Chapter 19.
Wednesday
Around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, I awoke to a phone call. The concierge said he had a room set up for Sally and me and that he would send someone up to help us move everything around 10 a.m.
Sally and I went down to breakfast one last time and then took a quick tour of the hotel and tried to take everything in: The Magic Water Park, all the atrium levels and activities, taking the Zipvators, the buffet, so many things that we truly enjoyed while being here and that we’ll miss.
We headed back to the suite to pack. It was very hard for me to take Jennifer’s clothes out of the dresser and put them into the suitcase. It was if I had lost her. Her pretty flowered shirts, her hair bows, and cosmetics. I hoped this wasn’t going to be the last time I’d see her things in a hotel drawer. Gosh, we loved traveling! Just getting away and exploring. Leaving everything behind. A sort of “refresh” that was needed from time to time. They say a vacation can be great therapy. I agree. We would take those weekend trips to Disney World to escape all the stress from my business and the financial strain and debt. Getting away and being with your family is so comforting and needed.
Jennifer loves traveling to unfamiliar places just like me. She looked forward to this trip so much, and now she is fighting for her life at the place she wanted to vacation at.
As we were packing up the bedrooms and our belongings in the dining room, I thought about our suite amenities and how much nicer they made our stay. I would miss ordering food from our Suite Butler and have it delivered to our Portal Box. The entryway greeting we would get every time we entered our suite. The maid service was so convenient for our schedule. How they could make our room look like it did when we first arrived; clean and stocked full of snacks and drinks.
At 10 a.m., our doorbell rang, and outside waiting was the bellhop to assist us with our belongings. He helped us load everything onto the cart, and then we gave one last look at our suite before closing the door.
He took us to a new location right across from the medical center. There are about ten rooms here, smaller than what we had at the Family Hotel, but adequate. Two bedrooms, one bathroom, enough for Sally and me to be close to Jennifer.
After unloading our belongings, the bellhop left, and another gentleman came in to meet us. He told us his name was Carl and that he was a medical center liaison. He gave us his card, which had his cell number and then gave us a different EAD, in case they had to get a hold of us.
“If you’d like to go to the Complex, go down the hall to the medical center escort desk, and they will transport you over. Your medical pager will now be your validation for being there. If you have any questions or problems, please call me. I am available throughout the day. After hours, just call the medical facility number or come to the front desk,” Carl instructed.
Sally and I unpacked and started heading over to see Jennifer. As we were walking out, we passed the Nourishment Room, which was filled with cereal, fruit, and glass door refrigerators loaded with sandwiches and frozen entrees. Carl had told us we could help ourselves and he also extended our meal plans, so we could eat at the Complex if we wanted.
Although we no longer had reservations for any of the shows or attractions, we could still go to the State Fair and Fun Town USA, which Sally would enjoy with Keith, who was still staying for a few more days.
As we entered Jennifer’s room, I really felt positive about her recovery. I just felt today, we would have her awake and talking with us. But Sally and I sat there for three hours, and Jennifer just slept. Dr. Lee came in to check on her, as did the nurses.
Sally and Keith were texting back and forth. It seems his father was doing better, and they were all having fun at the Complex. I told Sally to go join Keith and have some fun. It would take her mind off Jennifer. She agreed and went over to meet him.
While sitting there for another hour, I noticed the note I wrote for Jennifer was still sitting on her bedside table, untouched.
Dr. Peterson came in and told me to go and do something constructive.
“Peter, if she wakes, we will page you. I know you’re writing about the behind-the-scenes here, have you looked at the other hotels?”
“No, I haven’t,” I replied.
“Then, maybe you should. I will ask Carl if he can give you a tour,” Dr. Peterson said.
“That would be great! Thank you!”
Carl came in a few minutes later and said he was ready. “Let’s do a hotel tour, Peter.”
We were given a ride to the Complex, then took the escalator to the Circle Shuttle, which we then took to the Show Town & Dark Room Hub. Just like Hotel Family, Hotel Couples and Mayberry Town also have Zipvators to and from the Complex. We took the Zipvator over to the Hotel Couples foyer. As the name implies, Hotel Couples is strictly for couples. Whether that be husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend, or same-sex couple relationship, it must be a “couple” and not just two friends.
Similar to the Hotel Family design, Hotel Couples has its rooms built with balconies facing a forest on one side or facing the massive atrium on the other.
“There are 1,200 rooms here,” Carl said. No kids and no roommates allowed. Just couples. Many here are staying for their honeymoon, anniversary, special occasion, or vacation. The hotel is much more mellow and calm here. As you can see, the pool is in the center, flanked by two restaurants on each side. One is strictly buffet, and the other is for menu ordering.”
The pool was beautiful and was illuminated in several colors. There were four hot tubs, a lot of reclining lawn chairs, and cabana’s, all at no charge.
All the suites were one bedroom with a king bed and Jacuzzi Hot Tub and luxurious showers. The suites all have the same conveniences of Hotel Family; like deliveries to the Portal Box and the assistance of the Suite Butler. Very convenient for honeymooners and those romantic getaways.
After touring the hotel a bit, Carl and I traveled back to the Complex and then took the Zipvator to Mayberry Town. Mayberry Town is for guests 55 and over and is made up of 600 Townhouses, all at ground level. Each Townhouse gets assigned their own golf cart, which is stored and recharged in their Townhouse carport. We took an employee golf cart to tour Mayberry Town and Carl continued to tell me more.
“They use their golf carts to travel within their town to restaurants, shops, pools, shuffleboard, and the park.”
“When guests come to the WOE and are staying at Mayberry Town (which is a short distance from the Hotel Guests Hub (HGH), they park in the normal Hotel Guest Parking Garage. They then go through security, then check-in through the HGH and take an elevator to the ground floor. They will then be greeted by a bellhop, who will load their luggage onto an electric cart and take them to their Townhouse. Here, they will be given a hand bringing in their luggage, and the guests will be given instructions on how to operate their own golf cart and a tour of their one bedroom, one bath, kitchen and living room Townhouse,” Carl said.
“When they are due to check-out, a bellhop will pick them up and assist them in getting back to the HGH, and then safely back into their vehicle. They are assisted each step of the way and all at no charge or tip. Just another perk to staying onsite at the WOE.”
Mayberry Town is completely enclosed, with an illuminated sky and totally comfortable temperature of 76 degrees. There are no stairs or elevators here. Each street is between Townhouse rows and has sidewalks on both sides of the street, with a barrier to protect walkers from golf carts “off-roading.” The roads have arrows indicating which direction the golf carts should be heading. All the streets have streetlights, and the carts also have head and taillights.
The seniors obviously love the Town and the freedom to travel around. If they’re going to a concert at the Harmony Theater or visiting the Complex, they take a Zipvator, located in ten different stations throughout the Town (The Zipvators in Mayberry Town and The Couples Hotel do not maneuver as they do at Hotel Family). They have special electric carts for guests to use if they are handicapped and have wheelchairs. Shuttle service is also available from four separate locations in Mayberry Town if the guests choose not to use their own golf cart or are not able too.
Many guests traveling together for special functions, get-togethers, or with civic clubs, will reserve a block of townhouses for themselves, so they can have their own “neighborhood.” You can also purchase the meal plan and have meals delivered to your Townhouse through the Townhouse Butler. Food will be delivered to your door, as there is no Portal Box. There are three different restaurants to use your meal plan around the Town, or you can purchase meals separately. One of the restaurants offers an all-day and evening buffet. There is a grocery store in the shopping village if you choose not to get the meal plan or just wish to buy some extra snacks. Of course, you can bring your own food in, as each Townhouse is equipped with a full kitchen.
The Town does have concierge service, who are available 24-hours a day for any assistance; including ticket information, show reservations and any medical issues that may arise. Mayberry Town is situated between the HGH and The Dark Room, so they have medical personnel that can be dispatched from the first aid station in the Complex between Castle Mare and Galactic War. The medical facility is also a short distance away (between Hotel Family and Mayberry Town), and they are open 24/7.
Because the Harmony Theater offers many concerts throughout the day, many Resident Entertainers perform regularly and are loved by many seniors. Artist like: Barry Manilow, Neil Diamond, Barbara Streisand, and many others perform up to four days a week, for a month at a time, then take several weeks off. Many guests staying in Mayberry Town also enjoy Show Town, the movies, Fun Town USA, The Continents and watching the entertainment on the World Stage.
As Carl and I were heading back to the Complex from Mayberry Town, he told me that many guests enjoy the independence here and the “neighborly feel.”
“You’ll see guests coming out of their Townhouses in the early morning or evening for walks and stop and talk with others sitting on their porch. Within a day or two, they make friends and are soon yelling, ‘hi neighbor’ across the street,” Carl said.
We then took the Zipvator back to the Complex and took the Circle Shuttle over to tour the Complex Hotel. Located next to the Harmony Theater and occupying the top six floors on top of Fun Town USA. The 800 rooms are all designed for one or two guests. The same 23-hour room suite policy applies. You have 23-hours of stay and Complex privileges from the time you check-in until you check-out. The rooms can only accommodate up to two guests and have the Portal Box and Suite Butler, but no kitchen. The rooms are smaller than the others because they don’t have the kitchen and have an average sized bathroom. But they do have an en-suite bathroom, living room, dining room and many have a balcony. The rooms are slightly more expensive than if you were staying overnight on the property at one of the other hotels and Hotel Complex doesn’t have a water park or pool, but these rooms offer convenience. You can walk out of your room and be at the Harmony Theater or any other section of the Complex within 5-minutes. Many guests will book a one or two-day stay when visiting from out of town and are usually there to see a concert or two.
200 rooms have balconies facing the State Fair and 200 face the outside of the Complex; with a view of the Harmony Theater to the left and Metamorphoses to the right. At night, these buildings are all lit in assorted colors. The other 400 rooms are all interior and have no outside balconies but do have live video picture windows of the outdoors or the Complex, whichever you choose.
Needless to say, the balcony views facing the State Fair are the most popular and of high demand. In fact, you can only reserve these rooms for no more than two nights at a time. The other rooms can be reserved up to ten-nights. There is talk of adding more rooms over Show Town and The Continents in the future. Many guests love sitting on their balconies to “people watch.” It’s like having a front-row seat all day long. They can clearly hear the music from the World Stage, and several video screens face the Complex Hotel balconies, so the guests can watch whoever is performing.
Guest arrive at the Complex Hotel via the Hotel Guest Hub Shuttle. The Shuttle enters the Complex from The Dark Room and travels along the top of the buildings, next to the Circle Shuttle. When you go to the Complex Hotel, you are in for a treat, because you enter the Complex and get to see part of the Dark Room and the State Fair as you travel toward the hotel. What an entrance!
No matter how you enter the Complex, you will always be treated to an eye-popping view when you arrive. They make sure your first impression is spectacular!
Carl and I then took the Exit Conveyer from the Complex to the Daily Visitor Hub and then took a monorail to where the brand name hotels are. Smaller than the monorails that bring guests back and forth to the Daily Visitor Parking Garage, these monorails run on demand and also have forward facing seats with seatbelts. The monorails carry about forty passengers each and run on one of three tracks to and from the brand name hotel area.
The seven brand name hotels are located about a mile from the Complex and are laid out in a horseshoe pattern. Each hotel has a covered, elevated monorail station in front that connects to each hotels’ second floor. The walkways connecting the hotels and the monorail stations are all enclosed and air-conditioned. To summon a monorail, you simply push the “summon” button at each station. Coming back from the Daily Visitor Hub, you’ll need to push your station hotel name in the monorail to be dropped off at your hotel.
Each brand name hotel is owned by the respective brand and is unique and geared toward their guest’s particular taste. Each hotel is a national chain and has its own reward program and guest following. They are all constructed to fit into the horseshoe pattern, with the interior of the horseshoe designated for aquatic recreation, entertainment, and shops. Much of the interior area is covered with pools, slides, diving boards, food carts, cafes, stages, and plenty of fun activities. The hotel guests can use any pool or go anywhere in the recreation area. They can even go to another hotels’ restaurant. There’s a covered shopping district that opens in the morning and stays open until late at night.
Carl says the brand name total hotel occupancy is about 3,000 rooms. The WOE has 7,600 (5,000 for Hotel Family, 1,200 for Hotel Couples, 600 for Mayberry Town (55 +), and 800 for the Complex Hotel). Of course, the amenities at the brand name hotels are not the same as those for the WOE. Guest staying there must pay $50 for admission to the Complex or $25 if they are a WOE Member, and the access is for the day only, not the length of your stay like at the WOE Hotels. You also must make reservations to visit the WOE, even though you’re staying at the brand name hotels. 95% of guests would rather stay on property, but if there is no room, then the brand name hotels are the next best option.
At night, all the pools are illuminated, as well as the trees and the outside of the hotels. The WOE Systems Engineering Sight and Sound department helped design and maintains the lighting packages. The WOE also provides entertainment for the stages throughout the evening and night. Outside of the lighting, entertainment, and transportation, there is no other affiliation between the brand name hotels and the WOE, but they do have an excellent working relationship.
Carl and I then took the monorail back to the Daily Visitor Hub. You must always check-in here when arriving from the brand name hotels or the Daily Visitor Parking, Since I didn’t have a reservation for the Complex, Carl used his affiliation with the medical facility to get me in. I did have my EAD in case we did get separated.
Carl and I went back inside the Complex and started riding the Circle Shuttle around the perimeter of the State Fair. Then he told me something magical that occasionally happens after hours.
“One to two nights a week, when everything is closed at midnight, one of the Complex Sections re-open around 12:30 a.m., not for the hotel guests, but for the Resident Entertainers. They come over on the Tube Shuttle and ride all the rides in the State Fair, go into Fun Town USA. There is a different section open each time they do this, and if it’s Show Town, the Dark Room, or the Continents, they can get in even sooner, since they close earlier. They usually leave these sections open until 2:30 – 3:00 a.m., depending on when they opened.
It’s a time for them to get together: Actors, singers, musicians, writers, magicians, all those staying at the Entertainers Village. Some will even perform for their fellow comrades just for fun. They also love to watch the movies, dance, and skate just like everyone else. They bring their families and hang out with other families. And here, it’s just them. No press or fans looking for autographs. Plus, they are all together. They absolutely love it, and it’s one more reason for them to want to be here. One more perk you can’t get anywhere else.”
Unfortunately for the guests staying at Hotel Complex and have State Fair facing balconies, they won’t be able to see the Entertainers when they’re in the State Fair. The Systems Engineering Sight and Sound Department use a combination of screens and special effects to prevent the guest from “really” seeing what’s going on in the State Fair after hours. After all, they don’t want pictures taken of the artists and shared through social media. Privacy is the trick. If the entertainers are in Fun Town USA or the other sections, the guests won’t be able to see them anyways, and they cannot get to those sections after hours.
Wow! I can only imagine how these employees and entertainers must love living here. When you become famous, it’s hard to go to a theme park and just ride rides like everyone else. You can’t go to the store down the street or go to the movies without being recognized and harassed by fans or the press. Here, entertainers have their “stage,” but then have their “life” when the lights go out. Here, they can raise a family in private and live a life so much different than anywhere else in the world.
After our tour, Carl took me back to the medical facility, where I checked on Jennifer and then went to go take a nap. What a tour, what a place!
Wednesday
Around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, I awoke to a phone call. The concierge said he had a room set up for Sally and me and that he would send someone up to help us move everything around 10 a.m.
Sally and I went down to breakfast one last time and then took a quick tour of the hotel and tried to take everything in: The Magic Water Park, all the atrium levels and activities, taking the Zipvators, the buffet, so many things that we truly enjoyed while being here and that we’ll miss.
We headed back to the suite to pack. It was very hard for me to take Jennifer’s clothes out of the dresser and put them into the suitcase. It was if I had lost her. Her pretty flowered shirts, her hair bows, and cosmetics. I hoped this wasn’t going to be the last time I’d see her things in a hotel drawer. Gosh, we loved traveling! Just getting away and exploring. Leaving everything behind. A sort of “refresh” that was needed from time to time. They say a vacation can be great therapy. I agree. We would take those weekend trips to Disney World to escape all the stress from my business and the financial strain and debt. Getting away and being with your family is so comforting and needed.
Jennifer loves traveling to unfamiliar places just like me. She looked forward to this trip so much, and now she is fighting for her life at the place she wanted to vacation at.
As we were packing up the bedrooms and our belongings in the dining room, I thought about our suite amenities and how much nicer they made our stay. I would miss ordering food from our Suite Butler and have it delivered to our Portal Box. The entryway greeting we would get every time we entered our suite. The maid service was so convenient for our schedule. How they could make our room look like it did when we first arrived; clean and stocked full of snacks and drinks.
At 10 a.m., our doorbell rang, and outside waiting was the bellhop to assist us with our belongings. He helped us load everything onto the cart, and then we gave one last look at our suite before closing the door.
He took us to a new location right across from the medical center. There are about ten rooms here, smaller than what we had at the Family Hotel, but adequate. Two bedrooms, one bathroom, enough for Sally and me to be close to Jennifer.
After unloading our belongings, the bellhop left, and another gentleman came in to meet us. He told us his name was Carl and that he was a medical center liaison. He gave us his card, which had his cell number and then gave us a different EAD, in case they had to get a hold of us.
“If you’d like to go to the Complex, go down the hall to the medical center escort desk, and they will transport you over. Your medical pager will now be your validation for being there. If you have any questions or problems, please call me. I am available throughout the day. After hours, just call the medical facility number or come to the front desk,” Carl instructed.
Sally and I unpacked and started heading over to see Jennifer. As we were walking out, we passed the Nourishment Room, which was filled with cereal, fruit, and glass door refrigerators loaded with sandwiches and frozen entrees. Carl had told us we could help ourselves and he also extended our meal plans, so we could eat at the Complex if we wanted.
Although we no longer had reservations for any of the shows or attractions, we could still go to the State Fair and Fun Town USA, which Sally would enjoy with Keith, who was still staying for a few more days.
As we entered Jennifer’s room, I really felt positive about her recovery. I just felt today, we would have her awake and talking with us. But Sally and I sat there for three hours, and Jennifer just slept. Dr. Lee came in to check on her, as did the nurses.
Sally and Keith were texting back and forth. It seems his father was doing better, and they were all having fun at the Complex. I told Sally to go join Keith and have some fun. It would take her mind off Jennifer. She agreed and went over to meet him.
While sitting there for another hour, I noticed the note I wrote for Jennifer was still sitting on her bedside table, untouched.
Dr. Peterson came in and told me to go and do something constructive.
“Peter, if she wakes, we will page you. I know you’re writing about the behind-the-scenes here, have you looked at the other hotels?”
“No, I haven’t,” I replied.
“Then, maybe you should. I will ask Carl if he can give you a tour,” Dr. Peterson said.
“That would be great! Thank you!”
Carl came in a few minutes later and said he was ready. “Let’s do a hotel tour, Peter.”
We were given a ride to the Complex, then took the escalator to the Circle Shuttle, which we then took to the Show Town & Dark Room Hub. Just like Hotel Family, Hotel Couples and Mayberry Town also have Zipvators to and from the Complex. We took the Zipvator over to the Hotel Couples foyer. As the name implies, Hotel Couples is strictly for couples. Whether that be husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend, or same-sex couple relationship, it must be a “couple” and not just two friends.
Similar to the Hotel Family design, Hotel Couples has its rooms built with balconies facing a forest on one side or facing the massive atrium on the other.
“There are 1,200 rooms here,” Carl said. No kids and no roommates allowed. Just couples. Many here are staying for their honeymoon, anniversary, special occasion, or vacation. The hotel is much more mellow and calm here. As you can see, the pool is in the center, flanked by two restaurants on each side. One is strictly buffet, and the other is for menu ordering.”
The pool was beautiful and was illuminated in several colors. There were four hot tubs, a lot of reclining lawn chairs, and cabana’s, all at no charge.
All the suites were one bedroom with a king bed and Jacuzzi Hot Tub and luxurious showers. The suites all have the same conveniences of Hotel Family; like deliveries to the Portal Box and the assistance of the Suite Butler. Very convenient for honeymooners and those romantic getaways.
After touring the hotel a bit, Carl and I traveled back to the Complex and then took the Zipvator to Mayberry Town. Mayberry Town is for guests 55 and over and is made up of 600 Townhouses, all at ground level. Each Townhouse gets assigned their own golf cart, which is stored and recharged in their Townhouse carport. We took an employee golf cart to tour Mayberry Town and Carl continued to tell me more.
“They use their golf carts to travel within their town to restaurants, shops, pools, shuffleboard, and the park.”
“When guests come to the WOE and are staying at Mayberry Town (which is a short distance from the Hotel Guests Hub (HGH), they park in the normal Hotel Guest Parking Garage. They then go through security, then check-in through the HGH and take an elevator to the ground floor. They will then be greeted by a bellhop, who will load their luggage onto an electric cart and take them to their Townhouse. Here, they will be given a hand bringing in their luggage, and the guests will be given instructions on how to operate their own golf cart and a tour of their one bedroom, one bath, kitchen and living room Townhouse,” Carl said.
“When they are due to check-out, a bellhop will pick them up and assist them in getting back to the HGH, and then safely back into their vehicle. They are assisted each step of the way and all at no charge or tip. Just another perk to staying onsite at the WOE.”
Mayberry Town is completely enclosed, with an illuminated sky and totally comfortable temperature of 76 degrees. There are no stairs or elevators here. Each street is between Townhouse rows and has sidewalks on both sides of the street, with a barrier to protect walkers from golf carts “off-roading.” The roads have arrows indicating which direction the golf carts should be heading. All the streets have streetlights, and the carts also have head and taillights.
The seniors obviously love the Town and the freedom to travel around. If they’re going to a concert at the Harmony Theater or visiting the Complex, they take a Zipvator, located in ten different stations throughout the Town (The Zipvators in Mayberry Town and The Couples Hotel do not maneuver as they do at Hotel Family). They have special electric carts for guests to use if they are handicapped and have wheelchairs. Shuttle service is also available from four separate locations in Mayberry Town if the guests choose not to use their own golf cart or are not able too.
Many guests traveling together for special functions, get-togethers, or with civic clubs, will reserve a block of townhouses for themselves, so they can have their own “neighborhood.” You can also purchase the meal plan and have meals delivered to your Townhouse through the Townhouse Butler. Food will be delivered to your door, as there is no Portal Box. There are three different restaurants to use your meal plan around the Town, or you can purchase meals separately. One of the restaurants offers an all-day and evening buffet. There is a grocery store in the shopping village if you choose not to get the meal plan or just wish to buy some extra snacks. Of course, you can bring your own food in, as each Townhouse is equipped with a full kitchen.
The Town does have concierge service, who are available 24-hours a day for any assistance; including ticket information, show reservations and any medical issues that may arise. Mayberry Town is situated between the HGH and The Dark Room, so they have medical personnel that can be dispatched from the first aid station in the Complex between Castle Mare and Galactic War. The medical facility is also a short distance away (between Hotel Family and Mayberry Town), and they are open 24/7.
Because the Harmony Theater offers many concerts throughout the day, many Resident Entertainers perform regularly and are loved by many seniors. Artist like: Barry Manilow, Neil Diamond, Barbara Streisand, and many others perform up to four days a week, for a month at a time, then take several weeks off. Many guests staying in Mayberry Town also enjoy Show Town, the movies, Fun Town USA, The Continents and watching the entertainment on the World Stage.
As Carl and I were heading back to the Complex from Mayberry Town, he told me that many guests enjoy the independence here and the “neighborly feel.”
“You’ll see guests coming out of their Townhouses in the early morning or evening for walks and stop and talk with others sitting on their porch. Within a day or two, they make friends and are soon yelling, ‘hi neighbor’ across the street,” Carl said.
We then took the Zipvator back to the Complex and took the Circle Shuttle over to tour the Complex Hotel. Located next to the Harmony Theater and occupying the top six floors on top of Fun Town USA. The 800 rooms are all designed for one or two guests. The same 23-hour room suite policy applies. You have 23-hours of stay and Complex privileges from the time you check-in until you check-out. The rooms can only accommodate up to two guests and have the Portal Box and Suite Butler, but no kitchen. The rooms are smaller than the others because they don’t have the kitchen and have an average sized bathroom. But they do have an en-suite bathroom, living room, dining room and many have a balcony. The rooms are slightly more expensive than if you were staying overnight on the property at one of the other hotels and Hotel Complex doesn’t have a water park or pool, but these rooms offer convenience. You can walk out of your room and be at the Harmony Theater or any other section of the Complex within 5-minutes. Many guests will book a one or two-day stay when visiting from out of town and are usually there to see a concert or two.
200 rooms have balconies facing the State Fair and 200 face the outside of the Complex; with a view of the Harmony Theater to the left and Metamorphoses to the right. At night, these buildings are all lit in assorted colors. The other 400 rooms are all interior and have no outside balconies but do have live video picture windows of the outdoors or the Complex, whichever you choose.
Needless to say, the balcony views facing the State Fair are the most popular and of high demand. In fact, you can only reserve these rooms for no more than two nights at a time. The other rooms can be reserved up to ten-nights. There is talk of adding more rooms over Show Town and The Continents in the future. Many guests love sitting on their balconies to “people watch.” It’s like having a front-row seat all day long. They can clearly hear the music from the World Stage, and several video screens face the Complex Hotel balconies, so the guests can watch whoever is performing.
Guest arrive at the Complex Hotel via the Hotel Guest Hub Shuttle. The Shuttle enters the Complex from The Dark Room and travels along the top of the buildings, next to the Circle Shuttle. When you go to the Complex Hotel, you are in for a treat, because you enter the Complex and get to see part of the Dark Room and the State Fair as you travel toward the hotel. What an entrance!
No matter how you enter the Complex, you will always be treated to an eye-popping view when you arrive. They make sure your first impression is spectacular!
Carl and I then took the Exit Conveyer from the Complex to the Daily Visitor Hub and then took a monorail to where the brand name hotels are. Smaller than the monorails that bring guests back and forth to the Daily Visitor Parking Garage, these monorails run on demand and also have forward facing seats with seatbelts. The monorails carry about forty passengers each and run on one of three tracks to and from the brand name hotel area.
The seven brand name hotels are located about a mile from the Complex and are laid out in a horseshoe pattern. Each hotel has a covered, elevated monorail station in front that connects to each hotels’ second floor. The walkways connecting the hotels and the monorail stations are all enclosed and air-conditioned. To summon a monorail, you simply push the “summon” button at each station. Coming back from the Daily Visitor Hub, you’ll need to push your station hotel name in the monorail to be dropped off at your hotel.
Each brand name hotel is owned by the respective brand and is unique and geared toward their guest’s particular taste. Each hotel is a national chain and has its own reward program and guest following. They are all constructed to fit into the horseshoe pattern, with the interior of the horseshoe designated for aquatic recreation, entertainment, and shops. Much of the interior area is covered with pools, slides, diving boards, food carts, cafes, stages, and plenty of fun activities. The hotel guests can use any pool or go anywhere in the recreation area. They can even go to another hotels’ restaurant. There’s a covered shopping district that opens in the morning and stays open until late at night.
Carl says the brand name total hotel occupancy is about 3,000 rooms. The WOE has 7,600 (5,000 for Hotel Family, 1,200 for Hotel Couples, 600 for Mayberry Town (55 +), and 800 for the Complex Hotel). Of course, the amenities at the brand name hotels are not the same as those for the WOE. Guest staying there must pay $50 for admission to the Complex or $25 if they are a WOE Member, and the access is for the day only, not the length of your stay like at the WOE Hotels. You also must make reservations to visit the WOE, even though you’re staying at the brand name hotels. 95% of guests would rather stay on property, but if there is no room, then the brand name hotels are the next best option.
At night, all the pools are illuminated, as well as the trees and the outside of the hotels. The WOE Systems Engineering Sight and Sound department helped design and maintains the lighting packages. The WOE also provides entertainment for the stages throughout the evening and night. Outside of the lighting, entertainment, and transportation, there is no other affiliation between the brand name hotels and the WOE, but they do have an excellent working relationship.
Carl and I then took the monorail back to the Daily Visitor Hub. You must always check-in here when arriving from the brand name hotels or the Daily Visitor Parking, Since I didn’t have a reservation for the Complex, Carl used his affiliation with the medical facility to get me in. I did have my EAD in case we did get separated.
Carl and I went back inside the Complex and started riding the Circle Shuttle around the perimeter of the State Fair. Then he told me something magical that occasionally happens after hours.
“One to two nights a week, when everything is closed at midnight, one of the Complex Sections re-open around 12:30 a.m., not for the hotel guests, but for the Resident Entertainers. They come over on the Tube Shuttle and ride all the rides in the State Fair, go into Fun Town USA. There is a different section open each time they do this, and if it’s Show Town, the Dark Room, or the Continents, they can get in even sooner, since they close earlier. They usually leave these sections open until 2:30 – 3:00 a.m., depending on when they opened.
It’s a time for them to get together: Actors, singers, musicians, writers, magicians, all those staying at the Entertainers Village. Some will even perform for their fellow comrades just for fun. They also love to watch the movies, dance, and skate just like everyone else. They bring their families and hang out with other families. And here, it’s just them. No press or fans looking for autographs. Plus, they are all together. They absolutely love it, and it’s one more reason for them to want to be here. One more perk you can’t get anywhere else.”
Unfortunately for the guests staying at Hotel Complex and have State Fair facing balconies, they won’t be able to see the Entertainers when they’re in the State Fair. The Systems Engineering Sight and Sound Department use a combination of screens and special effects to prevent the guest from “really” seeing what’s going on in the State Fair after hours. After all, they don’t want pictures taken of the artists and shared through social media. Privacy is the trick. If the entertainers are in Fun Town USA or the other sections, the guests won’t be able to see them anyways, and they cannot get to those sections after hours.
Wow! I can only imagine how these employees and entertainers must love living here. When you become famous, it’s hard to go to a theme park and just ride rides like everyone else. You can’t go to the store down the street or go to the movies without being recognized and harassed by fans or the press. Here, entertainers have their “stage,” but then have their “life” when the lights go out. Here, they can raise a family in private and live a life so much different than anywhere else in the world.
After our tour, Carl took me back to the medical facility, where I checked on Jennifer and then went to go take a nap. What a tour, what a place!