Disney is going downhill

[SCDisneyfanatic]

Ok, we need to stop thinking that High School kids are the ones working the majority of these jobs. Most of them legally have to be done by someone over 18. And who do you think is doing these jobs when the kids are in school? Actually LOOK at the people that are working. Sure there are a few jobs that do not take much skill, but most of them do, regardless of what you personally think. Even then, a person's labor is worth more then a few dollars an hour. And you seem to think that if companies paid even less, that the product would someone get cheaper. LOL The costs will, and do keep going up and up and up but the salaries have remained stagnant. The "real world" used to be that people working a full time job could support themselves. In the past 15 years, this has changed. I just can't see how anyone, that has any kind of humanity in them, could possibly feel that humans should give their labor and provide others with goods and services, and be treated like an indentured servant. Because no one can "get ahead" anymore making that little money. We all worked our butts off, but the economy has changed so much that people starting out now, don't have that chance unless they have someone to help them. How can you not see this? Try budgeting out what people get paid with cost of living now and you will see that it is NOT the same as it used to be.

Not trying to argue if it's fair or right or anything else. The original poster questioned why no one was working ...they couldn't fill enough jobs. And the simple answer is because many people out of work won't go back unless they make $15 an hour serving a hamburger or emptying a trash can. I would point out though that over the course of history as wages increase costs increase because companies are not in business to lose money. Great idea...pay everyone $20 an hour to do those jobs. Then the folks making $20 will insist on $30 and those making $30 will insist on $40 and so on and so forth. In the end, all costs will go up and the $20 they are making will buy no more than it does today. Believe me, I started with jack nothing and suffered many years going to school and learning and working and advancing myself. But what all this has to do with employees everywhere not being able to hire folks is another subject. That's all...thanks for the conversation. I need to get back to work! Just kidding...I did that for 50+ years...time to relax!!

 

[Lilsia]

Not trying to argue if it's fair or right or anything else. The original poster questioned why no one was working ...they couldn't fill enough jobs. And the simple answer is because many people out of work won't go back unless they make $15 an hour serving a hamburger or emptying a trash can. I would point out though that over the course of history as wages increase costs increase because companies are not in business to lose money. Great idea...pay everyone $20 an hour to do those jobs. Then the folks making $20 will insist on $30 and those making $30 will insist on $40 and so on and so forth. In the end, all costs will go up and the $20 they are making will buy no more than it does today. Believe me, I started with jack nothing and suffered many years going to school and learning and working and advancing myself. But what all this has to do with employees everywhere not being able to hire folks is another subject. That's all...thanks for the conversation. I need to get back to work! Just kidding...I did that for 50+ years...time to relax!!

I'm sorry for you that you choose not to see what is really going on. I also am on the older side and worked my behind off. When starting out, I was able to work these jobs and be able to not only support myself, but put money away. I could pay my rent, buy a car, go out, etc. All because the cost of living to pay scale was more in balance. It is so out of balance now that living with these wages is not possible. Like I said, don't take my word for it, run the numbers. Go with what you think people should be paid, if it's the Federal min wage of $7.25 or even $10 and hour, and see how impossible it is to be able to even pay your rent on that. Find out what apartments go for now, how much a car cost, cost of gas/insurance/food, etc and you will see that it is nowhere even close to what we did. It is not a question of "working hard", it is basic economy, that is what you are not understanding. We got paid a living wage "back in the day", but today's people are not. SMH

 

[Gaugersaurus]

Again, the idea of minimum wage is not for a career...but a starting point to learn about things like work ethic, being on time, acting as part of a team.

This is where we disagree, minimum wage is the minimum livable wage someone should earn. Also the problem isn't that increased wages increases prices it's that the price increase has far outstepped the wage increase. Using your examples when you started working you made $1.15 a hour, if a hamburger combo cost $0.40 you could pretty much feed yourself for a day off an hour of work. Compare that to now where a hamburger combo costs $8.50, a comparable wage to what you earned at your "entry level" job would be $25 (which coincidentally is close to what I make as a "skilled worker"). I'm not trying to argue that increasing wages increases prices, but that the living wage does not reflect the cost of living like it did in the past.

 

[SCDisneyfanatic]

I'm sorry for you that you choose not to see what is really going on. I also am on the older side and worked my behind off. When starting out, I was able to work these jobs and be able to not only support myself, but put money away. I could pay my rent, buy a car, go out, etc. All because the cost of living to pay scale was more in balance. It is so out of balance now that living with these wages is not possible. Like I said, don't take my word for it, run the numbers. Go with what you think people should be paid, if it's the Federal min wage of $7.25 or even $10 and hour, and see how impossible it is to be able to even pay your rent on that. Find out what apartments go for now, how much a car cost, cost of gas/insurance/food, etc and you will see that it is nowhere even close to what we did. It is not a question of "working hard", it is basic economy, that is what you are not understanding. We got paid a living wage "back in the day", but today's people are not. SMH

Thanks for feeling sorry for me, but that's not necessary. And you seem to be confusing what I originally stated and where the conversation has gone. I sure would never try to imagine someone can raise a family on $10 an hour. But that's not what the discussion was. The discussion was why aren't they getting people to work!!! Can't see any other reason than they would rather not work for $10 or $12 an hour. You keep going back to that $8.50 hamburger combo (which by the way I never do and never will buy). What do you think that combo will cost if the minimum salary for every CM at Disney World is suddenly $15 or $20 an hour? How much will that loaf of bread in the store cost when the guy stocking the shelves needs $15 or $20 an hour? Will they ever catch up? No!! Why? Because entry level jobs were never designed to sustain a family...they are a foothold to learn skills and allow for growth! Then again, I already said that. Have a great day!

 

[SCDisneyfanatic]

This is where we disagree, minimum wage is the minimum livable wage someone should earn. Also the problem isn't that increased wages increases prices it's that the price increase has far outstepped the wage increase. Using your examples when you started working you made $1.15 a hour, if a hamburger combo cost $0.40 you could pretty much feed yourself for a day off an hour of work. Compare that to now where a hamburger combo costs $8.50, a comparable wage to what you earned at your "entry level" job would be $25 (which coincidentally is close to what I make as a "skilled worker"). I'm not trying to argue that increasing wages increases prices, but that the living wage does not reflect the cost of living like it did in the past.

I guess we shall have to disagree about it being an entry level position or a Living Wage as you like to call it. But get off the hamburger cost and look at a real example. How about this: I went to college (USC) for $300 a semester. Now it costs students $20K in just tuition and books. Why? So professors can all make 6 digit incomes. The point being, you can't use 1 isolated example and try to show a cost comparison. Too much greed to go around to beat up on that poor burger. And just think how far that $10 an hour would go if the food industry, and the rental properties, and the utilities weren't all so inflated due to greed. So, the issue perhaps isn't the entry level pay...it's the overall level of greed in the country that drives the train. But now we digress...because again the conversation was "Why aren't they getting enough folks to work?" And by the way, it's not just Disney...it's about every little mom and pop store/restaurant/business I see. And they can't afford $15 an hour and stay in business for entry level workers.

 

[castways]

There are some nasty people in the world. See misbehavior, report it. Let a CM know you won't stand for it.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

No one cuts us in line. Lol. Dh comes from a “rough” background and he doesn’t let people through, not even to catch up with their party.

 

[sheilafri]

I'm not sure I would blame Disney for the lack of CMs...it seems no one can fill their vacant positions because everyone wants $15 or better an hour to do a menial labor job.

Yes, you can blame Disney. Supply and demand should work both ways. If you can’t get an employee at $15 an hour you need to pay more. I don’t think paying CMs more is going to break the bank for Disney.

 

[Kickstart]

Wow... this thread is starting to go downhill

Very disappointing to hear about the unacceptable behavior, and that it's not being addressed.
I'm in the camp that Disney is ultimately responsible for guest experience, and should not have let things get to this state.

I hope they resolve this quickly, but I'm not sure if it's a priority for them right now, which is frustrating.

 

[monica9]

We just got back last night. We’ve been going for past 10 years and wow, what a difference. Most of The cast members are clearly new. I saw too many cast members complaining to other cast members or goofing off. It seemed more like a local amusement park worker. Disney was always in a league of their own because no matter what, their cast members almost looked like robots. I always wondered how they trained them so well. This year was way different. There were multiple times we’d ask a question and they wouldn’t know the answer. The coffee mate cake creamer they gave for coffee was disgusting. We can’t go up to grab our own food because of covid but they want us grabbing creamers from the same bowl or grabbing soda lids ourselves. Nothing made sense. we saw garbage piled up near the gondolas for the first time ever at Disney. After the fireworks there were no cast members guiding everyone and some lady tripped over the curb. I clearly remember cast members every few feet around the curbs making sure people were safe in the herds.
we got our text that our room was ready 6 days into our vacation along with another text thanking us for staying and hope we have a safe trip home even though we still had more nights left. Our magic bands wouldn’t get us into the rooms the first night. The housekeeper took the garbage out one night but did nothing else, another night she only made the beds but nothing else, etc.
the waterfalls were off at the poly, no music in the art of animation big pool. The new app is filled with ads and hard to navigate. The worst part was that it kept making me log back in and would boot me out half the time. There were so many little things that just weren’t the same. We still had a great time but the spark wasn’t there like it normally is.

 

[Hubie]

Just a note concerning wages paid and the "cost of living" issue being discussed previously. I remember when nobody's mother had to work outside of the home to help support a middle-class family. Nobody in our entire town, even business owners and others with money, had McMansion's with five - six bedrooms & bathrooms, multiple TVs and other entertainment devices, three-car garages, riding mowers, snow blowers etc. And things were primarily made in America back then and built to last. You didn't have to replace a hot water heater, kitchen appliance or furnace every 8 - 10 years. Yes, cars are so much better today, but my first new car in 1968 cost me $3000! I feel sorry for the younger generations because of the America and world we're leaving them.

 

[Tigger's ally]

After reading this thread, i have come to the conclusion that Disney is going downhill at a much slower pace than their guests.

 

[a1tinkfans]

We just got back last night. We’ve been going for past 10 years and wow, what a difference. Most of The cast members are clearly new. I saw too many cast members complaining to other cast members or goofing off. It seemed more like a local amusement park worker. Disney was always in a league of their own because no matter what, their cast members almost looked like robots. I always wondered how they trained them so well. This year was way different. There were multiple times we’d ask a question and they wouldn’t know the answer. The coffee mate cake creamer they gave for coffee was disgusting. We can’t go up to grab our own food because of covid but they want us grabbing creamers from the same bowl or grabbing soda lids ourselves. Nothing made sense. we saw garbage piled up near the gondolas for the first time ever at Disney. After the fireworks there were no cast members guiding everyone and some lady tripped over the curb. I clearly remember cast members every few feet around the curbs making sure people were safe in the herds.
we got our text that our room was ready 6 days into our vacation along with another text thanking us for staying and hope we have a safe trip home even though we still had more nights left. Our magic bands wouldn’t get us into the rooms the first night. The housekeeper took the garbage out one night but did nothing else, another night she only made the beds but nothing else, etc.
the waterfalls were off at the poly, no music in the art of animation big pool. The new app is filled with ads and hard to navigate. The worst part was that it kept making me log back in and would boot me out half the time. There were so many little things that just weren’t the same. We still had a great time but the spark wasn’t there like it normally is.

Thx for posting. I’m on the fence about canceling an upcoming visit to wait for a future one.

 

[monica9]

After reading this thread, i have come to the conclusion that Disney is going downhill at a much slower pace than their guests.

I sure hope you’re not talking about my post. Spending 10k on a vacation where everyday there was something wrong sucks, especially since it’s the one vacation spot that we never find issues. I am not talking about guest issues since Disney can not control what the guest does. I’m talking about the lack of training, cleanliness and the multiple technical issues there was that they never had. The software engineers developing their app should get more schooling or find another job. I’ve never had so many issues on an app that I have with theirs.

 

[igrsod]

I haven't been back to WDW since Jan 2020. We are set to go next month. I hope that the magic is still there.
I accept that some things will be different due to staffing, and covid precautions etc., but I don't want constant disappointment.
The one thing that has set Disney apart from all other vacations, has always been the cast members. They really do make all of the difference.
As for public urination, that is gross, but probably been happening for a while and unless they are caught, that isn't Disney's fault... that's on that individual's morals.
And for line cutting, unless its a parent with a child going by because they had to pee, I won't let them by. That is on Disney, they need to crack down on this behaviour. Don't get into line unless your whole party is with you. That needs to be stated over and over to guests until they get the point. They won't do it if they aren't finding success. The fact that it's increasing, says to me that Disney is being lax in enforcing the rules.
I understand not wanting to confront guests, but that's part of the job.

 

[Tigger's ally]

I sure hope you’re not talking about my post. Spending 10k on a vacation where everyday there was something wrong sucks, especially since it’s the one vacation spot that we never find issues. I am not talking about guest issues since Disney can not control what the guest does. I’m talking about the lack of training, cleanliness and the multiple technical issues there was that they never had. The software engineers developing their app should get more schooling or find another job. I’ve never had so many issues on an app that I have with theirs.

It was. The biggest part of it were other patrons being idiots. Two of which should have been arrested. Hence my post.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Every time I read this thread I get …sad. To wait almost two years and think We ll be disappointed repeatedly , does not a good vacation make. Ugh!
Still deciding but I’m leaning more to canceling.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

Reading this thread just reinforces the decisions we have made regarding WDW. Before Covid, I actually stopped a group of 20-25 people from cutting. There was a man way ahead of us holding a flag, waving them to come on. I said Nope, no way, not gonna happen. I told them if they had a problem, go get a CM. Our next 2 planned trips are resort only due to having DVC points I need to use. One night at poly next month then a resort only trip in March 2022. You can read about my decision to not renew our AP's and why we are giving the parks a break here -> The trip that may have changed things forever. Updated 10/30. I really really hope WDW can get a handle on things and make it "The most magical place on Earth" once again. The direction they are headed, they can change the slogan to "The most tragical place on Earth".

 

[PepperjackDragon]

Sorry post messed up when battery died.

On my Disney experience: the Saturday night we were at MK the crowds that had gathered at 720 or so were so thick-from the gate to the castle- you literally couldn’t get in to watch without physically pressing against someone at some point. This left hundreds of people doing loops as a small number of cast members kept yelling “keep walking this is a walkway” until finally people began stopping and yelling back that there wasn’t anywhere to go, and finally a bona fide fight broke out. Honestly as crowds increase, cost soar (making trips shorter and increasing desperation not to miss something) and crowds get larger and CM are understaffed, I would not be surprised to see a deadly crowd type incident occur. It was really bad and looks like it will only get worse.

My 2c on the other discussion-wages are obviously too low and yes increased wages would mean a gradual increase in prices but due to the nature of the free market competition and our current massive wealth gap the majority of the costs increase will be passing amongst the majority of people (some upper incomes taking a relative “hit”) but as most people realize increased wealth it will increase overall quality of life in society. A tipping point could be reached where it became harmful but we are well short of that. We have obviously gone WAY too far in the direction of secluding wealth amongst small groups of people. Otherwise, this is way too long a discussion for a post, more of a long dinner and after dinner drink conversation imo that involves consideration of all sort of economics, technology and physiological aspects ++. Whatever the case it looks to me like Disney has the profits to pay whatever wages they need to in order to make the parks a safe and fun experience. They should really do that, regardless of any larger policy discussion.

 

[Lilsia]

Every time I read this thread I get …sad. To wait almost two years and think We ll be disappointed repeatedly , does not a good vacation make. Ugh!
Still deciding but I’m leaning more to canceling.

I have gone to WDW more times then I can count and have been there 5 times since reopening. It is not exactly how it used to be, but no one can expect it to be with what's going on. But we have not had a bad trip and in fact, have enjoyed our trips tremendously. We are not the type of people to look for issues and even if something comes up, we don't let that bother us to the point of "ruining our trip". On our most recent trip, they forgot to link our room to our account so the door would not open for us when we got there. I had to go back to the front desk to get it fixed. But after that, we did not give it a second thought. I never assume that anything is going to be perfect or that there will not be glitches along the way. It would have to be something extremely egregious for me to say that it was a disappointment or a bad time. Nothing in this world is perfect and if a person doesn't get hung up on the small stuff, you can have an amazing time.