DLR ODV to be Abolished, Merged with Restaurant Operations

[glendalais]

MiceAge editor Al Lutz had an interesting blurb in an article he posted today:

http://miceage.micechat.com/allutz/al022409a.htm

There's also some additional restructuring coming for the new park Vice Presidents, like the dismantling of the Outdoor Vending department that was greatly expanded by Paul Pressler in the late 1990's. The Outdoor Vending carts in the parks are now planned to be supervised by the nearest park restaurant, instead of being managed by a separate team of Directors and managers that had grown into their own sprawling empire in far flung offices.

I don't see this going over very well. They have two completely seperate internal cultures.

ODVers are not going to take well to being managed by Restaurants, and Restaurants are likely going to have issues merging in ODV CMs.

Will be an interesting few months in Foods, that's for sure.

[darph nader]

I'll have to wait to see what Polar33 has to say.
Sounds FUBAR to me though.

[Disneyguy85]

I'll believe it when I see it. Al tends to have a history of being wrong just as often, if not more so, as he is right.

Truer words were never spoken.

I'm glad that I'm not the only one who has noticed.

[glendalais]

It does seem like quite the undertaking, but at the same time, anything seems possible with the economy as it is.

They could possibly pull it off, but it would probably involve layoffs.

Lots of layoffs.

In both Restaurants and ODV :( .

Local 50 would certainly not take it sitting down, particularly with contract negotiations just around the corner (though probably with the same outcome as the whole Star Dinerz dispute, sadly) .

And it would definately involve massive cross-training of the remaining F&B CMs.

On the other hand, the company has that lovely arguement they always use when they want to shove things down our throats: "Florida does it!". If someone over there could confirm it for me, but I'm pretty sure that WDW Outdoor Foods (ODF) is considered part of their QSR Department, and not it's own seperate Department.

Either way, should be interesting to see how it turns out.

[mechurchlady]

That is manure. The turkey leg stand would be under whom? A mexican restaurant or a sometimes dark Saloon? I agree with the logistics nightmare.

the carts need maintenance and have to have special training for running a cart and the logistics of all the types of food is boggling. It does not make sense and hopefully they do not inundate managers with a new set of rules and tasks to do.

[drcorey]

That is manure. The turkey leg stand would be under whom? A mexican restaurant or a sometimes dark Saloon? I agree with the logistics nightmare.

the carts need maintenance and have to have special training for running a cart and the logistics of all the types of food is boggling. It does not make sense and hopefully they do not inundate managers with a new set of rules and tasks to do.

the ones near the water can have a new product, roast duck on a stick.
the venders near the fantasmic show can help with this, then shows can merge with food. the hawkers can be taught to do a duck voice to sell them.

[Doctor McKey]

hhmm... i wounder if they are going to that here... Our Stands allready are managed by the resturants... i wounder if carts are going the same way

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

it almost sound like that are trying to make a change for the sake of change.

A "red flag" that it will cost a lot to figure out that it was fine the way it was, in the first place.

[Purpura]

the ones near the water can have a new product, roast duck on a stick.
the venders near the fantasmic show can help with this, then shows can merge with food. the hawkers can be taught to do a duck voice to sell them.

That quacks me up. Someone had to say it. :twisted: made me do it.

[glendalais]

Well, there's good news and bad news.

The Good News: ODV isn't being abolished!

The Bad News: It's being dramatically downsized, and will basically become a maintenance/cooking/cleaning/stocking service for the ODV Carts under QSR, with a few locations of it's own on the side.

As I understand it, Outdoor Vending/Ventures will continue to have the following carts/positions under their direct control, and will stock them as well as supply ODV-statused Cashier Hosts/Hostess to them:

• Ice Cream
• Stadium Vending (Cotton Candy/Frozen Lemonade)
• Balloons
• Glow Carts

All other ODV locations, comprising the following:

• Pretzels
• Lemonade
• Churros
• Hot Food (Turkey Legs, Chimichangs, etc.)
• Popcorn
• Chiller (Slurpees)

will be transitioning to the control of Quick Service Restaurant Operations, being assigned to the QSR Location nearest to the cart. The Cashier Hosts/Hostesses at the carts will be deployed from their corresponding QSR Location.

In order to do this, a large number of ODV CMs will be restatused to QSR.

ODV will continue to maintain responsibility for stocking and cleaning the QSR Carts, and will maintain their own seperate warehouse and kitchen facilities seperate from the rest of F&B.

Not as bad as expected, but that probably varies based on the perspective from which one views it.