What was your Wildest WDW resort experience?

[Ladyhawke10]

The wildest resort experience I've even heard about was when two guests were given the same room the same night....wow!

For me, it was when GW Bush was suddenly staying at our same hotel (the Grand Floridian). We'd just checked in as well (the day before) and then we saw all these TV cameras near the lobby. We were on our way back from the MK when I noticed them. The boat driver said GW was having a luncheon in the convention center. Then later, when we were by the pool, a CM said he'd booked a room and was still in the hotel somewhere. There were secret service around the grounds...GF was transformed! Then the next day it was obvious he had left because the ss were gone as were the vans and TVs.

How about anyone else?

 

[bellebud]

OMG, we were there at the same time! we were approaching the monorail from the lobby of the grand, and we could see there was something going on at the stopped monorail, then the monorail left. the cm told us it was president bush and he was shaking hands and talking to people. we just missed him! we were very disappointed! that's funny you posted that!

oh, and i'm glad i didn't know he stayed there! we would have been obsessed with trying to catch a glimpse. we once stayed at the Atlantis in the bahamas, and Michael J Fox and his family were staying in our wing, and dh and i drove ourselves crazy trying to "casually" catch a glimpse . and we're not fanatics for celebrities at all, if anything, i feel sorry for their loss of privacy because of idiots like us (lol!) . we couldn't believe how distracting it was to us. silly, huh?!!

 

[pinkpiglettlover]

We were at WL concierge at the end of August 2004 when the olympic swimmers were in rooms across the hall from us. We saw them in the lobby taking pictures and swimming in the pool in the early morning hours. My kids were pretty excited that a "celeb" was staying right across the hall.

 

[dreamflight99]

We ran across the "terminator" himself...with his family! We also chatted with John Stamos and his former wife. Very nice, both encounters. Last summer we stood behind Shaquille O'Neil and his wife and kids for a ride on the DUMBO attraction! No costumes either. Writing about costumes, reminds me of the M. Jackson encounter. We were staying in the Dolphin, and he was occupying the presidential suite (entire floor) for an extended period of time. He was accompanied by several of his nieces and nephews. We took the elevator to visit CL, and entered with a serious-looking suited gentleman. He placed a key in the elevator control panel, and stepped back to the side (never saying anything). The elevator promptly bypassed the CL floor and went straight to the Presidential suite floor! When the doors opened, M. Jackson was clearly visible in the entrance to the hall to the left, and a security guard was directly in front of the elevator. The suited gentleman quickly exited the elevator, and wished us a good eve. The doors closed, and DH and I laughed hysterically with one another. The elevator stopped at the club floor, 12.

Upon entering, we conversed with the Concierge in the lounge informing her of the near-encounter with this reclusive celeb. She laughed when DH said he was tempted to RUSH the security guard shouting, "Michael...show me the money!!" LOL. It was too funny, and also very odd. Michael just stood quietly shifting nervously from one side to the other, and glancing in the direction of the main elevator. He saw us, but never spoke. I do know, they (Dolphin security) use this method to privately escort him and his guests to the basement or lower level area and then "sneak" them into the parks at night. We heard they played in Epcot and other parks after closing, being escorted in this stealth manner. I wonder if the kids had to wear those masks then!?!

*P.S. The "kids" traveling with M. Jackson during this visit in 2002 were admonished by the Dolphin staff and management when guests complained of being "struck" by ice while walking in/out of the main crossing area *(by the fountain leading to the connecting walkway between the Dolphin & Swan). Apparently, the kids were on the balcony (the nice one...with the decorative rail and beautiful patio trees) tossing "ice" onto the unsuspecting guests below. Ouch! I wonder if he practiced holding some of the babies over the edge of the railing in preparation for the European event?

 

[Ladyhawke10]

Bellebud,

So funny you were there the same time! November 2003, right? I never knew which building his room was in, but I'm going to guess the main building. I never saw him walking around the grounds (we were in Sago Cay) to get to another building. Did you see the secret service around?

Dreamflight,
Can't believe you saw Michael Jackson! He's a really hard celeb to catch. At the Dolphin, no less! That is cool.

Another wild WDW experience--

We saw the new Illuminations test show at the Beach club last November 2004. They were testing it out at midnight. We were in concierge and could see much of it over the trees from our balcony. It was quite loud at midnight, but they'd warned everyone ahead of time. Would love to see the new show when it comes out!

AKL is always pretty wild....probably the best when we saw all the giraffes congregate near the gate by the pool to eat their grassy dinner. Amazing to see them all together like that, just chomping away on their own personal outdoor Boma!

 

[julia & nicks mom]

Bellebud,

We saw the new Illuminations test show at the Beach club last November 2004. They were testing it out at midnight. We were in concierge and could see much of it over the trees from our balcony. It was quite loud at midnight, but they'd warned everyone ahead of time. Would love to see the new show when it comes out!
QUOTE]

We stayed at the Boardwalk and were at the end across from Fantasmic - well at 11:30 our first night there - we could hear these loud noises outside - we went out on the balcony and they were performing Fantasmic - it was SOOO loud - we sat outside and listened - so much for getting my 3 yo to bed at a decent time!!

 

[Nolcrest]

Well in July 2002 coming off the Peter Pan ride my husband practically bumped into Michael Jackson. It was evening and he was with his 2 children and an entourage. My husband was in the "ship" ahead of me and my daughter and he kept calling for me as we wee exiting. He told me that he exited with Michael.

We then went right over to It's a Small World. Some people were now gathering at Peter Pan's flight trying to catch a glimpse.

We were waiting in the Que(?) waiting to board the very next boat. They suddenly stop letting other people que up. We were the only guests waiting down there for the boat - and who comes down to get in the boat - Michael and his group.

My daughter could have reached out and touched him. Michael looked right at my daughter waved and said hello. People up above were calling to him and he was smiling and waving. I thought he was alot more personable than I expected. My daughter who was 12 at the time was more familiar with Janet than Michael and wasn't overly impressed. My husband and I got more of a kick out of it.

Idiot me didn't take any close-up pictures. I wanted to respect his "stardom" .

We thought oh great we'll get the next boat and follow him thru small world. Wrong! They had 3 empty boats go and then we were the first ones in the next boat. Didn't see him again until we exited. He was lost into the night after that.

Oh, and by the way the 2 kids were wearing costumes. One was Buzz Lightyear and the other was Spiderman. Face mask and all. We did see Michael pull the face masks off when the ride was entering the "tunnel".

If I knew how to post pictures here - I'd post my far away picture of him. Oh why didn't I snap that close-up - darn!!

 

[Ladyhawke10]

bump

 

[vettechick99]

I was having a drink at the BellVue Lounge at the Boardwalk when a guy comes up next to me and orders a Long Island Ice Tea. I recognized his voice, but didn't turn to look until I saw the bartender's face light up. I looked and saw it was Joe Namath...he ended up coming down to get a drink about every 30 minutes. Why he didn't get room service or ask for drinks to be sent up, I'll never know. Anyway, he came down about 6 or 7 times and said hello to us each time..very nice person.

Anyway, this was in 2001 and wasn't it last year he checked himself into alcohol rehab??