ABD Italy Entertainment?

[WaltD4Me]

I was a little shocked listening to the ABD review when they were talking about the entertainment...especially the animal hats part. I was uncomfortable listening, so I can't imagine what it was like to be there. So, even though Kevin told ABD that didn't want anything like that with their group, they went ahead and did it anyway? I don't understand that. Was ABD intentionally trying to slip it in or did they not what the act was? It just seems so weird to me that a Disney trip would include that at all, let alone when it was specifically requested not to have that kind of entertainment.

 

[jcb]

I was a little shocked listening to the ABD review when they were talking about the entertainment...especially the animal hats part. I was uncomfortable listening, so I can't imagine what it was like to be there. So, even though Kevin told ABD that didn't want anything like that with their group, they went ahead and did it anyway? I don't understand that. Was ABD intentionally trying to slip it in or did they not what the act was? It just seems so weird to me that a Disney trip would include that at all, let alone when it was specifically requested not to have that kind of entertainment.

I'm still trying to understand it, and I was there. Afterwards, we were told the group was performing traditional folk songs or something like that.

Now, as John said, this group made the most of it, with most of the people (females especially, it seemed) laughing at the participants' reactions and antics, more so than at any humor in the song(s). I couldn't imagine experiencing this with complete strangers. If they had come for me, I would have grabbed Kevin's cane to defend myself.

Frankly I really admired John (and Matt and Frank's BIL) for "volunteering" to be the "ladies." As it turned out, I was glad I got to admire John during his "performance" because the next day, when we visited the Uffizi Gallery, I learned that we weren't going to see da Vinci's "Adoration of the Magi" because it was being restored.

 

[LionKingRules84]

As I was listening I kept thinking 'Well I sure hope this isn't going where I think it is...oh goodness(or deity) they didn't..they did..wow!' I'm probably the most open minded person you will ever meet and I think I would have had a problem with that entertainment and been just as uncomfortable with it.

I was under the impression though it was the hotel that provided the entertainment but it did sound like it was planned by ABD, please correct me if I'm wrong on that. If that is the case it makes it more bizarre. Not really sure what they were thinking with that, there may be a good likely hood they didn't have any idea what songs they were singing(it being in Italian)but I could tell from John's description where it was going without even being there. Big mistake on Disney's part(not just the entertainment but that hotel as well).

I am glad that it didn't seem to ruin the trip for everyone there and they made the most of an uncomfortable situation. Hooray for the private gondolas in Venice though, that sounded like an unusually nice and exciting perk!

 

[pklein09]

DH was explaining all this to me last night (he listens to the podcasts, I read the boards, and we compare notes ). I'd like to know what the guides were doing while this was going on. Don't they speak Italian? They should have understood the lyrics and they should have known the request regarding entertainment.

Also, DH said the hotel left a rate card in the rooms which also didn't help the situation. I'd be researching the hotels ABD chooses to see their rack rates. If I'm paying that kind of money, I'd want a darn nice place to sleep....with a window!

ETA: I'm also interested in what Disney has to say....I'm sure we'll find out Kevin does.

 

[kbelle8995]

It sounds like the group reacted okay and took it in good spirits. I don't know how this got past Disney but the section who hires these people needs to be questioned. I can easily see a ticked off parent if a child had seen this. But having no experience with ABD I can't think off the top of my head why this and the Venice entertainment on the last trip slipped through.

Maybe the language barrier made them bold in thinking that most tourist wouldn't understand it. But the way Kevin and John seemed to describe it made it seem pretty blatant what the song was about.