Comments on: A blank sheet of paper behind a half year report? http://blog.mousekingdom.com/2006/04/27/a-blank-sheet-of-paper-behind-a-half-year-report/ The Magic - seen from different points of view... Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:32:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: MR ENTERTAINMENT http://blog.mousekingdom.com/2006/04/27/a-blank-sheet-of-paper-behind-a-half-year-report/#comment-603 MR ENTERTAINMENT Fri, 28 Apr 2006 09:57:48 +0000 http://blog.mousekingdom.com/2006/04/27/a-blank-sheet-of-paper-behind-a-half-year-report/#comment-603 I agree with Robbo on this. He raises some good points, that I would like to comment upon. 1. As far as staff training goes, it seriously needs to be improved. But I consider other elements. Take it back to the figures. Each year, since 2000 roughly, more and more temporary workers (interimaires) have been called in to do the casual jobs, or events. Their motivation is purely financial, and these people rarely care about the company(ies) that they work for. For a minority of these people, they are the ones who get offered a CDD contract for a season. 1a.Along with staff training, comes the age old challenge of "monkeys and peanuts". When you pay little for a certain level of quality, you get very little quality. In this sense, it is important for DLRP to come to terms with the financial reality outside of their own "small world". Rent prices are going up.Transport costs are increasing. Creche costs are increasing. Inflation and interest rates are going up. More and more CM's are turning towards "Action Social" for financial help with debts and bills. To increase the salary levels to a level that is ABOVE inflation, would certainly help the majority of CM's on site, and perhaps give the necessary boost to moral and CM "friendliness". After all, pay peanuts, and you get monkeys. It is this that reflects directly on the quality offered to the guests at our French park. 2.Weatherproofing more of the attractions. I agree with this idea, but care should be taken to not turn DLRP into a Parisien Centre Parcs. I believe equally that DLRP Management should stop hiding behind the feeble excuse of the weather. It is true that we do not have sunshine all year round, but is the weather the major factor that stops a family from coming to DLRP? 3.Typhoon Lagoon/Blizzard Beach. This would have been in place since 1995, if everything had gone correctly to plan. We all know it didn't. I believe that this would be a valued addition to the Resort, but do not believe that it will drastically improve attendance figures. Care has to be taken to ensure that the right clientele is allowed access to such an establishment. I say this, as frequently on Sunday afternoons in Disney Village, many gangs and groups hang around, giving a negative image of the resort, and creating major problems for the resort security teams. The same can be seen on a Saturday afternoon at the Val d'Europe Shopping Center. 4.Many things have been said about the Studios on the Forum and on various other sites. We all know that Toon Studios will be coming soon, and that the Tower of Terror will soon be added to the WDS. It is coming, but many fans (myself included) would seem to lack patience, as they want to see these new attractions in place faster than possible. It will come, and WDS will get bigger. Let's all hope that the expansion comes in enough time to turn round the chronic financial situation of the black sheep in the Disney Empire. All the Best, MR E I agree with Robbo on this. He raises some good points, that I would like to comment upon.
1. As far as staff training goes, it seriously needs to be improved. But I consider other elements. Take it back to the figures. Each year, since 2000 roughly, more and more temporary workers (interimaires) have been called in to do the casual jobs, or events. Their motivation is purely financial, and these people rarely care about the company(ies) that they work for. For a minority of these people, they are the ones who get offered a CDD contract for a season.
1a.Along with staff training, comes the age old challenge of “monkeys and peanuts”. When you pay little for a certain level of quality, you get very little quality. In this sense, it is important for DLRP to come to terms with the financial reality outside of their own “small world”. Rent prices are going up.Transport costs are increasing. Creche costs are increasing. Inflation and interest rates are going up. More and more CM’s are turning towards “Action Social” for financial help with debts and bills.
To increase the salary levels to a level that is ABOVE inflation, would certainly help the majority of CM’s on site, and perhaps give the necessary boost to moral and CM “friendliness”. After all, pay peanuts, and you get monkeys. It is this that reflects directly on the quality offered to the guests at our French park.
2.Weatherproofing more of the attractions. I agree with this idea, but care should be taken to not turn DLRP into a Parisien Centre Parcs. I believe equally that DLRP Management should stop hiding behind the feeble excuse of the weather. It is true that we do not have sunshine all year round, but is the weather the major factor that stops a family from coming to DLRP?
3.Typhoon Lagoon/Blizzard Beach. This would have been in place since 1995, if everything had gone correctly to plan. We all know it didn’t. I believe that this would be a valued addition to the Resort, but do not believe that it will drastically improve attendance figures. Care has to be taken to ensure that the right clientele is allowed access to such an establishment. I say this, as frequently on Sunday afternoons in Disney Village, many gangs and groups hang around, giving a negative image of the resort, and creating major problems for the resort security teams. The same can be seen on a Saturday afternoon at the Val d’Europe Shopping Center.
4.Many things have been said about the Studios on the Forum and on various other sites. We all know that Toon Studios will be coming soon, and that the Tower of Terror will soon be added to the WDS. It is coming, but many fans (myself included) would seem to lack patience, as they want to see these new attractions in place faster than possible.
It will come, and WDS will get bigger. Let’s all hope that the expansion comes in enough time to turn round the chronic financial situation of the black sheep in the Disney Empire.

All the Best,
MR E

]]> By: Robbo http://blog.mousekingdom.com/2006/04/27/a-blank-sheet-of-paper-behind-a-half-year-report/#comment-601 Robbo Thu, 27 Apr 2006 19:00:25 +0000 http://blog.mousekingdom.com/2006/04/27/a-blank-sheet-of-paper-behind-a-half-year-report/#comment-601 I think the answer to DLRP's financial ills is simple, but costly: 1. Invest in staff training so the resort becomes renouned for it's customer service experience, and not a begrudging shadow of it's American counterparts. How many people moan about the lack of magical interaction between guests and cast members at the moment? So why bother going there?? 2. Weatherproof more of the attractions so that the winter weather becomes meaningless. 3. Build an indoor/outdoor swimming resort such as Typhoon Lagoon / Blizzard Beach. 4. Expand Disney Studios (which I guess they are beginning to do) so that it is more than a 20 minute walk around the perimeter. "Build it and they will come". They've started it build it, but no-ones got the vision to complete it. By the way I'm a DLRP SHareholder so I have a vested interest in success! I think the answer to DLRP’s financial ills is simple, but costly:

1. Invest in staff training so the resort becomes renouned for it’s customer service experience, and not a begrudging shadow of it’s American counterparts. How many people moan about the lack of magical interaction between guests and cast members at the moment? So why bother going there??

2. Weatherproof more of the attractions so that the winter weather becomes meaningless.

3. Build an indoor/outdoor swimming resort such as Typhoon Lagoon / Blizzard Beach.

4. Expand Disney Studios (which I guess they are beginning to do) so that it is more than a 20 minute walk around the perimeter.

“Build it and they will come”. They’ve started it build it, but no-ones got the vision to complete it. By the way I’m a DLRP SHareholder so I have a vested interest in success!

]]>