"We Will Win" signs posted over Universal Orlando

[Don L Duck]

Thank you for finally discussing this intelligently .
To me it beats calling someone a wise .
I will stick by my statement of Disney still being superior in ten years.
Whether I know anything or not,,, Disney will not give up on what it means to the world as a whole and as an American Icon.
Your right about those three parks the difference is they are all gone and Coney Island is not what it once was.
Disney saw to it that they woudn't fall down the same hole by buying up all the land it could in Florida.
BTW Walt saved the rollercoaster by opening Disneyland.
When coasters were made using tubular steel,, hence the Matterhorn.

 

[pheneix]

>>>Your right about those three parks the difference is they are all gone and Coney Island is not what it once was.<<<

The thing about Coney Island is that a mayor who hated amusement parks had half of the place rezoned to become housing, and then a fire broke out and wiped out the other half. Not exactly something they had control over. Coney Island was also better than what Walt found when Disneyland was being built. Let's face it, amusement parks were crap back then.

>>>BTW Walt saved the rollercoaster by opening Disneyland.<<<

Yes, the modern theme park world as we know it can be credited to his attraction.

 

[MKCustodial]

Originally posted by mktiggerman


Until something happens, you don?t know ANYTHING



I believe that, but remember.. it isn?t a fact, and even I?ll admit that. It is wholly opinion. There are people out there who think Disney is crap, and 6 flags is #1. We all have the right to express our opinions, and the responsibility to not make ourselves seem asinine when we do.



It is good for me. Hmm? get paid more money, get equal benefits, and get treated better... WHILE DOING THE EXACT SAME JOB??? I know I?m not the only WDW CM that works for both (in fact I can name at least 30 I know of.



nah.. down inside I still have the unwavering faith that Disney will come out of this turmoil and continue being THE best in Theme Park entertainment. They are right now, but they are getting rusty (otherwise wdwblues.com would NEVER have come about) and their competition is getting closer (Universal has the #1 ranked theme park ride in the world? hmm?)



anyone who knows my history with the Disney company, knows why I?m mad at them, and why I?m still there (dan, you can back me up on that).



actually... Disney is technically a copy of the original amusement parks (Coney Island, Cliffside Park, Crystal Beach, etc). Walt NEVER intended for the parks to become into the modern day ?theme parks? but rather just wanted a safe and clean amusement park that complete families could enjoy... which in the end, became the theme park. Disneyland drew from a plethora of influences, which included dark rides (i.e.- carnival spook rides, etc) and even ice capades. So don?t say that Disney started it.. They may have perfected it, but they sure weren?t the first.

You know, Rob, I remember reading your posts when I first started around here and thinking "WHAT is this guy doing around here?", but after hearing what you went through, and after getting to know you, I have to say I really see why you're still with WDW. And it's because of CMs like you that we all have that little bit of pixie dust left to hope Disney will wake up and smell their errors.

 

[pheneix]

>>>You know, Rob, I remember reading your posts when I first started around here and thinking "WHAT is this guy doing around here?", but after hearing what you went through<<<

Getting curious... I know it really isn't any of my business, but Rob, do you mind telling me what happened? I think I have a pretty good idea, but still...

 

[Domboy]

I've just read this whole thread - taken me about 20 mins

and in honesty - its Universal ensuring that their staff know that they HAVE to compete with Disney

It's like the "Smile - your on stage" signs Disney have - its a simple but effective way of getting their staff in to "Customer" mode and trying to push the boundaries of customer service - something wherever you go have slipped.

I come from far away - and will visit all parks, I stay in a Disney Resort - coz I love them - but have never seen a Universal one - and probably will never stay in one - even if they are muchmuch better - its a Dom thing.

But there are parts of Disney I think far outweight Universal and vice versa - and thats the crux - each park caters for many different types of people in one go - some rides some people like - some rides others like - but everyone can go together.

Its very true that Disney must look to the future of entertainment - unfortunately long gone are the days when COP can entertain the masses - but for dome that will always remain the "holy grail"

In essence Im a Disney fan - but I love Universal too - and the signs will come and go and come again all to make sure their staff know that the customers are what pays their wages.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Its a strange old debate this one. After all we are only talking about opinion over prefered rides. But since every 1 else has spouted of heres my 10 bobs worth:

1. How many attractions are currently closed at MK
2. How appealing is AK, and how much time does it occupy.
3. If Star Tours is such a fabulous ride why have there been so many posts praying for an up date. (personnally I think its brill)
4. As no one seems to have stayed at a Universal resort how can you be sure that they are shabby.
5.If Coasters are so unpopular why the clamour on these here pages for one at Disney.
6. Sorry but I think Wet N Wild is shabby and the CMs complete dobbers.
7. Its one thing to be a fan of something but blind faith and acceptance of company spin is dangerous.
8. Betamax was a beter system than VHS but lost because of attitudes. The best dosent always win!!!


Im pretty ambivilant as I love all the parks, I will continue to visit them as long as they keep me entertained. Next year we will still stay at Riverside but my last few days will be spent at the Hard Rock, after that i can make an informed choice.
After all, each to their own.:animwink:

 

[pheneix]

Bingo.

 

[General Grizz]

universal will never win...

I didn't capitalize it :animwink:

 

[JLW11Hi]

I only visit Orlando once every year or two, which, to some on these boards, can be a lot, or it can be less than enough. I don't know. it seems that concerning CM attitudes and how they are treated at work is something that can change drastically, considering who the people are and where they are working at the resort. I am sure that some people love working at Disney and Universal, and I am sure that there are some who hate it. its all a matter of opinion. Sometimes at Disney we get waited on by a very friendly, happy person, who loves their job, and sometimes we get those who aren't so friendly, and obviously wish they were somewhere else.
I like donuts. Don't you?

 

[pheneix]

>>>I am sure that there are some who hate it. its all a matter of opinion.<<<

You'd be surprised. A vast majority, heck, I'd say 85% of the CMs at WDW hate the current management team at Disney. Some of them because they got totally screwed by management, but most of them because they love the company of the past and have pride in what is represents. These are your best cast members, because they genuinely care for the guest experience and w. Ironicly, these are the CMs that get totally shafted by management at every turn The rest of them, well they are your rude ones. They couldn't care less if they were pushing boats through Splash Mountain or pushing bags through the checkout at Goodings. Sad but true.

Contrast to Universal, where I have never encounter a CM that has hated working there.

 

[Don L Duck]

I just want to clear up a misconception ,I have been to US ,IOA And DISNEY.
Out of the three Disney is the best now and will be in the future.
Being number one is staying ahead of the competition.
Disney is ahead and will fix their problems.
Also for the record I do not hate UA OR IOA.
Their just not Disney and never will be nor should they be.

 

[pheneix]

>>>Disney is ahead and will fix their problems.
Also for the record I do not hate UA OR IOA.<<<

Remember when I said the line was blurry? I mean't it in more ways than one. While Universal Studios does not have the attendance of say, Disneyland, I have it on pretty good authority that they will probably beat MGM this year. Partially because MGM, like the rest of WDW, is having the year from hell, and partially because Universal Studios is having an excellent year (considering the circumstances).

 

[JLW11Hi]

Why is the management at Disney bad nowadays? How did it get bad? Sorry, I'm not a local at Orlando so I don't know too much about all that. Who is running the place now? I wouldn't bad mouth the whole Disney Company for its current state, just mabey a few people in charge in some areas. One thing is for sure, both Universal and Disney will probably alwasy have the potential for having great service, but not always the best management.

 

[Don L Duck]

Everything in life has it's ups and downs.
Their are people everywhere who may like or dislike their work.
There are good days and bad days.
When you take an average and add overall opinions likes or dislikes... Disney will come out on top.
To me it's apples and oranges and this thread got way out of hand a long time ago.
So lets just agree to disagree.:hammer:

 

[JLW11Hi]

Wow, this thread got really long!!

 

[pheneix]

Because it is ran by complete and total , seemingly from top to bottom.

It's actually been this way for years. Park managers tend to be the most arrogant, cocky, and out of touch people out there in the world today. I'm talking born from the "warm place" in the gene pool. They get all kinds of crap shoveled on them from management in Team Disney, and then take out their frustrations on the front-line workers. It is not pretty.

It got even worse a few years ago when Paul Pressler, who is at best a guy who can run gift shops (he did a fine job of running the Disney Store chain, which has imploded in his absence), was put in charge of the entire Parks and Resorts division of the company (over the very capable current president of WDW, Al Weiss, I might add). Paul's list of successes that he has overseen include: attempting to can Indiana Jones mid-way in construction (DL), Tomorrowland 98 (DL), dismantling of the most profitable shop in the world (Disneyland Emporium), Light Magic (DL), rapidly declining standards at both American resorts, and last but not least, Disney's California Adventure, also known as Disney's Train Wreck. He wasn't directly responsible for some of these failures, but they all have happened under his watch, and I blame him for allowing these to continue on. And then there's Eisner. I can't accurately describe his amazing blunders without resorting to extreme profanity, so I'll just keep it focused on Pressler and Co. Then it kind of just trickles on down from there. You still have some good people (like Al Weiss) working there, but for the most part, um, well...

 

[mkt]

Originally posted by JLW11Hi
Why is the management at Disney bad nowadays? How did it get bad?

For lower management, it's simple. For internal transfers, the ONLY criteria (other than the educational/experience requirements) is attendance. Your work history means DIDDLY.

For upper management, it's even easier. The more you can kiss, the further you get.

In my years w/ Disney, I've only known two people to get management that truly deserved it (Bryan R, Greg P, and others like them... you guys are the reason Disney hasn't collapsed entirely yet!)

 

[mkt]

Originally posted by pheneix
Getting curious... I know it really isn't any of my business, but Rob, do you mind telling me what happened?

I'll keep it quick and edited. Around xmastime, I was performing in the XMas parade (nothing too glamorous.. so don't ask). Anyhoo.. there was an argument backstage between myself and another CM (which according to all but 1 witness, she was responsible for!) and when I spoke to her management, I was assured that due action would take its place. 2 hours later, my management pulls me out of parade and I am handed my termination papers for "poor judgement." I quick phone call to the state, and the papers were torn up, and I was given a written reprimand on my discipline record w/ WDW... for something that never happened.

After speaking to others, she had lied on her witness statement, and had "pulled the race card out." She claimed that I called her a racial slur against african americans, when in reality, she called me "Dumb Cracker" and "Stupid Honky" (and I'm sure she didn't realize that I'm Puerto Rican either).

So long story short, after that day, I learned that seniority at Disney equals credibility.

After a long fight with the Union and Disney Employee Relations, nothing ended up happening, and that reprimand kept me from getting a promotion to Guest Relations and a curator position with the WDI archives.


To sum it up.. Disney screwed me.

 

[mkt]

Don L Duck,

here is my beef with you. I don't dislike you.. in fact, in other threads, I happen to agree with you. It's not your evident sarcasm that es me off (trust me.. I'm THE quintessential wiseass), but rather that you try to pass off your opinion as fact (yes.. yes.. I know. Everyone here, including me, thinks that Disney is #1.. but that's just the thing.. we THINK it's #1. There is no factual way to prove it. Thus making it opinion against fact). Opinions are meant to be shared, but not forced onto other people.

 

[pheneix]

>>>To sum it up.. Disney screwed me.<<<

I kind of thought so, but I'm still sorry to hear it. That is such a pathetic part on the Walt Disney Company that my mind is spinning from it, but hey, with the people in charge now, should I be surprised?

You probably already know this, but you are not the first. I recall a similar screwjob screwed over similarly nearly ten years ago. He got extremely liberal with the E-stop button on Energy when a guest decided to jump ship during Theater II, and management reprimanded him on it. NEVER MIND the fact that is was not only a violation of SOPs at the time (which Disney has done away with), but a violation of COMMON SENSE to E-stop and NOT inspect the attraction when a guest is running loose inside! A few days later, a guest, and who knows why, jumped out of the car while it was preparing for the film in Theater II and ran BACK INTO the diorama. Now, the door between Theater II and the diorama is not a normal one, but instead an extremely thick wall that rises from the floor quickly to seal off Theater II from the diorama. Not only did he have that hazard to deal with, but when the diorama is not in use, all lighting, show equipment, etc. is turned off between shows, plunging the whole area into total darkness. Well, our little moron, as you have already figured out, decides to run loose in the diorama. My friend hits the E-stop once again, and inspects the ride for the idiot. What is so amazing about this is that his manager SUSPENDED him for E-stopping the ride (UoE is a VERY expensive ride to abort and restart, because all cars have to be reset to their original positions for the computer to allow the ride to continue. It also takes a lot to restart the sets, AAs, and the cars themselves.), and then creatively made life a living hell for him when he got back. To this day he refuses to tell me the specifics of what ultimately happened, but it all came to a head in one ultimate screw-job that prompted him to go to Employee Relations and fight long and hard. They basically said, "We can't do anything about it." He promptly quit and to this day says it is the best career decision he ever made. But hey, I'm preaching to the choir here.

And THAT is why I will never take a job with the Walt Disney Company.