ToonFest 2006, the good, the bad and the ugly!

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mechurchlady
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ToonFest 2006, the good, the bad and the ugly!

Post by mechurchlady » Mon Aug 28, 2006 12:19 am

The ToonTown site had not information on disabled needs. In fact there was little information on the FAQ page. The event was 10 am to 4 pm on Saturday, August 26, 2006.

I had not problem finding the Studios in Burbank with the help of MapQuest. For anyone who has been been to the studios will know there is not much room for a line of cars. When I got there at 9:30 am there was a line forming of cars trying to turn left into the studios. Traffic was blocking the southbound traffic on Buena Vista. Nobody was out there reminding people to have their tickets and driver's licence. I wonder how bad it got later.

I pulled up as a pregnant ToonTown CM tried to get information about getting people into the event if they were not on the list. It was not her job and she was not supposed to be there. The rules were very clear about name on list or not enter. The poor security CM was faced with guests wanting to get in and the very pregnant CM who was asking him to violate the rules.

There was no handicapped parking. We had to walk about half a mile probably. They did not have anyone helping the disabled and the disabled were never warned of all the walking to get to the line to get the band. They had great security. They checked my tote bag but never saw the diabetes equipment I carry and would never have found a gun let alone smaller weapons. Fat middle aged ladies do not carry weapons lol. :rolleyes:

We had to stand in the hot sun to get a red wrist band and then get in another line in the hot sun to get in. Not much crowd control there. They should have had people reminding guests to have the wrist bands visible and for guests in line for the wrist band to have their ID ready. People were getting in the wrong line because nobody was directing the cattles, oops, guests.

The entrance was on the side and the main road that runs in front of the Studios Store had the main events. The restaurant was open and they sold hot dogs. There was no flyers or information for wheel chair guests and I heard one family trying to find a handicapped bathroom.

I will be back but need to find a rest room and soda, hugs churchy


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mechurchlady
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Re: ToonFest 2006, the good, the bad and the ugly!

Post by mechurchlady » Mon Aug 28, 2006 1:11 am

Sorry moderators but I got hit with a 10 minute time limit and had to care for mother. Can you merge these two posts?

The booths were on the lawns between the curbs and buildings so wheelchairs and ECVs had a hard time getting to the events. There was plenty of shade but the streets were hot. There were lots of kid friendly games, an online scavenger hunt, a chance to ask questions, model car racing, cogs to meet and greet, Disney characters to meet and greet, free photos with cogs and Disney characters, free stickers, and sneak peaks of future ToonTown stuff.

GOOD NEWS: It was not fair for disabled kids to not get to the games but all of the kids had family who helped them so it was not that big of a deal probably. Guests could go up to the head of the line and say they wanted the pin without playing the games. The prize was cloisoinne pins of The Big Cheese, bloodsucker, blue monkey which was hard to find as they had a temporary shortage, and Corporate Raiders.

MY DREAM COMES TRUE: Crying as I always wanted to work for Disney. I also once when I pin traded dreamed of going to the Burbank Studios and shopping in the Cast Member store there. Crying. It was a dream only as I know someday I might go to Paris, own a horse, get a new car, or move but never ever ever ever ever could I the Disneyland outcast ever go to the Studio store, never.

WAIT, we were not told at the ToonTown site that the Store was going to be open to ToonFest guests and that we could trade pins with them. I had a bag of 50 traders left, scream. I was able to get two sets of the toon pin sest and traded most away for cast pins, cast lanyard pins, and other goodies. That was a great blessining for me. It has been a year since I last pin traded in NYC Disney Store.

Dumb CM Trick: I asked a CM what the weird pin he had on was. He said Davey Crockett. I have rarely seen any of those pins and took it. It was
http://www.pinpics.com/cgi-bin/pin.cgi? ... 6743098.v2
and I did not know it was store or I would have kept it.

Most guests did not know at first that how to get stickers or that if they got all the stickers they could turn them in for some magnets and keep the stickers. Most guests did not know they could trade with CMs for pins either.

MY STUPID GUEST TRICK: I was talking with a lady who was behind me in line for the Pin the Tail on the Doodle Game. She had two kids with her and one was a chubby boy who was obviously distressed with the heat and excercise. He was a sausage kid no waist but not yet at the layers of blubber stage. He had hit the wall an hour before probably and was at the point he did not care. He really need to see a nurse or a fridge and drink water. I was next in line so I told her to go ahead of me and gentle led her son forward. I then put my hand out to wave her on when she snapped "Do not touch me". WHY THAT UNGRATEFUL FAT COW. She fattens up her kid, never walks him and then lets him get heat stroke nearly. She never thanked me and personally I felt sorry for her kid and that the woman probably treated her dog better. It was the end of my day there and was on the verge of collapse and in pain but I let her fat kid go ahead, where is the thanks.

NICE CM TRICK: As I was dragging my butt out of there near collapse and in pain I saw a popcorn machine. I joked about the popcorn and the CM gave me a box of popcorn free and yes I did offer to pay. I gave him two event pins as a thank you. I like free popcorn and cold corn is just as good to me woot that was so nice.

At times there seemed to be more CM working the event that guests, lol. It was a small event but seemed to satisfy most guests who after a while were worn out from the lines and heat. Overall it was a great event with CMs being true shining examples of what Disney is about. Very kind and helpful. I sat for a while in a shade spot and talked with a nice Security CM who explained to me about the Mill workers at the studios. Woot woot they sure were kind to me.

Overall the major problem was the failure to deal with disabled guests properly, parking that was way too far for disabled guests, too many Disney departments present was confusing sometimes for CMs who had two different departments telling them what to do, and they should have given away ice water to guests and too many were worn out by the heat. It was not easy for the fat people lol.

Thank you Disney CMs for a great time, for kindness, listening to me, and for the free popcorn, pins, magnets. I got to go to the Studio Store and finally after 48 years finally got to see the Studios. WOOT. Crying with joy not pain. So happy.


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