Most of you have heard the very sad news that Rick Piesko Jr., the son of our owners, suffered a massive heart attack on Wednesday night and passed away.  Some of you that have been with us for a long time will remember that Rick worked for AGS for a few years and he was a very funny, generous, and kind person.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Piesko family during this time.  As soon as the funeral arrangements are made, we will let you know.  Some of you have expressed an interest in sending a card to them, so here is their address:  Rick and Linda Piesko, 7342 Harlie St., Orlando, FL  32819.

BE READY FOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 29TH!  WE WILL CONTINUE PRINTING OUR CURRENT TICKETS THROUGH SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28TH.  EFFECTIVE MONDAY, OCTOBER 29TH, we will begin selling the date based tickets.  Here is a recap of what we learned:

Tickets with NO CHANGES – TIMESHARE, MEETING AND CONVENTION, PROMOTIONAL TICKETS.  All of these tickets will continue with the current entitlements and be valid 14 days with the first date of use.  The guest will NOT have to choose a start date.  The Promotional tickets are any “for a limited time only” tickets that we sell in market only.  The 2 and 3 Day Base tickets with Free Hopping will start up again on October 29th.  These tickets will continue to have a 14 day usage period and if purchased and not used, will expire on 12/31/19.

Tickets with CHANGES – “Magic Your Way” will no longer be advertised and the tickets will now be known as “Disney Theme Park” tickets.

There will NO LONGER be a difference on the One Day tickets between Magic Kingdom and Non-Magic Kingdom.  All one day tickets will be priced the same and can be used for any park.

The One Day Hopper Plus ticket will now have only ONE Fun Visit.  Currently it has two.  The number of Fun Visits on all  HOPPER PLUS tickets will now match the number of visits for the four main theme parks.

We will be selling two types of tickets:

FLEX tickets will allow the guest to purchase tickets the way we are currently selling them.  They will not be tied to picking a start date for their tickets and the valid use period will be 14 days with the first date of use.  Any unused tickets will expire on 12/31 of the following year.  These tickets will be priced higher than date based tickets, but will allow for more commissions.

DATE BASED TICKETS WITH A “VALID USE PERIOD” will require the guest to “pick a start date” and the ticket must be used in it’s entirety within a specified period.  Here are the number of “Valid Use Days” for each type of ticket:

2 & 3 Day Tickets – TWO ADDITIONAL DAYS

4, 5, 6, & 7 Day Tickets – THREE ADDITIONAL DAYS

8, 9, & 10 Day Tickets – FOUR ADDITIONAL DAYS

Any “Hopper PLUS” tickets will add ONE ADDITIONAL DAY.  For example, if a guest purchases a 3 Day Base ticket, they will have a total of 5 days (3 + 2) to use all portions of the ticket.  If a guest purchase a 4 Day Hopper PLUS ticket, they will have a total of 8 days (4 + 3 + 1) to use all portions of the ticket.  What will you be needing to ask your guest?  What type of ticket are they interested in?  Start with the FLEX ticket first explaining how it gives them the most flexibility.  They are not tied to a particular start date and they have a full 14 days to use all portions of the ticket.  Try to get them to upgrade to add the “Hopper” and “Hopper PLUS” options.  Explain how the Hopper is a great option to have to give additional flexibility in case one park is too crowded, or if it rains.  The PLUS option is great because they will have an equal number of visits to Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach, Fantasia Gardens Mini-golf, Winter/Summerland Mini-golf and Oak Trail Golf Course as the number of days they have to use in the 4 main parks.  Ask how many days they would like to visit the 4 major parks.  Then, and only then if the guest says they saw something cheaper online, should you go into talking about the date based tickets.  Ask “What day would you like to start visiting the 4 major parks?”  Go into the POS system and enter that date and it will give you the price.  Every location should also have the laminated “Admission Price Reference Guide” for the 1 Day and 2 Day Disney tickets.  You can quote these prices INCLUDING TAXES to the guest for the dates chosen.  These are minimum prices and you cannot go below them when doing a price match.  Remember, for a 1 Day Ticket, the guest MUST use them on that date – THEY ARE DATE SPECIFIC!  If they try to go a different date, EVEN IF IT’S AT THE SAME PRICE, THE TICKET WILL NOT WORK.  It is a DATE BASED TICKET so the ticket MUST be used on the date chosen.  Take a “Times and Information” brochure and using a highlighter, BOX THE “VALID USE DATES” SO THE GUEST IS PERFECTLY CLEAR ON HOW LONG THEY HAVE TO USE THE TICKETS.  This will be EXTREMELY IMPORTANT so the guest can’t come back with tickets that they tried to use AFTER the expiration date.  If a guest wants to make any changes BEFORE the start date, they can do it on the “My Disney Experience” App or web page.  AFTER the start date, WE can change it as long as the ticket was not used.  Once the ticket is used, they will need to go to ANY ticket window at any of the parks or Guest Relations at Disney Springs.  Remember, this will not be effective for us until October 29th.  All current tickets will still be printed and sold through October 28th.  Please reach out to your Team Leads or Managers for further questions.

MICKEY’S NOT SO SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY (MNSSHP)

There are only a few nights remaining for MNSSHP – 10/26, 10/28, and 10/30.  October 31st is already SOLD OUT.  We are still giving a $20 bonus for every 10 tickets sold in a pay period to all teams EXCEPT the Vistana Team, so let’s really push for these last few nights!  Also, make sure you make your guests who purchase Day Passes to Magic Kingdom that that park closes at 6 pm on these nights.

HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS

The remaining dates for us to sell for HHN are 10/28, 10/30, 10/31 and 11/1.  Yes, our tickets ARE valid for 10/31.  Make sure your guests know that they are paying the same prices as 1 night, but they are getting an extra night free for any of these dates.  Obviously if your guest buys a ticket for 11/1, they will not be able to do 2 nights.  For those of you on the Vistana Team, you will receive a $20 bonus for every 10 tickets sold during each 2 week pay period.

SEA WORLD / DISCOVERY COVE

The promotion for the Sea World/Aquatica combo for Weekdays has ended.  However, we are STILL selling the Sea World Weekday tickets indefinitely.  These tickets are NO LONGER available at the gate or online, so we have an advantage by selling these!  Make sure you suggest them to every guest – especially if they are looking at a lower cost option.  The Sea World SPOOKTACULAR finishes up the weekend, Saturday, 10/27 and Sunday 10/28.  Kids are welcome to dress up and there are special Trick or Treat stations throughout the park.  This is included with any REGULAR admission ticket.  From now through 12/31, Discovery Cove is offering a FREE DOLPHIN SWIM with every Day Resort purchase.  When printing this, make sure you select the “Discovery Cove Only” on the first EZ Ticket page, and then “Day Resort with Dolphin Swim”.  These will be priced the same as the Day Resort admission.

LEGOLAND

Do you know that single day Legoland tickets offer you the HIGHEST commissions of any one day theme park sale?  We should really be suggesting this to our guests, especially those with small children.  And don’t forget that you can book the free shuttle that leaves every day at 9 am from behind the Orlando Eye.  Remember, “Brick or Treat” continues this Saturday and Sunday, as well as on Wednesday, 10/31.  This event offers special Trick or Treat stations throughout the park as well as a special Fireworks display.  And this is included with regular admission.

UPCOMING SPORTING EVENTS

Orlando Magic – 10/30 vs Sacramento Kings – Tier 7; 11/2 vs Los Angeles Clippers – Tier 7; 11/5 vs Cleveland Cavaliers – Tier 6; 11/7 vs Detroit Pistons – Tier 7; 11/9 vs Washington Wizards – Tier 6.  For Premier Team, call in the order to the Orlando Magic and give the guest a voucher to pick up their tickets at Will Call.  For all other Teams, call your Lead or Manager and they will book the tickets for you and put the actual tickets in Drop Box.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 11/11, 1 pm vs Washington Redskins.  Call your Team Manager to book these seats for you.  Like Orlando City, you will need to make sure your guest has a smart phone and an e-mail address.  They have paperless entry so the guest will have to bring the tickets up on their phone.

EMPLOYEE NOTES:

Happy Birthday to Delza H. on 11/6, Caitlyn W. on 11/3, and Linda Piesko on 10/31!  Congratulations to Kelci B. for 8 years on 10/28, Mariela G. for 1 year on  11/2, Mahvash J. for 13 years on 10/31, Lauren M. for 2 years on 11/1, Veronica R. for 3 years on 11/2, Mariandrea S. for 1 year on 11/6, Andrea Romero for 10 years on 11/2, and Rick Schiebel for 28 years on 10/29!

Thanks to those of you who participated in the new date based Disney Ticket Training this week.  Although the GATE AND ONLINE PRICING WILL BE CHANGING ON TUESDAY, 10/16, WE WILL CONTINUE PRINTING OUR CURRENT TICKETS THROUGH OCTOBER 28TH.  So there will be almost a 2 week period where the guest sees something different online that what we are selling.  EFFECTIVE MONDAY, OCTOBER 29TH, we will begin selling the date based tickets.  Here is a recap of what we learned:

Tickets with NO CHANGES – TIMESHARE, MEETING AND CONVENTION, PROMOTIONAL TICKETS.  All of these tickets will continue with the current entitlements and be valid 14 days with the first date of use.  The guest will NOT have to choose a start date.  The Promotional tickets are any “for a limited time only” tickets that we sell in market only.  The 2 and 3 Day Base tickets with Free Hopping will start up again on October 29th.  These tickets will continue to have a 14 day usage period and if purchased and not used, will expire on 12/31/19.

Tickets with CHANGES – “Magic Your Way” will no longer be advertised and the tickets will now be known as “Disney Theme Park” tickets.

There will NO LONGER be a difference on the One Day tickets between Magic Kingdom and Non-Magic Kingdom.  All one day tickets will be priced the same and can be used for any park.

The One Day Hopper Plus ticket will now have only ONE Fun Visit.  Currently it has two.  The number of Fun Visits on all  HOPPER PLUS tickets will now match the number of visits for the four main theme parks.

We will be selling two types of tickets:

FLEX tickets will allow the guest to purchase tickets the way we are currently selling them.  They will not be tied to picking a start date for their tickets and the valid use period will be 14 days with the first date of use.  Any unused tickets will expire on 12/31 of the following year.  These tickets will be priced higher than date based tickets, but will allow for more commissions.

DATE BASED TICKETS WITH A “VALID USE PERIOD” will require the guest to “pick a start date” and the ticket must be used in it’s entirety within a specified period.  Here are the number of “Valid Use Days” for each type of ticket:

2 & 3 Day Tickets – TWO ADDITIONAL DAYS

4, 5, 6, & 7 Day Tickets – THREE ADDITIONAL DAYS

8, 9, & 10 Day Tickets – FOUR ADDITIONAL DAYS

Any “Hopper PLUS” tickets will add ONE ADDITIONAL DAY.  For example, if a guest purchases a 3 Day Base ticket, they will have a total of 5 days (3 + 2) to use all portions of the ticket.  If a guest purchase a 4 Day Hopper PLUS ticket, they will have a total of 8 days (4 + 3 + 1) to use all portions of the ticket.  What will you be needing to ask your guest?  What type of ticket are they interested in?  Start with the FLEX ticket first explaining how it gives them the most flexibility.  They are not tied to a particular start date and they have a full 14 days to use all portions of the ticket.  Try to get them to upgrade to add the “Hopper” and “Hopper PLUS” options.  Explain how the Hopper is a great option to have to give additional flexibility in case one park is too crowded, or if it rains.  The PLUS option is great because they will have an equal number of visits to Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach, Fantasia Gardens Mini-golf, Winter/Summerland Mini-golf and Oak Trail Golf Course as the number of days they have to use in the 4 main parks.  Ask how many days they would like to visit the 4 major parks.  Then, and only then if the guest says they saw something cheaper online, should you go into talking about the date based tickets.  Ask “What day would you like to start visiting the 4 major parks?”  Go into the POS system and enter that date and it will give you the price.  Take a “Times and Information” brochure and using a highlighter, BOX THE “VALID USE DATES” SO THE GUEST IS PERFECTLY CLEAR ON HOW LONG THEY HAVE TO USE THE TICKETS.  This will be EXTREMELY IMPORTANT so the guest can’t come back with tickets that they tried to use AFTER the expiration date.  If a guest wants to make any changes BEFORE the start date, they can do it on the “My Disney Experience” App or web page.  AFTER the start date, WE can change it as long as the ticket was not used.  Once the ticket is used, they will need to go to ANY ticket window at any of the parks or Guest Relations at Disney Springs.  Remember, this will not be effective for us until October 29th.  All current tickets will still be printed and sold through October 28th.  Please reach out to your Team Leads or Managers for further questions.

MICKEY’S NOT SO SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY (MNSSHP)

MNSSHP for the next TWO WEEKS will be on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays (10/12, 10/14, 10/16, 10/18, 10/19, 10/21, 10/23, 10/25, and 10/26).  Remember to tell your guests with Day Passes to Magic Kingdom on any of these days that the park CLOSES AT 6 PM.  Our tickets allow the guest to enter the park as early as 4 pm.  We have an incentive for tonight’s (10/12) event!  The top 3 sales people for this date will receive a $75 Disney Gift Card.  And there will be a drawing for an additional 2 $75 Disney Gift Cards for ANYONE who sold tickets for this night.  Also, we are still giving a $20 bonus for every 10 MNSSHP tickets sold during a pay period (except for the Vistana team).  

UNIVERSAL’S HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS (HHN) AND TICKETS IN GENERAL

Our sales for Universal tickets are down and we need to do everything possible to get them up.  The 2 Days + 2 Free days continues so be sure to mention this to your guests.  HHN should be sold as “Buy a night, get a second night FREE”.  For those of you on the Vistana Team, Universal tickets MUST BE MENTIONED AND PROMOTED FIRST over any other park.  Also, you receive a $20 bonus for every 10 HHN tickets sold.  

SEA WORLD – WEEKDAY TICKETS – HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR

The Sea World weekday tickets continue, AND we have added a Sea World/Aquatica combo WEEKDAY only ticket.  For this ticket, BOTH admissions must be used Monday – Friday, but it has a great savings!  For those of you on Activity Link, we will be pricing it a $99.  So if you are selling the $69 Sea World Weekday ticket, you can say “For $30 more, you can add Aquatica and this is less than 1/2 the price of a normal admission!”  This ticket can only be sold through Sunday, 10/21.  Don’t forget that “Spooktacular” continues on weekends in October through 10/28.  This is a great event INCLUDED with regular park admission.  Kids are welcome to dress in costumes and visit the “Trick or Treat” stations throughout the park.

LEGOLAND – “BRICK OR TREAT”

Legoland’s Brick or Treat continues weekends in October through 10/28 with one additional night of 10/31.  They also have Trick or Treat stations as well as special shows and Fireworks.  Don’t forget that Legoland remains closed on WEDNESDAYS with the exception of Wednesday 10/31.  Let’s make it a habit of mentioning Legoland to every guest and tell them about the free shuttle behind ICON Orlando that picks up every day at 9 am.  Legoland offers the MOST commissions out of all One Day Theme Park tickets!

SPORTING EVENTS

Orlando Magic – Basketball season has started and we are now selling tickets!  Upcoming home games are 10/12 vs San Antonio Spurs, 10/17 vs Miami Heat, 10/19 vs Charlotte Hornets, and 10/25 vs Portland Trailblazers.  All locations should have the laminated seating chart and price guide.  If you do not, please let your Team Manager know so they can get one out to you.  For those of you on the Premier Team, you will call the Magic directly and give the guest a voucher that they will redeem at “Will Call”.  When calling to make the reservation be sure to mention that “You work for AGS on the Premier Team and use Rezgo for bookings”.  For those of you on Activity Link, use the same procedure as booking in the past.  Have the guest’s information ready (desired section and price, first and last name) and then call your Team Lead or Manager.  They will book the tickets directly for you and put them in DropBox where you can print them out and give them to your guest.  These are the actual tickets so they can proceed directly to the main entrance of the Amway Center.

Orlando City – Orlando City has their last two home matches of the season next week on  Wednesday, 10/17 vs Seattle Sounders and Sunday, 10/21 vs the Columbus Crew.  We still have 12 company seats available in Section 1, and we are selling seats throughout the stadium for the last 2 games.  Please call your Team Manager to book any of these tickets.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Next home game is Sunday, October 21st vs the Cleveland Browns.  We ARE selling tickets for this game!  Please contact your Team Manager to book them for you.  Prices start at $70 and go as $255.  Keep the price mat handy so your guests can see it on your desk and ask about it!

EMPLOYEE NOTES:

Happy Birthday to Rocky D. on 10/17, Veronica M. on 10/14, Brandi S. on 10/12, Donna A. on 10/23, Jonathan C. on 10/21, and Ariana T. on 10/25!  Congrats to KB for 5 years on 10/24, Diane F. for 6 years on 10/12, Steve H. for 7 years on 10/12, Michel P. for 4 years on 10/14, and Melissa R. for 8 years on 10/12, 

There are a LOT of special events and ticket associated with Halloween.  So please see below for details so you can be well informed and give your guests the correct information.  Please take the time during your slow periods to go to EVERY theme park’s website to see their specific details on their Halloween events.  FYI, we are NOT selling Howl-O-Scream tickets for Busch Gardens.

MICKEY’S NOT SO SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY (MNSSHP)

Upcoming event nights are 9/30, 10/2, 10/4, 10/8, 10/9, 10/11, and 10/14.  Remember, we are running an incentive for sales on the nights of 9/25, 9/28, and 9/30!  The top 10 sales people will receive a $75 Disney Gift Card.  Additionally for every 10 tickets you sell during a 2 week pay period, you will receive a $20 bonus (does not apply to Vistana sales).  Guests with our tickets can enter the park as early as 4 pm.  Don’t forget to tell anyone purchasing day tickets to the Magic Kingdom and going to the park on a MNSSHP event day, THE PARK CLOSES AT 6 PM!

HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS (HHN)

You MUST look at the calendar and let your guests know that our tickets are good for any 2 Sunday – Thursday nights during the entire event.  Again, CHECK THE CALENDAR!  There was no event this past Thursday and we had guests who were told there was and they were very upset.  Make sure you are telling any guests who purchase day tickets that the park CLOSES AT 6 PM ON DATES OF EVENT NIGHTS.  Vistana gifting employees will receive a $20 bonus for every 10 tickets sold during every pay period!

SEA WORLD’S HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR

This is INCLUDED with regular park admission and runs every WEEKEND (Saturday and Sunday) in October.  Costumes for the kids is encouraged and there are special shows and Trick or Treat stations throughout the park.  FYI, for these weekends, Sea World is running a special Buy One Adult at Full Price and receive a Kid Free special ONLINE ONLY.  Again, this is an ONLINE special and is NOT available at the gate.  WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HONOR THIS SPECIAL.  So unless your guest mentions they saw it online, do not bring it up.  You can offer discounts of up to $20 on regular one day tickets if asked so the guest will get a $40 discount, but we cannot give the Kid’s free.

For Activity Link users, make sure you are giving a FREE 1 DAY I-RIDE ticket to every guest who purchases tickets!  They should be getting two separate vouchers.  One for the Sea World admission and one for the Trolley.

LEGOLAND’S BRICK OR TREAT

This is also included with regular park admission and runs every WEEKEND in October, and also on October 31st.  There will be special Halloween themed shows throughout the park and fireworks at 8 pm on these nights.  SPECIAL NOTE – Even though the park maps show the park closed on Tuesdays in October, THEY WILL BE OPEN!  The park will continue to be CLOSED ON WEDNESDAYS, with the exception of October 31st.  THIS IS A GOOD REASON WHY YOU SHOULD ALWAYS GO ON THE ATTRACTIONS WEBSITE TO DOUBLE CHECK HOURS AND OPEN DATES.  

ORLANDO MAGIC – FREE FAM!

The NBA season is just around the corner and the Pre-Season games start next week with the first game being Friday, October 6th.  We will be selling tickets the same way as last year.  The Premier Team will use Rezgo and send the guests with a voucher that the guest will turn in at Will Call to get their tickets.  ALL OTHER TEAMS WILL HAVE THE SAME PROCEDURE AS LAST YEAR.  You will call a Lead or Manager, they will book the tickets for you using the procedures that we provide them, and they will  load the ACTUAL TICKETS in Drop Box for you to print out and give to your guests.  More information will be coming out next week.

Plus ALL OF YOU are invited to a FREE FAM on Wednesday, October 10th, where you can watch the Orlando Magic take on Flamengo of Brazil and enjoy a special halftime reception!  Tickets will be provided to all AGS employees free and one guest ticket can be bought for $20.  The beauty of this is that when you purchase ONE GUEST TICKET, YOU WILL RECEIVE TWO FREE tickets to the opening night game on October 17th against the Miami Heat!  RSVP by October 3rd to:  orlandomagic.com/tourismfam

TAMPA BAY BUCS

Starting Monday, October 1st, we will begin selling Tampa Bay Buccaneers tickets.  This will be for all Activity Link users only.  The commission on these tickets will be $10 each.  The procedures will be exactly like Orlando City.  You will call a Lead or a manager and they will book them for you.  You will need to get the guest’s name and an email address and they MUST have a smart phone to have the tickets scanned at the gate.

CITY ACCESS INCENTIVE!

Guys, in addition to passing out all of your restaurant referral cards, you should ALWAYS encourage each of your guests to download the CityAccess App.  Each of you should have a pad and a stamp with your unique number on it.  If you DON’T have these, please send an e-mail to rick@allguest.com and he will have Carolyn at Adrenaline make you one and get it out to you.  INCENTIVE:  FROM OCTOBER 1 TO DECEMBER 31, 2018, THE CONCIERGE WITH THE MOST DOWNLOADS WILL RECEIVE 4 DAY RESORT PASSES TO DISCOVERY COVE!  You must have at least 30 downloads per month and you must total a minimum of 90 during the incentive period to be eligible.

NOW SELLING ROCK DINNER SHOW – FREE ADMISSION FOR 2!

Rock Dinner Show on International Drive is NOW OPEN!  We have contracted with them and we can now sell their vouchers.  The venue is located at 6362 International Drive across from the Avanti Resort.  They would like ALL OF YOU to take an opportunity to see the show.  You and a guest are invited to see the show for FREE!  Call 407-536-7943 to make a reservation and use the code HOSP18 for this offer!

FOREVER FLORIDA CLOSED

Forever Florida has gone out of business.  Not many of you may have known them well, but they had a great Zipline Course and horseback riding.  Please discontinue the sale of Forever Florida.

EMPLOYEE NOTES:

Happy Birthday to Lori C. on 9/29, Maribel R. on 9/30, Evelyne A., KB, and Caylee G. all on 10/3, Vicente M. on 10/6, and Brandi S. on 10/12!  Congrats to Angelica B., Veronica M., Alix R., and Jose S. for 3 years on 9/30, Sabrina B. for 1 year on 9/30, Christina S. for 4 years on 10/3, Lori C. for 1 year on 10/9, Diane F. for 6 years on 10/12, Steve H. for 7 years on 10/12, and Melissa R. for 8 years on 10/12!

Universal has announce a new ticket offer for us!  From September 14th through March 14, 2019, all 2 and 3 Park 2 Day Base and Park-to-Park tickets will receive 2 additional days free!  So any 2 Day ticket will automatically be given 2 extra days!  You can do this for ALL tickets EXCEPT the 2 Day Base.  When selling a 2 Park – 2 Day Base ticket, be sure to ask your guests if they will be using the additional free days.  If they don’t or they’re not interested, instead of printing the 2-Park – 4 Day Base Promo ticket, you should print the 2 Park – 2 Day Base In Market ticket.  This ticket is given to us at a LOWER cost which makes your commission HIGHER.  So be sure to ask your guests this when selling these tickets so you can make more money!  As always, the tickets printed must match what is put in the POS.

UNIVERSAL’S HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS

Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) started this past weekend.  This year we are selling a 2 Night FlexTicket that is not available online or at the gate.  Basically this ticket will allow 2 admissions for HHN on any Sunday – Thursday event night.  Fridays and Saturdays ARE EXCLUDED for this ticket.  You can sell it as “Buy a night, get a night free” or “Two nights for the price of one”.  We will be trying to sell it for the retail price of $123 inclusive, however you can match the online price of $88 inclusive if you need to.  The two nights do NOT have to be consecutive.  If fact, they can be used ON ANY NIGHT during all event dates as long as they are NOT A FRIDAY OR SATURDAY.  Be sure to check your HHN calendar for event nights.  remember, just because we say Sunday – Thursday nights DOES NOT mean they have them every night.  Last year we had someone sell one for a Tuesday night and there are never dates on Monday or Tuesday nights.  So be sure to check your calendar.  Don’t forget!  You MUST tell your guests that Universal Orlando CLOSES AT 6 PM ON HHN EVENT NIGHTS!

SEA WORLD WEEKDAY TICKETS – MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

Sea World has rolled out this special offer again.  Through Activity Link we will be selling the weekday tickets for $69 inclusive.  RezGo users have it for $85.  This is a GREAT deal and it is NOT available online or at the gate, so be sure to mention it to your guests!  Remember to ask your guests “What day will you be visiting the park?”.  If they want to go on a Saturday or Sunday, you must sell them the regular One Day admission tickets.

LEGOLAND

We really need to PUSH Legoland tickets more!  Legoland offers you the HIGHEST commission of ANY One Day Theme Park ticket!  Remember to offer the free shuttle that picks up behind ICON Orlando (Orlando Eye) at 9 am everyday.  Don’t forget that they are now operating their FALL SCHEDULE, meaning they are CLOSED TUESDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS in September, and WEDNESDAYS in October.  The Water Park is now ONLY open on the weekends.  Always check the calendar before selling any tickets.

NOW SELLING THE HOLY LAND EXPERIENCE THROUGH ACTIVITY LINK

As was previously mention, for ACTIVITY LINK USERS ONLY, you can now sell the Holy Land Experience.  The commission on these tickets is $3 per person, so that’s a very good commission!  Don’t forget that the Holy Land Experience IS CLOSED SUNDAYS AND MONDAYS and most holidays.

DISNEY 2 AND 3 DAY BASE TICKETS WITH FREE HOPPING

The Free Hopper option on all 2 and 3 Day Disney tickets continues through September 30th.  If someone purchases these tickets and does NOT begin using them, they will have until December 31, 2019 to finish using them.  All sales will discontinue as of 9/30, but the offer will begin again at the end of October.

MICKEY’S NOT SO SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY (MNSSHP)

MNSSHP continues every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday and some Thursdays through October 31st.  Guest with our tickets can enter the park as early as 4 pm.  You must tell the regular park-goers on these dates that THE MAGIC KINGDOM CLOSES AT 6 PM.  So if you have someone going to the Magic Kingdom on a MNSSHP date, they may be better off going to MNSSHP and entering the park at 4 pm instead of being kicked out at 6 pm.  We will inform you as soon as we hear about any particular night being sold out, but if you have PREVIOUSLY sold ticket to a sold out night, the guest is still good to go!  If you are unable to activate tickets for a certain night, that means it’s SOLD OUT.  The incentive continues where for every 10 MNSSHP tickets you sell during a pay period, you will get an additional $20!  Also, from 9/17 to 9/21, the TOP 5 SALES PEOPLE OF MNSSHP TICKETS WILL RECEIVE 4 TICKETS TO THE MNSSHP EVENT ON SUNDAY, 9/23!

INCENTIVES

We have a TON of incentives going on, so be sure to look at the Bulletin Board in When to Work to see what you should be pushing.  Keith is trying to keep it up to date, but there are a LOT of ways to make extra money and win prizes!  Here are just a few of the attractions running incentives:  Mickey’s Not So Scary, Enterprise Rent a Car, Blue Man Group, Boggy Creek Airboat Rides, and Hard Rock Cafe.  In addition, don’t forget the Wonderworks Orlando Fun Partners event on Wednesday, 9/26!

ENTERPRISE FIRST, THEN DOLLAR/THRIFTY/HERTZ

Enterprise is now our first choice for rental cars.  Dollar/Thrifty/Hertz should be used as a back up.  We have shoppers checking on rental cars and anyone using any other company other than these will be reprimanded and/or terminated (with the exception of having a different company in your lobby).  Remember, from 9/5 – 9/25 you receive DOUBLE commission on all Enterprise Rentals.

EMPLOYEE NOTES:

Happy Birthday to Brian A. on 9/18, Deb C. on 9/15, Judy F. on 9/17, Mariela G. on 9/22, Berty M. on 9/19, Michel P. on 9/27, Christina S. on 9/25, Vanessa G. on 9/18, Keith Henderson on 9/20, and Gabriela L. on 9/17!  Congrats to Brenda R. for 4 years on 9/23!

We get calls in the office on a daily basis from irate guests who get the wrong tickets, or don’t understand what tickets they purchased.  When you close the sale, you should always give the guest the “Times & Information” brochure for whichever tickets they purchased.  Make sure you review what parks are included (many people get confused between Hollywood Studios and Universal Studios) and how long they have to use the tickets.  Remember, multi-day Disney and Sea World tickets must be used WITHIN 14 DAYS, and Universal tickets must be used WITHIN 7 DAYS.  Review the park hours with them and IF THEY ARE BUYING MAGIC KINGDOM TICKETS ON THE DAY OF A MNSSHP EVENT, MAKE SURE YOU LET THEM KNOW THE PARK CLOSES AT 6 PM.

DISNEY SEASONS – CHECK THE CALENDAR CLOSELY WHEN SELLING ONE DAY TICKETS

When selling ONE DAY DISNEY TICKETS, be sure to ask your guests “What day will you be visiting the park?”.  We will be in REGULAR SEASON from tomorrow, 9/1 through Monday, 9/4, and then every Friday through Sunday in September.  Besides this Monday, every Monday through Thursday will be VALUE SEASON during the month of September.

MICKEY’S NOT SO SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY (MNSSHP)

The dates for upcoming MNSSHP are 8/31, 9/3, 9/7, 9/9, 9/11, 9/14, 9/16 and 9/18.  Don’t forget that with our tickets, guests can enter the Magic Kingdom as early as 4 pm.  This is a great alternative if you have guests wanting to visit the Magic Kingdom on these dated if they’re getting a late start.  The park will be less crowded, there will be Trick or Treat stations located throughout the park, and 25 of the major rides and shows will be operating.  Also, for every pay period (2 weeks), we will be giving a $20 bonus for every 10 tickets sold!

UPRGRADABLE DISNEY TICKETS

Sometimes we have guests that one to add additional features to their tickets.  Here is a reminder about the policies for Disney:  Tickets MUST be upgraded before leaving the park on the final day.  There must be entitlements remaining on them in order for them to be upgraded.  THE SPECIAL FREE HOPPER TICKETS ARE NOT UPGRADABLE AT ALL.  No additional days or features can be added.  TIMESHARE TICKETS ARE NOT UPGRADABLE AT ALL.  Once they use their tickets, no additional days or features can be added to the tickets.  CONVENTION TICKETS ARE UPGRADABLE.  Additional days or features CAN be added as long as there is a day remaining on the ticket.

DISNEY HOSPITALITY DAYS TRAINING

The new Disney Hospitality Days program is here!  All of you must attend one of the 3 training sessions on either Tuesday, 9/11 or Wednesday, 9/12.  We already have too many people requesting the PM shift off on 9/11, so please choose a different time to attend.  The link to rsvp is:  www.disneyurl.com/hospitalitydays.  Your hospitality passes will be given to you at the end of the session.  If any of you have entitlements left on your current passes, YOU NEED TO USE THEM NOW, BECAUSE WHEN YOU GET YOUR NEW PASSES, YOUR CURRENT PASSES WILL BE TURNED OFF. 

SEA WORLD BUY ONE GET ONE 1/2 OFF

This offer is available only ONLINE on Sea World’s website and is not available at the gate.  It will continue through Sunday, September 9th.  You should only be selling this offer if a guest mentions it and you have to do a price match.  Otherwise sell the tickets at regular price.  Please see the previous e-mails through When to Work explaining how to sell them.

RAINY DAYS

As a good Concierge, you should look at the weather forecast daily and let your guests know that in Orlando, it rains every day.  They should plan accordingly.  Let them know which parks and attractions are the most indoors and that they don’t have to let rain stop them from going to the parks.  Many times the parks will be less crowded and most of the rides will still be operating unless there is lightning.  Please let them know that once our tickets are scanned, they are non-refundable and they need to check with each park regarding their rain policies.

LEGOLAND FREE PARKING HAS BEEN EXTENDED THROUGH MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3RD

Besides being the HIGHEST commission ticket that we sell, another good reason to sell Legoland is the the FREE PARKING has been extended through Monday, September 3rd.  Please be sure to mention Legoland to all of your guests!

AGS SEA WORLD TRADESHOW

So far, we have 84 employees signed up.  That means about 60 of you have not signed up yet.  All of you MUST attend this event!  It’s a great way to learn about our vendors, plus there’s food, drinks, prizes and fun!  You can spend 30 minutes there or an hour or two, BUT YOU WILL NOT BE THERE FOR 5 HOURS.  So there is no need to request time off.  Please plan on coming before or after your shift.  Encourage all of your work friends to attend as well – Front Desk, OPC’s, Bellmen, Restaurant workers, etc.  RSVP at ags2018.eventbrite.com.

EMPLOYEE NOTES

Happy Birthday to Teresita G. on 9/2, Felipe L. on 9/10, Robert M. on 9/6, Melissa R. on 9/10, and Johayleen R. on 9/9!

We can’t stress how important it is to be proactive and ENGAGE with guests.  What does this mean?  When you have no one at your desk, you should be actively engaging with your guests in the lobby and/or breakfast area.  Pass out stickers to the kids.  Engage in a conversation with them!  Let them know you are the Concierge and you are there to help them!  Offer them coupons for area restaurants and park maps.  I will give you an example of how well this works.  The sales at Embassy Suites has been below budget for quite some time.  So we started putting Lori there.  Lori is constantly walking around the lobby talking to guests, passing out candy to the kids, and engaging in conversations with them.  Since she’s been there, the GM has gotten a lot of great comments, our sales have increased and Lori’s CHECK has increased.  She is the perfect example of what all of you need to do to get the same results.  Try it!

MICKEY’S NOT SO SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY (MNSSHP)

Friday, August 17th marks the FIRST night for MNSSHP.  For those of you who weren’t here in previous years, this is a specially ticketed after hours event that we sell at the Magic Kingdom.  The event usually starts at 7 pm, but guests with our tickets can enter as early as 4 pm.  There is trick-or-treating for the kids with candy stations throughout the park, a special Boo to You Halloween parade, and the Hallowishes Fireworks show.  Costumes on kids are allowed, but please check the webpage for restrictions.  Remember to check your Magic Kingdom hours because if there is a MNSSHP event, the park opens 1 hour earlier, BUT CLOSES AT 6 PM!  Here is more information about new stuff for 2018 as well as what attractions are open during the event:

A New Spin on Spooky
New in 2018, delight in twists and treats at some beloved attractions! Discover a fresh spin on the Mad Tea Party, featuring new lighting and effects. On Pirates of the Caribbean, join some rookie pirates in their search for “Gunpowder Pete.” And on Space Mountain, hurtle through deep space with a new soundtrack.

Attractions Open During the Event
Enjoy access to dozens of beloved attractions during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, including:

Main Street, U.S.A.

• Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom

Adventureland

• The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Swiss Family Treehouse

Frontierland

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Splash Mountain

Liberty Square

• Haunted Mansion

Fantasyland

• Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
• “It’s a small world”
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Mad Tea Party
• Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Storybook Circus

• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• The Barnstormer

Tomorrowland

• Astro Orbiter
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
• Space Mountain
• Tomorrowland Speedway
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover

PLEASE BE VERY THOROUGH WHEN EXPLAINING TICKETS – READ THEM OUT LOUD AS YOU PASS THEM OVER

Guys, we continue to have guest issues because the tickets are not being explained well.  When selling Disney tickets, please make sure you give the guest a map and CIRCLE the parks that are included so they are perfectly clear.  We just had a guest show up at Universal Studios with Hollywood Studios tickets.  If they are purchasing partial day Convention Tickets, you must make sure they are PERFECTLY clear that they will NOT be able to enter the park until After 1 pm or After 5 pm depending on the ticket purchased.  For all multi-day or multi-park tickets, you MUST tell the guest how long they have to use the tickets.  I’ve mentioned this many times, but here it is again:  DISNEY – 14 DAYS; SEA WORLD – 14 DAYS; UNIVERSAL 7 DAYS.  When selling Sea World tickets, please be VERY CAREFUL and explain to guests the difference between Sea World with a Meal, and Sea World with All Day Dining.  We’ve had several situations happen recently with these tickets.  Remember, Sea World with Meal is only ONE meal including a non-alcoholic beverage, and entree, and a side at select locations.  The All Day Dining gives unlimited snacks, non-alcoholic beverages and food throughout the day at many locations.  Make sure you make your guest VERY CLEAR about this when handing the tickets over.  Many people expect the parks to be open until 10 or 11 pm year round, and they don’t realize that in the slower season, they may close at 6 or 7 pm.  This is especially important with the Magic Kingdom whenever there is a MNSSHP event.  The park will be opening 1 hour earlier at 8 am on these dates, but closing at 6 pm.  

DISNEY SEASONS – VALUE FROM 8/27 – 8/31

Make sure you are keeping an eye on the Disney Seasons for all One Day Ticket sales.  We remain in REGULAR season for now, but the last week in August drops to VALUE (from 8/27 – 8/31).  Please be sure to check your calendar before quoting any prices.

MANAGER’S CELL PHONE NUMBERS

Please do not give a guest a manager’s cell phone number without the permission from that manager.  Many times we are in meetings or we will not answer the phone if we see an unknown number coming up on caller ID.  If a guest has an issue and they want to speak to a manager, please have them call the office and we will direct them to the appropriate manager.  If it’s urgent, YOU call the manager and give that manager the details of the situation before having the guest talk to the manager.  There’s nothing more frustrating than getting a call from someone you don’t know and having them yell at you without being aware of the situation.

CHAIN OF COMMAND

As managers, we love you all and would like nothing more than to talk to each one of you for hours on end.  However, many times we have meetings, appointments, conference calls, e-mails to answer, or we may be dealing with an irate guest on the phone.  So we have a lot going on.  With that said, please make your Team Lead the first point of contact for any issues you may have.  They are getting paid more to assist you and that’s what they are there for.  If it’s something more major, please contact your Team Manager.  If they cannot resolve it for you, then move on to Rick or Armando.  So that’s the order you should use 1)  Leads; 2)  Team Manger; 3)  Rick or Armando.  Thank you!

INCENTIVE CORNER

Keith has started posting all of the Incentives on the When to Work Bulletin Board for all of you to keep up with.  So please look at it on a regular basis.  Here are the current incentives:

Planet Hollywood – From Monday, August 6th thru September 9th
-Referral cards redeemed at Planet Hollywood during lunch hours, 11am – 4pm, will receive $2 per person  -Referrals after 4pm will remain at $1 per person  -2 winners per week for the most lunch referrals and the prize is a $50 Planet Hollywood gift card  -Minimum of 15 referrals to qualify  -Grand prize winner at the end of the contest will receive a $150 Planet Hollywood gift card and a Planet Hollywood Leather Jacket,

Sea World – From May 28th to September 3rd you will receive 1 Raffle Ticket for every 10 Multi-Park tickets you sell.  Multi-Park tickets are:
-Two Park Ticket  -Three Park Ticket  -Unlimited Visit Ticket  -Two Park Ticket with 2x All Day Dine
-Three Park Ticket with 3x All Day Dine
Each Raffle Ticket will give you 1 chance to win a pair of Howl-O-Scream VIP tickets including Front of the Line Access and dinner! Winners will be announced after September 3rd.

Boggy Creek – Only those of you who attended one of the training sessions are eligible. Earn double commission on every Boggy Creek ticket you sell from
8/16 – 9/9.
To qualify for double commission you MUST:
1) have attended one of the 30 minute training sessions on 8/15. AND
2) you MUST use your two free admissions before the end of the double commission period (9/9)

AGS HOSPITALITY TRADE SHOW

Make sure you RSVP for the AGS 2018 Summer Trade Show at Sea World’s Ports of Call!  It will be held Monday, September 10th from 12 Noon  – 5 pm.  There are almost 50 of our partners that will be there for you to visit with and learn about, as well as food, drinks and raffles!  Here is the link to RSVP:  https://ags2018.eventbrite.com.  Please encourage ALL of your friends in the Hospitality Industry to attend, including your friends at the Front Desk, Timeshare partners, Bellmen, Valet parkers, and more to attend!

LEGOLAND

Let’s keep working on getting our Legoland sales up!  Legoland offers the HIGHEST commission on any single day admission ticket.  Remember, you should not offer the BOGO’s unless a guest mentions the Free Child offer, or if they are in a Timeshare Resort or doing a tour.  Don’t forget about the Free Shuttle!  Also, during the month of August PARKING IS FREE, so the guests you sell tickets to will be able to save even MORE money!

EMPLOYEE NOTES:

Happy Birthday Rafael C. on 8/21, Genesis D. on 8/27, Sandra R. on 8/26, Nicky T. on 8/24, Sheena J. on 8/17, Raul R. on 8/20, Yaquelin R. on 8/28, and Michelle V. on 8/22!  Congrats to Rocky D. for 1 Year on 8/28, Ann N. for 9 Years on 8/27, and David M. for 3 Years on 8/22!

As the summer winds down, we need to make sure we are maximizing our sales. We are getting reports from Legoland, Sea World and Universal that we are down in sales from last year, and we want to turn this around. Are you doing everything you can to make sales? Are you getting out from behind the desk and greeting your guests in the lobby? Are you offering them restaurant coupons and information for the parks as a way to get them to your desk? Once they are at your desk, are you asking “Discovery Questions” (Have you been here before? How long will you be staying? Do you have children in the family? What are the ages? Do you have a car while you’re here? Do you have any dinner plans?) to help with the vacation planning and maximize the sale? If they ask for a 1 Day ticket to any park, are you talking about all of the multi-day and multi-park options available? If you are not doing these things, YOU NEED TO. We have a couple of new hires that are doing this and making far more commissions than some of you that have been here for more than a year. This goes to show that if you are proactive and and engage with the guests, YOU WILL MAKE MORE MONEY!

THEFT / DISHONESTY WILL NOT BE TOLERATED

We expect all of you to be honest, trustworthy and loyal and represent AGS in this manner.  It is very disappointing when we have secret shoppers out and they find someone stealing from the company.   We have warned you all time and time again that we are monitoring transactions and anyone not processing a cash transaction correctly will be immediately terminated,   We intend to prosecute anyone in the future.  Is this worth it?  Thank carefully about this.  And again, thanks to all of you who have made us proud and represent us with honesty and integrity.

LEGOLAND INCENTIVE!

Don’t forget about the Legoland incentive running from 7/23 – 8/6.  For this 2 week period, we need to sell a minimum of 180 REGULAR (Non-Gifting/Bogo) tickets for the incentive to be paid out.  What can you win?  For every 25 tickets sold, you will get a $25 Target Gift Card!  Sell 40 tickets and be entered into a drawing for the Grand Prize:  Your choice – A 42″ LED TV, 4 Complimentary Legoland tickets, or $350 worth of Target Gift Cards.  Let’s make sure we mention Legoland to every guest, and don’t forget the FREE SHUTTLE that picks up daily from behind the Orlando Eye.  Legoland is THE HIGHEST COMMISSIONED ONE DAY THEME PARK TICKET that we sell!  Also, from August 1st – August 31st, they are offering FREE STANDARD PARKING.  So if your guest wants to drive there, this is another reason for them to buy tickets from us!

UNIVERSAL VALUE SEASON STARTS MONDAY, AUGUST 6TH

For the next few days, please make sure you are asking all guests who purchase One Day Universal tickets “What day will you be visiting the park?”  This is very important because ANYTIME must be printed for Saturday and Sunday, and then VALUE starting Monday.  Please make sure you do this so we don’t have angry guests coming back that overpaid for their tickets.  Disney continues in Regular Season through August 26th.

Also, everyone should have gotten the e-mail for the  Frontline Sales Appreciation Party for Fast & Furious Supercharged on either Tuesday, 8/21 or Thursday, 8/23.  Please make sure you RSVP no later than 8/15.  If you did not receive this e-mail, please e-mail rick@allguest.com to let him know.

DISNEY FREE HOPPER STARTS SUNDAY, AUGUST 5TH

Disney is once again offering our guests the Free Park Hopper option on all 2 and 3 Day Magic Your Way tickets (Convention and Timeshare tickets do not apply) starting Sunday, August 5th and continuing through September 31st.  This applies to Base tickets and tickets with the Plus option.  This is a GREAT deal for our guests and is NOT available online or at the gate.  If unused, all tickets will expire on December 31, 2018.

SEA WORLD

Let’s continue to push the multi-park tickets.  Be sure to let your guests know that “Electric Ocean” will be ending soon so they take advantage of the time left to see the #1 night-time theme park event.  The two “Free Beers” have been extended through Labor Day.  Aquatica has been voted the #1 Water Park in the USA so that’s a nice fact to tell your guests as well.  Busch Gardens continues their Summer Nights as well.  Remember, we are running an incentive from May 28th through September 3rd!  For every 10 multi-park tickets you sell, you will receive an entry into a drawing for one of ten pairs of VIP Howl-O-Scream tickets, including dinner and front line passes!

ORLANDO CITY MATCH VS NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 4TH AT 7:30

There are still seats available for the Orlando City Soccer game Saturday against the New England Revolution.  The game starts at 7:30.  We still have company seats available for $52, and all of the Tourism Seats as well.  If you are on the Activity Link/Guest Services team (not Premier/Gifting/VIP), you are welcome to wear your Orlando City oxfords.  Let’s try to get some more sales and support the Lions!

EMPLOYEE NOTES:

Congrats to Ariel B. for 3 Years on 8/10, Jon G. for 6 Years on 8/15, Lisa H. for 1 Year on 8/16, and Keysha S. for 4 Years on 8/15!  Happy Birthday to Mike B. on 7/23, Rick Piesko on 7/30, Jose S. on 7/30, Steven S. on 8/15, Keysha S. on 7/23, Richelle C. on 8/4, and Sabrina H. on 8/10, 

We are still looking to add additional employees to our staff.  These are the qualities we are looking for in our new hires:  RESPONSIBLE, DEPENDABLE, RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION, OUTGOING PERSONALITY, CAN WORK ANY DAYS AND ANY TIME (INCLUDING NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS), HAS VISITED ALL OF THE THEME PARKS AND ENJOYS THEM, KNOWS THE ORLANDO AREA, AND BI-LINGUAL PREFERRED.  If you know of anyone looking for a job with these qualities, please send them the link to our online application:  attractions-lodging-leisureinc.appone.com.  If they are hired and they stay with us for at least 90 days, you will receive a $100 Visa Gift Card!

LEGOLAND INCENTIVE!

Legoland offers you the BEST commission on any One Day ticket!  We should really be talking about Legoland to every guest, especially if they have small children.  Don’t forget to mention the Free Shuttle that picks up daily behind the Orlando Eye.  INCENTIVE – From 7/23 – 8/6, AGS as a company must sell a minimum of 180 NON-TOURING tickets (No Bogos will count).  For every 25 Regular Admission tickets (Not Bogos) that you sell during this period, you will receive a $25 Target Gift Card!  For every 40 Regular Admission tickets (Not Bogos) that you sell, you will receive a raffle ticket to choose from the following prizes:  A 42″ LED TV; 4 Complimentary Legoland Florida Admission tickets; or $350 worth of Target Gift Cards!  Who needs $350 to spend at Target?!  I DO!!!  This is a really nice incentive so let’s work to make sure we sell 180 tickets during these 2 weeks!

CALL OUTS

We have had an excessive amount of call outs lately, which is very unfortunate because those of you that are working all of your shifts are making a LOT of money!  A few policies to remind you of when it is necessary to call out for your shift:  Absolutely no texting.  Many times we may be sleeping, in meetings, or don’t otherwise receive your text.  You must CALL your Team Manager with as much advance notice as possible.  If they don’t answer, continue calling EVERY manager until someone actually answers the phone and you TALK to someone.  Do not leave a voicemail message or e-mail.  Again, you MUST TALK to a manager.  If you wake up sick, make sure you call no later than 6 am.  If you are sick in the evening and don’t think you will be able to make it in for your AM shift, please call your Team Manager that night.  Anyone calling out 2 days or more in a row will be required to present a doctor’s excuse.  Car problems will no longer be an acceptable absence.  You will be expected to get a ride from a friend/relative or get an Uber or Lyft.

USAGE PERIODS FOR ALL MULTI-DAY OR MULTI-PARK TICKETS

We have had some guest issues with being told the correct information on how long they have to completely use a multi-day or multi-park ticket.  FYI:

Universal – 7 Days; Disney – 14 Days; Sea World – 14 Days

If you are ever in doubt, please read the Terms & Conditions printed on the tickets OUT LOUD to your guest.

SECRET SHOPPERS ARE OUT

We want to remind all of you that we have secret shoppers out on a regular basis and anyone caught being dishonest and/or not following proper procedures will be terminated.  This includes handling cash transactions correctly and using the proper Rental Car procedures.  Our shoppers will be dressed as tourists and we will have them checked into the hotel so you will never know they difference.  They will purchase tickets in cash to make sure the transaction is entered into the POS correctly and the correct change is given.  They will also ask about and/or actually rent a car to make sure you are using Dollar/Thrifty/Hertz and that you’re handling the transaction correctly.  Anyone using an unapproved Rental Car company (unless you have one in your lobby) will be terminated.

NEW HIGHER COMMISSIONS ON SEA WORLD WITH ALL DAY DINING!

Sea World has increased our margin on the Sea World with ADD, so you will now make an additional $2 per ticket sold!  Use the laminated AGS Dining Guide to promote this with your guests.  If you don’t have a dining guide at your location, please let your Team Manager know.  Next to Legoland, the Sea World tickets are the HIGHEST commissions!  So let’s continue to push these sales.  Electric Ocean has been voted the #1 night-time theme park event.  They are offering 2 free beers to every guest aged 21 and up during the summer.  And they have introduced a Happy Hour special at 2 of their restaurant venues during the summer.  These are great selling points for your guests!

NEW TICKET ENVELOPES

All locations should have received the new ticket envelopes last Friday.  Please make sure you are putting ALL TICKETS SOLD in these envelopes!  Our advertisers paid for this space so we need to make sure we’re giving them the exposure.  The new envelopes include ONE FREE TICKET to Madame Tussauds per family IF they download the City Access App.  We do NOT give them the free ticket – they get it through the app.  However it will give you an opportunity to sell the family the additional tickets.  To encourage them to purchase them from you, we will give them these discounts:  Pick 1 Attraction – 10% = $3 off per ticket; Pick 2 Attractions – 15% = $6 off per ticket; 3 Attractions – 25% = $12 off per ticket.  This offer is designed to help you sell more tickets!  Please make sure you use the envelopes for EVERY sale and encourage your guests to download the app.

DISNEY INCENTIVE WINNERS!

We have our first 2 nights available for the H2O Glow Party at Typhoon Lagoon for our incentive winners:  Thursday, 7/19 and Saturday, 7/21.  Again, our winners were:  Karen V., Rafael C., Delila A., Izzy G., Kelci B., Christina S., Keysha S., Shirley C., Berty M., Florence M., Kevin M., Lisa H., Ann N., Valerie G., Jon G., Claudia P., Pablo Z., Sabrina B., Raul R., and Caroline L.  We have 10 sets of 2 tickets for each of these nights, so we will take the first 10 people to RSVP to sales@allguest.com for each night.  Great job guys!

H2O GLOW AND DISNEY AFTER HOURS

Speaking of H2O Glow, we are still selling tickets to this event that is every Thursday and Saturday through the summer.  We are also selling tickets to Disney After Hours at the Magic Kingdom.  Remember, this is a GREAT way to see the park with little to no wait time!  25 of the most popular attractions and character greetings will be available as well as unlimited ice cream, popcorn and soft drinks.

EMPLOYEE NOTES:

Happy Birthday to Maria A. and Mariandrea S. on 7/10,  Migdalia R. on 7/14, Jan D. and Maikel B. on 7/15, Mariana G. and Ana Maria S. on 7/16, Destiny M. on 7/12, Rich M. on 7/19, Congratulations to Sandra R. for 3 Years on 7/11 and Justin H. for 2 Years on 7/20!

We are now in the peak period of summer season!  All of you should be excited to make as much money as possible!  What do you need to do?  BE PREPARED!  Get to your location early to make sure you are there to catch anyone waiting for the first shuttle.  Check your supplies!  Make sure you have plenty of Disney Shells (at least 6 packs of Adults and 2 packs of children – check closely), POS rolls, credit card rolls and printer paper.  SELL, SELL, SELL!

DISNEY UPDATES

The Free Water Park special has ended effective Friday, 6/29.  The Water Park admission must be used on this day or the guest loses it.  As long as the tickets are unused, the rest of the ticket can be used until 12/31/19.  Of course once they start using it, they have 14 days to complete the usage.  Toy Story Land is opening Saturday, 6/30.  Make sure any guests choosing to go to Hollywood Studios are aware that the crowds will be much heavier than usual this summer.  If they want to visit Toy Story Land, they need to get there early!

WATER PARKS

When selling ANY ticket for a Water Park or that includes a Water Park (whether it’s Aquatica, Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach or Volcano Bay), tell your guests that they MUST GET THERE EARLY!!  Many of the water parks are reaching capacity by 11 am or 12 Noon on a daily basis – even EARLIER on the weekends!  Many times Volcano Bay will be at capacity by 10 am.  So be sure to tell your guests to get to the Water Parks BEFORE 10 am.  Also, don’t forget that we are selling the H2O Glow Party at Typhoon Lagoon which is every Thursday and Saturday night through the summer!

FLORIDA SUMMER WEATHER

Another reminder you need to give to your guests is that it rains EVERYDAY in Florida in the afternoon, so they need to plan accordingly.  The rain usually doesn’t last for very long, so they don’t need to let it ruin their whole day, but they do need to prepare for it usually between 2 pm – 5 pm in the afternoon.  Please remind your guests that there are no refunds and no rainchecks if it rains.

SEA WORLD / BUSCH GARDENS / AQUATICA / DISCOVERY COVE

We really need to do a better job of selling Sea World tickets.  Sea World has more roller coasters than any other theme park in Orlando.  With Manta, Mako, Kraken Unleashed and Journey to Atlantis, it has more thrilling rides than any other one park except Busch Gardens.  Plus the have the highest rated theme park night-time events with Electric Ocean, and 2 FREE BEERS for all guests over the age of 21!  And Happy Hour at two of the restaurants inside from 4 pm – 7 pm.  Busch Gardens also has great night-time offerings and free beer!  Aquatica has also been voted one of the top 10 water parks in the world, and the newest ride – Ray Rush – is already getting reviews as one of the top family raft rides around!  Also, don’t forget that the Discovery Cove ONLY offer continues through the summer for your guests that have a limited budget or limited time.  The bottom line is, every guest should be talked to about these great offers and should buy a multi-park ticket from you.  And don’t forget the multi-park incentive we have going to win VIP passes to Howl-O-Scream in the fall!

LEGOLAND

Legoland offers the HIGHEST COMMISSION of any ONE day theme park!  This is another park that we need to get more sales.  Be sure to mention Legoland and the fact that they have a FREE SHUTTLE that picks up every day from behind the Orlando Eye!

EMPLOYEE NOTES

Congrats to Fabian for 1 Year on 6/29, Debby D. for 5 Years on 6/24, Mariana G. for 4 Years on 6/23, Carolina T. for 5 Years on 6/24, Jenna M. for 2 Years on 6/23, and Michael M. for 1 Year on 7/3!  Happy Birthday to Dimary D. on 7/4, Shirley C. on 7/5, Lisa H. on 7/6, and Steve M. on 6/28!

Have a safe, happy and prosperous 4th of July!

Sea World and all of the Sea World parks (Aquatica, Busch Gardens, Discovery Cove, Adventure Island) offers families some of the BEST experiences.  Did you know that Sea World has more roller coasters than any theme park in Orlando?  With roller coasters, shows, animal interactions, and fun things for the kids, Sea World has things for the entire family.  Electric Ocean has been voted the best night-time event for any theme park in Orlando and runs Fridays – Sundays in June and EVERYDAY in July!  Also, there is FREE beer and Happy Hour all summer long at Sea World.  Aquatica is considered the best water park in Orlando.  And Ray Rush is getting rave reviews as one of the best family raft rides at any water park.  Also, they are extending hours from  Busch Gardens is having their Summer Nights and also Free Beer all summer!  And adding the All Day Dining is a great value for your guests.  So there are lots of reasons to sell the multi-park tickets for Sea World!  Don’t forget that we are having an incentive as well!

DISCOVERY COVE ONLY EXTENDED

Discovery Cove ONLY (without Sea World and Aquatica) has been extended through the summer, but at an increased price.  The new price for the Swims is $299 including taxes and for Day Resorts (Non-Swim) $171 including taxes.  Remember, you always want to suggest the regular admissions that include Sea World and Aquatica because you make more commissions.  The DCO only should only be recommended if a guest has limited time or a limited budget.

DISNEY INCREASED COMMISSIONS – WATER PARK FREE

Don’t forget that the commissions have been doubled on the 2 Day Base with Free Water Park and the 2 Day Hopper with Free Water park.  From 6/8 – 6/29, you will make $5 per ticket on the 2 Day Base and $10 per ticket on the 2 Day Hopper!  The Water Park has to be used by 6/29 or they lose it.  Also during this time, there is a Free Water Park on all 1 Day Disney Magic Your Way ticket sales!  Although you don’t make extra commission, it is a great add-on for your guests.  Again, the water park admission on these tickets must be used by 6/29, or they lose it.  Disney is also offering an incentive during this time!  The top 5 sales people from each of the 4 teams (Gifting, VIP, Guest Services, and Premier) for all 2 Day and Higher MAGIC YOUR WAY ticket sales (no Timeshare or Convention tickets qualify) will receive 2 tickets to an H2O Glow Party at Typhoon Lagoon along with a $25 Disney Gift Card!

DISNEY TRAINING – DISNEY SPRINGS & TOY STORY LAND

For those of you that RSVP’d for the training, an e-mail will be sent to you with all of the details.  The important thing to remember is that you MUST be checked in at the AMC Theaters by NO LATER than the end of the registration hour.  So you MUST be checked in by 10:30, 12:00, or or 1:30 (depending on which session you chose) to be able to attend.  If you arrive late, they will not let you in.  Please park in the Orange Garage as it is the closest to AMC.  Also, in regards to the return, they will start having buses run  continuously starting 30 minutes before the end of the session.  So if you need to get to a shift, you can catch the bus 30 minutes earlier to get to work.  If you are scheduled off and haven’t RSVP’d, there may still be slots available.  You can RSVP at http://www.disneyurl.com/ToyStoryLandCFL.

DISNEY H2O GLOW PARTIES AT TYPHOON LAGOON

We will be selling these tickets!  The events are scheduled to start Thursday, 6/21 and will run EVERY Thursday and Saturday night from 6/21 through 8/11.  The price is $55 + tax and the events run from 8 pm – 11 pm (with ticketed guests being allowed to arrive at 7 pm).  What is H2O Glow?

• DJ-hosted dance party on the sandy beaches of the Surf Pool with lots of “Glow”
• Playful mix of Toy Story-themed experiences including Character Greeting with Buzz Lightyear, Woody and Jessie
• Special area—The Wharf—just for adult partygoers, featuring entertainment and a bar with refreshing libations available for purchase

We will be selling this ticket for $59 including taxes and your commission will be $2.25 per ticket!

DISNEY AFTER HOURS AT THE MAGIC KINGDOM

We will once again be selling Disney After Hours at the Magic Kingdom.  The first event date that we will be selling is 6/28.  Remember, this is a GREAT way to see the park with little to no wait time!  25 of the most popular attractions and character greetings will be available as well as unlimited ice cream, popcorn and soft drinks.

LEGOLAND – LET’S MENTION IT TO OUR GUESTS!

Legoland offers the highest commissions of any theme park for a single day admission!  Let’s really make an effort to mention Legoland to every guest.  You can schedule them for FREE TRANSPORTATION as long as it’s before 10 am on the previous day.  The bus picks up behind the Orlando Eye off of Universal Boulevard at the Legoland bus stop.  Do NOT offer the BOGOS unless it’s for gifting, the guest mentions it, or has a coupon.  you make less commission when you sell the BOGOS than you do when you sell the regular tickets.  Remember, the BOGO is Buy an Adult at FULL PRICE, get a CHILD free.  When you use Accesso to print the tickets, you only need to enter the number of ADULTS and the children will print automatically to match the number of adults.  This is different than the old system where you had to enter BOTH the adults AND the free children.  And you only need to enter ONE name.  A name for each ticket is not required.

YOU ARE A PROFESSIONAL CONCIERGE

All of you are employed as a professional Concierge.  Thanks to all of you that represent us so well!  The title of being a Concierge has certain expectations that a few of you are failing to meet.  Some of these are:  Being on time; being dressed professionally with the proper uniform (neatly pressed) and a nametag; being attentive to guests and giving them a proper greeting when they are within 5 feet of your desk; not sitting at locations where sitting is not permitted; staying AT YOUR DESK or greeting guests in the lobby; staying off of your cell phone at all times; using the computer for business purposes only; not being on personal phone calls; no earbuds, or headsets whatsoever; and not eating at the desk.  All of these things were discussed at your orientations and we continue to expect these policies to be met to our standards.

EMPLOYEE NOTES:

Happy Father’s Day to all you dads out there!

Happy Father’s Day to all of our Dads out there!  Happy Birthday to Mike G. on 6/22