We have returned...
Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 2:40 pm
Well, we have returned after 10 days/9 nights in beautiful southern California! The highlight of the trip was of course our visit to the Disneyland Resort. We only spent 3 days there, 7/9, 7/10 and 7/12, but we hit all of our favorites and even participated in the SG parade/mad rush to Nemo one morning. WDI did a great job with Nemo, it was worth the time spent in the line, I missed seeing them in the lagoon.
We did encounter a few SG's, the lady asking a CM where Indy was when it was right behind her. I'd call that a classic SGT. I actually laughed when she asked. I hope she heard me :D:
There was a guy smoking right in front of the gates at the HM. The CM saw him, but didn't look like she was going to say anything until she looked at me watching. She proceeded to tell him the smoking policy and he acted like he didn't understand. This may not be his country of origin, but based on a previous interaction my wife saw with this particular SG, chances are he was playing the "I don't understand" card. This was a tall/built guy so I think the CM was a bit intimated by him, but she stood firm. I wish I had her name or at least the general time this went down, she deserves recognition.
There there was the family of 5 with a GAC shoving past the regular line for the Matterhorn and waving the GAC like it was the Emancipation Proclamation, which pissed off some lady in the regular line. I was hoping for a fight, just to have an even better story to tell here :D: I was in line after doing baby swap, behind a group of young adults/teenagers who were also being SG's and trading off riding a wheelchair (we saw them later in the day, different SG riding...). The CM asked where $name was for the family of 5, they pointed in a random direction and I didn't see anyone that looked like they belonged with this group. Throughout the day when we saw them again, we never saw more than the original 5. I thought I would be more shocked that two groups of SG's were abusing the GAC, but after regularly reading this board I'm guessing nothing will shock me
My wife and I got a re-admit pass from Small World going 101. We were stuck, but the CM's had mercy and killed the music. Nothing exciting to report there, no one tried to swim for it or jump out and bust their head open. Disappointing, I know ;)
The CM's were all great, no one was rude and there were more than a few who stood out, which I will be sending a letter praising them for going that extra step to make the trip a bit more magical but I thought I'd note them here.
Josh, one of the conductors, kept me from looking like a bigger SG when I couldn't figure out how to fold the Disney stroller (stupid hidden button!), he told me it was okay and said that is one of the first things they are trained on. They should really tell the guests how to do it so we can be prepared! Josh also had a great spiel that got us laughing when the train had to stop just before the Toontown Station. It didn't seem to us that he was there just to work but wanted to really be part of the Disney experience.
Brittney (I believe that was her name, I had to ask another CM) at the Tiki Room had a great pre-show spiel that made the show more than what it is. She also did her best to get the crowd to wake up and not just be a bunch of bodies in a room. It is great when the CM becomes part of the show instead of just working :)
My wife was shopping and met John from New Century Jewelry. We were back the next night and he remembered her so we talked while my wife did some more shopping. Turns out he was born in Texas, not far from where we live, over there in Wombat territory. He was a really nice guy and just made the trip that much better.
Kevin and Bryan from Matterhorn were awesome. Kevin for dealing with the previously mentioned SG's (I still wonder if I could be a CM) and Bryan for being more than helpful even with all the commotion going on around him.
Cesar from Off the Page let us into the store right after it closed on our last night. When I celebrated my 30th at WDW, I picked up two sketches which now hang in our media room. My wife wanted to do the same thing, but we got caught up in the parade traffic and got to the store too late. Cesar let us in and my wife quickly picked out two sketches (with some prodding from me to hurry). It was our last night and we were very thankful that he let us in to pick these up.
Finally Chip and Dale at Plaza Inn were AWESOME. Especially Chip. I think they get to have the most fun, the nature of Chip and Dale! Chip played with my daughter who was scared of the characters, but only up close. She would laugh and get excited as long as they kept their distance, but we still managed to get photos with the characters and her. Chip played and got her laughing and giggling. He kept coming back to play with her, either at the table, from the doors nearby or through the window. The show that Chip and Dale put on was worth the price of breakfast.
I'm not sure if we encountered anyone here, but if we did hopefully it was positive! Thanks for all you guys and gals do at Disneyland! The CM's at WDW are next muhahahahahaha
We did encounter a few SG's, the lady asking a CM where Indy was when it was right behind her. I'd call that a classic SGT. I actually laughed when she asked. I hope she heard me :D:
There was a guy smoking right in front of the gates at the HM. The CM saw him, but didn't look like she was going to say anything until she looked at me watching. She proceeded to tell him the smoking policy and he acted like he didn't understand. This may not be his country of origin, but based on a previous interaction my wife saw with this particular SG, chances are he was playing the "I don't understand" card. This was a tall/built guy so I think the CM was a bit intimated by him, but she stood firm. I wish I had her name or at least the general time this went down, she deserves recognition.
There there was the family of 5 with a GAC shoving past the regular line for the Matterhorn and waving the GAC like it was the Emancipation Proclamation, which pissed off some lady in the regular line. I was hoping for a fight, just to have an even better story to tell here :D: I was in line after doing baby swap, behind a group of young adults/teenagers who were also being SG's and trading off riding a wheelchair (we saw them later in the day, different SG riding...). The CM asked where $name was for the family of 5, they pointed in a random direction and I didn't see anyone that looked like they belonged with this group. Throughout the day when we saw them again, we never saw more than the original 5. I thought I would be more shocked that two groups of SG's were abusing the GAC, but after regularly reading this board I'm guessing nothing will shock me
My wife and I got a re-admit pass from Small World going 101. We were stuck, but the CM's had mercy and killed the music. Nothing exciting to report there, no one tried to swim for it or jump out and bust their head open. Disappointing, I know ;)
The CM's were all great, no one was rude and there were more than a few who stood out, which I will be sending a letter praising them for going that extra step to make the trip a bit more magical but I thought I'd note them here.
Josh, one of the conductors, kept me from looking like a bigger SG when I couldn't figure out how to fold the Disney stroller (stupid hidden button!), he told me it was okay and said that is one of the first things they are trained on. They should really tell the guests how to do it so we can be prepared! Josh also had a great spiel that got us laughing when the train had to stop just before the Toontown Station. It didn't seem to us that he was there just to work but wanted to really be part of the Disney experience.
Brittney (I believe that was her name, I had to ask another CM) at the Tiki Room had a great pre-show spiel that made the show more than what it is. She also did her best to get the crowd to wake up and not just be a bunch of bodies in a room. It is great when the CM becomes part of the show instead of just working :)
My wife was shopping and met John from New Century Jewelry. We were back the next night and he remembered her so we talked while my wife did some more shopping. Turns out he was born in Texas, not far from where we live, over there in Wombat territory. He was a really nice guy and just made the trip that much better.
Kevin and Bryan from Matterhorn were awesome. Kevin for dealing with the previously mentioned SG's (I still wonder if I could be a CM) and Bryan for being more than helpful even with all the commotion going on around him.
Cesar from Off the Page let us into the store right after it closed on our last night. When I celebrated my 30th at WDW, I picked up two sketches which now hang in our media room. My wife wanted to do the same thing, but we got caught up in the parade traffic and got to the store too late. Cesar let us in and my wife quickly picked out two sketches (with some prodding from me to hurry). It was our last night and we were very thankful that he let us in to pick these up.
Finally Chip and Dale at Plaza Inn were AWESOME. Especially Chip. I think they get to have the most fun, the nature of Chip and Dale! Chip played with my daughter who was scared of the characters, but only up close. She would laugh and get excited as long as they kept their distance, but we still managed to get photos with the characters and her. Chip played and got her laughing and giggling. He kept coming back to play with her, either at the table, from the doors nearby or through the window. The show that Chip and Dale put on was worth the price of breakfast.
I'm not sure if we encountered anyone here, but if we did hopefully it was positive! Thanks for all you guys and gals do at Disneyland! The CM's at WDW are next muhahahahahaha
