Ever written a letter to Disney?

[fupresti]

So, after reading about the Space Mountain rehab I guess I had enough bad news about my favorite place in the world and I wrote a lengthy letter to Bob Iger outlining my disappointments in the current status of Disney World. I figured it would go nowhere. Today, I got an email from Debbie Bellavia, Director of Guest Communication Serviced requesting my telephone number and time to call me regarding my e-mail.

I guess my question is, have you ever written Disney and have you received a response? If so, what kind of conversation took place?

[merlinmagic4]

I only wrote once to tell them how grateful I was for the Make a Wish trip we took in 2003. I had nothing but compliments upon compliments! I did get a phone call and a message but I never spoke to them directly.

[NotaGeek]

So, after reading about the Space Mountain rehab I guess I had enough bad news about my favorite place in the world and I wrote a lengthy letter to Bob Iger outlining my disappointments in the current status of Disney World. I figured it would go nowhere. Today, I got an email from Debbie Bellavia, Director of Guest Communication Serviced requesting my telephone number and time to call me regarding my e-mail.

I guess my question is, have you ever written Disney and have you received a response? If so, what kind of conversation took place?
Just out of curiosity, what were your complaints? Be sure and report back, I am interested to see what they say.

[Kenny1113]

I, too have written, but it was compliments for CMs as well. They kept calling until I spoke to some one.

[fupresti]

Just out of curiosity, what were your complaints? Be sure and report back, I am interested to see what they say.

Here is my letter I wrote.


Robert A. Iger,
President and CEO of the Walt Disney Company
500 S. Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521

Mr. Iger,

First, let me congratulate you on your success as CEO of the Disney Company. Under your management, Disney has done some great things, notably, the acquisition of Pixar Animation Studios. Not only has this allowed Disney to continue distributing the best movies (not just animated) in the industry, but has allowed real visionaries like John Lasseter to remain with the Disney company. I also would like to thank you for your adoption of the Internet as a means of promoting your company. Your catalog on iTunes, your adoption of Blu-Ray and your recent partnership with Hulu tells me you are very forward thinking and it will help to ensure Disney remains relevant in the absence of old school media.

That being said, I would like to voice my concern for the status and operation of the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. First off, I understand that the recent economic downturn has required a shifting of focus to save money and reduce expenses. This is a given and will help Disney to recover faster when the recession wanes and customers resume spending. That being said, I have to say I am quite concerned with the status of Disney World and it's management.

Let me start by giving you my brief history with regards to your vacation destinations. As a lifelong Arizona resident, I visited Disneyland with my family a few times in my youth. When I met my current wife in 2001, she shared of love of Disney and Walt Disney World I was not familiar with. I was a fan of your movies but only on a small to moderate level. However, since that time I have developed a fondness for your company and have started quite a collection of movies and memorabilia. In fact, I adopted Blu-Ray to gain access to Disney content in high definition.

With regards to Walt Disney World, my wife was quite fond of your parks and her and her family had spent numerous family vacations in Florida. Her fondness inspired me to propose to her during the Fantasy in the Sky fireworks show in 2002 on the bridge between the Hub and Tomorrowland. We honeymooned at Disney World in 2004 and have visited in 2006, 2008, and we have a scheduled return this fall for the Epcot Food and Wine Festival. Needless to say we are quite fond of your theme park in Florida and enjoy each and every stay.

That being said, I am concerned with the lack of apparent investment in upgrades to the parks, even in light of investment in other Disney properties, namely Disney's California Adventure in Anaheim. Disneyland and its properties in recent years have received many upgrades, namely the Finding Nemo Submarine Ride, Space Mountain refurbishment and planned upgrades to DCA including a nighttime show I will most assuredly attend. In that same time, Disney World has received no major upgrades with the exception of Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom. I am concerned more recently with Internet rumors that the planned upgrade of Space Mountain will include no more that basic track upgrades and lighting effects, when Disneyland enjoyed new tracks, cars and even on board audio.

I am concerned that other properties in the area are receiving upgrades, some major, even in light of drastically lower customer count compared to the Disney World properties. Sea World recently opened an water park and has a new roller coaster and Universal Studios has a world class roller coaster under development for the fall and is developing an entire property based on the world of Harry Potter for Islands of Adventure. This concerns me because I see major investments made into competing parks and Disney seems to be content with enjoying their success at Disney World and has no plans for major upgrades. A large majority of rides at Disney World are in desperate need of upgrades. Epcot has become a shell of its former self, no longer a place of wonder and amazement at future technology and instead is left with a Nemo ride that was a retrofit and Soarin still displaying a movie on California when it should be a global experience. The World Showcase has become nothing more that an overpriced shopping mall, having lost a truly wonderful parade and has received no more attention that dining upgrades and a very disappointing movie starring Martin Short.

What I guess I am trying to convey is my hope that with the 40th anniversary Disney World two years away, Disney has major plans to usher in a new era at Disney World that will allow it to once again become a world class destination, one of wonder and amazement and not the same tired and outdated place it has become. Now, I am not saying such classics and Peter Pan's Flight be removed. I am asking that the park be given the shine and attention it deserves that will allow even the frequent visitor to come with a sense of fantasy and dreams we all know it has the capability of being. A time when trash wasn't stacked in a corner or shows were not canceled for cost cutting measures.

Please revisit whatever plans you have for this park and show us that you care about it and its future. I would love to know that the 40th anniversary of this American treasure is about to be the recipient of another Decade of Disney. I would be more than happy to discuss any of my issues with someone willing to listen.

Yours truly,

David LoPresti

[Rosanne]

Nice letter... just out of curiousity, where did you send it? Regular mail or email?

Thanks!

[fupresti]

Nice letter... just out of curiousity, where did you send it? Regular mail or email?

Thanks!

E-mail to Bob Iger directly.

I spoke with the lady with Guest Communications today for about a half hour. Good conversations, some corporate spin but she was thankful that someone cares like I do and voices it. I am sure she deals with ridiculous complaints all day about the most mundane details, but she and I had a very good conversation and she asked that I call her after my trip in September to tell me about my experience.

[GrumpyFan]

I've sent a couple via email, one was in regard to a safety issue, and the other was a complaint about food choices in the parks. It took several weeks but, both times they contacted me back via a phone call to talk about my issues. All in all, I was very pleased at their listening to my complaint.

[buzz638]

Nice letter, well written, not agressive but you made your point. No wonder someone called you back. I am sure that it's with letters like that that our beloved Walt Disney World will continue to go in the right direction in the future.
-
I wrote to Disney last december when we returned from our trip, it was to thank them in general and spcecifically thank one cast member that went out of his way to make one moment in particular memorable.
Then a few weeks later someone called me to thank me for writing to us, and what amazed me in that phone call, is that being a French Canadian, the cast member who called me back did everything he could to talk to me in French !
I tought it was very classy from them.

Have a great trip.

Buzz