Disney Nomads ... 3 Resorts in 8 Nights! ALL NEW 9/2!

[Backstage_Gal]

Originally Posted by nilla
Never thought to tip when supplies are brought to the room. Is that bad?

I guess I would have felt obligated since I was asking them to make a special trip.

Housekeeping Runner is a non-tipped position, that is their job. I'm sure they probably won't refuse a tip, but not commonly done, I think.

 

[smidgy]

Obviously Smidgy is a woman of many diverse interests.

eclectic is my middle name!!!

Ok, aren't these all books for young adults?
]

oh, my poor, poor sheltered Nebo...someday I shall enlighten you on the facts of life.

In the meantime, please don't apply for any jobs teaching "health" in the middle school!

ok gang, should I tell him?

 

[smidgy]

]

"no, I do NOT"
"good-bye"
"good-bye"

 

[laura74]

Ok, aren't these all books for young adults?
Remember when we used to read REAL books?
But now, after reading all 200 Harry Potters, then you read the Twilight series, the Hunger Games trilogy, what'sw next, back to Nancy Drew, Dr. Suess, Dick and Jane and finally, Go Dog Go.

"Do you like my hat?"

Nebo, have you been hiding under a rock? Even if you haven't read it, surely you've heard about what Fifty Shades of Grey is about.

Ok, it's been 5 days now, no update in sight, is it summer break already?

Coming up!

No, not flavored -just ionized I think? I really like La Croix flavored sparkling water right now. The peach-pear is the best!!!

I'll have to try that!

Originally Posted by nilla
Never thought to tip when supplies are brought to the room. Is that bad?



Housekeeping Runner is a non-tipped position, that is their job. I'm sure they probably won't refuse a tip, but not commonly done, I think.

Good to know!

oh, my poor, poor sheltered Nebo...someday I shall enlighten you on the facts of life.

In the meantime, please don't apply for any jobs teaching "health" in the middle school!

ok gang, should I tell him?

Nah. It's more fun that he thinks it's a book for kids.

 

[laura74]

We take our feast of Wheat Thins, cheese and salami over to the living room (living area?) and turn on Stacy (Wow. That just sounds very wrong.).

“Mommy, why do we have to watch her?”

“It’s Stacy! We always watch her. How many episodes of Good Luck Charlie can you watch? Ok. Ok. Just a few minutes and then you can turn on whatever you want.”

Who is Disney fooling with this blend of 2006 Stacy/2010 Stacy? We play Guess the Stacy for a while There’s old Stacy. There’s new Stacy. Or should that be old Stacy and young Stacy? I could make a drinking game out of this but that probably wouldn’t be appropriate with a 10-year-old.

Tonight we’re going to the Top of the World Lounge to watch Wishes. This is going to be great! For some reason I keep picturing the nightclubs in those old Doris Day movies. I know it can’t possibly be that cool, (Ok. I realize not all of us would describe that as cool.) that there won’t be an orchestra and dancing, but I can’t get that image out of my head.

As a kid I was always fascinated with fancy hotels and restaurants. I’ve mentioned that as a family of seven we usually went the Days Inn route, but one year we really got a taste of how the other half lives.

My dad was a high school principal, in fact he was MY high school principal. Yeah, that was fun. All the kids wanted to hang with me.

Dad had to attend conventions every year. Usually just he, or he and my mom would go because they were usually far away and he couldn’t shell out airfare for seven. But one year the convention was within driving distance and he said we could all go!

And what venue do you think the National Association of School Principals would deem the perfect place to hold their convention?

Why the Playboy Club at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin of course!

Now as a kid I didn’t question whether this was an appropriate place for educators to gather. I was just beside myself with anticipation of all the glamour and glitz. I couldn’t believe our good fortune!

I don’t remember much about the actual resort other than that it was probably similar to the Polynesian in terms of luxury. What I DO remember were the bunnies.

I was a skinny, flat-chested teenager with unmanageable, pre-hair-product hair so I would look in awe at these poised, beautiful women with their skimpy bunny outfits. How did those things stay put?

My brother and sister and I would go to the restaurant by ourselves and order cokes just so we could have real live Playboy bunnies wait on us. (I’m sure they were thrilled with our table.)

Just look at that! Isn’t that the coolest?

I’m sure that’s exactly how the Top of the World Lounge will look, only with mouse ears.

I move over to the table (dining area?) and get out my iPad. Monkston decides she’s had enough TV and joins me. We still have some time to kill before we head out. She dumps her 5,046 Legos all over the table and gets to work.

Monkston doesn’t build the usual Lego things like houses and skyscrapers. See if you can guess what she’s creating.

Let’s travel back to 1999 for a hint:

Hello Peter, what’s happening? Ummm, I'm gonna need you to go ahead and come in tomorrow. So if you could be here around 9 that would be great, mmmk... oh oh! and I almost forgot ahh, I'm also gonna need you to go ahead and come in on Sunday too, kay? We ahh lost some people this week and ah, we sorta need to play catch up.

Guesses? C’mon, I made it easy.

We waste time like this for about an hour and then start getting ready. I touch up my makeup and hope that I don’t look like a clown because the lighting in this bathroom stinks. I might as well be applying mascara in the San Angel Inn.

I try to get a brush through Monkston’s hair without too much screaming. She's got fairly straight hair. It can't possibly be that tangled that she should cry out like this. I say, “Those aren’t knots. When I was a kid my hair had KNOTS and I didn’t cry…much. So…so…buck up!”

Sufficiently pretty, we head down to the lobby desk to check in to the lounge. This is kind of a dry run for tomorrow when we sneak our non-DVC, non-BLT-staying friends up there with us. I hope they don’t do too much ID checking. Wow! I feel like a kid with a fake ID outside a club! (Not that I’d really know what that felt like.)

We wait for the couple in front of us to get checked. Huh. He doesn’t seem to be that thorough. He really doesn’t look like he wants to be here either. We’re next and after a quick glance at our cards, he leads us all to the special Top the World elevator. I don’t know that this is really any different from the elevators next to it except that there’s a piece of paper that says so.

We get off the elevator and walk down the hall to the entrance. I can’t wait to see this place. It’s got to be extra special if they’re keeping everyone away.

We open the doors and…

Hmmmm… It’s nice. It’s not quite as glamorous as I’d pictured and there aren’t too many people here. It feels subdued and it doesn’t look like anyone is having that much fun .

There are a couple empty tables by the window so at least we’ll have a good spot to watch the fireworks. I think the view here is even nicer than California Grill.

Speaking of views, does anyone else find the MK view overrated? I think it’s really only pretty at night. During the day you have to look out over that huge parking lot and concrete roadways to see the castle.

Our waiter, lets call him Skippy, arrives and he really looks like he’d like to be anywhere but here. I do kind of feel bad for the guy because he probably doesn’t bring in a lot of tip money here. I hope that they rotate who takes the Top of the World shift.

Our “dinner” wasn’t particularly satisfying so we order drinks and an order of soft pretzels. Monkston asks for a glow cube in her lemonade. Does anyone know how they store those things? Do they keep them in individual, sterilized packages because I would hate to think they just pick them up out of a big box and drop them in your drink.

While we’re waiting I do a bit of people watching. And this is just a bit because there are only two other tables here with us. To our right is an older couple. She is dressed so elegantly. She’s one of those women who knows exactly the right way to wear a scarf. I can’t hear them. I wonder if she’s French.

Wow, Skippy is taking a long time getting us our drinks. I think he was put up here for a reason. And whoever nicknamed him Skippy sure doesn’t know him very well.

More people are coming in but they’re going straight out to the balcony. I would really HATE working in this place.

Our drinks arrive and we await the show. Monkston is enjoying her lemonade with her possibly contaminated glow cube. I won’t rain on her parade with tales of micro-organisms though.

Our pretzels arrive and they are quite good. Recommended and not a bad value for $47.

More and more drinkless, pretzel-less people block our view on the balcony. I’m sure glad we got here early to get a good spot. Luckily fireworks are pretty high up though so we can see most of the show from our table.

Skippy arrives with the check and I tell him that we have the Tables in Wonderland card. Skippy is not pleased. He tells me has to go all the way downstairs to get the manager. Downstairs? Why is the manager downstairs? Why isn’t the manager here helping with the ten people that are actually ordering drinks?

Ten minutes later he comes back with our discounted check. We pay our $137 and head back to the room.

 

[pkondz]

We take our feast of Wheat Thins, cheese and salami over to the living room (living area?) and turn on Stacy (Wow. That just sounds very wrong.).

Oh, no. It sounds so right.

“Mommy, why do we have to watch her?”

Because she's turned on, of course.

I could make a drinking game out of this but that probably wouldn’t be appropriate with a 10-year-old.

Agree 100%. When you're a parent, you're usually so tired that even a 10 year old could drink you under the table. Makes for a totally unfair advantage.

Tonight we’re going to the Top of the World Lounge to watch Wishes. This is going to be great! For some reason I keep picturing the nightclubs in those old Doris Day movies.

And I always picture Titanic... and yes I know it's "King" of the world... but so what. I still picture Titanic.

My dad was a high school principal, in fact he was MY high school principal. Yeah, that was fun. All the kids wanted to hang with me.

Well look at you little miss popular! :

And what venue do you think the National Association of School Principals would deem the perfect place to hold their convention?
Why the Playboy Club at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin of course!

Not too many women principals back then, huh?

Now as a kid I didn’t question whether this was an appropriate place for educators to gather.

There's a scene in Animal House where a girl on a parade float, dressed up as a bunny (I have no idea why) is sent flying through an open window only to land on a young teen boy's bed. The young lad exclaims, "Thank you, God!!!"

What I DO remember were the bunnies.

Interesting. That's probably what I would remember too.

My brother and sister and I would go to the restaurant by ourselves and order cokes just so we could have real live Playboy bunnies wait on us. (I’m sure they were thrilled with our table.)

At first I thought: Yeah, who would want the non-tipping table? But then as I was about to type a snarky little (sorry, I mean a smart-butt) comment I suddently thought: Wait! Maybe they were fighting over who gets your table. You know, it's not the non-tipping table... it's the non-groping table.

Makes me want to go there.

Monkston doesn’t build the usual Lego things like houses and skyscrapers. See if you can guess what she’s creating.

Guesses? C’mon, I made it easy.

Hmmm... Somehow "an office?" seems a little too easy. So I'll go with cubicles instead.

I feel like a kid with a fake ID outside a club! (Not that I’d really know what that felt like.)

No. Of course not. None of us do.

We’re next and after a quick glance at our cards, he leads us all to the special Top the World elevator. I don’t know that this is really any different from the elevators next to it except that there’s a piece of paper that says so.

There's a piece of paper that says, "I'm special" for the elevator?

Speaking of views, does anyone else find the MK view overrated? I think it’s really only pretty at night. During the day you have to look out over that huge parking lot and concrete roadways to see the castle.

If you want a view... you can't beat nature. And miles of asphalt ain't it.

Our “dinner” wasn’t particularly satisfying so we order drinks and an order of soft pretzels. Monkston asks for a glow cube in her lemonade. Does anyone know how they store those things? Do they keep them in individual, sterilized packages because I would hate to think they just pick them up out of a big box and drop them in your drink.

Oh, goodness no! That would be unsanitary. Each one is sanitized and individually wrapped for your protection. Then when a box is opened, they're all unwrapped and dumped in a bucket where countless waiters and waitresses rummage around with their bare unwashed hands trying to dig one out for you, the lucky consumer.

Feel better now?

Wow, Skippy is taking a long time getting us our drinks. I think he was put up here for a reason. And whoever nicknamed him Skippy sure doesn’t know him very well.

That made me

More and more drinkless, pretzel-less people block our view on the balcony. I’m sure glad we got here early to get a good spot.

Sounds like a smaller version of the 3 o'clock parade dance.

Skippy arrives with the check and I tell him that we have the Tables in Wonderland card. Skippy is not pleased. He tells me has to go all the way downstairs to get the manager. Downstairs? Why is the manager downstairs? Why isn’t the manager here helping with the ten people that are actually ordering drinks?

That just steams me. And why is it your problem that they aren't better organized? Skippy's lucky he didn't have me at the table. His tip would've gone downstairs too... in my wallet.

Thanks for the chapter!

 

[nebo]

Ah hahahahaha.

I can't believe you fell for the "naive, stupid innocent routine" that I put on for you guys. Of course I know that Fifty Shades ins't a teen book, I was just acting dumb to be silly. Ha hahahahah.
I know it's a book about painting models.

(sigh) Ok, ok, but nobody ever talks about real books on the Dis, for ages all I heard about was Harry and the Twilight series,,,,, and Nilla threw me off, I think he's clueless too. What about the other book, Kingdom Keepers,,, where does that one fall in?

Laura, great chapter and I can tell you too were a bit let down by the 'exclusivity" of the TOWL. I'm surprised you even went to the trouble of getting clearance, maybe you didn't read that part in our last report where we just walked up the stairs from the 14th floor and into the Lounge.

I remember that Playboy Club too in Lake Geneva, it's long gone isn't it?

By the way, Ol' Hugh Hef is my High School's most famous amumnus,(alumni?), Steinmetz High School. My sister and even my mom went there as well, and I'm pretty sure Hugh was a senior when my mom was a freshie back in olden days. This is also the same lovely High School that brought us the very wonderful Jeff Daniels movie, "The Steinmetz High School Cheating Scandel."
No wonder I'm so messed up.

We both also felt for the waiters and waitresses and bartenders up there. Both times we went up there, it was dead, dead dead, I think the guy running the popcorn cart outside Primevil Whirl gets more tips.

Oh, and I didn't know they dropped the price of the soft pretzel, that's good to know.

 

[yellowtink]

. Or should that be old Stacy and young Stacy? I could make a drinking game out of this but that probably wouldn’t be appropriate with a 10-year-old.

With a 10 year old you just do apple juice, or pink lemonade with contaminated ice cubes.

 

[smidgy]

yay! I have the answer first!
the movie is "Office Space" hilarious. when he is picturing his girlfriend with the boss: "I'm goign to need you to move a little to the left now..." and the guy with the stapler,....

there is some controversy on the Dis about who is and is not allowed in TOWL. (one guy got pretty ticked at me!!)

I found it in writing (from Disney) that if you are staying at BLT on points, you are allowed. you don't have to be a DVC member. I'm pretty sure tho, that a DVC member staying at BLT on points can bring in guests.

but since we were staying on the 15th floor anyway, and had been using the stairway numerous times to go to floor 14, the nearest ice machine (isn't that weird that such a luxury hotel doesn't have an ice machine on every floor? hmm, neither did AKL, come to think of it) we figured, why risk it? used the same stairwell we had been using all along, only walk up a flight instead of down! voila!

and as you stated, if they don't start opening the lounge up to more people (either all dvc memebers, or all guests at BLT, or even guests at contemporary, the lounge will end up getting rented out to private parties. it is not making any money. no one buys anything!!!! they come up.watch the show, leave. poor bartender wasn't making any tips. (except us, of course. Nebo:"now Diane, just cause they guy has no business, it's NOT up to YOU to make up for his lack of tips. refrain from overtipping")

maybe they should charge a "minimum" like they used to at clubs in New Town in Chicago. Pay to get in.. receive voucher redeemable for a drink.

anyhow, DVC owners or not, the CMs were very happy to have us! (and we were staying on points!)

 

[Kgroo]

It is really sad how uncrowded the ToWL is. We have only been up there twice; once to watch the fireworks and once to have a drink. We liked it up there, but with a 4yo it will be hard to really spend any time up there for a couple of years. I agree that they need to make it a little less exclusive or it will close.

 

[laura74]

And I always picture Titanic... and yes I know it's "King" of the world... but so what. I still picture Titanic.

If I get that stupid Celine Dion stuck in my head all day today Ponzi I'm comin' after you.

Not too many women principals back then, huh?

Ha! Didn't even think of that! Actually our vice principal was a woman and she was a bad *ss with Phoebe Snow hair.

There's a scene in Animal House where a girl on a parade float, dressed up as a bunny (I have no idea why) is sent flying through an open window only to land on a young teen boy's bed. The young lad exclaims, "Thank you, God!!!"

I remember that scene! Funny.

At first I thought: Yeah, who would want the non-tipping table? But then as I was about to type a snarky little (sorry, I mean a smart-butt) comment I suddently thought: Wait! Maybe they were fighting over who gets your table. You know, it's not the non-tipping table... it's the non-groping table.

Interesting! Maybe so.

While we were there my mom and some of the other wives attended a lecture by the "bunny mother." She told them all about bunny life and all the bunny rules, one of which was how to set a drink down just so, so that they didn't ever...um...bend. Know what I mean?

Makes me want to go there.

Hmmm...I'm thinking for more than the glamour.

Hmmm... Somehow "an office?" seems a little too easy. So I'll go with cubicles instead.

Well I kinda made it easy on purpose but it's the inside of an office complete with cubicles, conference room and boss's office.

There's a piece of paper that says, "I'm special" for the elevator?

Do I need to rewrite that?

Oh, goodness no! That would be unsanitary. Each one is sanitized and individually wrapped for your protection. Then when a box is opened, they're all unwrapped and dumped in a bucket where countless waiters and waitresses rummage around with their bare unwashed hands trying to dig one out for you, the lucky consumer.

Not to mention that she asked me to save it to use again!

Thanks for the chapter!

Thanks Ponzi!

Ah hahahahaha.

I can't believe you fell for the "naive, stupid innocent routine" that I put on for you guys. Of course I know that Fifty Shades ins't a teen book, I was just acting dumb to be silly. Ha hahahahah.
I know it's a book about painting models.

That's what I thought Nebo.

(sigh) Ok, ok, but nobody ever talks about real books on the Dis, for ages all I heard about was Harry and the Twilight series,,,,, and Nilla threw me off, I think he's clueless too. What about the other book, Kingdom Keepers,,, where does that one fall in?

I think Kingdom Keepers is for kids.

Has anyone read that Dark Side of Disney book? It's got a few interesting tidbits about cast member life.

Laura, great chapter and I can tell you too were a bit let down by the 'exclusivity" of the TOWL. I'm surprised you even went to the trouble of getting clearance, maybe you didn't read that part in our last report where we just walked up the stairs from the 14th floor and into the Lounge.

I did read that but I tend to be a rule follower.

I remember that Playboy Club too in Lake Geneva, it's long gone isn't it?

Yes, I looked it up online and it's a plain old golf resort now.

We both also felt for the waiters and waitresses and bartenders up there. Both times we went up there, it was dead, dead dead, I think the guy running the popcorn cart outside Primevil Whirl gets more tips.

Yes, I hope they figure out what to do with it so it doesn't go away.

Oh, and I didn't know they dropped the price of the soft pretzel, that's good to know.

Pretzels taste better when eaten in rarefied air.

With a 10 year old you just do apple juice, or pink lemonade with contaminated ice cubes.

Can't forget the germy cubes.

yay! I have the answer first!
the movie is "Office Space" hilarious. when he is picturing his girlfriend with the boss: "I'm goign to need you to move a little to the left now..." and the guy with the stapler,....

Ding ding ding! Correct! Love that movie.

there is some controversy on the Dis about who is and is not allowed in TOWL. (one guy got pretty ticked at me!!)

Yes! I got a talking to from someone when I suggested that I wanted to bring "non-DVC guests" with us.

I found it in writing (from Disney) that if you are staying at BLT on points, you are allowed. you don't have to be a DVC member. I'm pretty sure tho, that a DVC member staying at BLT on points can bring in guests.

I just don't understand this at all. If you're staying at BLT with cash you're paying a fortune but they won't let you up to the lonely little lounge?

but since we were staying on the 15th floor anyway, and had been using the stairway numerous times to go to floor 14, the nearest ice machine (isn't that weird that such a luxury hotel doesn't have an ice machine on every floor? hmm, neither did AKL, come to think of it) we figured, why risk it? used the same stairwell we had been using all along, only walk up a flight instead of down! voila!

I remember that from your report!

and as you stated, if they don't start opening the lounge up to more people (either all dvc memebers, or all guests at BLT, or even guests at contemporary, the lounge will end up getting rented out to private parties. it is not making any money. no one buys anything!!!! they come up.watch the show, leave. poor bartender wasn't making any tips. (except us, of course. Nebo:"now Diane, just cause they guy has no business, it's NOT up to YOU to make up for his lack of tips. refrain from overtipping")

Ha ha! I'm warned about overtipping too.

maybe they should charge a "minimum" like they used to at clubs in New Town in Chicago. Pay to get in.. receive voucher redeemable for a drink.

Good idea!

It is really sad how uncrowded the ToWL is. We have only been up there twice; once to watch the fireworks and once to have a drink. We liked it up there, but with a 4yo it will be hard to really spend any time up there for a couple of years. I agree that they need to make it a little less exclusive or it will close.

Yes. Hope they figure something out.

 

[pkondz]

If I get that stupid Celine Dion stuck in my head all day today Ponzi I'm comin' after you.

Ha! You don't know where I live, so... oh, wait. It's right below my avatar.

While we were there my mom and some of the other wives attended a lecture by the "bunny mother." She told them all about bunny life and all the bunny rules, one of which was how to set a drink down just so, so that they didn't ever...um...bend. Know what I mean?

Absolutely! Nobody wants a bent straw.

Hmmm...I'm thinking for more than the glamour.

Of course! I love the table settings.

Yeah, that's it.

 

[crgfsu1]

Logging it to join - great so far!

I was laughing out loud at your story about "Alice" at the DVC office!!

Ready for more

Cathy

 

[smidgy]

That's what I thought Nebo.



um, you DO know nebo had NO idea what this book was about? (just don't want him to "skate by" again


overtipping!! I drove nebo nutz with the entertainment book (actually, I would recieve it as a gift every year from one of my house cleaning customers..been cleaning her house since Jeremy was in kindergarten.. jeremy just turned 30!) between that and restuarant.com.

me: "well, you KNOW we have to tip 20% on the total BEFORE the discount... waitresses HATE coupons, cause people always tip AFTER the discount. ....blah blah"

nebo got to the point where he was saying "please!! don't find any more restaurant coupons!!! I can't afford it!"

 

[laura74]

Of course! I love the table settings.

Yeah, that's it.

Just what I thought.

Logging it to join - great so far!

I was laughing out loud at your story about "Alice" at the DVC office!!

Ready for more


Cathy

Thanks and welcome Cathy!

That's what I thought Nebo.



um, you DO know nebo had NO idea what this book was about? (just don't want him to "skate by" again

Yes, I guess I should have put a winking smiley next to it.

overtipping!! I drove nebo nutz with the entertainment book (actually, I would recieve it as a gift every year from one of my house cleaning customers..been cleaning her house since Jeremy was in kindergarten.. jeremy just turned 30!) between that and restuarant.com.

me: "well, you KNOW we have to tip 20% on the total BEFORE the discount... waitresses HATE coupons, cause people always tip AFTER the discount. ....blah blah"

You're absolutely in the right there Smidgy! I used to hate when people would bring those coupons in and tip on the discounted total.

nebo got to the point where he was saying "please!! don't find any more restaurant coupons!!! I can't afford it!"

But that is a pretty funny line.

 

[laura74]

Um just forgot to say...

Actually I'm just bumping my thread, but if anyone reading this cares about me they'll post something so I don't end up on page 3.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

But page one is better.

Just saying.

 

[DBLGRR]

You are too good for page 3. Looking forward to another update.

 

[pkondz]

Stayin' alive! Stayin' alive!
Ah, ah, ah, ah,
Stayin' aliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive!!!

 

[Shazzasmd]

Just read your report. I was hooked when you told your friend to "just put oven mitts on when you pick up the dog ..."

Then I saw the photo of Mr. Squid and the squirrel - and the gloves. Hmmmnnn, maybe they really do use oven mitts to pick up the dog ...

Looking forward to more updates.

 

[shan23877]

Hi! Joining in and going back to catch up now