World of Entopia - The Story - World of Entopia

Most guests see the World of Entopia as the greatest theme park
and entertainment complex in the world.
But as I went behind the scenes, and interviewed the employees who work there,
I discovered a place that is exactly what this world needs today!

"I discovered a place that has changed the lives of many. By the end of my stay, it changed mine as well."
- Peter

Read Peter's daily journal as he spends his two week
family/working vacation at the World of Entopia.

A great read for those who love realistic fiction and for theme park enthusiasts!

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. Road Trip
Chapter 2. Arrival at the WOE Family Hotel
Chapter 3. Exploring the Family Hotel / water park
Chapter 4. First day at the WOE Complex
Chapter 5. Tour of Show Town
Chapter 6. Mr. Minelli’s Story
Chapter 7. Meet Steven C.
Chapter 8. Medical Facility
Chapter 9. Day at Show Town
Chapter 10. Craig’s Story
Chapter 11. Harmony Theater
Chapter 12. Day at Fun Town USA
Chapter 13. Meeting with Rachael from HR
Chapter 14. Touring the Entertainers' Village with Mark
Chapter 15. Touring the Underground with Roger from Systems Engineering
Chapter 16. Jennifer
Chapter 17. Day at the Continents
Chapter 18. Day at the Dark Room
Chapter 19. The WOE Tour
Chapter 20. The News

World of Entopia - The Story
By Peter Spout

Chapter 1

Road Trip

There's nothing like a good-old-fashioned family road trip. Planning every stop, booking your hotels in advance, packing the car, and setting off first thing in the morning. Unlike directly flying to your destination, driving affords you the opportunity to stop when you please and "smell the roses." Stopping at places of interest to and from your destination is half the fun. The road trip also gives you the chance to make improvised stops; when you see something that catches your eye or interest.

On past road trips, we've inadvertently run into famous restaurants, a 1,000-foot-deep gorge the Wallenda Brothers once crossed, the first Masonic Lodge in the U.S., and even traveled through the Great Smoky Mountains in the Winter, unexpectedly. Our G.P.S. was set to the "shortest route" instead of the "quickest." So, instead of taking I-75 from Stone Mountain, Georgia, we took 441 through the mountains to Gatlinburg. Considering we are used to driving on flat Florida roads, going up 5,000 feet on a mountain, with snow, was not in our plans and certainly not what my terrified wife was expecting.

Jennifer, Sally, and I have taken several long road trips together. Two of them lasted seventeen days, each with stays at seven different hotels. Planning a trip from Orlando to New York City, with stops to see other places along the way, was no easy task. And unpacking and packing the car at each hotel was no fun either. The only respite we got was when we were at a hotel for four to seven nights. Then we could really rest awhile and grow some temporary roots. Traveling to unfamiliar places is fun and exciting, so is staying at a hotel we haven't stayed at yet. As we head out on the road tomorrow morning to the World of Entopia, or WOE for short, we will be staying at a few hotels along the way. But the hotel we're really looking forward to staying at is WOE's Family Hotel.

Monday, at 6 a.m.

Finally, we are off to our two-week stay at the World of Entopia. Jennifer and Sally are still sleepy but excited nonetheless. They both slept decently last night, but as usual, I got about two hours. That's because I'm always trying to make sure we have everything packed, and the house is taken care of the night before and into the early morning hours. I also try to clean as much as possible, so the house looks better when we get back.

I always love when we first drive away from home, starting to put that distance between me and my problems – bills, chores, commitments, and others I'm glad to leave behind for a while. I feel like the farther I get, the further behind they all are. Now it's just me, my family and fun; the way it should be.

Naturally and like clockwork, within an hour and a half, we must pull over for a bathroom break and food, because Jennifer and Sally never eat much of that "home stuff" once we start our "vacay." So, McDonald's or other fast food it is, and there goes the diet and my good intentions of staying on it. I have struggled with my weight for years and have always sworn I wouldn't "pig-out" when we go on vacation. Well, I always seem to leave my good intentions back home with the rest of my problems. I guess eating is always a part of the vacation experience. But when you are struggling to lose weight, you tend to beat yourself up and feel guilty for so many "pig-outs" that tend to happen on vacation.

It does take us a little longer to travel than most families because we stop every couple of hours to stretch our legs and hit the bathroom. Although road trips have many advantages, they also have the drawback of long see-nothing roads and traffic. So, the stops break up the monotony of the long eight to ten-hour drives. Sally hardly ever gets out when we stop. Once she has a good movie going, she is set.

Around six that evening, we pull into our hotel for the night. Tired of driving and being in the car, we spend time walking around stiff. We check-in and as always, hope the price they are going to charge us is the same as the reservation. We get our room keys and head off to see what our room looks like. Usually, Sally gets the honors of being the first to open the door. Once opened, we all walk in and take it all in. Most of the time, you smell the cleaning solution fragrance and hopefully like what the room looks like. Jennifer checks the cleanliness of the room and bathroom. I usually check the window for the view and Sally plops down on her bed and plays on her phone. When Sally was younger, Jenifer would send both of us to the pool, so she could unpack and rest for a while.

Most of the hotels we stay at, at least when it's only for one or two nights, are usually in the $65 to $75 range. And most of these are chain hotels that provide a decent amount of cleanliness with the expectation that the bedspread and carpet are dirty. So, we usually throw the bedspread on the floor and often Jennifer wears shoes so her feet won't get dirty. We also wipe down the phone, remote control and anything else that may harbor germs with disinfectant wipes.

We rested for a while then went to get some food. We stopped at a national chain pizza buffet with cheap prices and even cheaper quality food. The kind of place where you know the quality of food is subpar, and you don't care, because it's cheap and all-you-can-eat. Later, Sally and I went swimming and then we all went to bed early due to the long day.

Tuesday morning

We woke up somewhere around 8 a.m. and shuffled down to the complimentary breakfast downstairs. Another cup of coffee and we was on our way. Throughout the day, I just spent time thinking about all the places we have been and the places I have visited personally. Most of what comes to mind was the theme and amusement parks. I thought of the crowds, the heat, rain, long lines, and unreasonable prices. Jennifer always calls me a cheapskate, but I like to think of myself as thrifty. Like most people, I'm really not a big fan of spending eight dollars on a hot dog or ten for a cheeseburger and fries. Tack on another three dollars for a drink, and that's $15 with tax. I understand why they charge you so much at theme parks, amusement parks, concerts, zoos, and even festivals: Profit. After all, they won't let you bring your own food in, so they can sell you theirs. The one question I always ask is: "Why so much?" If the store on the corner can sell a drink for $1.45 and make a decent profit, why does the entertainment venue need to charge three times that amount? You know they buy in bulk, so they can probably buy it cheaper than the store.

For stadiums, most of the vendors are run by one company. They pay part of their profits to the volunteers who work the booths for them and part to the team owners who run the stadium. The rest they put in their pockets as profit. So yes, I don't like shelling out $20 to park my car, paying exorbitant prices for food and drink and the wait in long lines. While the "line cutters" that spent an additional amount, walk right in front of everyone to ride the ride. You could say that all the excessive costs and fees don't bother everyone. Sure, if you have the money, then it won't bother you as much as someone who doesn't. Standing in line for hours, in the heat, so your kid can ride a ride or meet a character can be torture.

That's what I love about the World of Entopia. The number of people visiting each day is limited, and reservations for attractions and shows are made in advance. The prices are very reasonable and affordable for almost everyone. You can buy a yearly membership for $100 for the family, for up to 6 people. $25 for each person after that. That membership gives you half off your ticket prices, concert prices, and reduced hotel rental prices. The WOE membership provides you with so much more, which I'll explain in more detail later.

WOE does make a profit, however, for it needs to reinvest that money to build new rides, attractions, hotels, bring in the best entertainment in the world, and invest in the local community. On the other hand, it doesn't need to make such a substantial profit because it doesn't have the significant costs and payroll others have. There's no need to charge unreasonable prices, for they also don't have shareholders and don't pay their top brass millions of dollars a year in salary.

There are so many benefits and differences between WOE and other parks and venues. My last four visits were remarkable, now I can't wait to really spend time there and experience everything they have to offer, learn what makes them tick, and enjoy the quality family time that is very much needed. What I didn't know at the time, was there was so much more to come!

Who I am

My name is Peter Spout. I am a fifty-year-old internet blogger, married to my beautiful wife of twenty-five years, Jennifer. We both created a talented and beautiful daughter named Sally, who is a fifteen-year-old freshman cheerleader.

We live in Orlando, Florida, the theme park capital of the world. Jennifer has been a second-grade teacher at a private Catholic school for the past twenty-five years and really enjoys her calling. I say calling because the pay is lower than public schools and the hours and responsibilities are long and great. But she enjoys the kids nevertheless.

In the past, I have been a computer operations supervisor for an online e-tailer, and I was once a retail store business owner. Although I had a lot of clever ideas on what to sell and how to run my store, I wasn't very good at keeping up with the accounting end of the business. I didn't concentrate on the products that were making me the most profit, nor did I know what the "not so hot" merchandise was costing me just sitting on the shelf or selling at too low of a profit.

I tried switching my brick-and-mortar store to a theater/retail store. Unfortunately, I ran into miscommunication issues with the city and then zoning ordinance problems. After only being open a few weeks, I had to shut down my theater/retail store.

With the 2008 Great Recession, I went under financially. In hindsight, I consider my lack of accounting of my business like a boat pilot without navigation. You're just cruising along, not knowing where you're going and eventually, you're going to crash into some land or rocks.

My family and I love going to theme parks and visiting other cities and consider them a nice escape from reality. We've traveled to New York City, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Williamsburg, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Myrtle Beach and more.

Over the years, I've written about our journeys and about the theme and amusement parks we've visited. I shoot video on YouTube and write a separate vlog on the parks and park experiences.

There were a few years that I didn't make any money after my business closed and we went further into debt. After all, not many companies were hiring during the Great Recession, and we went to the theme parks more to escape. My eyesight, which wasn't very good, became worse, thus eliminating many job opportunities.

But enough people started following my blogs that my hobby became my new job. So, I started setting out to visit more and more theme parks, amusement parks, concert venues, and other entertainment spots to review and compare to others.

For WOE's tenth anniversary, several members from the social media world, including myself, were given exclusive access to go behind the scenes and interview some of the key people involved in making everything so wonderful, including Steven C.; the creative mind and founder of WOE. We were encouraged to bring our families and to enjoy a great family vacation, as well.

I've made the 900-mile trip to WOE four times in the last ten years. Mostly with my family and usually just for a weekend visit. We have extended family in the area, so we'd always stay with them.

Over the past thirty years, I've visited many places and can tell you with all honesty, there is one central reoccurring theme; they all want to make a nice profit. For many, it's not just a profit to keep reinvesting and remain relevant in the industry, but the greedy profit that makes shareholders happy and entertainers wealthy. No matter if it's a singer on stage making sixty-million on their tour, to the ticketing companies charging fourteen-dollars in fees for a twenty-dollar ticket, to C.E.O.'s making millions of dollars in salary and benefits; it's all about profit and greed. To me, selfish humans are the main reason life isn't fair for most.

Sure, they'll tell you their number one responsibility is guest satisfaction or guest safety (especially when a ride gets stuck), but they might as well say their motto, goal or mission statement is "Profit before anything else, period."

And it shows. It's evident in the people they hire, the service you receive, and the prices they charge. This applies to other industries as well, not just entertainment. For instance, in the service industry, if you go to a restaurant and get a waitress who is overworked or is in a bad mood, she can ruin even a great and well-prepared meal. In the entertainment industry, people are the most volatile assets that can make or break your experience. If you go to a theme park and run into an employee who is overworked or is in a bad mood, they can ruin what should be a great visit.

Many of these people are paid near minimum wage, and most are part-time with no benefits. If a ride breaks down, you will be disappointed, but know you will probably be able to ride it again soon. If an employee breaks down, your whole experience could be ruined.

For the employee, it may be a part-time job while attending school, to help pay for living expenses. They know the job is only temporary and being fired won't be the last job they'll ever have.

Even if the employees are well trained and love their jobs, major theme parks can still disappoint you with unreasonable prices and long lines. Have more cash to spend? Then you can buy a "line-cutter pass" at most theme or amusement parks.

Now your two-hour wait can be made even more pleasant by watching others saunter up to the front of the line and riding before you with little to no wait. Never mind the $65 plus you paid to be here. Apparently, that's not enough for the operators. Why do the parks do this? Why does anyone offer V.I.P.? Greedy Profit. That's why!

But enough of the negative swipe at entertainment overall. There is much to enjoy and much to experience. You will need, however, money and patience to enjoy it all.

You may not ever be able to afford a "line-cutter pass" or V.I.P. front row seats or dine in a fine restaurant until you visit the World of Entopia. Here, everything you hate about what I just mentioned is nonexistent, and everything you love about the theme and amusement parks, concerts, shows, and restaurants is really, truly here.

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. The best part is; we're now 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, 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 stay on property finally. 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 Complex, we see our first billboard. It said, "World of Entopia: 'The Greatest 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're 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 degrees 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 stated 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 resident s' 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 left at the owner's responsibility. Lockers are provided for secure retention."

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.

Once in the garage, the staff directed us to a particular spot, and then we stopped to unload. We were so excited to be here finally. A few employees, dressed in Blue vests and Black slacks, happily greeted us and welcomed us to the World of Entopia. The Bellhops 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 the car key, and he gave her a receipt. I tried giving one of them a couple of dollars, 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 they will still take a few dollars on the side. But nope, not here.

Here's another fact you will be happy with: The WOE is completely enclosed. From the moment you step out of your car, you will be in an indoor environment (unless you step out onto your outside hotel balcony at Hotel Family, Hotel Couple, or the Complex Hotel). 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.

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, and as the weather continues to get warmer and nastier, the WOE is already prepared.

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. The bellhop acted as our assistant, as he 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 leaving the property. 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 what 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. But once you pass through any Hub, you are set. You can rest assured that there are no guns, bombs, or drugs on the property. The vehicles are kept away from populated areas and are visually inspected before being driven away by an employee. However, if you go back through the Hotel Guest Hub to your car, then you must go back through security. 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.

As we boarded the shuttle to the hotel, the bellhop wished us a great stay, and he went back to the Hotel Guest Parking to help someone else. He said a hotel guest associate would assist us once we arrived at the hotel. 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 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 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 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 order all your meals and stay in your PJ's all day. The Portal Box works great 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 much 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 at Hotel Family 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 members, it would be another $100 a night. We decided to add the meal plan, so we didn't have to cook for only $25 each, per day. So, with the three of us, the cost was $250 a day, which included: Our suite, meal plan, and all the entertainment at the World of Entopia (except the Harmony Theater). Tax is also included.

All the hotels on the property offer 23-hour suite rental, so you can choose your check-in time when booking anytime between 7 a.m. through 8 p.m. 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. When visiting relatives at their time-share, we would sometimes have to wait fifteen minutes just to get an elevator that wasn't packed when checking 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 guest, so time is crucial.

There is no resort fee's, which are considered 'extra revenue' by other hotels. Like airlines, hotels have been steadily adding extra fee's after they lure you in with a low rate. Cost's 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 at 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 50%. At the WOE, all meals include drinks (except alcoholic), and tax is included. There is entirely no tipping. If you leave money on the table, 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 meals 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.

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.

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 just can't wait until you read more about the WOE and the people I met. Next, I'll tell you more about our first day and more about what's going on with my family and me.

Chapter 3

Wednesday

The suite we rented was amazing! It's honestly like having your own apartment, with the added benefit of having all the food you want to be delivered to your suite. Jennifer and Sally put everything away in the drawers and closets in the bedrooms and unpacked all the toiletries to the bathrooms. Sally basically had the hallway bathroom all to herself. After unpacking, we changed and went to explore the hotel. Since it was 12:30 p.m., we would tour for a while and then have lunch. We headed out and went down the hall until we saw the Observation Deck overlooking the Atrium.

"Oh my, this place is massive," said Sally.

"I can't believe this," said Jennifer.

We were just trying to take everything in. We were on the fourth floor, four floors from the top. The Atrium is quite large and has multiple floor sections that looked like they were floating in the air. Each contained different activities that you could do. There is mini golf, video games, coffee bars, reading and eating areas, and a few areas for learning and exploring for the kids and teens. Escalators and walkways take you from section to section. They connect to the sides, floor, and each other.

We took the glass elevator to the bottom floor, where the Magic Water Park is. Once the elevator doors opened to the water park, it seemed even more magical! So many colors and slides and music. All the pools had underwater LED lights and were lit in assorted colors. Some pools had five to six distinct color schemes in various parts of the pools. The lazy river also had colors running throughout. Heck, even the slides had LED lights along the insides. There were wavy slides, raft rides and areas for chilling out in lounge chairs. As we walked around, we could see beverage machines that dispense free water, soda, juice, and iced tea. They had lifeguards on duty, and the park was lit in assorted colors to make everything "pop" with excitement. A DJ was pumping out tunes, and teens and adults were having a ball.

One thing you don't hear is little kids screaming and babies crying. That's because the WOE does not allow anyone in under ten years of age. I know this sounds crazy, but it's really nice. When the WOE first announced their opening plans over twelve years ago, this age stipulation was called a foul by some parents. But as time went by and they finally opened, many were happy to vacation in a place that had no babies crying or kids screaming and running around the place. Even most parents with kids take a vacation here and are glad to leave the little ones with grandma and grandpa for a week. So, there are no kiddy rides, diaper changing stations, strollers, and no parents going sleepless because their kids won't go to sleep when they do. The ten and up policy is terrific and a rite of passage for many kids, for when they turn ten, they can't wait to come. Many come for their 10th birthday!

As we continued to walk around, we saw cabanas that could be reserved for a ½ of a day, free. There was a lazy river with cool caves and gentle waves. There was also a separate area just for adults to relax, which had a small beach with waves lapping at the shore and lounge chairs under umbrellas and replica palm trees. There is wait staff that can take food and drink orders and deliver them right to you. We looked at the menu and were surprised the prices were so low. A hot dog, fries, and drink cost $4. A cheeseburger, fries, and drink are only $5.50. And the best part is; tax is included, and there are no tipping or service charges either. Adult beverages start at $1.50 for a draft beer. The Magic Water Park is massive and self-contained. The hotel rooms start at Floor 2, but the Water Park is about 3 stories high itself, although it is considered just one floor. It has an insulated ceiling, so there's no noise getting into the suites above.

After our tour, we took the elevator to the second floor, above the Waterpark, to get lunch. This floor is complete, with no floating sections and contains the two restaurants and the Snack Pantry. Each restaurant has a variety of different sized tables to accommodate any size family. There was relaxing jazz music playing in the background, but you could easily still hear each other talking. As we walked into the entrance of the Hungry Magician, we were greeted by a friendly hostess. You have the choice of either paying with your meal plan or paying the $10 per person, yourself, before being seated. We merely scanned our index fingers for payment, using our meal plan and were shown to our table. Once seated, our waitress quickly came over, told us about the specials at the buffet, and took our drink orders. The selection and quality of the food were stupendous. Both Jennifer, who can sometimes be picky, and Sally were delighted. Once we were done eating, we simply got up from our table and headed back to our room to rest our indulged bellies and probably take a nap. We had no bill to pay and no tip to leave. Marvelous!

After the Nap

OK, I admit we ate too much food, and the three of us needed a nap. It's not the first time we have overindulged, and I'm sure it won't be the last. After two hours of being comatose, we arose from our comfy beds and decided to head down to the water park. We thought we would enjoy the water park for a while and then retire early, as it has been a long day and we wanted to go to the WOE Complex first thing in the morning, well rested.

As we headed to the elevator to go down to the park, we stopped at the Observation Deck to admire the Atrium again. We could see that the colors of the Atrium's ambient lighting have slightly changed. It seemed the ceiling was changing from a bright sky blue to a later afternoon/early evening glow. We also looked at the Interactive Directory on the wall, which told us what took place in each section. One section caught Sally's eye; The Magician's Classroom.

Sally said, "Look, they'll teach you magic."

She has always loved magic and now looked forward to learning more. She touched the Magic Classroom on the Interactive Directory, and more information came up, much like clicking on a link on a computer. It gave a list of times each day the class was taught. She clicked on a time, and it asked her if she wanted to reserve a spot. She touched yes, and then it asked her for her room number. She entered the room number and then the guests who would be attending, and then clicked OK. Once complete, we immediately received a text confirmation. Really cool!

We then proceeded to the elevator and went down to the Magic Water Park, this time to have fun! The park was well insulated because you didn't hear all the noise reverberating, as you usually do in an indoor setting. The water was even heated for comfort. We found a couple of empty recliners sitting in the beach area of the wave pool and plopped our belongings down. Towels were available everywhere, and so were beverage dispensers. They even had mini waterproof safes for your valuables.

Sally and I headed for a few slides, while Jennifer decided to lay down and chill for a while. We went on three slides within just a few minutes and had a blast. The water park was so big, it could handle at least 1,500 people comfortably. Each one of the Hotel Family complexes has its own themed water park.

Because our park was named the Magic Water Park, we had slides that resembled wavy scarves and a structure that contained several slides that looked like a magician's hat. There were giant rabbits, wands, and even a few slides that had a unique effect built into them that made it look like the end had disappeared. Just like the Atrium, the Magic Water Park had a ceiling that resembled the sky and the time of day. Since everything at the WOE Complex is indoors, the ceiling skylights help keep your brain's circadian regulated. Otherwise, you wouldn't really know night from day.

Then we heard this magic chime and the words, "Abracadabra." Suddenly, all the colors in the pools, slides, and ambient lighting around the park changed colors. It was really neat. We were told this happens on the hour, every hour.

I must admit, it was nice not having to deal with little kids running around and hearing, crying and yelling. Some kids were ten or eleven-years-old, but they weren't acting crazy and unchained. There were lifeguards present and very vigilant.

Here's a real big plus to staying at the WOE Complex overnight: If you wish, and they do encourage it, you can trade your cell phone in for a pager device that you wear on your wrist called an Emergency Alert Device or EAD. The premise is this: You're on vacation, whether it's a weekend or two weeks. The WOE does not want you videotaping anything at all, at any time. They also frown on you taking pictures in most places. The reason is simple to understand; glowing phone and video screens' can distract others and cause them to lose enjoyment in a show or attraction. Pictures do the same. People are always having to walk around others trying to take a picture of their group against a particular background. Also, do you really want your boss or family bothering you when you are on vacation? No, absolutely not. The Complex only offers Wi-Fi in specific areas, and cell reception is spotty. This is deliberate.

You can choose to stay in areas of the hotel that have no Wi-Fi. These areas are best for those who wish to just "disconnect" from the world. They want you to relax and escape. They want you to get away from the news, politics, work emails, and computer gaming. They want you to enjoy not having to do work. You can tell your boss you can't access your email and you can leave your phone at the hotel's concierge's desk.

Once you turn in your phone, you will get your EAD. If family back home has an emergency, they will call the concierge's desk number you gave them, and if they say it's an emergency, they will send an alert to your EAD. A four-digit number will appear along with the message your family left. You can either call home or work using the four-digit code you received on a blue courtesy phone or call from your living room or kitchen phone when you get back to your suite. This also works for leaving your kids at the water park or in the Complex. They can also have an EAD, and the employees can notify you if there are any problems. The EAD can also track your kids if they take off or get lost.

I know you are probably freaking out about not possibly having a phone, no video, and no pictures. Well, let me tell you how they make up for this. There are staff photographers stationed around the Complex, mostly in the areas where they know you'll want to take a picture. They have these areas out of the way from the normal flow of foot traffic and here's the best part: It's all FREE! That's right, have all the pictures you want, and they send them right to your account. All you do is log in to your WOE account and post those pictures to your social media until your heart's content. You can even save and print the pictures at home. Some guests visit the WOE Picture Desk and pay a small fee to have photos printed and put into frames as keepsakes. All you need to give them is your room number (or name if you can't remember your room number or you are just visiting for the day). This also works on the rides and attractions that take photos. You look at your photo when the ride is over and if you want to keep it, just save it to your room number or name.

Remember, you can't just show up to the WOE. You must book your stay in advance, so they always know who is visiting. As far as vloggers go, well, you are unfortunately out of luck. No YouTube videos here. If they catch you with your camera on or using your phone to videotape, they will ask you to stop and delete the video. If you don't or refuse to delete it, they can ask you for your identity and could confiscate your camera or phone. So, think of all of this as helping you enjoy your stay even more and stopping a lot of rudeness that people can exhibit during shows, and while riding attractions. Plus, you won't have to worry about being unintentionally in someone's YouTube video.

I honestly love it and appreciate not having to duck and stop for people to take their pictures. Think back when we didn't all have cell phones and our cameras used film that had to be developed. For me at least, buying a roll of 36 pictures and having it developed wasn't cheap, so I was selective on what pictures I took. Not like with digital today. So, this is all sort of a throwback to yesteryear. Just enjoy the show.

At around 5 p.m., Jennifer and Sally decided they had had enough, and we're going back to the suite for showers. With two women, I knew a shower wouldn't be in my immediate future, so I decided to hang out for a while longer.

As they headed up, I ordered myself a screwdriver drink and started thinking about everything. Everything that has been going on in our life lately. You know life can be good to you and then it can be cruel. People have so many expressions on how to live life, Like, "Live each day like it was your last!" Great! Shall I say goodbye to everyone, every day and should I have a farewell party every day? Come on, get serious! I also like, "Take each day as it comes!" or "One day at a time." How else can you do this? I can't live three days at a time unless you're mentally out of it, then it might all blend together. Or how about, "Life's what you make it." This is true for those who have control of their lives. But what about those who were born unable to walk and could be confined to a wheelchair, or blind, been abused or abandoned? The truth is, life is not fair to everyone because not everyone plays fairly. Life can be cruel to some and very volatile for everyone.

I guess I have been even more cynical lately because of Jennifer. Six months ago, she was diagnosed with Stage 3 lung cancer. She never smoked, but her parents did while she was growing up. She went through a massive round of chemotherapy, but it only stopped the spread into the lymph nodes. She would get violently sick and swore she couldn't go through that treatment again. She's lost her beautiful brown hair but tries very hard to stay positive. Jennifer and Sally are my world, and I can't imagine losing either. Our health insurance, which we spend over $500 a month on premiums for, has been nothing but aggravation. They fight us on paying for anything. Our medical bills from deductibles, co-insurance, and things they won't cover are over twenty-thousand dollars. Since Jennifer is a school teacher and I make only a little money blogging, we don't have the kind of money to pay for all that. In fact, we live from one check to the next. Since we didn't know what the future held for Jennifer, we borrowed the money from my dad to make this trip. My hope is that Jennifer would get some time to really relax and recoup while in this holding pattern. She's been through so much, and we thought a family vacation, one that may be our last, was absolutely needed.

The plan is; while Jennifer rests, I'll do my interviews for the tenth anniversary of the WOE, which hopefully will attract more visitors to my blog once posted, thus making a little more money to help with the bills.

With all the stress and worry lately, I've been questioning my faith and if there really is a God that I pray to every day. I feel like I pray more now because I am so scared lately. Am I praying to have things change for Jennifer or for supportive help for Sally and me to accept what might come? I, like many, pray every day to be a better Christian and always ask for forgiveness for my weaknesses. Maybe I believe because I'm afraid of so much and scared of what will become of me when I die. Then again, I think, once I'm dead, I'm dead. If there is no afterlife, I won't know about it anyways. But in the meantime, I'll try my best to be a good person.

Tomorrow will be a good day, I just know it will!

Chapter 4

Thursday

Thursday morning, we all awoke feeling well-rested from the Sleep Number beds. It was 8:00 a.m., and Jennifer had placed our breakfast order the night before using the Suite Butler, which is a touch panel screen. The Suite Butler can control almost anything in your room. There's one on the wall in the kitchen, next to the Portal Box and a portable one in the living room that sits on the living room table. It resembles an iPad, and it features the ability to control the air temperature, lighting, music; which can play in the kitchen, dining room, living room or the whole suite; food and beverage orders, and other requests for sheets, towels and anything you may need. You can even reserve cabanas, swap show and attraction reservations with other guests, and more. Simply touch and go. If you want clean towels, put the dirty ones in the Portal Box and request which type of towels and how many you'd like. Once the clean towels are in the Portal Box, the staff activates the chime and your light on the Portal Box turns on to let you know they are there.

You can request housekeeping when you feel you need it through the Suite Butler too. You pick the day and time available. This is great because they don't clean the room daily. Only when you request it. Also, the Suite Butler provides you with privacy and convenience. You no longer have to call down to the front desk to make a request, and with the Portal Box, you don't even have to answer your door when something you requested arrives. After all, you're on vacation. The less stress and work, the better.

The Suite Butler also controls your TV in the living room. You can watch 'live' shows from around the Complex. If your family is a WOE Member, you can watch live concerts from the Harmony Theater. All the content from the WOE web channel LIVE is also available to watch.

Another nifty feature of the Suite Butler is the Calendar. All your reservations will be displayed for the day and reminders will be given if you're still in the suite 30 minutes before your show or attraction time. The Calendar will also notify you on your cell phone or EAD if you're outside your suite. The Suite Butler allows you to also make future reservations for hotels and the Complex, just like you would on the website.

At 8:30 a.m., we heard the chime on the Portal Box, on time! We went into the kitchen and Sally opened the Portal Box door. "Awesome!" said Sally, "this is so cool!" She pulled out all the food, which was all in separate containers (family style) and the coffee and juice decanters with a little bowl of butter and jellies. We had sausage, bacon, eggs, hash browns, toast, and a welcome card from the staff.

After eating, we put all the empty bowls back into the Portal Box and pushed the "complete" button to let them know there were items in the Portal Box to be picked-up. After the filling and yummy breakfast, we changed from our night clothes and headed out to go to the WOE Complex.

Getting to the Complex is easy and fun. Hotel Family, Hotel Couples, and Mayberry Town utilize a transportation system using Zipvators. These glass elevator type vehicles not only go up and down but side-to-side. They connect on a track that extends out from the balconies. There are 28 Zipvator stations in the Atrium; one on each side of the rectangle shape complex, and on each floor (excluding the Magic Water Park). You walk to the nearest station and step onto the Zipvator platform, which extends about 5 feet into the Atrium.

You press the call button, and just like an elevator, if one is already there, the door will open. If not, then one will arrive shortly. We pushed our call button and waited a moment for one to arrive. Once the Zipvator doors opened, we stepped inside, and the doors closed. Each Zipvator can hold up to 25 people. There were already guests inside when it picked us up. It then moved over and down two floors to pick up a few more guests. Then it headed to the second floor and started gliding along the wall through the hotel atrium. When it reached the end of the Atrium, the Zipvator slowed and then connected to the Complex track. It then started heading to the Complex. There are three tracks the Zipvators can run on to go to and from the Complex, so Zipvators are passing you the opposite direction as you're going along. Once we started heading over, we heard an announcement that we were now heading to the World of Entopia Complex.

We couldn't believe how cool this was. Within seconds, we were outside the hotel atrium and traveling about 20 mph, 30 feet above the ground, toward the Complex. The tracks outside the hotel are all surrounded by an air-conditioned acrylic tube. We heard announcements about special shows occurring and their times for that day. After about 20 seconds, we could see the Complex. It is massive in size, and I mean massive! Think the Pentagon-size massive. The closer we got, the bigger it got. In my last visits, I would travel to the Complex from the Daily Visitor Hub and didn't really see how big this place was from the outside. As we were about to dock, we heard the announcement everyone loves to hear, "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the World of Entopia Entertainment Complex." The Zipvator pulls into the Hotel Family Zipvator Station inside the Complex, which is in between the Continents and the Fun Town USA Hub.

If this is your first time seeing the inside of the Complex, you will undoubtedly stand there in awe for at least 10 minutes. Imagine seeing the Grand Canyon, Times Square, Vegas at night, or Niagara Falls day or night. Overwhelming, with millions of lights and so much to try and take in. The State Fair section is what you see when you arrive as a daily visitor or as we did as a hotel guest. The State Fair is the central Section, under a dome that is covered with solar panels and lit with millions of LED lights. Remember how the hotel atrium was considered vast? Well, multiply that by 3 just for the State Fair section.

If you wish to go to the Harmony Theater, you can take the Circle Shuttle, which travels around the perimeter of the State Fair on top of buildings for The Continents, Fun Town USA, Show Town, and The Dark Room. Or take the moving sidewalk, which takes you right to the Welcome Center and Harmony Theater Hub. Both are steps away from where the Zipvator dropped us off. If you wish to go to the ground floor, you take an escalator down and then you can walk to Funtown USA (on the right), the Continents (slightly to the left and behind the escalator), or the State Fair (50 feet to the left).

The time was now 9:25 a.m., so we were just in time for the State Fair to have its' opening ceremony. We took the escalator down and walked a little to where we could see the World Stage to our right. All the rides and coasters in the State Fair were bathed in dim blue light. That meant they were asleep. We walked to the World Stage, which has a shell roof covering seats that were shaped like bales of hay but are actually soft and covered in vinyl. The bales, as I'll call them, are all tiered so guests could see the large stage facing the State Fair area. There were guests already sitting and waiting for the ceremony to begin.

We sat on one of the back-row bales, and at 9:30, the ceremony started. A live band started playing, with dancers taking the stage. A few vocalists started singing with the music. The emcee was introduced, and he came onto the stage and welcomed us all. He then said it was time to introduce the Hero of the Day. A short video played about a woman who selflessly helped a stranger who suffered a heart attack on the New York subway. She jumped in when no one else did. She performed CPR for 25 minutes as the train was traveling and until the EMS could get there. The man survived because of her actions and owed his life to her. After the video, her name and picture were shown on the video screens; "Julie Tamry." She walked out onto the stage with her husband and two kids. She was thanked by the emcee and presented a plaque. A picture was taken, and everyone applauded.

WOE selects a Hero of the Day from thousands of submissions sent in from around the world by others. If one is selected, they are sent a certified letter notifying them. The Hero and their family are given a 3-day and night vacation to the WOE, entirely paid for, including airfare. These heroes are recognized and chosen from the military, police, fire, and from many ordinary citizens. On alternate days, they honor a Citizen of the Day or a Child of the Day. So, one day will be the Hero, another the Citizen and another a Child. Each receives the same special treatment and accommodations. The Citizen of the Day is a person who has been chosen for their contributions to their community. The Child of the Day is selected from children ages ten through nineteen and have had a traumatic experience or upbringing. They are chosen by WOE and may include siblings. The children and their immediate family receive five days and five nights' accommodations.

After the Hero of the Day portion was over, the National Anthem was played with a special guest singing.

At 10:00 a.m., Julie Tamry, and her family was surrounding her, pushed the "Launch" button. All at once, the lights all went dim, and a magic-like whoosh of lights went flying around the State Fair and the surrounding buildings. Then pyro started popping with sparks and fireworks were erupting around the Complex, when the State Fair "woke-up" and came to life. Every light on the rides lit up and started moving in sync and changing colors. The music started on the midway and rides started moving. Oh man, what an experience! Everyone cheered and clapped. We had goosebumps and chills. Jennifer looked at me, grabbed my hand, and said, "I love you, and I'm so glad we're here!"

Well, now that the State Fair was open, we decided we might as well ride a few rides. We didn't have any attractions or shows booked for that day, so we had the whole day free. As I said before, you must make reservations to be at WOE in advance. They do not sell annual or seasonal admission passes, so you can't just show up whenever you want.

Having annual or seasonal passes for many theme parks is having the ability to control some of the crowds, but not all. In Florida, for example, the larger theme parks offer several different passes. The cheaper ones have block-out dates to keep you from attending during peak vacation times; you know Spring Break, summer, and Holidays. Instead, they allow pass holders who spend more money to enter any day and guests willing to pay a premium to buy a daily ticket to visit on those days. They say it's a way to control the crowds like airlines and hotels do. I say it's price gouging. Many families can't afford to take any other time off, other than when the kids are out of school. But now, they must pay more to visit in the summer, and some can't afford more. For theme parks, airlines, and hotels to charge more at the busier times of the year is merely taking advantage of people.

Let me try to use their justification in other areas: Maybe restaurants should charge more for food at peak times when more people are hungry? Lunch and dinner are usually different menus, and dinner can sometimes be more expensive. But let's say the burger and fries you want costs typically $6. But from 12 noon until 2 p.m., that burger and fries now cost $8. Would that be right? After all, the restaurant may say they are trying to get more people to avoid the lunch rush by charging more. But most people can't avoid the lunch rush, due to their schedule. So, the restaurant will benefit by losing a few customers at lunch, those who can change their schedule, but make more money from those who can't. That, to me, is taking advantage of people. If one or two businesses did that, they would probably go out of business. But if they all did it, like airlines, hotels and now theme parks, well, then you're just going to have to pay more if you want to eat a burger between 12 noon and 2 p.m.

Florida has a law that prohibits stores and hotels from charging more when a hurricane comes. But isn't charging more for a hurricane the same as charging more for a summer vacation? One is for emergencies, and the other is just taking advantage of people on vacation. If you want to have specials during the slow time of year, that would be fairer. Maybe it's just me. The WOE keeps the prices the same, no matter what time of year you come.

Another significant difference is that the WOE only allows so many visitors each day. And you can reserve times for all major attractions, shows, and The Continents in advance. If you are visiting for just a day, you won't be able to see very much. This place is so vast and has so many attractions, shows, rides, and other fun things to do that you'll need at least four or more days to really enjoy it all.

The WOE is not designed to see everything in just one or two days or a few hours. The only exemption is the special events, like; "After-hours, All-Nighters, Halloween, and Christmas." These events are very popular, and they know many people want to be part of them; far more than the guests staying on property and at the Brand Name Hotels. So, they offer an after-hours pass to WOE Members attending a Harmony Theater concert on the evening of the event. Since concerts usually end at 11:00 p.m., the Member can purchase an "after-hours pass" in advance for $15 and attend the concert, then visit the Complex event form 11 p.m. until at least 1 a.m., and sometimes longer. For the on-property guests, the events usually start around 8 p.m., so they have plenty of time to enjoy everything before the Harmony Theater crowd shows up.

Many other theme and amusement parks close early when they have special events and then charge you for a separate admission to get in. So basically, they are shortchanging the daily guests and rerunning the turnstiles to get more money. They say it's done during the slow time of year. But, for those who are visiting at that time of year, it means fewer hours to visit and most of the time, fewer attractions available, due to refurbishments. WOE doesn't close anything early, they merely stay open later and only charge the $15 to Members who don't already have a Complex Pass for that day or aren't staying on property and are seeing an evening concert.

That's why most visitors book at least a two to three-day trip or come for a one or two-week vacation. They want to reserve the shows, attractions, The Continents, and concerts up to a year in advance and make sure they have plenty of time built in for relaxing, lounging, and not stressing.

There's no need to wake up early and rush to the Complex to get on rides or attractions to beat the crowd. You don't need an Express Pass or Fast Pass. You can have most of your mornings free if you like. Book most of your times when it's convenient for you. Of course, a few shows or attraction times may not be available when you want due to others booking first, but those can be worked into your schedule. If you change your mind on the day before or day of the show or attraction or something else comes up, you can "swap" with somebody else's show or attraction electronically. Maybe you'd like to ride "Castle Mare" again before you leave and no longer wish to see a particular show. You start a "swap request" and offer your show and time for a Castle Mare time. If a match is found, presto! It's yours.

You can also "swap" your concert ticket at the Harmony Theater or offer it for sale up to one hour before the show starts at no charge. If your ticket isn't swapped or bought, then you're still responsible for it. All of this can be done on your phone through the WOE app, any of the touchscreens around the Complex or from the Suite Butler in your suite. Jennifer, Sally, and I booked everything we wanted to do over the two weeks and made sure to give ourselves plenty of time for relaxing and for my interviews.

Sally and I rode so many rides from each of the State Fair-themed areas: The Classic Era - rides from the '60s through the '70s; the Pop Era - '80s & '90s; and Millennial - 2000's through today. Each area is separate and has its own theming set to that time-period. The lights, games, music, and even the food and food prices are set to that period. Yes, it's cheaper to eat in the Classic Era, and the portions are a little smaller, but still a lot of food for your buck. In fact, the Classic Era's food is so popular, they have a large picnic area with picnic tables to accommodate everyone. There are even commercial grills that the staff use to cook the hamburgers and hot dogs; and because the picnic area is in the front of the Classic Era area, you can hear the World Stage and watch the entertainment from the giant screens outside the covered World Stage venue. You never have to pay for a drink, because they are always free at many beverage stations around the Complex.

The State Fair rides vary from the classic scrambler to high-speed roller coasters that are intertwined with other rides and coasters. There is a 400-foot drop tower, called; The Dive Bomber. This drop ride takes you up 400 feet, then turns your seat 180 degrees so that your upside down, holds you there for at least 30 seconds, then powers you down at 100 MPH.

Many of the rides close to each other share the same music, while others use their own. During special concerts at the World Stage, the music will play on every ride and be shown on video screens around the State Fair. This is mostly done during special events. All the rides are built or re-built by the WOE engineering department. They know every nut and bolt of every ride. I'll talk more about their engineering later when I meet Roger, the head of Systems Engineering. Of course, there's no tickets or armbands to deal with. If you're staying on property, you can zip over and just jump on a ride or coaster. The same goes for visiting Fun Town USA.

While Sally and I were riding the rides and having fun, Jennifer went to one of the Rest Lounges to relax a bit and read from her Kindle. These Lounges are enclosed and very quiet. They are designed to give someone who needs a little quiet time, and a reprieve from all the music and lights, a peaceful break. I've even gone in there and seen people napping. It's also a great waiting area for parents while their kids ride the rides. Parents also enjoy the entertainment at the World Stage as well. Either way, it's far better than just sitting on a bench and waiting hours for your family to finish riding the rides.

Once we were done riding our hearts out, we picked up Jennifer and decided to walk around some more. As we headed towards Show Town, we decided to hit one of the famous restrooms that the WOE is known for. The WOE has six highly-themed restrooms called Respites. Each Respite offers a unique and pleasant experience compared to traditional restrooms found in most theme parks and concert halls. There is one located in each section of the Complex and the Harmony Theater. Besides each Respite being themed to their section, there are several other benefits. One is the sheer size and number of stalls for women.

The Harmony Theater Respite is divided into four sections and can accommodate 2,500 women at a time. All of them will be open for a full capacity show of 25,000 people. Each Respite for men and women has rows of stalls with their own queue lines. The stalls have doors from floor to ceiling, completely enclosed, ventilated and cooled. Each has an LED light and number hanging from the ceiling outside the stall, which tells the next in line when and where the stall is available. Each stall has wipes, hand sanitizer, plush toilet paper, garbage cans, music, and magazines. There is also a phone to call a Respite Assistant in case there is a problem, or "special need." The respite assistant can help with feminine hygiene or even bring you a bag and a disposable pair of underwear. Sometimes, guests may become sick from the rides, and the attendant can help them. It's wonderful! They are very discreet, and those in the queue don't know if someone is having a problem, because they can't see the stalls in the queue line. They just wait until a number is called, then they turn a corner and walk to the stall with the green light and the number that was just called.

There are plenty of sinks with push pedals on the floor to operate the water and soap dispensers. Each has paper towels, not the ear damaging hand dryers. The Women's Respite has a separate area for make-up and even has an attendant there to help with basic supplies, all free, and no tipping. There are also disposable toothbrushes and toothpaste dispensers. Each also has a lounge for making phone calls or relaxing for a few minutes. But here's the really cool factor; The Men's Respite has themed urinals. Yes, themed to the section you are in. For the State Fair, the urinals are walled off from floor to ceiling, each with a curtain to provide privacy; each has a green light and number, just like the stalls. There are two lines in the queue: One to "sit" and one to "stand." But when you go into the urinal stall, there is no ordinary urinal, there is no wall in front of you. Instead, you get to look at a giant midway carnival themed game. The view is about 75 feet wide and 30 feet long and is lit up like in a carnival game, with moving objects, clowns going up and down and chickens going across. I've never seen anything like this, and it sure makes going to the bathroom fun. Believe me, the women are jealous. The other section's Respites have similar urinal designs, but with different themes. All these Respites are cleaned continually, and there are never any odors, as the ventilation system is remarkable.

Everything at the WOE is so well done and unique. But this is just the start.

Chapter 5.

Once we were done using and enjoying the State Fair Respite, we started walking towards Show Town. Show Town is a substantial section of the WOE containing theaters, attractions, restaurants, and a few shops. For directional purposes, if I stand in the middle of the Complex facing the World Stage, I have the State Fair surrounding me, with the Darkroom behind me, Fun Town USA in front of me, Show Town to my left, and The Continents to my right (view the WOE Map below). The Harmony Theater is diagonal to the left of Show Town. Show Town, Fun Town USA, The Continents, and the Dark Room all have their own entrances from the State Fair. Their operating times are separate and are: Show Town and The Continents are both open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The State Fair and The Dark Room are open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Fun Town USA opens from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. On special event nights, each section stays open two hours later and sometimes six hours later.

The World Stage runs continuous acts from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Everything from music, comedy, circus acts, magic, dancing; you name it. These acts come from all over the world and are brought to the WOE for a specified period of time. They live on the property and perform several times a day, for up to four days a week. They have time for practicing and time to enjoy themselves too.

Many guests sit in the World Stage venue and watch acts perform throughout the day. Some guests sit there for hours, as the entertainment is varied and non-stop. In fact, the World Stage actually has three stages. While one is being used for performing, the other two are being loaded or unloaded for acts that have performed or are about to perform. The emcee is usually to the left or the right of the performance stage, so when an act is finished performing, the lights on the stage go out, and the light on the emcee comes on. The stage then rotates clock-wise and turns to the next stage. The World Stage has an incredible sound and light system, complete with video screens, which show multiple views and images of those performing.

Throughout the day, many entertainers who live on the property also take the stage for one or two songs or a trick or two. Even comedians and other artists take the stage for a very short time. Some big-name entertainers who aren’t performing at the Harmony Theater that day may perform part or all of their show. But these acts are usually advertised and done during special events.

We walked toward Show Town and entered through the massive arch that connects the two main attraction buildings (TV & Movie Stage Tour and Journey Through Sports). Right in front of you is The Comedic Co., a large building hosting the comedy museum and two comedy stages; one with tables and one with theater seating. There are also several restaurants; one being comedy themed with jokes being played on customers for entertainment and the other is a rooftop restaurant with splendid views of Show Town.

The Comedy Co. is in the middle of Show Town, as the rest of the attractions and theaters wrap around the perimeter. As we walked to our right, we started walking by the TV & Movie Stage Tour. This one-hour tour, featuring 16-passenger classic car vehicles, tours TV studios and soundstages. I will tell you more when we ride it another day.

The Journey Through Sports attraction, which is on the other side of the main Show Town Arch, has a similar style attraction as the TV & Movie Stage Tour but uses golf cart type vehicles to move you around. The attraction takes you right up to the action of NFL Pro Football, MLB Baseball, NHL Hockey, NBA Basketball, PGA Golf, and NASCAR Racing. You can see how big the pro football players really are as you go in between them in the “line of scrimmage.” Your 16-passenger golf cart will race down the football field sidelines next to a receiver, as he races out to catch a ball. In baseball, you are right next to the batter at home plate and see a fastball come in at 98 MPH. Experience a hockey game as you ride onto the ice and the players skate around you. All the people are created using computer holograms and special effects. You feel like you are literally in the middle of the action.

But, the best part of Journey Through Sports is at the end, where you go onto a NASCAR speedway. Hold your ears, because here come the cars, right by you at 180 MPH. Then, you can actually ride NASCAR and travel that speed. Due to the intensity of this ride, it is optional. When you climb into the 12-seat cars, (they have doors, so you don’t have to climb through the window) they are already running. About 6 cars are racing at a time. While there are 6 cars on the track, other cars are loading in Pit Row, getting ready for the next race. When the Green Flag drops, you take off. The cars get up to speed quickly. (The track used to be used for an attraction called the Bullet Train and travels through a tunnel under the Complex, out toward the Hotel Guest Parking Garage and back). The cars race each other and get up to the top speed of 180 MPH, then slow a bit, take the 30-degree embankment, and head back. The computer controls each cars speed, so there is a different winner in every race. When you cross the finish line, you have your picture taken and hear the roar of the crowd. You even get to do a few donuts. What an adrenaline rush. You may have never traveled so fast on land before.

Sports also has a room called a Meet and Greet Room, similar to what the Author’s Nook, TV & Movie Stage Tour, and the Harmony Theater have; where fans can listen to their favorite author, sports hero, musician, actor, etc., talk about their lives and careers. They also do a Q and A with the audience. Around 10 – 15 lucky guests are randomly selected at the end to meet the entertainer personally, get a free picture with him or her, and an autograph, all at no charge.

The day I was visiting Sports, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the Sports Guest and had several Meet and Greets throughout the day. At the Authors’ Nook, Stephen King was the guest, and at the Harmony Theater, Bon Jovi and Neil Peart from Rush were each offering their fans a real treat. Jeff Probst, the host of Survivor, was the TV and Movie Stage Tour Meet and Greet guest. The guests are usually visiting on the property for a few weeks at a time and just like their concerts, will do 3 – 4 shows or appearances per week. All the meet and greets take reservations in advance. The Sports, Authors Nook, and TV and Movie Stage Tour meet and greets are free, but there is an additional charge for the Harmony Theater if they are serving desserts, lunches or dinners. The price is around $10 - $15 for WOE Members and $15 - $25 for non-members.

Show Town offers the best entertainment anywhere on earth. I really mean that! Many of the shows are written, produced, and directed on-site. The shows that come to the Broadway Theater are usually visiting from other parts of the country or world. Houdini’s Theater is a 1,200-seat theater geared specifically toward magic shows. There are at least six shows a day with several different magicians or illusionists. You will see shows that put Vegas to shame. Houdini’s Theater and the Broadway Theater each have a Live band that plays during each performance. Each also has their own themed restaurant and museum, as well as TV and Movie Stage Tour, Comedic Co., and Journey Through Sports.

The shows are all included in the price of admission, and you need reservations. Seating at any show is randomly selected or self-selected, based on your height. Also, with any show at WOE; if you are not there on time, which is 5-minutes before the scheduled start of the show, you will be giving up your seat to a standby guest. If you show up between 5-minutes before and 5-minutes after show time, you will be offered a seat in the very back. If there are no more seats in the back, then you’re out of luck. All shows start exactly on-time. But the 10-minutes window allows for tardiness. But don’t be foolish and think you can make the show 5-minutes after scheduled show time, the doors are closed and locked. And if this happened at the Harmony Theater, you just lost your money on tickets. The chance of you being able to reschedule a show in Show Town is rare so you will need to wait in the Stand-by-line and see who doesn’t show up. If you’re in the Stand-by-line at the Harmony Theater, you will not be charged for tickets unless you get in and get a seat.

As I stated earlier, cell phones at The WOE are really frowned upon, since they can be disruptive and can take your mind off relaxing and enjoying a show. They don’t ban cell phones but make them difficult to operate in most places. WOE has the proprietary technology to block phone calls or text in the shows. If a guest is caught using their phone or camera in a show or attraction, the show staff will turn your call button (usually located on the back of the seat in front of you) from a dim gray to a yellow color, warning you to put it away. This warning includes excessive talking. The light will remain on for several minutes. If you get a red light, you are to leave the Theater. Show staff will be waiting for you at the end of the aisle to escort you out. This is all done in a control booth in the back and, since they know who is sitting in what seat if you don’t leave, you are likely facing a suspension to the WOE.

My advice: If you’re staying overnight at one of the hotels, leave your phone in the hotel safe. Don’t look at it the whole time you’re there. If there is an emergency back home, they can call your hotels concierge, and the staff will send a message to your EAD. After all, you’re on vacation or are there to have an enjoyable time. Not seeing a distracting phone screen and have it take your mind and attention away from the show. I’ve heard that on one occasion, they paused a show to escort an entire group out of the Theater. They then had their memberships suspended for a year. Of course, this was for really being disruptive and rude to the performers. Apparently, they had been drinking in their hotel rooms and then came to the Complex. After most shows, the cast comes out to meet the exiting guests for a handshake or a picture.

The Broadway Theater seats 2,400 guests and runs about 3 – 4 shows a day. A few of the shows are from Broadway. When they are touring, they will stop at the WOE for at least a month, if not longer. Playing today is The Phantom of the Opera and Annie. They also have custom shows that become so popular, they run for seven to eight months a year. Many WOE actors have been offered good jobs on Broadway in NY, but most decline, because they just love what they’re doing and where they’re doing it at, the WOE.

One of the coolest shows in Show Town is in the Hologram Theater. This Theater usually offers 2 – 3 different shows a day, showing each show 2 – 3 times. The shows are all automated with lighting, sound, and special effects. The 1,600-seat arena has the most sophisticated light and sound system anywhere in the world. It has over 30 million LED lights, 2,000 lasers, 600 Harmony Speakers, wind, fire, pyrotechnics, and unbelievable engineering. There are arms of lights and screens that rise from beneath the floor and lower from the ceiling.

Even the walls and ceiling have lights built into them, as well as every seat in the Theater. But, here’s the best part; the seats move up and down on large platforms, giving you different views of the floor and surrounding area. Believe me, when I say, this is no fountain show. This show, no matter which one you see, will blow your mind. There can be screens on fire and hologram lasers shooting everywhere, with the LED lights showing pictures of outer space from floor to ceiling and all around you.

A warning: Never, ever, take any drugs, especially hallucinogenic drugs, before going to the Hologram Theater or the super dance club; Metamorphoses. On more than one occasion, they have had to remove a guest during a show because they started “freaking out.” The special effects are so real, you don’t need drugs to get you to believe you’re in a different zip code or planet. The shows last about 50 minutes and rotate. They bring in a new show every year and have themed shows for Independence Day (all of July), Halloween, and the Holidays.

After walking around for a while, we took the elevator to the roof of the Comedic Co. to eat lunch at The Comedy View. This restaurant overlooks the right-hand portion of Show Town, so you can see The TV and Movie Stage Tour, The Hologram Theater and Houdini’s Theater. If you’re using your meal plan, you can order any entrée from the menu.

The meal plan entitles you to breakfast, lunch, and dinner at any restaurant in the Complex. Drinks are always free, and you get plenty of food with each meal. You can also add extra food to your order and pay extra, but believe me, you usually won’t have room. You can have the breakfast buffet at your hotel, lunch at the Complex, and order dinner to your suite if you’d like. You are also entitled to snacks throughout the day and the midnight dessert buffet at your hotel, all with the food plan.

After just five minutes of looking at our menu, our waitress came over and introduced herself. “Hi, I’m Julie, and I’ll be taking care of you for lunch today. May I take your drink order and bring you a free appetizer?” The appetizer is included in the meal plan and includes Onion rings, mozzarella sticks, and a few others. The honey rolls were free. We could choose one appetizer because we had at least two people eating with the meal plan. For every two people eating, you get one free appetizer. She also said,” You can have the fried food baked if you’d like. That includes the fries and onion rings.” She also told us about the healthy section of the menu that had wraps and salads. All the food items had a calorie count and the number of points if you’re on Weight Watchers, for those who wanted to stay on their diets on vacation. Julie was so nice and covered everything on the menu since we had never eaten at a restaurant at the Complex. She spent nearly five minutes going over everything. Then she said to take some time to make up our minds, and she would be back in a few minutes to take our order. But before she left, she told us about the call button at the table; a little device sitting in the middle of the table that has a button to call your waitress or waiter. This saves you from having to watch for them when they pass back around or wait for them to come back to check on you. If Julie needs to go on a break, she hands her call button device transponder to whoever is covering for her, which is usually the “float” waiter or waitress.

There is no tipping, so all they care about is making sure your service is terrific. If Julie is talking with guests and her paging device goes off, she can just hit the “busy” button, and the table request will then go to the “floater.” Or, if the floater is covering for someone else, then the supervisor; who may handle the request themselves or assign it to someone else. Each request is handled within two minutes or less. Julie came back with our drinks and appetizer and took our order. Once she knew what we wanted, she gave us a payment device called the Payment Cube, which allowed us to pay using our finger with our food plan. If you have someone in your party that isn’t on the food plan, they can pay separately. She came back soon to check on us and to take our empty plates and to refill our drinks.

The food arrives on a cart delivered by your waiter or waitress, not carried by a tray. Julie brought our food on a cart and had everything ready to go. The cart has extra napkins, plates, utensils, butter, and other condiments. The cart was stocked, and Julie was prepared. Each entrée was covered for protection from germs and temperature. Our meal was terrific and fattening. As I mentioned earlier, we love our fatty food, so watching our weight on this vacation was out the window. Once we finished our meal, Julie came back to take our plates and asked if we wanted anything else. We said we were stuffed. But I did ask her if I could interview her since I was on a working vacation. She said she would love to and could take her break in five minutes and meet us in the employee lounge. As we did the night before, we just got up from the table and walked out. I could get so used to this! No bill to pay and no tip to leave.

We found the employee lounge next to the kitchen and met Julie again. She invited us to have a seat on the couch. There were a few more employees in there, but they didn’t seem to mind and even chimed in. I explained to her and the others who I was and what I was doing. I told her I was going to interview Steven C., and she immediately had a huge smile on her face.

I said, “You know Steven C?”

She said, “I know him. Everyone knows him.”

I asked her, “Is that because he is good or bad, that everyone knows him?”

She said, “Oh, very good! In fact, this place is here, and I’m here because of him.”

I asked her to explain what she meant.

“Steven C. is the creative mastermind behind everything here at the WOE. Most everyone has been positively impacted by this place,” said Julie.

“I’ve heard about him, and I have an interview set-up with him, but I don’t know much about him yet. It seems like he’s not a public person,” I said.

“He’s not. He rarely gives speeches or heads up meetings with employees. He’ll show up to them, but seldom talks in front of a crowd.”

Jennifer asked Julie, “What is his official title or job responsibilities?”

“He’s referred to as the Executive Director of Entertainment and sometimes the President of Operations. No one knows exactly, because he never sends out e-mails that have a title after his name. He just signs his e-mails as Steven C. He’s not even listed in the management flow chart, but he can tell anyone what to do, and he can never be fired.”

Another employee in the employee lounge who overheard us, named Bobbie said, “Steven C. comes up with all the great ideas, everything from the attractions, shows, employee health care, the living community. Then he shares them with the members of management and the engineers, who then implement the idea or make changes. He’s also terrific with remembering names and can recall certain things about you from a conversation you had with him three years ago.”

Julie then said, “This place saved me and my families’ lives. They took my husband, son, and I from living in our car and gave us a place to stay with good jobs.”

I said, “How’d that happen?” Julie then told me her story.

“Three years ago, we were living in New York City. My husband, Jeb, was a lawyer for a big financial firm making over six figures a year. Our son, Jacob, was in private school, and I was a stay-at-home mom. Jeb’s firm got caught up in a federal inquiry and was then forced to pay millions in fines for illegal activities. The bad press caused the company to lose business, and subsequently, they down-sized.” Julie continued, “Jeb always thought something wasn’t right but wasn’t that close to the situation to really know for sure. Once he lost his job, no one wanted to hire him because of all the negative publicity. Within six months, we had to move out of our apartment in New York City and into an apartment in New Jersey. I started waitressing to bring in some money. Jeb still couldn’t find work and tried taking his own life by shooting himself in the head. Fortunately, he didn’t kill himself but was in the ICU for six months. With no health insurance, we were sued by the hospital and lost everything but our older model car. I used to shower at rest stops, and we washed our clothes at laundry mats. We lived in our car for three weeks, because even though I was still working as a waitress, our credit was ruined, and we couldn’t get or afford another apartment.

Then one day, I waited on a customer named Roy. He told me he was an employee scout for the WOE and thought I was a great waitress. I told him my story, but he told me he already knew it. He said he talked to others who knew me. I knew it couldn’t have been my parents or Jeb’s parents, because we didn’t tell them what happened because of our pride and a few differences we had had with them in the past. Roy asked if I was interested in trying a temporary move to the WOE for three months and seeing how things work out. I said. ‘I’d love to!’”

Julie continued on and said, “The next day, Roy came back to the diner and handed me all the information, including plane tickets and $1,500. He said to get some new clothes and rent a hotel until the trip and donate the car. One week later, we were here and were put up in the employee apartments. Jeb was given a job in their legal department, and I got a job here. Our son goes to school on the property, and Jeb still gets treatment when he needs it. After the three-month trial, they moved us into a larger apartment, and soon, we will get a small house on the property. All paid for.”

Jennifer, Sally and I all sat there with our mouths open. I said, “That’s remarkable!”

Julie said, “That’s WOE. And Steven C. is behind how this place operates.”

Julie had to get back to work. So, we thanked her and hugged goodbye.

What a story and what a turn-around in someone’s life. As we headed back to our room for a rest, I said to Jennifer, “That was amazing!”

She said, “This place is amazing.”

I couldn’t wait to hear more stories and meet Steven C. This is going to be a truly remarkable experience.


Chapter 6

Friday morning

I woke up around 9 a.m., Jennifer and Sally were still sleeping. We were going down for breakfast today, so I made myself a coffee from our suite coffee maker and sat on the balcony taking in the calmness and beauty of nature. It’s so quiet and peaceful out here. No traffic noise like you hear at other hotels; just birds chirping and squirrels running around.

I started thinking about Julie and her story. Jennifer and I were talking about her last night while we watched Sally at the Water Park. It seems like you think you have everything together, then in an instant, it all comes apart. Imagine living in an NYC apartment for one month and the next living in your car.

I often think about our own financial stability. What will happen if Jennifer gets sicker from the cancer and must miss work? I know I couldn’t afford to support all three of us from what I make on blogging. We didn’t have any savings and had to borrow money to make this trip. How will I pay the mortgage or the car payments? My eyes aren’t good, so there aren’t many jobs I can do to make more money and Sally is only 15.

As all of this starts to scare me, I quickly stop thinking about it and say to myself, “Don’t worry, everything will be okay. I have faith.”
But exactly who saved Julie and her family? Was it faith that she ran into Roy or was the interaction planned by good people helping others and Roy just happened to find Julie? If someone helps you out, are they blessed and sharing their blessings with you, or are they maybe just good people? Is the Red Cross faith-based or humans supported financially by other humans, just good people?

Jennifer joined me on the balcony with her cup of coffee. We talked for a while, and she said she didn’t feel right. I told her I would bring back a take-out box for her and to take it easy today.

I woke up Sally, and we went to breakfast, the buffet, of course. After eating and bringing food back for Jennifer, Sally and I changed and headed over to the Complex. We had reservations to see the magic show at Houdini’s Theater at 10:30.

We headed to the nearest Zipvator and proceeded to travel to the Complex. Oh, by the way. I forgot to mention the way to get back from the Complex. Each of our Zipvator Stations has its’ own number. This is important to know when you go to the Hotel Family Zipvator Station at the Complex to come back. First, remember the hotel section name. Ours is Magic. Find the Magic Zipvator row and enter the Zipvator, then push your Zipvator Station number. If you forget, it’s no big deal. You may just have to walk a little more to get to your suite.

We get to the Complex and then boarded the Circle Shuttle. This slower moving form of transportation takes you around the perimeter of the State Fair using 20 passenger roofless vehicles and has stops at each major section of the Complex: (The Welcome Center & Harmony Theater Hub, Show Town & Dark Room Hub, The Dark Room & State Fair Hub, and the Continents & Show Town USA Hub). It travels on top of all the buildings and runs continuously. The Show Town & Dark Room Hub also hosts the Couples Hotel and Mayberry Town Zipvator Stations, where guests staying at the Couples Hotel or Mayberry Town travel back and forth to the Complex. Once you reach your stop, ours being Show Town & Dark Room, you exit the vehicles and take the escalator down. This works the same way if you want to go from one end of the Complex to the other.

We entered Show Town and headed around the Comedic Co. building and passed The Journey Through Sports attraction, Authors’ Nook and The Broadway Theater to get to Houdini’s Theater, which is adjacent to The Hologram Theater. We walked up to the front of the Theater, which is sloped to provide guests with a better view of the Show Town parades that take place twice daily.

As we walked up the lawn of Houdini’s Theater, employees were verifying all the guests by using the finger scanners. They had six to seven lanes, and people were moving fast. I’ve been in theme parks where the finger and biometric scanners could be a little slow, due to guests having sunscreen lotion or oil or food grease on their fingers. Since everything at the WOE is enclosed, there is no sunscreen lotion, and this system was fast.

Once our fingers were scanned, we were handed a little piece of paper that printed on the machine, called a show receipt. It had our names, the name of the show, and the row and seat number on it. When you reserve a show, you also reserve a seat (unless seats are randomly selected), so we knew where we were sitting. Many people like that there is no VIP seating for any show, any time, even in the Harmony Theater. The seats and seating capacity are available first-come, first-taken when you reserve. Each Theater will show you a map of all their seats. You merely touch or click the ones you want. If there are any conflicts with seating once inside, the ushers have portable scanners and bar code readers to scan your finger or receipt to make sure you are supposed to be where you belong.

Since we were a little early, we were to stand in the show queue area where we were entertained by a magician performing close-up magic before the Theater doors opened. At 10:15 a.m., they’d let us into the Theater. The magician was working the waiting crowd, and cameras were showing the tricks on screens around the waiting queue area. Man, was he good! He came over to us and asked Sally to pick a card. She chose the four of spades. He said to her, “please write your name on the card,” which Sally did. Then he said, “Now, rip it up into tiny pieces.” She did. “Place the tiny pieces in this silk and roll it up.” After Sally did this, he tucked the rolled-up silk in his balled-up hand, so that you couldn’t see it anymore. Then he asked Sally to blow on his hand. After she did this, he opened his hand, and the silk and card pieces were gone.

“Wow,” Sally said, “That was cool. Where’d they go?”

“It disappeared,” said the magician, “But watch!”

He pulled a new deck of cards out of his shirt pocket, unwrapped the plastic, shuffled them and then said to Sally, “Now, pick any card from the deck and look at it.”

Sally picked a card and turned it around to look at it.

“Oh, my gosh! That’s my card!”

I couldn’t believe it myself. It was indeed the four of spades, and Sally’s name was on it. That was truly amazing! Everyone around us and those watching on the video screens applauded.

Now it was 10:15 and the doors opened. Remember, there are absolutely no cameras, videotaping, or pictures during the show. They discourage talking to others during the show for everyone’s enjoyment. Once they tell you to leave, that’s it. If you cause a scene, you may not be able to make a reservation in the future. They take this very seriously. Almost all these shows are broadcast on their closed-circuit channel, so you can watch them live in your suite.

The Show and the Showman

The time is 10:30 a.m., the live band started playing and our illusionist, Roger Minselli, started his show by riding on stage on a motorcycle. After he revved it up several times and rode it around the large stage for a minute, he rode off into the audience on a portable ramp that was lowered into the middle aisle. He raced up the ramp until he reached the back of the Theater. Then the female assistants brought a huge box on a portable stand onto the stage. After spinning it around a few times to show the audience there was nothing in the back, they took these long sticks and waved them around under the box and stand to show there were no mirrors under it as well. They then unlocked and lowered all the panels of the box and spun the box around again to show us there was nothing in the box either. Then they closed all the panels except one, which was facing the audience, the lowered panel made a ramp into the box. All of this was happening as the band played quick tempo and upbeat music.

Once the box was ready, and the opening was facing Mr. Minselli, he revved the engine loudly in the back of the Theater and took off toward the box opening at a fast rate of speed. He must have been going 30 mph. He raced down the ramp and up the stage and up into the box. He hit the back of the box, and the whole thing exploded! All the walls of the box had unlocked from the top and opened to the stage to reveal Mr. Minselli was gone. Then, the assistants spun the box once more and then snapped the panels back into place, so you couldn’t see inside. A hook was lowered and connected to the top of the box, which was then lifted into the air. The portable base was moved to the side. Several assistants walked around under the box to prove that there were no mirrors or false bottoms. Then the box that was lifted into the air was lit on fire. Within 20 seconds, the box was engulfed in flames. Another boom sounded, and again, the panels flew open, and Mr. Minselli took off out of the box on his motorcycle and rode around the stage. He got off the bike and took off his helmet, “Ladies and Gentlemen, please put your hands together and welcome Illusionist Mr. Minselli,” The announcer excitedly proclaimed.

What a start to what turned out to be a spectacular show. One hour later, we were all standing on our feet for over three consecutive minutes showing our appreciation and excitement. Honestly, I have never seen a show so unbelievable before. I couldn’t honestly tell how anything was done, and I practiced magic when I was a teenager and used to read about how the big illusions were done. I mean, this show was truly remarkable. The illusions, the music, the lights, the whole production!

As we all walked out of the Theater, many guests wanted to visit and meet Mr. Minselli in an exclusive meet and greet area outside the Theater. Sally wanted to meet him since she loved magic so much, so we decided to wait. After about ten minutes, Mr. Minselli appeared in new clothing and started to shake hands and pose for pictures. There was a professional photographer there taking pictures, and you could get one for free. We just provided the assistant with our room number, and they sent the pictures of Sally and Mr. Minselli right to our account. After our picture, we waited around until the rest of the guests had met him. I then went up to him and told him again how he did a remarkable job. He thanked me and said he loved doing what he did. I asked him how long he’d been performing here at the WOE.

He said, “About three years now. I worked in Vegas for about ten years before this.”

I said, “Which do you like better? Here or Vegas?”

He said, “Here, by far!”

I explained that I was doing a ten-year behind-the-scenes article about the WOE and wondered if he would be interested in an interview. He said, “Sure, I’d love to. Let’s go back to my dressing room and talk.”

After the assistant took down our personal information (for security reasons I’m sure), we followed him through a particular corridor that led backstage to his dressing room. There was another show for him starting at 12:30 p.m., but he had some time backstage to kill beforehand. So, we started talking about him and the show here.

“How long have you been an illusionist/magician?” I asked him.

He said, “About 25 years.”

“How has the magic career treated you?”

“Better now that I’m here. Much better.”

I asked him how so.

He said, “The entertainment business is very competitive and cut-throat. You must start out traveling around the country, playing in small venues, and staying in cheap motels. It’s the same as a band, comedian, or any other act. You have to get your name out there until you get a break.”

“A break? Like a steady gig?” I asked.

“Yes, someplace, where you can stay for a while and make some money. A break may be to get on TV and get some name exposure. But even then, even if you perform at larger venues and make more money, the touring is relentless and exhausting. Most every entertainer would love to have a steady gig in the same place and not have to travel on a bus and stay at different hotels every night. In this business, even if you get a steady gig, you can be cut and thrown away, just so a business owner can save a few hundred dollars by hiring another act, or performer.”

He continued, “Once I got a steady show in Vegas, I thought I had it made. Thought I made the “big time.” But it doesn’t take long before someone else comes in and replaces you. If you don’t continue to buy new illusions and update your show, then you can become stale quick. I had five different employers in ten years. How do you get comfortable if you’re not sure you will even have a gig a year from now?”

Mr. Minselli continued, “The gigs become less desirable, and the pay becomes less each time I was hired by another casino. By my tenth year, I was living in a motel room and divorced. My wife left me because I couldn’t afford much of anything at that point. There’s so much competition, and you need money, so you’ll take almost anything. The casinos are always wanting to make more profit. Now, they want you to ‘rent’ the Theater yourself and pay them. Imagine having to pay your own rent for a 1,200-seat theater? I mean, you’re now taking all the risks, and they’re just collecting a check from you.”

I asked him how he got here.

“Believe this or not, I ran into a Talent Scout for the WOE two weeks before my last contract ran out and no other gig was in place. His name was Jack Train. He approached me after my performance and handed me his card. He told me he had watched several of my shows and wanted to know if we could meet the next day for lunch and talk. I told him absolutely!”

A known fact is that the WOE accepts very few unsolicited audition tapes or requests for employment. They prefer to find you. They employ 25 Talent Scouts that work around the world, and they use word of mouth and other means to find you. In most cases, by the time they first talk to you, they’ve already watched your performance multiple times and spoke to others about you as well. All undercover or in the background.

They want to catch you in your ‘natural state’ you could say. They may start to consider a particular act or a performer and find something they don’t like and move on. You wouldn’t even know they were watching you.

Mr. Minselli continued, “Our lunch the next day was great. Very relaxed, and he made it that way. He was so calm and down to earth. He asked me about my career, just like you’re doing now. I told him everything. Then he thanked me and said he would get back to me. Four days later, Jack called me and invited me to a meeting to talk again. We met with two other WOE employees over dinner and talked more. At the end of the meal, Jack offered me a temporary job at the WOE. The job was for three months, and they would pay for my room, board, moving expenses, and a nice salary. I, of course, accepted.”

“For the first month, I did a few illusions on the World Stage on a five-day a week schedule and did some close-up magic at the Mystic Restaurant (the restaurant next to Houdini’s Theater). While working about 20 hours a week doing that, I was developing a new show for myself. They helped me build a few new illusions, which they paid for and I rehearsed after-hours in the Theater. They provided everything: the assistants, show director, costumes, I mean everything. I worked with a team to develop my new show.”

“I stayed in the short-term Entertainer’s Village section in a nice apartment. Food was always available free downstairs, along with a pool and recreation. It was wonderful and stress-free. I took the Rail Shuttle back and forth from the Entertainer’s Village to the Complex every day. After the first month, I started my new show in the Houdini Theater, once a day for six days a week. The second month I went to two to three shows a day for four days a week.”

“In your spare time, you practice and rest. After the three months were up, they pulled me into the show producers’ office and told me what they liked and didn’t like about me and the show. We discussed changes, and then I was offered a Residence. A Residence means you are a Resident Entertainer and can live on the property as long as you and they continue to work well together. They provide everything for you, and you continue to perform to expectations. If things go to where they are not happy, then they will work with you. As a last resort, they put you on probation, and then they could ask you to leave. But that is rare. We love being here, and they provide so much.”

“I was moved into the Residence Village, where I mingle with rock stars, big-name comedians, and so forth. It’s nothing to eat dinner, swim, or play poker with people I’ve idolized since I was a kid.”

“You get used to it really quick and then feel spoiled, that’s for sure. Since being here, my ex-wife and I remarried, and we now have a beautiful daughter named Destiny. I’ve had three new shows since then, with the WOE paying for everything. All I do is practice hard, perform well, and enjoy what I do. After two more years, we’ll move from our large apartment to a small house, also in the Entertainer’s Village. My wife is also one of my assistants, and loves it here.”

I said to Mr. Minselli, “That’s so remarkable.”

He said, “Yes, I am truly blessed to be here, to have a home and an extended family. We absolutely love it here and wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Mr. Minselli said he needed to get ready for his next show. I thanked him for sharing his story, and he said, “My pleasure, Peter. It was delightful to meet you and your wonderful daughter, Sally.” He walked over to his desk and started writing on something. He came over to us and handed Sally a picture of him on stage, performing an illusion. The picture said, “Sally, best of luck and never let them know how you did it!”

After that, we headed back to our hotel, for Sally had a magician’s class to attend.

Chapter 7

Sunday

Finally, the day I’ve been looking forward to. This is the day I interview Steven C. I’ve heard so much about him over the years, but mostly just gossip and rumors. Not many people have met him outside of the WOE, but many, if not all his employees know who he is.

Jennifer, Sally, and I talked about our day yesterday over breakfast we ordered up. Sally really enjoyed her magicians’ class Friday and said she signed up for more.

Saturday, Jennifer, and Sally went to the water park and enjoyed their time together. Jennifer even went on a few slides before going in the lazy river and then taking it easy on the beach. I went to the Complex and explored more; just walking around and then sitting down to watch some of the entertainment at the World Stage, which you can never get tired of. The sheer number of acts they have, combined with the high talent level of each, is in a class all their own. It’s said that The WOE has the greatest collection of talent in the world and I believe it! Bands that play cover tunes sound exactly like the recorded version.

The WOE has twelve “house bands” that play full time. They are called the Magnificent Twelve. Their talents and specialties cover Disco, 80’s - 2000’s, Country, Dance, Pop, Jazz, and the Blues. I would seriously put any of these musicians against any national or internationally known act. In fact, these bands are so good, they play backup for many of the national solo acts that come to the Harmony Theater. A few of the Magnificent Twelve even have recorded their own hit songs that are played on the radio worldwide, but they don’t tour. They play for the different venues at WOE: World Stage, The Metamorphoses Dance Club, Levels Restaurant, special events, and theater shows. They even have their own fan bases on social media.

Much of the talent that plays on the World Stage lives in the Entertainers Village. There are two sections to the Entertainers Village: A Visiting Resident section, for short-term stays from one week - three months and the long-term living section for Residents. The Entertainers Village Residents include a variety of entertainers, including those in the Magnificent Twelve and many others who work for major productions. They can live in The Entertainers Village for years. They are called Resident Entertainers. Employees can be Residents too, but they have their own living area, which I’ll explain later.

After breakfast, I took the hotel Zipvator to the Complex and then took the escalator down to watch some of the entertainment on the World Stage again. Since it was Sunday, Gospel groups were performing on stage. This happens every Sunday from 10 a.m. until noon. Two hours of continuous, upbeat Gospel music. Most of these Gospel groups are visiting from around the country but mostly from the South. They have their own bands and bring large contingents of vocal singers. They call this time the Gospel Brunch. You can pay $10 for the brunch buffet (or use your breakfast or lunch credit if on the meal plan), which is served at portable stations set up on both sides of the World Stage seating. Many people bring blankets and sit on either side of the seated amphitheater and watch the giant video screens beaming the entertainment that is on stage. They sit, eat their food, and enjoy some great Gospel music.

The WOE hosts many special events throughout the year. Many for the holidays and special ten-day music events featuring music and theming from the ’70s, 80’s, disco, country, jazz, blues, rock and roll, classical, and Christian. They bring in many top bands and other entertainers from that genre or era and many of the house bands and parades “play it up” during those events. Many guests come to immerse themselves in the events by dressing the part and really enjoying all the great music, food, and culture from that period or that genre of music.

Since it was 10:40 a.m., it was time for me to go and meet Steven C.

I head out to finally meet the man who everyone says is responsible for all of this. I followed his directions, and just as he said, there was a set of doors to the left of the concession stand in the Dark Room. There wasn’t a sign indicating what was behind those doors, but it did say “Authorized Access Only” on the doors. I went through the doors and straight ahead was a desk with a staff member and a security guard stationed nearby. She greeted me, and I told her who I was and that I had an appointment to see Steven C. for an interview at 11 a.m. She verified the appointment and asked me to verify my identity with a finger scan. After I was confirmed, she told me to take the elevator to the 8th floor. I took the elevator as directed, and then the elevator doors opened to a vast and busy room with an array of desks and small offices on the sides. People were busily working on their computers, talking with each other and on the phones. Floor to ceiling windows surrounded the office space so you could see the Dark Room on one side and the State Fair on the other.

I went to the check-in desk and told the young lady that I was there to see Steven C. Before she could answer, I heard a voice from the sitting area next to the elevator I just exited, say; “Peter, it’s nice to see you.” I turned around to my right and a gentleman, slightly overweight and wearing glasses, approached me and shook my hand.

I said, “Steven C?”

“Yes,” he said, “How are you doing Peter?”

“Great, how are you?”

“I’m wonderful. Come follow me.”

We walked down the center aisle of the office area, past all the desks and what appeared to be hard-working employees. We reached near the end of the room and went into a modest office, with the same type of windows overlooking the Complex as the rest of the place I just went through. He invited me in and closed the door. He asked if I wanted coffee, as he had his own Keurig. I asked for decaf. As the coffee was brewing, he asked me how everything was going and how my working vacation was so far.

“It’s going wonderfully. I enjoy this place so much, and now that we’re staying on property, it’s even better.”

“I’m thrilled to hear that,” he said as he handed me my coffee and sat across from me in his lounge area. “So, have you interviewed any of the employees yet?”

“Yes, Julie, the waitress and Jack Minselli, the Illusionist.”

“How were they?”

“I was incredibly touched by their stories and moved by what this place did for them.”

“They are good people. Much like everyone here,” Steven C. said.

“Does everyone have a story like theirs? I asked.

“Not everyone. Some employees are here because they were selected in the opening of the WOE and pursued by us for their talents. We went after many top engineers in the world and spent good money to get them here. Mechanical, electrical, computer, and software engineers. Many worked for ride manufacturers and other theme parks before coming here.”

“I said to him, “I bet some of the companies weren’t so happy that you took their people.”

“No, they weren’t, but we offered their people a new world in which to explore all their talents and never have to tamper down their dreams or imagination due to profit. In twelve plus years, since the planning stages of the WOE, we’ve not lost one employee because they wanted to go back to their old job,” he said, “But many other employees needed a helping hand, and we were there to help. They, in turn, help us.”

I said to him, “I hear you have Employee Scouts and Talent Scouts that look for people and talent to add to the WOE.”

“Yes, we do. Sometimes we hear of an entertainment act or an employee who might really be very good at something: Remembering names, creativity, detail oriented, very personable, etc. We send a scout to consider them. If they feel they may be a good fit, we’ll sometimes bring in others to meet and interview them. If we like what we see and hear, we’ll give them an offer to try working here and then we see how things go. Usually for 90 days.”

I told him, “the two people I interviewed so far were at their end when the Scouts came along.”

“Coincidence,” Steven C. said. “Tell me about yourself and family.” I talked for about twenty minutes, explaining all that I’ve done. I told him about my failed business, my supervisor days, Sally and Jennifer, and her cancer.

“That’s remarkable Peter. You’ve worn a few hats in your time and gambled,” he said.

“Yes, I did. Unfortunately, I lost,” I added.

“You did what you thought was right at the time. Unfortunately, running your own business maybe wasn’t the right fit for you, and I’m sure the timing of the recession wasn’t good either.”

I explained, “With my eyes not being too good, I can’t really do very much.” So, Jennifer brings home most of the money. I wish I could earn more. I also wish I could be working for a theme park, instead of just writing about them. I would love to help design attractions, especially at Halloween. We used to have our own yard haunt for a few years. What a blast.”

“Peter, if you and Jennifer were to switch places, would you blame her for trying to do something better for your family? No, of course not,” he said. “It wasn’t like you went to a casino and gambled all your money away or burned it up doing drugs.”

“No, you’re right. I just feel bad that we can’t make more money, and with Jennifer being sick now, I wonder what will happen if she gets worse.”

“Peter, don’t worry. I’m sure things will work out,” Steven C. said. “Now, I’m sure you’d like to hear a little about me. Well, there’s not much to say. I’m lucky to be where I’m at, and I count each day here as a blessing.”

“How did you get started? How did all this happen?”

“Well, I’m the same age as you, and I’m also married to a beautiful wife and have a wonderful daughter. My wife’s name is Lisa, and she’s my assistant. My daughter’s name is Laura, and she is a music teacher here at the WOE. She’s 23, married, but no kids yet.”

“I’ve always loved going to theme parks, concerts and family vacations, much like you, Peter. But for some reason, I didn’t enjoy many of those places or events the same as everyone else. Instead of me just watching a band play on stage, I would be watching the lights or the crowd. I would think how much better the concert could be with better sound, lighting, seating and lower costs. I would cringe going to the bathroom and seeing urine all over the floor by the urinals and toilets, the stall doors that wouldn’t lock, the sinks that wouldn’t work, and the smell. The women always have it worse because there are never enough stalls.”

“I know what you’re saying. I’ve written about all these same issues in my blogs,” I said.

“I know you have. You feel the same as I do when it comes to these issues. We have standards that are higher than what’s out there today. Whether it be for concerts, attractions, rides, shows, hotels, food, and costs. Everything we do here is set to a much higher standard than any place else in the world.”

“How do you do it? And how did it get started?” I asked him.

“Well, I worked at several places before working here, but that isn’t really important. How this got started was simple. I met an individual over thirteen years ago, who has a lot of money and wants to remain anonymous. I gave him all my ideas for a new theme park/entertainment complex, and he loved them. I spoke of how we could help so many people and help keep shareholders and investors from controlling our decisions by always putting profit before people. We would need to keep WOE private. This individual offered to pay for the entire project.”

“Do you mind if I ask how much that was?” I asked.

“Let’s just say more than two billion and less than ten. They never wanted to be paid back. But they always have free access privileges to come and go whenever they want.”

“Does anyone know who they are?”

“Only a few,” he said. “We have a few residents that are here, whose main job is quality control. They are always observing and taking in guest reactions. They report on employee courtesy, efficiency, quality of the food, and friendliness of the service. Then, they report back to me. I do much of the same thing; I watch, listen, observe, study, and then suggest innovative approaches or solutions. I help them create new shows, rides, and attractions. That’s how we improve and get better. It’s also worth going outside of the WOE and looking at how everyone else is doing things, and why and how they are doing them.”

“Sometimes, you can see an act or a show or a band and think, ‘Man, what they could use in this show is this,’ or ‘how you could add a few elements to this act to make it really ‘POP!’ That’s why we are always looking for the best entertainment and employees in the world. We want to find people we can help, and they can help us get better in return.”

“What about the national acts you bring in? The big-name singers, bands, and entertainers? Do you find them, or do they solicit you?” I asked.

“Both,” said Steven C. “Some request an audition to perform, and sometimes we approach them.”

“They must audition? Even if they are a national or internationally famous act or singer?” I asked.

“Yes, everyone that requests to perform at the WOE or the Harmony Theater must first audition. Even if they’ve been around for 30 years, they must do an audition before being accepted or declined.”

“Why? If they’ve been playing for so many years? Who else does that?” I asked.

“Because many bands, singers, and entertainers, surprisingly, don’t practice as they should. They don’t rehearse and try to get better. Many just come back to the stage for money reasons. They may not even put on a good show, but they used their name recognition and made their money. Too much partying time and playing around and not taking their craft seriously. If they don’t pass our audition, they are encouraged to keep practicing until we feel they can perform at a very high level and add to our top-notch entertainment. Some may never play here, and that’s unfortunate. But, if a guest is going to spend money to see an act, show or concert, then you better believe it will be the best entertainment with the best seating, lights, sound, and environment possible.”

“We have higher standards. Our attractions and rides hardly ever break down because the maintenance is above and beyond ordinary. Our employees are the best there is, and our atmosphere is made for entertaining and relaxing you when you desire it. We are a mix of the best in entertainment and everything you love about vacations, to create a Utopia – the best in everything, all combined.”

“We also focus our attention on providing a very family-oriented environment. There is never extreme foul language used even in the comedy or concert venues. The drinking is limited to certain areas of the Complex and very closely monitored. We don’t want anyone drunk and disorderly or starting problems with others.”

“We are a theme park,” he continued, “an entertainment complex, hotel, employee/family haven. We are a theme park 3.0. We have taken the theme park experience up to a few more levels. And we do it with a commitment to investing first in our employee’s and our Complex. Always improving, striving to do more, and to reach new heights. NO restrictions on where our imaginations can take us and no limits on caring for our most precious asset, our people. This philosophy is what makes The World of Entopia the best place for entertainment and vacations, and the best place to work, anywhere in the world.”

I said, “Everything you just said is remarkable. I wish everyone had this philosophy.”

“They could if they wanted to,” Steven C said. “But they choose profit over everything else. No matter how big they dream or how big of an idea to make something great, their accounting office always cuts it down to something smaller and less than what it should’ve been. There are many good companies out there with good intentions, but none of them provide what we do, especially at this scale and magnitude, especially in the entertainment industry! ‘Human selfishness causes many not to be treated fairly.’ Most in our industry don’t mind socking you for parking, concessions, ticket prices, an unclean environment or broken rides or attractions being down because they’re not well maintained or are being ‘refurbished.’ It comes down to greed, and as long as guests keep paying and going to their parks, concerts, and hotels; then why should they change?”

“What do you think about Walt Disney?” I asked.

“Walt Disney had great intentions and was a visionary. Unfortunately, those leading the Mouse empire since then have made it hard for many families of modest means to really enjoy a vacation there. Disney now tends to cater to the higher income guests and many longtime Disney park visitors who cannot afford the prices are being turned away. I’m not sure that’s what Disney himself wanted.”

“The Disney Company has a great engineering department and still creates some of the best attractions, parades, and fireworks show anywhere. But the ride maintenance is always lacking, and frequent breakdowns are commonplace. For some guests, a trip to Walt Disney World or Disneyland is a once in a lifetime experience. How disappointing it must be to have your favorite rides break down or be closed due to ‘refurbishment’ on a once in a lifetime visit, not to mention long lines for many attractions, in the outdoors.”

“But, for many, the lure of the Mouse and princesses is what they’ve come for and just being there can be worth the time and money. Disney has shareholders, and they expect dividends and the stock price to rise. If you don’t produce, then you’re out of the leadership position. We don’t have that burden here. Our profits go back into our own company and our community. I still love going to Disney, because it’s a place I grew up with, and our daughter grew up with. But it doesn’t take me long on a visit to get frustrated by the enormous crowds, strollers, long lines, and unreasonable prices.”

“We’re not just here to entertain vacationing guests or provide great concerts, we’re also here to help those who work for our community and us. It’s part of taking care of good people and being a good steward of our profit.”

With that, Steven C. thanked me for coming and doing the interview. He said he had other things to attend to but would be happy to meet with me for lunch down the road and talk with me some more. I thanked him, and he walked me back to the elevator and then invited me to bring Jennifer and Sally the next time, maybe for lunch. As he shook my hand, he looked me in the eyes and said, “it was really nice meeting you, Peter. I look forward to seeing you again soon. Enjoy your stay here at the WOE.”

I felt so grateful for this opportunity.

As I went back downstairs in the elevator and headed back to my suite, I just knew for sure how and why the WOE is the way it is, and I just interviewed the man responsible for it all. How genuine, caring, and humble he is. A man who is not put on a pedestal and worshiped but is well regarded as someone who continues to help so many. I feel like the entertainment aspect of the WOE is merely a way to draw guests in, to help the guests and to earn money to help many of those who work and entertain here. This isn’t ordinary by any means, but maybe it should be.

Chapter 8

Monday

Waking Monday morning was not what I expected. Jennifer was in the bathroom, getting sick. I knew she hadn’t been feeling well but thought rest would make her feel better. She’s been taking her medicine three times a day and is supposed to eat a meal when taking it. But lately, her appetite has been barely there, and yesterday she napped most of the day. Sometimes, Jennifer is just so tired! During the school year, she would push herself all week and then collapse on the weekends.

After 20 minutes in the bathroom, she felt better and joined me at the dining room table. Sally was still sleeping or playing on her phone (sometimes it’s the same thing, in my opinion). I asked Jennifer how she was doing, and she said, “Lousy, I was up most of the night and have been feeling sick on and off.”

“Did you eat anything last night?” I asked.

“I tried but felt sick afterward.”

Since being diagnosed with cancer six months ago, the best we’ve been able to do is keep the cancer from growing. The last CAT scan showed the cancer had stayed in her lungs but did not move into her lymph nodes. They have tried different treatments that are subtle and in stages, to hopefully attack the cancer. They don’t want to inundate her with the heavy chemotherapy again. The last time she went through that, it was awful. And it only brought her cancer down to stage 2 for a month. Then it quickly grew back. She really wanted to go on this vacation for Sally and me. To help support me in my interviews and my blogs and to spend time with all of us together as a family.

Jennifer didn’t want to go through any more significant treatments that would have kept her from going on this trip. Once school starts up, she and Sally will be too busy for anything else. So, the current treatment and pills she is taking seem only to keep the cancer stable but aren’t doing anything to attack it. They’re hoping to someday find another treatment that can do more if there ever is one.

Later, I went downstairs to talk to the concierge. I told him Jennifer wasn’t feeling well and asked if they had a clinic or doctor’s office close-by, off property, that she could go to. He told me we could go to the medical facility on the property. All he would need to do was call over and set things up. I was so happy to hear this. After a three-minute phone call, where he gave them our information, he said he had an appointment for 2 p.m. that day for Jennifer. He said to be back there at 1:45 p.m. and he would have someone take Jennifer and me to the facility.

“This is so great,” I thought. “How nice of them to do this and on such short notice.”

I went back upstairs to tell Jennifer, but she was fast asleep. I decided to let her sleep for a while. I’d tell her later. She needed her rest.

At 1:00 p.m., I woke Jennifer and told her about the appointment. As I expected, she didn’t want to go because she didn’t want to bother anyone. I told her it wouldn’t be a bother, and she needed to be looked at. She hasn’t been feeling that good since leaving home. At 1:45, we met the concierge, and he had Larry from the medical facility there to meet us.

“Hello, I’m Larry from medical. I’m here to escort you to the medical facility and get you checked in and taken care of.”

He took us out an employee door and down a short hallway to where a multi-seated electric cart was waiting. He invited Jennifer and me to hop aboard for the ride. We went out of the hotel complex, down a fully enclosed corridor for about a ten-minute ride. As we were going, we made small talk with each other to help pass the time.

“This is really nice that you all provide this type of service to your guests.”

“I agree,” Larry said. “We can take any guest to be looked at 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and have medical carts to transport guests who can’t sit in an electric cart. We also have three first aid centers in the Complex.”

I asked him, “What do they handle and where are they located?”

“They can handle cuts, scrapes, falls, heart attacks, and more,” he said. “We have one in the Dark Room; in between Castle Mare and Galactic Wars, one in the Harmony Theater area, and one in between Fun Town USA and The Continents.”

“Who staffs them?”

“We usually have one paramedic, one EMT and one nurse on duty at each one. There is also a nurse practitioner at one of the centers and a doctor at the other, they alternate” Larry said.

“Wow! They really have everything covered. When someone has a heart attack in most other theme parks, they must wait for the fire department to arrive off property, which can take some time,” I said.

Larry responded, “Not here. We can get almost anywhere in just a few minutes. We have specially equipped emergency carts that can travel to any location quickly. The centers that are staffed by a doctor are listed daily, and employees can visit on a walk-in basis for any problems they might be having. The nurse practitioner also sees employees daily. This allows for quick access and not much time away from the job. Employees can also make appointments for physicals and other procedures at the centers or medical facility for more complicated procedures or tests. All of the employees here also have CPR and First Aid training.”

Just then, we pulled into a parking area for the carts and walked inside the medical facility. Larry introduced us to the person working at the front desk. The clerk called back, and a staff member came to take us back to an exam room. Larry told us he would be back when we were done.

“Welcome, Jennifer and Peter. My name is Jessica, and I am a registered nurse here at the WOE medical facility. I will gather all your information and do a few tests before the doctor comes in to see you.”

Instead of having us fill everything out ourselves, Jessica put all of our information right into the computer. She was polite and professional. After about fifteen minutes, Jessica had everything she needed and proceeded to take vitals and draw blood from Jennifer. Once done, she said she was going to request all the medical records form Jennifer’s family doctor and cancer doctor back in Orlando. She gave us a pager and a quick tour of the waiting lounge, which had free snacks, beverages, TVs with headphones, couches, and even recliners. She said we could wait in there and they would page us when they were ready. The pager would also display the exam room number to report to.

After about 45-minutes, our pager went off with exam room number three displayed. We went to that room and Jessica, and the doctor were both in there waiting for us.

“Hello, Jennifer, and Peter. My name is Dr. Peterson. I’m here to help you figure out what’s going on and hopefully try to make you feel better.”

“Thank you, Dr. Peterson. We really appreciate your help,” said Jennifer.

“You’re welcome, Jennifer. I looked over your blood tests and over your records from Orlando. I see that you’ve been battling lung cancer for the last six months now and you’re on a stabilization medication until they figure out the next step. Is that correct?”

“Yes, that’s correct,” replied Jennifer.

“And now you’ve lost your appetite and haven’t been eating, so you’re getting sick from the medication?”

“Right again. I’m so tired, and I just don’t have the energy. I was so-so when we left and subpar on Friday. Then Saturday, I started feeling more and more tired and had no real appetite.”

“Well, Jennifer, I would like to run a few tests on you to see if any of the cancer has spread. Your blood test shows signs of possible movement or increased activity; high white blood cells and low red blood cell counts. That’s probably what’s making you sleepy. I’ll be back in a little while to talk again.”

Dr. Peterson left, and Jessica gave me the pager and said she would page me when Jennifer was back. She then led Jennifer away for the tests.

About 90 minutes later, I was paged and met Jennifer back in exam room number one. Soon, Dr. Peterson came in with another doctor.

“Jennifer,” Dr. Peterson said, “this is Dr. Lee, and he is an Oncologist. We have reviewed your scans.”

“Hi Jennifer, it’s nice to meet you,” Dr, Lee said. “I’ve looked over your past scans and compared them to the ones you just took. It looks like the cancer has grown a little since your last scan.”

Jennifer immediately began to cry, and I wasn’t far behind.

“Please don’t be upset, we’re here to help you,” he said. “I’ve talked to your doctor back home, and he is aware of your situation.”

“What should we do?” I asked the doctors. “We are supposed to be here for another week and a half. Should we go back home now? I’m not even sure that our medical insurance will cover these tests.”

“I wouldn’t leave now,” said Dr. Lee. “At this stage, driving back two days is not going to help Jennifer. She needs a blood transfusion and treatment. We can help with all that while you’re here on vacation. You don’t need to use your insurance, everything is covered.”

I couldn’t believe what I just heard. “I think this is incredible that you’re able to help us and not charge us or the insurance. No one else would do this.”

“Everything we do here at the WOE is superior to what you will find outside here,” said Jessica. “We don’t have to worry about numbers here. We have over 40 doctors on staff and 30 beds to provide medical care. You didn’t come here seeking treatment, you came here for a vacation. We wouldn’t send you away to seek treatment elsewhere or to make a profit off your illness. Nobody should make a profit when it comes to healthcare.”

“Jennifer, today, I would like to give you a red blood cell transfusion to help you feel better and get you to be able to eat and sleep for a little while before we do anything else,” said Dr. Lee. “In the meantime, you enjoy yourself, and I will talk with the other doctors here about a treatment that may help you.”

Dr. Peterson and Dr. Lee shook our hands and said they would see us in three days.

“Jennifer, I’m going to take you back for a red blood cell transfusion. Peter, you can either come along or go to the lounge,” stated Jessica.

“I’d like to go back with Jennifer,” I said.

Jessica was with us the whole-time Jennifer was getting the blood. While the process was happening, she and I talked about the medical facility.

“How large is this medical facility?” I asked.

“We have 200,000 square feet dedicated to helping our residents, guests, and entertainers. We have dentists, optometrists, cardiologists, neurologists, internal medicine, oncologist, psychologists, and other doctors on staff. We also have surgeons, all full-time staff. We have some of the best doctors and nurses anywhere. Many of us live on property and love working here.”

“What type of medical insurance do you all have?” I asked.

“We are self-insured for all local expenses on the property and have a national carrier to cover us when we travel away from the property. Everything is covered here. Glasses, dental, hearing aids, medication, surgery, chemo, you name it. No one pays for anything, and if you need help while away, they cover all the costs of whatever the carrier doesn’t pay. You feel a bump on your neck, a cold sweat at night or any other symptom you’re concerned about, you can go to a first aid center in the Complex or make an appointment here to get it checked out. We don’t want anyone stressed about their health, especially a medical bill when they’re sick.”

As Jennifer received her transfusion, she began to feel better and better.

“I can’t thank you enough for your help and being so kind,” Jennifer told Jessica. If I were somewhere else, I would have had to go to a clinic or maybe even a hospital, hoping they were ‘in-network.’ Who knows what the bill would have been. Plus, we would have just been waiting around for hours, and Sally would have had to be with us.”

“We love to help others,” Jessica confided. “It’s what we strive to do in the medical field. We have plenty of staff, aren’t overworked, have all the equipment and supplies we need, great benefits and a nice salary. We actually all enjoy our role in helping others feel better.”

With that, Jessica made an appointment for us to come back on Thursday and to call anytime if anything changes.

Now perky, Jennifer was ready to eat. “Let’s go beautiful,” I exclaimed. “Let’s go hit the buffet!”

“Let’s do it!” Jennifer happily replied.

Chapter 9

Tuesday

Tuesday morning, we all awoke and knew it was going to be a fun day. Jennifer was feeling much better after her transfusion. She ate lunch and dinner yesterday and slept great last night!

Sally has been hanging out at the water park, and now we know why. It turns out she met a nice, young man named Keith. He’s sixteen and visiting from California with his family. She made eye contact with him on our first night here. Then they ran into each other and started talking. Turns out Keith and his family are staying next door to us.

While we were enjoying breakfast downstairs, his family came over and introduced themselves.

“How are things in California?” I asked his dad Oscar.

“Hot and crowded,” Oscar said. “How about Orlando?”

“The same,” I replied. “Have you been to Disneyland and California Adventure?”

“Many times, and it’s always crowded. Long waits, and everything is expensive!” Grumbled Oscar.

“Disney World is the same way. You can get up to three Fast Passes if you’re lucky to get your tickets in advance, before the soccer moms do,” I replied.

“We’re just now getting a version of that in California. It’s rumored that the electronic version of using them will cost though.”

“Wow! That’s a shame,” said Jennifer.

“Well, that’s Disney for you. Profit, profit, profit,” Oscar replied.

“We’re heading to Show Town today to see a few shows. Really looking forward to it!” said Jennifer.

“What’re you going to see?” asked Oscar.

“We’re going to the TV & Movie Stage Tour and then we’re going to catch some comedy at the Comedic Club, then have lunch. Later, we’re going to see ‘Annie’ at the Broadway Theater,” I replied.

“Nice. You’re going to have some real fun. We’re going to The Continents today and really looking forward to it. It’s our first time there,” replied Oscar.

After talking and stuffing our bellies with food, we headed back to our suite for a while to relax. We then headed to the Zipvator and “zipped” over to the Complex.

Once we arrived, we jumped on the Circle Shuttle and exited at the Show Town & Dark Room Hub. We then took the escalator down to the main floor and walked a short distance to Show Town. Our reservation was for 10 a.m. to ride the TV and Movie Stage Tour and it was 10:05. We were within our 30-minute window, and we went right in, scanned our fingers, and went on the ride.

If you do have a short wait before riding an attraction, you will be in an “active cue” where there is some type of pre-show going on. For the TV & Movie Stage Tour, they were showing different scenes from the shows you will see.
This 1.5-hour ride moves guests, 16 at a time, in old-fashioned style car vehicles. The cars come complete with headlights and tiered leather seats. The vehicles travel 3 at a time, so 48 people are moving, one car rolling behind the other, per scene. The vehicles stop and turn in front of various TV and movie sound stages, each re-created to match what they looked like when they were in production at the time. The stages have computer hologram people acting while you are watching from your car. It looked like you really stepped back in time and were watching a TV show being taped and you were the studio audience. There are Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, Cheers, Gray’s Anatomy, Sanford and Son, M*A*S*H, Seinfeld, and even the Jetsons.

The cars then move to the game show area, where the same principle is used to see Jeopardy, The Million Dollar Pyramid, Jokers Wild, Wheel of Fortune, and a few more. The sets and technology are amazing. You think you are seeing the original people. WOE is known worldwide for their state-of-the-art computer holograms, as they have perfected them, to the envy of the rest of the entertainment world.

The next phase of the attraction takes you into Movie Land, where you travel through different movie sound stages. Then comes the big one; the opening voice and music of the original Star Trek show start playing, then the bay doors open, and you view a full-size Star Ship Enterprise sitting in the hanger. It’s really mind-blowing and looks just like the real ship, complete with all the lights. This entrance gives you goosebumps. The best part is, your cars then ride into the open cargo door and down the ship’s hallway. You pass the engine room with Scottie saying hello, pass the Sick Bay with Dr. McCoy and then, you ride into and around the Enterprise’s Bridge, with Captain Kirk sitting in his chair and Spock at the controls. Even if you’re not a Star Trek fan, this attraction is fantastic.

You then ride out of the Enterprise and come to the final stop; a drive-in theater. All the cars line up in rows, and then the movie comes on. The 20-minute film has a highlight scene from many of the popular shows and movies you just saw being taped or filmed, but now your car is moving “within” the scenes you were watching. There were special effects taking place around the Theater; like wind, lightning, sound effects, and some cool laser effects that looked like birds and planes were flying overhead. When the movie ends, the lights came on, and you disembark from your cars and head out.

The TV & Movie Stage Tour is an amazing attraction! I love how it takes you from scene to scene, and you don’t have to get out. That’s the beauty of WOE attractions; they are super high tech, with very realistic scenes, and they last a while. You are in a “show.” Not like the typical 3-5-minute rides at the other parks.

Attached to the same building as the TV & Movie Stage Tour are three TV studios called; The 3 Studios. Each one of these studios host shows with a Live studio audience and guest personalities every day. The shows are broadcast on the WOE web channel LIVE, which is included if your family is a WOE Member. You can reserve your seat in advance for the game shows, and you may get lucky and be chosen to be on the show itself.

One of the studios is shaped like a small arena and seats about 600 guests. It’s a guest’s favorite because it resembles two reality TV shows from CBS that guests can partake in; Survivor and The Amazing Race. Contestants must submit their applications at least three months in advance and be staying on property for at least 6 days. If you are chosen for Survivor, you will compete against other guests for a prize. The show is a mini version of the actual show, and you don’t have to sleep on the beach, but you do meet for six hours a day, for five days and compete against other tribes and contestants in skill games to win rewards or go to Tribal Council. After each competition, the losing tribe votes someone off. There are four competitions a day. However, they are not as strenuous as the real show on TV, but just as much fun. The top two runners-up win a prize, with the Sole Survivor winning bragging rights and a free one-week vacation to the WOE for them and their family in the future.

In the Amazing Race game, contestants must also be staying for at least 6-days and meet for at least five hours a day for five days. They receive clues and race around the Complex and the property looking to complete tasks and Roadblocks and race to the finish line for each leg of the race. The winner also receives a future week vacation at the WOE.

Both shows are recorded and shown on the WOE web channel LIVE. On certain days and when they’re on the property doing meet and greets, Jeff Probst, the host of Survivor, and Phil Keoghan, the host of Amazing Race, will host the show at the WOE Complex for a day or so. For fans of either show, this is a blast. Both shows allow the contestants to have fun with their family, all while staying cool. There is also no cost to play.

Once we were done with the TV and Movie Stage Tour, we still had about an hour and a half before our reservation time for the Comedy Co. and lunch. The Show Biz Parade was going to start in 15 minutes at 12 p.m. The parade route begins right next to where we exit the TV and Movie Stage Tour.

All the pathways at the WOE are carpeted with vibrant colors. This helps keep the noise reverb down because everything is indoors. Many other parks that are enclosed have a lot of echo and reverb because they have no sound absorption.
In front of each Theater or attraction in the perimeter of Show Town, there is an area known as the Front Lawn. It extends about 60 feet from the walkway to the front of each theater or attraction entrance. The Front Lawn is mostly for watching the parades and is tapered up to the attraction or show queues, so you’ll have to ‘walk up’ an incline. The Front Lawns are made of artificial grass, so guests can stand or sit to watch the parades. I’ve even seen guests just laying down and resting on the Lawns.

The incline is in contrast to other parks, where you’re trying to see a parade standing on a curb/sidewalk, behind other people, sometimes four or five deep. Here, because of the incline and room to move backward, you can stand back and see over everyone in front of you. There are also no ropes or curbs to keep you back. Just a solid yellow line. The parade staff ensures everyone is off the walkway before the parade begins. Once specific areas fill up, the staff rope off those areas on the sides and behind to keep additional guests from showing up at the last moment and trying to infringe on others, so they can see.

When the Show Biz Parade starts, a façade is pulled away, revealing an entryway from the parade entrance area. The parade goes down toward the other end of Show Town, makes the turn by the Broadway Theater, The Author’s Nook and then turns again to come back on the other side toward The TV and Movie Stage Tour, passing The Journey through Sports Complex. It then travels into a just revealed exit, to go back into the parade storage area under the TV and Movie Stage Tour show building.

The Comedic Co. is right in the middle of the parade route, as it is in the middle of Show Town. At 12.00 p.m., the announcement of the Show Town Parade comes on and the lights dim.

This parade is all about show business and all the actresses and actors that have starred in movies and TV shows of the past. It also has some magic and Broadway in it. Unlike other parades in other parks, there are no people dressed up in character costumes. This parade has many people who look like celebrities, but many celebrities enjoy being in the parade themselves and ride the floats. They also use holograms to “create” the star. Not knowing if someone is really them is part of the mystique.

Now, these floats are unique, as each one has little stages where the actors can stand and wave as their music or show plays on the video screens on the bottom portion of the floats. Four to five floats travel together with the same theme: Hollywood, Broadway, and Vegas. There is a live band on the floats playing for each section – no recorded music. Lights lower from the ceiling and illuminate the surrounding area, as well as lights on the floors and sides of The Comedic Co. These lights are all set to “play” as the floats go by.

The parade is very, very well done and with the actor look-alikes, the holograms, and the possible actor themselves, it’s honestly like seeing all your favorite stars in one parade (and maybe you actually did). There are also floats between each theme that looks like iconic props from the movies, TV shows, or Broadway. All entirely lit up and sparkling. This parade is nostalgic and brings the golden era back to life again.

But the nighttime parade in Show Town is much different. It’s called The Musical Sensation Parade. You’ll see floats and lighting like never before. Instead of actors, you’ll see hologram pop stars such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, the Beatles, Elvis, and much more. Add in a massive laser show going from one float to the other and live music and you have a one-of-a-kind show. The band for The Musical Sensation Parade is staged on the Front Lawn of the Broadway Theater and plays all the music for the parade. When they change songs, all the holograms on every moving float change to the latest music and artist being played. Each float is designed differently so the singer can be singing on a different level or surface on each float, complete with different lighting and effects. The thunderous sound system, combined with an extremely hi-tech lighting system and special effects package, is not to be missed. The Musical Sensation Parade runs nightly at 8:00 p.m.

Once the Show Biz Parade was over, we headed over to the Comedic Co. for our show. We scanned our fingers at the door and proceeded inside, where you walk right into the Comedic Co. Museum. Articles from many famous comedians over the years are on the walls and in glass cases as you walk through. You can either go to your left for the Dining Improv or to the right for the Jokesters Comedy Club.

The Dining Improv has room for about 400 people and as you’d expect, has an excellent selection of food. If you have a meal plan, you can use your lunch or dinner credit here or order appetizers or something to share before the show. There is six seating’s daily, and you get your food ordered through the Touchpad Ordering Assistant, which is a unit on the table that is similar to use as your suite Butler in the suite. Several other restaurants have these as well, and they make ordering very efficient when the shows sound can be an issue when ordering.

The main idea is to limit the conversation between you and the waitress while the comedy show is going on. You just order something, and it’s delivered. More water, coffee, soda, dessert? Just push the icon for a refill or request a new beverage. Remember, drinks are provided free, and there is no tipping. Your wait staff is well taken care of.

We took a right since we were going to Jokesters. Just like every other theater show, you reserve your seat ahead of time. So, a scanned finger gets you a show ticket receipt. The Jokesters Comedy Club holds 800 people. Most of the comedians are not nationally-known, but unbelievably hilarious. There are usually three to four comedians per show. National Acts perform at the later shows or at the Harmony Theater for a charge (Harmony Theater only). There is some cursing, but no heavy stuff. That is forbidden, even at night. No ‘F-bombs’ and certainly no ‘M-F bombs’ or sexual vulgarity. Remember the atmosphere is family, like PG rated, not ‘G’ or ‘R’ rated. Everyone must be ten-years-old or up so the tiniest won’t be there to spoil the show with crying or screaming. This is great for dining as well.

After the show, we headed out and continued to look at all the artifacts in the museum. Then we entered the Comedy Vault, where there are about ten rooms, each showing different stand-up comedians from the past. Each room has seats, so you can sit and watch until you’ve seen enough, then you can walk out of that room and into another. As expected, the heavy foul language was muted out.

So far, we have all had a ball, and Jennifer was really enjoying herself. She laughed so hard at the comedy show that she had a little “accident.” But she really needed to laugh, and it was good to have this time together. Sally was having fun too. She really loves coming here. She often tells me that the WOE reminds her of the futuristic cartoon; The Jetsons. I often agree. With The Suite Butler, Zipvators, holograms, and high-tech attractions, it could be.

One of her favorite rides isn’t really a ride, per se, but another form of transportation. They’re called Shuttle Pods. These Pods, which look like glass cylinders, can hold about six people and lift-up and down, like an elevator. Except, once they hit the top and are above all the buildings, they then slide along on a cable system to go from place to place around the Complex. They can be a little unsettling at first because once they go up and connect to the cables, they will slightly sway, especially when they first start moving. But they offer magnificent views, are fun and provide quick access to anywhere in the Complex.
The Shuttle Pods are accessed through Jump Stations. There are ten Jump Stations around the Complex and Harmony Theater. Each Jump Station has six bays that allow for loading and unloading. Each station can hold up to 12 Shuttle Pods each. There are two separate shafts for each station that provides for extra Pods to be loaded behind the bays. Once one Pod leaves, another takes its place. To operate, you just push the desired destination button and wait for the Shuttle Pod that will be bringing you there, which will light up, indicating your destination. As an elevator only has up and down buttons on the outside, the Shuttle Pod has all ten locations available.

Each Shuttle Pod is lit in neon colors. When you look up, you see these glass, neon-colored tubes zipping around the Complex. Guests have fun just riding them. Plus, it cuts down on walking. After all, you are on vacation.

Chapter 10

Wednesday

Wednesday morning was another beautiful morning. A good night’s sleep in comfortable beds, and the anticipation of breakfast was soon coming to our Portal Box. Today, we planned on taking it easy and just relaxing. While we were eating breakfast, we started talking about the show “Annie” that we saw last evening at the Broadway Theater. Although we have been here in the past for a few visits, we have never been to a few of the shows due to our short visits. So, the Broadway Theater was new to us.

“What a great show Annie was,” said Jennifer.

“Absolutely!” I said. “The show, theater, seating; the whole experience was terrific!”

“It felt like every seat in the house was a great seat,” said Jennifer.

Here’s something to know about the seating at the WOE. In some of the theaters, like the Harmony Theater, Broadway Theater, and a few others, seats you get are not only based on your timing when selecting but on your body height. That’s right, WOE uses a very sophisticated seating algorithm to help them seat tall guests in certain sections of the Theater that have automatic, adjustable seats. So, if you’re 6’6”, you and your party may be seated in a row that has adjustable seating, and the tall guest in your party will have his chair lower than the others. The software ensures that everyone has a magnificent view of the stage. If for some reason, you find that you don’t have a great view when you get there, then an usher will assist you in getting the “right” view. There are no hats allowed in the theaters, and if you happen to have a “big hair” up-do that day, you may be moved, so people behind you can see. This all helps everyone enjoy the show equally, not just the front row. It is also why they will not seat you if you’re late. “We will not allow someone to come in ten minutes late and go walk in front of others to get to their seat,” said one of the ushers when I asked him about this policy.

After the Annie show, we ate dinner at the Broadway Diner using our meal plan and then went to the Hologram Theater.
The Hologram Theater is equivalent to taking every great light show you’ve ever seen, combining them all and then multiplying it by ten. This oval shaped Theater has a 1,600-seat capacity. No corners or edges. Each section of the seating moves, as does the floor. The Theater usually features three unique shows daily, and each show is shown two or three times throughout the day. The Theater cost over five-hundred million dollars to build and develop and includes the most advanced laser system in the world. In fact, the WOE engineering department, called; Systems Engineering holds over 300 patents on lighting, lasers and the software for operating them.

The shows use a combination of lasers, LED’s, plasma, fire, smoke, and many patented lighting effects never seen before; to create an unbelievable show that literally puts you into another world. I’ll tell you more when I describe my interview and tour with the head of WOE’s Systems Engineering; Roger, later.

We went to see the show; Imagination, which was unbelievable! The show starts off with a simple screen that shows a “thought.” Soon, the thought starts to expand, and all the ideas coming from that thought begin to appear throughout the Theater. Mechanical arms with multiple screens rise from the floor and into the air. At times, the surrounding walls, ceiling, and floor are illuminated with the same visual image to create a completely immersive experience. Even the chairs have LED lights on them as well as the floor in front of you.

Each show lasts close to an hour and is heard by over 700 speakers throughout the Theater. The show schedule changes a few times a year, by adding in shows for Halloween, Christmas, and July, for the Independence Day Show; A Patriotic Tribute to America.

Certain evening shows use music performed by live orchestras, marching bands and many nationally recognized artists like Yanni, Enya, and Rush. These artists have recorded music for these shows and will sometimes appear live, without notice. So, you may be sitting and enjoying the show and then realize the music you are listening to is being played live by the artist. There is no advance notice given for when or if they will perform live.

After eating breakfast in our suite, we headed down to the Living Room. The Living Room is a section located on the fourth floor of our hotel atrium and is made for relaxing and chilling. It’s filled with couches and recliners, and each chair has a pair of headphones and jacks, to allow you to plug in your phone or iPod or merely listen to the music playing. The idea is just to relax, kick back and listen to some mellow music while watching the Living Room ceiling, which is programmed to the ambient music playing in the background. Even Sally was chilling out listening to her own music. Jennifer was still feeling good and ate well. For the next hour, we just sat there, each listening to our own music and watching the ceiling change colors and designs.

Since it is the Living Room, you can talk, but they ask that you keep your voice low and respectful of others. There is another section of the Living Room where you can meet other guests and be a little louder. A gathering spot, more or less. This section has jazz music playing with a colorful ambiance and a complimentary beverage and snack bar.

After our chill, we went back to our suite, changed, and headed down to the water park. Sally headed to the slides while Jennifer and I ordered an adult beverage using a Touchpad Ordering Assistant (TOA). These water-proof TOA’s are located in the lounge areas of the water park. Just put your finger on it to sign in and order. You can order from a server if you wish, but most really appreciate the convenience of the TOA, because you never have to wait for the server to order. The alcoholic drinks will be billed to your account and are not expensive at all. But they do closely monitor how much you drink. Feel free to drink and get a nice “buzz” going, but after that, things will be slowed down. They don’t want you “drunk” in the water park. They want you to keep your composure and be safe. Within a few minutes of us ordering, our drinks arrive; a server in his early 20’s delivered them.0

“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Table, my name is Craig. I have your drinks for you,” he said.

“Hi Craig, “I said. “Nice to meet you. The service here is wonderful.”

“Thank you, sir. I’m glad to hear that.”

“How long have you been working here, if you don’t mind my asking?”

“Four years now. This month is my anniversary.”

“That’s wonderful! Do you get anything special for your anniversary?”

“Yes, sir! I get four paid days off, plus recognition at our employee’s monthly dinner and $400 cash to spend, as my gift.”

“Dang! That’s pretty good.”

“Yes, it is. I am so happy here.”

“I am interviewing employees here for WOE’s Tenth Anniversary and would like to interview you if you’d like?” I asked Craig.

“I’d love to tell my story.”

Before beginning to talk with me, he pulled out his transponder and hit the button “talking with a guest.” Just like Julie, the waitress we met Thursday, employees can feel free to talk with guests and not disrupt the service for other customers. The level of service is superior because the wait staff is not in a rush to serve you and move on. They don’t need to worry about tips and how many tables or guests they must wait on. If guests want to talk, let them talk. Craig then pulled up a chair and told us his story.

“When I was sixteen, I had a part-time job washing dishes. I spent that money on my girlfriend, Jenny, and to buy marijuana. You know, when you smoke dope, you act like a dope. So, I made some pretty bad decisions while being high. One of them was my lack of attention at school. My studies were affected because I didn’t study. My grades went down, and my girlfriend and I skipped a lot of classes in school. I wound up getting her pregnant, and then things really started to get out of control. I had a tough time accepting the responsibility of being a father and started using more drugs, some serious, to escape.”

“At eighteen, I was stealing money from my parents and friends and soon robbing others to pay for my addiction. I wasn’t there for my son or my Jenny. I dropped out of school and just became a bum with a few arrests under my belt. Since I was an only child, my parents were devastated. They tried getting me into treatment several times, but I would always run-away part-way through. I could hear my mom crying at night, and my parents fighting over how to handle me. It got so bad that I wound up hanging around a few people that were even worse for me. They would supply my habit if I did their dirty work.”

“I would rob stores and people and give them all the money. I stayed at their place, and I was told that if I ever tried to leave, they would kill my parents. This went on for over six months. I had no phone and no way to contact my parents to let them know where I was. They kept me high enough for me not to care about anything too much.”

“One night, I was awoken by a female’s blood-curdling scream, the kind you know is horrible. I went to go find out what was going on but was confronted by one of the people keeping me captive. He pointed a gun at me and told me to go back to my room and mind my own business. As I went back to my room, the screaming kept going on, for at least ten minutes; then it was just her crying and begging for them to stop. I heard the girl cry for her mom and dad repeatedly. It was the toughest night of my life and one that would change my life.”

“As the night rolled on, her voice became quieter, and I soon fell asleep. The next morning, I walked out of my room and didn’t see anybody at home. All the rooms were empty. Without giving it any thought, I went to the front door and opened it. I didn’t see any vehicles in the driveway. So, I took off running, as fast as I could down the road. I saw this blue car coming up the road and ran up to the driver’s side window. The driver stopped, and I asked if he could help me.”

“He immediately said to get in, and I locked the doors. As we drove off, I ducked down so no one could see me. He told me his name was Jay and that he would help me. He lent me his phone, and I called my parents. My mom answered and immediately began bawling as soon as she heard my voice. I told her I was okay, and I would see her soon. She kept telling me how much she loved me and how excited she was that I was okay.”

“Jay took me to this private home, where I met several other people. I washed up and was given a clean clothes and a nice meal. Soon, we were all in the living room, where I shared my story. I told them I would never use drugs again because I was too scared, and I was worried about my parent’s safety.”

“Jay scooted to the end of his seat and looked me in the eyes and said, ‘Craig, you and your parents are safe now. We’re here to help.’ I asked Jay who they were, and he said, ‘we’re good people looking to help others.’ I stayed in that house for three weeks. They helped me through the withdrawals and helped mend me back into a decent human being. My parents were brought over to see me several times, as well as my son and Jenny.”

“On their last visit, my parents, son, and Jenny were visiting when Jay said to Jenny and me, ‘How would you both like to work for the WOE? We can provide everything you need; jobs, medical care for both of you, and your son; housing, education, everything.’ Jenny and I couldn’t believe what we were hearing and said, ‘Yes!’ immediately. My parents were so happy, they started crying because they knew we were going to be just fine.”

“I asked Jay how he could do this, and he said he was an Employee Scout for the WOE and the other people helping him were also employees. Fast forward Four plus years later, and here I am. I finished high school here, my girlfriend, Jenny, is now my wife and my son is Six and attending First grade here on property. We have our own apartment and are doing great! We are both taking college classes to earn a degree. Jenny now works in housekeeping. We both love our jobs and everything about this place.”

I asked Craig what happened with the charges from the robberies, the other people that kept him captive and that girl that he heard screaming that night.

Craig said, “They took care of the charges by saying they would take care of me. So, the state dropped all the charges. I asked about the people who kept me captive, and they said they had disappeared and were never seen again. As for the girl, they said it may have been a nightmare because no one was reported missing. I am so grateful, and so is Jenny. My son is everything to us and doesn’t know about anything that happened.”

“I enjoy being a server. I get moved around every few months to a different area for a change of pace. Once I hit so many hours in college credits, I will be given time to work in other areas like engineering, which is what I’m thinking about doing as a career. Both of us work thirty hours a week and then take nine credit hours in classes. We get paid for forty hours, and all our expenses are covered. Jenny is studying to be a teacher.”

I asked Craig if there was any contract or a specific time they had to stay there to repay them for the college courses or housing.

“Nope, we can leave at any time, even with the money in our pocket form our savings. But why would we want to? We love it here and plan on retiring here with a house,” he said.

Jennifer asked how his parents were doing.

“They’re doing great. In fact, we took our four anniversary days off to go visit them. They are so happy for us and come here on vacation to see us and have fun.”

“You know,” said Craig, “I love telling my story. It allows me to tell others that there are still good people out there, and they do help those in need.”

I asked Craig if he felt meeting Jay was an accident or planned.

“I was told our meeting was a coincidence.”

“Jay once told me, ‘Many people want to work for the WOE, but some deserve to work for them, and some need to work for them.’”

Chapter 11

Thursday

I awoke Thursday morning feeling refreshed and excited that we had finished only a little more than a week here and still had six days to go. I went to the bathroom door and greeted Jennifer with “Good morning, sunshine!” Unfortunately, she did not reciprocate a pleasant greeting back. It was more of a moan.

I asked her, “Are you okay?”

“No, I was feeling sick again and didn’t sleep well last night,” she croaked.

I felt so sorry for her and all my excitement for the upcoming week vanished. The stark reality of her condition was again made present. I reminded her we had an appointment today to see Dr. Lee. I asked her if I should move up the time.

“No, I’ll be alright until then.”

“Do you want something to eat?”

“No, I’ll probably just throw it up.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

“No, just eat with Sally, and you two go and see the concert,” said Jennifer, “If I need you, I’ll call.”

We had tickets to see REO Speedwagon at the Harmony Theater at 11 a.m., and because we are members, it only cost us $15 each, instead of $30 each. Sally and I ate breakfast together, really missing Jennifer and wishing she would be okay.

“Mom is so selfless. She is always thinking of us before herself,” Sally said to me.

“I know sweetie. She is the most generous person I know,” I replied to Sally.

“What time is Mom’s Doctor’s appointment?”

“3:00 p.m.”

We finished up breakfast and started to get ready. Jennifer was back in bed reading. I told her I put her breakfast in the fridge and hopefully we could all go to lunch together when Sally and I got back. Jennifer said she didn’t want to go to lunch and that Sally and I could eat at the Complex when we got done with the concert. I retrieved the portable Suite Butler to order Jennifer lunch. You can order lunch to your room for anyone, and the others can use their lunch credit somewhere else in the hotel or Complex. She picked what she wanted and placed her order. She asked for a 1 p.m. delivery time. Then Sally and I headed to the Harmony Theater.

The Harmony Theater

WOE has at least 6 concerts a day in the Harmony Theater, some of the shows can seat up to 25,000 guests. The Harmony Theater is so named because it uses Harmony Speakers; 1,200 of them throughout the entire Theater. Harmony Speakers are a brand name developed and patented by the WOE Systems Engineering Group. Absent are powered speakers hanging in front of the stage, pushing all the sound out, like in a traditional concert setting. The sound is superior to a home surround sound theater. Crystal clear and rich. The speakers range in size from giant subwoofers to little tiny high-end speakers. The Theater is a large, round complex that sits within a more massive square building.

The Theater has moveable, soundproof walls that can separate the Theater into many different seating configurations, depending on what’s needed. Before a show is put on sale, they estimate how many tickets will sell for that day. Since most shows run multiple days, they may set the seating, say for a Barry Manilow concert performing at 2 p.m., Monday, for 4,000 tickets and 6,000 for a Friday. They start with an estimate, but if they sell over that number, they can easily adjust the Theater to fit that sized crowd. Basically; it’s custom fitting seating for each concert. This way, the seating looks great, and the sound is superior. They can configure the Theater to run three shows at once. The larger shows are usually done in the afternoon and evening.

The moveable walls can move with a simple computer click; the lower half of a wall drops down into the floor, and the top half rises and bends at the top. The stage is enormous and consists of three separate stages when all connected for a full capacity crowd. The stages run on industrial elevators that rise and lower beneath to a stage waiting area. Underneath the Theater, there are another 8 stages, most are loaded with the performers’ gear that is performing that day or the next. If an international headliner is performing multiple shows in a two or three-week period, they will keep that stage set just for that performer. The stage is made of wood and acrylic, with millions of LED lights built in under the acrylic. The square building that encompasses the Theater also hosts the Respites, concessions, and lounges.

It’s easy to get a concert ticket online. There are no additional service fees, convenience fees, and there is no reselling of tickets to anyone but through their website. Here is how their system works:

You usually start with their website, or you can purchase tickets at one of their WOE Ticket Centers, located in: NYC, Dallas, Orlando, LA, Seattle, London, Paris, Berlin, Tokyo, Beijing, and Barcelona. If you wish to sign-up as a member, you pay your membership fee of $100.00 and then you can buy your tickets to concerts, the Complex, or hotels, at the Membership rate.
As a side note; all the locations listed above are also home to many of the Talent and Employee Scouts. They have their own offices and audition rooms in each location.

When you first register online, you will need to create an account and be approved. Upon your first visit to the WOE, you will need to show your ID and have your finger scanned for a Match. If you register at one of their remote locations, they will do this for you. Once you’re in their system, you will only need to have your finger scanned each time you show up to the WOE and when you go to a show or attraction. No tickets needed. The reason for this security is straightforward; they know who you are when you’re there, and there is no reselling of admission or concert tickets. No ticket scalping and online security are excellent. Plus, having your finger scanned is more convenient than always looking for your tickets and prevents black-market operations. The biometric security is far better than using your smartphone or RFID wristband, which could easily be stolen and then used to enter hotel rooms.

Another fun fact about the concert tickets; all seats are the same price. That’s right, no VIP. The selling of tickets for newly announced shows does have a priority order for those wanting to buy: WOE Members who already have reservations to stay on the property get first dibs on all new concerts playing during their stay, then WOE Members not staying on property, then the general public. On some shows, they let everyone buy a ticket without selecting a seat, then they do what they call a “shuffle,” which means all the seats are randomly chosen (those with more than one in their party will still be together), and you may get a front row seat.

Concert and show prices range from $15.00 - $25.00 for Members and $25.00 - $50.00 for non-Members. As I said earlier, there are no additional fee’s, and sales tax is included. Each ticket sold has a built-in $5.00 for the Theater’s maintenance and staffing, while the rest usually goes to the entertainer. Concert tickets can be returned for no fee, up to 48-hours before the show. After that, you can “offer” them for sale at the original ticket price to others on the WOE website only. If no one buys your ticket, sorry. There is no-reselling buy brokers or other websites and no Ticketmaster or Stub Hub. That’s one more reason concerts are so popular here.

If you go to see a concert only, you cannot go visit the Complex, unless you are already staying in a hotel on the property or have bought a daily admission ticket to the Complex. However, as I mentioned earlier, there are certain times of the year, mostly around Halloween, the holidays and a sprinkling of weekends, that members can buy a $15 Complex ticket and visit the Complex after the 8 p.m. concert ends. That’s usually when they’re open until 2 a.m. or later. So, you’ll usually have from 11 p.m. until closing to enjoy the State Fair, Fun Town USA, and the other sections if you bought your ticket in advance. If you’re already staying there, then there is no extra charge.

My first trip to WOE

We have visited The Complex several times before. So, let me tell you how the WOE looks when you come from the Daily Visitor Parking Garage for a concert or show or to visit the Complex for the day.

On my first visit here nine years ago, I wanted to experience a concert at the Harmony Theater first. So, I registered online for WOE and bought my ticket. I picked Barry Manalo, who is a Resident Entertainer at the WOE. The show was for 4 p.m. I drove about two miles from the area airport to their parking facility. Their parking garages are massive, and they thankfully provide great directions on where to go. The Daily Visitor Parking Garage is for guests visiting the Complex or the Harmony Theater for the day. Helpful, lighted LED arrows directed me on where to go and park.

Once I exited my car, I could hear music playing over the speaker system. Lighted signs directed everyone to the middle of the garage, where the monorails pick you up. The monorails run on the second and fourth floors, and you can quickly take escalators to reach those floors if you need too. The garage was very well lit in assorted colors, depending on where you parked, and the music was lively. Security was visibly present, as well as helpful and pleasant garage and monorail attendants’. There were signs posted everywhere warning you that weapons of any kind were prohibited and were to be left in your vehicle.

Within just a few minutes, the monorail, decked out with Blue lights that ran along the bottom of the train and Red lights that ran along the top, came running into our stop. The monorail was also playing music outside and inside.
As the doors opened on the, I noticed all the seats were facing forward, with headrests and seat belts. The monorail took as many guests as would fill the seats, no standing was allowed. As I stepped inside and found my seat, the announcement came on to fasten your seatbelt and prepare for the doors to close. The monorail started pulling away, and the pre-recorded announcement greeted everyone and told us of the upcoming concerts and shows for the day. It only took a few minutes for us to reach the Daily Visitor Hub (DVH). When entering the Daily Visitor Hub, we were all notified again that there were no weapons allowed. If you did bring a weapon, you must return to your vehicle to lock it up. Each person was scanned, as was every bag and purse. Dogs were also sniffing people for bombs. Backpacks were not allowed and needed to be left in your car. Lockers were available for a fee if you did not want to return to your car to put something back.

Once I passed through security, and since this was my first time to the WOE, I walked straight to the Matching Station, where an attendant matched my fingerprint and my ID with my online registration and took a picture of me. This is called “Matching.” This is the same process I described when entering the Hotel Guest Hub. I headed to the Harmony Theater Admission Turnstiles, where I scanned my finger and was given my paper show ticket stub. The other turnstiles are for the Complex. Both are divided throughout. I then stepped onto a moving conveyor which traveled through the Welcome Center Tunnel for about 100 yards to the WOE Welcome Center. The Welcome Center Tunnel is filled with a beautiful rainbow of colored lights that circle the tunnel with mesmerizing, new age music playing.

Once I reached the end of the Tunnel, I entered this giant Earth globe with smoke and special effects lighting. Then I heard the voice I’ve been dying to hear; “Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome to the World of Entopia.”

The Harmony Theater guests were still divided from the Complex guests at the end of the tunnel and into the Welcome Center. To the right was the Complex, straight ahead was the Complex Hotel and pathways to go to the Concert Lounge, and to the left was the Harmony Theater. My first impression was how slick the polished steel style facade looked, especially all lit up in assorted colors. The name of the Theater was lit up with a classic sign, with light bulbs that surrounded it and the words Harmony Theater lit up in spotlights. I decided to go to the Concert Lounge to get a bite to eat and have a drink before the show.

The Concert Lounge is quite large and can comfortably seat 5,000 people, if not more. You can sit at a bar or table. TOA’s (Touchpad Ordering Assistants) were on each table. They displayed the menu and allowed you to order. The device also had a finger reader for identification and payment.

There are tiered rows of counters designed for one or two guests to sit with others, like at a bar. But these row counters overlooked large video screens that showed videos of the upcoming concert.

After a very affordable meal and a drink, I walked over to the Harmony Theater, as it was only 15-minutes before the show. When I entered the Harmony Theater doors, I was immediately blown away by how modern and how beautiful the lights around the Theater looked. There was photo’s being shown on video screens of Barry Manalo. The seats were spacious, leather recliners with ample leg and elbow room. Each chair was spaced so that everyone had their own armrest. There were little lights under each chair for ambient lighting (in case you drop something). There are no drinks, except water, allowed in the Theater. Also, no food. WOE encourages everyone to eat and drink beforehand, as to not distract those around you by munching on chips and popcorn.

The Harmony Theater utilizes the height and viewing software I mentioned earlier in Show Town. This really helps everyone see the stage and not someone’s head. Some of their seats can raise and lower by a computer. Man, what a great view of the stage. Now you’ll know that when you go to order tickets, you may only see specific seats available that will match you or your groups’ height.

Ten minutes before the show, a video montage of Barry started playing. It was a short highlight video of his career. There is also a video of the upcoming artist playing on monitors around the outside of the Theater while you’re waiting to get in.
One thing you may not notice because it isn’t there; is advertising. There is no advertising for any company or product anywhere on the property. No beer signs, no “sponsored by,” no “brought to you by,” no advertising LED ribbons in the Harmony Theater as you see in arenas or stadiums. I remember going to college football games and seeing a quarter of the jumbotron screen was used for two or three advertisers, stacked on top of each other. These same places have advertising LED ribbon screens going around the arena or stadium. And the ads change colors. Distracting guests from what’s happening on the field. There are also no beer sales in the stands. No “beer, beer, beer chanting.

They also don’t sell tickets that are behind the stage. I’ve often seen ticket websites sell seats for shows at other concert venues that are behind the stage, mostly at arenas designed for sports. How can someone see the entertainer? The promoter doesn’t mind what view you have. Profit, that’s their desire.

Once the video ended, a cool Harmony Theater pre-show played with lighting and sound. When the 1-minute show was complete, the announcement was made for us to welcome Barry Manalo. Mr. Manalo’s show was top notch, and I truly enjoyed the seating, the view, and the sound, which was what I expected. Imagine yourself sitting in your car with the sound up. Yes, better than your surround sound in your car, home entertainment system, and headphones. Think of how crystal-clear music was when CD’s first came out. Well, this is at that next level, and you could hear everything with perfect sound. By far, the best way to see a concert.

It is said by their sound engineers; “If an artist doesn’t sound good, it’s not the sound system, it’s the artist.”
When the concert was over, you take a separate conveyer back to the Daily Visitor Hub, where the monorails will take you back to the Daily Visitor Parking or Brand Name Hotels. If you’re staying on property, you will “cross-over” from the Harmony Theater area to the Complex area. The cross-over is merely a finger scan station to verify you either have access to the Complex or to the Harmony Theater. If you wish to go back to your hotel, you can take the Circle Shuttle to the Show Town & Dark Room Hub for the Couples Hotel or Mayberry Town or take the moving conveyor to The Continents & Fun Town USA Hub if you’re staying at the Family Hotel. In either Hub, you then take the Zipvators back to your suite or townhouse. You can also use the Tube Shuttles to place you somewhere else in the Complex quickly.

Arriving for the day to the Complex for the first time is also amazing. When you step off the tunnel and go through the Globe, many guests go right to the very tall glass windows overlooking the Complex, it’s breathtaking. You can see what looks like a hundred midway rides, all lit up in a rainbow of lights. I could see the World Stage to the left with its shell roof. The State Fair ceiling was lit in sky blue, with a few puffy clouds. Imagine 25 million LED lights and the size of 3 football fields in front of you. People were in such “awe” that they moved to the sides and just tried to take it all in. Since I’ve been traveling to other world-renowned landmarks, I’ve always enjoyed seeing the looks on people’s faces when they first visit a new place. Some are so inspired or “blown-away,” that they just stop and try and absorb what they’re looking at. This “Oh my God” reaction is the same as you get when you see the Complex for the first time from The Family, Couples or Mayberry Town Zipvator Stations.

About 30-feet from the Globe, there are these massive platforms that are about 20 x 20 in size. They are called; The Grand Platform Elevators. People load on them like an elevator, but with no roof. They then slowly take you out horizontally, then downward, on an angle, to the main floor. It’s sort of like riding an elevator that acts like an escalator. It had railing all around it and was lit with blue neon colors. The floor is made of acrylic. All you could do when riding down is just marvel at how stunning everything was. You can also choose to ride the Circle Shuttle to other Hubs or even take a Shuttle Pod to “Shuttle” to a particular section if you decide not to go to the main floor.

After the great REO Speedwagon concert, Sally and I “crossed-over” to the Complex and took the Grand Platform Elevators to the main floor and walked to the State Fair’s Picnic concession for lunch. Hamburgers, hot dogs, Italian sausage and potato salad, are the specials, freshly cooked on grills right there. You walk up to the grill with your plate and order what you want. They take your selection from the grill and put it right on your plate, just like you would do at an actual picnic. We listened to the entertainment coming from the World Stage while we ate. We each had a cheeseburger, hot dog, baked beans and potato salad, and our food never had a chance to get cold. We used our meal plan, so there was no charge and no chance of me losing any weight that day.

We went back to our suite and were happy to see Jennifer up and eating. She only ate a small portion of her lunch, but that was still good. She said she was feeling a little better after a nap and shower. We told her about the great concert and how REO sounded. She was happy we enjoyed ourselves.

We received a call from the concierge desk, reminding us that they would take us over to the medical facility at 2:45 p.m.
Upon arriving at the medical facility and checking in to exam room four, Jennifer was starting to feel sick again. Jessica, the same nurse who helped us the last time, came into the room and talked with us, “I’m sorry you’re not feeling well Jennifer. I’m going to get you some anti-nausea medication. Dr. Lee will be here in a few minutes.”

Jessica returned with the medicine and then took blood from Jennifer to run a few tests and see where her levels were at. Sally was with us this time because she wanted to see everything that was going on. Dr. Lee came in and exchanged greetings. “I understand you’re not feeling well Jennifer.”

“No, I started feeling sick again last night.”

“Well, I think we may have a few options to help treat you, but I’ll wait until your blood tests come back before I discuss them with you.”

We all went to the waiting lounge for about 30 minutes until we were paged to go to exam room one. Once inside, Dr. Lee, Jessica, and now Dr. Peterson were all there. “Okay, Jennifer,” said Dr. Lee. “You know Dr. Peterson, he is the medical director here. As I mentioned on Monday, I did talk to my colleagues about possible treatments for you. We were hoping you would remain stable a little while longer before treating you, but your blood levels are again not where they should be.”

“Where are they at?” Jennifer asked.

“Your red blood cells are again low, and your white count is too high; meaning something is changing. You should have been good until at least this coming Sunday with the blood transfusion we gave you Monday.”

“So, what does this mean?” I asked.

“Is my mom going to be okay?” Sally asked, nervously.

“We’re going to do everything we can to help your mom feel better, Sally,” Dr. Lee said.

Dr. Peterson then spoke, “We would like to give you another blood transfusion and start you on a new Geno treatment that we believe could help your immune system attack the cancer cells themselves, thus eliminating the need for additional chemo and radiation.”

“Do you think this will help?” I asked.

“This treatment is not used elsewhere because it is still new and therefore expensive. It is also not covered by insurance,” said Dr. Peterson.

“How will we be able to afford it, then?” I asked.

“There will be no charge to you while you are visiting us. You didn’t come seeking treatment, you came seeking a family vacation. Therefore, we are going to help you as best we can,” Dr. Peterson said.

Jennifer started crying, “I can’t tell you how grateful we are for your generosity. We are wiped out financially and had to borrow money to get here. I felt like this might be our last vacation together.”

When Sally heard that, she started sobbing herself. “Last vacation? I didn’t think your cancer was that bad. I thought this was for Dad and his interviews.”

Jennifer embraced Sally, and they both started holding each other tightly, and then they started bawling. I just sat there in disbelief, so very scared. I felt terrible for Jennifer and Sally. Then I started thinking about life without my wife and Sally without a mom.

“Please, please, do everything you can to help her,” I pleaded.

Jessica spoke up, “Believe it or not, you will get the best medical care in the world. We have the most caring staff and resources for treatment. We have contacts with some of the best physicians in the world, and we have a group of scientists that teach here, with knowledge and scientific results beyond Ivy League schools.”

As Jennifer and Sally calmed down, Dr. Lee and Dr. Peterson said they would start Jennifer on the new treatment, which meant they would discontinue her current treatment. They warned us that she might get worse before she gets better.

“It might take a little time to get things moving with your white blood cells. The cancer may get worse until they do. The only other option is the chemo you took before, which made you very sick and only lasted a brief time. This cancer is very aggressive and tolerant to most of the drugs out there. You must be patient and have faith,” explained Dr. Lee.

“I’ll do it! I believe it will work, and I want to be here for my family!” Exclaimed Jennifer.

With that, Dr. Lee and Dr. Peterson excused themselves and said they would see her next Monday. Jessica took Jennifer back for the blood transfusion, while Sally and I went back to the lounge. While there, all I could think about was my poor, sweet wife. She was such a great teacher, mom, and wife. She had supported me through everything; my failed business, my eyesight, just everything. I couldn’t lose her now.

I told Sally I had to go to the bathroom. Once inside, I locked the door, sat down, and cried. I cried and cried. My poor wife!
“Please, Lord, please, I beg you to help her. Please don’t let her die! Please!”

Chapter 12

Friday

Friday morning, we were more optimistic. Jennifer received her blood transfusion Thursday afternoon and felt better Thursday night. She was eating and sleeping better once again.

So far, the new medicine that she was taking twice a day had minimal side effects. Although, they did say it would take some time before we noticed anything. As a precaution, we took it easy Thursday night and hung out together. We even popped some popcorn and watched a movie as a family.

But today, we were going to hang out in Fun Town USA for the day and then come back later in the evening to go to the ultra-high-tech dance club; Metamorphoses. Sally also asked if she could bring along Keith, for company. We knew she had been worried about Jennifer, so we were happy to have someone she “liked” to have fun with. This way, I could hang out with Jennifer, and if she felt ill, I could take her back to the suite, and Sally could stay with Keith.

After a nice breakfast, we headed to the nearest Zipvator station and over to the WOE Complex. Once there, we took the escalator down and made a right into the entrance to Fun Town USA.

There is so much to see and do here, you could literally spend an entire day just in this section. Then again, you could spend a whole day in the State Fair, Show Town or The Continents sections too. The only section that you could go through in half to ¾ of a day would be the Dark Room.

Fun Town USA has everything fun literally to do. A massive, largest in the world skating rink, movie theaters, game centers, laser tag, virtual reality games, bowling, rope courses, zip lines, dancing, electric go-karts, hide-and-go-seek and more. I mean, this place is a virtual playground for everyone, at any age.

When you go through the entrance, you go up this conveyor ramp into a world of lights, music, and a party atmosphere. Fun Town USA is open from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m., and later during special nights and events. They have little cafes and places to eat where you can “people watch” and still stay in the action. The four of us went to the arcade first to try our skill at some of the older arcade games and even some of the new ones. Jennifer and I focused on our favorites; like Pac Man and Space Invaders, while Sally and Keith played a lot of the newer games. The arcade is quite expansive and appeared to have over 300 games: Pinball machines, air hockey, skeet ball, and pool tables. All the games are free, and some of the more popular games, like the one’s Sally and Keith were playing, have two or three of each. As you would expect by now, there are colored lights on the ceiling, on the floors and walls and even in the bathrooms, all in festive, party colors. The music was switching between the ’80s through today’s hits. The arcade includes virtual reality rooms where you can compete against other players. There are games or “experiences” as they call them, that you can do on your own or as a family.

One experience we played was the Natural Wonders Experience. The object of the game is to “capture” Nono Birds in your net while flying a helicopter. You enter a small room filled with motion seats and VR headsets. The room can hold up to six people, but we were one family, so they let us play by ourselves. You can talk to each other and hear everyone’s excitement and screams from the exhilaration. One person (me) controlled the flying, while Sally and Jennifer controlled the nets, Keith was on the lookout. Our experience lasted about 20 minutes and made us feel like we were really flying in a helicopter over famous terrains. Man was that ever fun.

There’s a fan favorite VR ride called; Grandma’s Sunday Ride. This ride has six, four passenger simulator vehicles that resemble old-time cars. Two passengers in the front and two in the back seat, all with VR headsets. You’re going out with Grandma on a drive through New York City in rush hour traffic to get some milk. Grandma doesn’t seem to be bothered by cars and trucks almost hitting her and them honking their horns. In fact, she decides to “hit the gas” and let it go. Hold on, because you’re in for the ride of your life.

We all went to the Ropes Experience; A mind-boggling, adrenaline pumping, walking, and climbing experience. Unlike other ropes courses where you’re harnessed and walk on ropes or beams high in the air, this experience takes you into a visually immersive world of unimaginable heights and courage. The floors, walls, and ceiling are all covered with video images of scenes that change every day. One day maybe a picture of Chicago and the ropes connect from skyscraper to skyscraper or walking across the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls. Of course, there are other ropes courses available for the more timid, with more “closer to the ground” conservative visuals. They even have bungee jumping and Ziplines, all using the same visual effects. All of these experiences are free, and reservations are highly recommended, especially for the bungee jumping and the ziplines. Sally and Keith did the Chicago course as Jennifer, and I did the less timid, two-story course.

We then rode the go-carts in City Race. These fast, electric carts can go up to 30 miles per hour, and the track complex features visual scenes of driving in city streets around the world. There are smaller courses for the younger and older guests who wish to travel at slower speeds. Each race can last ten minutes, so you get plenty of time to really enjoy the experience. You don’t have to race. In fact, there are two separate lanes on the inner part of the track that allows for those drivers who wish to just “site see” the city. There is another track there called the Desert. Here, you race around in a desert, complete with mountains and hills.

Everyone was having a blast, especially Jennifer. I could see that child-like glee on her face as she slipped away from her reality and into fantasy. She really needed this. We all did.

After three hours, we decided to grab a bite to eat at the skating rink café (The one on the second floor.) The kids ordered churros and pizza, while Jennifer and I split a hot dog, corn dog, and fries. We then decided to burn off a few of the calories with roller skating in Club Wheels.

The Fun Town skating rink, Club Wheels is absolutely monstrous! You could have 3,500 people skating at once and not notice it was crowded. It has a quarter portion of the rink enclosed, with special effects lighting and video inside. So, as you skate into it, you experience different effects each time, mostly relating to the music playing. The whole floor has lights built into it for displaying scenes like water, the desert, space, and even city streets. The perimeter of the floor and the inside part of the rink always have LED lights lit to show you where the floor edges are. So, no matter how funky the lights get, you always know where the inside and outside of the floor is. The outside walls of the rink all have video projection from floor to ceiling. Just like the floor, pictures can also be displayed on the walls to match the images on the floor. There are also videos playing with music. Just like the ultra-high-tech dance club; Metamorphoses, lights come down from the ceiling, and there is a “core” section of lights in the middle of the rink that transforms into many different shapes and projects many different effects. There are also several bridges you can walk across to get to the middle of the rink, where there is elevated seating, a café, and several dance floors.

We skated for about two hours, and Jennifer hung in there. During one song, the lights went dim, the bass cranked, and at least 200 lasers filled the air while we were skating on the space image. Man, my adrenaline was pumping! I could feel goosebumps all over. Sally and Keith skated hand in hand to a few of the slow songs, while Jennifer and I watched and caught our breath.

Around 4 p.m., Jennifer asked if I wanted to go back to the suite for a little rest before coming back later for a movie and dancing. I was more than happy to oblige, so we headed to the nearest Shuttle Pod Station in Fun Town USA and took a quick ride to the Family Hotel Zipvator Station.

I can’t tell you how gratifying it is to get back to your suite in about 10 minutes. So many times, we would be visiting other theme parks, and even though we were staying on property, it would still take us up to an hour to get back to our room. That usually includes walking in the heat, waiting for a monorail, boat, or tram, and then maybe a bus or car. Sometimes, just going from the back of the park to the front can take a while. Here, it’s so convenient. Between the Shuttle Pods, Circle Shuttle and Zipvators, you’re where you want to be in a snap. There’s no need to have to wear comfy sneakers. Many guests wear flip-flops.

Jennifer and I both took a shower and ordered our dinner to be delivered to the Portal Box, using our dinner credit. We then took a nice nap. Sally stayed with Keith, and they both went to Game Central and then ate dinner together.

Around 7 p.m., we headed out to see a movie that was playing at 7:30. We reserved seats for “Beauty and the Beast.” There is no charge for anything in Fun Town USA, except if you want food or adult beverages, and that can be free if you use your meal plan (except the adult beverages). The theater offers free popcorn, and the drinks are free. They also offer other goodies that are ridiculously low-priced, compared to the outside. $1.50 hot dogs, $1 candy, $1.50 nachos and cheese. All the seats are recliners, where you can change the position and kick back with your legs out with just a push of a button. There is plenty of arm and legroom. But my favorite is this; if the crunching and munching of crispy snacks from others bother you, you can bring your own headphones that you can plug into your seat. This is also great if you want the sound louder or softer. They even offer headphones you can borrow, or you can use wireless ones, as they also use Bluetooth.

Fun Town USA has three movie theaters, each with 600 seats. Each theater runs two different films a day, so there is a total of six movies playing daily. During Halloween, they show classic horror films and try to scare the “nerve” out of you. The WOE pays the movie studios for however many guests to watch each movie. After watching the film, we met up with Sally and Keith and headed into the world’s most advanced dance club; Metamorphoses.

Metamorphose is much like the Hologram Theater when it comes to technology and special effects. There are literally effects so realistic in both that you would swear that you’re in a different world.

Millions of lights and projection mapping cover everything from floor to ceiling. You feel like you’re dancing on the moon, in New York City’s Times Square; you name it! There are multiple levels and multiple platforms that rise and lower. There are even different sections with their own theme, like The Power Dome; which features a 360-degree plasma tube you dance inside of. The acrylic dance floor is actually suspended inside the plasma tube, so all the video and lights go entirely above and below and all around you.

Some areas have purposely amped up the bass, while others are a little quieter for more sensitive guests. There are so many lights connected to trusses that lower from the ceiling or rise from the floor; each with a different lighting package.
The central section of Metamorphosis has a dome ceiling with multiple platforms for dancing. In the center, there is a giant glass globe that sits inside a 100-foot-high by a 60-foot diameter clear cylinder that goes from floor to ceiling. Here, you will see lighting and special effects never seen anywhere else. The globe rises in the cylinder and fills with gases, holograms, fire, and more. At certain times during the night, there is an “Overdrive” level the club hits. You will see yellow warning lights flash around a minute beforehand. That’s telling you to get ready and be prepared to stay put where you are. When the Overdrive starts, you will see the most powerful lasers and strobe effects found anywhere. It will coincide with the music and last for about a minute or two.

Live bands play throughout the night on multiple stages, helped by a resident or visiting DJ’s. The club is open from 6 p.m. until 12 a.m. daily and stays open until 2 a.m. or later on select nights. At 11:00 p.m., all the walls separating the different sections of the club rise and the whole club becomes one giant dance club. The name Metamorphoses is due to the club changing its’ design every night. Each night, as the night wears on, the club slowly “transforms” into something different. The levels, walls, and many sections all slowly move to other positions and configurations. So, if you leave at 8 p.m. and come back at 10 p.m., the club will have appeared to have ‘morphed’ into another club.

As I mentioned earlier, due to the realistic level of effects in both Metamorphoses and the Hologram Theater, there have been several instances in the past where guests have taken drugs, like acid or Ecstasy, and had significant “freak outs” due to their reactions to the effects. Luckily, emergency personnel stationed in Fun Town USA were quickly on the scene and able to help the guests before it was too late.

In the Hologram Theater, specially trained staff watch guests for any signs of trouble. All the Theaters, attractions, and intense rides also have call buttons on the back of each chair. So, if a guest starts to experience a heart attack, panic attack or any other issue, they can push the button for help, or a guest next to them can push the button to summon help from the staff. This great lifesaver is brought to everyone’s attention before each show or ride. These are also the same buttons I mentioned earlier that will light up in Yellow if you’re using a phone or camera or are rudely talking. A red light means “you’re out.”

All of us danced and enjoyed the music, lights, and effects for several hours. They had two bands taking turns playing songs, sometimes two or three in a row. Once one band finished playing a song, the other would start immediately, or sometimes they would “mix” one song into another. Both bands are from the Magnificent Twelve. One was playing hits from the ’70s, and the other played the 80’s. After about an hour, another band came on and played hits from the ’90s.

The Metamorphoses Dance Club is a fantastic place to dance without feeling like everyone is watching you. The lighting, videos, and effects keep those watching or taking a breather occupied, and there are so many places to go and dance. So many “unique” sections with bits of privacy.

Drinking is very limited at the WOE. The only drinks served in Fun Town USA are at Metamorphoses and the “live” venue restaurant; Levels. Levels is a sit-down restaurant with four stages. The entertainment switches from one to the other simultaneously, with a variety of bands, singers, magicians, and comics. There are video screens around the restaurant for easy viewing, so you can always see and hear the entertainment, even if you can’t see the stage. As the name implies, the seating is all ‘tired,’ and each level is themed differently from the others. The entertainment is similar to the World Stage entertainment, except Levels usually has more music and comedy. Just like the other restaurants that have a band or music playing, ordering can be done through your Touchpad Ordering Assistant, but a friendly server will assist you and bring you your drinks and food. Of course, you can also use your lunch or dinner credits to pay for your meals if you’d like. Since Levels is in Fun Town USA, its hours are 11 a.m. until 12 a.m. and longer on select nights.

Here’s how the WOE drinking policy works. Each guest’s drinking is monitored by computer and staff. If you’re staying on property, you’ll be allowed more to drink, but I doubt you’ll get drunk. They will usually slow you down beforehand. For those that are there for the day only, your drinks will be spaced out, and you will not even get past a decent buzz unless you’re there to see a concert. Then, they’ll serve you a little more before the show only and start cutting back as the evening wears on. If you’re staying in the Brand Name Hotels, the same policy will apply to those guests staying on property, since you will be taking the Monorail to get back to your hotel. If you are a driver and let them know, they will be happy to serve you drinks with little to no alcohol and then be watching to see if any guests are “uneasy” walking at closing time. If they observe any impairment from those going to drive home, they will assist in asking who will be the driver and setting up a designated driver, if need be. If it’s just one person by themselves, then they’ll get them to stay for a while until they feel better. I’ve heard there is a lounge in one of the security areas if someone needs a nap.

For some people, this may seem a little ridiculous. But for many guests, they don’t want to deal with drunks, rudeness, being “hit on” or fights. The idea is to have fun, not to make money pushing booze. Metamorphoses is not a bar, but a dance club, and they want you to have an enjoyable time; not ruin it for someone else or hurt someone in a car crash going home.

All their staff is very well-trained to spot potential problems, and they will send for “assistance” to help guide you to a “better state of mind” if need be. If you don’t cooperate; you may be gently taken for a walk to a more conducive environment. Not jail or anything harsh, but a place where you can calm down. The WOE understands that some guests may have a rough night due to a combination of medication or alcohol and other substances. They won’t call the police, as they have their own security and just want to get things calm as quickly as possible. Any unruly behavior can get you cut off the next night or in bad situations; dropped as a Member and prohibited from coming back. Remember, you need a reservation to be here, and then you must be identified when you come in. But I’ve seldom heard of any issues, and those I did hear of were so small and were handled quickly and professionally.

So, the drinking is only in: Metamorphoses, Levels, Complex sit-down restaurants, The Concert Lounge, and at the hotels. That’s it! Since everything is tracked by computer, you can’t go from one restaurant to another and think you can continue drinking. If you think your smart and drink in your suite with alcohol, you brought from home and then go to the Complex, be warned. If they suspect you are already “tipsy” when ordering, they can ask that you perform a breathalyzer test before being served. There is no walking around The Complex drinking a beer or a mixed drink. This is indeed a family environment, and a close eye is kept on your safety and the safety of others. I love it!

We left Fun Town USA around 11:15 p.m., soon after the walls went up and the place became “one,” we headed back to our suite. I couldn’t tell you the last time any of us had that much fun. From the video gaming and VR Experiences, skating, the movie, to dancing; we did it all. The best part about Fun Town USA is that you can come back anytime. You can make reservations for the skating rink or Metamorphoses, as well as the ropes courses, zip lines, and laser tag. But you don’t need to. If any of them are at capacity, you can request a notification when the one you want becomes available. Just like the State Fair, you can go and have fun for an hour or all day.

After getting back to our suite, Jennifer and I went to shower, while Sally and Keith wrapped things up in the hallway (I’m sure with a good night’s kiss). What a day and night! The best, yet! Thank you, doctors!

Chapter 13

Saturday

After such a full and enjoyable day on Friday, Sally and Jennifer slept in on Saturday, while I headed out for an interview with Rachel, the Human Resources Director.

I arrived at the World Stage around 10:30 a.m. and started watching the upbeat entertainment of the World Stage. Close to 11:00 a.m., I walked to the area she had set-up for our meeting. Right on time, a professionally dressed woman asked me if I was Peter.

I answered, “Yes, I am. Are you Rachel?”

“Yes, hi, Peter. It’s nice to meet you. Let’s walk around and talk if you’d like?”

As we started walking around, she asked me how my vacation was going, and if I had a chance to interview any of the employees. I told her I had and was amazed by what I have had heard. I also told her I interviewed Steven C.

“What did you think of Steven C.?” She asked.

“Very humble and inspirational,” I said. “I can see why everyone respects him so much.”

“Steven C. is crucial to everything we do here. He provides so much insight into shows, attractions, the Complex, the hotels, just everything. But the most important thing he does, in my opinion, is bring compassion for others to our whole organization, to the whole property. The caring for one another, the ability to see something in everyone and the foresight to see the potential of so many. A CEO mainly cares about the operation and the profit a company makes. Our President is hardly heard from because we don’t have shareholders and we are a private company. He simply makes sure we have the money to operate and watches out for us if we may fall financially short somewhere. He represents us in the business world. Steven C. represents all the good we do within,” Rachel explained.

“Rachel, how did employees start living here, and what is the deciding factor of who lives here and who doesn’t?”

“Well, Peter, the living community was here from the beginning. We started with 400 apartments for the employees and 200 for the entertainers. The employees’ apartments were built two years before the Complex was even open. They housed architects, engineers, cooks, skilled laborers, and others who helped plan and build the Complex. Once the Complex was three-fourths done, the entertainers’ apartments were built. On opening day, there were already entertainers living on the property. The employees’ apartments expanded to 800, then 1,200 by the second year.”

“Now we have over 2,500 apartments, condos, and houses for over 5,000 employees and 1,200 apartments for the entertainers. We have our own school which starts at Pre-K and goes through college, including earning a Ph.D. or M.D. We have our own medical facility. We even have a mini-mall for the employees with a movie theater, restaurants, assorted stores, and a grocery store.”

“Do the employees pay rent? How do they get chosen?” I asked.

“Many of our short-term apartments are for employees or entertainers in their first 90 days or those entertainers visiting for a brief time. For those staying longer, a larger apartment is provided for up to two years. After that, at least for the employees, a small house with a yard and front porch are provided, mostly for families. You did mention that you were meeting Mark tomorrow; therefore, I’ll let him tell you about the Entertainers’ Village. The employees are given a place to stay based on need. Many of the original employees hired were local and had their own place to live already. But since then, many have been ‘found’ by our Employee Scouts around the world and offered a place to live on the property. The 90 days is a sort of probationary period. Maybe they may not like it here, or maybe they want to be here until they get on their feet, then they move on.”

“How often does that happen, where they move out within 90 days?” I questioned.
“Believe it or not, very rarely,” Rachel said. “There is no rent to pay, and the food and utilities are included. We have doctors, teachers, engineers, mechanics, housekeepers, waitresses, servers; you name it, all living on the property. Each employee gets an ‘allowance’ to spend on clothes, games, eating out, and to have ‘fun money.’ The rest of their paycheck goes to their future housing, savings account, and retirement. In many cases, a husband and wife both work; so, they each get an allowance, savings account and can combine for a lovely retirement home, all provided.

“How much is this allowance?”

“It averages around $150 each a week. All the other expenses are paid for; medical, education, vacations, transportation, housing, and food. They have no bills and no stress. Depending on their age, if they work for 20 to 30 years, they can get from $150,000 to $200,000 to buy a home anywhere they want. Two people will get double that. A married couple can retire with $400,000; plus, everyone receives a retirement check on top of that. If they leave after ten years, they still get a percentage of cash and retirement to take with them. For those who live off property, they can also get a special package made for them, which can help with their housing and retirement. All the houses on the property come with free maintenance. They will replace a roof, air conditioner, even the carpet every so many years, all at no charge.

“No matter where you live, no one pays a dollar for health insurance or their education. And the health insurance covers everything, including glasses, hearing aids, surgeries, dental, and all necessary treatments. WOE covers all your expenses while you’re working here, so you can concentrate on your job, family, and most importantly, yourself. That’s why every employee only works 30 hours at the Complex and 10 hours in the classroom and/or in training. They also get a one-week vacation every three months and bonus days off for their birthday, anniversary and other special days.”

“What about cosmetic surgery?”

“Only if it’s necessary. We won’t pay for breast augmentations or tummy tucks. But we will cover dental implants and items that are necessary and reasonable.”

“I’ve heard no one has a car in their driveway in the Residence Village. Why is that?” I asked.

“Right, just like at the Hotel Visitor Parking Garage, the Residents and employees park in the Employee and Resident Parking Garage and have an Employee Resident Hub (ERH) they must pass through, just like the hotel guests and daily visitors. Employees take a shuttle to the Complex, and the Residents use golf carts to travel to and from the ERH and around the Residential Community. If they want to go off the property, they can use their own car or borrow a car and use it to travel on a road trip or to visit surrounding places in the community. They can borrow a boat, jet ski, or even a camper to go camping. They don’t have to pay for gas, insurance, and repairs. There are no vehicles, boats, campers, or jet skis stored in any driveway or someone’s front lawn. Golf carts are the only vehicle used on the property, and they are stored in their garages or covered parking if they’re living in an apartment.

“What is the pay like? I hear it’s pretty good.”

“We only have three levels of pay and compensation: Semi-skilled, skilled and professional. The semi-skilled covers anyone with at least a high school diploma. The skilled covers anyone with a college degree up to bachelors, and the professional includes anyone with a master’s degree or higher. There is no one making less than $20 an hour and no one, even the CEO, is making more than $100,000 a year. All the doctors are happy and content, especially as they are not worried about heavy patient loads, malpractice insurance, lawsuits, and insurance companies telling them how to treat patients. They do what they love; helping heal others. Even the semi-skilled workers, when you add in all their benefits, can be making great money; well over $60,000 a year.” But the salary is only paid in full if you do not want help with housing and expenses. If you live on the property, then you get the weekly allowance and money to buy a future home. The WOE basically helps you save now and for the future. If you live off the property and pay for everything yourself, then you’ll get the salary. You’ll still be entitled to free healthcare, education, vacation time and retirement, but no money to buy a future home, and you have to pay all your housing expenses yourself.”

“What about mental health treatment?” I asked.

“We take mental health very seriously here. Many employee’s and some entertainers have come from harsh environments or situations and need our ongoing support to acclimate them to the WOE and get them back on their feet mentally. We have psychiatrists, psychologists and counselors on the property and they are available 24-hours a day. All employees are mandated to meet with the ‘mental health team’ several times a year, usually during their physicals, which they get every six months. The meeting may be for only 15 – 30 minutes, but they are looking for employees or entertainers who are very stressed or depressed but don’t want to admit it. If they find you could use someone to talk with, they can assign you a therapist and set-up appointment times for you to meet.”

“We also have a tip line for employees to use if they see someone else in danger or that may need help. The caller can remain anonymous. The same goes for drug use.”

Rachel then made two statements that really stood out to me: “Mental illness is just like any other illness, it can be treated, and, Mental Illness is only scary if you don’t understand it.”

“Steven C. briefly talked about the Employee Scouts. Can you tell me more?” I asked.

“I’d be happy to. The WOE believes that to find and keep great employees, we must find and meet their needs and provide them with a great quality of life. If you simply choose from applicants that have applied, you are only getting those with a desire to work here. But what is their desire? Is it just to have a place to live? Get free medical care? Make good on getting a future home, or do they really want to work at the WOE and help others? Of course, they’ll tell you the latter, but most are really interested in the benefits. We find people who are the best at what they do and feel they would fit in with our current employees. We also look for those who can really use the opportunity to help themselves. People tend to be more grateful when given something they really need, rather than something they really want.”

“That makes sense,” I said. “So, the Employee Scouts look for these people?”

“Yes, they travel around the world looking for those that could use a place to call home. Those who may be chosen for their ability may not necessarily need or want to stay on property. A doctor or engineer, for example, may want to stay in their own home or condo off the property. Some may need a place until they can get on their feet. Then they go out and get their own place. But most employees prefer to live on the property, including most of the doctors, engineers, and executives. One of the main reason is; safety.”

“As you know, there are no weapons of any kind on the property. If one ever did get past our top-notch security and was discovered; the person or family could be immediately expelled from the community and their employment terminated. There is also little tolerance for most crime. Residents feel safe walking the neighborhood at 10 p.m. or jogging at 6 a.m. To date, we haven’t had any assaults or burglaries on the property.”

“Our semi-skilled workers are all very well taken care of and have the opportunity to move up to skilled and professional with the free college offered. But even the professionals don’t have mansions or expensive furniture or riches. Everyone, no matter who you are, lives modestly and enjoys the quality of life provided. These professionals don’t have their own pools, so they swim with everyone else in the community pools, where they can have cook-outs and play games like horseshoes and volleyball. If an average-sized home is 1,400 square feet, the professionals may be only 1,800 to 2,000. No expensive cars in the driveway, because there are no cars in the neighborhood. They are all parked (if they even have them) in the Employee and Resident Parking Garage. They do get a little more allowance and a little more in retirement, and the house they could earn will be a little bigger. But it’s not much of a difference.”

“Then what is the incentive for going to college and studying so much harder, if you’re not going to make much more money?” I asked Rachel.

“Because they ‘want’ to do a particular job. They want to be an engineer or doctor or a designer or electrician. Maybe they are tired of cleaning rooms or serving tables,” Replied Rachel.

Then I asked, “What if they graduate as a doctor, and you have no vacancies?”

“Most graduates intern for six years. If after that, there are no openings, they can ‘wait’ for one to open and ‘assist’ in some way until one becomes available. If nothing opens within three years, then they can choose to work outside the Complex until one does open.”

“Aren’t you afraid employees will take advantage of that?”

“Most employees want to live and/or work here because they enjoy it. The others appreciate the opportunity to help us while being helped themselves. We see it as a symbiotic relationship. They would have probably worked for us for at least ten years to reach that goal of graduating because they are attending school part-time. Then another three waiting. If all that does occur, then we will be grateful for their service and they would be thankful for ours. That open slot would then provide an opportunity for someone else in need of a good job, and possibly a place to live.”

“What about the cost of education?” I replied.

“Our professors all work for us, and most of them live on the property. We are not spending unnecessary money like other colleges or universities. No extra money for sports or athletes, large salaries for administration, and no wasted money on employees that work at half speed.”

“What about unions? Do you have any?”

“No, there’s no need. Our employees have everything they could ever want. Most unions promote greed and laziness. They always want more and want to be protected for doing less. ‘Unions and pay scales foster mediocrity.’ We genuinely believe that if an employee feels they need more than everything they are getting, we would have to really question their intentions. Do they want to help the guests at the WOE or just themselves?”

“We have an employee appeals process that hears any complaints in front of a committee made up of other employees. We’ve only had the committee meet a few times, and each time they sided with the employee’s supervisor because they felt the decision to reprimand was fair.”

“Have I answered most of your questions, Peter?” Rachel asked.

Yes, you have. Thank you for all the information, Rachael. Sorry, I’ve had to stop so often to take notes.”

“That’s quite okay. I understand,” Rachel replied. “I’m glad we got to walk around. I sit so often at home that I enjoy walking around at work, getting some exercise. I love walking with the employees as well. If they have a need to talk, I find sharing some cotton candy or going on a ride takes the tension off, and they feel more relaxed.”

“Do you mind if I ask how you got here?”

“Sure, Peter. I was working as an HR Director in a large Boston company. I somehow met Steven C. at an employment convention I was working; where prospective employees are looking to make contacts with companies looking to hire. He convinced my family and me to have lunch with him and his family. And then he convinced my family and me to move here. I’ve been here since the very beginning. My husband works for Systems Engineering, and my kids go to school. They are both taking college courses full time here.

“How did he talk you and your husband into working here?” I asked.

“He convinced us that what we would be doing would be so innovative, unique and necessary, all to the benefit of mankind. Well, that was far more productive then what we were doing at the time. Turns out, he was right. We are truly enjoying our work and making a difference to so many. I wouldn’t trade any of this for the world.”

Chapter 14

Sunday morning

I awoke with delight; Jennifer and Sally had brought me breakfast in bed.

“Good morning, sleepy head,” they both said.

“We wanted to surprise you, Dad, for working so hard,” Sally said.

“I hope you two have been enjoying yourselves,” I said.

“Yes, we have,” Jennifer said. “I slept really well and have been eating well too.”

“And I’ve been enjoying my time with Keith, Dad,” Sally said. “We’ve been riding all the rides at the State Fair, having fun in Fun Town USA and enjoying the waterpark. He even asked me to be his girlfriend.”

“What did you say to that?” I asked.

“I said sure. I really like him, Dad. We have a lot in common. It turns out that his Dad has a lot of medical problems too.”

“What kind of medical problems?” Jennifer asked Sally.

“He has a bad heart. He had several heart attacks in the past. I think it runs in the family.”

“Is he getting medical care here?” I asked.

“Yes, but I’m not sure what for exactly. He started having chest pains when they first checked in. Keith is scared to lose his Dad. I’m worried about your Mom. We both have that in common, plus he makes me laugh and feel good.”

“Sally, please don’t worry about me. I’ll be alright, “Jennifer reassured Sally. “I feel good right now, and I’m getting a new treatment.”

“Mom, I love you so much, and don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“We need to trust the doctors Sally,” I said. “Have faith. I really believe everything is going to be okay.”

I had an interview with Mark, the Director of the Entertainers Village at 11 a.m. Sally and Jennifer were going to the Tribute Theater, which is located on the front wall of the Complex, between the Great Platform Elevators and the World Stage.
The Tribute Theater is a stand-alone theater added after everything else was built. It was done to pay tribute to all the singers, comedians and actors who have passed away. It holds 1,200 guests and has six shows daily. The shows feature video and movie clips, live music, singing and dancing; and at the end, a five-minute tribute with former stars appearing “live” on the stage with the help of hologram lasers. They look so life-like! The show is redone every four months to add in others who may have recently passed away.

I showed up at the Complex Information Desk to the right of the World Stage at 10:45, as requested. There are a few of these desks scattered around the Complex. They help guests with reservations and other questions they may have. The employee asked me to please have a seat and wait for Mark. Within five minutes, Mark was there to greet me.

“Hi, Peter. I’m Mark. Nice to meet you.”

“Hi, Mark. Nice to meet you as well.”

“You ready to get started?”

“Sure.”

We then walked to a nearby door and went through it. Mark had to use his finger to gain access, so I knew we were going into an employee-only area.

“I’m going to take you behind the scenes Peter and show you how the entertainers do their jobs and where they live,” Mark told me.

“That’s great, Mark. I’ve been looking forward to it.”

We first went behind the scenes of the World Stage. Just as I’d heard, there was a turntable with three stages. I could see employees unloading equipment on one stage and loading on the next. Drum kits roll-off on platforms and stay together for storing. If a band is performing three times that day on the World Stage, the drums will be rolled back and forth onto the stage, not torn down each time. If that band is going to be playing at the Levels Restaurant or Metamorphoses the next day, the drum kit will be transported to that particular storage area in Levels or Metamorphoses with an electric cart.

“Our goal is to work smarter, not harder. We strive for efficiency. We have tunnels that link each theater and venue. We even transport their equipment back to the Entertainer’s Village when they are done. That’s only for the entertainers who really want their own drums. We have house sets that many choose to use instead. There are several varieties available to choose from, and the same is true for the keyboards.”

“I understand you have a separate transport system to and from the Village other than what the entertainers use?” I asked Mark.

“Yes, we have the ‘Sled Transport System’ that allows us to transport to and from the Village, the Harmony Theater, the Complex, and the Brand Name Hotels. We can take their equipment right to the practice rooms and recording studio, then back to the stage. Come, I’ll show you,” said Mark.

Mark and I hopped aboard one of these Sleds and were quickly moving along underground to the Entertainers Village. “When we come back, I will take you on the transport they use,” Mark told me.

“This is terrific. I love this already,” I said.

As we got close to the Village Equipment Facility, the Transport Sled started to slow. We enter this large warehouse where you can see lots of equipment stored: Multiple drum kits, keyboards, props, and other equipment sitting next to each other, like a parking lot for band and concert equipment.

“This is the main storage area for all things entertainment,” Mark said. Everything here is in a show today, tomorrow or the next. If it’s not, then it’s stored on one of our shelves, back in the vault. We continually bring equipment and props to all the stages throughout the day. One band may have their equipment moved to three stages in one day. But, by doing it this way, it must only be assembled one time. This saves us a lot of work.”

Mark took me down a walkway and up some stairs. Then we walked into an area known as Rehearsal Row.

“Here you will find 24 rehearsal rooms designed for and made available to any band or Entertainers that wish to practice or rehearse their act or performance. Each room is a nice sized 20 by 20 foot and has all the speakers needed. Their equipment can be loaded into each room from a hallway in the back. The equipment can travel on a Sled from here to the stage, any stage, within ten minutes. Quite remarkable, if you ask me!”

“That is remarkable! What about recording studios, Mark?”

“They are next door. The same principle applies here as in the rehearsal rooms, but they need to reserve recording engineers in advance for those. Ten recording studios are open, usually 12 hours a day. Many of the recording engineers also double as sound engineers for the bigger shows in the Harmony Theater because they are so good at listening and adjusting the sound already.”

Mark took me over to the recording studios. He also showed me the cafeteria and the lounge, with a coffee bar and all kinds of games to help relieve stress or break up long recording or practice sessions.

“Mark, how does the recording contract work here? Are any of these Entertainers signed with another label when they come in?”

“Well, yes, sometimes they come into the WOE still under a recording contract. Most sign with the WOE label; REAL. But for those still under contract, we usually make a deal with whomever the contract may be with and work out some sort of financial arrangement that benefits everyone.”

“I understand the money paid to entertainers here is much less than if they were with another producer or on tour,” I stated to Mark.

“You’re absolutely right, Peter!” As we walked around looking at everything, we picked up some coffee and kept talking. “No one is going to get filthy rich here. No one is going to make millions of dollars selling an album or performing live here. But what they will get is an opportunity to write and perform with freedom. Freedom to be as open-minded as you’d like. To be able to not worry about what the ‘machine’ wants. To express yourself and be free of constraints and work in a stress-free environment with no travel. You can be an Entertainer here, perform four days a week, and raise a family. You don’t have to travel from show to show on a bus or a plane. No hotel rooms, no road stress, and fatigue. No wear and tear on your body. No missing your family. Everything is right here. Their kids even go to school here.”

“So, it’s a trade-off. They trade more money for a better lifestyle, with less stress and traveling,” I said to Mark.

“Yes, much like the doctors, WOE President, and engineers here. They make less for more. More of a better life. A better quality of life. You understand money is not everything. What means more; money or a better quality of life? For some, they need the money. And for them, they may perform here a few weeks and then move on. But for many, especially veteran Entertainers, they’re tired of touring and being told what to do. They want to do what they like, and that’s perform and entertain without traveling, and being with their family.”

Mark and I boarded a Tube Shuttle Car and were taken to the Entertainers Village Housing.

“The Tube Shuttle we just rode, takes the Entertainers to the Complex and the Harmony Theater,” Mark told me, “You can travel right to the back of Houdini’s Theater, the Broadway Theater, or any other stage. There are six of these Tube Shuttle Stations around the Village. Each Tube Shuttle Car can hold up to 12 passengers. Just like the Zipvators in the hotels or Shuttle Pods in the Complex, they work on demand. When an Entertainer is ready to perform, they go to a Tube Shuttle Station, board and push the theater or stage button they wish to go to. Then they are whisked away to where they will be performing. The Tube Shuttle is like it sounds; a tube suspended about ten feet in the air with three tracks contained in the tube. One track going to, one track going back, and a spare; going right down the middle, just in case there is ever a breakdown.”

“The Zipvators also run in a tube with three tracks. Even though the Zipvators are completely enclosed, the tubes they ride in are also enclosed and are fully air-conditioned. If any one of these were to stop inadvertently, there would always be air and easy access to get off and board another, especially in an emergency. During peak times, they can run all three tracks, with the middle one used for either one direction or the other.”

“This redundant track system and tube structure have many more advantages than the traditional monorail or train system, that may leave passengers suspended in the air. A monorail may get stopped and unable to move, lose air conditioning and require a latter truck to unload all the passengers. Our system costs more to build and maintain but is well worth it if a breakdown or emergency did ever occur. Our monorails also use a three-track system that can ‘connect’ monorails in case of a breakdown. Each monorail also has an emergency generator on board to power everything, including air conditioning, in case the electricity goes out. The monorail can even move, slowly, with the generated power. We also have monorail tractors that can pull or push a stalled monorail, if need be.”

As we started walking around the Village, Mark cautioned me about not being “star-struck.”

“Look, there are a lot of Entertainers that live on the property. Just like the employees, they are also called Residents, Resident Entertainers. We have over 1,200 of them here; Jugglers from China to the biggest names in Pop, Country, Rock, magic, movies, and TV. We even have writers and directors here. These Resident Entertainers work and perform here. They are never bothered by the media, fans, or anyone else. This place is restricted from the public, and no pictures or videos are ever allowed. All interviews are done at the Complex, usually in our meet and greet rooms, where guests can hear and ask questions too.”

“What about girls or those from the outside (groupies) wanting to come in?” I asked.

“No, Absolutely, not! All Entertainers park in the Entertainers Village Parking Garage and take a Tube Shuttle Car to the Entertainers Village Hub to get to the Village. When they arrive, they need to go through security, just like anyone else. There are no drugs or weapons allowed. Only Entertainers and their immediate families are allowed into the Village, and they must be pre-approved if they’re visiting. All visitors report to an area right outside the Village, where an Entertainer can meet and spend some time with them. They can meet with agents and friends, but there are no rooms for meeting with ‘groupies.’ This is a ‘family atmosphere,’ and we keep it that way.”

“I guess that could be considered another advantage, right? Not having to deal with the paparazzi, or have rabid fans gawking at you,” I remarked.

“Absolutely, Peter. They aren’t bothered when they go to dinner at any of the six restaurants in the Village. They all eat, swim, play games, and collaborate together,” Mark explained.

We walked around the Village for about 45 minutes. I recognized many Entertainers but couldn’t say anything. They were just going about their business. Some were rehearsing, recording, eating, playing pool, or taking a walk with their family. Most greeted Mark, and I just said hello. I never thought I would see Entertainers living amongst themselves like this. Household names from one genre of music playing pool, listening to the jukebox with another genre or era. I saw a world-renowned illusionist eating with a famous writer and families playing in the pool together. This was a Utopia for Entertainers. Mark also told me it was prevalent for musical collaborations in concerts or recordings on the property.

“It’s not uncommon for one Entertainer to invite another Entertainer to jam out with them for a song on stage or collaborate on a recorded song together. After all, they’re already here. All they need to do is take the Tube Shuttle over and get on stage,” Mark explained. “Much of the music that is played on our music channel is recorded here. They also do interviews and collaborations; say playing an acoustic version of one of their songs right in one of these studios or live on stage.”

Mark told me that with your WOE Membership of $100 per family, per year, you receive their radio station called; The Power Station and their web channel called; WOE LIVE. Both the radio and web channel run 24-hours a day and feature plenty of information on the WOE, as well as play concerts, performances, shows, interviews, game shows and more.

“Our radio station and web channel play content that’s both live and recorded. You won’t see anything or hear anything like it anywhere. The music isn’t commercialized. It’s open and original. It’s REAL!”

“Mark, what about the use of language or the mention of dress or sex?”

“As we are a family-oriented entity, there is no promotion of either. They can sing about politics, life being unfair, jobs, but no promotion of sex or the use of drugs. The music, shows, concerts, acts, or performances are to be positive, entertaining, and family-friendly. Parents love their kids listening to the music on our channel, and they are very appreciative of the fact that these Entertainers are not living the life others outside the Complex may live.”

“What if an Entertainer crosses the line and goes on a tangent on stage that offends others?” I asked.

“Then their act is cut short, and they may be asked to leave,” Mark answered. “Look, this Village is for the Entertainers to live in harmony and for those serious about their craft. If one comes in and wants to start trouble, then it won’t be tolerated. Many Entertainers never get to perform here, simply because they don’t practice enough or take their job seriously enough! They think they can just continue to use their name and get by. If they want to party and play and perform like they don’t care, well then, they won’t be here. They won’t be throwing ruckus parties and trashing their apartments.”

“Some bands apply three and four times and still don’t make it in. Some are given probationary periods to come in and work with others to get better. None of this is ever made public. “

“We have Entertainers that also love to teach. Drummers like Neil Peart from Rush will host drum clinics for serious drummers. Musicians teach others how to play better. This is all done in a classroom setting for a nominal fee. Applicants are chosen by the artist themselves. Those selected must be Members and stay onsite in one of the hotels.”

As we headed back to the Complex, Mark made one last comment that sure sounded familiar to me; “We have Entertainment Scouts that travel the world looking for the best talent. Some Entertainers come for a very brief period of time, while others live here. We have a symbiotic relationship between the Entertainers, employees, and guests. Some are here because they applied and were accepted. While others were asked and accepted. And some need to be here more than others. But everyone, Entertainers or employees, is an asset to the WOE and each brings their own contributions. We are a loving family that works well together to enhance our lives as well as the lives of our guests.”

Chapter 15

Mark and I rode the Tube Shuttle to the World Stage and then walked back towards the Complex’s public area when we ran into Roger.

“Hey, Roger, how’s it going?” Mark asked.

“It’s going well, Mark. How are you?” asked Roger.

“Great! I’m with Peter, who is one of two bloggers interviewing us for our Tenth Anniversary. I just gave him a tour of the Entertainer’s Village.”

“Hi, Peter. It’s nice to meet you. How are the interviews going?” asked Roger.

“Great, I’m learning so much about how the WOE works,” I said.

“Well, that’s great! If you’d like, I can show you our department and what we do in engineering,” he offered.

“Roger is the Director of Systems Engineering. This is the engineering behind all the rides, attractions and shows.” Mark told me.

“I’d love that!” I replied.

“Okay, then follow me, and I’ll tell you what we do here.”

I thanked Mark for all his time and information and walked away with Roger. Systems Engineering is world–renowned for their designs, creativity, and top of the line maintenance. The attractions they’ve created are “masterpieces,” and I’ve never heard of a ride breaking down and stranding guests. Their reputation is stellar, and they are considered to be the bell weather of the entertainment industry.

Luckily, Roger was going to lunch. So, I was going to get a bite to eat now as well. We walked mid-way through the State Fair, went in-between these two rides and came to a 40’ high dividing wall behind the rides. After gaining access, we walked through and into a large “alley” of sorts, that was between the other row of rides on the other side.

“Wow, this is really clever,” I said to Roger, “I never knew this was here.”

“We have two of these maintenance alleys. Each one is the length of the midway and 30 feet wide. Each one also has two freight elevators that allow us to bring equipment form our work area below to the main floor.”
“You have another level?” I asked.

“Yes, almost a complete level under us. There is about 80% as much space as what you see here, underneath us. The other 20% is for support. Each section has a percentage of work and storage space underneath, but this is the largest. We also have several tunnels that lead to the outside of the Complex that allows us to bring in supplies and equipment. The tunnels lead to the two warehouses, about 1,200 feet away. The warehouses thoroughly check everything that comes into them, before they can be delivered to the main Complex, hotels or the Villages.”

“I assume that’s for security reasons.”

“Yes, sir. Everything gets sniffed by our dogs, searched, and scanned by our proprietary systems. There isn’t an item that gets in here or the hotels without being examined. We have two separate warehouses, in case one must be taken offline for security reasons. Also, every delivery truck that enters our secured area must be pre-approved, and each driver is registered and needs to be finger scanned before coming in. We also have some of our top security agents who follow the flow of goods from manufacturing to delivery here. We know the origin and source of every item that is delivered here and follow its chain of progress very carefully.”

“Do you think a bomb could ever be brought in with the food or that the food could ever be poisoned?”

“Anything is possible nowadays. If a product was brought right to the restaurant and exploded… WOW! That could be devastating. We take every precaution we can. We’ spot examine’ everything and have proprietary tests to check for almost anything.”

We took the stairs to go below the maintenance alley and into the storage and work area. This area is called the “underground.” There was a vast area of free space, surrounded by racks and racks of parts, supplies, and electronics. Forklifts roamed around moving items from one place to another. As we walked along, Roger pointed out different office areas that are used to support their department.

“We have everything here, Peter: Research, design, manufacturing, machine shops, labs, studios; you name it. We have over 300 people in our department. Everything from: Electrical, mechanical, computer, software engineers, architects, electricians, and sound engineers; just to name a few. We do everything in-house, from designing: Concert lighting, shows, thrill rides, attractions, and Zipvators. We provide full production, installation, and maintenance. This keeps our costs down and allows us to move much more quickly. It also allows us to have better quality control, as we know how everything is built and constructed,” Roger explained.

We entered one of the employee breakrooms, and Roger offered me a sandwich from the oversized, clear refrigerator that was full of them as well as fruit, yogurts, and other items. All of it free. I grabbed a sandwich, an apple, and a drink, and we sat down.

“You all have a reputation for never having a ride break down. How do you accomplish that?” I asked.

“Preventative maintenance, that’s how. We don’t fix things, we replace them before they need to be fixed. We have a backup motor for every ride here. As soon as any part or piece or motor reaches a ‘half-life,’ it is replaced,” Roger told me.

“So, you replace a motor before it gets past half it’s expected life?”

“Yes, we have a meticulous log of every ride and attraction. Each has a maintenance history of every part of the ride or attraction. As the date approaches for replacement, a new part is manufactured, or a motor is already waiting to replace it. Almost all our parts are made here in our shops, and once a motor is taken out of a ride or attraction, it is completely rebuilt, or a new one is made. We inspect every ride and attraction visually twice a day and use our proprietary computer software for hourly inspections, made every hour, of every day. Our Pulse Computers are continuously monitoring millions of sensors throughout the Complex. Any slight indication of an anomaly and a technician will receive a call to look into the diagnostics. Long before anything was to reach a failure point, we have been on it for some time and can continue to monitor or intervein. Guests come from all over the world to be here, and they look forward to riding the rides and attractions. They don’t want to come and have a ride or attraction break down while they’re on it or have it down for maintenance.”

“There have been some big headlines lately about roller coasters and other rides stranding guests for hours or rides breaking and injuring or killing guests,” I told him.

“That, all of that, is completely unacceptable and avoidable. Many of these instances are due to a lack of routine and proper maintenance. Either they can’t afford it or are cutting back to pad their bottom line. You don’t expect a new car to break down on you, but if you don’t properly maintain it as it gets older, you will have breakdowns; and they’ll happen more and more as the motor and car get older. If a car’s life expectancy is a good 100,000 miles before problems start, we would have already replaced the engine, air conditioning, transmission, power steering and all the other mechanical parts at 50,000 miles. It would be like having a new car. All the seats in the car, and the accessories would also have been replaced.”

“Another reason is many theme parks, or amusement parks have their rides built by outside companies. When one gets stopped or breaks, they only know a few techniques to get it up and running again. In many cases, the software freezes up, and they must ‘reboot’ it.”

“I’ve seen people stranded and the park doesn’t even communicate to guests about what’s going on,” I added.

“Right. That’s just not having any real plan in place and/or a lack of well-trained personnel to handle a situation like that. Any ride or attraction that you have, you should have the ability to get those guests off within minutes, not hours. If you can’t, then you shouldn’t be running it. Our most intense ride/attraction is Galactic War, in the Dark Room. It reaches speeds of almost 200 miles per hour and a height of almost 200 feet. We have a technician stationed at the top of the track, on a platform, just in case something were to happen. He or she continually monitors and can speak directly to the vehicle if need be. Almost all our rides and attractions have emergency buttons on them in case a guest senses a mechanical problem or experiences a medical situation. The alarm goes to the ride operator and the Ride Command Center. That’s where we are heading next.”

As Roger said this, we went to an elevator which took us up to the top of the building where Steven C. and the rest of them work. We went through a secured area and boom! There is this room which looked like a TV control booth. Monitors and computers were everywhere. The room was circular, with viewing windows overlooking the State Fair on one side and the Dark Room on the other.

As we walked into the middle of the room, the Command Operators, as he called them, were all watching the monitors and computers against the windows and consoles. A glass partition in the middle of the room separated us from them so we could talk without disturbing them.

“This is the nerve center. We call this the Ride Command Center. We receive all information here, just as the ride operators do. And we can control every ride and attraction here as well. If an operator were to go down or a malfunction was to occur, we can take over from here. We have a Rapid Response Team or RAT that can respond within minutes of any trouble. We also have EMT’s and paramedics throughout the Complex in case there’s ever an emergency.”

“What if a fire were to break out?” I asked.

We have water sprinklers that cover every inch of human occupancy on the property. We have two-hundred fire hose compartments throughout the property that can reach anywhere, and we have a full-time fire and hazmat team trained and ready 24/7, right here on property. Many of the firemen are also EMT’s and Paramedics, so they are working the clinics.”

“What is a fire breaks out in Metamorphoses, would you still douse it with water from the sprinkler heads? I asked.

“Absolutely! We will drench everything if need be. Equipment can be fixed and repaired. A person lost cannot. We know our priority lies with our guests and employees first, property second.”

“You guys have thought of everything,” I said.

“We try. But the maintenance performed should prevent anything from breaking or catching fire. If it does, there would be a lot of explaining to do.”

“What about doing major upgrades or refurbishments on attractions?”

“All of this is done at night or, in the case of the larger attractions, during the day, while the attraction is still operating. We build in ‘extra’ parts of our attractions that are integrated into the attractions’ show. We can take an entire section of an attraction offline, while the guests travel through the other part, not even noticing it.” Roger said.

“Isn’t that more expensive? I mean, you’re building more than you need, right?” I questioned.

“Yes, it is more expensive. In some cases, we are building another half of an attraction. But we don’t have to take the attraction down for ‘refurbishment,’ and that makes our guests very happy. If we don’t have an ‘extra section’ the attraction can use, then we must do the work at night or a little at a time during the day. Our department is open 24 hours a day.”

“Please tell me about your Sight and Sound Division.”

“Sure, let’s go back to the Underground and take a ride to the Hologram Theater.”

As we headed back down to the Underground; the floor under the main floor, Roger told me about the division called Sight and Sound. They are part of the Systems Engineering Department.

“We have over 60 people that design our lights and special effects, as well as program and operate them. We design and build our own lighting, speakers, and lasers, in-house. We hold over 300 patents on special effect lighting and lasers, particularly holograms. All video lighting, sound, and effects come through this division. Our Pyro team takes care of all the flash pots, flames, fireworks, and explosions. You’ll see them with the bright, iridescent polo shirts with ‘PYRO’ on the back of them.”

As we took an electric cart and drove through the underground to where the Hologram Theater is, we passed a warehouse section called, ‘The Holiday House.’ Mark said to me that that’s where they store all the Halloween and Christmas Props. “Too many of our employees and guests, that warehouse holds a lot of fond memories and fun,” Mark said.

“Is that where you store the Halloween props for Evening in Terror? I asked.

“Yes, it is. The Halloween props are brought up to the State Fair alleys, and when the State Fair closes, we bring the props out onto the floor. It takes us about thirty minutes to set everything up. When the guest comes back for the event, the lights are mostly all out, except for the ambient lighting to make everything look eerie.”

“I believe you also have someone playing spooky music on the organ, complete with fog and fire effects? I asked.

“Yes, your right. The organist is playing about fifty feet above the ground. We use dry ice to cover the floor with a white fog and haze generators to make the lighting stand out.”

Halloween and Christmas are top-rated events at the WOE. At Christmas, a giant Christmas tree is erected in the front of the State Fair and is illuminated in thousands of colors and changes lighting patterns throughout the day and night. During the evening, there is a magical Christmas show that takes place. After, the lights on the midway all change to Red and Green.

As we arrived at The Hologram Theater, we came to a staff only door and went inside.

“This is the belly of the Hologram Theater,” Mark told me.

All I could see was a mechanical web of steel arms and platforms with lights and screens on them. A show was going on at this time. We stood and watched for a few minutes. You could see different arms of lights move up and lower down below the main floor of the Theater. We then went back out and upstairs to the control room of the Hologram Theater.

“This is where the ‘brains’ of the Hologram Theater are Peter.”

We walked along this hallway, and I watched several employees watching computer screens and control boards through the windows. It looked like a mini NASA Control Room.

“The Hologram Theater is run by twenty-five separate computers and has a full backup system for all of them. In the worst case that both show systems go down, we can perform the show from this control room manually. That’s why these employees are here. This show will go on, just like every other show, no matter what.”

This is the playroom for the Sight and Sound Division. New lighting, video, and effects are all tested here, before being installed in Metamorphoses or the Harmony Theater,” Roger explained.

We then headed back to the information desk, next to the World Stage. I could tell that Roger was almost done with his tour. As I thanked him, he told me how much pride he has in the work they do here.

“Many of the engineers and skilled workers get solicitations from other theme and amusement parks and ride manufacturers all the time. They know the talent we have here, and they want to hire them away,” said Roger.

“Are they successful?”

“No, they’re not. I think we have lost two employees for about a month each. Then they came back because they missed being here and love what they do here. We are constantly creating new shows, upgrading our attractions, and have a desire to continue to, ‘blow our guest’s minds’ with what we can do. We strive to always deliver the best entertainment in the world and never let our guests down. In most cases, if we can dream it, we can build it. We are not limited by budgetary constraints. Our people know they are the best in the industry and absolutely love what they do and where they do it at.”

I thanked Roger for his time, and he went back to work. I headed back to our suite to check on Sally and Jennifer. I couldn’t wait to tell them everything I’d learned and seen. As I was taking the Zipvator back to the hotel, my phone started to receive a signal, and I began receiving texts, one after the other. They were from Sally.

Chapter 16

The text messages from Sally were about Jennifer.

“Dad, Mom isn’t feeling well.” “Dad, call me.” “Mom isn’t feeling well.” “Mom is sick.” “Mom is going to the medical facility.”

I immediately went from feeling elation to complete anxiety. The Zipvator wouldn’t go fast enough. I tried calling Sally, but the call went right to her voicemail. I finally reached our suite and went inside, “Jennifer? Sally?” No one was there. I went down to the hotel concierge desk and told him what was going on. He put a call in for a transporter and told me to have a seat. Within a few minutes, Larry, the medical facility escort we had the first time, came to help me.

“Hello, Peter. Let’s go see Jennifer.”

“Is she okay?” I asked.

“I don’t know, but I’m sure she’ll be fine, Peter. Don’t worry.”

We drove through the tunnel and quickly reached the medical facility. Larry walked in with me, and we were directed to patient room #23. Once Larry and I got there, I saw Jennifer in bed, with Sally next to her. As soon as Sally saw me, she came over and gave me a tight and long hug.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“Mom and I went to the Tribute Theater and started watching the show. Then about 30 minutes later, she started to feel really drowsy. She started nodding off, and I kept trying to wake her. I got so scared, so I raised my hand and hit the help button on the back of the chair in front of me. Two employees came over and helped me get Mom out of the Theater. We were in a room, a private room. Then the medical staff came in and checked her vitals. By then, Mom was completely out. They called for transport while mom was put on a stretcher and wheeled to an elevator down the hall. We went to the ground floor, and they placed Mom on a cart, and then we came here. They worked on her for a little while. She’s been resting ever since.”

“Has she been awake any since she went down?” I asked.

“Yes, but only for a few minutes. She asked where you were. Then she fell back asleep. I’m scared, Dad.”

“It’s okay Sally. Mom’s going to be okay.” I reassured her.

While Sally was telling me her story, Larry had apparently left the room to let them know I was there. He came back with Dr. Lee.

“Peter, Hi.” Said Dr. Lee, “Glad you’re here.”

“Hi, Dr. Lee. What’s going on?” I asked.

“Jennifer’s blood pressure was very low. We gave her some medicine to help bring it back up. Right now, she’s just resting.”

“Was this because of the new medicine?”

“Possibly, but it’s hard to say for sure. We are running more tests on her now, and we should know more soon.”

Then Dr. Lee said he would check back later. Larry also said he had to leave, but said, “I’m sure she’s going to be just fine. Don’t worry.”

Sally and I just sat there, watching Jennifer sleep for the next hour or so. Then Jessica, the nurse, came in and took the time to talk to us. “Hi, Peter, and Sally. I’m sorry you had a little scare today. How are you feeling now?”

“We’re scared, Jessica. Not knowing what’s going to happen. We love her so much and don’t want to lose her,” I said.

“I completely understand,” she replied.

Jessica spent a good 30 minutes with us, having coffee and just talking. She started telling us about herself and how she got here.

“Growing up as a child and teenager, I spent a lot of time in hospitals because my mom was very sick. She had a lot of illnesses and could never seem to stay healthy for long. Her immune system was always weak, so a simple cold could turn into pneumonia. I grew to resent the hospitals, the doctors, and the nurses over time. The care was always sub-par; they were always short-staffed and out for a profit. That was their goal. Even if the hospital was non-profit, the money always seemed to flow to the top.”

“We had to file bankruptcy when my mom kept getting sick because my dad didn’t have the money to pay all the medical bills. We lost so much: our home, our car, all taken back by the banks for foreclosure or non-payment.”

“My mom died in a hospital, due to a mistake. The doctor made a medication error, and the nurse, who was short-staffed, missed it. They should have known there was a conflict with her medicines, but because they were so rushed, they didn’t catch it. I was visiting my mom at the age of 16 when she passed out while talking about school with me. Then she went into convulsions. I freaked out and yelled for help. They worked on my mom for over 45 minutes, but it was too late. She was gone.”

“Nobody at the hospital would admit any wrongdoing. My dad ordered an autopsy, which found that she had overdosed due to a conflict with her medicines. My dad sued the hospital, doctor, and nurse and received a settlement from the insurance company, all while they denied doing anything wrong. They are still working today, and nobody paid the price for what they did.”

“I decided that I was going to make a difference and used part of my mom’s settlement money to put myself through nursing school. I worked as a nurse for two hospitals for a brief period of time and realized I simply couldn’t give the quality of care to the patients I thought was needed. I was overloaded with responsibility and could never get a hold of the doctors. They did what they wanted, and that was that. Most thought of themselves as “Gods” and didn’t feel beholden to the nurses or patients. They came and went as they pleased and charged patients for a visit, even if they only looked at their chart. Patients could be in pain for hours before their doctor would call and prescribe the medication to help. I watched as unnecessary tests were run on patients, just to make money. So many patients die, because of mistakes. And the money patients have to pay is so unfair.”

“When I heard about the WOE and what they were planning, I knew deep inside I belonged there. I waited until they started accepting applications, applied, and was interviewed. I was so nervous because I wanted the job so bad. Steven C. was one of the interviewers and made me laugh.”

“What did he say?” I asked.

“I don’t remember exactly, but basically he commented on my sweaty palms and rapid breathing. He asked if I needed a nurse and said if I did, he knew a good one; ‘Jessica is her name, and she works here.’ I’ve loved him and this place ever since. Now, I can concentrate on getting patients better; both medically and emotionally.”

“What a remarkable story! This place seems so unbelievable, almost like it can’t be true,” I exclaimed.

“Never underestimate what humans can do; both for the good and the bad. Here, it’s all for good,” she said.

“Thank you, Jessica, for spending time with us. We really appreciate it.” I told her.

“My pleasure. She’s going to be fine. Have faith, Peter.”

Just then, Dr. Lee and Dr. Peterson came in.

“Peter, we have some results on Jennifer. Let me say before I tell you, don’t overreact to the news. Let me get everything out first.”

“Okay, Dr. Peterson.”

“The cancer has grown more and starting to spread into her lymph nodes. But we believe the new medicine is starting to work. We need time,” he said.

“How can it spread so quickly and how do you know the medicine is working!” I asked.

“Her particular cancer, that was stable for a while has come to life with a vengeance. Honestly, we were surprised at its rapid rate. Normally, cancer does not move that fast. We believe that the medicine is working by how she is feeling. Her red blood cells are still in good condition, and she doesn’t need a blood transfusion. We believe she is caught in a battle between her White blood cells getting the energy to fight and the cancer looking to spread more; the body is looking to rest and let the battle continue on,” Dr. Peterson hypothesized.

“What do you recommend? Should we put her back on chemo?” I asked.

“No,” said Dr. Lee. “The chemo wasn’t effective for long last time and caused her a tremendous amount of sickness and discomfort. We would simply be dumping poison into her body that may only ruin her quality of life. We believe we’re on the right track. Right now, she needs rest and sleep. We suggest you and Sally continue on with what you are doing and let us take care of Jennifer.”

“But we’re only supposed to be here until Thursday,” I said.

“Peter, we can arrange for you and Sally to move into another room after your suite time expires. Don’t worry about that,” Jessica reassured us.

“My God, that would be wonderful. Thank you all so much!”

Then out of nowhere, I started bawling. I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I just started crying uncontrollably. All these emotions and being so sacred, they all just came rushing out. Sally came over and began crying too.

“Please don’t let her die,” I pleaded.

“Peter, have faith. Jennifer is going to be fine,” Dr. Peterson said. “Go, explore and finish what you came here to do, to help take your mind off this. You won’t accomplish anything by being here, except worry and not sleep. We’ll give you an EAD and notify you if anything comes up. Let her sleep. Go finish your interviews.”

Chapter 17

Monday

Monday morning, I awoke without Jennifer next to me. The whole night I missed her, but I felt she was getting excellent care, and I just needed to trust what they were doing. After all, what more could be done? Her cancer had gotten worse, and there wasn’t any other treatment that could be done back in Orlando. I also knew why I was here, and I had to move forward. So today, Sally and I had reservations to see The Continents.

After eating breakfast together in our suite and checking in on Jennifer with the medical staff over the phone, Sally and I took the Zipvator to the Complex.

The Continents were recently added two years ago. This section is laid out just like Show Town, in a rectangular shape, but instead of having one large building, like the Comedic Co. in the middle, it has two 12-story towers which each house an attraction.

Each Continent (except Antarctica and Australia) represent multiple countries from that region that reflect the taste, sights, and sounds of each country so that you are immersed in it, just like you were there. Each three-story Continent hosts the countries food and drinks on the first floor, education, entertainment, and their identity (how they dine, clothes, how they live, etc.) on the second floor and art on the third floor. I’ve never been in The Continents before, and I was really looking forward to it.

As Sally and I arrived at the Family Hotel Station at the Complex, we took the escalator down and walked up to the archway that led to the Continents. Since you need reservations to enter the Continents, we scanned our fingers and were let in for the full day slot. It is recommended that you reserve the whole day for your first visit and then you can reserve half-days after. The half-days allow for you to reserve times for other shows outside The Continents during the day. You can book another full-day in advance, but only if you’re staying more than one week on the property. The reservations keep the crowds low and allow the guests to really enjoy their experience, without bumping into each other or waiting in long lines.

As we entered, we were immediately immersed in The Continents, with Asia on the right and Antarctica to our left. We headed right and moved into Asia. The lighting over the street was illuminated with Chinese lanterns, just like you would see on the street in Beijing. To the right of the street was the Chinese Market, featuring fresh food from all over China. We meandered through the different stations, some selling food, and some selling other goods from China. You have the choice of paying $10 for a multiple sample card or use a meal credit, like lunch or dinner, from your meal plan. You can sample all you want in any country, for up to a four-hour time allotment for each meal bought or used from the meal plan. Of course, drinks form each country are free. This allows you to sample many countries unique beverages, including soda. Alcoholic beverages are only sold in the sit-down restaurants for a small charge and are monitored.

Sally and I used our lunch credit and received a card to get our samples for a four-hour period. We walked around and sampled the different foods, and each time, our card was scanned. We sampled many foods and desserts from multiple countries, sharing many so that we didn’t really fill up so quickly.

We walked through China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, and others, sampling many different tastes and delicacies. The portions are only a few bites each, enough to get an idea of what each taste like. But you can go back for more if you wish. One of the tips I’ve heard from those who have visited in the past is to pace yourself. You can quickly fill up before you make it to the next Continent. Most countries also have sit down restaurants. You can sample beforehand, and if you find items you like, you can then order full portions off the menu the next time you go. Of course, the restaurants do charge more, but again, you can use a meal plan the next time or just pay for it yourself.

Once we finished all our Asian noshing, we headed upstairs to the education and entertainment floor and watched a few street performers before riding the Asian Express. This immersive sight-seeing attraction is designed to make you feel like you’re seeing all of Asia’s top sights in a flying theater. You sit down in seats that lift and then thrust you into an enormous plasma screen, which surrounds you. The seats move as you turn and go up and down like you’re floating through each area of Asia. The 45-minute show is incredible and takes you on a tour like no other. You can hear, smell and really feel like you are there.
The third floor features the art and culture of Asia. This area is divided into each country. You can easily see the differences between the clothes and art of each. Sally and I took the Artmobile. This is a 12-person vehicle that travels around the third floor on every Continent. Each vehicle has a transparent dome cover that keeps the vehicle quiet for the other guests who are walking around the exhibits. Inside the vehicle, a recorded narration describes many of the exhibits as you go by. Of course, going by foot will allow you to see more, and in greater detail, but the Artmobile lets you cover much more territory in only an hour and highlights the key pieces of art and culture. The Artmobile travels the third floor of every Continent and has stops in each for loading and unloading.

When the Artmobile came back to Asia, we had covered all The Continents’ third floors. So, we went back down to the first floor and walked into Europe, which is next door.

Just like Asia, we sampled foods and drinks from France, Germany, England, Italy, and many more. Then, we went to the second floor to see the entertainment and let our bellies digest all the tasty food we just ate. We checked out all the landmark sights from Europe on another attraction; Europe Tours - one that made you feel like you were riding in a double-decker bus. The bus traveled from country to country, riding along each street as it passed a famous attraction or landmark. This attraction lasted about 40-minutes and really made you feel like a tourist.

Sally and I continued our visit to the Continents for the next three hours and traveled through sights in North America, South America, Africa, and Australia. In Africa, we rode a magic carpet to see some of the sights of the Middle East and took a Safari vehicle through the Savannah. In North America, we rode an above ground subway to see Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

By the time we visited each Continent, it was already 3 p.m. We now needed to visit the two cylindrical tower attractions in the center of the Continents; The History of the World and The History of Art. Each one takes about an hour to complete and is the best way to see a museum ever! The moving, sit down vehicles, hold 28 guests each and move independently with full narration. The vehicles face inwards as they ascend on an incline (which you can’t feel, due to the vehicle compensating for it) and you see pieces of art or history displayed in Super Hologram 3-D visuals. As you go up, you slow briefly at each exhibit and learn about that period or piece. Once you reach the top, your vehicle turns outward, and you descend and face the visual exhibits in the perimeter of the tower. The History of the World covers the significant pieces of history, and The History of Art includes the most significant pieces of art. Specific exhibits turn 360 degrees, so you can see around the back.

I love museums, but I absolutely hate walking around reading one thing after another. On one family visit to Washington D.C., we spent an entire week visiting museums. Once our D.C. trip was over, we headed to museums in Virginia, Williamsburg, and Atlanta, and were so tired of learning, that we had a tough time enjoying anything. We felt like we were “museum exhausted.” We would just walk past the information plaques and probably missed a lot of details, just because we were so tired of stopping and reading so much. Plus, you must wait for others to finish reading or have others in your party that must wait for you to finish reading. I had a tough time reading many informational pieces that were set further back due to my eyesight.

The History of the World and The History of Art attractions are relaxing, informative, and entertaining. I guarantee you will leave The Continents knowing more about the world around you than you ever did before. In fact, many had said they learned more here than when they traveled to those countries themselves. The history of both the Art and World puts all the significant pieces of art and significant world events in chronological order. The Artmobile Tour also covers many of the vital pieces of art, but with information about that county’s history. Combined, you obtain more than either one individually.

The Continents have received so many great reviews that many have called it the most exceptional educational and entertainment combination in the world. The attractions, food, and entertainment are all authentic. Many of the employees working there are living on the property, for up to a year. Then others from their home country come in to replace them.
Sally and I finished our tour of The Continents around 7 p.m. and could have easily gone longer. We also used our dinner credit for our meal plan and ate in even more counties. In total, we ate around the world for eight hours. There is so much to see and do. So many other live shows to watch and art and culture to see. As I said earlier, many of the guests will reserve a half-day visit for their subsequent trips or days there on their vacation. Some will reserve just to eat and enjoy their favorite attractions again. Unfortunately, you need at least a half day reservation to even eat at one of the sit-down restaurants. Again, this is to keep the crowds down, so you can take your time and enjoy everything and not feel rushed or needlessly have to wait in long lines for the attractions.

There is absolutely nothing that can quite match the immersive experience you will get by visiting The Continents. Other theme parks may offer a few of these experiences, but not to the variety, artistic and culinary comparison from one country to another. You could come to the WOE just to see The Continents. But there is so much more to do here.

Sally and I headed back to our suite to rest for a bit and then visit Jennifer. We felt so much more aware and connected with our world and those who live in it. So many people can’t see outside of their own town or country. The Continents opened our eyes, ears, and taste buds to everything else out there. This was by far, my favorite theme park area out of all that I’ve ever visited.

After we reached our suite, Sally and I washed up and were taken to the medical facility to meet Jennifer. As we walked into the room, everything I experienced that day evaporated, as the reality of life came crashing back down, and I saw her lying helplessly in that bed. Man, I know how much she would have appreciated going to The Continents today, mainly because she’s a teacher and loves history and culture so much.

The love of my life, my best friend, and supporter of so much was in a very deep sleep and fighting for her life. Sally and I pulled up chairs and just sat and watched her breathe.

“I wish Mom could have been with us today.”

“I know honey, I do too. I’m really hoping she’s going to get through this. I need her. “

“I need her too. I need my mom to help me with make-up, boys, and shopping.”

“I know Sally. I know how much you love her.”

We knew we couldn’t keep talking like that or we would both start crying. So, Sally went on her phone, and I just sat there thinking about everything. I knew we had thousands of dollars’ worth of bills waiting for us back home form all the medical tests, chemo, and procedures Jennifer had already been through. If something happens to her, how will Sally and I survive on just my money? I’m only making close to minimum wage. I’m sure her life insurance will pay off some of the bills, but then what? With my poor vision, I can’t get a decent job. I’m stuck. While I was sitting there, just watching her, Jessica came in.

“Hi, Peter and Sally.”

“Hi, Jessica. How’s she doing?” I asked.

“She is stable. Still sleeping and comfortable. There’s a real war going on inside her body right now. The medicine we’re giving her and the cancer are fighting. We are all rooting and pulling for the medicine and her White blood cells to win. With her sleeping, her body can use that energy to help with the fight,” Jessica said.

We then talked about our day, and she then said we should get some rest ourselves.

“When Jennifer wakes up, or if anything changes, I will page you,” she said.

Jessica brought back a writing tablet and pen. She suggested that I might want to write a note for her to read in case she wakes up, and I’m not there. She said it might help me feel better too. So, when she left, I did.

“Dear Jennifer,

I have written you many notes and letters in the past. Some to say I’d be right back. Some to ask for forgiveness and others to tell you how much I love you. But this letter is one I’ve never written before. This is the one I never thought I’d have to write. But here it is, a note that is, to me, my heart’s message to you.

Jennifer, since I first met you, I have had more confidence in myself than ever before. I so respected you, and knowing you thought of me in a loving way was beyond my expectations. You are such a wonderful person and have always been there for me, no matter what.

Your love is so loyal and true. You are so selfless and giving, both to Sally and me.
I’m scared! I don’t want to live life without you. I’m simply nothing without you.
Throughout our time together, we’ve had our ups and downs. We have raised a beautiful daughter, and you have made such an impact on so many students.

And through it all, I’d say that the sun shined far more than it didn’t and after every storm, we dried off, and we’re back to our usual selves.

I feel as if I never fully showed you how much I love and appreciate you. I feel like you always gave me more than I gave you.
I feel like I am far better off with you, then without.

Jennifer, please know that I appreciate all you do for Sally and me. You are truly a blessing in our lives, and all my strength and faith from above is focused on us being together for years to come.

I need you. I love you, and I pray that we will be together again soon, for many years to come.

Love always and forever,

Peter.”

I folded up the letter and put it on her bedside table. Sally and I kissed her and then went back to our suite.

Chapter 18

Tuesday

Tuesday morning wasn’t pleasant. I was up and down all night. I kept thinking about Jennifer. I thought about my neighbor Oscar. Sally and his son, Keith, went out last night to ride the rides at the State Fair and visit Fun Town USA. I knew they needed to get away, and since Keith was also worried about his dad, it gave them both comfort being together.

Today, Sally and I have reservations for the attractions in The Dark Room and lunch with Steven C. and his family. Unfortunately, Jennifer won’t be able to join us, as once planned.

Since Sally and I were both feeling down, we hit the breakfast buffet pretty hard. We were quiet during our meal, but we knew what the other was thinking.

Afterward, we headed over to the Complex. Once at the Family Hotel Station, we jumped on the Circle Shuttle to get to the Show Town & Dark Room Hub. We went down the escalator and into the entrance of the Dark Room. The Dark Room was added in the third year and houses two original attractions and two newer ones that were just added. The two original attractions are; Castle Mare (name taken from “nightmare”) and Galactic War. The two latest are; NASA: In Space and Mother Nature’s Fury.

The entryway to the Dark Room is like walking into a portal to go to another world; like walking from day to night, all within a 20-foot tunnel. The tunnel is surrounded by lights and video and filled with haze. Once through, you enter a massive, mostly darkened room, that resembles night time. The only illumination is from the faux night sky in the ceiling, a full moon, lights coming from the four main attractions and the ambient lighting on the ground: Pole lights, concession lights and those from a few rides in the center of the enormous room. I have always loved the Dark Room, as it’s completely different than the other sections and now has the four most advanced attractions in the world.

We first headed to Castle Mare. This attraction, which is to the right, stands over ten stories tall and is completely decked out like a medieval castle, complete with a moat and blazing torches on the outer walls. As you walk to the Castle, you cross several bridges over waterways, which are part of a boat ride attraction that’s connected to Castle Mare. We crossed over the main drawbridge over the moat and entered the main Castle. We scanned our fingers and went right to the boat ride; “The Cursed Voyage.”

Our wait was just a few minutes since we booked our time in advance. A boat pulled up, and we boarded. After seat-belting ourselves in, the 16-passenger boat slips off the loading platform into the dark water. We start by traveling through a small fishing village with lots of action going on through the very realistic animatronics. The villagers looked hard at work; catching and cleaning fish and other tasks. Then we entered the open area of the Dark Room where you gently float along a winding canal through the room. You pass under a few bridges, each with a haunting ambiance under them, though nothing terrifying yet. Thus far, the canal voyage is peaceful and calm. But you know this is just to lull you into thinking that this is going to be just a peaceful boat ride. But, it’s not, as you will soon find out.

As you start to head back into the Castle, you know things are going to get a little rougher. You float past the dungeon and enter the bowels of the Castle. You then enter a vast, dark lake. You see next to nothing as you glide across. You begin to hear splashing in the distance, and soon, your boat starts to get hit underneath by something on both sides. Is it a shark? A water monster? You don’t know. You hear a loud growl and more splashing. By now, our hearts are racing, as all the noise, action and barely seen moon darkness has left our imaginations in overdrive. As you continue, you start to hear what sounds like a waterfall. As you draw nearer, you start to hear faint screams from a boat in front of you in the distance. As the waterfall gets closer and the sounds become louder and louder, your heart feels like it’s going to pound out of your chest. Your boat is being hit so hard underneath, you feel like you may be tipped over and now this waterfall is approaching. You hear it roar as you feel like you’re getting near the end and you start yelling. You can’t see it, but it sounds like the size of Niagara Falls; the thunderous sound makes it seem like if it is plunging very far down.

Your boat begins being tossed from side to side from the rapids and then starts to dip forward as you hold on with everything you’ve got. The only thing holding you is a seat belt. The boat then tips downward, and you plunge, for what seems like 200 feet. Somehow, you land in the water upright and keep floating along. You can’t believe you just made that plunge. Everyone is clapping and cheering because they survived and are so exhilarated. What a rush of adrenaline! The boat then docks, and you exit! My God, what a ride!

While our hearts were still pounding, we then went right to the other attraction; The Castle Tour. This ride takes you on a roller coaster type tour of the Castle and features special effects and drops to scare the courage out of anyone. Each vehicle is similar to what you would find on a water rapids ride; ten seats all facing inwards, in a tube-like structure. Everyone is harnessed in. The vehicles can turn 360 degrees and can tilt up or down, to a 45-degree angle.

Sally and I boarded and just held on, not knowing what to really expect, because, like Galactic War, the Castle Tour can be a distinct experience each time you ride it. The ride is smooth and varies its speed. We briefly stopped at many different areas throughout the Castle to observe a room with a “creature or scene” and then moved quickly to the next, all the while spinning and dropping or rocketing upward in the dark. We went from scene to scene. A hologram of an ugly witches’ head appeared in the middle of our vehicle and warned us of impending danger if we entered this one room, which of course, we did! The ride went into the room and stopped at a floating wizard who said. “Be doomed, those who enter this room, for you do not listen when told.” Just then, we dropped straight down, well over 200 feet, in the pitch black. Next time, we should listen to the witch.

Each one of these rides lasts at least 20 minutes and comes with unbelievable effects. During October, Castle Mare expands for Halloween. There are six different walk-through haunts guests can take to see even more of the Castle. Each one of these lasts about 20 minutes and features something completely different. There are no “live” actors here, but the effects are like nothing you’ve ever seen before. One has a glass floor you walk on that lights-up to show “live” snakes that are crawling underneath you. It’s like you are in the pit. There is animatronics, and effects galore.

Castle Mare also features a haunted restaurant, called Dining in the Basement. It’s an entirely immersive atmosphere with special effects, and many startle scares, even in the bathroom.

Galactic War, which we rode next, is the top-rated indoor roller coaster in the world. It features a combination of virtual reality and a high–speed roller coaster. Each 16-person rocket has a plasma-dome cover, to create the illusion you’re in a different world. The video is so real, you are entirely immersed. The story takes place in a faraway galaxy, between two fighting planets, both looking to destroy the other. You are recruited to join one of them by being randomly chosen and assigned a side. There are over 100 battle combinations between the planets. The battle comes complete with proton missiles and laser beam weapons, as well as acrobatic flying. You will be chasing other rocket ships or be chased. You fly through the galaxy at super high speeds, which feel like 1,200 mph. The virtual effects will make you feel like you’re dropping thousands of feet.

The Galactic War attraction is by far the most advanced ride system in the world. No headsets or special glasses to wear. You will feel the rush and excitement as you speed toward the fires below and rocket to super-fast speeds upward. The coaster is very smooth, as it uses rubber tires, and each 16-passenger rocket can swivel and tilt. The rockets use their own power to generate intense speeds and quick bursts of acceleration.

The entryway into the Galactic War show building is like walking into a science fiction movie. There are several areas you pass while walking deep into the attraction where you can watch the rockets fly in and out and straight down into the floor. A hole will open right before the rocket comes shooting straight down from above. The recruit training rooms are also geared to get you amped up and ready for a real Galactic War, by telling you all the terrible things the other planet did over the years to the one you’re helping to fight for. They make sure to garner your sympathy and anger.

The State Fair also has a few very intense roller coasters, but nothing of this magnitude or scale of theming.

Because of the intensity of Castle Mare and Galactic War, there is a first aid station in between both. The primary purpose for this is in case of a heart attack. Each attraction has an emergency button for each passenger in the vehicles. If someone hits the button, the ride will stop at a safe place, and an operator will ask what the problem is. If need be, EMS will be dispatched to the site. There have been several documented cases where passengers have suffered heart attacks and been saved by the quick action of the employees and EMS. As I stated earlier, each first aid center has a nurse, a paramedic, and an EMT on site. One of the three stations always have a doctor on duty each day, and another has a nurse practitioner. So, while they are there for emergencies and minor first aid, they also see employees who have medical concerns and routine physicals. They always stay busy. If anything is severe, they will transport you underground to the medical facility.

One of the newest Dark Room attractions is NASA: In Space. Everything you love about space is here. The pictures from NASA are in full view on the world’s largest LED screen. Experience flying through outer space in a “Convertible Space Craft (CSC).” Each 24-passenger CSC flies through space, past planets, and stars. Then it lands on the moon, where you get to exit the CSC and walk around the surface of the moon and see Earth in the distance. I’m not really sure how they created this attraction, as they literally took this to a level never seen before. On the moon, there is a restaurant in which you can sit and eat in space. It’s called The MoonEatery. Surprisingly enough, you can reach the MoonEatery via a “Space Escalator.” There is also a small café on the moon to grab a quick bite, like Moon Pies or Space Candy, before getting back in your CSC and heading back to earth. We were due back here later to meet Steven C. for lunch.

The other new attraction to open with NASA: In Space, is Mother Nature’s Fury. Just like it sounds, this attraction is a real bad boy. It takes you face to face with an F-5 tornado, Category 5 hurricane, severe thunderstorms, and an exploding volcano. The story is simple; you are recruited to help storm chasers in their SUV’s while they attempt to get close to the storms for videotaping and performing experiments. You are restrained with a seat-belt harness because your tires are going to leave the road, guaranteed.

The storm chaser driver and videographer seem to know what they’re doing beforehand, and all you have to do is help watch for flying debris and other hazards, as they drive and film. But as expected, the forces of mother nature tend to be more powerful than the storm chasers expected, and she is also unpredictable, and they get caught up in deadly situations. Now, the fun begins, and you’re along for this 45-minute thrill ride, with mother nature providing the thrills.

Each of the four mega attractions has its own built-in restaurant, completely themed and connected to the attraction. The Dark Room also has several other rides in the center of the room that is much smaller, yet scary. Each is similar to a modified flat ride (stationary ride) and is completely enclosed, so you can’t see anything. A few of them will lift you up and spin you, but you really don’t know what to expect, because you can’t watch the ride operate beforehand. The only lights you’ll see is when your loading and unloading, and the lights are lit from above and shine down, so you can’t see anything when you look up. One is a swing ride with video screens all around, so it seems like your flying through different themes and locations. Really fun!

The Dark Room is perhaps the most intense and exhilarating theme park land in the world. Engineers from other theme parks come to try and figure out how things are done. But they usually can’t. Even if they know, the technology is patented. The WOE doesn’t harness engineer’s creativity and imagination with money. And they save money because everything is done in-house.

It was now 1:30 p.m., and we were to meet Steven C. and his wife for lunch. Where else, but on the moon. We took the Space Escalator up to the MoonEatery in NASA: In Space and told them we were there to meet with Steven C.

The attendant said, “Are you, Peter?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Well, Peter, Steven C. is awaiting your arrival. Please allow me to take you to his table.”

“Thank you.”

As Sally and I walked over to their table, I saw Steven C. and a female, that I assumed was his wife.

“Hi, Peter. It’s nice to see you again. I’d like to introduce you to my wife, Claire.”

“Hi, Peter. It’s nice to meet you,” Claire said.

“Hi, Claire. It’s nice to meet you as well. This is my daughter, Sally.”

Everyone exchanged greetings, and then we sat down at the table.

“Jennifer would have loved to be here, but unfortunately, she’s in the medical facility,” I said.

“We’re sorry to hear that, Peter. I called over earlier, and it looks like they’re doing the best they can to help her. She’s receiving the best care anywhere,” said Claire.

“Thanks, Claire, I appreciate hearing that.”

We talked for a few minutes and enjoyed a few appetizers Steven C. had already ordered in advance. We chatted about how our vacation was going and what I’ve learned so far by talking to others.

“Honestly, I’ve heard a few ‘heartbreaking stories,’ all with happy endings. There’s so much that is different here. The way things are done and how people are treated,” I answered.

“From the very beginning, we knew we had to be different. The world needed a place like this,” Steven C. said. “I have always loved theme parks, hotels, and entertainment ever since I was a kid. But I always felt the way they did things could have been different; better and more efficient. A concert held in a hockey arena? The seating and sound weren’t adequate. But the VIP seats, well, they could see and hear just fine. The prices for the tickets, the service charges, the prices for food and drinks; all exorbitant and unnecessary. But for those making money, they were just fine with it. The same goes for amusement parks with waiting lines in the heat. Don’t like the low pressure, lukewarm water from their water fountains, then buy a bottle of water for $3 or ask for a 6-ounce free cup of water. But you may have to wait 20 minutes just for that. $10 burgers, $8 hot dogs, $79 front-of-the-line passes, $25 for parking for the day, VIP? Come-on! The employees are mostly part-time, making minimum wage. The hotels have so many undocumented employees cleaning the rooms, most are paid so little they can’t even afford to buy a car. They must take the bus to and from work. How can they ever get ahead?”

“Guests and employees are being taken advantage of. The theme and amusement parks can be fun if you can actually ride most of the rides, instead of waiting in lines most of the day. Guests and employees need to be treated better, so when the opportunity came along, I wanted to build the WOE,” said Steven C. “I understand your financial situation too. Claire and I were also burdened with everything from high medical bills for Claire to college tuition for our daughter, to everything else that was thrown at us.”

“I feel the exact same way you do. And I’m so thankful this place is here,” I said. “But can I ask you who put up the money to build this place, and how did you find them?”

“As I said earlier, the person who put up the money wishes to remain anonymous. Let’s just say they found a good place to spend their money. A place that helps so many people and provides so many guests with an experience like no other. And let’s just say I was lucky to run into this person and share my ideas about the WOE. We strive to help as many people as we can; to provide an opportunity to those looking to advance and to support and comfort those in need. We want to provide each guest and each member with an experience like no other. And the best way we know how to do that is by having the best people come together from around the world and create this wonderful experience.”

“When you put money and wealth aside, and you focus on helping others and losing the prestige of owning a huge home and luxury cars; you will then be free from stress and the temptation to only look out for yourself. No one working here is here for money, but for peace of mind and doing what they love. Whether that be to practice medicine, perform on stage four days a week, create unique rides and attractions, or clean rooms. All while getting free rent, free healthcare, and free education, everyone is here because they don’t have to worry about being taken advantage of and enjoy being part of this family,” Steven C. said.

We then talked for a while about Jennifer and Sally and their schools while eating our lunch. After we finished our coffee, we were ready to leave.

“Thank you very much! I really appreciate your time and all you’ve done to help others and Jennifer, and for providing such a wonderful place,” I said.

“Peter and Sally, it is our pleasure to spend time in your company. Thank you for taking my invitation to do all your doing. I understand Jennifer will be staying with us for a while longer. I’m sure they’ll be moving you and Sally tomorrow to other accommodations. She can continue to get better, and you can both be by her side and support her,” Steven C. said.

As Sally and I were heading back to visit Jennifer, I thought about how lucky these people were to be here, to never have to worry about medical care or house payments, house repairs or car breakdowns. Man, it must be nice.

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 help us take our belongings. He helped us load everything onto the cart, and then we gave one last look at our suite, and then we closed the door.

He took us to a new location right across from the medical center. There are about ten rooms, 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 take you over. Since you will be transported by an escort, they will help you get in. Your 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 Said.

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 entries. 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 talk 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 Couple 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.
Just like the design of the Hotel Family, 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 no tip. Just another perk to staying onsite at the WOE.”

Mayberry Town is completely enclosed, with an illuminated sky and total comfort 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 tail lights.
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 cart or are not able too.

Many guests will reserve their Townhouses together for special functions, get-togethers, or with civic clubs. 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 their own concierge, who is 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 of Fun Town USA, these 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 a sperate bedroom with en-suite, 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 there to see a concert or two.

200 rooms have balconies facing the State Fair and 200 facing 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 those 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 see who 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 laid out in a horseshoe pattern, and each has a covered monorail station in front of their hotel. Each elevated monorail station connects to each hotels’ second floor, and 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 other hotels restaurant. There’s a covered shopping district that opens in the morning 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, The State Fair wakes back up 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. Or, on other nights, 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. They usually leave these sections open until 2:30 – 3:00 a.m., sometimes longer.

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!

Chapter 20

Sunday

I awoke Sunday as I did the past seven days; hoping that today, Jennifer will finally wake up. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, I mainly just stayed next to her, as I didn’t have anyone else to interview, nor did I want to.

I was tired of just walking around the Complex without Sally or Jennifer. Sally was hanging out with Keith, but his family just left Friday. So, she spent the last few days watching videos on her computer.

I’ve been talking with the wonderful nurses and doctors, and they always seem optimistic. But the test results are saying something different. They keep getting worse, and there’s nothing more they can do. I’m so scared she’s just going to die in her sleep, and I won’t be able to ever talk to her again.

I do talk to her, but I don’t think she can hear me. I take the note I wrote for her from her bedside table and read it aloud to her several times a day. Then I fold it up and place it back on her table. Sally has been coming back and forth from her room to here, just absorbed in another world. I know she misses Keith and wishes her mom would wake up.

I’m not sure she believes Jennifer can actually die, which may or may not be right for her to feel. Sometimes, when someone goes through prolonged illness or battle, you tend to stop rooting for them and start to wish them peace, because you feel like they’ve fought so hard and are just wore out.

Jennifer has had some of these tough battle moments, but then she’d be back up and going. We were just at Fun Town USA not long ago, having fun, laughing, dancing, skating, all the things we used to love doing.

I feel like if we would have stayed home, Jennifer would not have been able to undergo traditional treatment and may have already died. So, in a sense, coming here may have been a blessing.

All I can think about is her students and how they will be so hurt and sad if she passes. She is really a great teacher and brings a ton of energy to her classroom. Parents tell her how much their kids love her. I can’t imagine how Sally will react if Jennifer passes. Jennifer’s parents, her friends, me. What will I do? I can’t drive because of my eyes, and Sally only has a learner’s permit. She can’t even drive with me, because I don’t have a license.

Every time I think of all this, I get scared and angry. Angry at society and the Lord. We are Catholic and often attend Mass. We all pray, and she works at a private Catholic School.

I’ve been praying all the time. I pray for her recovery and her wellbeing. But I also think, in a small part of my mind, that I will no longer practice my religion if something happens to her. I treat it like a threat; “If you take her from me and Sally, then I’m done,” I think to myself.

But then I also think about how much I will need my religion if something does happen to her. I will need my faith for strength and comfort. To help me stay sane and help Sally. I will need to pray to support Jennifer’s Soul get to Heaven.

I have always thought about my faith and what it means to me. Like so many people, I question a lot of what is believed in by so many and what is preached. I really don’t believe everything that took place in the Old Testament. I don’t seriously believe Noah brought two of every animal onto his Ark. I don’t believe Jonna was in a whales stomach for days and just walked out. But I do believe that maybe they were metaphors for something else. Moral stories to tell.

Most of us believe that when someone dies, they will go to a better place, not just rot in the ground. They believe their soul will go to Heaven. And people who don’t regularly pray, often pray when they are scared.

Because ‘believing’ seems to help us cope with death better. Knowing someone isn’t suffering any more or if they were killed or died suddenly, that ‘they’ are now having fun and enjoying themselves in Heaven.

Some people think there can’t be a God because of all the bad in the world. “How can a God just watch children suffer and die like that?” They’ll ask.

I say God has given us free will and how we handle those who hurt others is our responsibility, and we’ll be judged by our own actions.

Maybe you don’t need to save the world, but what about the person you passed on the street today who could have used your help? We’re you in a hurry or didn’t want to get involved? Christians are always saying that Jesus will come back someday. But what if he already did? Would I recognize him? What if Jesus was that person I just passed and knew needed help?
Should any billionaire be considered a true Christian? After all, they are hoarding their money. They could put it to better use. If you have sixty billion dollars, what are you going to do with it?

Steven C. told me this place was started by an anonymous donor. If that person put up four or five billion dollars, look what they created. A place that provides so many people an opportunity and protects many from this cruel and often lonely world. A place that revolutionized the entertainment industry. Entertainers are working and living together. Who would have ever imagined all this? Well, I guess Steven C. did.

At this point, I decided to go for a walk around the Complex. Just get a nice cup of coffee and take it all in. So, I let Sally know and got a ride to the Complex. I picked up my free coffee and just started walking around.

I walked all along the State Fair and watched families and kids laugh and scream on the rides. I looked up and saw how the ceiling looked like the sky, complete with clouds and the sun. I knew the outside of the roof was covered in solar panels that supplied 50% of the power to the Complex. The other 50% is from an ingenious system using thermal energy from the ground that they developed. 100% Green. Even the hotels and the Harmony Theater are all Green.

I walked into the Dark Room and just sat for an hour and watched the people go by with smiles on their faces from riding these super, high-tech attractions.

“All the engineering involved here,” I said out loud.

The fact that they have paramedics standing by, just to get to a guest who may be hurt or suffering a heart attack, faster. The care for their own employees to be seen for anything medical, at any time. I mean, look at what they’re doing for Jennifer. Do you think another theme park would do that? Not only are they not charging me, but she is getting the best possible treatment in the world.

I walked into Show Town and just marveled at the buildings and remembered all the shows I’ve seen here. The comedy, magic, light shows, Broadway, sports, authors, and the TV and Movie Stage Tour. Any of these shows would be headliners anywhere in the world. But these people enjoy performing here. They get less pay, but they also have less stress, don’t have to travel and can raise a family, all while doing what they love.

I thought of the parades and the meet-and-greets with actors, comedians, magicians, writers, and sports athletes.
I thought about Julie, our waitress; and Roger Minselli, the Illusionist.

I took a Shuttle Pod to Fun Town USA and walked to the roller rink and watched the guest’s roller skating and enjoying life. Having fun. All the lights, video. All the games and activities in Game Central. So much to do. An escape for everyone. I thought of Metamorphoses and how incredible the place is. A dance club that “physically changes” as the night goes on. The special effects, the “live” music from their Magnificent Twelve Bands. I went into Levels and had a bite to eat while watching all the entertainment from various stages, all while eating.

I thought about The Continents and all there is to enjoy and learn. “This place is the most incredible place on earth,” I thought.

Just then, my pager went off. I looked at it, and it read, “Come immediately to the medical facility.”

Instantly, my whole body felt numb. My heart started racing. “Oh my God, something is happening to Jennifer.”

I ran as fast as I could to the tunnel that connects the Complex to the medical facility. I was so out of breath. I had to keep stopping and starting. I felt like I was running in slow motion. It took what felt like 30 minutes to get there. I told the attendant, and he had me get a ride to the medical facility.

“Oh, please, oh please! I beg you, Lord, don’t take her now. Please! I need her,” I prayed out loud.

I tried calling Sally, but my fingers couldn’t even operate the phone. I was so nervous, and my adrenaline was pumping so fast.
We were almost there, and I started praying Hail Mary’s over and over again. As we arrived, I ran past the reception desk to Jennifer’s room and opened the door and ran inside.

She was gone! The bed was empty. I started yelling, “no! No! please, no!”

Just then, Jessica came in and hugged me. “Calm down, Peter, calm down,” she said.

I just let everything out and started crying into her shoulder.

“Peter, Jennifer is awake.”

I couldn’t believe what she just said. I lifted my head and looked at her.

“Did you just say Jennifer is awake?” I asked.

“Yes, Peter, she is awake, and she and Sally went down for testing. They want to run scans on her to see what the cancer is looking like.

I just started crying even more and sat down on the bed. Jessica sat next to me and put her arm around me. “Sorry to have scared you. I tried to catch you as soon as you came in,” She said.

“Peter, Jennifer read your note and wrote back to you. Why don’t you sit here and read it, and you can see her and Sally when they get back?”

“OK. I will. Thank you, Jessica, for letting me cry on you and for being so comforting.”

“You’re welcome! It is my pleasure,” Jessica said.

As Jessica left, I went to sit in the chair. I opened the note and noticed she had written on the back. It said:

“Dear Peter,

I am awake and feel wonderful! I feel like I’ve slept the best I’ve ever slept before. I am so glad to be awake, and I look forward to seeing you so much. Sally was here when I woke, and she is so excited.

At times, when I was sleeping, I could hear your voice. It was like in a dream. I could hear you talk to me and tell me how much you love me. I could hear you pray. I couldn’t respond, but I wished I could. Because I would have told you how much I love you!

You are everything to me too. I couldn’t imagine life without you. You support me in everything I do, as well as Sally.

You are a magnificent husband, father, and my best friend.

Thanks for always being there for me.

I Love you, Peter!

Jennifer”

I closed my eyes and kissed the letter. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” I said.

“Please let these tests come back with positive results. Please let her be OK,” I prayed out loud.

I sat in the chair a little while, just waiting for them to come back. Jessica brought me a cup of coffee and told me it shouldn’t be much longer. I went to use the bathroom in her room and washed my face. As I was drying off, I heard her voice.

“Peter, are you in there?” Jennifer asked.

“Dad, are you alright?” Asked Sally.

I quickly opened the door, and there they were. I ran into Jennifer’s arms, and we held each other tight for at least two minutes. Sally also came over and hugged us together. I kissed her and looked her in the eyes and said, “don’t ever scare me like that again.”

She said,” I’m sorry. I’ll try not to.”

We were together again. I caught Jennifer up on everything I did as we ate lunch together. She told me how proud she was and that I really “broke out of my shell” to interview and talk with so many people. She knows that I’m generally shy around people I don’t know well and can get nervous.

Sally told her about Keith and how she already missed him. They promised to keep in touch and talk to each other every day.

Several days went by, and Jennifer continued to take it easy and be monitored. Although I knew they had results of her tests, they said it was too early to say what the results were.

Dr. Lee and Dr. Peterson said they wanted to monitor her for a few days and then run a few more tests to be sure. Then, they’d feel more comfortable telling us what’s going on.

Wednesday

Wednesday morning. Dr. Lee decided they were going to run a battery of test on Jennifer that would take several hours. It was a week past when we were supposed to leave, so we were really looking forward to good news, and were afraid of what might come next if it wasn’t.

Dr. Lee suggested Sally, and I go for a walk at the Complex to ease our minds and anxiety. Sally said she wanted to go play video games at Fun Town USA. So, I thought I would walk around like I did last Sunday.

Sally and I headed over to the Complex and then she took a Shuttle Pod to Fun Town USA. As I started walking through the State Fair, I ran into Steven C.

“Hi Peter, it’s nice to see you,” He said.

Hi Steven C., it’s nice to see you,” I replied.

“Dr. Lee told me you were on your way over here, so I thought I’d catch up with you and talk for a bit.”

“I’d love to. Thanks for all you’re doing to help Jennifer.”

“We are delighted to help her and your family,” He replied. “I’d like to take you to a special viewing room we have called ‘The Overlook Suite.’”

I was more than happy to oblige. We headed to a doorway close to where we were, entering the back side of The Continents and the State Fair. We entered and walked down a very short hallway to an elevator, which then took us to the top floor of the Continents. We exited the elevator into another hallway that opened to other rooms. We entered the one that read “The Overlook Suite.”

The Suite had the floor to ceiling windows facing every direction. You could see the entire State Fair, The Continents, The Dark Room, and Show Town in the distance.

“What a view,” I said.

“Isn’t it? We hold meetings up here and have small offices that employees take turns using. They can rotate from their center aisle desks to here for a week, to give them a fresh perspective on who and what we are doing this for.”

“You surely have changed so much of what a workplace, entertainment, and vacation destination are,” I told him.

We talked for a few more minutes about plans for the future, including planning for a whole new section to the Complex to be added and a new hotel to accommodate more guests.

“We keep everyone busy creating new shows, new attractions, innovative ways to have fun. We have the best employees and entertainers in the world here. Thus, giving us the best theme park/entertainment complex and vacation destination in the world,” He said.

“Has there ever been any thought of opening another place like this somewhere else in the world?” I asked.

“We feel it’s best to keep our focus on one location and not dilute ourselves by spreading our employees out to work in other places. But, if the right people were in place, it could be a possibility,” He said.

Then, Steven C. turned and looked me in the eyes and said, “Peter, how would you like to work here?”

I said, “Are you serious? What would I do?”

“You could write about all the good things we do here. Tell others of the good people who work here and the entertainers who make this place even more special,” He replied.

“But what about Jennifer and Sally?” I asked.

“They could live here too. Jennifer could teach here, and Sally could go to school and then college, right here.
And since you are so observant and notice so many things about other theme parks as I do, you could even travel to them and watch how they operate. And maybe, you’ll find someone who you think would fit in nicely here,” he replied.

“But what about Jennifer’s health? I asked.

“I think Jennifer is going to be just fine, Peter. Listen, I’m going to go get some lunch at the MoonEatery that we ate at before. Why don’t you take a few minutes and then join me?”

I said OK and just stood there in shock. I couldn’t believe this. No stress, no bills, best medical care, college for Sally, a great teaching job for Jennifer, where she didn’t have to spend all those extra hours at home doing more work because she would now have assistants to help her.

I could do what I love. I’ve always wanted to work at a theme park. I thought about my magic and light shows when I was a kid and how I tried to start a theater to host shows when I had my business. I thought about how I would love to help design theme park attractions, Halloween haunted houses, and laser shows.

“You could also help me with future projects, Peter,” Steven C. said as he was walking toward the door. “Call Jennifer and see what she says. I’ll meet you at the restaurant. Ask Jennifer to join us.”

As he left, I quickly pulled out my phone and called Jennifer. She answered, “I was just going to call you! I just spoke with Dr. Lee and Dr. Peterson, and I have my results.”

“What did they say?” I hesitantly asked.

“They said I’m cancer free! Peter, I’m cancer free!” She said with absolute excitement.

My voice started cracking up, and I barely whispered, “Are you serious?”

“Yes, I’m serious,” Jennifer said as she started crying.

“My God, Jennifer. This is unbelievable.”

“They said they see this often, where they can help people with medicine and treatment no one else seems to have. They also said having faith and being positive is a big part of it,” Jennifer said.

With my voice trembling, tears running down my cheeks, and my mind in complete shock over what just took place over the last few minutes, I said to her; “Steven C. invited us to work here.”

“Yes! Let’s do it!” She yelled.

“Are you sure? This is a big move.”

“Absolutely! I love it here. Tell him, yes!”

“What about Sally?” I asked.

“Are you kidding me. Sally will love it here too. This place has everything she could ever want.”

“That’s fantastic! Steven C. invited us for lunch at the MoonEatery. Do you want to go?” I asked.

“Most definitely! I’m ready to get out of here and be at the Complex. I’m officially discharged. I’ll call Sally and tell her the good news and have her meet us over there. Oh, Peter, this is the best day of my life!”

“Mine too! I love you so much, Jennifer! I guess this is our new home.”

When I hung up, I immediately dropped to my knees and prayed. “Thank you, thank you, thank you, Lord! Thank you for all that you’ve given my family and me. I love you so much!”

Soon after, Jennifer, Sally and I all met in the Dark Room by the MoonEatery Escalator and just hugged and cried with each other. Then we went up and met Steven C. for lunch, and he was delighted to hear we accepted his offer to stay. “You are all going to love it here, I promise,” he said.

Our three weeks at the WOE was far more than a working vacation. It was a life-changing event. So much so, that my blog wouldn’t be enough to cover all that we experienced.

So, I wrote this book, instead.

E.

Post notes

I really couldn’t say at the time what really took place with Jennifer or many of the people that are here working. Nor can I say for sure why I was picked to do the interviews. Was it just a matter of good people doing great work like they said or was it more?

For now, I will leave that up to you to decide. For my family and I are so happy being here, and now we are part of those who make a difference for others.

I will continue to share more about the WOE in the future; it’s expansion, it’s people and its guests. If you ever come work for the WOE or for a visit and have a great story to tell, please ask for me. I would love to hear it!.

And who knows, maybe someday, a Talent or an Employee Scout may find you.

Thanks for reading! Until next time,

Peter

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