mapo wrote:Well, having worked the first two nights, I can say that the kids have been great! Very few incidents overall.
Studios will only host this event this year. Next year it returns to Magic Kingdom.
Global operations staff and leaders have been pressed into service from all points of the property. Mandatory overtime has, as usual, been assigned to those senior people lucky enough to have Friday or Saturday off, from Global Operations. CMs statused at Studios do have longer days but most of the lines of business have been covered by voluntary shifts. Since most lines of business (not global) have been a bit starved for hours, this is a welcome relief.
Studios management have been quick to constantly ask how to improve the operation on a nightly basis from those of us in the trenches. Improvements have evolved quickly -- implemented the NEXT night!
Universal consensus has been that Studios has more than it can handle but is working as hard as they can to cover. Attendance is very, very low compared to MK Grad Nights so that helps Studios out immensely. Everyone has been asked to be as flexible as possible. I have not seen one CM not rise to the occasion, to pitch in as needed to make this work.
Senior management from all areas including Phil Holmes, VP MK have been on hand for hours walking the grad paths and areas helping target possible problem areas and SOLVE these challenges as seamlessly as possible.
So far it has been the best example of team work I have seen as a CM in my five years!
It has not been perfect. It has some major flaws. But these leaders openly admit they are not MK, do not have the resources of MK, and continually ask (not demand) patience and resilience from the front line cast.
I do not know if this is due to the recent shake up of leadership (layoffs, packages, and retirements). I will say that it gives me hope that we are now moving in the right direction as a global team.
As for the kids and the offerings:
- More concert stages than MK
- Two Fantasmic Shows per night
- Two dance parties on opposite sides of park
- All rides open; Toy Story mania and Star Tours getting a good work out too
- Coaster area very popular; some issues but marginal given crowds
We still have a night with the historically difficult schools to go. Rival schools coming in this weekend.
Overall, the kids have been there to have fun, not fights. Chaperones have been more of a pain in the ass not wanting to adhere to dress code or listen to security. Love ejecting problem chaperone from park, lovely! :p:
[Disclaimer: It may sound like I am a company lackey from some of my comments. They really are doing a superb job working with front line CMs. Do we still have blue badges walking about doing nothing but holding pickup sticks? YUP...lots of em. However, being in global operations, I can tell you there is a core group that is more than covering for those slackers.]
