ESPN Club news and other info

mrbillonooo

New Member
Original Poster
hi...we just got back from WDW being there the week of thanksgiving...we are dvc members and stayed at the boardwalk...i had read a rumor on here about the espn club maybe closing, so one night we were walking by and went in to watch the end of the UNC game at the bar...we starting talking to one of the CM's that remembered us from our many visits and ask about the closing rumor...wow did we get an ear full...even though disney owns espn and abc they have to pay $50,000 a yr to have the logo on the door...the rumor is that it "might" close and still be a sports club with a different theme or close and become a "high end" dining spot like the flying fish (sure dont need that)...as per it closing and going to the downtown disney area, all the places there are owned by companys so espn would build the espn zone and it would be run by them, no cost to disney...the likely places for it to be build would be past the house of blues, not enough room at the PI anywhere evenm taking down a place already there...it sounds like that the espn club makes lots of money but they are looking to save (ie $50,000) money any way they can...i ask about the atlantic dance hall as a possible place...the cm agreed that would be ideal, it loses lots of money and the space would be big enough for an espn zone, but it seems someone at disney loves the place so it is not being considered at this point...
as for the rest of our visit at wdw...
we were all disappointed with the new "cool place"....very boring...and yes "beverly" was there...nasty as always!!
the living seas opened the day after we got there..very crowded...turtle talk was way to long to wait for...not all the new stuff is open yet...the area to the sea cabs is still closed so is the theater...does anyone know when it opens??
at AK..EE looks great!! man it is huge!! we saw one of our cm friends there but he was to busy to us to try to get any info from him...
at MGM and MK...we were on several rides that had problems, splash mountain twice, rock and roll, t of t, star tours..ever time we had a problem, we ask and got to ride again and go right to the front of the lines...the cm's where real nice about it!!
we had thanksgiving dinner at the cali grill...it was great!! we got done in time to make it to MK for the fireworks and even though it was crowded we got right in the middle about 20 feet from the walt and mikey statue...we like to see them there better than from the cali grill...
at alfrado's (sp?) they have changed the memu..its not as good and one of our fav. spots...canada was where we ate after the candle light (part of the dinner package), is was wonderful and so was the candle light on sat night!! we got there 10 minutes before it started and walked right in with our passes and got a great seat...that is really the best way to do it!! this is our 6th year to go during thanksgiving and we do the package every year...we had to leave on sunday so this was the 1st year we didn't make mickey's Christmas party on the 1st night they have it..a real bummer we missed it!!
the osborn lights were great...better every year, even though we liked it better when is was on residental street...we had dinner at mama melrosa's at 7 then walked the streets for a long time...
the crowds for the week were large thursday and friday but when we went to the parks we got there early and got everything we wanted to do done before it got packed then when to epcot or downtown disney later the the day where crowds are easier to get around in..its a great time of year to go when all the Christmas stuff up!!
i have never tried to attach pics but have a few and i will try to put them on..i know this was long but thanks for reading
mr bill <><
:xmas:
 

mrbillonooo

New Member
Original Poster
sorry i couldn't get any pictures attached to the thread...i tired the "insert image" icon but could get to the file on my computer where the pictures are...someone tell me how to do it and i will send pictures...thanks
mir bill <><
:)
 

Sorbo78

New Member
Don't you mean the Virginia Tech game? I don't remember seeing UNC actually play. Ha ha, just kidding, but Go Hokies this weekend!

And thanks for the news/mini-trip report. Sounded like a good time. Still another 5 months of waiting for mine.

:cry:
 

mrbillonooo

New Member
Original Poster
yea really...unc doesn't do football well!! it was the unc basketball game and all the freshman with everyone one else gone...i am a falcons season ticket holder (15 + years) and a real VT fan because of vick and vick...so yea, go VT (football)!!
 

mrbillonooo

New Member
Original Poster
yea...i've heard the DQ rumor...and i dont and have found on one that believes that will happen..DQ is to popular and a big money maker
 

lewisc

Well-Known Member
mrbillonooo said:
yea...i've heard the DQ rumor...and i dont and have found on one that believes that will happen..DQ is to popular and a big money maker

Some of the rumors call for ESPN zone to just take over some of DQ. They'd replace CF for the food. The existing DQ would be condensed, without the food, to some of the floors and ESPN would take over the rest.

Originally Disney would going to have DQ in major cities throughout the country. Without more locations Disney isn't motivated to spend the $$$ to add/replace stuff.
 

Bravesfn1

New Member
mrbillonooo said:
yea really...unc doesn't do football well!! it was the unc basketball game and all the freshman with everyone one else gone...i am a falcons season ticket holder (15 + years) and a real VT fan because of vick and vick...so yea, go VT (football)!!

Yes, UNC is going to be reallly bad this year. On the brightside next year they should be back where they usually are.
 

Blizz

New Member
I love when CM's talk...

Anywho, just to be a pain and clear something up, the folks at ESPN Club are not Disney CM's. They are employees of an operating participant (similar to the Marriott employees at the Swan and Dolphin). The only Disney CM's at the ESPN Club are the Food and Bev. managers for Disney's Boardwalk. I doubt you will see an ESPN Zone at the Walt Disney World Resort anytime soon and I highly doubt you will see the demise of the ESPN Club anytime soon. The convention traffic alone drives the establishment. The menu is almost the same as the Zone, it has a small arcade, and in Disney's mind, an ESPN Zone would be competition for DisneyQuest (yes, yes, i know about the rumor to convert it, but i will believe it when I see the building painted red and black!).

About paying for the logo marquee on the top of the restaurant...
I am not sure who you heard this from but I can assure you Disney would not bill a division of their own company to advertise. ESPN Club is billed per check a fee. This fee is paid by us the guest, similar to the fee they charge Virgin, House of Blues and others at Downtown Disney.

Oh yeah... I love their wings!!!
 

mkt

When a paradise is lost go straight to Disney™
Premium Member
hmmm... I could have sworn those were yellow hourly Disney CM ID's on the lanyards of the ESPN Club cast I've seen.

I think you've been misinformed.
 

Rosso11

Well-Known Member
Blizz said:
The only Disney CM's at the ESPN Club are the Food and Bev. managers for Disney's Boardwalk.

Thats defiantly not true I know for a fact the people selling the merchandise at ESPN are Disney CM's. My girl friend worked there as well as the other merchandise locations at Boardwalk.
 

mkt

When a paradise is lost go straight to Disney™
Premium Member
mousermerf said:
mkt.. you're so hung up on color - the only thing that matters is the stripe.
yeah... the only CM's I trust for rumors are those with a Blue ID that has a Gold Stripe running Diagonally through it
 

Blizz

New Member
mkt said:
hmmm... I could have sworn those were yellow hourly Disney CM ID's on the lanyards of the ESPN Club cast I've seen.

I think you've been misinformed.

When I had to file a complaint against a CM at ESPN (which I knew would mean nothing since it takes a heck of a lot to get fired at Disney) they informed me that the restaurant workers were not Disney CM's but were opp. part. and that the only thing they could do was inform the Food and Bev. managers.

However she could have been wrong. I still stand by everything else I said and I agree with you Rob, what CMs say and what happens is way different.
 

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