Beach Club Babe
09-18-2007, 06:14 PM
Thanks to everybody who read my reports and left many nice comments! Yes, now my reports are officially over until next year!
I'm just going to share a few things that did not make it into my reports, and highlight a few that did.
General observations:
1. There were so many Executives and managers out and about at both the parks and resorts. I'm not sure what to make of it. In a way it was a little unnerving, as I've never seen so many before. I guess it could be construed that they were on top of things, making sure everything was just perfect, the way it should be etc. It could also be said that there were many problems or complaints that needed serious addressing. For example, every morning there were at least 3 or 4 managers or execs out in the lobby area. They would alsways wish you a good day, which was nice, but also a little over the top. There were also managers out at quite a few attractions, most notably at Tower of Terror. My problem with that was, the manager was loading people into the elevators. Without a costume, it took away from the attraction. It is always fun to have a creepy bellhop play with you.
2. Besides all the managers out, I noticed many more survey takers out as well. generally, i don't mind being approached by them. but 2 really stood out. The first being the survey i completed at TTA, it really made me nervous for its future. The second that I have a slight problem with is at the Yacht Club. Near the elevators, thay have 4 small notebooks set up for guests checking out to complete surveys. Every morning as we stepped off the elevator, we would be asked if we were checking out, when we said no and were told to have a nice day. The problem was with each passing day, it kept reminding us how much time we had left and how soon, we would have to say "yes". I dreaded the day when I actually had to say it.
3. Crowds were a little more heavy that I expected. I thought perhaps, that since free dining would be starting soon, more people would have waited 2 more weeks. For the most part they were still pretty manageable, and not the heaviest we've ever seen.
4. Bus Service was pretty decent, with the only exception of sharing 5 resorts on the Animal Kingdom/Blizzard Beach Bus. However, it was nowhere near as good as it was in May at pop Century.
5. Boat service to MGM and Epcot was pretty good as well. I enjoy the ride 99% of the time. However, this time I found different policies being used here. One time, we were waiting in a fairly big line, just before we would have boarded, the line was stopped and no more were allowed to board. All seats were filled, but no one was allowed to stand. On another occasion, the boat was filled so tightly, there were more standing than sitting. This was incredbly uncomfortable, and hot. So much so, that we decided to exit at the Swan & Dolphin and walk the rest of the way. I think somewhere in the middle would be the right policy.
6. We did not encounter many rude people. of course, I stil feel that able bodied men should give their seats on full busses to elderly women, or women who have either babies or small children or are injured. There are those that do that, but still too many do not. The only particularly rude family we encountered was at MGM at the boat dock. The mother and teenage son walked around us and another family because the family in front of us left a small gap between them and the next family. Apparently she felt the need to "close the gap!" They then proceed to walk to the front of the boat, even though the captain asked everyone to board from the rear. Of course, the grabbed the front seat. Just as the boat was about to leave, the son stepped to the door where one captain was getting ready to release the rope. He (the boy) would not permit the boat to leave until his father arrived. He called the father on his cellphone, he was just exiting the park. He did not even make an attempt to hurry. There were other folks waiting to board a boat, but were not allowed on this one. He walked past them all and got on board! of course, they were getting off at the Yacht Club as well. The mother once again pushed past those trying to exit. What's the hurry anyhow? We were lucky enough to be walking behind them up the walkway. The father and son would stop short because they were horsing around, but if we tried to pass, they'd cut us off. I thought I'd lost them in the lobby, as the faher and mother sat down in some chairs. I went to push the elevator button, and the door behind me opened, they had no problem jumping in before I could quite turn around! A man who was near us and turned around as well, was going to wait for another, but the mother insisted he come on in. "There's plenty of room!" Well not realy, as there were 7 of us and a stroller before the man got in. The woman then turns to me and says, "These are much bigger than those in New York!" I felt like saying "Who cares?" among a few other choice things! But the boy piped i with, "Yeah those elevators at the Empire State Building were torturous!" Again who cares, I was just glad the elevator opened to the 4th floor and we were rid of them!
7. We hardly saw any evidence of the Dream team on this trip compared to May. We did not see anything until day 5 or 6, and then we only say 1 pin lanyard and 2 or 3 dream fastpasses throughout the rest of the trip.
8. As for rehabs, this is the first time we've ever really experienced any signigicant rehabs during one of our trips. I thought it quite he wrong time to have both Haunted Mansionand Spaceship Earth down. That really made an impact on our trip. It was almost painful to walk by either and not be able to ride them.
Highlights and lowlights:
Emily's top 2 highlights of the trip
1. Star Tours
2. Stars and Cars Parade
Courtney's top 2 highlights
1. Riding the segway
2. Finding nemo show at AK
Matt's top 2 highlights
1. Laugh Floor Comedy Club
2. Holly wood & Vine breakfast
My top 2 highlights
1. Movie and Campfire on the Beach
2. Watching how Emily has grown into a true Disney nut like the rest of us.
The only lowlight of the trip was our meal at Le Cellier. I should say the service, because the food itself was impeecable.
In conclusion, I'd just like to say that the drive down was really not that bad. The drive hoem was alittle more difficult with being tired and just having to leave WDW!
I'm just going to share a few things that did not make it into my reports, and highlight a few that did.
General observations:
1. There were so many Executives and managers out and about at both the parks and resorts. I'm not sure what to make of it. In a way it was a little unnerving, as I've never seen so many before. I guess it could be construed that they were on top of things, making sure everything was just perfect, the way it should be etc. It could also be said that there were many problems or complaints that needed serious addressing. For example, every morning there were at least 3 or 4 managers or execs out in the lobby area. They would alsways wish you a good day, which was nice, but also a little over the top. There were also managers out at quite a few attractions, most notably at Tower of Terror. My problem with that was, the manager was loading people into the elevators. Without a costume, it took away from the attraction. It is always fun to have a creepy bellhop play with you.
2. Besides all the managers out, I noticed many more survey takers out as well. generally, i don't mind being approached by them. but 2 really stood out. The first being the survey i completed at TTA, it really made me nervous for its future. The second that I have a slight problem with is at the Yacht Club. Near the elevators, thay have 4 small notebooks set up for guests checking out to complete surveys. Every morning as we stepped off the elevator, we would be asked if we were checking out, when we said no and were told to have a nice day. The problem was with each passing day, it kept reminding us how much time we had left and how soon, we would have to say "yes". I dreaded the day when I actually had to say it.
3. Crowds were a little more heavy that I expected. I thought perhaps, that since free dining would be starting soon, more people would have waited 2 more weeks. For the most part they were still pretty manageable, and not the heaviest we've ever seen.
4. Bus Service was pretty decent, with the only exception of sharing 5 resorts on the Animal Kingdom/Blizzard Beach Bus. However, it was nowhere near as good as it was in May at pop Century.
5. Boat service to MGM and Epcot was pretty good as well. I enjoy the ride 99% of the time. However, this time I found different policies being used here. One time, we were waiting in a fairly big line, just before we would have boarded, the line was stopped and no more were allowed to board. All seats were filled, but no one was allowed to stand. On another occasion, the boat was filled so tightly, there were more standing than sitting. This was incredbly uncomfortable, and hot. So much so, that we decided to exit at the Swan & Dolphin and walk the rest of the way. I think somewhere in the middle would be the right policy.
6. We did not encounter many rude people. of course, I stil feel that able bodied men should give their seats on full busses to elderly women, or women who have either babies or small children or are injured. There are those that do that, but still too many do not. The only particularly rude family we encountered was at MGM at the boat dock. The mother and teenage son walked around us and another family because the family in front of us left a small gap between them and the next family. Apparently she felt the need to "close the gap!" They then proceed to walk to the front of the boat, even though the captain asked everyone to board from the rear. Of course, the grabbed the front seat. Just as the boat was about to leave, the son stepped to the door where one captain was getting ready to release the rope. He (the boy) would not permit the boat to leave until his father arrived. He called the father on his cellphone, he was just exiting the park. He did not even make an attempt to hurry. There were other folks waiting to board a boat, but were not allowed on this one. He walked past them all and got on board! of course, they were getting off at the Yacht Club as well. The mother once again pushed past those trying to exit. What's the hurry anyhow? We were lucky enough to be walking behind them up the walkway. The father and son would stop short because they were horsing around, but if we tried to pass, they'd cut us off. I thought I'd lost them in the lobby, as the faher and mother sat down in some chairs. I went to push the elevator button, and the door behind me opened, they had no problem jumping in before I could quite turn around! A man who was near us and turned around as well, was going to wait for another, but the mother insisted he come on in. "There's plenty of room!" Well not realy, as there were 7 of us and a stroller before the man got in. The woman then turns to me and says, "These are much bigger than those in New York!" I felt like saying "Who cares?" among a few other choice things! But the boy piped i with, "Yeah those elevators at the Empire State Building were torturous!" Again who cares, I was just glad the elevator opened to the 4th floor and we were rid of them!
7. We hardly saw any evidence of the Dream team on this trip compared to May. We did not see anything until day 5 or 6, and then we only say 1 pin lanyard and 2 or 3 dream fastpasses throughout the rest of the trip.
8. As for rehabs, this is the first time we've ever really experienced any signigicant rehabs during one of our trips. I thought it quite he wrong time to have both Haunted Mansionand Spaceship Earth down. That really made an impact on our trip. It was almost painful to walk by either and not be able to ride them.
Highlights and lowlights:
Emily's top 2 highlights of the trip
1. Star Tours
2. Stars and Cars Parade
Courtney's top 2 highlights
1. Riding the segway
2. Finding nemo show at AK
Matt's top 2 highlights
1. Laugh Floor Comedy Club
2. Holly wood & Vine breakfast
My top 2 highlights
1. Movie and Campfire on the Beach
2. Watching how Emily has grown into a true Disney nut like the rest of us.
The only lowlight of the trip was our meal at Le Cellier. I should say the service, because the food itself was impeecable.
In conclusion, I'd just like to say that the drive down was really not that bad. The drive hoem was alittle more difficult with being tired and just having to leave WDW!