Around "The HUB" in 60 Seconds

[Lou... 3,118]

The  HUB is the CM website. Just some of the stuff currently on it.

 

Jose's thoughts

This is the weekly message for Wilderness Region CMs from the new GM. This weeks message was all about non-work related safety during the Christmas season. Very boring.

 

Holiday Main Entrance Pass black-outs

This was to tell CMs that their passes are useless for the rest of the year, nice.

 

Fireworks Schedule

 

Magic Kingdom Park (Dec. 30 and 31)
Holiday Wishes: 8:30 p.m.

Fantasy in the Sky Fireworks: 11:50 p.m.

Epcot (Dec. 31)

IllumiNations: 6:30 p.m. and 11:40 p.m.

Disney's Hollywood Studios (Dec. 31)

Fantasmic!: 6:30 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Lights! Camera! Happy New Year! Fireworks: midnight

 

Downtown Disney project updates

The dedicated bus lane is active on Buena Vista Drive from 8 a.m. Dec. 13 through 8 a.m. Jan. 4 (except on Dec. 31).

 

Cast Overflow Parking will take place: Dec. 25, Dec. 28, Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. Cast arriving after 2 p.m. on these days must park at

Typhoon Lagoon or the Marketplace Cast Lot.

 

Parking Entrance 3 is closed to all vehicles except for emergency and construction vehicle traffic. The area will remain open to pedestrians. 

 

Work on an outdoor food expansion at House of Blues is in progress. Event ticket sales have relocated to inside the House of Blues merchandise store and the existing ticket booth will change to become a quick service food location.

 

Work on a new Starbucks location near World of Disney has begun.

 

The force returns in 2014 {C}  

"Star Wars" Weekend returns to Disney's Hollywood Studios every weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) from May 16 through June 8.

 

Hollywood Studios cast parking

To accommodate as many guests as possible, CMs who typically park in the Television Lot at DHS will need to park at Epcot in the guest parking lot starting at 5 a.m. from Dec. 23 – Dec. 30.

 

A message to the college program and internship kids.

 

Movie Nights Dec. 15, 6 pm, Elf Dec. 19, 6 pm, How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Hot chocolate, popcorn, and soda will be served.

 

Holiday Wrapping Dec. 16, 6 pm.

 

Grocery BINGO, holiday edition, Dec. 17, 11 a.m. Winners take home free groceries and laundry supplies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Is this going to be a regular Lou feature? :)

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

And I thought it would be more interesting ... how often do they update it?  Asking since some of this is outdated.

[Lou... 3,118]

Is this going to be a regular Lou feature? :)

 

Not sure.

 

And I thought it would be more interesting ... how often do they update it?  Asking since some of this is outdated.

 

It's a miniscule portion of what's on there, so I just cherry picked a few things that people might like to know, and that might not be common knowledge, or that were announced within the past couple of days.

I included the one on the CP kids even though it has already occurred because I thought people would like to know that they're not forgotten.

The updates are real time, and continuous 24/7, but the real heavy news will still come from Mo.

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Lou, that's good to know!

[.....Gary 85]

Not sure.

 

 

It's a miniscule portion of what's on there, so I just cherry picked a few things that people might like to know, and that might not be common knowledge, or that were announced within the past couple of days.

I included the one on the CP kids even though it has already occurred because I thought people would like to know that they're not forgotten.

The updates are real time, and continuous 24/7, but the real heavy news will still come from Mo.

Thank goodness we'll still have "real heavy news" instead of Jose's inane ramblings.

[Momof6....aka Marty 769]

Thanks, Lou!

[alexwyattmommy 181]

The let the kids play Bingo for groceries and laundry products?

[DaveInTN 3,247]

The let the kids play Bingo for groceries and laundry products?

 

That's not as bad as at Universal.  The kids there play bingo for cigarettes and vodka.  

[Lou... 3,118]

That's not as bad as at Universal.  The kids there play bingo for cigarettes and vodka.  

 

You may not be too far off, because the bingo games are played in the Clubroom located at one of the college program housing complexes. 

As the Universal Studios college program doesn't provide housing, or transportation, the kids have nowhere to play except at the clubs.

[mommy rainbo.....Bo 41]

Thanks Lou.

[Lou... 3,118]

GIVING BACK

Yet another example of Disney giving back to the community, which they do frequently.

On Dec. 17, Disney presented a $250,000 check to the Kapi'olani Health Foundation in Hawaii to assist with the rebuilding of Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children. The gift will support a special family-oriented play area in the hospital's soon-to-be-constructed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit building.

 

BUS DRIVERS NEEDED

It's been going on for a while but is worth repeating.

Referrals hired into a Bus Driver role before Dec. 31 who complete 30 days of employment are eligible for a $500 bonus.

 

STROLLER AS A WHEELCHAIR

Guests may present a red “Stroller as Wheelchair” tag when boarding a bus. The purpose of this tag is to identify a stroller being used as a wheelchair. In these cases, the stroller must be secured on the bus as a wheelchair. The tag must be issued by Park Guest Relations.

And if you don't go through all the bother of obtaining one, we'll do it on request. So what's the point of getting one, good question.

[Lou... 3,118]

Taste of Hollywood To Go is available Dec. 26 - Jan. 4 at DHS

 

Boxed meals are $15.99 and include reserved seats for Fantasmic! (based on availability and the number of meals purchased). Five options are available for adults:

• Hot fried chicken with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, sweet corn and carrots and warm apple crisp
• Veggie sandwich with avocado, orange and tomato salad, tabbouleh and chocolate cake
• California and tuna sushi roll with avocado, orange and tomato salad, ginger-marinated tomatoes and cucumbers and a spicy pecan chocolate cluster
• Shrimp salad with avocado, orange and tomato salad, ginger-marinated tomatoes and cucumbers and mandarin orange cheesecake
• Cold-cut roast beef with creamy horseradish, potato salad, grilled asparagus and chocolate cake

Kids’ options for children 9 and under are $5.49 and include a turkey and American cheese wrap with apples and carrots with ranch dip, strawberry yogurt and a seven-layer cookie bar; or strawberry yogurt, apple wedges, carrot sticks, Goldfish crackers and an organic apple and cinnamon oatmeal bar.

Call 407-WDW-DINE to make reservations up to 24 hours prior.

Guests without reservations can inquire about availability in person.

Meals can be picked up at Min & Bill’s Dockside Diner from 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Each meal is one quick-service entitlement on the Disney Dining Plan.

 

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Those boxed meals don't seem to badly priced for Disney.  

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

They're a good deal because they also come with reserved seating during a time you'd have to wait a long time for Fantasmic.

[Lou... 3,118]

They're a good deal because they also come with reserved seating during a time you'd have to wait a long time for Fantasmic.

 

True, if you're going to buy something to eat anyway, why not, but the part in parenthesis, below in blue, is not clear to me.

Are you guaranteed a seat, and a meal, or just the meal? And how many meals do you need to purchase in order to qualify?

(based on availability and the number of meals purchased).

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

We had FPs for Fantasmic! and were seated in the nosebleed section.  I'd be suspicious of "based on availability."

[Lou... 3,118]

The “Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade” will make its final run on Jan. 4. After that, there will be a period of time when a traditional 3:00 p.m. parade is not presented at MK. The “Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade” is planned to open in spring 2014.

 

The Holiday Services team will be removing holiday décor at the Fort and Lodge beginning at approximately 10 p.m. on Jan. 1.

 

New guide maps for all the parks and Downtown Disney will be in circulation by the first week in Jan.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

The “Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade” will make its final run on Jan. 4.

 

Oh thank you.  Thank you! 

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

True, if you're going to buy something to eat anyway, why not, but the part in parenthesis, below in blue, is not clear to me.

Are you guaranteed a seat, and a meal, or just the meal? And how many meals do you need to purchase in order to qualify?

(based on availability and the number of meals purchased).

 

 

We had FPs for Fantasmic! and were seated in the nosebleed section.  I'd be suspicious of "based on availability."

 

My guess is they'll continue to sell meals past when they run out of tickets, but if you get a ticket with your meal, you're in. Our seats when we did the package were good.

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

Do they have any treehouse villas pics on the hub?

[Lou... 3,118]

Up arrow for that.

And yes, everything you need to know about the Treehouse Villas is on there. Very detailed interior room photos, resort maps, floorplan, rates, everything.

But a lot of that can be found on MDE as well.

.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

My guess is they'll continue to sell meals past when they run out of tickets, but if you get a ticket with your meal, you're in. Our seats when we did the package were good.

 

In my experience, the best seats for Fantasmic are the ones closest to Cinderella Castle.  

[Lou... 3,118]

A video update for CMs only, regarding the MyMagic+ program was released on the HUB by the president of WDW, George Kalogridis. It's for internal use only, so I'll have to capsulize what he said.

.

All WDW resorts are using MagicBands.

All turnstiles are gone.

MemoryMaker 100% digital photo system introduced.

MBs without a KTTW backup card has been implemented at 30% of the resorts.

The overall MyMagic program is proceeding very well.

Most guests really love the MBs.

Acknowledges that some guests are not having the experience they expected.

New MDE app will be realeased with a "guide me" feature.

Waiting to introduce new MM+ functionalities until early this year.

Full functionality of MyMagic for all guests by end of March.

Addressed the negative bloggers, and responded with a guest letter regarding their satisfaction with the MyMagic.

 

All and all, it was a positive message, and based on what I've seen and heard, I have to agree with it.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

That's all well and good, but what about the really important stuff, like... did ol' George mention when the January activities schedule will be out for the Fort?