[tigger]

Here is an artical from todays NYT on Disney and the perception of the slipping "magic". What I took away from the article is that we as consumers might be setting the bar to high. What do you think?

Some Ask if the Disney Magic Is Slipping

By CHARLES PASSY
MAYBE it was the rollaway bed that didn't materialize because it was suddenly deemed a fire hazard.

Or maybe it was the air mattress that surfaced in its place with a pile of bedding that included 20 - yes, 20 - pillowcases and one sheet.

Or maybe it was the manager who called and apologized for the mistakes - at nearly 1 a.m.

But as tipping points go, it was hard to top the bill with a $750 error - in the resort's favor. Such a mistake was proof positive that something was terribly amiss, leaving my wife and me to ask, "What kind of a Mickey Mouse operation is this?"

It was a question meant in the most literal sense. We weren't staying at some budget motel off the Interstate. We were spending more than $300 a night for a one-bedroom "turn-of-the-century style vacation villa" at Walt Disney World's one-year-old Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa. But we were experiencing little of the celebrated Disney "magic," that bend-over-backward brand of service. Instead, our family vacation was turning into a part-nightmarish, part-comical adventure that I quickly took to describing as Disney meets "Fawlty Towers" meets the "Twilight Zone."

And apparently, we weren't the only ones on this ride. To hear some other guests tell similar stories of inept service at Disney World theme parks and resorts is to realize the Mouse may no longer be as mighty.

As Disney marks the 50th birthday of its first theme park - Disneyland in California - with a companywide 18-month celebration that began in May, it is facing great scrutiny, particularly when it comes to Walt Disney World - a 30,000-plus-acre complex in Florida that comprises four theme parks and more than 20 resorts and that attracted 40.5 million visitors in 2004, according to the trade journal Amusement Business.

Much of the focus stems from the recent corporate shakeup that ended with the decision by Michael D. Eisner, the longtime chief executive, to resign effective this September. (He is being replaced by Disney's president, Robert A. Iger.) It's a tale of boardroom intrigue that inspired James B. Stewart's "Disney War," published this year. At the heart of the drama is the question of whether Disney has put profits ahead of the need to deliver that "magic," especially at the parks and resorts.

The issue has been raised repeatedly by Roy E. Disney (Walt's nephew), former Disney board member and executive. In "Disney War," he is quoted telling a group of investors, "If you've been [to the parks] in recent years, you will have noticed the lack of maintenance, the fewer number of characters on the streets. The cast members ... have been pared back unmercifully. Their hours have been cut, benefits taken away. That gets reflected in their attitude toward the guests." (Mr. Disney declined comment for this article, although he recently came to an agreement with Disney's board and management to withdraw a lawsuit challenging the selection process behind Mr. Iger's appointment.)

It is also an issue that arose in an article in The Orlando Sentinel, published in March 2004, about its investigation of maintenance at Disney World's Magic Kingdom. The paper reported that "flaws included worn walkways and steps, rotting wood, scratched and chipped stucco, peeling paint, rusted railings, faded awnings and yellowing plants."

The issue seems to resonate with Disney guests. On such Web sites as WDWInfo.com and MiceAge.com, they debate matters ranging from the company's attention to ride safety (in the wake of recent scares connected to such attractions as Mission: Space at the Epcot park and the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney-MGM Studios, including the death of a 4-year-old boy after riding Mission: Space) to the wait times for Disney buses. There appears to be a growing view that the Mouse no longer delivers at the same magical level.

While not denying that problems occur, Disney officials say their commitment to customer service remains strong, as evidenced by the fact that 75 percent of Disney World visitors are repeat guests. "Our goal in life is to get excellent ratings," said Lee Cockerell, executive vice president for operations at Disney World. "We try to move the 'goods' up to 'very goods' and the 'very goods' up to 'excellents.' "

But in Beth Motta's case, she'd be hard pressed to give Disney a "fair." Ms. Motta, a Cleveland-area nursing student, traveled with her husband and four children for a six-day stay at Disney World's All-Star Music Resort this spring. Despite assurances from Disney staff members that she could have connecting rooms - a must since one of her children is disabled - Ms. Motta says she was told otherwise when she arrived. "I sat in the lobby and cried," she recalled.

Even more disconcerting are reports that Disney is slow or unwilling to respond to complaints. In Ms. Motta's case, she says she had the problem corrected after much haggling, but the "solution" meant staying in a more remote location at the resort and sharing a building with a group of noisy teenagers. She did receive a credit of $120 - on a $1,300 bill - but it wasn't offered until she contacted the guest communications department upon her return home.

I hit a similar wall of unresponsiveness with managers at the Saratoga Springs resort: I had to argue my way into an upgrade that provided the very sleeping arrangements I was guaranteed. After more problems ensued, I received $100 in credit - far less than the refund for a full-night's stay that hospitality-industry experts I interviewed say was merited. And there barely seemed to be acknowledgment that the resort was still under construction. (When I returned home, I called a higher-level manager - without revealing that I was a journalist - and she agreed to refund my entire stay.)

Such stories prompt some observers of Disney operations to say the situation reflects a demoralized, improperly trained staff. "There's a palpable difference in the attitudes of cast members versus five years ago. There are fewer smiles there," said Pete Werner, the founder and Webmaster of WDWInfo.com.

Disney executives vehemently deny such charges. In an opinion column responding to the article in The Orlando Sentinel, Disney World's president, Al Weiss, noted a 90 percent approval rating from guests when it comes to upkeep and cleanliness at the Magic Kingdom.

And in a recent interview, Mr. Cockerell said that Disney World's staff was at an all-time high of 57,000, though the number can fluctuate depending on the season. And while he conceded that Disney's "traditions" employee-orientation program has been pared back to one day from two days, he argued that it was because Disney had focused on other training methods. As for resolving guests' complaints, Mr. Cockerell insists that managers are empowered to offer whatever is appropriate to rectify the situation.

And what about my problem-riddled visit? "Your stay was not typical," Mr. Cockerell said.

Still, Mr. Cockerell allows that mistakes do happen, given the sheer size of Disney World's operations. But the real reason some guests walk away disappointed, Mr. Cockerell suspects, is that they arrive with such high expectations. "Walt Disney World is like a national park," he said. "If something doesn't go right, I get a seven-page letter."

IN a sense, that may be Disney's own doing. Since the company's first venture into the theme-park business a half-century ago, it has maintained that it wants to create an immaculate escape-from-the-real-world environment. Disneyland grew out of Walt Disney's disappointing experiences with his own children at amusement parks. "You could have fantastic rides, but if the place was sloppy or you had to wait for toilets [it wouldn't work]. For him, it had to be beautiful," said Diane Disney Miller, Walt's daughter, in the Summer 2005 issue of Disney Magazine. (That issue of the decades-old magazine was the last to hit the stands. It ceased publication because of the company's bottom-line concerns.)

But another part of the equation, say observers like Deb Wills, founder of AllEarsNet.com, another unofficial Disney site, is that Disney guests have come to anticipate "magic moments" at, well, every moment. "People hear so many wonderful things they think it's going to be picture perfect," she said. Take the famed "towel animals" - towels that have been shaped to resemble wildlife - that Disney maids have been known to leave in a guest's room. What started as a surprise offering has now become a de rigueur part of the Disney experience.

But for most guests, the experience comes close to the quintessential family vacation. Take Vicki Moreno, a San Antonio homemaker who has been a Disney World regular since 1991. Her ultimate "magic moment" came a few weeks ago at a character autograph-signing opportunity at Epcot. When one of her daughters realized she had lost her autograph book, a Disney staff member arranged a free replacement and a private character meet-and-greet. Ms. Moreno's reaction? "I thought, 'Wow!' " she said.

And that's the funny thing: Despite all the problems with my stay, there were plenty of "wows," too. Like the time the chef at the Polynesian Resort prepared a special fruit platter for my food-allergic 13-year-old son. Or the time a security guard at Epcot, sensing my 6-year-old daughter's impatience as we waited in the bag-search line, took off his cap and placed it affectionately on her head.

Then, there's the "wow" I experience every time I enter the Magic Kingdom. Seeing the cobblestone streets and the rows of old-timey shops, I can't help but buy into the fantasy that is Walt Disney's Main Street, designed after the one in his boyhood home of Marceline, Mo. Some might call it synthetic, but that's missing the point: It never pretends to be real.

And that's perhaps why when Disney stumbles, we respond so vociferously. If we wanted the headaches and hassles, we'd stay at the budget motel off the Interstate. Instead, we want the magic. And we'll keep going to Disney World in search of it - for the time being.

disclaimer I don't want this thread to turn into a grip feast about Disney but about do we as consumer set are expectation to high...yes or no.

[Erin]

No, I don't think we've set the bar too high. I am willing to save up and pay more to go to Disney, because Disney is better than ANYwhere else I could possibly go.

In this guy's example he simply wanted what he was "guaranteed", and they didn't deliver (Not until he called a higher level manager when he got home)

But! On the other hand...


I can see where Deb Wills point with the towel animals - maybe some of us want the super magical moments that just don't happen to everyone...
I know I'm personally happy just getting what was promised. In other words, the right room, adequate service, etc.

[Laneysdad]

This has come up before and it was only a matter of time before it was printed. I don't think expectations are high because you can still find what we expect.The problem is the consistency of Disney Quality is compromised too often. Things are cheapened. Some special things taken away. I also believe there is something to this training they mention. Recent TR's have noted uncertain CM's fumbling their way only to eventually find a Manager to truly handle the situation.

I tend to believe they are oversights on managements part to monitor the bottom line not truly realizing what they are compromising in the end. Training is also a big issue here. Rather than cut a day good training would say there is a day added.

WOW! With this article and recent events in the parks Disney sure is getting their fair share of bad press. As the negative spotlight gets brighter you have to wonder how they will respond.

[honeypot]

OK, I'm a little confused about this article. Other then the $750 billing error, which I admit was a huge mistake that once caught could be easily corrected, I don't see anything that could possible merit this guy getting a full refund of his stay. Am I missing something here? I understand that there is a little inconvenience with the air mattress/rollaway bed thing but come on. Why is it that if something isn't perfect with a vacation people automatically expect all kinds of refunds and want something for nothing? This always makes me mad.

I think that people that tend not to be Disneymaniacs have extremely high expectations of WDW just because it's WDW. Those of us that go on a repeat basis are very happy with the service, cleanliness and all around magic or we wouldn't be repeat guests. Maybe I'm speaking for myself but I would think this is the general feeling or that many guests wouldn't be paying that much money to be miserable.

I for one think the prices are fair and I get a choice of 3 different price ranges to pay according to my budget. I have for comparison, priced staying right outside of the park and for the little money that I may save, it's not worth it. By paying a little more I get the 24/7 magic and convenience. Think about how long you really have to wait to catch a park bus...not too long and they practically take me right to the gate.
I have been going to WDW since I was a little kid and I would say that I have been there at least 15 times and not once have I ever thought that the cleanliness was compromised. Look around the next time you're there and tell me if you see even a straw wrapper on the ground. Are the trash cans overflowing? Is there a dead flower or plant anywhere? Not in my experiences. DH and I look for those things and are amazed that we can never find them.

I'm not saying that everything is always perfect, because nothing is perfect but I have to say that Disney comes pretty close.

I think Deb Willis hit the nail on the head. People hear about little pieces of magic that have been done and they expect it to be done all the time. The animal towels are a perfect example. My day has not been a total waste if I get back to my room and my towels are folded and not decorated. My main concern is that my room is clean...and it always is.
As far as friendliness of the CM....I was there in Sept 04 between hurricanes and there were CMs or their families that had lost homes and had complete devestation and I did not once have an unfriendly or unsmiling CM. If you didn't know what was going on outside of "the world" you never would have known it.

For me the magic isn't always what is done for me but it's the whole package and what's around you. How can one possibly go to WDW and not feel magical?

There, I think I said enough and I have a lot more to say but I'll leave it at that.

[mouseears25]

I guess I just have no sympathy for people who complain about luxuries...I mean DisneyWorld is an experience that not just everyone in the world gets to have! I love WDW and have never had any issues during any stay-I'm just thrilled to get to go (I teach underprivileged children who think I am the richest person in the world to get to go-and every year, nonetheless)

I'm just grateful that I am blessed enough to spend money so frivolously as on vacations :-) Bring on the magic!

[Dopey]

Originally Posted by mouseears25

I guess I just have no sympathy for people who complain about luxuries...I mean DisneyWorld is an experience that not just everyone in the world gets to have! I love WDW and have never had any issues during any stay-I'm just thrilled to get to go (I teach underprivileged children who think I am the richest person in the world to get to go-and every year, nonetheless)

I'm just grateful that I am blessed enough to spend money so frivolously as on vacations :-) Bring on the magic!

Ditto and also what honeypot said

[MissDisney]

I read the article, and again, I have to say as I have a zillion times -- WDW is not unlike any city in the world. Mistakes happen, paint peels, people steal. There is no magic bubble that makes all negative things disappear.

You never see these kinds of articles about a Super 8 Motel, so I gotta figure that WDW is such a great place that any little infraction stands out.

(OK, a $750 mistake on the bill is really bad... But still fixable!)

[ddoll]

Ha! Another Zombie thread makes its appearance!

I think this was an issue back then, but I haven't seen any signs of slippage in service lately.

[woohoo]

well- I will say that back in 2005 when we went we had many of the similar issues. And it went well beyond the towel animals (which by the way we never had!) We did not get sheets changed after coffee was spilled and clerical error on their part had a manager banging on our door at 7:30 am accusing us of not checking in or checking out I dont remember which. And the whole grand gathering joke.... treated awfull and put out because we were a party of 10 etc....
And this last trip was better with things like that but it still had many quirks. I am a disney fan- I love Mickey Mouse as he touches a part of my childhood that I lose as I get older. But I am feeling very overwhelmed with the cost to experiance that. I feel that for the cost of going with my family that you are paying for a certain level of magic that should be paid for in your ticket and hotel cost. I have done a LOT of traveling and know what an expensive vacation could be worth and to be honest Im not impressed with the levels of service and "magic" that seems to be slowly disappearing as the costs rise. So why do I go? Because I want to be a child again. Some pay big $$ for botox- I want to be a kid again and watch my kids enjoy something that reminds me of my childhood.
My expectations are high because of the high price you have to pay- I dont expect perfection but I do expect to get what I paid for- Disney is obviously selling a certain amount of magic and I expect what they offer otherwise its a bait and switch!

But I still love the Mouse.....

[JustaT]

I thing the "magic" is what we make of it.

I think that service should be what we pay for. All of the other little surprises are just that...surprises. If we are expecting them to happen then there isn't much magic to that, right?

I just love the fact that there is a place that we can share the exact same feelings with our children, grandchildren that we experenced as children. AHHHH, I have the warm fuzzies just thinking about it.

[woohoo]

Originally Posted by JustaT

I thing the "magic" is what we make of it.

I think that service should be what we pay for. All of the other little surprises are just that...surprises. If we are expecting them to happen then there isn't much magic to that, right?

I just love the fact that there is a place that we can share the exact same feelings with our children, grandchildren that we experenced as children. AHHHH, I have the warm fuzzies just thinking about it.

that was a much shorter and possibly clearer version of what I was trying to say.....

[JustaT]

Originally Posted by woohoo

that was a much shorter and possibly clearer version of what I was trying to say.....

Great minds think alike

[WishUponAStar]

In retrospect, something happened between 2004-2005. I remember going in 2003, the year we got married, and everything was fabulous as usual but when we went back in late December of 2004 it was LITERALLY one of the most dissapointing & frustrating Disney vacations I had ever taken, it was the FIRST time I ever had to talk to resort management and call the guest services line afterward. I don't know what happened that year but I wonder if the "50th" then the "YoaMD" didn't start after that if it would have been a trend. Both celebrations really put the rose color back into the glasses.

[Daisee]

We have stayed at WDW & DL for the past 8 years. I have to say that we have had wonderful vacations with Disney. We personally have not had any issues with our resort stays (new resort each time). The rooms are always just what we booked.. if not an upgrade.

I like everyone else do not like the price hikes. I think it is just too much to increase everything at one time. We are currently trying to arrange for a Spring stay. The price increases.. STINK!!

I still say that Disney is the best all inclusive vacation option. It is totally kid appropriate. At each and every stay, I see maintenance doing their job with repairs. I can not say this about other parks. One that comes to mind is a theme park near us called Kings Island. Once you see the paint chipping, trash laying along the rides, gum stuck to everything, etc.. then you start to really appreciate how CLEAN & Well Kept Disney really is.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion.. each is different.. each stay is different.. just speaking from my experience.

[PeterMac]

I think there is a lot of truth in what this writer is saying. Yes, Disney is held to a higher standard than many other resorts and vacation sites. Yes, the tolerance level for mistakes is lower for Disney guests than elsewhere and guests, in some ways, have unreasonable expectations. Still, this is warrented by Disney's marketing -- they promise magic and charge accordingly. A Disney vacation is a premium vacation at a premium price. They've set the bar with their pricing and the level of service that they promise in their advertising, so I think they should be held to that standard, which is of their own making.