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[ed-uk]

Yeah, EuroDisney needs to compete, that's probably why they have to discount. They employ over 14,000 people. thinks are getting tough at the moment, unemployment is going up.

[davewasbaloo]

Why do you always defend their mediocrity?

[ed-uk]

Well hold on I'm not defending anything. If people don't like working there I don't have the answers. EuroDisney has been saved from bankrupcy twice, and TWDC has put more money into it. Are you saying they should borrow more then, because the company is struggling to pay back what they already owe. Has Disney ever paid well if you're a CM?. Not that long ago some people tried to persuade us that Robert Iger was about to sell off the theme parks, when what happend was he handed in his notice.

[Josh]

I always thought that the work hours were shocking, but I never realised that it was that bad.

[ed-uk]

I've never worked for Disney so i can't say what it's like, but there are people on this forum going for jobs with EuroDisney. "Disneyland Paris jobs-casting news and tips"

[Epcot_Boy]

"A large part of the problem is that the present Disneyland management has no strategy – and apparently no desire – to get the best out of its workforce," Mr Barbier said. "Most people here still love Disneyland and what it stands for. They want to enjoy their work.
Now that is very distressing

"When I look at the illuminated night parades, I see scores of gaps where bulbs have failed and not been replaced. Visitors may not notice the difference but I know what the spectacle is supposed to look like and it's depressing."
I certainly have noticed and for a regular visitor it has become somewhat annoying, how difficult is it to maintain at least the park and show lights :?:

"All the pleasure of service is gone. Some days we have to do 3,500 breakfasts with half the staff we had a few years ago. No wonder everyone is ready to drop."
And I'm afraid it shows

Sandrine, 39, is part of the team which makes up the Disney princesses in the parades. "Sometimes they are so exhausted with working six-day weeks they can hardly move, never mind smile," she said. "But they are obliged to smile, because that is the magic of Disney."
I actually thought this side of things had improved with cm's being far more responsive these days, perhaps I won't be so critical next time I'm not greeted with a great big smile  :|


Jeff Archambault, the Eurodisney vice-president for communications, said yesterday: "Because of the kind of business we run, the happiness of our employees is very important to us.
All companies say this........I take that with a pinch of salt :roll:


This is clearly a distressing report for those of us who love DLrP but it does help us to look beyond the illusions that sometimes cloud our judgements.
I love DLrP and very often I forget what DLrP is.........it's a company that has to answer to its shareholders and fight off the increased competition from other european themeparks.
However, it is my firm belief that it can do that by returning to the principles that helped make 'Disney Themeparks' throughout the world such a success
Ignoring the glorious history of Disney will result in DLrP becoming 'Just another ThemePark', and what a shame that will be :cry:

[ed-uk]

Well it can't be easy playing a Disney Prince or Princess, having to wave and smile from a parade float, to have a picture taken with a child and being forced to smile. And then to really ruin your day a bulb goes. I must admit  with stress and worry like that I'd rather dig up the road in the middle of winter, or work for the AA.

[DopeyDad]

Hang on, this article is 18 months old and there's already been a topic on it hasn't there?
I'll try and find it, I remember someone making a very good point about how stories like this just make good print, the whole Disney is supposed to be happy but look, isn't life ugly angle!

I remember it particularly as it was in the run up to industrial action throughout France with the Unions involved and the first stages of an economic crisis. If I was at all cynical I'd say the miseries of ordinary people, some of whom even work at DLP, mean suicides happen (even thought they work at Disney). A Union is trying to make political capital out of it, papers are trying to sell copy, DLP fans bicker about and we carry on happily avoiding discussing mental health.

[ed-uk]

Thank you for pointing out the age of the article, it does look familiar. I remember it now.

[DLRP Roundup!]

Also comparing it to the other worldwide Disney parks is also a tad unfair, French labour laws, tax law and business in general in France is a lot more expensive than America, China and Japan, however it does in some ways offer a better quality of life to those working/living in France. The culture is very different overall, the US, China and Japan all live to work, where as in most of Europe (especially the UK, France, Germany) its the opposite and its work to live.

I had an intrest in working for Disney, although not really in entertainment, from reading up on the inner workings they're a lot better than most other companies.

[Anthony]

[strike:368ld37z]Absolutely no need for this topic discussing a questionable and 18-month old article.

Closed.[/strike:368ld37z]

Topic now merged with original discussion of this article from 2010.

[littlemermaid83]

I'm actually pretty shocked to read that report as I know a lot of CM's who love working at Disney and continue to go back even after their contracts expire.  But I also know a few who were unhappy and left.

I usually try to not read things like this because it just makes me feel a bit sad that even though it may be the happiest place on earth for vistors its not the case for some of the staff.

[kirstenoel]

The fact, that other companies do it the same way is no excuse!
They had record attendances last year and aren´t able to make profit. Its a management problem.
And all these "people-don´t-spend-enough-in-the-park" excuses bore me. If they would give their guest high qualitiy merchandise, then they would buy more.
And why are the selected hotels able to keep standart and maintenance but Disney not??!!

I agree - we used to come back from Eurodisney with an extra suitcase filled with shopping - now it's Dsneyland Paris, we don't buy any merchandise - it's all plastic rubbish!

[DedicatedToDLP(Steve)]

Have to agree with that. On my recent trip I bought myself a fridge magnet and calendar - both out of habit as I've been doing so for 10 years. The merchandise is generic and cheap, and getting worse. Back in the day I used to be able to buy shirts I could wear to work such was the subtlety of the brand placement and quality of the goods. These days the clothing they sell would only be welcome at a 1990 rave revival weekend. So from me they are losing literally hundreds with every visit.

[davewasbaloo]

Back in the day, I would spend a fortune on good clothes for me, t shirts like the one I bought on opening day are still bearable Jnew ones look old after a couple of washes), the toys were durable (the new ones break, i don't allow the kids to buy them anymore) and you could get things like fine china (which we would buy a little more each trip). While not cheap, everything was good value.

Now, it is a magnet and maybe a pin and that is it. To think I used to budget a min of 500 for a trip. Now last year i think we spent 10 to 20% of this. And it is the same at wdw too.

And don't get me started on the dubing down of the restaurants. Now we tend to eat in val de europe more than the disney village.