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Monte Cristo
10-12-2011, 03:49 PM
Just got back from a mostly enjoyable trip. The Halloween party is fantastic, and I love the new Star Tours. However, I was pretty shocked by a few things that I've never experienced at DL before.

1.) Trash *everywhere*. I could not believe how much garbage was laying around in the park. On the floor, in bushes near attractions, INSIDE attractions (there were a few nasty FOOD TRAYS in Buzz Lightyear. Food trays????)

2.) Surly CM's. I'm sure it was a long weekend (we went Monday and Tuesday, just at the tail end of Columbus Day 3 day), but so many of them were being a-holes I couldn't believe it. Gruff, curt, ignoring requests to sit in the front of a vehicle (this happened 3 times). It was disheartening at one point.

Now please understand I'm not the type who insists that everything is pristine or it's crap. I fully understand the notion that a hugely successful themepark isn't going to be spotless or its employees, who are human and gave at times grueling jobs, can have off days. But that's why this was so noticeable, it was just so prevalent. At moments it didn't feel like Disneyland. I'm hoping this was just a coincidence and not the sign that some sort of a decline is hitting the park.

sjhanksaz
10-12-2011, 05:34 PM
I have been there and seen the samething. It's usually on days that they are not staffed for the number of people who show up to the park.

We talked to a CM about it once. Like any other business they estimate the volume of biz they will do and set up so many people to work. When more show up than they anticipated then the cast members there have to pick up the slack. He said they try to call extra people in but most people make other plans for the day and can't make it. So you are left with not enough to take care of lots of people.

Think of it like a resturant. If it's busy and they don't have enough people you bet you will be waiting for your food. More people complain and the stress goes up and it can be hard to deal with.

bumblebeeonarose
10-12-2011, 06:39 PM
That's really unfortunate. I didn't really see any issues with trash during my visit in September (or this summer). A few cm could have been more pleasant, but I didn't have any issues with seating. If we requested something (usually the back of Splash) they would just tell us to go to that spot requiring us to wait one more vehicle. We were never told no. Maybe the policy is if they are understaffed then the answer is no. I don't see why though, since it is usually ok you go there, and the next people in line get your spot.

DSNYDad
10-12-2011, 09:17 PM
Hmm, I was just thinking that we have had the exact opposite experience lately. It seems that the CM's have been nicer than ever. I have never heard "Have a Magical Day." so many times before. The park has been cleaner than I remember from years past, no major cleanliness issues. We've gone to the parks about 15 times since May and a few times it was pretty crowded. Though we never ask for special seating, just that our group is together. I guess YMMV.

nursechrissy32
10-12-2011, 09:52 PM
I am here right now in the resort...and sadly have noticed the same things. Our first day in the park....soooo excited to be there, we got to the front entrance and the CM who was at the gate scanning tickets was soooo rude to a lady in a ECV..the lady in the kart accidentally pushed the up button, which caused her cart to hit the gate, and rather than helping her...the CM just kept loudly saying, back up, get off the gate, back up!!! I was embarrased for the lady and her family. My husband also noticed the trash everywhere. I noticed many CM's just appearing sad and irritated...however I feel the worst happened at the Halloween Party last night.

Part of it was our fault for forgetting to get a schedule at the entrance gate, so I walked back down main street and was told to get to the information booth, so we walked back to the info booth which was closed, so I went to many other CM's asking what time the cavalcade was scheduled for...I am not joking NOBODY knew any times, and 2 CM's told me there was no cavalcade, and no fireworks planned...for the Halloween party...this was so frustrating, and this event was nothing like last year, it must have been very close to being sold out...the candy lines at times were 20-30 minutes wait....not complaining about the trick or treating, however it was just not like last year...I am glad that this event was being enjoyed by many families, however the organization was somewhat off, and not announcing or helping people find the times for the cavalcade or the fireworks was quite upsetting.

I am not sure if there are cutbacks in staffing at the resort...I pray that noone lost their jobs, and pray that Disneyland's standards have not decreased, that it is just a fluke of busy times and some CM's that are making it look bad on everyone else :(.

This trip with the upset CM's and the interesting Mickey's Halloween Party issues...have tested my patience and actually drove a couple tears out of nursechrissy's eyes! :(

Not sure what to do...

Although, the Disney nurses were awesome to my friends and I on Thursday of last week, as they all came out took pictures with us and our hats we made with Mickey ears and a nurse cap...they and the photopass guys loved our hats and red shirts...that was a bunch of fun! I do compliment the photo pass people, they were great every time I dealt with them on this trip.

MadasaHatter
10-12-2011, 11:23 PM
My last trip the park was very clean but it was GAY DAYS and the crowds were huge and it seemed very very staffed. But I was there on slower days too meaning THURSDAY and MONDAY.

I must say that I have different standards for different CMs. The ones at the gate get all the impatient people and it isn't a fun job. I don't talk to them too much because there are tons of people behind me. But like folks in the canoe for example are in a more chatty job. I feel bad for the CM's that do the FL rides. That looks so unbearably boring. The ToT and the HM people get to be all spooky like and that is fun.

Honestly, the other customers at DL were far worse than any CM( actually I only ran into wonderful CMs or at the very worse neutral....)I mean I assume it was the patrons that left the trash behind right? Why would you throw trash in rides? There are trash cans everywhere. Everyone gets to the front of food lines and THEN try and dig for their money....I mean everyone.....did you really think you weren't supposed to pay at the end??? I see that all the time everywhere though. So many terrible parents doing things like trying to force their kids to watch F! that are way too young and way too scared ( I saw this and then the man returned and was extremely rude to a CM and I let him know that that was not OK in not so many words.....I may be mad but I do what little I can!). It's just sad and that ruins the MAGIC for me sometimes. I do just take a deep breath and walk away. But sometimes in line you are forced to listen to people.

Hope that all of you alls negative experiences were the exception and not the rule!

Monte Cristo
10-13-2011, 05:38 AM
I have been there and seen the samething. It's usually on days that they are not staffed for the number of people who show up to the park.

We talked to a CM about it once. Like any other business they estimate the volume of biz they will do and set up so many people to work. When more show up than they anticipated then the cast members there have to pick up the slack. He said they try to call extra people in but most people make other plans for the day and can't make it. So you are left with not enough to take care of lots of people.

Think of it like a resturant. If it's busy and they don't have enough people you bet you will be waiting for your food. More people complain and the stress goes up and it can be hard to deal with.

I get that but I don't think it applies here. Park hours were 8am to midnight on a MONDAY. That suggests Disney was anticipating crowd levels to be pretty high.

3Princesses1Prince
10-13-2011, 05:48 AM
I get that but I don't think it applies here. Park hours were 8am to midnight on a MONDAY. That suggests Disney was anticipating crowd levels to be pretty high.

It was Columbus day so of course they had longer hours. But that doesn't mean they anticipated quite as many people as they got (many schools don't have it off, but some do) or that they couldn't have been understaffed due to illnesses or something. I get that you caught them on a bad day (or week), but don't attribute it to disney accepting a lower standard.

Monte Cristo
10-13-2011, 03:37 PM
It was Columbus day so of course they had longer hours. But that doesn't mean they anticipated quite as many people as they got (many schools don't have it off, but some do) or that they couldn't have been understaffed due to illnesses or something. I get that you caught them on a bad day (or week), but don't attribute it to disney accepting a lower standard.

Generally speaking when planning a trip, you can gauge expected crowd levels based on operating hours. When DL plans to stay open till midnight, that means they do expect VERY high crowds.

I don't assume Disney is accepting lower standards, I don't know. I don't visit often enough to judge that kind of thing. This was pretty jarring though.

Bytebear
10-13-2011, 03:48 PM
We were almost to the front of the line for Matterhorn. It broke down. Not unusual, as it has happened a lot, but boy, the CMs were so quick to get everyone out of there. Of course the Disney regulars knew to wait or hope for a front of the line pass, but they were just like, "Nope, we don't do that anymore." Sorry, get out. I know people abuse the system, but they sure got a lot of guests angry, especially the ones who were sitting in the car ready to go. It was a very busy day, and we waited at least 40 minutes.

I know that with the new DCA expansion, they are working hard to re-train their CMs to be friendlier and are putting them in two days of "new hire" orientation, which I think they probably should do for every CM every year or two. I also think the long term CMs are mostly gone, replaced by cheaper help who don't have 10 years of seniority. I know a few CMs who were pushed out of Disneyland because they were too expensive.

nursechrissy32
10-13-2011, 04:14 PM
Ok...one more sad moment for me, thought I would share and move on.....floating inside the moat by our lovely castle.....

6 empty bottles :( and this was at 0730 am....

MadasaHatter
10-13-2011, 05:17 PM
Hey nursechrissy!!! That is so very sad but again.....I doubt it was workers that threw them in there! Now Disney has to hire more custodial help and it just stinks doesn't it.....so sorry you had to see that! Who would throw stuff in at Disneyland (or anywhere for that matter). Grossgrossgross.

rfaljean
10-14-2011, 08:05 AM
The only issues we had were with the lack of information given to all CM's during the Halloween Party on Tuesday night. I had asked two different CM's if we could sit in some benches inside the hub (they were facing Tomorrowland) and watch the fireworks--both said yes. So we sat and waiting an hour until the cavalcade of characters went by. At that time, CM"s came into the area and told us that we had to leave because it was VIP seating. There were NO signs posted, nothing roped off and 2 CM's told me we could sit there. I told one who looked like she was directing the whole operation that they may want to inform all the cast members in the area for next time, to prevent the same thing from happening to other guests. I got met with something to the effect of, "we had CM's posted in here telling people they'd have to move." I kindly informed her that there were NO cast members and had I known we couldn't sit there, I'd have found another spot to view the fireworks instead of wasting my hour waiting for nothing while Main Street filled up. If I had wanted to be run over by strollers then I would have sat in the middle of Main Street in the first place... I was not happy.. And I wasn't the only one who asked, either. There were at least 2 other people in the same predicament. It was very frustrating, to say the least. And thankfully, Wednesday was perfectly magical...so the trip ended well.

The old man
10-14-2011, 08:30 AM
Boy, you must have missed the bad old Eisner/Pressier (sp) days. Things are much better now, but like all businesses salaries are your biggest expense.

AVP
10-14-2011, 09:27 AM
I haven't noticed as many issues as some people here, but on Wednesday I was taken aback by the horrid state of the Buzz Lightyear ride vehicles. The paint on our vehicle was so bad I had a brief flashback to the Bad Old Days. That ride is well deserving of a refurbishment.

AVP

letshavefun
10-14-2011, 10:22 AM
On our last visit I noticed the over flowing trash cans and stuff on the ground way more at CA, I'm sure it is a staffing thing but I agree it is surprising to see at a DL resort.

Drince88
10-14-2011, 11:57 AM
I haven't noticed as many issues as some people here, but on Wednesday I was taken aback by the horrid state of the Buzz Lightyear ride vehicles.
You ride rides?

Marox3
10-14-2011, 12:49 PM
Unfortunately, I have to agree with nursechrissy32. We returned yesterday from a 4 day trip. We found:


The Halloween party was our first. However, we did experience issues with CM's who were giving out the wristbands. They wanted to talk to each other rather than help. We had to ask a couple times for assistance.. they just gave us blank stares.
We found most of the CM's very unfriendly. We heard several of them talking about their benefits being taken away, which we thought explained the attitude problems.
We always say "hello", "thank you", etc. and use to receive a friendly response back. Not this trip. We were lucky anyone said anything.
We went on our first visit to Club 33. Even here we experience unfriendly staff. Our main server was not the most friendly.. felt we were an inconvenience. She was pleasant, but not much personality and was not very attentive.
The park was dirty. We also saw trash in the moot, ground, rides, etc.

There are definitely issues and it was sad to see.

nursechrissy32
10-14-2011, 02:45 PM
Hey nursechrissy!!! That is so very sad but again.....I doubt it was workers that threw them in there! Now Disney has to hire more custodial help and it just stinks doesn't it.....so sorry you had to see that! Who would throw stuff in at Disneyland (or anywhere for that matter). Grossgrossgross.

Hi Madasa :)
I thought, " Christine....dont you dare go back on the dis boards and put another negative thing...." but than again if we can not come here to MP and tell eachother how we feel....

I am just overwhelmed with some sort of sadness that we experienced so much...dishevelment in the parks...for the first time ever...grafitti on the flowers by Alice...and than the crazy wierd Halloween party that was disorganized and overflowing with soooo many people...MANY without wrist bands...and the dirty bathrooms.....I am left wondering what in the heck is going on around here? :(

I know...the real world is filled with stuff floating in moats, and yucky bathrooms...but here, where magic is supposed to take me out of the other world where grafitti filled plastic flowers do not even bother me for half a second? :(

Sorta a sad visit for nursechrissy and my family....spent much of the time as a grumpy girl, trying to ignore the invasion of the real worlds yuckiness touching all of our special land's specialness :(

nursechrissy32
10-14-2011, 02:46 PM
Unfortunately, I have to agree with nursechrissy32. We returned yesterday from a 4 day trip. We found:


The Halloween party was our first. However, we did experience issues with CM's who were giving out the wristbands. They wanted to talk to each other rather than help. We had to ask a couple times for assistance.. they just gave us blank stares.
We found most of the CM's very unfriendly. We heard several of them talking about their benefits being taken away, which we thought explained the attitude problems.
We always say "hello", "thank you", etc. and use to receive a friendly response back. Not this trip. We were lucky anyone said anything.
We went on our first visit to Club 33. Even here we experience unfriendly staff. Our main server was not the most friendly.. felt we were an inconvenience. She was pleasant, but not much personality and was not very attentive.
The park was dirty. We also saw trash in the moot, ground, rides, etc.

There are definitely issues and it was sad to see.

I agree...and not joke...cried over it :( ....

nursechrissy32
10-14-2011, 02:48 PM
I haven't noticed as many issues as some people here, but on Wednesday I was taken aback by the horrid state of the Buzz Lightyear ride vehicles. The paint on our vehicle was so bad I had a brief flashback to the Bad Old Days. That ride is well deserving of a refurbishment.

AVP

AVP...I noticed this as well!!! :( I sent a letter to DL...however, I know that the pre printed response is not going to dry my tears...I am sure that paper is being made less absorbant too.....

Iceman
10-14-2011, 05:30 PM
Boy, this is a tough one. Because I don't like to be a complainer and I know that perception is not always reality. My experience lately has been half-similar to the OP's. Yes, there is definitely more trash in the parks. It annoys me that guests are such slobs, but I really do wish Disney would bump up the janitorial staff. It's just like graffiti--if it's allowed to persist then others pile on. When people see trash on the ground, they're simply more likely to throw their own trash on the ground.

I have NOT noticed problems with CM attitudes or friendliness, however. My interactions with the cast have been largely positive and it really seems to me like the magic is still alive in them.

Ride maintenance is varied. Some parts of the park seem pristine and well cared-for. In other places I see signs of neglect.

All of this is also colored by my other two Disney experience of the past month: a week at Disneyland Paris and two weeks on the Disney Magic. Without getting into it too much, here is my assessment of DLP:

- CM's were great--every bit the high standards of friendliness and guest service we've come to expect
- Park upkeep was horrible--faded or peeling paint everywhere, etc.
- Guests were beyond rude--partially this is just the French, but the things that annoy me about some American guests (e.g. selfishness, treating CM's badly, line hopping, etc.) were par for the course there

dban3
10-15-2011, 11:15 AM
I generally do not have too much issue with the majority of CM's working the park. Sometimes people who work walk up food service and the carts can come off as "yeah, whatdya' want" but these are generally entry level jobs I would suspect. As far as trash is concern, I may be dating myself here, I seem to recall as a kid that if someone so much as dropped a wrapper on the ground, it wasn't more than a few seconds than someone wearing white was sweeping up the litter behind you. That was then, this is now. Disney's desire to maximize the number of guests in the parks would lead to an increase in litter and trash and at this point, it looks they'd rather control the situation rather than stay on top of it as they once did. The thorough cleaning comes at night. Everything looks pretty pristine first thing in the morning.

As for paint, yeah I've noticed some issues here and there with fading or chipping paint on buildings, decorative structures, and even attractions. But I also remember 10 or 15 years back when almost everything looked like it needed a coat of paint.

jananafish
10-15-2011, 02:18 PM
One of my favorite thing to tell litterbugs when I catch them in the act is, "I think you dropped something" :p

If the CMs are chit chatting about things like potential loss of benefits and things of that nature within earshot of park guests then that could be one of the answers to this question. Morale plays a huge part in the way that people perform their jobs, right?

tinkaparis
10-15-2011, 03:12 PM
Spoke to Several CM's that have recently worked both WDW and Disneyland (within the past year), and several family members that have recently traveled to Disneyland (last few months) and they all agree that the level of service is superior at WDW as well as CM/guest interaction and level of service.

So sorry for anyone's trips being influenced by rude behavior or dirty parks. That would bum me out as well.