I hope our Mod doesn't mind but I've copied my post from the closed thread that dealt with my phone conversation with Luke, who said he reported to George Kalogridis, in case anyone posting on this thread is interested in, what I believe, was an honest exchange of information;
Well.......
I just got off the phone with Luke, a WDW Guest Experience Services Rep.
He thanked me for my three e mails and assured me that George was concerned by the large number of similar complaints that he's received. We discussed the current atmosphere on boards such as this one and he said that they do monitor them closely and have been concerned by the large up swelling of unhappy Disney customers who are commenting on the situation. He said they are particularly concerned by the sheer number of people who have taken the time to write Disney and express their displeasure. (The number of e mails seems to be a trigger for them so if anyone out there hasn't written one yet, do so.)
I explained our family situation insofar as we aren't in the "upper class" income bracket and a trip to WDW is a major financial commitment for us. The conversation went into the background of Boomers like myself who grew up having Walt in our homes every week on his TV programs and having the MM Club on the TV every school day evening. I told him that it has been the long time Disney devotees who have sustained the Disney Company for over fifty years and that I, and I presumed many others like me, were disappointed in the money grubbing attitude put forth by the Company in recent years. I mentioned Mr Igers astronomical income figure and noted that he was likely a valuable asset to them but those of us attending the parks feel like we're giving him large amounts of money and he's milking us dry to maintain that income level.
He assured me that the upper Management are paying close attention to the situation and have been discussing the unusually large response to the new fees. I explained that it wasn't the parking fees themselves that brought this situation on but an overall attitude of the Disney Company that we should just shut up and pay up. I went on to give him my Wife's take on the whole situation and told him that whether we return to WDW in future years or not will likely hinge on if she decides to go one more time, and how she feels about the experience. She, like many others, wants a fair return on our investment and if we have to keep shelling out more, and more, money for an experience that gives us less, and less, enjoyment we will stop visiting.
In closing he told me to keep an eye on the Fan sites, like this one, and the Disney Blogs and to not lose faith in Disney just yet.
I mentioned to him that I'd seen where Catherine Powell, Head of Disney Paris, had been named as the head of Disney Western Region, which includes WDW, and judging by her reputation as a customer oriented leader I was hoping that she could convince George to return to the old policy of "Customer First". He said he hadn't seen the news about Ms Powell but he would share our discussion with George personally.
I've spent a considerable number of years questioning/interrogating people and have developed a very acute BS meter.
This conversation was, IMO, a fishing expedition, and not a "canned response" call, for WDW Management to feel out whether we are serious about our angst over the new fees or if we are just venting for the moment. He was contrite and repeated that Disney valued those of us who spend our hard earned dollars at their venues. My feeling is that they had no idea that this issue would balloon to the proportions that it has and expected it to dry up and blow away in a couple of days.
Perhaps if people continue to make this a talking point the Management will accede to their unhappy customers and take some measures to sooth over our damaged faith in their judgment.
BTW; He never once mentioned the ridiculous "Industry Standard" stance.
) that Iger has today, he may have acted the same. Just hard to tell.
