Service Quality in the Hong Kong Disneyland

In the Hong Kong Disneyland, the staff’s service quality is ideal for visitors holistically, but the minority of staff are unsatisfactory in their working performance and too long working hours while lack of rest for staff. It is concerned for their working problems. Some visitors claimed that they were impolitely treated by the staff in the Hong Kong Disneyland. After that, the company warned the staff and apologized the involved visitors. Of course, the problem is tiny, but it can be improved. Why the staff’s service quality are unsatisfactory for visitors? It may be affected from their personal problems or their working arrangement. Besides, their problems make visitors unsatisfactory. The most of employees have to work excessive long hours, usually 10-13 hours; net working hours, and from the company’s drive away (about 3 hours), the preparation before work and after work tidying up (about 1 hour), leaving only 7 employees for 10 hours daily of free time. Some of them may feel tired from too long working hours. Although they hope to treat guests sincerely and courteously, burned out, the really powerless and can only force a smile.

Many criticisms reflect the chaotic arrangement on human resources and duty – shift schedules. It is too frequent for overnight shift, the minority of staff are extremely working until 11 p.m. while they have to work at 6 a.m. next day. Due to the lack of staff, the promise of having a break for 15 minutes after 4 consecutive work hours are ignored. Even though staff can take break, to exclude their commuting time towards rest room, a rest is less than 15 minutes for staff. Meanwhile, the facilities, including seats, microwaves and fridges inside the rest room are insufficient. The staff’s service quality is affected by all the above conditions, the staff of morale which in turns. Also, the unsatisfactory of working conditions, many staff are planning to leave or already resign. To deal with the shortage of labor, the catering and cleaning departments already contracted out part of their jobs. Indeed, this is not an ultimate solution to deal with the problem. A part of staff worry contracting out and part – time employment becoming the long-term policy for the company. The morale for staff is affected seriously. And then, the Hong Kong Disneyland is need to employ many of new staff to work in most departments.

Now, many job vacancies from the most of departments are offered in the Hong Kong Disneyland, such as entertainment department, and operations and travel department, for solving the shortage of labor.

Recommendation:

One of the employees has said ‘1 hope that the company can set the maximum working hours for 8 hours per day, it must not be more than 10 hours per day, including overtime working hours, so that employee get enough rest, full of energy to serve travelers for the ideal service quality.’

Although this require is not tangible in the social for nowadays , but we can use this suggest to consider a more appropriate condition to staff.

Rule and Tourist Management Problem

When Hong Kong Government widens the limitation of individual travel from Mainland China, a large quantity of mainland person comes to Hong Kong to shipping and sightseeing, of course they also will go to Disneyland. According to the Disneyland’s financial report in 2012, it shows the number of admittance in the last year that is more than previous year up to 13% to six million and seven hundred thousand people. Why I am so sure the mainland tourists who occupy higher ration admittance than the other countries? It is because on the basis of annual report 2012 of Immigration Department, it shows the incoming visitor by Mainland China that is about 35,000,000, the next is Taiwan is 2,000,000, Japan is 1,250,000, and America is 1,200,000 and so on. Moreover, the Shanghai Disneyland is not yet established, if they want to go to Disneyland, the first choice must be Hong Kong. And in the other countries like California, France, Tokyo also has local Disneyland; in addition, whatever the space and the facilities are less than the others. Hence it is difficult to attract foreign traveler to visit.

Since Hong Kong and Mainland China have the culture diversity, so it always happens events for example cutting in the line, the children drain everywhere, littering and so on. (Information support)

Recommendation:

Disneyland’s purpose is bringing a dreamy, adventure and fairytale paradise for all tourists. Only strengthening the manpower of security guard will destroy the image of Disneyland. Therefore we suggest that install more CCTV in order to let security staff to supervise the situation in the park and take action when something taking place. Or the management can order the security guard dressing like the visitors to maintain the peace.

Not enough place and facilities

Disneyland Park as a famous theme park attracted a large number of tourists coming every year. But some tourists said that Hong Kong Disneyland is very small and facilities less; which make they feel a bit disappointment. In the world ,there have six Disneyland Park.The Disneyland at American Florida is the biggest Disneyland in the world. The property covers 30,080 acres (12,173 hectare and 47 Square miles), in which it houses 24 theme resorts, four theme parks, two water parks, and several additional recreational and entertainment venues. Disneyland Paris covers 2023 hectare, including “Disneyland” and “Walt Disney Studios Park” theme parks. Los Angeles Disneyland cover 206 hectare, including “Disneyland” and “Disney California Adventure” parks. Tokyo Disneyland covers 201 hectare, including “Disneyland” and “DisneySea” parks.

Compare with others, Hong Kong Disneyland just 126 hectare, and there is only “Disneyland” one Park. For tickets price, one a day ticket in Tokyo Disneyland that is same in Asian is 6200 Yen, about 490HKD. And there is student ticket be sold in Tokyo. However, in Hong Kong of one a day ticket is 450HKD and cannot buy student ticket. As we can see, with the tickets price have not much different, Tokyo Disneyland is more appealing.

Disneyland Park is a theme park, so there is many cartoons concert games facilities. There are Many adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters in Hong Kong Disneyland. However, compare with the other Disneyland, Hong Kong Disneyland still lacking of some classic items. For example, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue in American Disneyland ,there had Mickey’s Fun wheel and Monsters, but there is not wheeling in Hong Kong and Monster Company is just an art of animation. In Tokyo Disneyland, there had Snow White’s Adventures, Mickey’s house and Minnie’s house, but in Hong Kong Disneyland, they are only had a Fantasy Garden and Snow White Grotto . Recommendation:

As we can see, there are many deficiencies in Hong Kong Disneyland Park. Expanding park is the important way to attract tourists coming. And Hong Kong Disneyland should develop some new items to prevent the tourists feel boring. It can develop some items just Hong Kong has. As price increase, continuous innovation can reduce tourist dissatisfaction.

Safe and Stability for Disneyland

The other problem found in Hong Kong Disneyland is about the safety of facilities and amusement rides. Hong Kong Disneyland is opened in 2005, many of the facilities and amusement rides have been used for eight years. Some equipments and machines may fail to operate due to the dilapidation. It would have negative effect on reputation of Hong Kong Disneyland and lead to visitors’ disaffection.

One of the issues that Disneyland has to concern is about the plants, which all surround the theme park. The trees besides the entry were found to be attacked by pest. They became weak and some leaves turn yellow. More serious, a tree, which cannot carry out photosynthesis itself, so it has been removed. It suggests Disneyland to find out the cause and have better communication with the contractor of plants. They are advised to have regular check to ensure the health of plants. Otherwise, accidents like people getting hurt may happen if a tree falls down.

In addition, they should spray pesticide in order to kill the pest and diminish the damage of the trees. It also helps to reduce the number of mosquitoes, which hurt visitors and spread diseases out. Besides, Disneyland has to consider the capability of amusement rides.

In the past few years, amusement rides, such as ‘Runaway Mine Ears’ and ‘Toy Soldier Parachute Drop’, were broken down several time. It disappointed visitors and wasted their time. Although it claimed that the main reason for breaking down is the failure of monitor system, which would not lead to any danger, visitors still afraid of the safety of the amusement rides and loss confident to have fun in Hong Kong Disneyland.

Recommendation

One of the solutions is enhancing the maintenance management. Engineers should have a quick check and carry out more trial for each amusement rides before Disneyland opens every day. It could ensure the machines are well operated and reduce the possibility of wrong alarm. Disneyland is also suggested to having a large-scale check for each amusement rides every year, in which invite some quailed experts to check carefully. Moreover, a team of staff should be prepared. They can help to provide needing and comfort people who are not feeling well if any accident is happened unfortunately.

Recommendation and Summary

When we finished the research for the Hong Kong Disneyland tourist and treatment of data, we found that the above of the four main problem, which is existed for a long time, if Disneyland not to improve the problem ,it will affect the tourist quantity and the reputation , also, tourist will choose another country Disneyland.

For the date analysis, we can see that the mainly tourist is come from China , also we know that Shanghai Disneyland is under construction, if HK Disneyland cannot provide an independent facility and excellent reputation, that will lose the tourist from China.

We suggest HK Disneyland should improve the four main problem and build up more independent design for the facilities to increase the competitive strength. For example ,Ocean Park aquarium is the popular facilities for the theme park.

Reference:

http://park.hongkongdisneyland.com

http://www.inmediahk.net/node/71207

http://www.immd.gov.hk/publications/a_report_2012/tc/appendice/appendices-08.htm

http://www.singtao.com/yesterday/loc/0717ao09.html

http://the-sun.on.cc/cnt/news/20120719/00407_060.html

http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/news/20130927/00176_015.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disneyland

http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/

http://park.hongkongdisneyland.com/