[Chat] Let's Clean Up the Parks.

[J Audubon Woodlore]

Hello, Ranger J. Audubon Woodlore here. When I started working for Mr. Disney in 1954 my job was to maintain order in the park. Which included keeping guests and park inhabitants safe, not always easy with Humphrey around, but the responsibility I always took most seriously was keeping the park clean. I think we did a relatively good job keeping the parks clean for the first 40 years or so, but as I and many of the old timers started to retire, I'm saddened to learn that park clearness isn't the priority it once was.

On a recent trip back to one of the parks I was greatly saddened by the amount of trash, litter, and debris scattered throughout the park. I intend to use this thread to post a photo essay of park current conditions is hopes that my successors will see this and do something to bring the park back to its glory days as one of the cleanest places on earth.

[J Audubon Woodlore]

In the Bag, bump-bump

For those of you that don't remember me, below is a little something to refresh your memory.

First you stick a rag, put it in the bag, bump-bump,
Then you bend your back, put it in the sack, bump-bump,
That's the way it's done - it's a lot of fun, bump-bump,
Cuttin' capers, puttin' papers in the bag.




---------- Post added 11-12-2012 at 10:03 AM ----------

[KingEric]

Re: Let's Clean Up the Parks.

cute. And I agree that the parks need to be cleaned up, and everyone can do their part, but it starts with Disney giving us a pristine park at the start of the day, that people don't feel compelled to pile trash up in.

[PecosBill]

Re: Let's Clean Up the Parks.

I was at the Magic Kingdom this past weekend and appalled at the level of trash around the park and the conditions of the bathrooms.

With the crowds being what they are there almost needs to be an attendant in each bathroom (or rotating between 2-3 adjacent bathrooms) picking the paper off the floors, emptying the trash cans, and drying off the counters. I feel like I need to wear hip waders in the bathrooms.

I worked in the Magic Kingdom back in the late 80's early 90's, and before the park opened every day, we were sent out to jump the fences and pick up any trash left from the night before. We would take TSI (Tom Sawyer Island) Rafts out in the morning on river trash cleanup runs. The river today is flooded with trash, especially under the trestle bridge.

TDO has long given up on the concept of show, and that includes cleanliness.

[wiigirl]

Re: Let's Clean Up the Parks.

lol...awesome vids...

[SparkChaser]

Re: Let's Clean Up the Parks.

Oh yea!!! I remember you Ranger Woodlore, I saw your picture that came before 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Say how long did it take Donald and that mountain lion to dig up the Grand Canyon?


See ya walkin' right down the middle of o'l Main Street USA

[Witches of Morva]

Re: Let's Clean Up the Parks.

ORWEN: How could anybody forget such a loveable character as you. J. Audubon Woodlore? You're a sweetie!

ORGOCH: 'Course i don't think a payin' guest oughtta be expected ta clean up the park after payin' Walt Dizzy Whirl's sky high prices! That's a job fer all them janitors! I ain't no cleain' woman, after all!

ORWEN: You're also not the most tidy old biddy, either! I've seen the messes you make all over the place. All J. Audobon Woodlore is suggesting is that each guest clean up after themselves so nobody else has to.

ORGOCH: Oh, sister dear, if yer gonna' cast asperagus at me fer the messes I make, ya'd better be changin' the subject befer I tell ev'rybody 'bout how messy ya is yer own dang self! I cain't even tell ya how many times I almost been buried alive under a mountain a all yer donut crumbs!!!

ORWEN; Oh, you're such a liar! You always were!!

ORGOCH: In a bat's butt!!!

ORDDU: (sigh) What a temptest in a pot of tea this has turned out to be! Let's just remember to pick up after ourselves no matter where we are and the world will be a better place...

[J Audubon Woodlore]

Re: Let's Clean Up the Parks.

Found this old thread: Why is Disneyland Dirty?

[Mr Wiggins]

Re: Let's Clean Up the Parks.

Cheap management + lowered custodial staffing = trashy parks.

[notpennysboat]

Re: Let's Clean Up the Parks.

Working in the parks myself, I always make it a habit to pick something up when I see it. I love Disney so I hate to see it trashed by guests. I even call out parents/kids when I notice them place a Capri Sun pouch (or anything) on a curb when there's a trash can twenty or so steps away. :rant: However, in the mornings, I never notice any kind of trash lying around so that I do not get.

[SparkInTheDark]

Re: Let's Clean Up the Parks.

I have to say that there have been some great moments where I've seen some Custodial Cast Members really working their tails off. The most recent time that comes to mind was when I was dining at Casey's Corner. There were three Custodial Cast Members in and out of that area as we dined in view of the decorated Cinderella Castle. They were detailed and one even came to our table to pre-bus the table for us. Wonderful.

[J Audubon Woodlore]

Re: Let's Clean Up the Parks.

I don’t necessarily want to criticize the custodian staff. It’s not that the staffs doing a bad job, it’s that there isn’t necessarily enough of them.

And it goes beyond the custodian staff. There used to be a time with all attraction supervisors would have a nabber-grabber in their hands picking up any stray trash as they strolled from attraction to attraction. And you used to see more attraction hosts/hostesses at the greeter position with nabber-grabber and/or a pan/broom cleaning up the area around their attraction.

And its not so much the trash in the guests areas, that’s usually masked by the hordes of humanity congesting the various walkways. It’s the trash and litter that’s accumulating in the flower beds, and waterways. It doesn’t appear as if anyone is taking the time to jump the fences to pick up the trash on the other side.

[J Audubon Woodlore]

Re: Let's Clean Up the Parks.

Scary Sights at Disney Parks - AllEars.net

[SparkChaser]

Re: Let's Clean Up the Parks.

I suppose we can't be too upset. I mean the janitors and the guests are human they will either forget to clean the little spaces like the ones in the allears report or the guests (rather abusing their right to visit the parks) decide to leave their garbage their. Yes I'm concerned but the janitors are not robots they will miss certain spots it happens.

See ya walkin' right down the middle of o'l Main Street USA

[Pizzapants]

Re: Let's Clean Up the Parks.

I'm going to blame the guests. I mean really, the parks would sparkly clean if there we no guests. Unfortunately, that's a really bad business model and I can't recommend it.

[Aotphks]

Re: Let's Clean Up the Parks.

I'm going to blame the guests. I mean really, the parks would sparkly clean if there we no guests. Unfortunately, that's a really bad business model and I can't recommend it.

Actually the visitors are partly to blamed for the problem but so is the custodial crew. On our last visit early this year, we noticed many cleaning crew staff just moving slowly or not really trying too hard to keep up with the discarded trash. Likewise, many employees walked pass trash and never made an effort to bend down and collect it. It's an important part of the Disney park experience that sadly, Disney World and Disneyland Paris do not seem to do a good job at. When we visited Tokyo Disneyland two years ago, the parks there were incredibly cleaned and much more busy than the parks in Orlando. The difference is the attitude of the cleaning staff. In Tokyo, they were busy working and moving around. In Orlando, many of the same people seem to have trouble even walking. It's a sad statement to acknowledge, and I'm not hopeful it will get any better.
But lastly I have to place fault on Disney management teams. If they tried to clean the parks overnight, things like removing chewing gum or graffiti, pressure washing the streets, and adding more custodial staffing, then it would send a stronger message to visitors that it's NOT ok to litter, I'd think.

[Dapper Dan]

Re: Let's Clean Up the Parks.

The old strategy was to make the parks so beautiful that people would feel bad about littering. When you combine that little bit of psychological suggestion with the fact that guests are never more than 20 paces from a garbage can, the idea works pretty well. But when the maintenance starts to slip and the parks are not so pristine, it can be like a snowball rolling down a mountain. It's really a team effort and people on both sides of the name tag have to do their part.

[fifthrider]

Re: Let's Clean Up the Parks.

All valid points, but even if people did get messier and less respectful over time, the solution still comes back to management recognizing the demand and providing the proper staffing. A plea for responsibility is nice and all, but there are those who will never listen and so we must acknowledge this and staff accordingly.

...or we can cut funding and divert it to Aulani. Yeah, that should be done instead. In this economy it should be a hit.

[ttintagel]

Re: Let's Clean Up the Parks.

Yes I'm concerned but the janitors are not robots they will miss certain spots it happens.

That's the solution! A Roomba in every queue!

Seriously, though, I suspect that, like most other large companies right now, the first place the company looks to save money is payroll.

[KingEric]

Re: Let's Clean Up the Parks.

The old strategy was to make the parks so beautiful that people would feel bad about littering. When you combine that little bit of psychological suggestion with the fact that guests are never more than 20 paces from a garbage can, the idea works pretty well. But when the maintenance starts to slip and the parks are not so pristine, it can be like a snowball rolling down a mountain. It's really a team effort and people on both sides of the name tag have to do their part.

This was the solution and still could be the solution. It just requires a management team that actually understands what this kind of clean is, so that they can manage their teams to provide this level of quality.