Disney Very Merriest After Hours Party just announced!

[mshanson3121]

Wow. So guess they don't want many families at the event.

 

[mercuryvenus]

I don’t have to run a mega corporation to know when a company is disregarding customer service to turn a quick buck. Any mom and pop corner store knows that. They could have FP+ ready tomorrow but refuse to do it because they want a new pay to play system. They can’t start that because they don’t have it working right yet. And that’s just 1 example.

I know they didn’t do enough to prepare to re-open. How? Because they aren’t ready. They’re scrambling trying to figure his how to keep upping capacity and not have a situation where guests are lined up at GS demanding refunds.

You stating that they aren’t ready (which is subjective in itself) doesn’t constitute proof that they didn’t do enough to prepare. I’m asking you for specific evidence that, during the time in which WDW was closed, they did not take concrete actions that you think they should have.

Do you think Disney execs are sitting there thinking, “you know what? Let’s just cut everything down to the bare bones, so we can alienate people. Sounds like a terrific idea!” That’s asinine.

Every single for-profit company in the world ultimately prioritizes money. But the best way to do that is NOT to cut perks and charge the same or more. Why? Because if you do that too much, people will simply stop availing themselves of whatever your company is selling. Disney laid off something like 25,000 employees in the fall. If you think that, by July, they should have been able to replace every single one of those people and have them trained up and ready to go, I have a bridge to sell you.

 

[cakebaker]

Disney laid off something like 25,000 employees in the fall. If you think that, by July, they should have been able to replace every single one of those people and have them trained up and ready to go, I have a bridge to sell you.

If I'd said that, you'd have a point. I didn't and so you don't.

"Do you think Disney execs are sitting there thinking, “you know what? Let’s just cut everything down to the bare bones, so we can alienate people. Sounds like a terrific idea!” That’s asinine.

Yes it is, but other than setting up a straw man, not sure what your point is since I didn't say that's what I thought either.

You're great at making arguments against things no one has said.

 

[Robbydj13]

I don’t have to run a mega corporation to know when a company is disregarding customer service to turn a quick buck. Any mom and pop corner store knows that. They could have FP+ ready tomorrow but refuse to do it because they want a new pay to play system. They can’t start that because they don’t have it working right yet. And that’s just 1 example.

I know they didn’t do enough to prepare to re-open. How? Because they aren’t ready. They’re scrambling trying to figure his how to keep upping capacity and not have a situation where guests are lined up at GS demanding refunds.

CORRECT
A company like Disney should have been proactive on this, not reactive. Had they been prepared then they would not be scrambling. This is a money grab on their part...which is fine. But the people defending it as anything but that are crazy.

 

[mercuryvenus]

If I'd said that, you'd have a point. I didn't and so you don't.

A core part of my point around why it’s unreasonable to expect them to bring these things back on the timeline you all want is staffing. You or someone else on this thread stated that they should have been able to rehire by now.

 

[mercuryvenus]

CORRECT
A company like Disney should have been proactive on this, not reactive. Had they been prepared then they would not be scrambling. This is a money grab on their part...which is fine. But the people defending it as anything but that are crazy.

I’ll ask you the same question I asked the person above: Can you provide a specific example of something concrete that they didn’t do that you think they should have? I’ll remind all of you that a mere 6 months ago, almost no one in this country was vaccinated and Disney has been quite conservative on its COVID precautions. Expecting them to have been able to divine that by July 50% of the adult population would be vaccinated in this country—and to make hiring decisions and other things accordingly—is naive.

 

[Robbydj13]

You stating that they aren’t ready (which is subjective in itself) doesn’t constitute proof that they didn’t do enough to prepare. I’m asking you for specific evidence that, during the time in which WDW was closed, they did not take concrete actions that you think they should have.

Do you think Disney execs are sitting there thinking, “you know what? Let’s just cut everything down to the bare bones, so we can alienate people. Sounds like a terrific idea!” That’s asinine.

Every single for-profit company in the world ultimately prioritizes money. But the best way to do that is NOT to cut perks and charge the same or more. Why? Because if you do that too much, people will simply stop availing themselves of whatever your company is selling. Disney laid off something like 25,000 employees in the fall. If you think that, by July, they should have been able to replace every single one of those people and have them trained up and ready to go, I have a bridge to sell you.

Do you have evidence that they have been well prepared? Because they have been behind every other theme park as far as reopening. If they were well prepared then they would not be waiting for others to make the first move. Universal will be offering their traditional offerings in the fall. Disney...still watered down magic

 

[Robbydj13]

I’ll ask you the same question I asked the person above: Can you provide a specific example of something concrete that they didn’t do that you think they should have?

I can provide as much evidence as you sir can in your defense of them.

 

[cakebaker]

A core part of my point around why it’s unreasonable to expect them to bring these things back on the timeline you all want is staffing. You or someone else on this thread stated that they should have been able to rehire by now.

Why are you arguing with me about what someone else said????

Evidence they aren't prepared:

FOP 1hr 45 min wait
SDMT, Splash 1 hr 15 wait
Space-Over an hour
Slinky- 1 hr 40 minute wait
MMRR-1 hr 10 min wait

With no end date in sight to start a new system to limit wait times. Nothing. 1.5 YEARS and they couldn't manage to do it. And this is just 1 single example.

 

[mercuryvenus]

I can provide as much evidence as you sir can in your defense of them.

1. I’m female.

2. I’m giving concrete reasons around why it’s unrealistic to expect Disney—or any other corporation—to have been able to predict when tourism and the COVID situation would change to the point where they felt comfortable bringing these things back in any form and people felt comfortable attending.

I’ve also been pretty clear that I think it’s unrealistic to expect staffing—the key reason for why these things aren’t back to normal—to have been able to return to pre-pandemic levels in a matter of months.

 

[mercuryvenus]

Why are you arguing with me about what someone else said????

If you think it’s reasonable that staffing would still be lower—including among the performer cadre, which impacts things like parades (which are a key point of contention around why people think this event is crap)—then why are you upset at Disney for holding this event in the form they are?

 

[Robbydj13]

1. I’m female.

2. I’m giving concrete reasons around why it’s unrealistic to expect Disney—or any other corporation—to have been able to predict when tourism and the COVID situation would change to the point where they felt comfortable bringing these things back in any form and people felt comfortable attending.

I’ve also been pretty clear that I think it’s unrealistic to expect staffing—the key reason for why these things aren’t back to normal—to have been able to return to pre-pandemic levels in a matter of months.

What evidence do you have that they have exhausted all efforts to rehire in a timely manner? OR do you not have evidence.

 

[mercuryvenus]

Do you have evidence that they have been well prepared? Because they have been behind every other theme park as far as reopening. If they were well prepared then they would not be waiting for others to make the first move. Universal will be offering their traditional offerings in the fall. Disney...still watered down magic

Disney has been more conservative due to not wanting outbreaks. If you want to take issue with that, then this conversation will end up going in a direction that the mods undoubtedly don’t want it to go in.

 

[mercuryvenus]

What evidence do you have that they have exhausted all efforts to rehire in a timely manner? OR do you not have evidence.

They’ve been hiring larger classes of employees than ever before. They’ve been holding employee orientation in larger venues to accommodate that. They’re trying to hire in a market that is difficult for employers across the US economy, but nevertheless have clearly been hiring at a level that is much higher than in previous years. In fact, they recently started offering a $1000 signing bonus to new employees, to incentivize people to apply. As I’m sure you know, many many employers are struggling to find people.

On top of that, it takes time to train people and get them to the level of customer service people expect from Disney.

 

[aymiewilson]

In all seriousness you guys.... you're devolving into a debate about what Disney should/shouldn't do. I don't think this thread is the place for that. Nor do I really think a heated argument on the Internet is ever a good use of anyone's time.

 

[Magicbeans]

Unreasonable, hmm, Universal must have a crystal ball that told the future. They can ramp up to basically full tilt, yet Disney can't? Sure, two different corporations, but in a lot of peoples minds, one company seems to be worrying more about cold hard cash rather than the other. I wish I didn't think that, but I do, and it seems to be getting worse rather than better.

 

[mercuryvenus]

Unreasonable, hmm, Universal must have a crystal ball that told the future. They can ramp up to basically full tilt, yet Disney can't? Sure, two different corporations, but in a lot of peoples minds, one company seems to be worrying more about cold hard cash rather than the other. I wish I didn't think that, but I do, and it seems to be getting worse rather than better.

Universal is running at a tiny scale, compared to Disney. They have fewer people they had to rehire. They have less elaborate events. They have a lower standard of customer service.

You really can’t compare the two.

All of this aside, though: my family and I are excited to attend this event. We are grateful that we live in the only large country in the world with vaccination levels high enough for theme parks to be able to operate safely in any way. If Disney is still operating in an abnormal way at the end of 2022, I’ll agree with all of you that they’re not being reasonable. Until then, I’m grateful to be able to attend at all.

 

[cakebaker]

If you think it’s reasonable that staffing would still be lower—including among the performer cadre, which impacts things like parades (which are a key point of contention around why people think this event is crap)—then why are you upset at Disney for holding this event in the form they are?

Staffing isn't lower with performers. It's non-exisitent virtually. They have not even begun to call them back. Why? $$$$$

And perhaps rather than allocate staff to re-open every hotel by December so they can cram even more people in, maybe they should divert that staff to the parks. Clearly you think Disney is doing everything right and I think they're doing very little right. There's no point in continuing the back and forth with you. Enjoy the MVMCP-lite version.

 

[Robbydj13]

Universal is running at a tiny scale, compared to Disney. They have fewer people they had to rehire. They have less elaborate events. They have a lower standard of customer service.

You really can’t compare the two.

Halloween Horror Nights is less elaborate???? Hmmmmm, I think you should rethink that statement

And I would hardly say Disney is living up to its reputation for great customer service recently.....

 

[mercuryvenus]

Staffing isn't lower with performers. It's non-exisitent virtually. They have not even begun to call them back. Why? $$$$$

And perhaps rather than allocate staff to re-open every hotel by December so they can cram even more people in, maybe they should divert that staff to the parks. Clearly you think Disney is doing everything right and I think they're doing very little right. There's no point in continuing the back and forth with you.

you think they can just divert staff from one part of the parks to another, willy-nilly?