Very Disappointed in Poly Club Level

[Sammie]

I still fault the hotel for not staffing enough CMs to pour the night caps (thereby preventing bottle stealing in a non-confrontational way) or enough CMs to get replacement bottles when guests walk off with them. The hotel has options.

Poly CL is sounding understaffed or lazy (I suspect lazy considering the attitude OP was given) either way it’s a serious management failure.

There is a nationwide shortage of staff due to the Pandemic. You can't just make people, well I guess they could use robots.

 

[austinalexander]

There is a nationwide shortage of staff due to the Pandemic. You can just make people, well I guess they could use robots.

The pandemic is no longer the reason for staff shortages. Crap pay is the reason.

 

[Sammie]

The pandemic is no longer the reason for staff shortages. Crap pay is the reason.

Yeah that too. However, many did not come back after finding other jobs including many foreigners. Millions dying though definitely affected the service industry.

 

[Minnie1222]

Millions dying though definitely affect the service industry.

Yes, sadly people forget about the dead and the permanently injured.

 

[Sammie]

Yes, sadly people forget about the dead and the permanently injured.

and so many were service workers.

 

[HairyChest]

I was thinking about trying the Poly club level but I have heard the disappointing experience alot from people so I’m not surprised to see this topic.

There was a video on YouTube I saw recently that showed all the food and summed up the Poly club level experience pretty well and compared to Grand Floridians club level. Search “polynesian club level comparing to grand floridian”.

The Grand Floridian experience sounds lovely. I just wish they still had the live band playing.

 

[SL6827]

I was thinking about trying the Poly club level but I have heard the disappointing experience alot from people so I’m not surprised to see this topic.

There was a video on YouTube I saw recently that showed all the food and summed up the Poly club level experience pretty well and compared to Grand Floridians club level. Search “polynesian club level comparing to grand floridian”.

The Grand Floridian experience sounds lovely. I just wish they still had the live band playing.

I really feel as if it's the cult like following doing this. Disney can slack at this resort and get away with it. They know this.

 

[71 Truck]

The pandemic is no longer the reason for staff shortages. Crap pay is the reason.

Cast members just got the raise they wanted and fought for so I do not think it is the pay. As of right now the starting minimum pay is $17 an hour and it will go up to $18 by the end of this year. By the the end of this year most but not all will be making $20 dollars an hour or more.

I think with the competitive job market most people do not want to work till late at night, weekend and holidays or deal with the traffic on I4 if they can find a job making similar money closer to home.

Disney is doing it's best to attract cast. Over the years they have even lowered their look standard. On several of our last trips we noticed several cast with visible tattoos and hair stiles/facial hair that would have kept them from getting hired in the past.
Disney also relies a lot on collage program. With most of those cast as soon as they start to get good at their job they leave. Most are only there for 6 months.
I think it is combination of problems.

 

[austinalexander]

Cast members just got the raise they wanted and fought for so I do not think it is the pay. As of right now the starting minimum pay is $17 an hour and it will go up to $18 by the end of this year. By the the end of this year most but not all will be making $20 dollars an hour or more.

I think with the competitive job market most people do not want to work till late at night, weekend and holidays or deal with the traffic on I4 if they can find a job making similar money closer to home.

Disney is doing it's best to attract cast. Over the years they have even lowered their look standard. On several of our last trips we noticed several cast with visible tattoos and hair stiles/facial hair that would have kept them from getting hired in the past.
Disney also relies a lot on collage program. With most of those cast as soon as they start to get good at their job they leave. Most are only there for 6 months.
I think it is combination of problems.

Yes, now. What about the last two years? The short staffing issue has been going on since the pandemic, and lots of cast members have left due to a combination of factors, pay being one of the biggest. Let’s not act like they were properly staffed the last couple years and this year there’s a decline.

 

[SL6827]

I just don't seem to read the same complaints of the BW or Grand.

 

[Minnie1222]

I really feel as if it's the cult like following doing this. Disney can slack at this resort and get away with it. They know this.

I don't think they're slacking. They seem to have more demanding guests than other resorts. One complainer can take up a lot of time from multiple cast members.

 

[DLgal]

There is a nationwide shortage of staff due to the Pandemic. You can't just make people, well I guess they could use robots.

The problem as I see it at WDW is the compartmentalization prevents CMs from being moved around to the best roles FOR THEM, based on their skill set. If a cast member is completely ROCKING the guest service aspect of their job, but they are working at a food cart, there is no path for a manager to say "this person would be fantastic as a club lounge host."

Management should always be evaluating their direct reports and making sure their skills are being used appropriately. And there should be an internal way to easily make lateral moves when it is clear that a cast member is in a role not particularly best suited to them.

 

[71 Truck]

Yes, now. What about the last two years? The short staffing issue has been going on since the pandemic, and lots of cast members have left due to a combination of factors, pay being one of the biggest. Let’s not act like they were properly staffed the last couple years and this year there’s a decline.

Actually staffing issues go back farther than 2 years. When I started with Disney in 1999 (not there anymore) they always seamed to be short staffed and were always hiring. This is a big reason the collage program has grown to what it is today.

How the pandemic affect people here, at the time, some I knew were making more money sitting home than working.
Yes there were a lot of cast who were not because they had been with Disney for many years and depending on their job rating/title were making what I consider good money.

As far as pay, that is negotiated on behalf of the cast members by the unions and voted on by their members for approval. For the most part the unions got exactly what they wanted from Disney in the last two contracts. People leave Disney all the time over pay, I did. This one of the reasons they are always hiring.


My wife and I have been DVC members for over 25 years and visiting Disney for over 30 years.
We have noticed several thing that would have never been aloud to happen 5 to 10 years ago that we have noticed in the past several years.

 

[Titanium]

.!

 

[greeneyedchick]

The problem as I see it at WDW is the compartmentalization prevents CMs from being moved around to the best roles FOR THEM, based on their skill set. If a cast member is completely ROCKING the guest service aspect of their job, but they are working at a food cart, there is no path for a manager to say "this person would be fantastic as a club lounge host."

Management should always be evaluating their direct reports and making sure their skills are being used appropriately. And there should be an internal way to easily make lateral moves when it is clear that a cast member is in a role not particularly best suited to them.

Agreed. When I worked there, making a move from merchandise to guest relations was a painful and several month process, that I had to fight for.

 

[71 Truck]

Agreed. When I worked there, making a move from merchandise to guest relations was a painful and several month process, that I had to fight for.

Yes it does take a long time. I remember talking to a cast member looking to transfer and he told me part of the problem was the union contract can sometimes stipulate who gets a chance at a certain job before someone else. It has something to do with seniority and your record card?
I worked in a non union position for 90% of the time I was with Disney so for us the union contract did not matter.

 

[focusondisney]

Management should always be evaluating their direct reports and making sure their skills are being used appropriately. And there should be an internal way to easily make lateral moves when it is clear that a cast member is in a role not particularly best suited to them.

Disney CMs are unionized. Position changes are governed by negotiated contracts & procedures that apply to everyone. Managers can’t just move people where they want.

 

[DLgal]

Disney CMs are unionized. Position changes are governed by negotiated contracts & procedures that apply to everyone. Managers can’t just move people where they want.

That's a problem. I don't understand why it is so complicated if it's all the same union.

 

[focusondisney]

That's a problem. I don't understand why it is so complicated if it's all the same union.

No, it’s not a problem, because job changes follow procedures. People have to bid or apply for jobs, so everyone has a chance to advance. Managers can’t just pick & choose who they want to move. That’s a big part of why employees have unions. So everyone follows the same rules & things are fair. It won’t come down to who the manager likes better.

I have no idea what Disney contracts say. My comments are about unionized workplaces in general.

 

[71 Truck]

That's a problem. I don't understand why it is so complicated if it's all the same union.

This goes back many years and I am not sure if it is still true, If you wanted to transfer to another union covered job.

Example
Cast member one, great Disney person can tell you everything you want to know,best personality for the job, record card clean (no discipline) working for Disney for 5 years.

Cast member two, Okay Disney person can tell you some things about Disney, Okay personality for the job, record card clean (no discipline) working for Disney 10 years.

Job goes to cast member number two.

This was suppose to prevent favoritism to fill popular jobs over who has more seniority and a better record card.

Once again not sure if this is true it was what I was told many years ago, thing may have changed and I could be wrong.

Every time a new contract is negotiated between Disney and the unions I would think anything can change.