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TR: Golden Oak - Day 2 of 6
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Steve Russo
Jun 26, 2012, 5:29:33 AM6/26/12
to
June 13-18, 2012
Participants
• Steve –Me, my own self.
• Barb – The better half.
Animal Kingdom Lodge – Jambo House
Day Two, June 14, 2012 – They could have told me it was seven courses
I’m up before the wake-up call comes and brewing a single cup of coffee
in the provided Cuisanart. It’s like a Keurig but uses filtered pouches
of coffee rather than the K-cups. It has a right and left reservoir so
you can brew 2 cups at once. I have to resort to powdered creamer so I
make the mental note to buy some Half-and-Half when I return tonight. I
step out on the balcony and enjoy my coffee with two giraffes and a
couple of wildebeest. They’re on the savanna, not the balcony. Where
else can you… nah, you’ve heard me say that too many times.
The schedule has us meeting at the front door at 7:30 for transportation
to Golden Oak. I’m there at 7:20 and find Jack Spence is there and he
admits to suffering from the early-bird affliction. Naturally, several
people are late (there’s a pattern developing and we board the bus at
7:45). This bus seats about 30 people (there’s 20 or 21 of us total) and
must have just come out of the shrink wrap – the leather seating has
that new car smell.
Golden Oak is at the northeastern end of the property approximately 3
miles from the MAGIC KINGDOM. We make it to the Welcome center and, as
we enter, we’re greeted by servers offering iced coffee, hot coffee and
water. We take up positions around a topographical map of the area and
Page Pierce gives a high-level overview of the program and entertains
questions.
We next ventured out on a walking tour of three nearby homes. They’re
all completely constructed and furnished as models. We roam from room to
room, taking many, many photographs and asking questions. We probably
spent 90-minutes touring here. For some of the highlights, you can read
my article on MousePlanet (www.mouseplanet.com/10024/Golden_Oak) or
visit the official Web site at www.disneygoldenoak.com. I’ll also try to
include some of the photos in the link at the end of this report.
I’ll summarize by saying these homes epitomized luxury and offered some
features I had never before seen. A walk-in closet the size of a bedroom
with a special closet for ties was one. The use of today’s technology
was prolific. Something that interested me was that each home offered a
two-car garage with a third, slightly smaller garage door nearby. That
was for the golf cart.
Back on the bus and we were driven out to one of Golden Oak’s
“neighborhoods”. There are four: Kimball Trace, Silverbrook, Carolwood
and Carolwood Reserve. We visited Carolwood Reserve which has the
largest building lots at ¾ acre and will be home to the most expensive
and largest homes (approximately 7,000 sq. ft.). Along the way, we could
see some of the Four Seasons resort construction which is coming along
nicely.
The final tour was held in a single story home of 5900 sq. ft. There
were a few more Disney employees here joining us for a buffet breakfast,
spread from the kitchen (assorted fruits and cold cuts) to the patio
(omelet station and traditional breakfast items including Mickey
sausage). We also met and were able to ask questions of the builder here.
This is where I noticed a wall item labeled “LaunchPort” so I asked the
builder about it. You can plug in a laptop or tablet (USB connector? I
didn’t flip it open.) to program entertainment, lighting or security
features. He offered that you could then take an iPad to the patio and,
if the doorbell rang you could check the front door camera from your
iPad and, if needed, open the front door for a guest. This is not
groundbreaking technology but I love the way it was seamlessly
integrated into each home.
As we concluded the tour and breakfast, we gathered in the ample living
room, and were introduced to four of Disney’s official Tour Guides.
These are the folks that are used to usher celebrities around the parks
and are also available to the unwashed masses like me for the bargain
price of $300 per hour with a six-hour minimum. They’re distinctive in
white shirt, plaid vest and dark blue skirt or pants – although I’m not
certain I’ve ever seen one in the parks.
These folks introduced themselves and gave a little background of their
time with Disney. We then split up to join them in one of four identical
beige Chevrolet Suburbans for our trip to the parks. This was, in my
estimation, giving us a taste of a resident perk (complimentary
transportation to the parks) and a private tour guide, something the
wealthy may employ. From my perspective, it was a gift-wrapped horse and
I wasn’t counting teeth.
As we left, we were given a small bag of mixed nuts for a snack and a
small mister to fight the heat. I will say it took several of us more
than a few minutes to figure out the mister had to be pumped before it
would spray. I watched one fellow fumble with it for minutes and, as I
was about to show him how it’s done, his wife giggled and shooed me away
with “Let him suffer”.
Jack Spence and I quickly followed Melony to her vehicle and we joined a
caravan of Suburbans that brought us backstage at Epcot. I was not
allowed to take photos backstage but I’ll offer a few quick observations:
• They take security VERY seriously, evidenced by the hinged metal ramps
that are raised preventing entry until you’re approved;
• Backstage at Epcot actually wasn’t too bad presentation-wise – Magic
Kingdom, not so much;
• All the Food and Wine Festival booths are grouped together in one area
giving a look of “the carnival’s in town”;
• France’s Eiffel Tower looks pretty pathetic from the rear;
• Some buildings are actually themed from the rear as well (the American
Adventure actually looks pretty good).
We parked and were ushered in the back door near Soarin’. After a quick
restroom break, our Guides ushered us into the FastPass queue. They have
the ability to FastPass any attraction that offers it but must join the
regular FastPass line. Soarin’s Standby queue was 90-minutes and we were
on in about 15.
Back outside to the Suburbans and a quick drive around to the front of
the park – still backstage. We entered in an area near the restrooms and
walked to Spaceship Earth where we joined the regular Standby queue (30
minutes). There’s no FastPass at Spaceship Earth so even a Tour Guide
can’t get you on the ride any sooner.
Backstage again for another quick drive to the Wonders of Life pavilion.
We were brought upstairs to a private lounge and greeted by a guy in red
pants, jacket with tails, Mickey ears and a headset. He announced that
Beyonce and her entourage had arrived and then asked for a security
check on “the guy in the blue shirt” – that would be me.
The room had two lighted topiaries of Mickey and Minnie, 4 large tables
with beautiful centerpieces of multi-colored roses and a colorful
hidden-Mickey shape, a piano player playing Disney tunes and four buffet
stations. We were greeted with servers holding trays of Arnold Palmers
(iced tea and lemonade).
Again this was VIP service at its Disney-best. One of the stations had
the strangest thing I’ve ever seen. A CM was mixing various soups in
test tubes. The flavors were “Salad”, “Hot Yukon Gold” and the like. You
made a request, he mixed it with ingredients from a hand-held
contraption with multiple nozzles, and then you downed it like a
shooter. And it did taste like salad.
The other stations were more traditional and featured tenderloin sliders
(excellent – I went back for seconds), lobster aioli salad, tacos,
fruits, vegetables and much more. While we were eating, our MC (the guy
in the tails) twice peeked behind a curtain to tell someone to hold down
the racket.
Eventually, the curtain was open to reveal a kitchen, signed with
“Golden Oak Bakery”, manned by Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy,
Pluto, Chip and Dale. They introduced dessert with a dance number, led
by our talented MC. Once the show was over and dessert served, all eight
hung around for pictures and autographs. It turns out that this is one
of the events Barb was invited to attend and, indeed, one of our group
had her two children there with her. What a treat for them.
I managed to sneak to a corner of the room and call Barb – mainly to
gloat and let her know what she was missing. She forgave me.
After lunch it was back to the Suburbans for the ride to the MAGIC
KINGDOM. On this trip, Jack and I used the time to interrogate Melony on
what it’s like to be a Tour Guide. I learned that one of her celebrities
was Brian Urlacher – someone she didn’t know and was shocked to see how
much attention he drew in the parks. For that reason, many celebrities
are kept backstage as much as possible. To become a Tour Guide, a CM
spends a minimum of six months in Guest Relations. It requires getting
at least 80% on a 150-question test (sample questions include the
opening dates for all Disney theme parks). Before the written test,
however, is the killer – you must back into a parking space and parallel
park a 16-passenger van.
We again entered from backstage and walked through to Tomorrowland where
we were FastPassed into Space Mountain. Next up was a walk through
Fantasyland. I learned the new Little Mermaid ride is actually ready but
there’s no way to get the guests back there yet. Along the trip, Melony
was stopped several times by random guests with questions (how do I get
to Dumbo, where are the nearest restrooms…). I’m not sure I could be as
graceful as she during these constant interruptions. One guy actually
looked at me first and asked, “Do you work here?” I was wearing the
large name tag on a lanyard which may be why he thought that. I wanted
badly to respond, “Yes”, but directed him to Melony instead.
At this point, the hot and humid day had picked up some ominous clouds
and gusty winds. Jack is local and is used to this so he checked Doppler
on his iPhone and let us know the storm was north of us but heading in
our direction. We were making our way toward Haunted Mansion and stopped
by the Pinocchio Village Haus when a few of the ladies asked for a
restroom break. While we waited I felt the first few drops begin to fall.
When we finally regrouped, we quick-stepped to the Haunted Mansion and
just made our way under the canopy when the skies opened. It poured and
I learned there are several holes and imperfections in the canopy that
let in a steady stream of water. When the CMs asked us to fill in all
the available space, the crowd diverted around these areas.
I rode with Jack and we spent the ride with a lot of “Didja know…?” I
thik we each learned a few things. When we exited, the sun was peeking
out and the rain was little more than mist. Great timing.
Some of our group requested, and received permission for, a trip to DHS.
These were folks making their initial (or one of very few) trips to the
parks. A few of us were anxious to get back to the hotel for some
much-needed showers and a change before dinner.
I got my shower and a change of clothes and I watched more heavy rain
and wind on the savanna. It was amazing how little effect torrential
rains had on feeding giraffe. We were meeting at 6:30 out front and
thankfully, our bus was pulled up under the entrance – it was absolutely
pouring. Again, we waited about 15-minutes on the bus for one couple –
the same couple that was late last night and this morning. See a pattern
developing? This time it was “We were told the wrong time – I swear!”
even though we all got the same package with the same itinerary.
Tonight was dinner at the Chef’s Table at the Contemporary – something I
didn’t know existed. (I’ve since learned it can be booked through Disney
Events for groups up to about 20 – I have no idea of cost but I’m
betting it ain’t cheap.) That is to be followed by a Wishes fireworks
cruise. Our hosts were expressing concern about making the cruise due to
the inclement weather. The bus took us to the Contemporary and then
pulled in under the entrance to the Convention Center. We entered and
walked down a long hallway as a group and were greeted by two servers
offering orange juice.
We met up with Stacey, Page and a few other Disney folks One was a
Banquet Manager) and were led down a few more hallways. We were in the
bowels of the Contemporary – grey walls and concrete floors, unfinished
ceilings, not very attractive. We were then greeted by two more servers
offering champagne flutes filled with…er, champagne. We were then
ushered into the kitchen.
This was every bit what you would envision a kitchen in a large resort
hotel to look like. Lots of stainless steel and white-smocked and hatted
chefs milling about. I counted nine – seven chefs, a sous chef and a
head chef – all for us. In the open area in front were two tables,
angled like a chevron, each seating ten. The tables had lighted patterns
that changed colors during the meal (something I initially thought was
caused by my prodigious wine consumption).
We were seated and treated to what is possibly the best meal I’ve ever
had – or at least the most unique.
First the service. We had two servers who were superb. I had no sooner
picked up a fork for my salad when another fork would magically appear
to replace it – before I had the opportunity to spear my first tomato.
Water glasses were kept topped off with “sparkling or still” and wine
was brought with each course. My only gripe is I wish they had told us
up front it was to be seven courses so I could have paced myself.
I’ll do my best on the blow by blow (and I have photos) but some of this
blends together in my mind. As each course was delivered, the head chef
would come to the head of the table and ask what we thought it was. He
would then describe the ingredients, how it was prepared and tips for
enjoying it (“Take each item individually then put a little of each on
your fork to see how the flavors interact”). Then a young lady would
step in and describe the wine that was served with each course, its
characteristics and why it was chosen to complement the food.
Ready? Here goes…
• Course 1: Popcorn soup with added caramel and a sugar stick. A cluster
of popcorn on the side with caramelized caramel (is there such a
thing?). This was accompanied by champagne. A lot of folks were curious
as to how Popcorn is liquefied. I was actually more incredulous as to
why someone would try. Ah, well. Someone had to be the first human to
eat lobster so… The soup was actually quite good and tasted just like…
popcorn.
• Course 2: Wine infused watermelon with prosciutto and goat cheese. Try
each alone then mix them together in a single bite. Excellent and served
with a chardonnay.
• Course 3: Cobb salad with bleu cheese gelato dressing. This salad
offered crispy pastrami to replace croutons. This was also served with a
chardonnay. Yes, that’s bleu cheese gelato which a lot of people wanted
to know how to make. We were encouraged to mix it around liberally to
keep the salad cold until finished. It worked. I don’t recall the wine
served with this course.
• Course 4: Lobster tail, a scallop and basmati rice. There were some
herbs mixed in there as well but my memory has faded. Served with a very
nice Riesling.
• Course 5: Chicken with shallots, garlic and herbs and micro-celery and
dumpling stuffed with… something I can’t remember. This was served with
a Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Course 6: Back to seafood with Grouper. It was served with a turnip,
roasted beet and a very tasty truffle cream sauce. Sea beans from the
ocean were used for saltiness (interesting and yes, they were naturally
salty). I don’t recall the wine served here.
• Course 7: Braised short rib and asparagus with a blueberry reduction
sauce. The wine served here wasn’t a wine at all but a Blue Moon Belgian
White Ale with orange slice. Yes, a beer instead of wine for this course
and, if I must say, an excellent choice.
• Course 8 (given to us as we exited): A Contemporary hard plastic water
cup, with straw, filled with iced coffee and Bailey’s Irish Cream. We
also received a silver metal latched food tote with ‘Chef’s Table at the
Contemporary’ and the date printed on one side and ‘Golden Oak’ on the
other, filled with candies and mini-pastries.
To say we “waddled out” would be an understatement. Everyone there was
effusive in their praise and appreciation for such a fine meal with such
exemplary service. My own score card shows at one point I had three
glasses of wine and a beer in front of me (got the photo as evidence) –
a personal best. But we’re not done yet.
We exited to find the rain had stopped and the skies cleared. I could
see stars overhead but still noticed a bit of lightening – albeit way
off on the horizon.
We boarded three pontoon boats at 9:15 and cruised Seven Seas Lagoon
before taking up a spot, amidst about a dozen other boats, for the 10:00
showing of Wishes. We chatted with the captain who gave us some Disney
trivia and we enjoyed the fireworks.
Back to the Contemporary and on to the bus for the trip home to the
Animal Kingdom Lodge. I did remember to pick up the Half-and-Half before
heading to the room.
I was back in the room and tucked in nicely by 11:30.
Things I Think I Think – I think I’m going to hate it when this party
ends. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten this well or enjoyed so many perks
before – and getting this at Disney World is Nirvana for a Disney fan. I
think I’m sorry Barb missed out on those two events yesterday – she
would have loved both. I think now I have a large wicker basket and a
metal container to somehow fit into my luggage for the trip home. I
think I may need to fast for three days when this trip ends.
--
Steve
Participants
• Steve –Me, my own self.
• Barb – The better half.
Animal Kingdom Lodge – Jambo House
Day Two, June 14, 2012 – They could have told me it was seven courses
I’m up before the wake-up call comes and brewing a single cup of coffee
in the provided Cuisanart. It’s like a Keurig but uses filtered pouches
of coffee rather than the K-cups. It has a right and left reservoir so
you can brew 2 cups at once. I have to resort to powdered creamer so I
make the mental note to buy some Half-and-Half when I return tonight. I
step out on the balcony and enjoy my coffee with two giraffes and a
couple of wildebeest. They’re on the savanna, not the balcony. Where
else can you… nah, you’ve heard me say that too many times.
The schedule has us meeting at the front door at 7:30 for transportation
to Golden Oak. I’m there at 7:20 and find Jack Spence is there and he
admits to suffering from the early-bird affliction. Naturally, several
people are late (there’s a pattern developing and we board the bus at
7:45). This bus seats about 30 people (there’s 20 or 21 of us total) and
must have just come out of the shrink wrap – the leather seating has
that new car smell.
Golden Oak is at the northeastern end of the property approximately 3
miles from the MAGIC KINGDOM. We make it to the Welcome center and, as
we enter, we’re greeted by servers offering iced coffee, hot coffee and
water. We take up positions around a topographical map of the area and
Page Pierce gives a high-level overview of the program and entertains
questions.
We next ventured out on a walking tour of three nearby homes. They’re
all completely constructed and furnished as models. We roam from room to
room, taking many, many photographs and asking questions. We probably
spent 90-minutes touring here. For some of the highlights, you can read
my article on MousePlanet (www.mouseplanet.com/10024/Golden_Oak) or
visit the official Web site at www.disneygoldenoak.com. I’ll also try to
include some of the photos in the link at the end of this report.
I’ll summarize by saying these homes epitomized luxury and offered some
features I had never before seen. A walk-in closet the size of a bedroom
with a special closet for ties was one. The use of today’s technology
was prolific. Something that interested me was that each home offered a
two-car garage with a third, slightly smaller garage door nearby. That
was for the golf cart.
Back on the bus and we were driven out to one of Golden Oak’s
“neighborhoods”. There are four: Kimball Trace, Silverbrook, Carolwood
and Carolwood Reserve. We visited Carolwood Reserve which has the
largest building lots at ¾ acre and will be home to the most expensive
and largest homes (approximately 7,000 sq. ft.). Along the way, we could
see some of the Four Seasons resort construction which is coming along
nicely.
The final tour was held in a single story home of 5900 sq. ft. There
were a few more Disney employees here joining us for a buffet breakfast,
spread from the kitchen (assorted fruits and cold cuts) to the patio
(omelet station and traditional breakfast items including Mickey
sausage). We also met and were able to ask questions of the builder here.
This is where I noticed a wall item labeled “LaunchPort” so I asked the
builder about it. You can plug in a laptop or tablet (USB connector? I
didn’t flip it open.) to program entertainment, lighting or security
features. He offered that you could then take an iPad to the patio and,
if the doorbell rang you could check the front door camera from your
iPad and, if needed, open the front door for a guest. This is not
groundbreaking technology but I love the way it was seamlessly
integrated into each home.
As we concluded the tour and breakfast, we gathered in the ample living
room, and were introduced to four of Disney’s official Tour Guides.
These are the folks that are used to usher celebrities around the parks
and are also available to the unwashed masses like me for the bargain
price of $300 per hour with a six-hour minimum. They’re distinctive in
white shirt, plaid vest and dark blue skirt or pants – although I’m not
certain I’ve ever seen one in the parks.
These folks introduced themselves and gave a little background of their
time with Disney. We then split up to join them in one of four identical
beige Chevrolet Suburbans for our trip to the parks. This was, in my
estimation, giving us a taste of a resident perk (complimentary
transportation to the parks) and a private tour guide, something the
wealthy may employ. From my perspective, it was a gift-wrapped horse and
I wasn’t counting teeth.
As we left, we were given a small bag of mixed nuts for a snack and a
small mister to fight the heat. I will say it took several of us more
than a few minutes to figure out the mister had to be pumped before it
would spray. I watched one fellow fumble with it for minutes and, as I
was about to show him how it’s done, his wife giggled and shooed me away
with “Let him suffer”.
Jack Spence and I quickly followed Melony to her vehicle and we joined a
caravan of Suburbans that brought us backstage at Epcot. I was not
allowed to take photos backstage but I’ll offer a few quick observations:
• They take security VERY seriously, evidenced by the hinged metal ramps
that are raised preventing entry until you’re approved;
• Backstage at Epcot actually wasn’t too bad presentation-wise – Magic
Kingdom, not so much;
• All the Food and Wine Festival booths are grouped together in one area
giving a look of “the carnival’s in town”;
• France’s Eiffel Tower looks pretty pathetic from the rear;
• Some buildings are actually themed from the rear as well (the American
Adventure actually looks pretty good).
We parked and were ushered in the back door near Soarin’. After a quick
restroom break, our Guides ushered us into the FastPass queue. They have
the ability to FastPass any attraction that offers it but must join the
regular FastPass line. Soarin’s Standby queue was 90-minutes and we were
on in about 15.
Back outside to the Suburbans and a quick drive around to the front of
the park – still backstage. We entered in an area near the restrooms and
walked to Spaceship Earth where we joined the regular Standby queue (30
minutes). There’s no FastPass at Spaceship Earth so even a Tour Guide
can’t get you on the ride any sooner.
Backstage again for another quick drive to the Wonders of Life pavilion.
We were brought upstairs to a private lounge and greeted by a guy in red
pants, jacket with tails, Mickey ears and a headset. He announced that
Beyonce and her entourage had arrived and then asked for a security
check on “the guy in the blue shirt” – that would be me.
The room had two lighted topiaries of Mickey and Minnie, 4 large tables
with beautiful centerpieces of multi-colored roses and a colorful
hidden-Mickey shape, a piano player playing Disney tunes and four buffet
stations. We were greeted with servers holding trays of Arnold Palmers
(iced tea and lemonade).
Again this was VIP service at its Disney-best. One of the stations had
the strangest thing I’ve ever seen. A CM was mixing various soups in
test tubes. The flavors were “Salad”, “Hot Yukon Gold” and the like. You
made a request, he mixed it with ingredients from a hand-held
contraption with multiple nozzles, and then you downed it like a
shooter. And it did taste like salad.
The other stations were more traditional and featured tenderloin sliders
(excellent – I went back for seconds), lobster aioli salad, tacos,
fruits, vegetables and much more. While we were eating, our MC (the guy
in the tails) twice peeked behind a curtain to tell someone to hold down
the racket.
Eventually, the curtain was open to reveal a kitchen, signed with
“Golden Oak Bakery”, manned by Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy,
Pluto, Chip and Dale. They introduced dessert with a dance number, led
by our talented MC. Once the show was over and dessert served, all eight
hung around for pictures and autographs. It turns out that this is one
of the events Barb was invited to attend and, indeed, one of our group
had her two children there with her. What a treat for them.
I managed to sneak to a corner of the room and call Barb – mainly to
gloat and let her know what she was missing. She forgave me.
After lunch it was back to the Suburbans for the ride to the MAGIC
KINGDOM. On this trip, Jack and I used the time to interrogate Melony on
what it’s like to be a Tour Guide. I learned that one of her celebrities
was Brian Urlacher – someone she didn’t know and was shocked to see how
much attention he drew in the parks. For that reason, many celebrities
are kept backstage as much as possible. To become a Tour Guide, a CM
spends a minimum of six months in Guest Relations. It requires getting
at least 80% on a 150-question test (sample questions include the
opening dates for all Disney theme parks). Before the written test,
however, is the killer – you must back into a parking space and parallel
park a 16-passenger van.
We again entered from backstage and walked through to Tomorrowland where
we were FastPassed into Space Mountain. Next up was a walk through
Fantasyland. I learned the new Little Mermaid ride is actually ready but
there’s no way to get the guests back there yet. Along the trip, Melony
was stopped several times by random guests with questions (how do I get
to Dumbo, where are the nearest restrooms…). I’m not sure I could be as
graceful as she during these constant interruptions. One guy actually
looked at me first and asked, “Do you work here?” I was wearing the
large name tag on a lanyard which may be why he thought that. I wanted
badly to respond, “Yes”, but directed him to Melony instead.
At this point, the hot and humid day had picked up some ominous clouds
and gusty winds. Jack is local and is used to this so he checked Doppler
on his iPhone and let us know the storm was north of us but heading in
our direction. We were making our way toward Haunted Mansion and stopped
by the Pinocchio Village Haus when a few of the ladies asked for a
restroom break. While we waited I felt the first few drops begin to fall.
When we finally regrouped, we quick-stepped to the Haunted Mansion and
just made our way under the canopy when the skies opened. It poured and
I learned there are several holes and imperfections in the canopy that
let in a steady stream of water. When the CMs asked us to fill in all
the available space, the crowd diverted around these areas.
I rode with Jack and we spent the ride with a lot of “Didja know…?” I
thik we each learned a few things. When we exited, the sun was peeking
out and the rain was little more than mist. Great timing.
Some of our group requested, and received permission for, a trip to DHS.
These were folks making their initial (or one of very few) trips to the
parks. A few of us were anxious to get back to the hotel for some
much-needed showers and a change before dinner.
I got my shower and a change of clothes and I watched more heavy rain
and wind on the savanna. It was amazing how little effect torrential
rains had on feeding giraffe. We were meeting at 6:30 out front and
thankfully, our bus was pulled up under the entrance – it was absolutely
pouring. Again, we waited about 15-minutes on the bus for one couple –
the same couple that was late last night and this morning. See a pattern
developing? This time it was “We were told the wrong time – I swear!”
even though we all got the same package with the same itinerary.
Tonight was dinner at the Chef’s Table at the Contemporary – something I
didn’t know existed. (I’ve since learned it can be booked through Disney
Events for groups up to about 20 – I have no idea of cost but I’m
betting it ain’t cheap.) That is to be followed by a Wishes fireworks
cruise. Our hosts were expressing concern about making the cruise due to
the inclement weather. The bus took us to the Contemporary and then
pulled in under the entrance to the Convention Center. We entered and
walked down a long hallway as a group and were greeted by two servers
offering orange juice.
We met up with Stacey, Page and a few other Disney folks One was a
Banquet Manager) and were led down a few more hallways. We were in the
bowels of the Contemporary – grey walls and concrete floors, unfinished
ceilings, not very attractive. We were then greeted by two more servers
offering champagne flutes filled with…er, champagne. We were then
ushered into the kitchen.
This was every bit what you would envision a kitchen in a large resort
hotel to look like. Lots of stainless steel and white-smocked and hatted
chefs milling about. I counted nine – seven chefs, a sous chef and a
head chef – all for us. In the open area in front were two tables,
angled like a chevron, each seating ten. The tables had lighted patterns
that changed colors during the meal (something I initially thought was
caused by my prodigious wine consumption).
We were seated and treated to what is possibly the best meal I’ve ever
had – or at least the most unique.
First the service. We had two servers who were superb. I had no sooner
picked up a fork for my salad when another fork would magically appear
to replace it – before I had the opportunity to spear my first tomato.
Water glasses were kept topped off with “sparkling or still” and wine
was brought with each course. My only gripe is I wish they had told us
up front it was to be seven courses so I could have paced myself.
I’ll do my best on the blow by blow (and I have photos) but some of this
blends together in my mind. As each course was delivered, the head chef
would come to the head of the table and ask what we thought it was. He
would then describe the ingredients, how it was prepared and tips for
enjoying it (“Take each item individually then put a little of each on
your fork to see how the flavors interact”). Then a young lady would
step in and describe the wine that was served with each course, its
characteristics and why it was chosen to complement the food.
Ready? Here goes…
• Course 1: Popcorn soup with added caramel and a sugar stick. A cluster
of popcorn on the side with caramelized caramel (is there such a
thing?). This was accompanied by champagne. A lot of folks were curious
as to how Popcorn is liquefied. I was actually more incredulous as to
why someone would try. Ah, well. Someone had to be the first human to
eat lobster so… The soup was actually quite good and tasted just like…
popcorn.
• Course 2: Wine infused watermelon with prosciutto and goat cheese. Try
each alone then mix them together in a single bite. Excellent and served
with a chardonnay.
• Course 3: Cobb salad with bleu cheese gelato dressing. This salad
offered crispy pastrami to replace croutons. This was also served with a
chardonnay. Yes, that’s bleu cheese gelato which a lot of people wanted
to know how to make. We were encouraged to mix it around liberally to
keep the salad cold until finished. It worked. I don’t recall the wine
served with this course.
• Course 4: Lobster tail, a scallop and basmati rice. There were some
herbs mixed in there as well but my memory has faded. Served with a very
nice Riesling.
• Course 5: Chicken with shallots, garlic and herbs and micro-celery and
dumpling stuffed with… something I can’t remember. This was served with
a Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Course 6: Back to seafood with Grouper. It was served with a turnip,
roasted beet and a very tasty truffle cream sauce. Sea beans from the
ocean were used for saltiness (interesting and yes, they were naturally
salty). I don’t recall the wine served here.
• Course 7: Braised short rib and asparagus with a blueberry reduction
sauce. The wine served here wasn’t a wine at all but a Blue Moon Belgian
White Ale with orange slice. Yes, a beer instead of wine for this course
and, if I must say, an excellent choice.
• Course 8 (given to us as we exited): A Contemporary hard plastic water
cup, with straw, filled with iced coffee and Bailey’s Irish Cream. We
also received a silver metal latched food tote with ‘Chef’s Table at the
Contemporary’ and the date printed on one side and ‘Golden Oak’ on the
other, filled with candies and mini-pastries.
To say we “waddled out” would be an understatement. Everyone there was
effusive in their praise and appreciation for such a fine meal with such
exemplary service. My own score card shows at one point I had three
glasses of wine and a beer in front of me (got the photo as evidence) –
a personal best. But we’re not done yet.
We exited to find the rain had stopped and the skies cleared. I could
see stars overhead but still noticed a bit of lightening – albeit way
off on the horizon.
We boarded three pontoon boats at 9:15 and cruised Seven Seas Lagoon
before taking up a spot, amidst about a dozen other boats, for the 10:00
showing of Wishes. We chatted with the captain who gave us some Disney
trivia and we enjoyed the fireworks.
Back to the Contemporary and on to the bus for the trip home to the
Animal Kingdom Lodge. I did remember to pick up the Half-and-Half before
heading to the room.
I was back in the room and tucked in nicely by 11:30.
Things I Think I Think – I think I’m going to hate it when this party
ends. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten this well or enjoyed so many perks
before – and getting this at Disney World is Nirvana for a Disney fan. I
think I’m sorry Barb missed out on those two events yesterday – she
would have loved both. I think now I have a large wicker basket and a
metal container to somehow fit into my luggage for the trip home. I
think I may need to fast for three days when this trip ends.
--
Steve
Lisa Cubbon
Jun 28, 2012, 3:58:20 PM6/28/12
to
sometimes..) and am really enjoying the detail. I want you to know that
if Barb can't make it to one of these, I can clear my schedule and take
her place if you know what I mean. Did I beat Keane to the request?
I would even provide my own paid for room!
I have seen these tour guides you speak of occasionally in the parks. I
do remember seeing Gary Sinese with his family, chatting away walking
from Toontown towards FantasyLand. He had a little blonde headed girl
tossed over his shoulder and it just looked like a family having a fun
day.
Thanks again.. Lisa
Rudeney
Jun 28, 2012, 4:27:31 PM6/28/12
to
Lisa Cubbon <cub...@bellsouth.net> wrote:
> Steve, I am reading these TRs slowly ( plus life gets in the way
> sometimes..) and am really enjoying the detail. I want you to know that
> if Barb can't make it to one of these, I can clear my schedule and take
> her place if you know what I mean. Did I beat Keane to the request? I
> would even provide my own paid for room!
>
Hey, take a number! Hmm, maybe we need to come up with a contest to see
> Steve, I am reading these TRs slowly ( plus life gets in the way
> sometimes..) and am really enjoying the detail. I want you to know that
> if Barb can't make it to one of these, I can clear my schedule and take
> her place if you know what I mean. Did I beat Keane to the request? I
> would even provide my own paid for room!
>
who gets the spot when Barb can't go. Anything but "where in WDW was this
photo take" because we all know who would win that every time.
--
- Rodney
Steve Russo
Jun 28, 2012, 6:35:28 PM6/28/12
to
horizon. The vast majority of the time, there are no frills at all. Pay
your own way - travel, rooms, meals, etc. and meet someone in a park for
an interview. Now... if that someone was Boom...
--
Steve
Rudeney
Jun 29, 2012, 9:24:06 AM6/29/12
to
shoulder, fearing the wrath of a certain guy in a green floppy hat...
--
- Rodney
Lisa Cubbon
Jun 30, 2012, 5:00:50 PM6/30/12
to
Lisa
Keane
Jul 1, 2012, 9:32:24 AM7/1/12
to
On Tue, 26 Jun 2012 05:29:33 -0400, Steve Russo <sru...@nycap.rr.com>
wrote:
>June 13-18, 2012
>Participants
>• Steve –Me, my own self.
>• Barb – The better half.
>
>Animal Kingdom Lodge – Jambo House
>
>Day Two, June 14, 2012 – They could have told me it was seven courses
>I’m up before the wake-up call comes and brewing a single cup of coffee
>in the provided Cuisanart. It’s like a Keurig but uses filtered pouches
>of coffee rather than the K-cups. It has a right and left reservoir so
>you can brew 2 cups at once. I have to resort to powdered creamer so I
>make the mental note to buy some Half-and-Half when I return tonight. I
>step out on the balcony and enjoy my coffee with two giraffes and a
>couple of wildebeest. They’re on the savanna, not the balcony. Where
>else can you… nah, you’ve heard me say that too many times.
They don't have real coffee makers in the room anymore?
Looks like I'm going to be forced to bring my own...
If they're ever on your balcony, I want pictures...
>The schedule has us meeting at the front door at 7:30 for transportation
>to Golden Oak. I’m there at 7:20 and find Jack Spence is there and he
>admits to suffering from the early-bird affliction. Naturally, several
>people are late (there’s a pattern developing and we board the bus at
>7:45). This bus seats about 30 people (there’s 20 or 21 of us total) and
>must have just come out of the shrink wrap – the leather seating has
>that new car smell.
Course. They wouldn't use just any old bus when trying to influence
the media...
>We next ventured out on a walking tour of three nearby homes. They’re
>all completely constructed and furnished as models. We roam from room to
>room, taking many, many photographs and asking questions. We probably
>spent 90-minutes touring here. For some of the highlights, you can read
>my article on MousePlanet (www.mouseplanet.com/10024/Golden_Oak) or
>visit the official Web site at www.disneygoldenoak.com. I’ll also try to
>include some of the photos in the link at the end of this report.
Okay. That answer one question. I was wondering if you were going to
tour occupied housing...
>I’ll summarize by saying these homes epitomized luxury and offered some
>features I had never before seen. A walk-in closet the size of a bedroom
>with a special closet for ties was one. The use of today’s technology
>was prolific. Something that interested me was that each home offered a
>two-car garage with a third, slightly smaller garage door nearby. That
>was for the golf cart.
Well, at least it wasn't the servant's entrance...
>The final tour was held in a single story home of 5900 sq. ft. There
>were a few more Disney employees here joining us for a buffet breakfast,
>spread from the kitchen (assorted fruits and cold cuts) to the patio
>(omelet station and traditional breakfast items including Mickey
>sausage). We also met and were able to ask questions of the builder here.
Boy, I hope the sausage was shaped like Mickey, and not...
(Well, pork sausage is made of pork...)
>This is where I noticed a wall item labeled “LaunchPort” so I asked the
>builder about it. You can plug in a laptop or tablet (USB connector? I
>didn’t flip it open.) to program entertainment, lighting or security
>features. He offered that you could then take an iPad to the patio and,
>if the doorbell rang you could check the front door camera from your
>iPad and, if needed, open the front door for a guest. This is not
>groundbreaking technology but I love the way it was seamlessly
>integrated into each home.
I would assume things like this are standard stuff on high-end homes
these days. Same with Ethernet/coax/maybe even fiber in the walls
like electricity.
>As we concluded the tour and breakfast, we gathered in the ample living
>room, and were introduced to four of Disney’s official Tour Guides.
>These are the folks that are used to usher celebrities around the parks
>and are also available to the unwashed masses like me for the bargain
>price of $300 per hour with a six-hour minimum. They’re distinctive in
>white shirt, plaid vest and dark blue skirt or pants – although I’m not
>certain I’ve ever seen one in the parks.
Katie:
http://keanespics.com/ThemeParks/TripReports/201112/201112WDW_1310P10091.htm
Caroline:
http://keanespics.com/ThemeParks/TripReports/201112/201112WDW_1321P10092.htm
Uh... Didn't catch her name:
http://keanespics.com/ThemeParks/TripReports/201112/201112WDW_1368P10093.htm
They're more than tour guides, they seem to be special purpose CM's.
These three were attached to the Cinderella Castle Suite. One is
always in the Concierge room, 24 hours a day when the suite is in
use.
>These folks introduced themselves and gave a little background of their
>time with Disney. We then split up to join them in one of four identical
>beige Chevrolet Suburbans for our trip to the parks. This was, in my
>estimation, giving us a taste of a resident perk (complimentary
>transportation to the parks) and a private tour guide, something the
>wealthy may employ. From my perspective, it was a gift-wrapped horse and
>I wasn’t counting teeth.
No kidding. Don't get used to it. :-)
>As we left, we were given a small bag of mixed nuts for a snack and a
>small mister to fight the heat. I will say it took several of us more
>than a few minutes to figure out the mister had to be pumped before it
>would spray. I watched one fellow fumble with it for minutes and, as I
>was about to show him how it’s done, his wife giggled and shooed me away
>with “Let him suffer”.
Wimmin. Sheesh.
>Jack Spence and I quickly followed Melony to her vehicle and we joined a
>caravan of Suburbans that brought us backstage at Epcot. I was not
>allowed to take photos backstage but I’ll offer a few quick observations:
>• They take security VERY seriously, evidenced by the hinged metal ramps
>that are raised preventing entry until you’re approved;
I would hope so. I understand getting into AA under the stage, for
instance, will kill you if you're in the wrong place.
>• All the Food and Wine Festival booths are grouped together in one area
>giving a look of “the carnival’s in town”;
Yeah, we learned a bit about this from Event Services, and the
permitting and hoops you have to jump through to get them show ready.
Didja see anything new?
>• France’s Eiffel Tower looks pretty pathetic from the rear;
Most things at Disney look pretty pathetic from the rear. Turn around
in Pirates and look behind you...
>• Some buildings are actually themed from the rear as well (the American
>Adventure actually looks pretty good).
Can it be seen from say, Crescent Lake? AA is a two stories taller
than any of the other structures in WS, so if it can be seen outside
the park, they will have finished it.
>We parked and were ushered in the back door near Soarin’. After a quick
>restroom break, our Guides ushered us into the FastPass queue. They have
>the ability to FastPass any attraction that offers it but must join the
>regular FastPass line. Soarin’s Standby queue was 90-minutes and we were
>on in about 15.
Was it the canopied area? That's where Behind the Seeds exits to
backstage. That little airlock between backstage and on-stage is
where Mom ran over my foot and made me bleed...
>Back outside to the Suburbans and a quick drive around to the front of
>the park – still backstage. We entered in an area near the restrooms and
>walked to Spaceship Earth where we joined the regular Standby queue (30
>minutes). There’s no FastPass at Spaceship Earth so even a Tour Guide
>can’t get you on the ride any sooner.
Sure they can. They can backdoor you from the exit like they do the
mobility impaired... Wonder why they don't...
>Backstage again for another quick drive to the Wonders of Life pavilion.
>We were brought upstairs to a private lounge and greeted by a guy in red
>pants, jacket with tails, Mickey ears and a headset. He announced that
>Beyonce and her entourage had arrived and then asked for a security
>check on “the guy in the blue shirt” – that would be me.
At least I'm glad to see Disney still has some common sense! :-)
How they get from one side of FW to the other? Around the parking
lots?
>The room had two lighted topiaries of Mickey and Minnie, 4 large tables
>with beautiful centerpieces of multi-colored roses and a colorful
>hidden-Mickey shape, a piano player playing Disney tunes and four buffet
>stations. We were greeted with servers holding trays of Arnold Palmers
>(iced tea and lemonade).
>
>Again this was VIP service at its Disney-best. One of the stations had
>the strangest thing I’ve ever seen. A CM was mixing various soups in
>test tubes. The flavors were “Salad”, “Hot Yukon Gold” and the like. You
>made a request, he mixed it with ingredients from a hand-held
>contraption with multiple nozzles, and then you downed it like a
>shooter. And it did taste like salad.
Wow. When I had access to Norway's, we got refreshments, but
none of the other perks.
>Eventually, the curtain was open to reveal a kitchen, signed with
>“Golden Oak Bakery”, manned by Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy,
>Pluto, Chip and Dale. They introduced dessert with a dance number, led
>by our talented MC. Once the show was over and dessert served, all eight
>hung around for pictures and autographs. It turns out that this is one
>of the events Barb was invited to attend and, indeed, one of our group
>had her two children there with her. What a treat for them.
I take it this isn't one of the perks a GO owner gets...
>I managed to sneak to a corner of the room and call Barb – mainly to
>gloat and let her know what she was missing. She forgave me.
Yeah! That's 'cause she was partying with you gone!
>After lunch it was back to the Suburbans for the ride to the MAGIC
>KINGDOM. On this trip, Jack and I used the time to interrogate Melony on
>what it’s like to be a Tour Guide. I learned that one of her celebrities
>was Brian Urlacher – someone she didn’t know and was shocked to see how
>much attention he drew in the parks.
Phhht. Ignorant swine...
> For that reason, many celebrities
>are kept backstage as much as possible. To become a Tour Guide, a CM
>spends a minimum of six months in Guest Relations. It requires getting
>at least 80% on a 150-question test (sample questions include the
>opening dates for all Disney theme parks). Before the written test,
>however, is the killer – you must back into a parking space and parallel
>park a 16-passenger van.
The tour guide chauffeurs too? Doesn't that require a Chaffer's
Driver's License? (Could be one of those Illinois things.)
>We again entered from backstage and walked through to Tomorrowland where
>we were FastPassed into Space Mountain. Next up was a walk through
>Fantasyland. I learned the new Little Mermaid ride is actually ready but
>there’s no way to get the guests back there yet. Along the trip, Melony
>was stopped several times by random guests with questions (how do I get
>to Dumbo, where are the nearest restrooms…). I’m not sure I could be as
>graceful as she during these constant interruptions. One guy actually
>looked at me first and asked, “Do you work here?” I was wearing the
>large name tag on a lanyard which may be why he thought that. I wanted
>badly to respond, “Yes”, but directed him to Melony instead.
Yes, the "You look semi-official so you must work here" problem. I've
humorously run into that.
>I rode with Jack and we spent the ride with a lot of “Didja know…?” I
>thik we each learned a few things.
Geeks.
> When we exited, the sun was peeking
>out and the rain was little more than mist. Great timing.
VIP services at WDW. Can't beat it.
>I got my shower and a change of clothes and I watched more heavy rain
>and wind on the savanna. It was amazing how little effect torrential
>rains had on feeding giraffe.
Lightning rods.
(What do you think the giraffes do in Africa? Head for the nearest
Hilton when it rains?)
>Tonight was dinner at the Chef’s Table at the Contemporary – something I
>didn’t know existed. (I’ve since learned it can be booked through Disney
>Events for groups up to about 20 – I have no idea of cost but I’m
>betting it ain’t cheap.) That is to be followed by a Wishes fireworks
>cruise. Our hosts were expressing concern about making the cruise due to
>the inclement weather. The bus took us to the Contemporary and then
>pulled in under the entrance to the Convention Center. We entered and
>walked down a long hallway as a group and were greeted by two servers
>offering orange juice.
Where in the Contemp is this? In the convention Center? Down by The
Wave?
>This was every bit what you would envision a kitchen in a large resort
>hotel to look like. Lots of stainless steel and white-smocked and hatted
>chefs milling about. I counted nine – seven chefs, a sous chef and a
>head chef – all for us. In the open area in front were two tables,
>angled like a chevron, each seating ten. The tables had lighted patterns
>that changed colors during the meal (something I initially thought was
>caused by my prodigious wine consumption).
Nine chefs for 20 people? Does Occupy Wall Street know about this?
(What restaurant did the kitchen serve? All of the table service
in the Contempt?)
>We were seated and treated to what is possibly the best meal I’ve ever
>had – or at least the most unique.
And quite possibly, the best meal you will ever have.
>First the service. We had two servers who were superb. I had no sooner
>picked up a fork for my salad when another fork would magically appear
>to replace it – before I had the opportunity to spear my first tomato.
>Water glasses were kept topped off with “sparkling or still” and wine
>was brought with each course.
I've been to a few places like this. Hated 'deem By the time you
were done with your meal, you felt like slapping hands and telling
the waiters to go away! :-)
I was at one when I smoked (maybe 30 years ago?), and you would
flick an ash into the ashtray, and someone would come with another
ashtray, cover the used one so ashes wouldn't blow out of the 'tray,
then place the unused one back in front of you. I think it was also
the first time I saw a menu without prices on it...
> My only gripe is I wish they had told us
>up front it was to be seven courses so I could have paced myself.
It wasn't in your press packet? (I hope you at least used a fork and
knife...)
>I’ll do my best on the blow by blow (and I have photos) but some of this
>blends together in my mind. As each course was delivered, the head chef
>would come to the head of the table and ask what we thought it was. He
>would then describe the ingredients, how it was prepared and tips for
>enjoying it (“Take each item individually then put a little of each on
>your fork to see how the flavors interact”). Then a young lady would
>step in and describe the wine that was served with each course, its
>characteristics and why it was chosen to complement the food.
Oh good. Guess your food. If you even come to Chicago, remind
me to take you to Moto...
>Ready? Here goes…
>
>• Course 1: Popcorn soup with added caramel and a sugar stick. A cluster
>of popcorn on the side with caramelized caramel (is there such a
>thing?).
Isn't a caramel by definition caramelized?
> This was accompanied by champagne. A lot of folks were curious
>as to how Popcorn is liquefied. I was actually more incredulous as to
>why someone would try. Ah, well. Someone had to be the first human to
>eat lobster so… The soup was actually quite good and tasted just like…
>popcorn.
Sure they take all the leftover popcorn from the parks... It's called
"cross-utilization". :-)
>• Course 3: Cobb salad with bleu cheese gelato dressing. This salad
>offered crispy pastrami to replace croutons. This was also served with a
>chardonnay. Yes, that’s bleu cheese gelato which a lot of people wanted
>to know how to make.
Ooooo. They even used the "Sophisticated" (ie. french) way of
spelling blue. (I suppose blue cheese by it's nature wouldn't be
hard turning into a gelato, but...)
> We were encouraged to mix it around liberally to
>keep the salad cold until finished. It worked. I don’t recall the wine
>served with this course.
Couldn't have been the previous courses and champagne, could it?
>• Course 4: Lobster tail, a scallop and basmati rice. There were some
>herbs mixed in there as well but my memory has faded. Served with a very
>nice Riesling.
Now *this* sounds delicious. Probably not something you can find in
the restaurants...
>• Course 6: Back to seafood with Grouper. It was served with a turnip,
>roasted beet and a very tasty truffle cream sauce. Sea beans from the
>ocean were used for saltiness (interesting and yes, they were naturally
>salty). I don’t recall the wine served here.
I see a pattern of memory loss here...
>• Course 7: Braised short rib and asparagus with a blueberry reduction
>sauce. The wine served here wasn’t a wine at all but a Blue Moon Belgian
>White Ale with orange slice. Yes, a beer instead of wine for this course
>and, if I must say, an excellent choice.
Blueberry reduction sauce? Really?
And no dessert? I would have like to have seen what they'd dream
up for desert...
>• Course 8 (given to us as we exited): A Contemporary hard plastic water
>cup, with straw, filled with iced coffee and Bailey’s Irish Cream. We
>also received a silver metal latched food tote with ‘Chef’s Table at the
>Contemporary’ and the date printed on one side and ‘Golden Oak’ on the
>other, filled with candies and mini-pastries.
Very nice. So, what would you say you would have paid for such a
meal, if one was a mere mortal instead of an all-powerful media
figure?
And as much as you might think I'd like a meal like this, I
definately wouldn't pay for something like this. It's not sour
grapes, but it does have to do *with* the grapes. Just not
a wine person, so all the pairings would be lost on me.
I do like some whites, but I just can't handle the astringent
reds... I don't physically react well with them... Might be
some alergy, never looked into it.
But given what you paid, I'd eat all the food! :-)
>We boarded three pontoon boats at 9:15 and cruised Seven Seas Lagoon
>before taking up a spot, amidst about a dozen other boats, for the 10:00
>showing of Wishes. We chatted with the captain who gave us some Disney
>trivia and we enjoyed the fireworks.
I assume they pipe the audio into the boats. Where do the boats line
up? Do they anchor? (Just wondering how they keep the boats from
drifting.)
>Back to the Contemporary and on to the bus for the trip home to the
>Animal Kingdom Lodge. I did remember to pick up the Half-and-Half before
>heading to the room.
You know, you can go to the Mara and grab a few...
>Things I Think I Think – I think I’m going to hate it when this party
>ends. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten this well or enjoyed so many perks
>before – and getting this at Disney World is Nirvana for a Disney fan. I
>think I’m sorry Barb missed out on those two events yesterday – she
>would have loved both. I think now I have a large wicker basket and a
>metal container to somehow fit into my luggage for the trip home. I
>think I may need to fast for three days when this trip ends.
After all the alcohol, you think three days is enough?
Well, at least we know how the other half lives now. :-)
Keane
--
This message originated on the Usenet group
rec.arts.disney.parks. See RADP.org for more info.
When stars are born, They possess a gift or two,
One of them is this, They have the power to make a wish come true...
-- Wishes Visit my site: http://keanespics.com
wrote:
>June 13-18, 2012
>Participants
>• Steve –Me, my own self.
>• Barb – The better half.
>
>Animal Kingdom Lodge – Jambo House
>
>Day Two, June 14, 2012 – They could have told me it was seven courses
>I’m up before the wake-up call comes and brewing a single cup of coffee
>in the provided Cuisanart. It’s like a Keurig but uses filtered pouches
>of coffee rather than the K-cups. It has a right and left reservoir so
>you can brew 2 cups at once. I have to resort to powdered creamer so I
>make the mental note to buy some Half-and-Half when I return tonight. I
>step out on the balcony and enjoy my coffee with two giraffes and a
>couple of wildebeest. They’re on the savanna, not the balcony. Where
>else can you… nah, you’ve heard me say that too many times.
Looks like I'm going to be forced to bring my own...
If they're ever on your balcony, I want pictures...
>The schedule has us meeting at the front door at 7:30 for transportation
>to Golden Oak. I’m there at 7:20 and find Jack Spence is there and he
>admits to suffering from the early-bird affliction. Naturally, several
>people are late (there’s a pattern developing and we board the bus at
>7:45). This bus seats about 30 people (there’s 20 or 21 of us total) and
>must have just come out of the shrink wrap – the leather seating has
>that new car smell.
the media...
>We next ventured out on a walking tour of three nearby homes. They’re
>all completely constructed and furnished as models. We roam from room to
>room, taking many, many photographs and asking questions. We probably
>spent 90-minutes touring here. For some of the highlights, you can read
>my article on MousePlanet (www.mouseplanet.com/10024/Golden_Oak) or
>visit the official Web site at www.disneygoldenoak.com. I’ll also try to
>include some of the photos in the link at the end of this report.
tour occupied housing...
>I’ll summarize by saying these homes epitomized luxury and offered some
>features I had never before seen. A walk-in closet the size of a bedroom
>with a special closet for ties was one. The use of today’s technology
>was prolific. Something that interested me was that each home offered a
>two-car garage with a third, slightly smaller garage door nearby. That
>was for the golf cart.
>The final tour was held in a single story home of 5900 sq. ft. There
>were a few more Disney employees here joining us for a buffet breakfast,
>spread from the kitchen (assorted fruits and cold cuts) to the patio
>(omelet station and traditional breakfast items including Mickey
>sausage). We also met and were able to ask questions of the builder here.
(Well, pork sausage is made of pork...)
>This is where I noticed a wall item labeled “LaunchPort” so I asked the
>builder about it. You can plug in a laptop or tablet (USB connector? I
>didn’t flip it open.) to program entertainment, lighting or security
>features. He offered that you could then take an iPad to the patio and,
>if the doorbell rang you could check the front door camera from your
>iPad and, if needed, open the front door for a guest. This is not
>groundbreaking technology but I love the way it was seamlessly
>integrated into each home.
these days. Same with Ethernet/coax/maybe even fiber in the walls
like electricity.
>As we concluded the tour and breakfast, we gathered in the ample living
>room, and were introduced to four of Disney’s official Tour Guides.
>These are the folks that are used to usher celebrities around the parks
>and are also available to the unwashed masses like me for the bargain
>price of $300 per hour with a six-hour minimum. They’re distinctive in
>white shirt, plaid vest and dark blue skirt or pants – although I’m not
>certain I’ve ever seen one in the parks.
http://keanespics.com/ThemeParks/TripReports/201112/201112WDW_1310P10091.htm
Caroline:
http://keanespics.com/ThemeParks/TripReports/201112/201112WDW_1321P10092.htm
Uh... Didn't catch her name:
http://keanespics.com/ThemeParks/TripReports/201112/201112WDW_1368P10093.htm
They're more than tour guides, they seem to be special purpose CM's.
These three were attached to the Cinderella Castle Suite. One is
always in the Concierge room, 24 hours a day when the suite is in
use.
>These folks introduced themselves and gave a little background of their
>time with Disney. We then split up to join them in one of four identical
>beige Chevrolet Suburbans for our trip to the parks. This was, in my
>estimation, giving us a taste of a resident perk (complimentary
>transportation to the parks) and a private tour guide, something the
>wealthy may employ. From my perspective, it was a gift-wrapped horse and
>I wasn’t counting teeth.
>As we left, we were given a small bag of mixed nuts for a snack and a
>small mister to fight the heat. I will say it took several of us more
>than a few minutes to figure out the mister had to be pumped before it
>would spray. I watched one fellow fumble with it for minutes and, as I
>was about to show him how it’s done, his wife giggled and shooed me away
>with “Let him suffer”.
>Jack Spence and I quickly followed Melony to her vehicle and we joined a
>caravan of Suburbans that brought us backstage at Epcot. I was not
>allowed to take photos backstage but I’ll offer a few quick observations:
>• They take security VERY seriously, evidenced by the hinged metal ramps
>that are raised preventing entry until you’re approved;
instance, will kill you if you're in the wrong place.
>• All the Food and Wine Festival booths are grouped together in one area
>giving a look of “the carnival’s in town”;
permitting and hoops you have to jump through to get them show ready.
Didja see anything new?
>• France’s Eiffel Tower looks pretty pathetic from the rear;
in Pirates and look behind you...
>• Some buildings are actually themed from the rear as well (the American
>Adventure actually looks pretty good).
than any of the other structures in WS, so if it can be seen outside
the park, they will have finished it.
>We parked and were ushered in the back door near Soarin’. After a quick
>restroom break, our Guides ushered us into the FastPass queue. They have
>the ability to FastPass any attraction that offers it but must join the
>regular FastPass line. Soarin’s Standby queue was 90-minutes and we were
>on in about 15.
backstage. That little airlock between backstage and on-stage is
where Mom ran over my foot and made me bleed...
>Back outside to the Suburbans and a quick drive around to the front of
>the park – still backstage. We entered in an area near the restrooms and
>walked to Spaceship Earth where we joined the regular Standby queue (30
>minutes). There’s no FastPass at Spaceship Earth so even a Tour Guide
>can’t get you on the ride any sooner.
mobility impaired... Wonder why they don't...
>Backstage again for another quick drive to the Wonders of Life pavilion.
>We were brought upstairs to a private lounge and greeted by a guy in red
>pants, jacket with tails, Mickey ears and a headset. He announced that
>Beyonce and her entourage had arrived and then asked for a security
>check on “the guy in the blue shirt” – that would be me.
How they get from one side of FW to the other? Around the parking
lots?
>The room had two lighted topiaries of Mickey and Minnie, 4 large tables
>with beautiful centerpieces of multi-colored roses and a colorful
>hidden-Mickey shape, a piano player playing Disney tunes and four buffet
>stations. We were greeted with servers holding trays of Arnold Palmers
>(iced tea and lemonade).
>
>Again this was VIP service at its Disney-best. One of the stations had
>the strangest thing I’ve ever seen. A CM was mixing various soups in
>test tubes. The flavors were “Salad”, “Hot Yukon Gold” and the like. You
>made a request, he mixed it with ingredients from a hand-held
>contraption with multiple nozzles, and then you downed it like a
>shooter. And it did taste like salad.
none of the other perks.
>Eventually, the curtain was open to reveal a kitchen, signed with
>“Golden Oak Bakery”, manned by Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy,
>Pluto, Chip and Dale. They introduced dessert with a dance number, led
>by our talented MC. Once the show was over and dessert served, all eight
>hung around for pictures and autographs. It turns out that this is one
>of the events Barb was invited to attend and, indeed, one of our group
>had her two children there with her. What a treat for them.
>I managed to sneak to a corner of the room and call Barb – mainly to
>gloat and let her know what she was missing. She forgave me.
>After lunch it was back to the Suburbans for the ride to the MAGIC
>KINGDOM. On this trip, Jack and I used the time to interrogate Melony on
>what it’s like to be a Tour Guide. I learned that one of her celebrities
>was Brian Urlacher – someone she didn’t know and was shocked to see how
>much attention he drew in the parks.
> For that reason, many celebrities
>are kept backstage as much as possible. To become a Tour Guide, a CM
>spends a minimum of six months in Guest Relations. It requires getting
>at least 80% on a 150-question test (sample questions include the
>opening dates for all Disney theme parks). Before the written test,
>however, is the killer – you must back into a parking space and parallel
>park a 16-passenger van.
Driver's License? (Could be one of those Illinois things.)
>We again entered from backstage and walked through to Tomorrowland where
>we were FastPassed into Space Mountain. Next up was a walk through
>Fantasyland. I learned the new Little Mermaid ride is actually ready but
>there’s no way to get the guests back there yet. Along the trip, Melony
>was stopped several times by random guests with questions (how do I get
>to Dumbo, where are the nearest restrooms…). I’m not sure I could be as
>graceful as she during these constant interruptions. One guy actually
>looked at me first and asked, “Do you work here?” I was wearing the
>large name tag on a lanyard which may be why he thought that. I wanted
>badly to respond, “Yes”, but directed him to Melony instead.
humorously run into that.
>I rode with Jack and we spent the ride with a lot of “Didja know…?” I
>thik we each learned a few things.
> When we exited, the sun was peeking
>out and the rain was little more than mist. Great timing.
>I got my shower and a change of clothes and I watched more heavy rain
>and wind on the savanna. It was amazing how little effect torrential
>rains had on feeding giraffe.
(What do you think the giraffes do in Africa? Head for the nearest
Hilton when it rains?)
>Tonight was dinner at the Chef’s Table at the Contemporary – something I
>didn’t know existed. (I’ve since learned it can be booked through Disney
>Events for groups up to about 20 – I have no idea of cost but I’m
>betting it ain’t cheap.) That is to be followed by a Wishes fireworks
>cruise. Our hosts were expressing concern about making the cruise due to
>the inclement weather. The bus took us to the Contemporary and then
>pulled in under the entrance to the Convention Center. We entered and
>walked down a long hallway as a group and were greeted by two servers
>offering orange juice.
Wave?
>This was every bit what you would envision a kitchen in a large resort
>hotel to look like. Lots of stainless steel and white-smocked and hatted
>chefs milling about. I counted nine – seven chefs, a sous chef and a
>head chef – all for us. In the open area in front were two tables,
>angled like a chevron, each seating ten. The tables had lighted patterns
>that changed colors during the meal (something I initially thought was
>caused by my prodigious wine consumption).
(What restaurant did the kitchen serve? All of the table service
in the Contempt?)
>We were seated and treated to what is possibly the best meal I’ve ever
>had – or at least the most unique.
>First the service. We had two servers who were superb. I had no sooner
>picked up a fork for my salad when another fork would magically appear
>to replace it – before I had the opportunity to spear my first tomato.
>Water glasses were kept topped off with “sparkling or still” and wine
>was brought with each course.
were done with your meal, you felt like slapping hands and telling
the waiters to go away! :-)
I was at one when I smoked (maybe 30 years ago?), and you would
flick an ash into the ashtray, and someone would come with another
ashtray, cover the used one so ashes wouldn't blow out of the 'tray,
then place the unused one back in front of you. I think it was also
the first time I saw a menu without prices on it...
> My only gripe is I wish they had told us
>up front it was to be seven courses so I could have paced myself.
knife...)
>I’ll do my best on the blow by blow (and I have photos) but some of this
>blends together in my mind. As each course was delivered, the head chef
>would come to the head of the table and ask what we thought it was. He
>would then describe the ingredients, how it was prepared and tips for
>enjoying it (“Take each item individually then put a little of each on
>your fork to see how the flavors interact”). Then a young lady would
>step in and describe the wine that was served with each course, its
>characteristics and why it was chosen to complement the food.
me to take you to Moto...
>Ready? Here goes…
>
>• Course 1: Popcorn soup with added caramel and a sugar stick. A cluster
>of popcorn on the side with caramelized caramel (is there such a
>thing?).
> This was accompanied by champagne. A lot of folks were curious
>as to how Popcorn is liquefied. I was actually more incredulous as to
>why someone would try. Ah, well. Someone had to be the first human to
>eat lobster so… The soup was actually quite good and tasted just like…
>popcorn.
"cross-utilization". :-)
>• Course 3: Cobb salad with bleu cheese gelato dressing. This salad
>offered crispy pastrami to replace croutons. This was also served with a
>chardonnay. Yes, that’s bleu cheese gelato which a lot of people wanted
>to know how to make.
spelling blue. (I suppose blue cheese by it's nature wouldn't be
hard turning into a gelato, but...)
> We were encouraged to mix it around liberally to
>keep the salad cold until finished. It worked. I don’t recall the wine
>served with this course.
>• Course 4: Lobster tail, a scallop and basmati rice. There were some
>herbs mixed in there as well but my memory has faded. Served with a very
>nice Riesling.
the restaurants...
>• Course 6: Back to seafood with Grouper. It was served with a turnip,
>roasted beet and a very tasty truffle cream sauce. Sea beans from the
>ocean were used for saltiness (interesting and yes, they were naturally
>salty). I don’t recall the wine served here.
>• Course 7: Braised short rib and asparagus with a blueberry reduction
>sauce. The wine served here wasn’t a wine at all but a Blue Moon Belgian
>White Ale with orange slice. Yes, a beer instead of wine for this course
>and, if I must say, an excellent choice.
And no dessert? I would have like to have seen what they'd dream
up for desert...
>• Course 8 (given to us as we exited): A Contemporary hard plastic water
>cup, with straw, filled with iced coffee and Bailey’s Irish Cream. We
>also received a silver metal latched food tote with ‘Chef’s Table at the
>Contemporary’ and the date printed on one side and ‘Golden Oak’ on the
>other, filled with candies and mini-pastries.
meal, if one was a mere mortal instead of an all-powerful media
figure?
And as much as you might think I'd like a meal like this, I
definately wouldn't pay for something like this. It's not sour
grapes, but it does have to do *with* the grapes. Just not
a wine person, so all the pairings would be lost on me.
I do like some whites, but I just can't handle the astringent
reds... I don't physically react well with them... Might be
some alergy, never looked into it.
But given what you paid, I'd eat all the food! :-)
>We boarded three pontoon boats at 9:15 and cruised Seven Seas Lagoon
>before taking up a spot, amidst about a dozen other boats, for the 10:00
>showing of Wishes. We chatted with the captain who gave us some Disney
>trivia and we enjoyed the fireworks.
up? Do they anchor? (Just wondering how they keep the boats from
drifting.)
>Back to the Contemporary and on to the bus for the trip home to the
>Animal Kingdom Lodge. I did remember to pick up the Half-and-Half before
>heading to the room.
>Things I Think I Think – I think I’m going to hate it when this party
>ends. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten this well or enjoyed so many perks
>before – and getting this at Disney World is Nirvana for a Disney fan. I
>think I’m sorry Barb missed out on those two events yesterday – she
>would have loved both. I think now I have a large wicker basket and a
>metal container to somehow fit into my luggage for the trip home. I
>think I may need to fast for three days when this trip ends.
Well, at least we know how the other half lives now. :-)
Keane
--
This message originated on the Usenet group
rec.arts.disney.parks. See RADP.org for more info.
When stars are born, They possess a gift or two,
One of them is this, They have the power to make a wish come true...
-- Wishes Visit my site: http://keanespics.com
Steve Russo
Jul 1, 2012, 10:44:43 AM7/1/12
to
On 7/1/2012 9:32 AM, Keane wrote:
>
> They don't have real coffee makers in the room anymore?
> Looks like I'm going to be forced to bring my own...
This is the first time I've seen these so I can't say if it was just my
>
> They don't have real coffee makers in the room anymore?
> Looks like I'm going to be forced to bring my own...
room, Jambo, AKL or property-wide. I like 2 cups in the morning so I was
concerned but these things brewed a fairly good cup of coffee in about
60 seconds so no problems.
>> The schedule has us meeting at the front door at 7:30 for transportation
>> to Golden Oak. I’m there at 7:20 and find Jack Spence is there and he
>> admits to suffering from the early-bird affliction. Naturally, several
>> people are late (there’s a pattern developing and we board the bus at
>> 7:45). This bus seats about 30 people (there’s 20 or 21 of us total) and
>> must have just come out of the shrink wrap – the leather seating has
>> that new car smell.
>
> Course. They wouldn't use just any old bus when trying to influence
> the media...
>> The final tour was held in a single story home of 5900 sq. ft. There
>> were a few more Disney employees here joining us for a buffet breakfast,
>> spread from the kitchen (assorted fruits and cold cuts) to the patio
>> (omelet station and traditional breakfast items including Mickey
>> sausage). We also met and were able to ask questions of the builder here.
>
> Boy, I hope the sausage was shaped like Mickey, and not...
> (Well, pork sausage is made of pork...)
>
>> This is where I noticed a wall item labeled “LaunchPort” so I asked the
>> builder about it. You can plug in a laptop or tablet (USB connector? I
>> didn’t flip it open.) to program entertainment, lighting or security
>> features. He offered that you could then take an iPad to the patio and,
>> if the doorbell rang you could check the front door camera from your
>> iPad and, if needed, open the front door for a guest. This is not
>> groundbreaking technology but I love the way it was seamlessly
>> integrated into each home.
>
> I would assume things like this are standard stuff on high-end homes
> these days. Same with Ethernet/coax/maybe even fiber in the walls
> like electricity.
plumbing fascinates me.
>> These folks introduced themselves and gave a little background of their
>> time with Disney. We then split up to join them in one of four identical
>> beige Chevrolet Suburbans for our trip to the parks. This was, in my
>> estimation, giving us a taste of a resident perk (complimentary
>> transportation to the parks) and a private tour guide, something the
>> wealthy may employ. From my perspective, it was a gift-wrapped horse and
>> I wasn’t counting teeth.
>
> No kidding. Don't get used to it. :-)
>
>> • All the Food and Wine Festival booths are grouped together in one area
>> giving a look of “the carnival’s in town”;
>
> Yeah, we learned a bit about this from Event Services, and the
> permitting and hoops you have to jump through to get them show ready.
> Didja see anything new?
>
>> • France’s Eiffel Tower looks pretty pathetic from the rear;
>
> Most things at Disney look pretty pathetic from the rear. Turn around
> in Pirates and look behind you...
>
>> • Some buildings are actually themed from the rear as well (the American
>> Adventure actually looks pretty good).
>
> Can it be seen from say, Crescent Lake? AA is a two stories taller
> than any of the other structures in WS, so if it can be seen outside
> the park, they will have finished it.
>
>> We parked and were ushered in the back door near Soarin’. After a quick
>> restroom break, our Guides ushered us into the FastPass queue. They have
>> the ability to FastPass any attraction that offers it but must join the
>> regular FastPass line. Soarin’s Standby queue was 90-minutes and we were
>> on in about 15.
>
> Was it the canopied area? That's where Behind the Seeds exits to
> backstage. That little airlock between backstage and on-stage is
> where Mom ran over my foot and made me bleed...
>> Backstage again for another quick drive to the Wonders of Life pavilion.
>> We were brought upstairs to a private lounge and greeted by a guy in red
>> pants, jacket with tails, Mickey ears and a headset. He announced that
>> Beyonce and her entourage had arrived and then asked for a security
>> check on “the guy in the blue shirt” – that would be me.
>
> At least I'm glad to see Disney still has some common sense! :-)
> How they get from one side of FW to the other? Around the parking
> lots?
>
>> Eventually, the curtain was open to reveal a kitchen, signed with
>> “Golden Oak Bakery”, manned by Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy,
>> Pluto, Chip and Dale. They introduced dessert with a dance number, led
>> by our talented MC. Once the show was over and dessert served, all eight
>> hung around for pictures and autographs. It turns out that this is one
>> of the events Barb was invited to attend and, indeed, one of our group
>> had her two children there with her. What a treat for them.
>
> I take it this isn't one of the perks a GO owner gets...
>
>> Tonight was dinner at the Chef’s Table at the Contemporary – something I
>> didn’t know existed. (I’ve since learned it can be booked through Disney
>> Events for groups up to about 20 – I have no idea of cost but I’m
>> betting it ain’t cheap.) That is to be followed by a Wishes fireworks
>> cruise. Our hosts were expressing concern about making the cruise due to
>> the inclement weather. The bus took us to the Contemporary and then
>> pulled in under the entrance to the Convention Center. We entered and
>> walked down a long hallway as a group and were greeted by two servers
>> offering orange juice.
>
> Where in the Contemp is this? In the convention Center? Down by The
> Wave?
- two were OK for the public but the third was definitely a back stage
area. That's where the kitchen was. I'm not sure if we were still in the
CC or walked far enough to be in the basement of the Contemporary.
>
>
>> This was every bit what you would envision a kitchen in a large resort
>> hotel to look like. Lots of stainless steel and white-smocked and hatted
>> chefs milling about. I counted nine – seven chefs, a sous chef and a
>> head chef – all for us. In the open area in front were two tables,
>> angled like a chevron, each seating ten. The tables had lighted patterns
>> that changed colors during the meal (something I initially thought was
>> caused by my prodigious wine consumption).
>
> Nine chefs for 20 people? Does Occupy Wall Street know about this?
>
> (What restaurant did the kitchen serve? All of the table service
> in the Contempt?)
dinners, etc. I could be wrong.
>
>> We were seated and treated to what is possibly the best meal I’ve ever
>> had – or at least the most unique.
>
> And quite possibly, the best meal you will ever have.
were pretty darn good - but not very unique.
>> My only gripe is I wish they had told us
>> up front it was to be seven courses so I could have paced myself.
>
> It wasn't in your press packet?
(I hope you at least used a fork and
> knife...)
>> • Course 3: Cobb salad with bleu cheese gelato dressing. This salad
>> offered crispy pastrami to replace croutons. This was also served with a
>> chardonnay. Yes, that’s bleu cheese gelato which a lot of people wanted
>> to know how to make.
>
> Ooooo. They even used the "Sophisticated" (ie. french) way of
> spelling blue. (I suppose blue cheese by it's nature wouldn't be
> hard turning into a gelato, but...)
>
>> We were encouraged to mix it around liberally to
>> keep the salad cold until finished. It worked. I don’t recall the wine
>> served with this course.
>
> Couldn't have been the previous courses and champagne, could it?
>
>> • Course 4: Lobster tail, a scallop and basmati rice. There were some
>> herbs mixed in there as well but my memory has faded. Served with a very
>> nice Riesling.
>
> Now *this* sounds delicious. Probably not something you can find in
> the restaurants...
>
>
>> • Course 6: Back to seafood with Grouper. It was served with a turnip,
>> roasted beet and a very tasty truffle cream sauce. Sea beans from the
>> ocean were used for saltiness (interesting and yes, they were naturally
>> salty). I don’t recall the wine served here.
>
> I see a pattern of memory loss here...
>
>> • Course 7: Braised short rib and asparagus with a blueberry reduction
>> sauce. The wine served here wasn’t a wine at all but a Blue Moon Belgian
>> White Ale with orange slice. Yes, a beer instead of wine for this course
>> and, if I must say, an excellent choice.
>
> Blueberry reduction sauce? Really?
>
> And no dessert? I would have like to have seen what they'd dream
> up for desert...
>
>> • Course 8 (given to us as we exited): A Contemporary hard plastic water
>> cup, with straw, filled with iced coffee and Bailey’s Irish Cream. We
>> also received a silver metal latched food tote with ‘Chef’s Table at the
>> Contemporary’ and the date printed on one side and ‘Golden Oak’ on the
>> other, filled with candies and mini-pastries.
>
> Very nice. So, what would you say you would have paid for such a
> meal, if one was a mere mortal instead of an all-powerful media
> figure?
range. With the wine pairings, probably closer to $200.
>
> And as much as you might think I'd like a meal like this, I
> definately wouldn't pay for something like this. It's not sour
> grapes, but it does have to do *with* the grapes. Just not
> a wine person, so all the pairings would be lost on me.
>
> I do like some whites, but I just can't handle the astringent
> reds... I don't physically react well with them... Might be
> some alergy, never looked into it.
>
> But given what you paid, I'd eat all the food! :-)
>
>> We boarded three pontoon boats at 9:15 and cruised Seven Seas Lagoon
>> before taking up a spot, amidst about a dozen other boats, for the 10:00
>> showing of Wishes. We chatted with the captain who gave us some Disney
>> trivia and we enjoyed the fireworks.
>
> I assume they pipe the audio into the boats. Where do the boats line
> up? Do they anchor? (Just wondering how they keep the boats from
> drifting.)
facing the MK, maybe 100-150 yards from the shore. The drivers keep them
positioned with occasional movement using the motor. It's infrequent and
I didn't find it distracting.
>
>> Back to the Contemporary and on to the bus for the trip home to the
>> Animal Kingdom Lodge. I did remember to pick up the Half-and-Half before
>> heading to the room.
>
> You know, you can go to the Mara and grab a few...
>
>> Things I Think I Think – I think I’m going to hate it when this party
>> ends. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten this well or enjoyed so many perks
>> before – and getting this at Disney World is Nirvana for a Disney fan. I
>> think I’m sorry Barb missed out on those two events yesterday – she
>> would have loved both. I think now I have a large wicker basket and a
>> metal container to somehow fit into my luggage for the trip home. I
>> think I may need to fast for three days when this trip ends.
>
> After all the alcohol, you think three days is enough?
>
> Well, at least we know how the other half lives now. :-)
--
Steve
Rudeney
Jul 2, 2012, 9:30:15 AM7/2/12
to
Keane <ke...@keanespics.com> wrote:
> On Tue, 26 Jun 2012 05:29:33 -0400, Steve Russo <sru...@nycap.rr.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>> For that reason, many celebrities
>> are kept backstage as much as possible. To become a Tour Guide, a CM
>> spends a minimum of six months in Guest Relations. It requires getting
>> at least 80% on a 150-question test (sample questions include the
>> opening dates for all Disney theme parks). Before the written test,
>> however, is the killer – you must back into a parking space and parallel
>> park a 16-passenger van.
>
> The tour guide chauffeurs too? Doesn't that require a Chaffer's
> Driver's License? (Could be one of those Illinois things.)
I didn't realize chaffing required a license anywhere :-)
> On Tue, 26 Jun 2012 05:29:33 -0400, Steve Russo <sru...@nycap.rr.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>> For that reason, many celebrities
>> are kept backstage as much as possible. To become a Tour Guide, a CM
>> spends a minimum of six months in Guest Relations. It requires getting
>> at least 80% on a 150-question test (sample questions include the
>> opening dates for all Disney theme parks). Before the written test,
>> however, is the killer – you must back into a parking space and parallel
>> park a 16-passenger van.
>
> The tour guide chauffeurs too? Doesn't that require a Chaffer's
> Driver's License? (Could be one of those Illinois things.)
>> We again entered from backstage and walked through to Tomorrowland where
>> we were FastPassed into Space Mountain. Next up was a walk through
>> Fantasyland. I learned the new Little Mermaid ride is actually ready but
>> there’s no way to get the guests back there yet. Along the trip, Melony
>> was stopped several times by random guests with questions (how do I get
>> to Dumbo, where are the nearest restrooms…). I’m not sure I could be as
>> graceful as she during these constant interruptions. One guy actually
>> looked at me first and asked, “Do you work here?” I was wearing the
>> large name tag on a lanyard which may be why he thought that. I wanted
>> badly to respond, “Yes”, but directed him to Melony instead.
>
> Yes, the "You look semi-official so you must work here" problem. I've
> humorously run into that.
shorts, a t-shirt and a floppy green hat.
> And as much as you might think I'd like a meal like this, I
> definately wouldn't pay for something like this. It's not sour
> grapes, but it does have to do *with* the grapes. Just not
> a wine person, so all the pairings would be lost on me.
>
> I do like some whites, but I just can't handle the astringent
> reds... I don't physically react well with them... Might be
> some alergy, never looked into it.
do have to learn to do it properly. It's only one part of the tongue that
can properly taste a red, and it's enhanced by drawing air across the wine
on your tongue so the alcohol properly infuses the flavors. Some people do
the "fish mouth" to get it right, but with practice, you can do it without
looking like you're having some sort of spasm.
> Well, at least we know how the other half lives now. :-)
--
- Rodney
Keane
Jul 3, 2012, 8:17:21 AM7/3/12
to
On Sun, 01 Jul 2012 10:44:43 -0400, Steve Russo <sru...@nycap.rr.com>
wrote:
>On 7/1/2012 9:32 AM, Keane wrote:
>
>>
>> They don't have real coffee makers in the room anymore?
>> Looks like I'm going to be forced to bring my own...
>
>This is the first time I've seen these so I can't say if it was just my
>room, Jambo, AKL or property-wide. I like 2 cups in the morning so I was
>concerned but these things brewed a fairly good cup of coffee in about
>60 seconds so no problems.
They used to have 4-cup makers in all the deluxes.
>>> The schedule has us meeting at the front door at 7:30 for transportation
>>> to Golden Oak. I’m there at 7:20 and find Jack Spence is there and he
>>> admits to suffering from the early-bird affliction. Naturally, several
>>> people are late (there’s a pattern developing and we board the bus at
>>> 7:45). This bus seats about 30 people (there’s 20 or 21 of us total) and
>>> must have just come out of the shrink wrap – the leather seating has
>>> that new car smell.
>>
>> Course. They wouldn't use just any old bus when trying to influence
>> the media...
>
>Oooohhhhh, you're sooooo jaded.
Yep! But wait until my October trip report... ;-)
>>> The final tour was held in a single story home of 5900 sq. ft. There
>>> were a few more Disney employees here joining us for a buffet breakfast,
>>> spread from the kitchen (assorted fruits and cold cuts) to the patio
>>> (omelet station and traditional breakfast items including Mickey
>>> sausage). We also met and were able to ask questions of the builder here.
>>
>> Boy, I hope the sausage was shaped like Mickey, and not...
>> (Well, pork sausage is made of pork...)
>
>Round patties with a Mickey head seared on.
Whew. Mickey Sausage is so the wrong description...
>>> This is where I noticed a wall item labeled “LaunchPort” so I asked the
>>> builder about it. You can plug in a laptop or tablet (USB connector? I
>>> didn’t flip it open.) to program entertainment, lighting or security
>>> features. He offered that you could then take an iPad to the patio and,
>>> if the doorbell rang you could check the front door camera from your
>>> iPad and, if needed, open the front door for a guest. This is not
>>> groundbreaking technology but I love the way it was seamlessly
>>> integrated into each home.
>>
>> I would assume things like this are standard stuff on high-end homes
>> these days. Same with Ethernet/coax/maybe even fiber in the walls
>> like electricity.
>
>Probably but I've been in my home for 33 years. Electricity and indoor
>plumbing fascinates me.
A friend of mine bought a old house, and went into the attic
and found knob and tube wiring...
I was actually thinking about trying that networking solution that
gets multiplexed on the household electric grid. I understand it
works quite well...
>>> We parked and were ushered in the back door near Soarin’. After a quick
>>> restroom break, our Guides ushered us into the FastPass queue. They have
>>> the ability to FastPass any attraction that offers it but must join the
>>> regular FastPass line. Soarin’s Standby queue was 90-minutes and we were
>>> on in about 15.
>>
>> Was it the canopied area? That's where Behind the Seeds exits to
>> backstage. That little airlock between backstage and on-stage is
>> where Mom ran over my foot and made me bleed...
>
>That was it.
Ah, memories...
>>
>> (What restaurant did the kitchen serve? All of the table service
>> in the Contempt?)
>
>I expect this kitchen was there for Convention use - large group
>dinners, etc. I could be wrong.
Ah, that would make sense... If they were taking you to the shared
kitchen for the Wave or California Grill, I would have though they
would have taken you through the Contemp, not the convention
center.
So it's not a chef's table that's associated with any restaurant...
>>> • Course 6: Back to seafood with Grouper. It was served with a turnip,
>>> roasted beet and a very tasty truffle cream sauce. Sea beans from the
>>> ocean were used for saltiness (interesting and yes, they were naturally
>>> salty). I don’t recall the wine served here.
>>
>> I see a pattern of memory loss here...
>
>The weaker brain cells are dropping like flies.
Mine are *attracting* flies. That can only mean a couple of things...
>>
>> Very nice. So, what would you say you would have paid for such a
>> meal, if one was a mere mortal instead of an all-powerful media
>> figure?
>Considering it's at Disney, I would guess this was in the $125-$200
>range. With the wine pairings, probably closer to $200.
Don't think you're underestimating a little there? Chef's table at
V&A's is supposed to be close to $200...
>>> We boarded three pontoon boats at 9:15 and cruised Seven Seas Lagoon
>>> before taking up a spot, amidst about a dozen other boats, for the 10:00
>>> showing of Wishes. We chatted with the captain who gave us some Disney
>>> trivia and we enjoyed the fireworks.
>>
>> I assume they pipe the audio into the boats. Where do the boats line
>> up? Do they anchor? (Just wondering how they keep the boats from
>> drifting.)
>
>"Most" boats get the soundtrack piped in. They sort of group together
>facing the MK, maybe 100-150 yards from the shore. The drivers keep them
>positioned with occasional movement using the motor. It's infrequent and
>I didn't find it distracting.
Yeah, I was thinking about doing one of these and tape Wishes from
the lagoon, but I've found taping anything from a boat is pretty
tough...
wrote:
>On 7/1/2012 9:32 AM, Keane wrote:
>
>>
>> They don't have real coffee makers in the room anymore?
>> Looks like I'm going to be forced to bring my own...
>
>This is the first time I've seen these so I can't say if it was just my
>room, Jambo, AKL or property-wide. I like 2 cups in the morning so I was
>concerned but these things brewed a fairly good cup of coffee in about
>60 seconds so no problems.
>>> The schedule has us meeting at the front door at 7:30 for transportation
>>> to Golden Oak. I’m there at 7:20 and find Jack Spence is there and he
>>> admits to suffering from the early-bird affliction. Naturally, several
>>> people are late (there’s a pattern developing and we board the bus at
>>> 7:45). This bus seats about 30 people (there’s 20 or 21 of us total) and
>>> must have just come out of the shrink wrap – the leather seating has
>>> that new car smell.
>>
>> Course. They wouldn't use just any old bus when trying to influence
>> the media...
>
>Oooohhhhh, you're sooooo jaded.
>>> The final tour was held in a single story home of 5900 sq. ft. There
>>> were a few more Disney employees here joining us for a buffet breakfast,
>>> spread from the kitchen (assorted fruits and cold cuts) to the patio
>>> (omelet station and traditional breakfast items including Mickey
>>> sausage). We also met and were able to ask questions of the builder here.
>>
>> Boy, I hope the sausage was shaped like Mickey, and not...
>> (Well, pork sausage is made of pork...)
>
>Round patties with a Mickey head seared on.
>>> This is where I noticed a wall item labeled “LaunchPort” so I asked the
>>> builder about it. You can plug in a laptop or tablet (USB connector? I
>>> didn’t flip it open.) to program entertainment, lighting or security
>>> features. He offered that you could then take an iPad to the patio and,
>>> if the doorbell rang you could check the front door camera from your
>>> iPad and, if needed, open the front door for a guest. This is not
>>> groundbreaking technology but I love the way it was seamlessly
>>> integrated into each home.
>>
>> I would assume things like this are standard stuff on high-end homes
>> these days. Same with Ethernet/coax/maybe even fiber in the walls
>> like electricity.
>
>Probably but I've been in my home for 33 years. Electricity and indoor
>plumbing fascinates me.
and found knob and tube wiring...
I was actually thinking about trying that networking solution that
gets multiplexed on the household electric grid. I understand it
works quite well...
>>> We parked and were ushered in the back door near Soarin’. After a quick
>>> restroom break, our Guides ushered us into the FastPass queue. They have
>>> the ability to FastPass any attraction that offers it but must join the
>>> regular FastPass line. Soarin’s Standby queue was 90-minutes and we were
>>> on in about 15.
>>
>> Was it the canopied area? That's where Behind the Seeds exits to
>> backstage. That little airlock between backstage and on-stage is
>> where Mom ran over my foot and made me bleed...
>
>That was it.
>>
>> (What restaurant did the kitchen serve? All of the table service
>> in the Contempt?)
>
>I expect this kitchen was there for Convention use - large group
>dinners, etc. I could be wrong.
kitchen for the Wave or California Grill, I would have though they
would have taken you through the Contemp, not the convention
center.
So it's not a chef's table that's associated with any restaurant...
>>> • Course 6: Back to seafood with Grouper. It was served with a turnip,
>>> roasted beet and a very tasty truffle cream sauce. Sea beans from the
>>> ocean were used for saltiness (interesting and yes, they were naturally
>>> salty). I don’t recall the wine served here.
>>
>> I see a pattern of memory loss here...
>
>The weaker brain cells are dropping like flies.
>>
>> Very nice. So, what would you say you would have paid for such a
>> meal, if one was a mere mortal instead of an all-powerful media
>> figure?
>Considering it's at Disney, I would guess this was in the $125-$200
>range. With the wine pairings, probably closer to $200.
V&A's is supposed to be close to $200...
>>> We boarded three pontoon boats at 9:15 and cruised Seven Seas Lagoon
>>> before taking up a spot, amidst about a dozen other boats, for the 10:00
>>> showing of Wishes. We chatted with the captain who gave us some Disney
>>> trivia and we enjoyed the fireworks.
>>
>> I assume they pipe the audio into the boats. Where do the boats line
>> up? Do they anchor? (Just wondering how they keep the boats from
>> drifting.)
>
>"Most" boats get the soundtrack piped in. They sort of group together
>facing the MK, maybe 100-150 yards from the shore. The drivers keep them
>positioned with occasional movement using the motor. It's infrequent and
>I didn't find it distracting.
the lagoon, but I've found taping anything from a boat is pretty
tough...
Steve Russo
Jul 3, 2012, 10:08:13 AM7/3/12
to
On 7/3/2012 8:17 AM, Keane wrote:
>>> (What restaurant did the kitchen serve? All of the table service
>>> in the Contempt?)
>>
>> I expect this kitchen was there for Convention use - large group
>> dinners, etc. I could be wrong.
>
> Ah, that would make sense... If they were taking you to the shared
> kitchen for the Wave or California Grill, I would have though they
> would have taken you through the Contemp, not the convention
> center.
>
> So it's not a chef's table that's associated with any restaurant...
That would be my assessment.
>>> (What restaurant did the kitchen serve? All of the table service
>>> in the Contempt?)
>>
>> I expect this kitchen was there for Convention use - large group
>> dinners, etc. I could be wrong.
>
> Ah, that would make sense... If they were taking you to the shared
> kitchen for the Wave or California Grill, I would have though they
> would have taken you through the Contemp, not the convention
> center.
>
> So it's not a chef's table that's associated with any restaurant...
>>> Very nice. So, what would you say you would have paid for such a
>>> meal, if one was a mere mortal instead of an all-powerful media
>>> figure?
>> Considering it's at Disney, I would guess this was in the $125-$200
>> range. With the wine pairings, probably closer to $200.
>
> Don't think you're underestimating a little there? Chef's table at
> V&A's is supposed to be close to $200...
heard of, the tuxedos, etc. I would believe the food and service we had
to be close.
--
Steve
Rudeney
Jul 3, 2012, 10:15:43 AM7/3/12
to
Keane <ke...@keanespics.com> wrote:
> On Sun, 01 Jul 2012 10:44:43 -0400, Steve Russo <sru...@nycap.rr.com>
> wrote:
>
>> On 7/1/2012 9:32 AM, Keane wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>> This is where I noticed a wall item labeled “LaunchPort” so I asked the
>>>> builder about it. You can plug in a laptop or tablet (USB connector? I
>>>> didn’t flip it open.) to program entertainment, lighting or security
>>>> features. He offered that you could then take an iPad to the patio and,
>>>> if the doorbell rang you could check the front door camera from your
>>>> iPad and, if needed, open the front door for a guest. This is not
>>>> groundbreaking technology but I love the way it was seamlessly
>>>> integrated into each home.
>>>
>>> I would assume things like this are standard stuff on high-end homes
>>> these days. Same with Ethernet/coax/maybe even fiber in the walls
>>> like electricity.
>>
>> Probably but I've been in my home for 33 years. Electricity and indoor
>> plumbing fascinates me.
>
> A friend of mine bought a old house, and went into the attic
> and found knob and tube wiring...
>
> I was actually thinking about trying that networking solution that
> gets multiplexed on the household electric grid. I understand it
> works quite well...
It works OK for one computer browsing The Internet, but it doesn't handle
> On Sun, 01 Jul 2012 10:44:43 -0400, Steve Russo <sru...@nycap.rr.com>
> wrote:
>
>> On 7/1/2012 9:32 AM, Keane wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>> This is where I noticed a wall item labeled “LaunchPort” so I asked the
>>>> builder about it. You can plug in a laptop or tablet (USB connector? I
>>>> didn’t flip it open.) to program entertainment, lighting or security
>>>> features. He offered that you could then take an iPad to the patio and,
>>>> if the doorbell rang you could check the front door camera from your
>>>> iPad and, if needed, open the front door for a guest. This is not
>>>> groundbreaking technology but I love the way it was seamlessly
>>>> integrated into each home.
>>>
>>> I would assume things like this are standard stuff on high-end homes
>>> these days. Same with Ethernet/coax/maybe even fiber in the walls
>>> like electricity.
>>
>> Probably but I've been in my home for 33 years. Electricity and indoor
>> plumbing fascinates me.
>
> A friend of mine bought a old house, and went into the attic
> and found knob and tube wiring...
>
> I was actually thinking about trying that networking solution that
> gets multiplexed on the household electric grid. I understand it
> works quite well...
heavy traffic or multiple users very well. I was part of the beta test
team for DirecTV's whole-home DVR service and we had to test with
powerline, wifi and wired networks. As it turned out, only the properly
switched wired networks were capable of handling multiple HD video streams.
Powerline isn't switched so the wiring is saturated with just one HD
stream. Most wifi systems couldn't reliably handle one HD stream. As it
turns out, the soultion they went with was "none of the above." instead,
they came up with their own solution called DECA that piggybacks Ethernet
over their coax wiring. It is a switched network, so each receiver's wire
only has to handle its own stream. It works well and keeps the
installation simple since only one wire - a single coax that can even be
old RG59 junk - does both satellite and Ehernet. There is even an
unoffical way to tap into their system to connect other devices to the home
network (BRD players, TVs, game consoles, PCs, etc.).
I am something of a home automation hobbyist Years ago, iI wired my whole
house with CAT 5e. It wasn't easy, but I took my time over several
weekends. Each room has at least one outlet (some have multiples). I even
have an outlet in the laundry room, breakfast nook and a few closets. I
have outdoor surveilance cameras. All my lights are on computer control
(X10 and Homeseesr). My thermostat is also networked. All of this is
controllable via PC, tablet or smartphone anywhere in the world. i also
have lighting scenes integrated into the TV remotes, and my PCs, talets and
smart phones can act as Tv remotes. If I paid someone to do this, it would
probably have cost more an the house itself, but aince I do it all on my
own, and I did it over several years, it wasn't terribly expensive.
These "smart homes" sound like cutting edge technology, but really, many of
us geeks have been doing it for years. I actually started playing around
with X10 almost 30 years ago. It's not rocket science, but it sure seems
to be priced that way when you go to have it professionally installed.
--
- Rodney
Keane
Jul 3, 2012, 12:25:50 PM7/3/12
to
On Mon, 2 Jul 2012 13:30:15 +0000 (UTC), Rudeney
<rud...@mickeypics.com> wrote:
>Keane <ke...@keanespics.com> wrote:
>> On Tue, 26 Jun 2012 05:29:33 -0400, Steve Russo <sru...@nycap.rr.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>> For that reason, many celebrities
>>> are kept backstage as much as possible. To become a Tour Guide, a CM
>>> spends a minimum of six months in Guest Relations. It requires getting
>>> at least 80% on a 150-question test (sample questions include the
>>> opening dates for all Disney theme parks). Before the written test,
>>> however, is the killer ? you must back into a parking space and parallel
<rud...@mickeypics.com> wrote:
>Keane <ke...@keanespics.com> wrote:
>> On Tue, 26 Jun 2012 05:29:33 -0400, Steve Russo <sru...@nycap.rr.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>> For that reason, many celebrities
>>> are kept backstage as much as possible. To become a Tour Guide, a CM
>>> spends a minimum of six months in Guest Relations. It requires getting
>>> at least 80% on a 150-question test (sample questions include the
>>> opening dates for all Disney theme parks). Before the written test,
>>> park a 16-passenger van.
>>
>> The tour guide chauffeurs too? Doesn't that require a Chaffer's
>> Driver's License? (Could be one of those Illinois things.)
>
>
>I didn't realize chaffing required a license anywhere :-)
Damn spell checker. I know I spelled chauffeur wrong, but didn't
>>
>> The tour guide chauffeurs too? Doesn't that require a Chaffer's
>> Driver's License? (Could be one of those Illinois things.)
>
>
>I didn't realize chaffing required a license anywhere :-)
check to see what replacement it was trying to give me. Stupid in,
stupid out...
>>> We again entered from backstage and walked through to Tomorrowland where
>>> we were FastPassed into Space Mountain. Next up was a walk through
>>> Fantasyland. I learned the new Little Mermaid ride is actually ready but
>>> was stopped several times by random guests with questions (how do I get
>>> to Dumbo, where are the nearest restrooms?). I?m not sure I could be as
>>> graceful as she during these constant interruptions. One guy actually
>>> looked at me first and asked, ?Do you work here?? I was wearing the
>>> large name tag on a lanyard which may be why he thought that. I wanted
>>> badly to respond, ?Yes?, but directed him to Melony instead.
>>
>> Yes, the "You look semi-official so you must work here" problem. I've
>> humorously run into that.
>
>
>Hmm, I'm not really sure what official position's dress codes includes
>shorts, a t-shirt and a floppy green hat.
No, it was a floppy green hat, sweat pants, a hoodie sweat-shirt
>> Yes, the "You look semi-official so you must work here" problem. I've
>> humorously run into that.
>
>
>Hmm, I'm not really sure what official position's dress codes includes
>shorts, a t-shirt and a floppy green hat.
(from Coronado Springs, no less) and gym shoes.
I was also shooting off a tripod. The guy thought I was a photo pass
photographer.
>> And as much as you might think I'd like a meal like this, I
>> definately wouldn't pay for something like this. It's not sour
>> grapes, but it does have to do *with* the grapes. Just not
>> a wine person, so all the pairings would be lost on me.
>>
>> I do like some whites, but I just can't handle the astringent
>> reds... I don't physically react well with them... Might be
>> some alergy, never looked into it.
>
>
>It could be the tannins that bother your system. As for the tasting, you
>do have to learn to do it properly. It's only one part of the tongue that
>can properly taste a red, and it's enhanced by drawing air across the wine
>on your tongue so the alcohol properly infuses the flavors. Some people do
>the "fish mouth" to get it right, but with practice, you can do it without
>looking like you're having some sort of spasm.
liquor well anyway, but I have a worse reaction to red wine than
any other type of alcoholic beverage. That I've tried.
Turns me red. Like the wine! :-)
>> Well, at least we know how the other half lives now. :-)
>
>I thought it was less than half, probably more like 1%?
Keane
Jul 3, 2012, 12:41:26 PM7/3/12
to
Ain't no way I'm going to be known as Russo's significant other..
Not that there's anything wrong with that... ;-)
Steve Russo
Jul 3, 2012, 1:21:11 PM7/3/12
to
On 7/3/2012 12:41 PM, Keane wrote:
> On Thu, 28 Jun 2012 20:27:31 +0000 (UTC), Rudeney
> <rud...@mickeypics.com> wrote:
>
>> Lisa Cubbon <cub...@bellsouth.net> wrote:
>>
>>> Steve, I am reading these TRs slowly ( plus life gets in the way
>>> sometimes..) and am really enjoying the detail. I want you to know that
>>> if Barb can't make it to one of these, I can clear my schedule and take
>>> her place if you know what I mean. Did I beat Keane to the request? I
>>> would even provide my own paid for room!
>>>
>>
>>
>> Hey, take a number! Hmm, maybe we need to come up with a contest to see
>> who gets the spot when Barb can't go. Anything but "where in WDW was this
>> photo take" because we all know who would win that every time.
>
> Nope, not me. You can have it.
>
> Ain't no way I'm going to be known as Russo's significant other..
Methinks he doth protest too much (or is it "dost proteth too much"?)
> On Thu, 28 Jun 2012 20:27:31 +0000 (UTC), Rudeney
> <rud...@mickeypics.com> wrote:
>
>> Lisa Cubbon <cub...@bellsouth.net> wrote:
>>
>>> Steve, I am reading these TRs slowly ( plus life gets in the way
>>> sometimes..) and am really enjoying the detail. I want you to know that
>>> if Barb can't make it to one of these, I can clear my schedule and take
>>> her place if you know what I mean. Did I beat Keane to the request? I
>>> would even provide my own paid for room!
>>>
>>
>>
>> Hey, take a number! Hmm, maybe we need to come up with a contest to see
>> who gets the spot when Barb can't go. Anything but "where in WDW was this
>> photo take" because we all know who would win that every time.
>
> Nope, not me. You can have it.
>
> Ain't no way I'm going to be known as Russo's significant other..
--
Steve
Rudeney
Jul 3, 2012, 4:41:42 PM7/3/12
to
Russo's spouse for a free trip to WDW...I have only one requirement though.
And i even hesitate to say this, so just in case you don't really want to
know these intmate details, just don't read, but for those who can handle
it...
...
Scroll down...
More...
And still more..
OK,this should be safe enough...
i will pretend to be Steve's SO, but I will NOT buy him Bud Light! (a guy
has to drw the line somewhere!)
--
- Rodney
Rudeney
Jul 3, 2012, 4:41:44 PM7/3/12
to
Keane <ke...@keanespics.com> wrote:
> On Mon, 2 Jul 2012 13:30:15 +0000 (UTC), Rudeney
> <rud...@mickeypics.com> wrote:
>
>> Keane <ke...@keanespics.com> wrote:
>>> On Tue, 26 Jun 2012 05:29:33 -0400, Steve Russo <sru...@nycap.rr.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Yes, the "You look semi-official so you must work here" problem. I've
>>> humorously run into that.
>>
>>
>> Hmm, I'm not really sure what official position's dress codes includes
>> shorts, a t-shirt and a floppy green hat.
>
> No, it was a floppy green hat, sweat pants, a hoodie sweat-shirt
> (from Coronado Springs, no less) and gym shoes.
Good Lord! Wearing a hoodie Central Florida? It's a good thing you
> On Mon, 2 Jul 2012 13:30:15 +0000 (UTC), Rudeney
> <rud...@mickeypics.com> wrote:
>
>> Keane <ke...@keanespics.com> wrote:
>>> On Tue, 26 Jun 2012 05:29:33 -0400, Steve Russo <sru...@nycap.rr.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Yes, the "You look semi-official so you must work here" problem. I've
>>> humorously run into that.
>>
>>
>> Hmm, I'm not really sure what official position's dress codes includes
>> shorts, a t-shirt and a floppy green hat.
>
> No, it was a floppy green hat, sweat pants, a hoodie sweat-shirt
> (from Coronado Springs, no less) and gym shoes.
weren't shot! (OK, yes, I know that was in bad taste, but you gotta admit,
it was funny).
> No, it's a different kind of reaction. Us orientals can't handle
> liquor well anyway, but I have a worse reaction to red wine than
> any other type of alcoholic beverage. That I've tried.
>
> Turns me red. Like the wine! :-)
in the winter. Scotch or Gin is my summer drink.
--
- Rodney
Steve Russo
Jul 3, 2012, 6:59:47 PM7/3/12
to
--
Steve
Lisa Cubbon
Jul 3, 2012, 10:05:44 PM7/3/12
to
a competition for a non existent spot and clearly one that requires a
girl. HEY I am a girl. Got the tshirt to prove it... Bud Lite or not I
even had hair sorta the same color as Barb's. So there.
Lisa
>
>
Keane
Jul 4, 2012, 7:48:59 AM7/4/12
to
On Tue, 03 Jul 2012 22:05:44 -0400, Lisa Cubbon <cub...@bellsouth.net>
wrote:
I want the non-existent spot?
The first time I hear the introduction of "Steve Russo and Friend",
I'm going to be looking around everywhere to see if Rodney's there.
I'll need pictures.
The Bud Light's on me.
wrote:
The first time I hear the introduction of "Steve Russo and Friend",
I'm going to be looking around everywhere to see if Rodney's there.
I'll need pictures.
The Bud Light's on me.
Rudeney
Jul 5, 2012, 9:45:12 AM7/5/12
to
> I want the non-existent spot?
>
> The first time I hear the introduction of "Steve Russo and Friend",
> I'm going to be looking around everywhere to see if Rodney's there.
> I'll need pictures.
>
> The Bud Light's on me.
>
As long as *i* don't have to drink it!
>
> The first time I hear the introduction of "Steve Russo and Friend",
> I'm going to be looking around everywhere to see if Rodney's there.
> I'll need pictures.
>
> The Bud Light's on me.
>
--
- Rodney
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