The New York Times noticed that the Disney theme parks are not meeting expectations. Of course they aren’t. The Quickie-Marts in Kissimmee are starting new employees at $8.00 per hour, while the parks are starting under $7.00 per hour:The free passes aren’t enough to make up the difference. And then there’s the morale problem.
My expectations are still high. They were set in 1994 when I visited Walt Disney World for the first time. All the other theme and amusement parks paled in comparison. Sure, if you’re just going for the rides, and don’t mind a bit of litter or an extended wait under the burning sun, then you’ll love Universal or Six Flags. I don’t know if the kids notice anything other than the rides, but they are just as happy on the swing set in the back yard, or running through a sprinker.
But I notice the details. And when the toilet in our room doesn’t flush, or there’s trash on Main Street, or the cashier at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café is snippy, then I can no longer suspend my disbelief. I’m disillusioned. Expectation failed.