The Orlando Sentinel article’s first line tells you all you need to know why this is wrong wrong wrong.
The first workers to greet many tourists at Walt Disney World will soon be some other company’s employees.
Don’t they get it. The whole visit is an experience, a show. If the opening scenes are filmed in a different style than the rest of the experience, the audience will know (even if it’s just intuitively) and it will effect their decision to return, and worse, it will color their story as they tell their friends about their vacation. It takes 10 times more effort and money to combat bad reputation than it does to just hire and pay the workers enough to keep them on your staff in the first place.
He [Union Rep] said the union contract would prevent the company from
subcontracting the services to save money. Condo said Disney officials
told him that the change was being made to improve quality, but he said
he didn’t believe that, adding, "That’s a slap to our workers."
That Disney official, if it’s true, should be disciplined. Not just for insulting the workers, that’s bad enough, but for taking the easy way out and instead of offering more training to Disney employees or requiring tougher hiring standards. Whatever it takes to fix the problem. But you don’t ever outsource a part of the show and front line employees are just that.
I can’t tell you how angry this makes me. At this point you might as well replace the food service workers with McDonald’s employees, the store cashiers with Sears TJMaxx employees, and the Imagineers with first graders with crayons. While you’re at it, please replace the managers who made this decision with someone who gets it.
Who in the world made this call? It’s a giant step backwards. Walt must be rolling in his grave.
I hope someone higher realizes how bad this is and stops it before it gets ugly.
Yes, another step backwards indeed! This is sort of par for the course though. I remember a time when the Grand Floridian baked their own muffins that were sold in Gasperilla’s fast-food shop. They were great! Then on one particular trip I noticed a worker putting out muffins for sale … out of a Krispy Kreme box!!! I mean alright – they’re only muffins, but I see a trend here that I don’t like.
Well it’s a bummer to read for sure, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it will lead to a lesser experience. I’ve have great experiences with the Magical Express contractors in the past.
This isn’t a money issue as much as an issue with Disney having difficulty recruiting and retaining. They also want to get out of these lines of businesses. So, please get the facts straight.
That being said, I agree. Disney should provide a homogenous experience through and through, for all roles. It’s a shame that they are using others as a crutch for their own employment woes.
Why is this any different than the folks who work at the Swan and Dolphin? They are not Disney employees, and they do a fine job upholding the company’s traditions. It’s all about training, not who’s writing the paycheck.
They’ve done this to themselves. Instead of paying cast members a livable wage to retain them, they’ve lowered their standards at Casting.
There is no such thing as Show any more. Safety and Courtesy is almost gone too. The only thing left is Efficiency.
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