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Rich╒s Random Rambles
Reflections on the Real World

by Richard B. Pearlstein

Note: This column was originally written for the on-line newsletter "Ideals, Dreams, and Hard
Facts." I published two earlier columns in that excellent newsletter.  Unfortunately, the publisher is
nowhere to be found.  So, I'm offering it through the Travel Forum.]

Is customer service at WDW declining?"  My answer is based on a one-week trip we took late this
August (1995), and will include references to Ohana, the California Grill, Extraterrorestrial Alien
Encounter, the Breathless, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and Guest Services at Disney-
MGM.  For those who didn't read my last column, I'm a soon-to-be 52-year-old Disney park
fanatic, who has been visiting WDW since it opened.  I've spent a total of over a half-year on site,
usually a week or so at a time.  So, I can compare service during my recent trip to the service
we've received over the years.

Let me cut to the chase: I don't think service is declining.  Although I didn't experience as many
instances of spontaneity and humor from cast members (CMs) as I've often encountered, I found
most CMs trying harder than ever.  If they'd relax a little, and be themselves more, like in the old
days, their efforts would be even better.  Anyway, I think WDW instituted some sort of new
service excellence program in the past year, so I can't blame CMs for trying a little too hard.

Now, here are some instances of CMs trying harder.  We had some friends from Colorado come
and join us at a two-bedroom in the Disney Vacation Club/Conch Flats, which, rumor has it, will
soon be renamed "Old Key West," perhaps to give it a little more glamor and distinguish it from
the other DVCs popping up like magic mushrooms.  Our problem was that we were short two park
passes for the six of us, since one gets a total of four passes with a two-bedroom DVC unit.  And,
the DVC passes include the three major attractions, but not the three water parks, Pleasure Island,
or Discovery Island.

So, we would have had to get at least two five-day Super Park Hoppers to accommodate our
friends, but those would have included the minor parks.  We didn't want to pay for the minor
parks, since our friends hadn't experienced the major parks.  With less than full five days to give
them the tour, we wouldn't really be able to spend much time at the water parks.  And, with three
kids, Pleasure Island wouldn't have made a lot of sense.  Discovery Island?  Charming as it is,
would you visit again, with the Wild Animal Kingdom on the way?

The Guest Services CM at Conch Flats told us we could buy a four-day Park Hopper, use a day,
then trade it for another four-day pass at one of the parks.  When we tried that, it turned out that
this really was not part of Disney's policy.  You can upgrade a pass, say from a four-day to a five-
day, but you can't trade a pass on the same type of pass.  (There may be some exceptions.) The
Guest Services CM at Disney-MGM explained this to us patiently, after checking with a
supervisor.  We, in turn, explained what the CM at Conch Flats had told us, and expressed our
disappointment.  Without further checking, the CM gave us two one-day all park passes, telling us
to use them when the four-day passes expired.  He was empowered to make us happy, without
even going back to his supervisor.  Needless to say, we were delighted.  This act of generosity
really impressed Dennis, our adult friend, who had been fairly cynical about WDW, which he saw
as a "Giant Money Machine."

Our next "freebie" occurred when we took a tour in the Breathless, Disney's beautiful re-creation
of a 1930's all mahogany Chris Craft speed boat.  We had reserved the Breathless for the
Illuminations Cruise months in advance, and we arrived at the Yacht Club Marina early and
excited.  A couple of CMs were already on the Breathless (named for Dick Tracy's girl friend,
Breathless Mahone), hunched over the engine bay.  They were muttering.  We discovered that the
Breathless could start, but that the starter motor wouldn't disengage.  The CMs used their walkie-
talkies and called in a couple of Mechanics who, after about 20 minutes, were able to fix the
problem.  We learned that the Breathless often has mechanical difficulties, and frequently needs to
be taken out of service for major work.  A beautiful boat with a hard-to-maintain engine.

The six of us piled in.  The pilot and Robbie, Dennis' 10-year-old son, sat up front, while my wife
and I sat in the leather-lined cockpit just behind the front seat.  Dennis and Summer, his 13-year-
old daughter, sat at the very back of the boat, in a cozy cockpit behind the engine bay.  We took
off, heading first to catch the end of the fireworks at Disney-MGM.  What a thrill, seeing the bomb
bursts over the lagoon!  We laughed as our pilot sped Breathless back toward EPCOT, leaving a
huge, curving wake behind us.  What a night this was turning out to be!  In the back, Dennis and
Summer were having a special treat: When the Breathless would get "on plane," they found
themselves almost level with the lagoon.

We arrived at EPCOT, and pulled under the bridge between France and Britain.  A pontoon boat
from the Yacht Club soon arrived, and anchored under the bridge, just across from us.  I gasped to
myself when our pilot cut Breathless' engine.  I thought he'd leave it idle, but he probably didn't
want to disturb the other guests with the motor's burble.

Illuminations was beautiful from the water.  I can't say that it is better than watching it from land,
but one feels special watching it from water level.  Since I was a Pasha in a previous incarnation, it
felt about right to have the show almost to ourselves.

It turned out to be a good thing that we didn't have it entirely to ourselves.  Sure enough,
Breathless wouldn't start.  Well, it would start, but the starter wouldn't disengage.  Our pilot was
concerned that we not stay moored under the bridge, since the Friendships from the World
Showcase Lagoon passed under the bridge on their way to night moorings.  We had to transfer to
the pontoon boat, walking along the slippery, angled surface underneath the bridge.  It was pretty
scary, especially since I was carrying our exhausted three-year-old.

Our pilot told us that this wasn't what a Breathless cruise was supposed to be.  We'd gotten a late
start, and he'd planned to make up for it by taking us on a tour after Illuminations.  Usually, the
Breathless demonstrates its speedboat prowess, cutting circles, speeding around, and carousing,
he explained.  He said Disney would make it good.

The next day, we heard from his supervisor.  He gave us a full refund, even though I explained
that we'd gotten a 10% discount by using our American Express card.  I had originally planned to
use a Food n' Fun card to pay for the Breathless, but our friends wanted to eat at "home" more
often, so I had had to cancel our Food n' Fun plan.  That turned out to be a good thing, since there
would have been no refund if we were on it.  And, it was not possible to ride the Breathless again
during our visit, since it was fully booked.  We got a 3/4 Breathless experience "on the house."

Our final "freebie," occurred at Ohana, the Polynesian's new restaurant.  What a gas!  Ohana is
Hawaiian for "family," you are told upon entering the refurbished restaurant.  Walking past large,
stone Tikis, the hostess explains that, since we are all family, we must greet one another with
"Aloha, cousin!"  It may sound corny, but it got the evening off to a good start.  I quickly began to
feel as if I were in a large room full of friends.

And, a good start was really needed:  I was initially disappointed, since I had reserved seats at the
King's Table, which was Ohana's extra special table, with its own story teller.  Dinner at the
King's Table cost about $10 extra per person, but Dennis had driven his kids all the way from
Colorado, and this was to be his birthday celebration.  I wanted it to be as entertaining as possible.
Alas, as we gave our reservations to the hostess on entering, she explained that Ohana no longer
had a King's Table.

I needn't have worried.  We got a central table in front of the fire pit, and were in the midst of all
the action.  And Ohana has a lot of action!  An entertainer entered, sang an Hawaiian song, then
asked for guests celebrating birthdays to identify themselves.  We identified Dennis immediately,
and he soon found himself with a crowd, mostly children, hula hooping in front of the assembled
diners.  I expected Dennis to go into high grouch after this humiliation, but he actually took it very
well.  I ordered a stiff drink to try and make it up to him.  "Two Suffering Bastards, please," I
requested of Heather, our waitress.

"Yow!" She said.  "You guys don't look that bad to me."

I explained that an SB is a kind of super Mai Tai, first concocted at Shepherd's Hotel in Cairo.  I
told her I could explain to the bartender how to make one.  She said she'd ask, and soon returned
with two drinks that didn't look a thing like an SB, which is a murky, brownish drink, served with
a cucumber spear.  Instead, these were bright pink and had umbrellas.  We tasted them and, badly
wanting some alcohol, finished them off.  But they were awful.  An actual SB is tart and strong.
These were sweet and weak.

Heather came back and asked "How were the drinks?"  I told her they were lousy.  She said,
"Then they're on me."  And they were.  Again, here's an instance of service that goes the extra
mile.  We weren't requesting other drinks, and we expected to pay: After all, we'd drank the mock
SBs.

But my grouchiness didn't deter her:  Heather continued to be an entertaining waitress throughout
dinner.  Dennis and I were able to elicit the occasional, very gratifying "Yow!" from her, by
making mildly off color remarks.  She was so upbeat and humorous, not to mention young and
attractive, that Dennis fell in love.  If Heather would have gone to Mexico with him, I think he
might have left his kids with us and taken off.  But, typical Disney, it was all fantasy, in good fun
and, relatively-speaking, wholesome.  When we returned to D.C., I overheard my wife describing
Heather to a friend.  She said "And she was full of energy.  Every few minutes, out of the blue,
she would yell 'Yow!'

Ohana may be the best dining/entertainment value in Walt Disney World.  The barbecue pit,
although Polynesian in character, is actually based on a Brazilian style restaurant, a Curruscuria, or
barbecue grill.

When you are seated, you are brought a lazy susan full of salads, dipping sauces, and steamed
pork dumplings.  Delicious!  When we asked for more, Heather said "Well, I can bring you more,
but you might want to move on to the appetizers."

She was right.  Soon, grilled sausages and chicken arrived.  These were followed by skewer after
skewer of food.  Most skewers were four feet long.  The grilled goodies included turkey, steak,
ribs, shrimp, and other delicacies.  They were all seasoned authoritatively.  And, you could have
as much as you wanted.

Entertainment, in addition to songs and island lore, included plenty of audience involvement.  Our
three-year-old won a coconut race, in which contestants use little brooms to sweep coconuts
around the dining room.  I thought I was safe, but when Becca returned to the table, she told me
"The man says it's your turn now."  And it was.  I saw the emcee gesturing, and knew my time
had come.  Embarrassing, but fun.  Coconuts, I discovered, don't always roll where you want
them.

As delightful as Ohana's dining experience is, the big news in new restaurants at WDW has to be
the California Grill. Scott Joseph, the Orlando Sentinel's restaurant critic, says that it is destined to
be one of Central Florida's best restaurants.  I think that it already is.

Located in the same space as the old "Top of the World," on the 15th floor of the Contemporary
Resort, the California Grill is a whole new space.  The visual theme is black, with bright,
geometric splashes of color.  The theme is carried on from the walls and carpet, right through the
shirts, blouses, and ties of the servers.  Its starkness is set off by the use of wood, and by the huge
windows overlooking the Magic Kingdom and all of Disney World.

As we were seated, my wife remarked "You know, I hate to say it, but this is a little pretentious."
I replied, "Well, give it a chance.  If the food is excellent, it won't be pretentious.  But the food
will have to be excellent to live up to this decor."

After dinner, my wife agreed that she no longer found the room pretentious.  What a marvelous
feast!  We split a bowl of rock shrimp and lemon grass soup, a take off on a simple, Thai soup,
but better prepared than any we had encountered in Thai restaurants.  We also shared a duck salad.
Now, I'm not a duck fan, and usually just pick at it.  But this crispy-skinned fowl had me chewing
the last scraps of meat from the bones.  We had a marvelous tuna steak, served with a black bean
cake, and a piquant plate of pork medallions.  Separate salads are not served, since each entree
includes a salad arrangement on the plate.

Words can't really describe the excellence of the cooking, nor its creative spark.  Though about
half the price of a dinner at Victoria & Albert's, the Grand Floridian's top of the line room, the
food at the California Grill shows more life, more imagination.  One wouldn't easily tire of dining
there.

When I enthused about the cooking to our waitress, she said, "Well, go back and tell the chef."  It
turns out that guests are welcome to wander through the "on stage" kitchen.  I wandered through
twice.  The first time, I went back to see how they baked their excellent bread.  The pastry chef
showed me the Tom Chandley oven, explaining that it is one of seven in the U.S., four of which
are at Disney World.  (Ohana has another one.)  This oven, a British work of art, costs over
$50,000, and is able to maintain precise temperatures.  I also was shown the wood-burning pizza
oven, which has the distinction of being totally wood-fired: They have to keep a close eye on the
wood supply, since the oven has no back-up source of heat.

The second time, I went to the kitchen after the main course to congratulate Clifford Pleau, the
head chef.  He graciously took time to show me around, even opening the Tom Chandley to show
me my souffle baking.  And he took his time, even though Paul Bocuse, a Michelin three star chef,
and one of the founders of Chefs de France, was holding court at a table with five other French
people.  Mr. Bocuse seemed to be enjoying himself, and Mr. Pleau didn't break a sweat.

By the way, Ohana also has a display kitchen, and its chefs are also accommodating.  Their head
chef, a friend of Clifford Pleau, took the time to show me how they seasoned their steak.  He even
brought a small plate of the seasoning, and had me dip my finger in to sample it.

I'd like to finish up this month's ramblings by mentioning two of Disney's newest attractions: The
Tower of Terror and Alien Encounter.  We took Dennis, an avowed chicken and ride-hater, on the
revised Tower of Terror, and he loved it.  But I was not as entertained as I had been before the the
extra drop was added.  Back in "the old days," I scared myself riding it three times in a row.  This
time, though, I thought the extra drop had the effect of diminishing the thrill of the final drop.  The
small, four-floor "preview drop," in my opinion, takes some of the edge off the big drop.  Oh
well, different strokes for different folks.

I thought that Alien Encounters was excellent, but not a bit scary.  The attention to detail, the
humor and satire, and the deadly evocation of a market-mad technology empire were captivating.  I
went through twice, and enjoyed the second time even more than the first.

My friend Dennis had a different experience, which I didn't realize at the time.  In fact, he was so
unnerved that he escaped from Space Mountain, the ride we took him to next.  He had chickened
out of it before, but claimed he was going to ride it with his kids.  But, something happened to him
in Alien Encounter, which made him take the chicken exit.  Imagine, the guy rode the Tower of
Terror and wanted to go back.  But, Alien Encounter was too much for him.

Dennis explained it like this: "I was fine through most of it.  It lasted just about 90 seconds too
long.  I started screaming toward the end."

"What did you scream," I asked him.

"Richard!"  He replied.  "Why did you scream that," I asked.  "I wanted you to get me out of
there!"  He replied.

Now, Dennis is a big guy, an athlete, and not a bit timid.  So, I was puzzled.  Did he think that
Disney was serving up guests to aliens on a regular basis?  In any case, he experienced something
close to a panic attack.  Reading the postings in AOL and on rec.arts.disney.parks, I find the
opinions about evenly split between those who find Alien Encounter not scary at all, and those
who find it terrifying.  So, again, although I don't understand it, I have to believe in the validity of
others' experience.  There are many rooms in Disney's mansion.

Well, that╒s all for now.  Please let me know if there are any topics in particular you╒d like me to
address in future rambles.