotting just the one that failed. The game I liked to play was trying to spot a down string. In the early 90s it was just about impossible. In the mid-90s it became all to easy. Over the past three years there has been a turn around. It was said a dropped ice cream cone didn't have time to melt on the street because it would be cleaned up before it had a chance to melt. Cleaning crew leads used to hide pennies on ledges to check for a through cleaning. If the penny was found the next day the lead would know that cleaning missed their mark.

So is WDW as clean as it was? No but it's getting back to that high. Do I notice things like this. Sure do and it disappoints me when I do notice knowning how it was. Cleaner than the real world? Of course, it isn't suppose to be the real world. It's suppose to be better.

 

[meanmice]

I think the whole area, not just WDW is much cleaner than what I am used to. I drive 150 miles of highway each and every day and all I see lining the roads is trash and car parts. I will have to say that the Orlando are does keep itself cleaner, much more so than areas in the Northeast.

I think New England is very clean, especially compaired to areas along I-95, although, six flags new england is one of the most disgusting places I have ever been.

As far as generation X is concerned I agree. I do think that we look at things differently than some of the other generations and cleanlyness is one of them. However, it's not just us. Sometimes I watch the people at the parks and ask myself what their houses look like, they seem to never pick up after themselves. The was I was raised, we drop a napkin, we pick it up, whether or not someone saw it. It's not just generation x who hinders the cleanlyness of the parks... but I do think they care less than any other generation.

 

[peter11435]

From jmaxwell007 I think that all depends on the eye of the guest. if you grew up in the golden years of WDW or DL then you may notice imperfections in things. if you are new to these places or are of generation X, im not sure that they are to noticable. generation x (partly the generation working the parks as CM) has grown up in a totally different world than kids did in the 50's and 60's. . .

I saw some research last week that pointed out the Boomer generation has as a trait to leave things better than they found them :fork: :fork: . That person that would pick up the napkin on the ground even though they didn't drop it. That person being more sensitive to imprefections in park presentation and apperance. Even the earlier generation of Walt's carried this value and it is instutionally suppose to be passed down to CMs as an aspect of good v. bad show.

Before Disney as a corporation decided they were going to sell something undefineable and call it "magic" they liked to promote how they were so detailed driven. An example would be how the building outline line strings on Main Street are wired to fail a set of ten lights if one of the ten failed making it easier to spot and replace the string of ten instead of spotting just the one that failed. The game I liked to play was trying to spot a down string. In the early 90s it was just about impossible. In the mid-90s it became all to easy. Over the past three years there has been a turn around. It was said a dropped ice cream cone didn't have time to melt on the street because it would be cleaned up before it had a chance to melt. Cleaning crew leads used to hide pennies on ledges to check for a through cleaning. If the penny was found the next day the lead would know that cleaning missed their mark.

So is WDW as clean as it was? No but it's getting back to that high. Do I notice things like this. Sure do and it disappoints me when I do notice knowning how it was. Cleaner than the real world? Of course, it isn't suppose to be the real world. It's suppose to be better.

TGhey may have been true in the past, but at least in the past few years a single light has been able to go out not causing a string of ten to go out. I will say however that I always ckeck the lights and my most recent stay two weeks ago, there was only one bulb out on all of Main street, and believe me I check every building and every sign.

 

[disneydisney]

Also, on my last visit I notice the parks weren't as clean as they have been in the past but still the cleaniest place I have ever seen. Thats like the Six Flags over Georgia here use to be as clean as Disney at one time the money and management and whatever else went down dramastically and its one of the dirtiest parks I have ever been to. Trash cans flowing out with trash and stuff like that. I do hope Disney gets more concentrated on the parks as the use to be but they are still great!

 

[Scooter]

Is Disney as clean as it used to be?

My answer is a resounding YES...but it just doesn't stay as clean as long as it used to.

Years ago Disney Janitorial castmembers seemed to wander around like zombies just waiting for you to drop a napkin or cigarette.( this was in the days when you could smoke anywhere on property) They would swarm around like vultures almost fighting over who got the trash you dropped.

It was almost funny. They would look at you as if to say "Please drop something...I have nothing to do!"

OK..so maybe I exagerated a little...but not much!

Now once in a while I see an overflowing trash can here and there at Disney World, and the Janitorial staff has thinned out some, but I see overflowing trash cans in front of Every Target, KMart, Sams' Club, Walmart and grocery store I come across back home.

The differance is...When I walk by the Disney Trash can the NEXT time..it's always empty. :animwink:

 

[NeedABreak]

dirty mess?! far from it!

We like to make trips to the six flags in New Orleans when we need thrill rides and there is no commparing it to disney.

Our last trip was around 97 and we were amazed. My little sister droped her ice cream(soft serve, so good!) By the time we had turned around to get her a replacement (free of charge!!!) the street had been cleaned, I couldn't find a stain on the concrete.

Now I have a mental immage of a team of super ninja/janitors that jump out of the bushes when nobody is looking and buff the street clean before the spill can be noticed! This is the reason I am going back.

This one memory of mine is all I needed to convice friends to throw in cash to come with me for my birthday trip. If disney had no rides I would still go, the experiance is enough to get me on a plane to Orlando!

If i want crazy roller coasters I'll head to a local six flags park, if i want great theaming, good food, and real memories I go to Disney! The rides are just gravy. (really really good gravy)

 

[lamarvenoy]

Details are what set Disney apart from the rest. Have the standards dropped-YES, are they still better than any competition-YES. Its not that there is trash lining the streets, those jobs still seem to be filled but the big difference I've noticed is the larger,harder to fix problems.

Paint- There are TONS of places where the paint is shot and alot of places that just get painted on top of paint on top of paint,leaving a nasty build up.

Buildings and show areas-I've noticed alot of overall poor upkeep around buildings, like rusty spots and burned out bulbs.

Horticulture- The gardens are NOT like they once were. The grass is pitiful in a lot of areas and they have added alot more "cheap" plants in the mix instead of more expensive prettier flowers and shrubs. The exception being Animal Kingdom.

Isolation from reality failure- The old days where you were sheltered from reality while in the parks is not as good as it used to be. example. There is a spot in Epcot where a rowboat with junk in it is right on the edge of a pretty lake. The spot by Mexice where the Flamingos were is trashed and hasn't been cleaned up for a long time. The trash in the ponds around Epcot and MK. The nasty slimey water covered with algae in Epcot. Poor quality castmembers are much more common.

I still love the place and I go there alot but I see a little tarnish on the crown. It makes me mad because prices are skyrocketing and value for your dollar is dropping.