2106 Villa walk-in Inspection

Last year, I provided an example of a Villa Walk-In Inspection. When you first arrive at your vacation home, before you bring in any luggage, you need to perform a walk-in inspection. You should video the inspection and/or take pictures. The purpose of the inspection is to document the condition of the home at the time of move-in so that you can protect your security deposit.

Here is our 2016 inspection: Click Here

Once the inspection is completed, you need to email the property manager AND owner a list that includes (a) problems that need to be immediately fixed. (b) problems that might need to get fixed, you will follow-up and let them know. (c) problems that don't need to get fixed, however, you want to make them aware that the problems existed at the time of move-in.

We do a very thorough inspection. Even so, we always miss things. This year, we missed that the refrigerator door shelves were all broken, the pool skimmer was not skimming the bugs, the laundry basket in the washroom was broken, items were missing from the garage according to an inventory we found, and the sprinkler head near the front door was missing (causing a flood every time the sprinklers came on).

It may seem ridiculous to do such a lengthy and thorough investigation. However, you need to remember that you could be held financially responsible for any problems with the house. Problems much be communicated immediately to the owner and management company.

Pictures with Kylo Ren and Chewbacca

New for 2016, guests can have their picture taken with Kylo Ren and Chewbacca.

The character meet and greet is at the back of Disney World's Hollywood Studios in what was one the Art of Disney. The complex has been transformed into a Star Wars themed experts emcee that includes a short movies, arcade games, the cantina, artifacts from the movies, and opportunities to get your picture taken with Star Wars characters. 

When we visited the site, there were two jaws in the cantina available to interact with and have pictures. 

In addition, there was Chewbacca and Kylo Ren. Chewbacca was just as you would imagine him: tall and loveable. Kylo Rem put on an act attempting to intimidate and scare the guests. My family gathered for the picture and then Kulo paced angrily in fromt of us. He then stopped in front of each of us, his helmeted face just inches from each of ours with an intimidating stare. A caste member finally asks Kylo where a recording of this encounter can be made. Kylo answers in the original actor's vaice permitting the recording. Finally, he stood next to us while the picture (called a "scan") was made. 

March of the First Order

The March of the First Order is a show is a new experience at Disney World's Hollywood Studio. Hollywood Studios is going through a transformation as it builds Star Wars Land (expected to be completed in 2022) to coincide with yearly realeases of Star Wars movies.

The First Order, a special group of Storm Troopers, was introduced in the movie Episode VII released in 2015.

The experience has the storm troopers March from the back area of the park an area in front of the Great Movie Ride (where the Sourcer's hate used to be). The storm troopers March around and  then March back from where they came. 

The die hard Dtar Wars fan will likely go nuts when they see Storm Troopers marching right in front of them.

Second Ride Mechanism for Toy Story Mania

Toy Story Mania is one of the most popular rides at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Guests board a car and get to play carnival style games with a Toy Story theme. It is common for the stand-by line to stretch several hours!

We approached the ride this and, as often is the case, the ride was broke down. Luckily, only the old track was broke - the new track was still working!

At fifty percent capacity, it was a very long wait.

The new ride track works exactly as the old with all the same games and challenges. This was a great and very welcomed change!

Haunted Mansion is Cloaked

Don't worry - the Haunted mansion ride at Disney World's Magic Kingdom

is still open for business. But it sure doesn't look like it!

The outside is covered in a giant tarp!

I imagine they are doing some kind of referb to the outside of the facility. The work on the outside has no negative impact to the haunting occurring on the inside!

Carousal of Progress Shouldn't be Updated

The Carousal of Progress at the Magic Kingdom is a Disney fan favorite. Guess sit in a theater where their auditorium moves around a stage, pausing at intervals to hear a story. Each story takes place at a different time in the 20th century where the audience learns a little about life at that time from automatronic (robots that look like  humans). As the story progresses we see how life has improved since the turn of the 20th century.

We start at the turn of the century, then the 1920's, 1950's and finally the 1990's. 

Many believe the 1990's needs to be updated to something that reflects modern times. But I disagree.

The story should remain a story about the advancements of the 20th century. 

The leap from the 1950's to 1990's is a huge jump already. Adding another 20 or 30 years would seem ridiculous.

Suppose we did want to add the modern time. What would it look like? A family sitting around a living room silently playing their devices? No narration, no background music. Just look at this family gazing deeply into their devices for 5 minutes?  I don't think that would be very entertaining.

So, I suggest the ride does not get updated. Leave it alone! Let it talk about the optimism of the 20th century and the great big beautiful tomorrow it promised.

Keep your hands inside the ride!

If you have been to Disney? You can probably recite it word for word: keep your hands, arms and legs inside the ride and supervise your children.

Fingers and hands have been lost when this rule isn't followed. 

We were on the Its A Small World ride when I noticed a problem in the boat in front of us. There were parents with three children under the age of 9. The husband was on one side, lost in the ride. His wife was next to him with a sleeping child in her arms. Their two remaining kids, a son and daughter, sat on the outside edge and were fighting. The daughter kept dipping her hand into the water so she could throw it at her brother. The brother, in return, would squirt his sister with a squirt gun.

I started to freek out as I saw her hand repeatedly dip between the boat and the track that kept the boat on track. If the boat were to slap the track while her hand were in the water? It would be tragic!

I tried calling to the boat in front of us, but nobody could hear me. Finally, my wife just told me to look away.

Thankfully, the ride ended and the girl did not get injured. 

Please! Supervise your children! And keep your hands inside the ride!