Chapter 2.
Our Arrival at the WOE Hotel Family
Wednesday at 8 a.m.
Finally, the day we have been waiting for has come. We drove about ten hours yesterday and just ate, swam, and collapsed in bed last night. We woke up knowing we're only two hours from the WOE Complex. After we finished our deluxe continental breakfast, we hit the road for the final leg of the road trip. I must say, we didn't see or do much off the road this trip, like seeing landmarks and tourist destinations, as we usually do. I think it's because we were so excited and just wanted to get there. And probably because we have done so many of the side attractions over the years.
As we get closer, Sally says to Jennifer and me from the back seat that she is so excited about this vacation and can't wait to finally stay on property. We've all heard so much about the onsite hotels and how unique and convenient they are. How everything has been thought out and designed to help you enjoy your stay even more.
Within five miles of the WOE Complex, we see our first billboard. It said, "World of Entopia: 'The Greatest Theme Park/Entertainment Complex in the World' only 5 miles ahead!" Within the one-mile range, another billboard appeared, "World of Entopia; One Mile!" Then we see the highway signs indicating the upcoming turns off the interstate.
There are three separate exits you can take: One is for the Brand Name hotels off the property, one is for the Daily Visitor Parking, and one is for the WOE Hotel Guest Parking. Since we were staying on property and not just visiting for the day or staying off property, we turned off at the WOE Hotel Guest Parking exit. We followed the 270 degree turn, which took us under the interstate and headed west toward the Hotel Guest Parking. We traveled about five miles on the road lined with beautiful trees on both sides. The traffic was all heading in the same direction, so we knew the exit from the garage must be an entirely different road going back out to the interstate.
We started seeing more signs indicating we were almost there. Then suddenly, there it was! A giant sign stating the WOE Hotel Guest Parking was ahead. The four lanes going to the garage started veering left, while the fifth and right lane, for employees' and residents' vehicles, veered right. We soon approached the massive parking structure in front of us. It was labeled with the official, "Welcome to the World of Entopia Hotel Guest Parking" sign. It didn't really resemble a parking garage, but architecturally, modern art. If the sign weren't telling you what it was, you wouldn't know it was a parking garage. We proceeded forward to the lane, marked with the green light and entered the garage, which was brightly lit and seemed well laid out. As we pulled up, we saw signs that said, "Weapons and illegal drugs of any kind are not permitted past the Hotel Guest Parking garage. All weapons left in vehicles are the owner's responsibility. Lockers are provided for secure retention of any weapons."
This is a well-known fact; the security at WOE is the best in the world. They have so many undercover ex-FBI and CIA agents on their team that you wouldn't think of bringing a weapon on the property. But if you did, you better leave it in your car or lock it up in their secure locker area.
We parked to unload. We were so excited to finally be here. A few Bellhops, dressed in Blue vests and Black slacks, happily welcomed us to the World of Entopia. They politely helped us unload our luggage out of our trunk, and we grabbed the bags in the car and loaded everything onto a luggage cart. Jennifer gave one attendant the car key, and he gave her a receipt. I tried giving one of them a couple of dollars for a tip, but he politely refused and said it was their policy not to accept gratuity. I knew there was no tipping at WOE, but I also knew people are human, and many will still take a few dollars on the side. But nope, not here.
Here's another fun fact you will be delighted with: The WOE is completely enclosed. From the moment you step out of your car in a parking structure, you will be in an indoor environment. Everything is connected and climate controlled. You could literally get in your car at home and not feel outside air until you got back home and exited your vehicle. The only exception is if you step out onto your outside balcony of Hotel Family, Hotel Couple, or the Complex Hotel).
One of the main reasons for everything being enclosed was due to the weather. Now, there's no heat, humidity, rain, snow, threat of lightning to ruin your day, and as the weather continues to get warmer and nastier, the WOE is already prepared. Imagine those who only have a short time to visit a place they’ve wanted to be for years, only to have it pour and have the rides and shows you came to see close for the day. Standing in line for hours in the Florida heat and humidity is torture. By late morning, most everyone is already getting a little cranky and starting to smell.
Once we unloaded everything and the car was driven away, we walked towards the security area with a bellhop, who helped us with our luggage. He acted as our assistant and helped us get through security by loading the entire luggage cart into a very high-tech machine that scans everything together. We were also scanned individually, but we didn't need to take anything out of our pockets or open the girl's purses.
Once through security, we all boarded a special rail shuttle with space for luggage carts and headed to the Hotel Guests Hub (HGH). The HGH is a one-point destination, and all guests staying on the property must travel through this hub when coming to and from the hotels. To check-in, you just walk to a Hotel Check-in Kiosk and have everyone in your party scan their index finger. This is only good if you've been to the WOE before. If you haven't, then you need to go to the Match Station for first timers, where you'll provide your ID card and get your finger scanned, and your picture taken. Since we have all been to the WOE before, we only needed to do a simple finger scan, and we were all set. We received a printout welcoming us and informing us of which hotel and suite we would be staying in. The bellhop then walked with us to the hotel shuttle.
Here is an awesome tidbit and something I genuinely love about this entire process: Once you go through the HGH, you don't need to go through any other security check-point the rest of your stay. You also don't need to wait in line to check-in at the hotel's front desk. WOE has four Hubs: The one we just went through (HGH), The Employee & Resident Hub (ERH), the Daily Visitor Hub (DVH) and the Entertainers Village Hub (EVH). I'll explain more about these later. Once you pass through any of these Hubs, you are set for your entire stay. However, if you go back to your car at any Hub, then you must go back through security. This secure and efficient process makes you feel safer and you can rest assured that there are no guns, explosives, or drugs on the property. All vehicles in each Hub are kept away from populated areas and are visually inspected before being driven away by an employee. This secure and efficient process makes you feel safer and appreciate the convenience. You also take comfort in knowing there are many undercover personnel watching out for your safety.
WOE has made headlines in the past by catching several high-profile foreign terrorists on the property. These people didn't even get through a Hub, as they couldn't pass the matching process. They were quickly arrested and turned over to authorities.
You cannot just show up to the WOE, you must make reservations way in advance, even if your visiting for a day. You must also register with your name, Social Security number, and birthdate. If your traveling from outside the U.S., you'll then need to provide your passport information online. No one knows if they do a background check on everyone before you can make a reservation, but one thing is certain; not everyone who registers to come to the WOE is approved or accepted. (Note to reader: This acceptance policy will become transparent to you in the future.)
As we boarded the shuttle to the hotel, the bellhop wished us a great stay, and said a hotel guest associate would assist us once we arrived at the hotel. He then went back to the Hotel Guest Parking Hub to help assist another guest. We then departed on the Hotel Guest Hub Shuttle. This very smooth, capsule rail shuttle swiftly zips to and from the Hotel Guest Hub to Hotel Family, Hotel Couples, and the Complex Hotel. Hotel Family has four unique sections, each themed to a different environment: Magic, Space, Nature, and History. Each themed section has 1,250 rooms, and each section is built in a rectangular box shape design with a massive atrium in the middle of each one. Each section has its own water park, restaurants, and shops. We glided along to Hotel Family Magic with several other families. As the name states, the Hotel Family is for families only. There are three other hotels on the property: The Couples Hotel (for couples only), Mayberry Town (for guests 55 and over only), and the Complex Hotel (for mostly one or two guests staying overnight or longer). I'll tell you more about them later as well.
As we glided into the Magic section entrance, we are greeted by a hotel guest associate, who assists us with our luggage as we head to our suite. We have anticipated this moment for some time now, and excitement was rapidly building. No other hotel in the world provides this type of experience or security.
Finally, we get to our suite; #M465 (Magic, Fourth Floor, Room 65). There is a digital display next to the door of each suite with information displayed on it called a Greeting Screen. Ours said, "Welcome, Peter, Jennifer, and Sally, to your vacation home." As usual, Sally got to open the door first. She put her finger on the sensor next to the door. The light turned green, and we heard a woman's voice that said, "Welcome Sally.” Oh, that was so cool. Then the door popped open, and we entered our suite.
"Oh, my gosh," said Jennifer, "This is amazing!" And it really was. As soon as you walk in, you see the dining room to your right and a full kitchen to your left. Then a hallway in front of you takes you to a bedroom and bathroom to the left and a master bedroom, with an en-suite, to the right. The hallway leads to a living room with two couches and a recliner. There is a sliding glass door that opens to your own private balcony facing a beautiful, colorful forest, full of small animals and birds. If we stayed across the hall, our balcony would have overlooked the massive atrium. They are both the same price, but I thought sitting on a balcony with nature would be calming and stress reducing.
The bedrooms aren't massive, but they do the trick. This two-bedroom suite is about 900 square feet and is almost three times the size of standard hotel rooms elsewhere. But the fact that everything is separated makes this an apartment style hotel. Sally has her own room with a bed, so she has privacy and doesn't have to sleep in a bed next to her parents in the same room, or worse yet, sleep on a sofa bed, like most hotels that have either two Queens or one King bed.
The kitchen has a stove, microwave, full-sized fridge, pots & pans, dishwasher and a special metal box called the Portal Box. The hotel assistant explained everything to us. The Portal Box is where food and other items you request are put into by the hotel staff. They open the door from the hallway and place your food, towels, sheets, etc. into it, and once the door is closed on their side, a chime sounds and a green flashing light blinks on the box from our side. You open the door within the kitchen and take out your items. This is so convenient and smart because you never have to open the front door to see the staff and never have to wait for them when ordering room service or supplies. You can get dressed, be in the shower or stay in bed. You can have all your meals delivered and stay in your PJ's all day. The Portal Box is wonderful for breakfast. You make your selections the night before and tell them what time you want it delivered. Nothing like hearing that chime for breakfast. The Portal Box even keeps your hot food hot, and a special compartment keeps your cold drinks cold.
Hotel Family offers a meal plan option for $25 a person, per day. You have access to three meals a day, access to the midnight dessert buffet and The Snack Pantry. The meal plan allows you to choose the hotel buffet restaurant called; The Hungry Magician or order from a menu at; The Disappearing Plate. Both restaurants are in the atrium on the second floor. You can also choose from any of the restaurants in the WOE Complex. Your kitchen also comes supplied with free snack foods, which are restocked every three days. The Snack Pantry, also located on the second floor, offers slices of bread, pastries, small sandwiches, fruit, and other snack goods all day long and closes at 12 a.m. If you don't choose the meal plan, then you can bring your own food and drink from home or shop in the hotel's grocery store; The Wandery. They are open 24-hours a day and offer prices comparable to what you would find back home. You can even take a shopping cart to your room and leave it outside in the hall, and the staff will pick it up for you. The Wandery also offers hot meals from the deli, so if you choose not to go with the meal plan, you can mix cooking with takeout, paying to eat downstairs or eat at the WOE Complex. On the meal plan, you can use your meal credits at the Complex, and at The Continents. More on how this plan can be used as we go along.
At any restaurant, there are healthy choices to be had. Wheat bread, wheat wraps, grilled chicken, Spring Mix salads, steamed vegetables, and more. There are even meals with low sodium for heart patients and low sugar for diabetics. You can come and stay on your diet program if you so desire. Not that I personally do. I don't know of many other places that offer so many healthy choices. If you're lucky, you may find one or two healthy items on the menu at other theme park restaurants. You'll get tired of those quickly, especially if you're staying for a while.
Now some of you may have stayed in suites similar to these of Hotel Family (minus the Portal Box and other unique features) but at a much higher price. You're probably wondering what the price for all of this is then. Well, this will surprise you, but it's only $175.00 per night, tax included. And get this, it includes admission to the WOE Complex. Admission to the Complex is valid during your entire hotel stay. If we weren't WOE Members, it would be another $100 a night. We decided to add the meal plan, so we didn't have to cook or buy any meals, for only $25 each, per day. So, with the three of us, the cost was $250 a day, which included: Our suite, meal plan each, and all the entertainment at the World of Entopia. Tax, snacks, and the midnight dessert bar are all included!
Another huge bonus for staying on property: All the onsite hotels offer 23-hour suite rental, so you can choose your check-in time between 7 a.m. through 8 p.m. when booking. If you decide to check in at 11 a.m., then your check out time is 10 a.m. the next morning or whenever your check-out day is. Plus, you have access to the Complex your entire stay. Usually, hotels offer check-in at 3 or 4 p.m. and check out by 10 or 11 a.m. the next day. These small windows allow too many guests to "bunch- up" when coming and going. Once, while visiting relatives at their time-share, we would have to wait fifteen minutes just to get an elevator that wasn't packed during daily check-out. The WOE's thirteen-hour check-in/out window allows more flexibility for guests to come and go and doesn't have this "mass exit" the next morning. It also gives you more time to enjoy everything. But be warned; If your check-out is at 11 a.m., you must be checked out by then. If you return to your room at 11:15 a.m., your door will not open, and your digital display will say something like, "Please see concierge for assistance." In other words, you're in trouble and will be paying more. Housekeeping only has one hour to get that room ready for the next guests, so time is crucial.
There are no resort fees, which are considered 'extra revenue' by other hotels. Like airlines, hotels have been steadily adding extra fees after they lure you in with a low rate. Costs like parking for $20, resort fee for $20 or more, and high-speed internet for an additional fee. Your $120 room just went to $171.20, with tax. That's a significant difference. Any price you see listed online for the WOE includes everything. In most other restaurants, you also have added charges: Drinks, tip, and tax. If you ordered a $10 meal, a drink for $2.00, add .07% sales tax, plus 20% for gratuity, now your $10 meal went from $10 to $15.41. That's over a 50% increase. At the WOE, all meals include drinks (except alcoholic), and tax is included. There is never any tipping. If you leave money on the table when you leave, they will credit the money back to your account. They call this "Real Pricing" and feel that the price should include everything that is associated with the cost of doing business. Never a surprise or difference in price when you check-out. Believe me, this pricing is definitely preferred by their guests.
The rooms are cleaned by "teams" of housekeepers since the turnaround window is so short. It's common to see three – four people cleaning a room at a time. They are very efficient, and everyone has citizenship and can speak English. Many housekeepers are also students earning a degree at the WOE University, and many even live on the property.
WOE Members also receive points for visiting or staying on property multiple times. I've heard of regular hotel guests who come on vacation year after year, receive an occasional vacation stay at half price, because they are such loyal guests. The same goes for those visiting the Harmony Theater. Guests have received a "Tickets on us" message at check-out when buying tickets. Imagine that! They never tell you how many points you have or what is needed to get a certain reward. The perks just appear in e-mails or when you're checking out. Sometimes, you can even have your meal at a restaurant given to you for free. You'll see the message "This meal’s on us" written on your check. Some guest have speculated that the WOE provides some of these perks as random acts of kindness. Either way, I think they're terrific and a way to get an instant smile when you're not expecting it.
The WOE Membership offers so much value, and with 50 million members, it also brings in revenue to the WOE. That revenue helps pay for entertainment, build new attractions, and continue to support the people who run the WOE. Many Members don't even visit the WOE but enjoy the WOE Web Channel: LIVE and the Music Channel: The Power Station. Members see top concerts, shows, interviews, Broadway plays, movies, and so much more. And many of them are shown "live!" The Power Station offers live music streaming, interviews, and music from many of your favorite artists, as well as new and original music from up and comers.
I am sure you are asking, why? Why so much value and why offer so much? Here's why; The World of Entopia is designed and operated differently than any other entertainment and hospitality entity out there. If you understand what Walt Disney was thinking when he first dreamed up his theme park, then you'll understand what Steven C. was thinking when he dreamed up the World of Entopia. From the ground-up, Steven C. wanted the WOE to be a fusion of the best in entertainment, attractions, and vacation anywhere. As he is famous for quoting, "We have the greatest collection of employees and entertainers in the world." I will get into all of this in my interview with Steven C. later, but this is why the WOE Complex, Harmony Theater, and the hotels are the way they are. He loved to visit theme parks, go to concerts and travel to distant places with his family, but there were many things he also disliked about the theme parks and vacations. At the WOE, he took all of that out of the experience. He added large, family-style suites, just like home. Great food at reasonable prices, just like home, and the best place to relax and have the time of your life.
I just can't wait until you read more about the WOE and the people I meet. Next, I'll tell you more about our first day and more about what's going on with my family and me.
Our Arrival at the WOE Hotel Family
Wednesday at 8 a.m.
Finally, the day we have been waiting for has come. We drove about ten hours yesterday and just ate, swam, and collapsed in bed last night. We woke up knowing we're only two hours from the WOE Complex. After we finished our deluxe continental breakfast, we hit the road for the final leg of the road trip. I must say, we didn't see or do much off the road this trip, like seeing landmarks and tourist destinations, as we usually do. I think it's because we were so excited and just wanted to get there. And probably because we have done so many of the side attractions over the years.
As we get closer, Sally says to Jennifer and me from the back seat that she is so excited about this vacation and can't wait to finally stay on property. We've all heard so much about the onsite hotels and how unique and convenient they are. How everything has been thought out and designed to help you enjoy your stay even more.
Within five miles of the WOE Complex, we see our first billboard. It said, "World of Entopia: 'The Greatest Theme Park/Entertainment Complex in the World' only 5 miles ahead!" Within the one-mile range, another billboard appeared, "World of Entopia; One Mile!" Then we see the highway signs indicating the upcoming turns off the interstate.
There are three separate exits you can take: One is for the Brand Name hotels off the property, one is for the Daily Visitor Parking, and one is for the WOE Hotel Guest Parking. Since we were staying on property and not just visiting for the day or staying off property, we turned off at the WOE Hotel Guest Parking exit. We followed the 270 degree turn, which took us under the interstate and headed west toward the Hotel Guest Parking. We traveled about five miles on the road lined with beautiful trees on both sides. The traffic was all heading in the same direction, so we knew the exit from the garage must be an entirely different road going back out to the interstate.
We started seeing more signs indicating we were almost there. Then suddenly, there it was! A giant sign stating the WOE Hotel Guest Parking was ahead. The four lanes going to the garage started veering left, while the fifth and right lane, for employees' and residents' vehicles, veered right. We soon approached the massive parking structure in front of us. It was labeled with the official, "Welcome to the World of Entopia Hotel Guest Parking" sign. It didn't really resemble a parking garage, but architecturally, modern art. If the sign weren't telling you what it was, you wouldn't know it was a parking garage. We proceeded forward to the lane, marked with the green light and entered the garage, which was brightly lit and seemed well laid out. As we pulled up, we saw signs that said, "Weapons and illegal drugs of any kind are not permitted past the Hotel Guest Parking garage. All weapons left in vehicles are the owner's responsibility. Lockers are provided for secure retention of any weapons."
This is a well-known fact; the security at WOE is the best in the world. They have so many undercover ex-FBI and CIA agents on their team that you wouldn't think of bringing a weapon on the property. But if you did, you better leave it in your car or lock it up in their secure locker area.
We parked to unload. We were so excited to finally be here. A few Bellhops, dressed in Blue vests and Black slacks, happily welcomed us to the World of Entopia. They politely helped us unload our luggage out of our trunk, and we grabbed the bags in the car and loaded everything onto a luggage cart. Jennifer gave one attendant the car key, and he gave her a receipt. I tried giving one of them a couple of dollars for a tip, but he politely refused and said it was their policy not to accept gratuity. I knew there was no tipping at WOE, but I also knew people are human, and many will still take a few dollars on the side. But nope, not here.
Here's another fun fact you will be delighted with: The WOE is completely enclosed. From the moment you step out of your car in a parking structure, you will be in an indoor environment. Everything is connected and climate controlled. You could literally get in your car at home and not feel outside air until you got back home and exited your vehicle. The only exception is if you step out onto your outside balcony of Hotel Family, Hotel Couple, or the Complex Hotel).
One of the main reasons for everything being enclosed was due to the weather. Now, there's no heat, humidity, rain, snow, threat of lightning to ruin your day, and as the weather continues to get warmer and nastier, the WOE is already prepared. Imagine those who only have a short time to visit a place they’ve wanted to be for years, only to have it pour and have the rides and shows you came to see close for the day. Standing in line for hours in the Florida heat and humidity is torture. By late morning, most everyone is already getting a little cranky and starting to smell.
Once we unloaded everything and the car was driven away, we walked towards the security area with a bellhop, who helped us with our luggage. He acted as our assistant and helped us get through security by loading the entire luggage cart into a very high-tech machine that scans everything together. We were also scanned individually, but we didn't need to take anything out of our pockets or open the girl's purses.
Once through security, we all boarded a special rail shuttle with space for luggage carts and headed to the Hotel Guests Hub (HGH). The HGH is a one-point destination, and all guests staying on the property must travel through this hub when coming to and from the hotels. To check-in, you just walk to a Hotel Check-in Kiosk and have everyone in your party scan their index finger. This is only good if you've been to the WOE before. If you haven't, then you need to go to the Match Station for first timers, where you'll provide your ID card and get your finger scanned, and your picture taken. Since we have all been to the WOE before, we only needed to do a simple finger scan, and we were all set. We received a printout welcoming us and informing us of which hotel and suite we would be staying in. The bellhop then walked with us to the hotel shuttle.
Here is an awesome tidbit and something I genuinely love about this entire process: Once you go through the HGH, you don't need to go through any other security check-point the rest of your stay. You also don't need to wait in line to check-in at the hotel's front desk. WOE has four Hubs: The one we just went through (HGH), The Employee & Resident Hub (ERH), the Daily Visitor Hub (DVH) and the Entertainers Village Hub (EVH). I'll explain more about these later. Once you pass through any of these Hubs, you are set for your entire stay. However, if you go back to your car at any Hub, then you must go back through security. This secure and efficient process makes you feel safer and you can rest assured that there are no guns, explosives, or drugs on the property. All vehicles in each Hub are kept away from populated areas and are visually inspected before being driven away by an employee. This secure and efficient process makes you feel safer and appreciate the convenience. You also take comfort in knowing there are many undercover personnel watching out for your safety.
WOE has made headlines in the past by catching several high-profile foreign terrorists on the property. These people didn't even get through a Hub, as they couldn't pass the matching process. They were quickly arrested and turned over to authorities.
You cannot just show up to the WOE, you must make reservations way in advance, even if your visiting for a day. You must also register with your name, Social Security number, and birthdate. If your traveling from outside the U.S., you'll then need to provide your passport information online. No one knows if they do a background check on everyone before you can make a reservation, but one thing is certain; not everyone who registers to come to the WOE is approved or accepted. (Note to reader: This acceptance policy will become transparent to you in the future.)
As we boarded the shuttle to the hotel, the bellhop wished us a great stay, and said a hotel guest associate would assist us once we arrived at the hotel. He then went back to the Hotel Guest Parking Hub to help assist another guest. We then departed on the Hotel Guest Hub Shuttle. This very smooth, capsule rail shuttle swiftly zips to and from the Hotel Guest Hub to Hotel Family, Hotel Couples, and the Complex Hotel. Hotel Family has four unique sections, each themed to a different environment: Magic, Space, Nature, and History. Each themed section has 1,250 rooms, and each section is built in a rectangular box shape design with a massive atrium in the middle of each one. Each section has its own water park, restaurants, and shops. We glided along to Hotel Family Magic with several other families. As the name states, the Hotel Family is for families only. There are three other hotels on the property: The Couples Hotel (for couples only), Mayberry Town (for guests 55 and over only), and the Complex Hotel (for mostly one or two guests staying overnight or longer). I'll tell you more about them later as well.
As we glided into the Magic section entrance, we are greeted by a hotel guest associate, who assists us with our luggage as we head to our suite. We have anticipated this moment for some time now, and excitement was rapidly building. No other hotel in the world provides this type of experience or security.
Finally, we get to our suite; #M465 (Magic, Fourth Floor, Room 65). There is a digital display next to the door of each suite with information displayed on it called a Greeting Screen. Ours said, "Welcome, Peter, Jennifer, and Sally, to your vacation home." As usual, Sally got to open the door first. She put her finger on the sensor next to the door. The light turned green, and we heard a woman's voice that said, "Welcome Sally.” Oh, that was so cool. Then the door popped open, and we entered our suite.
"Oh, my gosh," said Jennifer, "This is amazing!" And it really was. As soon as you walk in, you see the dining room to your right and a full kitchen to your left. Then a hallway in front of you takes you to a bedroom and bathroom to the left and a master bedroom, with an en-suite, to the right. The hallway leads to a living room with two couches and a recliner. There is a sliding glass door that opens to your own private balcony facing a beautiful, colorful forest, full of small animals and birds. If we stayed across the hall, our balcony would have overlooked the massive atrium. They are both the same price, but I thought sitting on a balcony with nature would be calming and stress reducing.
The bedrooms aren't massive, but they do the trick. This two-bedroom suite is about 900 square feet and is almost three times the size of standard hotel rooms elsewhere. But the fact that everything is separated makes this an apartment style hotel. Sally has her own room with a bed, so she has privacy and doesn't have to sleep in a bed next to her parents in the same room, or worse yet, sleep on a sofa bed, like most hotels that have either two Queens or one King bed.
The kitchen has a stove, microwave, full-sized fridge, pots & pans, dishwasher and a special metal box called the Portal Box. The hotel assistant explained everything to us. The Portal Box is where food and other items you request are put into by the hotel staff. They open the door from the hallway and place your food, towels, sheets, etc. into it, and once the door is closed on their side, a chime sounds and a green flashing light blinks on the box from our side. You open the door within the kitchen and take out your items. This is so convenient and smart because you never have to open the front door to see the staff and never have to wait for them when ordering room service or supplies. You can get dressed, be in the shower or stay in bed. You can have all your meals delivered and stay in your PJ's all day. The Portal Box is wonderful for breakfast. You make your selections the night before and tell them what time you want it delivered. Nothing like hearing that chime for breakfast. The Portal Box even keeps your hot food hot, and a special compartment keeps your cold drinks cold.
Hotel Family offers a meal plan option for $25 a person, per day. You have access to three meals a day, access to the midnight dessert buffet and The Snack Pantry. The meal plan allows you to choose the hotel buffet restaurant called; The Hungry Magician or order from a menu at; The Disappearing Plate. Both restaurants are in the atrium on the second floor. You can also choose from any of the restaurants in the WOE Complex. Your kitchen also comes supplied with free snack foods, which are restocked every three days. The Snack Pantry, also located on the second floor, offers slices of bread, pastries, small sandwiches, fruit, and other snack goods all day long and closes at 12 a.m. If you don't choose the meal plan, then you can bring your own food and drink from home or shop in the hotel's grocery store; The Wandery. They are open 24-hours a day and offer prices comparable to what you would find back home. You can even take a shopping cart to your room and leave it outside in the hall, and the staff will pick it up for you. The Wandery also offers hot meals from the deli, so if you choose not to go with the meal plan, you can mix cooking with takeout, paying to eat downstairs or eat at the WOE Complex. On the meal plan, you can use your meal credits at the Complex, and at The Continents. More on how this plan can be used as we go along.
At any restaurant, there are healthy choices to be had. Wheat bread, wheat wraps, grilled chicken, Spring Mix salads, steamed vegetables, and more. There are even meals with low sodium for heart patients and low sugar for diabetics. You can come and stay on your diet program if you so desire. Not that I personally do. I don't know of many other places that offer so many healthy choices. If you're lucky, you may find one or two healthy items on the menu at other theme park restaurants. You'll get tired of those quickly, especially if you're staying for a while.
Now some of you may have stayed in suites similar to these of Hotel Family (minus the Portal Box and other unique features) but at a much higher price. You're probably wondering what the price for all of this is then. Well, this will surprise you, but it's only $175.00 per night, tax included. And get this, it includes admission to the WOE Complex. Admission to the Complex is valid during your entire hotel stay. If we weren't WOE Members, it would be another $100 a night. We decided to add the meal plan, so we didn't have to cook or buy any meals, for only $25 each, per day. So, with the three of us, the cost was $250 a day, which included: Our suite, meal plan each, and all the entertainment at the World of Entopia. Tax, snacks, and the midnight dessert bar are all included!
Another huge bonus for staying on property: All the onsite hotels offer 23-hour suite rental, so you can choose your check-in time between 7 a.m. through 8 p.m. when booking. If you decide to check in at 11 a.m., then your check out time is 10 a.m. the next morning or whenever your check-out day is. Plus, you have access to the Complex your entire stay. Usually, hotels offer check-in at 3 or 4 p.m. and check out by 10 or 11 a.m. the next day. These small windows allow too many guests to "bunch- up" when coming and going. Once, while visiting relatives at their time-share, we would have to wait fifteen minutes just to get an elevator that wasn't packed during daily check-out. The WOE's thirteen-hour check-in/out window allows more flexibility for guests to come and go and doesn't have this "mass exit" the next morning. It also gives you more time to enjoy everything. But be warned; If your check-out is at 11 a.m., you must be checked out by then. If you return to your room at 11:15 a.m., your door will not open, and your digital display will say something like, "Please see concierge for assistance." In other words, you're in trouble and will be paying more. Housekeeping only has one hour to get that room ready for the next guests, so time is crucial.
There are no resort fees, which are considered 'extra revenue' by other hotels. Like airlines, hotels have been steadily adding extra fees after they lure you in with a low rate. Costs like parking for $20, resort fee for $20 or more, and high-speed internet for an additional fee. Your $120 room just went to $171.20, with tax. That's a significant difference. Any price you see listed online for the WOE includes everything. In most other restaurants, you also have added charges: Drinks, tip, and tax. If you ordered a $10 meal, a drink for $2.00, add .07% sales tax, plus 20% for gratuity, now your $10 meal went from $10 to $15.41. That's over a 50% increase. At the WOE, all meals include drinks (except alcoholic), and tax is included. There is never any tipping. If you leave money on the table when you leave, they will credit the money back to your account. They call this "Real Pricing" and feel that the price should include everything that is associated with the cost of doing business. Never a surprise or difference in price when you check-out. Believe me, this pricing is definitely preferred by their guests.
The rooms are cleaned by "teams" of housekeepers since the turnaround window is so short. It's common to see three – four people cleaning a room at a time. They are very efficient, and everyone has citizenship and can speak English. Many housekeepers are also students earning a degree at the WOE University, and many even live on the property.
WOE Members also receive points for visiting or staying on property multiple times. I've heard of regular hotel guests who come on vacation year after year, receive an occasional vacation stay at half price, because they are such loyal guests. The same goes for those visiting the Harmony Theater. Guests have received a "Tickets on us" message at check-out when buying tickets. Imagine that! They never tell you how many points you have or what is needed to get a certain reward. The perks just appear in e-mails or when you're checking out. Sometimes, you can even have your meal at a restaurant given to you for free. You'll see the message "This meal’s on us" written on your check. Some guest have speculated that the WOE provides some of these perks as random acts of kindness. Either way, I think they're terrific and a way to get an instant smile when you're not expecting it.
The WOE Membership offers so much value, and with 50 million members, it also brings in revenue to the WOE. That revenue helps pay for entertainment, build new attractions, and continue to support the people who run the WOE. Many Members don't even visit the WOE but enjoy the WOE Web Channel: LIVE and the Music Channel: The Power Station. Members see top concerts, shows, interviews, Broadway plays, movies, and so much more. And many of them are shown "live!" The Power Station offers live music streaming, interviews, and music from many of your favorite artists, as well as new and original music from up and comers.
I am sure you are asking, why? Why so much value and why offer so much? Here's why; The World of Entopia is designed and operated differently than any other entertainment and hospitality entity out there. If you understand what Walt Disney was thinking when he first dreamed up his theme park, then you'll understand what Steven C. was thinking when he dreamed up the World of Entopia. From the ground-up, Steven C. wanted the WOE to be a fusion of the best in entertainment, attractions, and vacation anywhere. As he is famous for quoting, "We have the greatest collection of employees and entertainers in the world." I will get into all of this in my interview with Steven C. later, but this is why the WOE Complex, Harmony Theater, and the hotels are the way they are. He loved to visit theme parks, go to concerts and travel to distant places with his family, but there were many things he also disliked about the theme parks and vacations. At the WOE, he took all of that out of the experience. He added large, family-style suites, just like home. Great food at reasonable prices, just like home, and the best place to relax and have the time of your life.
I just can't wait until you read more about the WOE and the people I meet. Next, I'll tell you more about our first day and more about what's going on with my family and me.