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Re: MiMs
Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 12:40 am
by mechurchlady
I agree with Randy B. You sound like your family works in busses or that you are a bus driver. Why do you know it is called MiMs and how do you get it spelled with the right amount of capitals?
Otherwise I love the idea. Randy got most of the same points I was thinking.
Re: MiMs
Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 1:06 am
by Big Wallaby
I've been searching the internet for MiMs, MiMs Disney and other key hits, there's nothing that's easy enough to find that your average visitor is going to find it. I am sure they know that, and so by mentioning it you become an inside person in their mind.
I appreciate you doing this, I hope enough people do it that it takes effect.
Re: MiMs
Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 1:26 am
by Shorty82
You all make good points. I'll redo it to make look less insiderish.
Re: MiMs
Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 2:37 am
by Randy B
Try this:
To whom it may concern,
I would like to complain about the recorded announcements installed on Disney Buses. A wonderful part of riding Disney buses for years has been the driver interaction. This interaction makes the time on buses more enjoyable and magical. Now with the canned music and announcements bus rides have gone from being magical to being just a bus ride.
From discussions with a few drivers I realize this is part of the GPS Tracking and Dispatch system. The GPS tracking and dispatching aspects are a good idea as it will improve the service by reducing wait times. Taking away driver interaction lowers the quality of that service. Not many people listen to recorded safety spiels but when said by a live person more people listen, especially if the driver makes it funny. I've heard about numerous guests who complimented the drivers who are able to still interract due to a non-operating system saying that was their best bus ride because of the interaction. With the new system the guests just ride and maybe talk amongst themselves, with a good driver they laugh and have an enjoyable time the entire way to their destination.
I can understand having a pre-recorded system for drivers who are unwilling or unable to interact with the guests but, in my opinion, the drivers should be able to override that part of the system when they want to interact. I've talked with a number of drivers who started working at Disney because of the interaction even though they could have gotten higher pay elsewhere.
Taking away driver interaction hurts Disney Transportation as it takes away the magic of the bus ride. With a good driver bus rides at Disney become an attraction in their own right, but this automatic announcements system turns it into just a way to get from point A to point B.
Randy
Re: MiMs
Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 3:02 am
by Big Wallaby
Randy B wrote:I've talked with a number of drivers who started working at Disney because of the interaction even though they could have gotten higher pay elsewhere.
Or in my case, HAD gotten higher pay elsewhere. But even though Nike will tip $500 a day for a good driver, the interaction just isn't there (although it's fun to say I walked into the bathroom, was in the middle of doing my thing, another guy walked in, I turned to say hello and found myself at a urinal next to Phil Knight.
Re: MiMs
Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 3:10 am
by Randy B
Big Wallaby wrote:Or in my case, HAD gotten higher pay elsewhere.
But including that could identify the source a little too well. Leaving the source vague reduces the chance of any possible kickback if the letter is read by one of the poor managers who could cause trouble. We all know higher-ups in and out of Disney who would do that when their personal preference is called into question. We don't want to be the inadvertant cause of trouble for our friends.
Randy
Re: MiMs
Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 3:17 am
by Cranbiz
Randy B wrote:
I've talked with a number of drivers who started working at Disney because of the interaction even though they could have gotten higher pay elsewhere.
Mears does pay better than Disney but if you love guest interaction, you won't work for Mears.
I would not be driving a bus not if I was not at Disney.
Re: MiMs
Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 1:08 pm
by ktulu
Big Wallaby wrote:Or in my case, HAD gotten higher pay elsewhere. But even though Nike will tip $500 a day for a good driver, the interaction just isn't there (although it's fun to say I walked into the bathroom, was in the middle of doing my thing, another guy walked in, I turned to say hello and found myself at a urinal next to Phil Knight.
Dude, you talked to someone else while taking a whizz? Isn't that against man code?
Re: MiMs
Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 2:30 am
by Cranbiz
After working tonight, I have come to the conclusiion that MiM's is going to be the biggest guest disservice ever at WDW. In fact if Walt was still here, heads would roll.
I had 3 different buses tonight, 3 MiM's boxes in some state of malfunction, which didn't upset me as far as being able to do a full show for my guests but upsets me greatly as to how anybody working on the MiM;s project feels that they are being sucessful in providing guest entertainment that is up to Disney standards.
Our guests are starving for driver interaction and have had enough of the same music everytime on the bus and enough of "Disembodied Dave".
My act is good, not great. Wallaby's is better but I had runs to Port Orleans and All Star Resorts (all of them) and I got the entire bus applauding my act both times. I had guests comming up to me and saying that this was the best bus ride they have had, how they missed the drivers interacting with them, etc. In fact, one family came up to me saying what a great time that had and in 10 days at WDW I was only the 3rd driver to even speak to them, All of their other drivers were "Grumpy old men"
At this point I have concluded that MiM's is not just Bad Show but Really Bad Show. It is time to stop and rethink of the goals. Time to overhaul the equipment and upgrade it to the latest models (not the old obsolete outdated equipment purchased) and get some quality outside technical support if they are really committed to this project. I still feel that if done right, all the "stated goals" can be met and the guests can still get the driver interaction that they are craving.
Re: MiMs
Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 3:41 am
by Big Wallaby
ktulu wrote:Dude, you talked to someone else while taking a whizz? Isn't that against man code?
Okay, it was more to do the nod. And no, I didn't turn. It's just the expression.
Now, an interesting update. Someone was telling me tonight how he had had a group from Team Disney on his bus, asking what he thought of MiMs. Being someone who agrees with me on the guest interaction, he laid into them the entire way from where he started to where he ended, but only after doing a full show with entertainment and information for his guests, saying that was what the spieler needed to do.
Then, right after riding his bus, it's my understanding they rode with someone else who feels the same way and, like me, is already very vocal about it.
Seeing what I have, I am hoping that when they start Phase III, they will have it up and running a day, day and a half tops, before they begin ripping the system out of the buses. If that happens, it might be worth sticking around in Bus Transportation.