djsamuel

9 hours ago, Grumpy and Grandma said:

Most governmental agencies do not give our "Retirement Goodies"....  After my 30 + in local government that's all I got too. 

I'm retiring in December after 41 years of civil service with the Navy.  I'll get a few certificates. I am getting a flag flown over our building, but my boss has to pay for that.  I didn't ask for one but she is insisting; which is nice of her to do.

5 hours ago, Lou... said:

I said all along that working for the Disney company is a love hate relationship. Loved the actual work but hated how day to day things were managed. For me it was an occasional and temporary escape from my actual profession for the first twelve years and then a retirement job for the last ten, I never had to climb the corporate ladder. And when they did offer me an interview for a full time position in the Ride & Show group, I declined because I knew I wouldn't last when it became real. 

Now after having received my Mickey gold watch from Disney and retaining all my benefits, I look back and feel good about my couple of decades as a CM, no regrets, I had a lot of fun. I'd still be a CM if I could.

That is pretty much my wife's feelings.  Retired after 17 years and enjoying the benefits.  She has no regrets about working for them, just wishes some of the day to day was smoother and management was more consistent.  But all in all, she does not regret those years.

Nine Dragons Reopens

36 minutes ago, twiceblessed....nacole said:

That's good to hear.  Hopefully the chatter I heard, was random fluff.   That stuff/smell gives me a headache.  It would be awful to finally get to go back to the Fort, spending all that money and that was our experience.  Sigh.  The conversations just caught me off guard.  I was hoping that wasn't another "new normal".

Not there in any large amount, to my knowledge.  I'm sure somebody brings some but it is probably very rare.  

We are usually there a few times a month and have never smelled that.

we were told yesterday that the 2000 loop will be closing soon.  The 500 loop was just opened.  Across the property they are upgrading the electrical system and they've had some scheduled short power outages.  But the loops are remaining open during the power upgrades.

14 hours ago, Disneymommaof6 said:

Thank y’all for the info!  Any other info would be appreciated too. 

What was the movie situation like now?

The movies are showing each night but if I recall correctly, no campfire or characters.

1 hour ago, Grumpy and Grandma said:

There was a report about a week ago that the self-serve drink dispenser had re-opened at the pool.  

Yes, there and at P&Js.  We used them this week.

3 hours ago, Lou... said:

It's not just customer service, it's employee service as well. I never got what I was supposed to get such as tickets, discount coupons and vouchers before our spring visit. We went down anyway and when I got to Epcot I went to Guest Services to at least get myself and two guests into the park. I did but it was a mess. The status of my file still has to be straightend out before my next visit. But I never did receive what I had requested over the phone. Turns out the CM on the phone was working from his home and didn't have access to what he needed to help me. I'll try again after things hopfully get back to normal.

Lou,  Be sure to get an account on the Okta site to gain access to your comp tickets.  Also, you need to send an email to get the snack coupons.  

Information on Okta HERE.

Celebration Dining and Snacks Info HERE

19 minutes ago, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:

Well this isn't encouraging, "...Cast Members at the station seem pretty unaffected by the event, as if it happens often."

What the Fort?

I really enjoy riding the Skyliner, but they need to get a handle on this problem before somebody gets hurt.  I can only imagine the lawsuit should something happen.  Disney can't say they didn't know about the problem.

We got off the Skyliner at Epcot yesterday about an hour prior to this happening:

https://wdwnt.com/2021/06/breaking-disney-skyliner-has-had-yet-another-accident/

https://wdwnt.com/2021/06/ohana-at-disneys-polynesian-village-resort-and-sebastians-bistro-at-caribbean-beach-resort-reopening-soon/

3 hours ago, ThemeParkCommando said:

Wow, I'm going to have to watch out for that.  I want to experience the entire story of RoR.  I may have to figure out how to gripe if they try rushing us through the beginning when I'm there in December. 

 

If you don't stand while riding in a ship at the beginning (before walking past the Storm Troopers) then you missed the beginning.  There is also a pre-show where Rey appears and speaks.

7 hours ago, twiceblessed....nacole said:

Thank you!  We’re in SD right now, which is one of my favorites.  Heading back home to visit family in WA, then we’ll hit Glacier in MT and Teddy Roosevelt in ND (which is a new state for us!☺️).  Love seeing our national parks🥰

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is one I haven't been to but really want to see.  Please let us know how you like it.  Haven't been to Glacier either but heard it is beautiful.  Hope to get there to one day soon.  

16 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Agreed. While I always felt that I got my money’s worth eating at Trail’s End, it has been a treat getting to use the seating to eat take out food.  I won’t miss the dinner buffet too much, but I will definitely miss breakfast. 

TCD

I feel the same.  I much preferred the breakfast buffet.  Of course if they have a good selection for family style, it may be just as good since it will still be all you can eat. 

I'm wondering how many of the servers will be coming back.  Ken is over at Le Cellier and Paulette is a greeter at Jock Lindsay's and apparently really likes it.

1 hour ago, DinDavie said:

The same kitchen supports both the Hoop dee doo and the Trails End Restaurant.  I hope this is a very good sign for things to return back to normal. 

We were told a few weeks ago by a cast member that they are working on a family style approach to Trails End instead of a buffet.  It will be interesting to see how they pull it off.  I will really miss the way P&Js is set up now though.

On 4/24/2021 at 1:29 PM, twiceblessed....nacole said:

 

Yes!  We stayed there in 2018 and had the females (I'm guessing as no horns) take residency right behind our rig.  It was great!!

Trailer Village was one of the best experiences we've had camping.  Not fancy, kind of basic and run down.  However, the wildlife and the atmosphere was amazing and being so close to the canyon was great.  Lots of Elk and Mule deer throughout the campground.

Back to the stolen topic, this was at the Trailer Village campground at the Grand Canyon:

We stopped over there last night and 1500 was open.  They are doing work in some loops.  The 700 loop is now closed and they are replacing the timber that line the pads.  Also, in the 1900 loop (I believe) they are replacing an entire pad with new concrete.  That loop is open though.  They've done a lot of work as well lately installing 5G.

3 hours ago, twiceblessed....nacole said:

DeSantis wanted to allow local control, which is a trickle down of the 10th amendment (in my opinion).  A governor allows local authorities to make decisions, until he needs to step in and take control of the state he's been given the authority to run.  I personally like that, but (then again), I am a huge proponent of small government. 

Desantis wanted local control when it suited him as a means to avoid a decision on a mask mandate.  I thought local control was a good idea.  Then he pulled the rug out from everybody when it was politically expedient to do so by telling local governments they cannot enforce the very rules he said they are the best to decide on.  He also required bars to incorporate very expensive precautions in order to reopen and then one week later issued a huge "never mind" and told everybody they could fully open.  Bar owners were not happy and most continued to adhere to some level of precaution.  

I too prefer small government and I voted for Desantis.  I never will again.  He is too wrapped up with building his brand.

As far as masks, all I will say is there is a reason surgeons wear masks in surgery, including cloth ones.  It is to protect the patient much like wearing a mask now is not to protect the wearer but to diffuse the air exhaled by a person and limit the distance any airborne viruses may spread. Imagine you were throwing a golf ball at a wall 30 feet away.  With no barrier, you would hit it every time.  Put a chain link fence up between you and the wall, and maybe only about 20% or less of the balls you throw would make it to the wall.  That is all a mask does.  

I'm not interesting in debating but I wanted to give another side to this since you mentioned it.  I'm done with this conversation.

9 hours ago, twiceblessed....nacole said:

I thought that DeSantis had lifted things last fall... went back and found this from September.  The EO in on the Florida gov site.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/politics/os-ne-desantis-florida-reopens-20200925-f3sr4wk5tncvvkhwr6ua4pereq-story.html

 

 

 

Desantis never had a state wide mask mandate.  When he was still of a somewhat sane mind, he said that because Florida was so large, each county should decide if they should mandate masks.  Then, he reopened the state, and made the ruling that no county or local government could level any punishment for violating a local mask mandate, persons or businesses.  Very hypocritical in the sense that he used local jurisdiction as a means to avoid being the person mandating masks and then turns around and bans the enforcement of any local decisions regarding masks.  The only thing that has limited the rise is the fact that most people continue to wear masks and ignore him.  Here in Clermont, if you go into a store, 99% of the people are still wearing masks.  Lake County never had a mask mandate and the vast majority of people still are wearing masks.  

Orange County is looking at gradually lifting the mask mandate by the end of the summer based on vaccinations and infections.  At that point, I would not be surprised to see Disney lift the mask requirements.

48 minutes ago, fladogfan aka Gretchen said:

So, tried to check retired cast reservation system.  Can't get past April and this is the first time ALL the parks are blocked to retired cast for the rest of April.  Don't know about active cast.

I know someone who has been successful getting res. so will ask him.  But ....Grrrrrrrr

The calendar is the same for both active and retired.  Blocked out for everyone.  Still waiting for May to show up.

3 hours ago, Grumpy and Grandma said:

I personally think FB has taken some of the activity, but I can't confirm since I don't do FB, I'm basing that on what i hear from others.  And as Carol said, many are not at the FORT due to COVID and the price increases.

Even the Facebook groups related to Fort Wilderness have really slowed down.  I think the pricing and the difficulty getting reservations while there are so many new RVs has taken some of the appeal away.  

5 hours ago, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:

Fair point. And they may be calling people back in a particular order as jobs open up (seniority, availability, etc.) - i.e., not necessarily who had the job last but who is at the front of the line to call.

This is what is happening.  They are also moving people who are currently back at work all over the place.  

2 hours ago, ThemeParkCommando said:

That is one of those 'Never hurts to ask." and " The worst that will happen is they say 'no'."  moments. 

Just be kind if the answer is 'no'.

Not the same situation, but similar: Outback took their fried mushrooms off the menu a few years back.  We just kept ordering them, and they kept bringing them to the table.  The answer to the order was 'Let me check if the kitchen can make them today."  

 Now they are back on the menu.

Similar to the chicken and waffles at the Grand Floridian Cafe.  They are off the menu, but if you ask during breakfast or lunch they will make it for you.  Still delicious.