Summer Hours Almost Over

[fboy9287]

really if the time is after or at 6 i am happy. I have a pass till dec and i have to leave a 6 most of the time any way!

 

[lisag1]

How rude are you!?

EVERYONE is entitled to their own opinion thank you very much!

Lisa

 

[AdrianB]

If I were to make a suggestion it would be to keep the parks open late 1 weeknight and 1 weekend night a week. I understand why they close early in the off season though.

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

Dave, you're quite right. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and to voice it in public forums such as these.

However, it's kinda difficult to know what your opinion is as your posts come liberally sprinkled with bile and aggression. As far as I can see on this thread, people have been expressing their disappointment at Universal's decision to reduce their opening hours, and explaining why this changes their holiday plans for the worse. A number of people have recognised the business reasons for this, but nevertheless expressed frustration as it will mean a lower quality experience for the same amount of money.

Now I'd love to learn why you happy with Universal's decision, and how you are content to pay for a lower quality service. If this is beyond you, perhaps you could troll somewhere else?

Regards

Rob

 

[CindyZ]

I believe that the board is here to ask questions, share experiences, and to share great things AND dissapointments. I am certainly NOT acting like a first grader when I express my dissapointment at not being able to have an afternoon swim while I am at USO. I am not able to visit Florida very often, and have spent the last 8 months working extra for my sister's catering business to try and save every last penny to make a trip to USO. I've read and read and read so much advice on this board, I've bought Kelly's book, and I've tried to do some planning. I know that it is HOT HOT HOT in Florida in the summer; and I'm spending some big bucks (for my family anyway)...and why can't I be dissapointment at the earlier closing.

How you can read whining into an expression of disspointment is puzzling to me

 

[DaveOBrien]

Perhaps I should have worded my post differently. However, the fact is that quite a few folks seem to go off the deep end whenever a decision is made that they don't agree with. It was stated that the hours are shortened due to business reasons which seems perfectly plausable by me. Getting upset and e mailing Universal about something that probably will not change forces a poor soul on the other end of the computer or phone to be a sounding board, which is not a desirable situation.

My job puts me in direct line with the public every day. I've been cursed at, spit at, verbally threatened(myself and my mother), had to duck objects thrown in my direction all in the name of "The customer is always right". Perhaps I'm venting some frustration out on this board, which is wrong and I do apoligize for. Every day I deal with people yelling, screaming and complaining about things I have no control over, yet I'm on the front line, so I get the brunt of it. After dealing with this for 10 hours a day on top of performing your other job functions, you are pretty frazzled. This is why I have such a strong reaction when I see people ready to call out the firing squad because a decision is made that alters plans. I know what folks who deal with people all day go through. After a while, the smile is harder and harder to come by. I sympathize greatly with anyone who works in customer service or deals with the public. Before anyone says "Well, find another job if you don't like it", I'll say simply that the pay is good, so that's why I stay. It has taught me to be extra polite to people who serve me, whether it's the hotel desk guy, the cashier at McDonald's, or the ride op at a park. Usually if the person doing the complaining was in the other guys shoes, there would be a better understanding for both sides.


In the future, I will try to choose better words to express myself and my thoughts. I just cringe when I see someone ready to kill because they were slightly inconvenienced or had to alter their schedule. There is almost always a valid reason for these decisions, although it may not be the reason that you want to hear. Please accept my apologies for being an evil troll.

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

Thank you for your more considered comments Dave. While some of the behaviour you have witnessed is clearly unacceptable, I do not feel that we should just swallow a decline in service without any comment, not least because Universal (and every other company) will only get better at what they do if they know what customers think, both good and bad. One email to Universal about reduced hours might not change this business decision, but it does help Universal Exec's to know that not all their customers are happy with this decision.

I am always polite when dealing with staff, even when I feel that service levels are not what they should be (in my experience a rare occurence in Orlando). In my email to Disney and Universal I was not abusive because I was upset, but I did explain how early closing would lead to a worse experience for me. This also applied when I got a phone call from Disney's Guest Relations to discuss this issue. I'm not ready to call out the firing squad or go off in the deep end - I just want to provide some feedback on a decision which will have a major impact on my holiday plans.

Regards

Rob

 

[KProuty]

Look, you are right, the guys on the front line usually can't make the business decisions, but, if there is GOOD management, they are oftened listened to because they are the ones that hear from the customers on a daily basis. Do you know how much companies spend to find out what their customers are actually thinking?

Now, all managers have to make the decisions as to whether the people who are screaming the loudest actually represent a large percentage of their total audience or if they are the screwy 1 percent. However, people on this board are evangelists. They aren't asking for the parks to stay open 7 nights a week. They are asking for one night a week. I can hear the posts now, even in the Disney forums.
(Crude but representative.)

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How is this itinerary? Friday night Epcot, Saturday, MK, Sunday MGM, Monday Epcot.

Response: Since you have Epcot twice, you might want to try out Universal on Friday night. They stay open until 11 and even have fireworks!

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If you commit to this program long enough, it can make newspapers and guide books. Consistency is what brings results because it takes a while for it to seep into the consciousness. However, with Evanglists and the Internet, the time could be substantially reduced.

Any successful program takes many legs to make sure it actually stands. Universal marketing falls somewhat short consistently. I always receive my annual pass newsletter AFTER a major event highlighted in the newsletter has passed. Programs aren't consistent, they change every few months.

Read the Harvard Business Review about how to gain market share in a down market. There are multiple ways to gain market share when you competitors are all contracting.

Look, I'm not a neophyte about this stuff. I worked at ZD, was head of ZDNet on CompuServe and ZDU. I was VP at FamilyEducation.com. I'm familiar with what online communities can do and that you have to guard against the danger of a few zealots. What I am proposing in no way qualifies. The only drawback that I see is that the idea isn't getting to the top where some action and some coordination might be taken. (Although, if this doesn't get the full backup of marketing and the committment for time, then it won't work.)

If what IOTech says is true, and this will only appeal to 20 people on a Friday night, I would ask where he gets his projections.

Katherine

(P.S. I just want to thank all of the Universal folks who actually spend time on the boards and give the good advice. Your participation is invaluable and adds tons. Please don't take this as criticism of you or what you do! Please take this as well-meaning criticism of some Universal policies because I would like these parks to grow! Analytical conflict actually strengthens products because no one person has all of the information or the management style needed to make truly informed decisions. By debating, the final result is usually stronger. (See Dr. Ichak Adizes for the best thoughts on the proper way to do this. ) One more thing, I realize that I don't have the numbers needed to make a truly informed decision, but by observation, I would be willing to invest the time and effort to discover if there is merit.)

 

[IOATech]

I get my projections from actually being there. Waiting to start the hour-long ritual of getting the rides set up to properly shut them down. Understanding that there are 40 man hours of inspections to manage per-ride/night to maintain minimum standards. Any time left is dedicated to making things better. This "maintenance and repair" factor has slipped the attention of your astute analysis. Without this, your business model resembles the typical fast food joint or internet business. Laws and conscience prohibit us from being open for certain periods of time without performing maintenance, and with big, big budgets. Regardless of your credentials, that thinking doesn't make it here.

And... we have grown Universal Studios quite well for many years.

 

[CoasterFEV]

Universal's Preventative Maintenance program on our attractions suffered greatly last year when the parks were open from 7am until 10pm daily (with some rides still cycling guests until 10:45pm).

There just wasn't enough "down" time to properly maintain the rides to our standards.

 

[KProuty]

CoasterFev and IOATech,

You have brought up an extremely important point that, to be honest, I hadn't thought about in the least. Most customers who go to Universal automatically assume the rides are safe, and we forget about all of the hard work that goes into making them that way. It is extremely comforting, now that I think about it, that there are guys like you who push back and demand that time be given for that "must-have" feature. (You just proved the point that listening to folks on the front line is a must.)

So I ask you, in your position as experts, would it be too much to have one park open until 11 on Friday, then open at 9 a.m. the next day, and close at 9 p.m. the next night? Monday through Thursday would close at 6 p.m. or 7 p.m.

Thanks!

Katherine

 

[mhic]

I would think that it would be nigh near impossible for Universal (or any other business) to properly staff its parks for that "one late night" every week. It is one thing to have a regular workforce through the summer, for example. But just where would they find a stable, reliable staff to work just Friday nights, for example? This is the reality of society today. We whine and moan about "poor customer service," but we contribute to it by abusing the service people, and this makes it even harder to get (and train, and maintain, etc) service staff. I am trying to imagine getting, training and keeping the size staff required to operate a park one night a week. Those people could not POSSIBLY have the experience to do it right--and boy I can hear the complaining! Perhaps Universal (and DIsney, and the hundreds and thousands of other businesses in the same boat) know when to hold 'em, and know when to fold 'em.

 

[Shawn2goUSF]

WOULD YOU ALL ADULTS PLEASE STOP COMPLAINING

I'M SICK OF COMMING TO THIS BOARD AND HEAR EVERYONE COMPLAIN.

IT'S LIKE YOU PEOPLE ARE ADDICITED AND NEED THE EXTRA HOURS TO RIDE.

GOSH JUST CAUSE YOU CAN'T TAKE A NAP OR SWIM DURING THE DAY YOU GET ALL GRUMPY.

TO END ALL THE COMPLAINING I SUGGEST TWO THINGS.

ONE IF YOU DON'T LIKE TO GO TO THE PARKS SIMPLE AS THAT.

TWO JUST TAKE YOUR NAPS AND SWIMS AFTER YOU COME BACK.

YOUR ON VACTION TO ENJOY YOURSELF NOT TO STRESS ABOUT THE HOURS.

A FEW PEOPLE ARE NOT GANNA CHANGE THE HOURS JUST CAUSE YOU PEOPLE DON'T LIKE IT.

LET UNIVERSAL DO THERE JOB AND YOU DO YOURS