outdated service at WDW?

daannzzz

OMG...Theres my favorite scrambled
Joined
Feb 14, 2001
Posted this morning by the OrlandoSentinel
From staff reports

April 8, 2002

Walt Disney World guests who lock themselves out of their cars could long count on help from theme park workers free of charge. But that service was quietly eliminated last week along with the jobs of three employees who specialized in unlocking cars.

A spokeswoman reasoned that most people who get locked out are members of AAA or have some other roadside assistance available. Disney World will still help guests revive dead batteries for free.
 
Just another reason to throw a dart at your Eisner/Pressler Dart Board.....
 
Hmmm . . . another service that used to make Disney a cut above the rest is gone.

Could I please have a dart for the Ei$ner/Pressler dartboard?

Lisa
 
Most people who lock themselves out of cars are AAA members or have some other roadside assistance available? I wonder where they came up with that conclusion. :confused:
 


that irritates me. They saved me when my wallet and car keys were stolen at work. They rekeyed all my locks and ignition and gave me 3 copies of the keys...

FREE OF CHARGE.

Isn't that like a $300+ job normally?


Disney takes another step down to the competition
 
Darn, I never knew that. But now I'll be paranoid that I'll lock the keys in the car! Where's my dart?
 
It won't surprise me if they reinstate the service after the summer is over.

During the day its no big deal if the guests roast in the heat waiting for AAA Roadside Service...or if they clog up the guests services line since a sizeable number of people don't have roadside service (just ask 10 co-workers if they have AAA or some other service...the majority is going to tell you no they don't have it). But what happens after the parks close? What do they plan to do with those guests at that time? There WILL be at least one guest per day per park....and several per day in the summer.

I think there was a reason they started the service in the first place and now they are going to re-learn what that reason was. Those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it.
 


A spokeswoman reasoned that most people who get locked out are members of AAA or have some other roadside assistance available.
Read, "We don't want to be liable if we break the linkage in someones car door." Most people who carry "slim jims" as part of their work are thinking twice before sticking that thing inside a newer model car. Especially with power windows...
 
We live in a small town (pop around 10,000) and there is a "township" surrounding the town served by a police force of about the same size.
Most of them have adopted the policy of not trying to unlock car doors anymore. The exception is if a child is locked in the vehicle. However, they usually inquire if it's one of the "automatic" locks and then they call a locksmith, etc.
Fortunately or unfortunately we don't drive to WDW or use a rental car to go to the parks. I personally could handle being locked out during the day as we do have AAA. But at night in that huge parking lot.........no thanks.
Shucks, maybe they could just charge for opening it. However, the idea of screwing up things by sticking a slim jim in the door would probably be enough to change the policy. I'm constantly amazed by the number of calls to the police for assistance because someone is locked out of their car.
 
... liability if they damaged your car or a rental car trying to get in ...

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There should be a law permitting anyone seeing a child or animal locked inside a hot car to perform a rescue without liability to the car owner.
 
quote:
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A spokeswoman reasoned that most people who get locked out are members of AAA or have some other roadside assistance available.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I knew that I answered that survey question the wrong way!!!
:D
 
Well, we've had a dead battery on property, and also broken a tie rod in our car (both a Ft. Wilderness) in the last 10 years. Both times we were referred to AAA, then again, we were members and it wasn't a big deal.
 
And its all your kinds fault Scoop! Thanks for nothing...

Oh well I promise not to hold a grudge, I just wonder when we can start shipping them off to the bottom of the sea.
 
The Walt Disney Company today filed for liquidation as the result of a small claims suit brought against it in Orlando, Florida. Devastated by the $965.47 award, the Company immediately sought protection in the Delaware courts to prevent an Enron-like unraveling of the media conglomerate.

“All we wanted to do was to bring happiness, joy and magic into the world,” a tearful Michael Eisner told the gathered media shortly before stepping into his limousine. “It was my life’s mission; I devote every waking moment to continuing the legacy of Walt Disney – this is just so tragic. We are letting an out-of-control court system ruin the dreams of millions of children around the world.”

Other company spokespersons are not available for comment as the entire corporate staff is currently on a three week “team building” session on a private island in the South Pacific.

Knowledgeable inside sources claim that the downfall of the company started when a cast member at the Animal Kingdom parking lot attempted to open a car door for a family. The family’s three year old daughter had inadvertently closed the door while her mother was placing another child in a stroller, locking the keys inside. The mother became distraught and attracted the attention of a Disney employee.

“I was just trying to help. It’s my job,” said the former employee (who has requested we withhold his name due to continuing legal action against him by Disney). “These families go through so much to get here, and anything we can do help them out of problems they have, well that’s what the magic is about - isn’t it?”. Sources indicate that while opening the door, the mechanism the raises and lowers the door was damaged, leaving the window in the “up” position.

“I spent $4,500 taking my kids to Disney World,” the victim in the case mentioned. “The guy said Disney’s insurance would pay for the damage, but later some other guy from them told they wouldn’t. It’s not like we’re rich, but when I wrote a letter complaining all I got was a coupon for a $5 discount on a stuffed Winnie the Pooh animal. I guess it’s just one of those things”.

The events were witnessed by a visiting lawyer from Tennessee who quickly rushed to the scene. He immediately filed a class action lawsuit and sought other people who have suffered similar fates. In papers filed with the court, the lawyer claims that “the number of grievously injured parties that have fallen victim to these premeditated deliberate acts of emotional distress is nearing the point where it could take two hands to count them all. The perpetrators of such malicious acts must be punished and a message must be sent to all evildoers across the world. This thousand dollars is but the first blow in our crusade for justice – next time we will strive for an even two grand and have them quaking in their shoes!”

Reached at his home in Beverly Hills, an executive with the Attractions division stated that this was the company’s only course. “Do you think we can sustain these losses? We pay those car people, what like a whole ******** $6.95 an hour. That’s a big *** hit to the bottom line! And then there’s small claims court, and you know what ****** they can be. ****, I bet that twerp Jeff has bought all the judges. First the Oscars, now this. All I want to do is make a few ******* bucks. I mean look at this place – you know how many gardeners I have to hire just for the hedges! And do have any ******* idea what that ******* ABC has done to my ******* stock options! Someone’s going to pay for that I tell you. That ****** and her kids, that’s who! Hell, that brat three year old probably doesn’t even own a DVD player yet. Like I give a **** when she’s not even old enough to buy ‘Mulan 6 – The Golden Years’!!”

“How can any American company expect to make a profit when it has to keep three minimum wage workers on staff to meet guest’s needs? It’s like these guests now expect to be treated with care, respect and kindness. Don’t they ******* know anything about running Disney?!!!”


In real news, the budget for ‘Gangs of New York’ has now hit $120,000,000 dollars and is still climbing. It’s nice to know that once again the Parks are made to suffer the most trivial and obnoxious cuts to guest services while other areas run free. I hope the buck forty-eight this latest cut saves is enough to turn around WDW's finances.
 
Alright, "MR. VOICE", I've had about enough of this gloom and doom pessimistic kill-joy attitude of yours!!!!!

Just kidding.

I (gulp), actually agree with you on this one.

I can't see that even with a small claim here and there that this really costs more than one bean.

And, if, as another poster indicated, AAA is doing it for $25, why not contract with AAA to provide this free-to-the-guest service and accept the liability, since they seem to be doing it anyway.

Geez, they could have the guest sign a waiver first. Most people would understand, given that they know how sue-happy everyone is.
 
If liability is the motivating factor, how long before they eliminate the trams that take you from the parking lot to the main gates because someone "might" fall out and "might" sue them?

Disney World is a land mine of liabilities.. What are they going to do - eliminate everything?
 
“…hard time believing that such a move was done simply to increase profits.”

Mr. Scoop, with all due respect – WHAT PLANET HAVE YOU BEEN ON DURING THE LAST TWO YEARS?

This is no doubt the end result of various budget cut demands that are working their way further down the food chain. When a small department is told to cut by 15%, that could very well be just three guys and a tow truck. It could also be one of the nickels or dimes in an effort to stave off even larger cuts to more vital areas. Headcount is headcount by the time it gets to either of the Team Disney buildings – all they want to see is a lower number and probably aren’t too concerned about where it comes from.

By the way, the liability for breaking someone’s car lock can’t be anywhere near the liability that Disney has to cover for the electric wheelchairs, the run-through fountains or thousands of other activities on property. Shutting down the fountain at the far end of Downtown Disney would produce many, many times the cost savings (and make for far fewer wet, smelly children).
 
Obviously, I'm not privy to how Disney made this decision, but AV's point is certainly valid.

Upper management asks for a 15% cut in FTE (Full Time Equivalent) in certain areas. Middle management comes up with ideas, and also sometimes solicits ideas from line management. While 3 FTE is not much in the grand scheme, it is a significant chunk for the manager who only has 15 FTE total. So he, or his manager, offers up these three to make their "quota".

I think most of you know I'm not exactly an Eisner hater, and I am a proud occupant of Car #1, but that does not mean I think Disney is not making some decisions based only on operational savings. Nor am I saying that its a bad thing in many cases.

But in this case, I don't think the benefit of saving the 3 FTE is going to outweigh the goodwill generated when you quickly get somebody's car open for them, saving them time, frustration and probably embarrassment from other members in their party who are making fun of them (or worse, p'd off at them). Besides, the longer they have to wait for help getting in their car, the less time they have to buy food and plush, right?

On the other hand, I'm not exactly presenting this as evidence of Disney's downfall. I'm just calling it what it is. A minor cut that will have a minor savings, but probably shouldn't have been made.
 
Seriously though, Scoop, how much can a lawsuit for a damaged power window be? It would be a tremendous reach to think this would ever go beyond a small claim.

Any idea on how often an experienced "slim jimmer" would damage the newer vehicles in the process of getting them unlocked? (I have no idea). If it really would happen a significant amount of time, so that Disney found themselves shelling out $2,000 every other day, I could understand.

But what about a waiver? This wouldn't work in many cases, such as on a waterslide, but why not just have one of the salaried Disney lawyers draw up a waiver form for slim jimming, and instruct the CMs to have the guest sign it? I doubt many guests would argue given their situation, and most would just be happy somebody was helping them. And if they didn't want to sign, they'd be free to call AAA. Or do you think this is just more trouble than its worth?

I am in complete agreement with you on the types of examples you listed. Was the CM supposed to physically stop the "let's go head-first" idiot?

I just don't see the slim jim example as carrying anywhere near that kind of risk.
 

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