Comments on: Disney Vacation Club removes all ‘real’ dinnerware from Studio Units in favor of paper products

By: jpeka65844

jpeka65844 — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 05:47:37 +0000

That’s about the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.

When they say “customer demand” I think it’s a highly subjective phrase. I think when they say that, it’s a “nice” way of saying “we have so many CUSTOMERS that DEMAND to stay at our studios, we can do whatever we want” It’s like Kevin pointed out about the Akershus $$ raise. According to a CM it was b/c of “customer demand”?? Well, the CUSTOMER DEMAND isn’t about raising prices, it’s about filling Disney’s restaurants so why not raise the price?

I think the context of “customer demand” is a thinly veiled euphemism for “business is good, let’s milk it for all it’s worth”

Denice

By: UrsulasShadow

UrsulasShadow — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 03:20:13 +0000

Now that’s a reasonable response, IMO.

By: kab407

kab407 — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:17:03 +0000

Below is an email that many of us who have gotten from DVC in the past few hours. It’s a step in the right direction.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hello Kathy,

Thank you for contacting Disney Vacation Club.

We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback with us
regarding the glassware changes in our studios. We continually review the cleaning practices in our resorts. Upon reviewing the dishware and glassware washing process for the studio units, we realized that hand washing wasn’t sufficient to meet our cleanliness standards.

Glassware and ceramic mugs in the studios were replaced with disposablesbecause dishwashing machines are not available in those units. We wanted to take action quickly and using disposables was the most
expedient solution.

We have since determined that we will be able to provide glassware and ceramic mugs at resorts where glass washing equipment is available. This includes Disney’s Beach Club Villas, Disney’s BoardWalk Villas, The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas and the Inn rooms at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort.

For all DVC stand-alone campus properties (Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, Disney’s Old Key West Resort, Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort and the villas at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort) that do not have glass washers available, we will continue to utilize the disposable cups until we can source a more environmentally friendly product. We are
investigating the possibility of installing glass washers at specified locations throughout the stand-alone campus properties.

The disposable cups are replenished upon request. If a Guest/Member calls to request glassware, we will provide it and remove it upon
checkout.

Your comments are important to us. Please be assured that we have shared your concerns with the appropriate individuals.

Thank you again for your message.

Sincerely,
Magdalene
Disney Vacation Club

By: mommyceratops

mommyceratops — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 20:24:35 +0000

Yea John blogged!

You know I am so torn on this issue. I am working on making our school greener and it is amazing how much dispobable products are filling up our landfills…but off that soap box…as Green as Disney is that doesn’t cut it with me.

Also being a germ phobe it is gross thinking a dishwasher didn’t clean that.

Now what Disney can do is make their own disposable products and recycle them and then turn them into purses and things like that! They can make money off of it! Now that sounds like Disney!

By: UrsulasShadow

UrsulasShadow — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 19:09:54 +0000

I tend to think that this is done for sanitary reasons. As recent exposes on maid service in the hotel industry clearly show, the employees cannot be counted on to clean and sanitize anything. I know that individuals will wash their own dishes for their family, and that’s fine, but what if the housekeeping service drops the ball between guests, and instead of clearing all those mugs and plates out to replace them with sanitized ones, just gives them a swipe with that ol’ towel they just wiped the toilet seat with?

In a perfect world, Disney would simply make certain that their hirees will follow the rules, dogging them through every part of their routine, but as we’ve all seen on those sensational TV shows, it ain’t gonna happen. I’d personally rather have the disposables, if there’s no dishwasher in the room. Not STYROFOAM, certainly, but a more ecologically-sound paper product.

Either that, or get a mini-dishwasher installed in those studios. That would be my preference.

By: Cyrano

Cyrano — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 19:08:22 +0000

I’m not a DVC owner but for a company that had some good green policies this does not make sense

By: Iggipolka

Iggipolka — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:15:13 +0000

I’m a DVC member and have a studio booked at AKV for a solo trip in November. I find the plastic plates and cups to be completely ridiculous!
If they really are doing it for sanitary reasons, then they should check out what Extended Stay Hotels like Residence Inn does to sanitize mugs and glasses in between guests. Those hotels don’t have dishwashers in the rooms, but they have real mugs, silverware and plates. I always wash the tableware in the sink using dish soap. I’m assuming that other guests do the same!

I can’t even address the “Guest Demand” because that is just plain untrue. What guest would demand icky styrofoam cups?

So much for Disney being environmentally friendly. I guess I’ll be packing mugs and plates next time I travel to Disney and leaving them in my Owners Locker.

By: MenashaCorp

MenashaCorp — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:23:15 +0000

What next? If they really want to make it home-away-from-home, why not have in-laws drop in unannounced halfway through the vacation? Or maybe cut the cable TV off and make guests stay in room all day waiting for the repairman to (not) arrive…

This stinks. DVC members are among the most activist Disney fans, so pressure will undoubtedly be brought. Or, if you prefer, ACTUAL “guest demand.”

By: Madi100

Madi100 — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:18:33 +0000

We do use the studios when it is just my DH and myself. The cup issue does not bother me, but what’s next? I just do not understand why Disney hasn’t figured out that while they have huge fans in the children because they give them Mickey, Minnie, and Cinderella, they have the adults who love the experience of WDW partly because of the wonderful service. That part just seems to keep going down, down, and down.

It will be interesting to see if all of the complaints get positive results. Let’s hope so.

By: LilGMom

LilGMom — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:37:13 +0000

We are relatively new DVC members (joined Feb. ’07) and when we stayed in a studio at Saratoga Springs last May there were paper plates, bowls and individually wrapped plasticware packets but there were actual mugs and glasses. The paper plates, bowls, and plasticware don’t bother be that much because we do use paper plates at home and we didn’t even touch the plasticware.

We wash our glasses, mugs, and refillable mugs in between uses so I don’t see where the ‘health risk’ is to my family. I don’t see why they can’t have Mousekeeping change out the glasses and mugs in between guests, just like they do at non-DVC resorts.

Disposable mugs and glasses do not say “deluxe accommodations” nor does it say “Welcome home”.