2015 marks our 25th year in business and we want to make it the best year in the history of AGS! Of course, you all are the most important part of making this happen. Not only do we want this year to be our most profitable, but we want all of you to be considered the “BEST CONCIERGES IN ORLANDO!” How can you do this? We want each of you to “Go Above and Beyond for Every Guest”. This means to give superior service to ensure that every guest has the best experience ever at our desk. Don’t just be ticket order takers! Give the guest information about the parks – make sure they know what parks are included with their tickets and how long they have to use the tickets– the park hours – directions to the parks – special events going on at the parks – tips on the best way to see the attractions – how to set up Fast Passes – etc. When you are not busy at the desk, instead of playing games on your computer or being on your cell phones, go online and READ!!!! Stay informed about anything going on in Orlando. Read blogs about the Theme Parks and read the Orlando Sentinel – especially on Fridays when the Calendar section comes out. This is far and above some of the best information about what’s happening in Orlando. This will make you the BEST CONCIERGES in Orlando! This is our goal for 2015 – for the hotels to say “We upgraded our hotel by having AGS at our Guest Services Desk!”

SEA WORLD WEEKDAY TICKETS

January 1, 2015 begins our Weekday ticket specials again for Sea World (this is a correction). This pricing will continue through June 19th. Again, when selling these tickets YOU MUST ASK THE GUEST WHAT DAY THEY ARE VISITING THE PARKS. If they are not sure or are visiting on the weekend, you must sell the “Anyday” $20 off tickets. Also, we no longer have Length of Stay tickets! Effective immediately, although the FlexTickets are still sold at the gate or online, we are no longer selling FlexTickets, but we will call them “Bundles” – because our tickets will NOT give them 14 days unlimited use of the Sea World parks.

3RD DAY FREE STARTS SUNDAY

We will begin selling the Universal 3rd Day Free tickets for the 2 Day PTP again effective January 4th. You will enter the 2 Day tickets in the POS and print the 3rd Day Free tickets. All 2 Days will be taken out of the Instant Wizard sight. Continue to print the 3 Day Base tickets for the REGULAR 2 Day Base ticket.

CIRQUE PRICING

The last day for holiday pricing is for shows on 1/3. For shows from 1/6 – 1/10, the pricing will be back to the NORMAL pricing. After that, they will be on vacation and will return for shows starting 1/20.

4 PARK TIMESHARE OWNER’S TICKET

The 4 Park Timeshare Owner’s ticket has been taken out of Connect. However, we CAN CONTINUE selling these tickets for use starting January 3rd – January 28th. We will be distributing HARD TICKET INVENTORY to all appropriate locations that will be selling these tickets. They must be inventoried and counted TWICE daily – at the BEGINNING AND END of your shift. If any tickets are missing or miscounted, you will be charged the cost of these tickets. The tickets will be distributed at select locations on FRIDAY, 1/2 for use starting SATURDAY 1/3.  Remember, these tickets give ONE DAY OF ADMISSION FOR EACH OF THE 4 MAJOR PARKS – NO UPGRADES OR CHANGES OR PARK HOPPING ON THESE TICKETS.  They have 14 days to use the 4 admissions.

SHOPPERS CONTINUE

We want to remind all of you that our shoppers continue to shop each of you on a regular basis. They are checking for HONESTY, appearance, attentiveness, knowledge and sales skills. We will continue to terminate any employees who are dishonest and not recording sales correctly, or who are not following correct rental car procedures. We will NOT tolerate dishonesty or theft in this company WHATSOEVER. Thanks to all of you who this doesn’t apply to. We do appreciate you!

W – 2 INFORMATION

The end of the year means that W- 2’s will be coming out soon. Please double check all of your pay stub information to make sure it is accurate – ESPECIALLY YOUR MAILING ADDRESS. If you have to make a change, please make sure you e-mail Rick S. NO LATER THAN TUESDAY, 1/6!

SCHEDULE CHANGES – SCHOOL

For those of you in school, please make sure you are getting with your respective scheduling manager about your spring semester class schedule ASAP. If classes are starting next week, we need to know your schedule by no later than Friday.

LOOKING FOR GREAT EMPLOYEES!

We continue to be on the lookout for GREAT prospective employees! If you know of anyone that is responsible, dependable, OUTGOING, has knowledge about the attractions and Orlando, has good computer skills, and can work ANYTIME, including nights and weekends, please have them call Rick S. or Armando in the office to set up an interview.

NEW WAGE – $8.05 PER HOUR

Effective on the next check, our minimum base pay is increasing to match the Florida Minimum wage of $8.05 per hour.

DUAL OPC/CONCIERGE POSITIONS

If anyone feels that they have what it takes to book tours AND sell tickets, please contact Kymry. She is looking for GREAT people for her team!

UNIVERSAL INCENTIVE

From 11/24 – 1/4, we are running an incentive with Universal for ALL ticket products. AGS must sell 17, 236 tickets. Katwyn will be sending out regular updates on this incentive. Keep selling!

MOD FOR SATURDAY – KYMRY

Saturday 1/3, the MOD is Kymry. Rolando will be in the field helping and to take your calls.

Employee Notes: Congrats to Miriam, Leah and Karen for winning the Sea World incentive! Let’s start the New Year off on a positive note. Set goals for yourself and give the BEST SERVICE EVER!

So far, you all have done a great job! Now that New Year’s Eve is approaching we need to review what to suggest. Obviously all of the parks will be VERY busy, and each one has special fireworks and events planned. But if you have guests asking for other options, you want to suggest something that WE SELL and something that YOU CAN MAKE MONEY ON. There will be special events downtown and at CityWalk, but we don’t sell them and you won’t make any money if you send people to them. So here’s what you should suggest:

PIRATE’S DINNER ADVENTURE –Doors open at 8 for 2nd show at 9:30. Show followed by count down from Times Square, Live DJ, party favors, party hats, champagne toast and balloon drop at midnight. There is NO UPCHARGE for this year! However the online price is $68.95 + tax, so you can edit the price UP to make more commission. NO DISCOUNTS allowed for this show!

MEDIEVAL TIMES –Show is at 9:30. Normal 2 hour show followed by DJ & dancing, party favors, champagne toast at midnight, balloon drop and CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST. You need to sell tickets at NORMAL PRICE – NO DISCOUNTS. Guests will be required to pay a $10 upgrade fee for each person at the door.

PARK CAPACITIES

The Magic Kingdom and possibly Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom will more than likely be at capacity over the next 5 – 7 days, through 12/31. Encourage your guests to get to the parks NO LATER than 10 am. Also, encourage the HOPPER OPTION, because depending on the Phase, they WILL allow people to enter the park via the monorail or Disney buses if they have the Park Hopper option. Remind them that tickets are NON-REFUNDABLE, so it’s up to them to get to the parks early enough to get in. If you would like to check for the guest, the numbers to call are 407-824-2222 or 407-824-4321.

POS ISSUES

When you run your POS reports at the end of your shift, please be patient. DO NOT exit out and try to run it again. This is what causes the POS to go down. Try running your report at an off time so all of you aren’t doing it at the same time. Also, if your transaction times on your POS are going very slow, please call a manager so we can re-install it. This will help speed it up.

CLEAR YOUR HISTORY DAILY

To help speed up your computer, please clear your histories at the beginning of every shift. If you’re unsure of how to do this, call a lead or Jon G. to help you.

CREDIT CARD MACHINES

Because of all the problems we’ve been having with the credit card machines, we’ve decided to change the policy again. Do NOT unplug the credit card machines. Leave all cables connected and if possible, try to put them in a cabinet or drawer at the end of your shift so they are not visible. Thanks!

SEA WORLD TICKETS – KID’S FREE

Remember, 12/31 is the LAST DAY to print AND USE the Kid’s Free tickets. If you are printing these, you MUST enter the same number of ADULTS in the space above the Kid’s Free tickets. You CANNOT print Kid’s Free by themselves. Also, 12/31 is the LAST DAY to print Length of Stay tickets. Any guest getting these tickets will still have 14 days of unlimited use of the parks as long as the tickets are printed on 12/31. Discovery Cove purchases will continue to include 14 days of unlimited use of both Sea World and Aquatica – and also Busch Gardens if the guest gets the Ultimate package. Congrats to Miriam, Leah, and Karen for winning the revenue incentive!

SECURITY

Be sure to use the counterfeit pen on all bills $20 and higher. Be ESPECIALLY careful with older $100 bills from anyone in South America. For credit cards, you must check ID’s for EVERY sale and for parties of more than 4, all members of the party must be in front of you and you MUST do an address verification. The procedures are on the WTW Bulletin Board.

REVIEW ENTITLEMENS – READ TICKETS OUT LOUD!

Again, you must READ OUT LOUD all ticket given to the guest. Make sure you get to the Disney “Congratulations” page and go over what parks are included on each ticket and how long they have to use them. Give maps and circle the parks!

2 DAY BASE UNIVERSAL – 3 DAY

Until the 3rd Day Free tickets are re-activated, we will now AUTOMATICALLY give a 3 Day BASE for any 2 Day Base Universal ticket sale.

CIRQUE / BMG HOLIDAY PRICING

Cirque Pricing will increase from 12/20-1/3. Use CATEGORY A34 IN THE POS. Blue Man Group will increase from 12/22-1/4. Use CATEGORY A26 IN THE POS AND LOOK FOR THE BUTTONS THAT HAVE “HLDY” in the abbreviation. Any questions, please call a lead.

UNIVERSAL INCENTIVE

From 11/24 – 1/4, we are running an incentive with Universal for ALL ticket products. AGS must sell 17, 236 tickets. Katwyn will be sending out regular updates on this incentive. Keep selling!

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

12/31 – Last Day for Sea World Kid’s Free and Length of Stay tickets

MOD FOR SATURDAY – KYMRY

Saturday 12/27, the MOD is Kymry. Rolando will be available to take your calls and Armando and Ana Maria will be helping in the field.

Employee Notes: Happy Birthday to Debby on 12/29, Mark Lang on 12/30, and Valerie on 1/2! We would like to wish each of you a very safe, happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!

Well, this is it folks! Starting this weekend and for the next 2 weeks is the BUSIEST time of the year! Please be prepared. Get in to your locations early! Set yourself up for success by giving yourself enough time to get settled in the morning. Make sure you count your hard ticket inventory and bank. You WILL have lines! Be sure to acknowledge everyone waiting and GREET them with a smile and a pleasant “Good morning folks! I’ll be right with your”. Then hand them a FunPak and some dinner show brochures to look over while they’re waiting. Let them know they may have to wait a few minutes with you, but the lines will be much shorter than the lines to buy tickets at the parks!

SUPPLIES

Every year we have locations run out of Disney shells during this time. To avoid this, I want EVERY location to have a MINIMUM of 4 packs of ADULT MYW shells! Please double check this and make sure you have these! Also, be sure you have at least 2 rolls each of POS paper and credit card paper, and 1 full pack of printer paper.

MINIMIZE MISTAKES

We always have a lot of mistakes made during the busy time. Let’s do our best to minimize them this year. Be sure when printing Disney tickets that you go ALL the way through until you get a “Congratulations” page, and then READ EACH TICKET OUT LOUD TO THE GUEST! If you don’t go to the “Congratulations” page, the tickets are NOT active. If you see you’ve made a mistake, pull an End of Day report and make sure the tickets are on there. Turn in the wrong ticket to the office to be voided and print new ones. Also, go over the ENTITLEMENTS on each ticket. Make sure you review WHAT PARKS are included (and give maps CIRCLING the parks) and let them know how long they have to use the tickets.

SECURITY

With the busy season, you need to be EXTRA careful with security procedures. Be sure to use the counterfeit pen on all bills $20 and higher. Be ESPECIALLY careful with older $100 bills from anyone in South America. Make sure you are following the credit card procedures we have in place. You must check ID’s for EVERY sale and for parties of more than 4, all members of the party must be in front of you and you MUST do an address verification. The procedures for an address verification are on the WTW Bulletin Board.

PARK CLOSURES – BY 10 AM!

Probably starting Monday, 12/22, many of the Disney Parks – particularly the Magic Kingdom – will be closed to capacity by 11 am. Make sure you tell your guests to get to the parks by no later than 10 am to make sure they can get in!

EXTENDED HOURS

We will be extending the hours at many of the locations, so please look closely at your schedules. Never turn away a customer. If you still have people in the lobby, you can stay as long as you need to take care of the guests.

NO DISCOUNTING FROM 12/19-12/31

Due to the amount of volume we will get and the long lines at the gates, NO DISCOUNTING will be allowed from 12/19 – 12/31, with the exception of the normal already included discounts on our tickets ($20 off Multi-day Universal tickets, $10 of Any day Sea World and Busch Gardens tickets, and $10 off Dinner Shows and Blue Man Group). You need to stress to your guests how long the lines will be at the ticket booths at the parks and how the convenience from buying the tickets from us is worth it!

SEA WORLD OPTIONS

Remember, the last day to use the weekday tickets is 12/19. Also, the last day for Kid’s Free tickets is 12/31. We are getting a lot of questions about the combos, which give one admission only to each park – NOT unlimited. These tickets are good for 1 year from print date, so if a guest gets a SW/BG combo, they would have 1 year to visit both parks ONE time.

2 DAY BASE UNIVERSAL – 3 DAY

Until the 3rd Day Free tickets are re-activated, we will now AUTOMATICALLY give a 3 Day BASE for any 2 Day Base Universal ticket sale.

CIRQUE / BMG HOLIDAY PRICING

Cirque Pricing will increase from 12/20-1/3. Use CATEGORY A34 IN THE POS. Blue Man Group will increase from 12/22-1/4. Use CATEGORY A26 IN THE POS AND LOOK FOR THE BUTTONS THAT HAVE “HLDY” in the abbreviation. Any questions, please call a lead.

BATCH OUT CREDIT CARD MACHINES

Please make sure you batch out your credit card machines at the end of your shift. Run a “detail” report and then do a settlement. Your final slip should read “Settlement Successful”.

UNIVERSAL INCENTIVE

From 11/24 – 1/4, we are running an incentive with Universal for ALL ticket products. AGS must sell 17, 236 tickets. Katwyn will be sending out regular updates on this incentive. Keep selling!

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

12/18 – 1/2/15 – Block Out Dates for 4 Park Timeshare Owner’s Ticket                                      12/26 – 1/3/15 – Block Out Dates for Universal 3rd Day Free Tickets                                          12/19 – Last Day for Sea World and Busch Gardens Weekday tickets                                                  12/31 – Last Day for Sea World “Kid’s Free” tickets

MOD FOR SATURDAY – KYMRY

Saturday 12/20, the MOD is Kymry. Rolando will be available to take your calls and Rick S. and Katwyn will be helping in the field.

Employee Notes: Happy Birthday to Jon F. on 12/21! Congrats to Brian for 3 years on 12/19! Welcome Max DeCarvalho to AGS! Don’t forget the Sea World incentive!  We want to wish ALL of you a very Merry Christmas – Feliz Navidad – and thanks to all of you for being such loyal and dedicated employees!  A great big – THANKS – to those of you working Christmas Day and/or Christmas Eve!  All managers will also be working that day to show that we appreciate your efforts!

Guys, you should NEVER leave a location without getting permission from a manager. We know that sometimes you may need to get something from another location, but we need to informed! Also, the hours between 7 am and 11 am are NON-NEGOTIABLE. You should ALWAYS be available to help guests and sell tickets during this time. NEVER leave a location for breakfast. You must eat BEFORE you arrive at 7 am. Remember, you CANNOT eat at the desk or in the hotel’s breakfast room.

GET READY FOR BUSIEST TIME!

This will be the LAST week before busy season hits. From 12/19 – 1/4 it will be like fitting all of summer into those 2 weeks. Please make sure you are prepared. Check all of your supplies and make sure you have PLENTY OF DISNEY SHELLS, POS rolls and credit card rolls. There are a LOT of ticket changes, BLACK OUT DATES, etc. on certain tickets. We are sending out a 1 sheeter detailing all of the dates. Please keep it POSTED at the locations and DO NOT remove it.

NO DISCOUNTING FROM 12/19 – 12/31

Due to the amount of volume we will get and the long lines at the gates, NO DISCOUNTING will be allowed from 12/19 – 12/31, with the exception of the normal already included discounts on our tickets ($20 off Multi-day Universal tickets, $10 of Any day Sea World and Busch Gardens tickets, and $10 off Dinner Shows and Blue Man Group). You need to stress to your guests how long the lines will be at the ticket booths at the parks and how the convenience from buying the tickets from us is worth it!

READ TICKETS OUT LOUD

Let’s make this mistake-free busy time! Please make sure you read EACH ticket out loud to the guest. This is the last chance you have to correct any errors!

POS SLOW?

If your POS is running slow, please call the office to have it updated to run faster during the busy time.

CHECK HOLIDAY FLYER FOR DATES

All locations should have received the “Holiday Flyer” with all of the important dates to remember and the changes involved in the tickets. Please be sure to refer to it, and leave it at the desk. DO NOT take them for your personal use. One thing that was missed was the LAST DAY TO USE THE KID’S FREE TICKETS IS 12/31. If you sell any in advance, they must be used by 12/31.

JANUARY 1 – NO MORE FLEXTICKETS

Because Sea World will be eliminating Length of Stay tickets on 1/1, we will no longer be able to sell FlexTickets. We will be calling them 4 Park, 5 Park, and 6 Park Bundles and we will be pricing them LOWER than the FlexTickets. FlexTickets will still be available at the gate and online, but we can’t sell them. WE will have to push the fact that even though our tickets only give 1 admission to each park, they are cheaper. More to come on this.

2 DAY BASE UNIVERSAL – YOU WILL PRINT 3 DAY

Once we eliminate the 3rd Day Free Universal tickets, we will now AUTOMATICALLY give a 3 Day BASE ticket for any 2 Day Base Universal ticket sale. Our cost on these tickets is the same, so you will print a 3 Day Base and sell it at a 2 Day Base price.

CODES CHANGING

Many location codes have been changed or will be changing. Please call THE OFFICE the day before your shift to see if your codes have changed. Please do not call Ana Maria or a manager the morning of your shift. Thanks!

HEALTH INSURANCE

For those of you who have insurance through AGS, IPRG and Maisa, you MUST contact her prior to December 15th in order to have continuous coverage. Her phone number is 407-415-1773.

FUN SPOT CHANGES 12/15

Effective 12/15, we will no longer be selling Child’s Unlimited Armbands for Fun Spot. You will be selling Adults for all guests and any children will receive a $10 voucher once they get to Fun Spot that can be used for food, drinks or souvenirs. Also, the armbands will now be One Day Two Park Armbands so they can visit BOTH the Orlando and Kissimmee parks on the same day.

REVIEW ENTITLEMENTS

Don’t forget to go over information when handing out tickets! Be sure to tell the guest how long they have to use the tickets and what parks are included!  Remember, almost all multi-day tickets have a 14 day time period to be used.  In other words, if they buy a 2 Day Disney ticket, those 2 days can be used anytime within 14 days of the first date of use.
CIRQUE / BMG HOLIDAY PRICING

Cirque Pricing will increase from 12/20-1/3. Use CATEGORY A34 IN THE POS. Blue Man Group will increase from 12/22-1/4. Use CATEGORY A26 IN THE POS AND LOOK FOR THE BUTTONS THAT HAVE “HLDY” in the abbreviation. If you have any questions, please call a lead or a manager.
UNIVERSAL INCENTIVE

From 11/24 – 1/4, we are running an incentive with Universal for ALL ticket products. AGS must sell 17, 236 tickets. Katwyn will be sending out regular updates on this incentive. Keep selling!

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
12/18 – 1/2/14 – Block Out Dates for 4 Park Timeshare Owner’s Ticket                                       12/26 – 1/3/14 – Block Out Dates for Universal 3rd Day Free Tickets                                           12/19 – Last Day for Sea World and Busch Gardens Weekday tickets                                         12/31 – Last Day for Sea World “Kid’s Free” tickets
 

MOD FOR SATURDAY – KYMRY
Saturday 12/13, the MOD is Kymry.

Employee Notes: Happy Birthday to Armando on 12/15! Congrats to Valerie for 4 years on 12/13, and Armando for 18 years on 12/17! Welcome Luis Santana and Steve Needham to AGS! Don’t forget the Sea World incentive too!

We expect all of you to be honest, have integrity, and not steal from the company. This includes cash transactions and commissions from rental cars. We are now having shoppers CONTINUOUSLY shop our desks and unfortunately as disappointing as it is, we had some dishonest people out there that are no longer with the company. We will have ZERO tolerance for any cash discrepancies or theft in any way (including rental car commissions), and again, we don’t care what position you have with the company or how long you’ve worked for us. You will be fired. Our shoppers are now out on a continuous basis checking for adherence to all of the policies we have in place. It is really hurtful that for all of the great things that Rick and Linda do for our staff, how they show their appreciation, and how they treat all of you like family, that someone would steal from them. For those of you who continue to do a great job with honesty and integrity – THANK YOU!

OTHER SHOPPER FEEDBACK

The other thing our shoppers have noticed is that some of you are not doing a very good job explaining the tickets. Some of you are just giving the tickets out without any information. When handing the tickets over, not only should you read them out loud, but you need to review the entitlements. You should go over: What parks are included in the tickets; How LONG THEY HAVE to use them; and Park Hours and special events. Also, be sure to give Park Maps and see if they need driving directions or shuttle information before they leave your desk. If they have a GPS, you can always point out the GPS directions on the back of the FunPak. The other thing they mentioned is that some employees were not willing to help them if it was towards the end of their shift. You should NEVER turn a guest away and tell them “I’m closed”! Even if you have to stay later, you will be paid for your hours and of course you will make commissions!

CODES CHANGING
Many location codes have been changed or will be changing. Please call THE OFFICE the day before your shift to see if your codes have changed. Please do not call Ana Maria or a manager the morning of your shift. Thanks!

HEALTH INSURANCE
For those of you who have insurance through AGS, IPRG and Maisa, you MUST contact her prior to December 15th in order to have continuous coverage. This is for all of you that had gone through the Open Enrollment last May and that are getting reimbursements from AGS. Her phone number is 407-415-1773.

LOOKING FOR GOOD EMPLOYEES
Thanks to those of you who have already sent some good prospects our way! We continue to look for good quality people that are dependable, have theme park knowledge and knowledge of the area, are outgoing, and can work ANYTIME, including nights weekends and holidays. If you know of anyone with these qualities, please have them call the office and speak to Armando or Rick S. to set up an interview. Thank you!

FUN SPOT CHANGES 12/15
Effective 12/15, we will no longer be selling Child’s Unlimited Armbands for Fun Spot. You will be selling Adults for all guests and any children will receive a $10 voucher once they get to Fun Spot that can be used for food, drinks or souvenirs. Also, the armbands will now be One Day Two Park Armbands so they can visit BOTH the Orlando and Kissimmee parks on the same day.

PLEASE WATCH DATES ON TICKETS
The Universal 3rd Day Free tickets will be deactivated as of 12/12, because they will not be valid from 12/26 – 1/3. Also, PLEASE DON’T FORGET that 12/19 is the last day to sell and use the Sea World Weekday tickets.

CIRQUE / BMG HOLIDAY PRICING
FYI, Cirque and Blue Man Group both have holiday pricing in effect during the Christmas holidays. Cirque Pricing will increase from 12/20-1/3 and Blue Man Group will increase from 12/22-1/4. We will have all of this pricing in the POS. Just remember if you are doing any advance reservations, you will need to charge the “HOLIDAY” price for these time periods.

SLOW TIME FOLLOWED BY BUSIEST
These next 2 ½ weeks will be the slowest time of the year, which will be followed by the busiest 2 weeks of the year- like packing all of summer into 2 weeks from 12/20 – 1/4. Please take these next 2 weeks to prepare. Clean and organize your desks. Check your supplies and make sure you are well stocked for the busy time. Use these 2 weeks to sharpen your sales skills. Get into the habit of suggesting Blue Man Group with every Universal ticket sold. Don’t forget to ask about dinner plans, and then go into your pitch for dinner shows! Remember, Pirate’s and Medieval Times are great for kids, while Sleuth’s and Treasure Tavern are great for Adults.

UNIVERSAL INCENTIVE
From 11/24 – 1/4, we are running an incentive with Universal for ALL ticket products. AGS must sell 17, 236 tickets. If we do this, the top 3 Gifting Team and Guest Service Team sellers will receive a PAID day off to do a VIP tour of both parks, including free parking, lunch, a $50 gift card and VIP access to select attractions. Let’s sell those tickets!

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
12/18 – 1/2/14 – Block Out Dates for 4 Park Timeshare Owner’s Ticket                                         12/26 – 1/3/14 – Block Out Dates for Universal 3rd Day Free Tickets                                           12/19 – Last Day for Sea World and Busch Gardens Weekday tickets

MOD FOR SATURDAY – KYMRY
Saturday 12/13, the MOD is Kymry.

Employee Notes: Happy Birthday to Kyle on 12/5! Welcome Delza Hopkins and Anthony Rodriguez to AGS!

As was sent out in a When to Work message, we now want ALL credit card machines locked up in the safe at the end of your shift. Unplug the power cord and phone line (and Ethernet cable if you have one) from the back of the machine and lock the unit in the safe under the desk. When you come in for your shift, you will need to plug in all cables. Plug in the round POWER cable in the appropriate power hole on the machine (usually on the side). Plug in the phone line to the jack hole that says “phone” or shows a picture of a phone or it’s the BLUE jack on the back of the NEW machines. IF YOU HAVE AN OLD MACHINE, THE PHONE JACK MIGHT BE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE MACHINE.  If your machine has internet access, plug in the Ethernet cable to the internet port on the machine (the 10BaseT on the old machines or the YELLOW jack on the new machines).For those of you with the old machines, the phone line plugs in on the bottom. When the unit powers on, you may see a screen that says “First Data – Comm Serv”. Hit the button next to “Comm Serv” or F3 to get to the main screen. Be sure to run a “Detail Report” FIRST THING – before you do any transactions and before you batch out! If you see any transactions, call a manager IMMEDIATELY! If you have any questions, please call a lead or manager.

SEA WORLD KIDS FREE TICKETS                                                                                                              As you all know, Sea World is now running a “Buy an Adult at FULL PRICE, get a Kid’s ticket free” special. This will work exactly like Legoland. There must be an EQUAL number of adults for the kid’s free – again NO DISCOUNTS. For any odd number of either adults or kids, print and charge for either the weekday tickets if they’re going Monday – Friday, or ANY DAY tickets if they’re going Saturday or Sunday. When entering the sale in the POS, you will only enter only the adults using the button “SWOKF A”. This offer will be valid THROUGH 12/31. Don’t forget, the last day to USE and print the Weekday tickets is 12/19!

MARTY                                                                                                                                                            Marty has called to update us on his status. He is not doing well and the prognosis is not good. He said the doctors are giving him from 2 weeks to 2 months. They have stopped treatments and he is in hospice care. Please feel free to reach out to him to cheer him up and continue to pray for him.

MICKEY’S VERY MERRY XMAS PARTY!              If you have a guest that wants to go to MVMCP, we can no longer use OUR tickets, but you CAN book them tickets using the “Florida Resident” link in the left column of our homepage. At the top under “Browse Available Tickets”, click on the drop down – click “Special Events” and then click “Go”. You will see all of the available dates. Book the tickets just like you do for Florida Residents. Fill out all of the guest’s information and enter the credit card number. We do NOT collect the money – Disney charges the card. Print 2 copies of the confirmation page. Give one to the guest and put your name on the other and put it in your deposit.

DRESS CODE
Guys, we should not have to talk about this again. Jeans or jean material is NOT acceptable to wear at the desk. You must wear slacks, or ladies can wear a skirt that touches the knees. Sandals, flip flops, and tennis shoes are not acceptable. You must wear a professional looking closed toe shoe. The managers will be looking at this as they come around. Also, EVERYONE should now have a nametag. Please make sure you wear it, and if you’re wearing a blazer, it must be on the outside of the blazer.

WATER PARKS – COLD WEATHER
Before selling any ticket that includes a water park, be sure to check the weather forecast. Remind your guests that if the temperatures drop below 70, there is a chance they may close. Also, remind them that the tickets are non-refundable, especially combo tickets that include a water park. Also, don’t forget to tell everyone that purchases the Water Park Fun & More option the Typhoon Lagoon is closed, but Blizzard Beach is open.

CIRQUE / BMG HOLIDAY PRICING
FYI, Cirque and Blue Man Group both have holiday pricing in effect during the Christmas holidays. Cirque Pricing will increase for shows from 12/20-1/3 and Blue Man Group will increase for shows from 12/22-1/4. We will have all of this pricing in the POS. Just remember if you are doing any advance reservations, you will need to charge the “HOLIDAY” price for these time periods.

SLOW TIME FOLLOWED BY BUSIEST TIME OF THE YEAR
These next 2 ½ weeks will be the slowest time of the year, which will be followed by the busiest 2 weeks of the year- like packing all of summer into 2 weeks from 12/20 – 1/4. Please take these next 2 weeks to prepare. Clean and organize your desks. Check your supplies and make sure you are well stocked for the busy time. Use these 2 weeks to sharpen your sales skills. Look through all of the products that we offer and develop a sales approach for trying to sell the most profitable tickets.  Tours are VERY profitable and if you want some sales tips on selling them, Rafael will be happy to help you.  Get into the habit of suggesting Blue Man Group with every Universal ticket sold. Don’t forget to ask about dinner plans, and then go into your pitch for dinner shows! Remember, Pirate’s and Medieval Times are great for kids, while Sleuth’s and Treasure Tavern are great for Adults.

UNIVERSAL INCENTIVE
From 11/24 – 1/4, we are running an incentive with Universal for ALL ticket products. AGS must sell 17, 236 tickets. If we do this, the top 3 Gifting Team and Guest Service Team sellers will receive a PAID day off to do a VIP tour of both parks, including free parking, lunch, a $50 gift card and VIP access to select attractions. Let’s sell those tickets!

TAMPA BAY BUCS SALES – 11/30 & 12/28
Click on the “Bucs” picture on the AGS Homepage. Like the Magic, we DO NOT collect the money. The Bucs do.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
12/18 – 1/2/14 – Block Out Dates for 4 Park Timeshare Owner’s Ticket                                         12/26 – 1/3/14 – Block Out Dates for Universal 3rd Day Free Tickets                                                12/19 – Last Day for Sea World and Busch Gardens Weekday tickets

MOD FOR SATURDAY – KYMRY
Saturday 11/29, the MOD is Kymry.

Employee Notes: Happy Birthday to Janice on 11/30 and Laura on 12/3! Congrats to Karen for 8 years on 12/1! Welcome Edward Crawford to AGS!  Don’t forget the ongoing Sea World incentive!

Thanks to all of you who came out Sunday night! And thanks to ALL of you for working so hard! We had a GREAT time! The food was outstanding, the dancing was fun, and some great prizes were won! Congrats to Chris and Valerie for winning prizes for their costumes, and Eric H. and Carlos for the dance off and getting a “Behind the Scenes” tour of their choice at Sea World. We’re a little disappointed that some of you who RSVP’d didn’t show up, because Sea World paid per person, but hopefully all of you will make it next year! Next year will be our 25th Anniversary, so we hope to make it a very special party!

SEA WORLD KIDS FREE TICKETS                                                                                                                 As you all know, Sea World is now running a “Buy an Adult at FULL PRICE, get a Kid’s ticket free” special. This will work exactly like Legoland. There must be an EQUAL number of adults for the kid’s free – again NO DISCOUNTS. For any odd number of either adults or kids, print and charge for either the weekday tickets if they’re going Monday – Friday, or ANY DAY tickets if they’re going Saturday or Sunday. When entering the sale in the POS, you will only enter only the adults using the button “SWOKF A”. We know that the number of Kid’s Free tickets printed will match the number of adults entered in the POS. This offer will be valid THROUGH 12/31.

MICKEY’S VERY MERRY XMAS PARTY!                                                                                                        Now that we no longer have any additional nights to sell, please look at your hard ticket inventory closely.  If you have any remaining MVMCP tickets, please MINUS them out of your inventory (-) and turn them in with your deposit.  Thank you!
 

MARTY
Marty has informed us that he has Stage 4 lung cancer and will be out indefinitely. Right now he is strong and will continue to fight. Keep positive thoughts flowing Marty’s way and keep him in your prayers.

PROFESSIONALISM
Guys, we have certain things we expect out of each and every one of you. Here are a few: Absolutely no EATING, drinking or gum chewing behind the desk. No personal use of cell phones unless it’s an emergency. No use of personal tablets, headphones or devices. NO SITTING in the lobby or in front of the hotel in uniform – you must take breaks in a designated employee break area. Give a pleasant greeting to EVERY GUEST within 5 feet of your desk and be ATTENTIVE to anyone in the lobby! When working with a guest, you MUST STAND. Shirts must be IRONED and neat – tucked in for men. If your location requires it, a blazer must be worn. These things are ABSOLUTELY MANDATORY and will be monitored by management – they will do surprise visits without being noticed. They are CRITICAL to our image and survival of our company and we expect each and every one of you to adhere to these rules and standards.

ZERO TOLERANCE FOR STEALING CASH                                                                                                                                                          Again, we want all of you to know that there will be ZERO TOLERANCE for anyone taking money for rental cars or stealing any money from AGS.  We will be firing anyone taking cash, and we don’t care what your position is or how long you’ve been working for us.  We have shoppers out and people will be fired.  Rental car revenue is factored in to the rents that we pay and must go through the office.  You receive 30% of the commission on all rental cars booked.  Tips given directly to you by a guest is the ONLY cash you are allowed to take.

TAMPA BAY BUCS SALES
We are selling the LAST TWO home games for the Bucs for this year – SUNDAY 11/30 AND SUNDAY 12/28. The procedure is much like the Magic where the guest picks a price level and seating area. You then call in the reservation to the Bucs, giving all of the information to the sales agent along with the guest’s credit card information. The order form and ordering procedures are in “Drop Box” at the very bottom and also under “A Miscellaneous”. Please look through this and be familiar with the procedures so you can be knowledgeable and SELL IT! You will be paid on a referral basis, meaning when we get the check from the Bucs, you will get 20% of the profit. You will NOT put this in the POS.

LOTS OF UNUSUAL PRODUCTS TO SELL!                                                                                           Guys, when you are slow, you should be looking through our POS, Googling and looking at brochures for all of the products we sell.  Did you realize that if you have guests wanting to do a Zip Line or Horseback riding, they can do this at Forever Florida and we SELL THIS?!  Did you realize that we sell Orlando Magic and Tampa Bay Bucs tickets, and if a guest would like to go to these or the Jacksonville Jaguars and needs transportation, you can use Florida Dolphin Tours or Grayline?  Take the time to look through all of the tours offered by Gator/Grayline and Florida Dolphin Tours.  These have GREAT commissions!

CODES CHANGED
We are changing many of the codes at the locations. Please CALL THE OFFICE the day before your shift to check for changes.
 

CIRQUE / BMG HOLIDAY PRICING
FYI, Cirque and Blue Man Group both have holiday pricing in effect during the Christmas holidays. Cirque pricing will increase from 12/20-1/3 and Blue Man Group will increase from 12/22-1/4. We will have all of this pricing in the POS. Just remember if you are doing any advance reservations, you will need to charge the “HOLIDAY” price for these time periods.

SUGGEST BMG WITH UNIVERSAL
With Blue Man Group being one of our highest profit tickets, get in the habit of offering it with EVERY Universal ticket you sell. You can offer a $10 discount (Adults only) as a way to get the sale!

STANDARDIZED DESK APPEARANCE
Marcc will be going around to each location. If you have anything personal that you want to keep, please take it home or move it to an area that is safe and not to be thrown away. Also, no brochures, magazines or referral cards should be left lying on the counter at the end of your shift. The only thing to be left on the counter is the price mat and the new sign.

ORLANDO MAGIC INCENTIVE
Our Orlando Magic ticket sales are really down so far this year. Let’s really try to mention the Magic, especially if you have men or a Dad and son together! There will be an incentive for the game on 11/26 for the top 3 sellers! 1st – $150, 2nd – $75, and 3rd – $50. Let’s sell these tickets!

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
12/18 – 1/2/14 – Block Out Dates for 4 Park Timeshare Owner’s Ticket                                   12/26 – 1/3/14 – Block Out Dates for Universal 3rd Day Free Tickets                                        12/19 – Last Day for Sea World and Busch Gardens Weekday tickets

MOD FOR SATURDAY – KYMRY
Saturday 11/22, the MOD is Kymry.

Employee Notes: Happy Birthday to Jaki on 11/18, Celia on 11/22, Rodney on 11/26, both Eric G. and Carolina on 11/24 and Erika on 11/21! Congrats to Karina for 5 years on 11/18, Greicy for 1 year on 11/25, and Shirley for 5 years on 11/26! Please welcome Tonya McCoy to AGS! Don’t forget the Sea World incentives!

Don’t forget to join us as we travel back in time to the 80’s, when the hair was big, the clothes were loud and the music was jammin’! THE PARTY WILL BE AT SEA WORLD’S PORTS OF CALL ON SUNDAY, 11/16 AT 6 PM SHARP! We will be having dinner, drinks, and dancing so come and let loose! Friday, 11/7 is the LAST DAY to RSVP for YOU AND 1 GUEST for this party that is destined to be one for the history books! So far, we are missing a LOT of you, so don’t be left out! If we don’t get your RSVP by tomorrow, you will be scheduled to work.

MICKEY’S VERY MERRY XMAS PARTY!                                                                                                     You MUST list these tickets on your log sheet and COUNT them at the beginning and end of your shift. The dates we are selling are 11/7, 11/10, 11/13, 11/14, 11/16 and 11/20 ONLY! Although there are additional dates available, we will NOT be selling any other dates. Some of these dates are sold out to the general public BUT OUR TICKETS WILL BE HONORED, EVEN IF THE EVENT IS SHOWING AS SOLD OUT ONLINE. All hotels don’t have tickets, so if you sell them and you don’t have any or enough to fill an order, call a manager to give you direction. Generally they can be transferred from another hotel. As usual, guests with OUR TICKETS can enter through a specially designated turnstile as early as 4 pm on the day of the event.

RENTAL CARS – TERMINATIONS

Just a reminder that shoppers are out and we will be terminating anyone that is not following proper procedures for booking rental cars. Anyone taking money directly from a company, splitting money with an OPC or using an unapproved company will be terminated – and we don’t care if you have been with us for 10 years or you are one of our best sales people. You WILL be fired! OPC’s are NOT to be booking car rentals while AGS employees are working. If they are, call an AGS manager and we will contact their management. We factor in rental car revenue to the locations rents that we pay, so this will be taken very seriously.

STANDARDIZED DESK APPEARANCE

Starting next week, Marcc will be going around to each location. He will be cleaning and organizing them to our location standard – from what’s on the walls to what’s in and around the desk. If you have anything personal that you want to keep, please take it home or move it to an area that is safe and not to be thrown away. Also, no brochures, magazines or referral cards should be left lying on the counter at the end of your shift. The only thing to be left on the counter is the price mat and the new sign we will be providing each location.

NEW FRONT DESK REFERRAL CARDS

New Front Desk Referral cards will begin going out with feedback options for the guest. It will be in your best interest to encourage the Front Desk staff to pass these out upon CHECK-IN and to encourage the guest to give feedback. We will be giving employees some awesome company perks like paid days off, cash rewards, etc. so let’s get them turned in! Also, please remind your Front Desk staff that the referral cards are one per room/per family and should only be passed out when the guest checks in. We will not be able to give more than 1 discount per family.

CODES – KEY BOXES/SAFES

Just a reminder to keep codes confidential! Please DO NOT leave them lying around on a piece of paper or in a notebook. Also, codes are ONLY to be given out by a manager. If a co-worker asks you for codes, you MUST direct them to call the office or a manager – not even a lead.

GIFTING TEAM – PIRATE’S / SLEUTH’S

Gifting team, ALWAYS use the Gifting ticket for Pirate’s and Sleuth’s, even if the tickets are sold. You are at timeshare resorts so this ticket MUST be printed out of the POS in order to get the lower rate.

POS SLOW?

Please call the office or a manager to have it reinstalled before busy season hits.

NO LEAVING DESK BETWEEN 7 – 11

Between 7 am – 11 am, desk hours are non-negotiable. You should always be available to assist your guests and sell tickets. If you want breakfast, you must eat before your shift. No one is to eat behind the desk or off the hotel breakfast bar. Thank you for your cooperation with this.

ORLANDO MAGIC – LETS’ SUGGEST!

Let’s try to increase our Magic sales. There are not a lot of home games in the first 2 months, so let’s take advantage of the dates available and sell those tickets!

READ TICKETS OUT LOUD TO GUESTS

YOU MUST READ EACH TICKET OUT LOUD TO THE GUEST AS YOU HAND THEM OVER. This includes EACH ticket on the Disney “Congratulations” page. We continue to have guests getting Magic Kingdom tickets for Non-Magic Kingdom parks. Please be careful!

GREAT JOB CHRIS – BLOGGER! Chris is doing a great job blogging about Disney on the AGS Ticket store! If there are any of you interested in blogging (die hard fans of the parks, Magic, Orlando City, etc.) please call Marcc. You can read the blog at www.parkguestticketsblog.com

UPCOMING EVENTS

11/16 – Employee Appreciation Party – Sea World, 6 pm                                                                 11/18 – Fall HAT (Hospitality Appreciation Tradeshow) – Wyndham LBV, 10am – 5pm

DUAL OPC/GUEST SERVICES

Great job to Juan this week who booked 3 tours in 2 days! Let’s all set a goal of at least 5 tours per week!

GIFTING CORNER

Great job with the EPA incentive! Thanks to all of you who worked so hard and encouraged the OPC’s.

MOD FOR SATURDAY – RICK S.

Saturday 11/8, the MOD is Rick S.

Employee Notes: Happy Birthday to Ann M. on 11/8 and Daniel on 11/12! Please welcome Shannon McCarthy to the AGS team! Don’t forget the combo incentive for Sea World and Busch Gardens! It’s running through 11/9!

Saturday at 3 am marks the end of Daylight Savings Time. Before going to bed on Saturday, be sure to set your clocks back 1 hour. We all get an extra hour of sleep! YEAH!!!!!

MICKEY’S VERY MERRY XMAS PARTY!

The MVMCP tickets are being delivered to the locations Friday and Saturday. Again, you MUST list these tickets on your log sheet and COUNT them at the beginning and end of your shift. The dates we are selling are 11/7, 11/10, 11/13, 11/14, 11/16 and 11/20 ONLY! Although there are additional dates available, we will NOT be selling any other dates. Some of these dates are sold out to the general public BUT OUR TICKETS WILL BE HONORED, EVEN IF THE EVENT IS SHOWING AS SOLD OUT ONLINE. All hotels don’t have tickets, so if you sell them and you don’t have any or enough to fill an order, call a manager to give you direction. Generally they can be transferred from another hotel or delivered the following day.

EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION PARTY
We have our Employee Appreciation Party set for 11/16 at Sea World at 6 pm sharp! The theme this year is “Back to the Future” – join us as we travel back in time to the 80’s, when the hair was big, the clothes were loud, and the music was jammin’! You and 1 guest are invited to dress as your favorite personality from the 80’s! There will be great food, drinks, music and dancing! Please RSVP to the office as soon as possible. For those of you who have been with us less than 90 days, we will need you to stay behind to work, but you can look forward to our event next year!  Also, if there are any of you that are not interested in attending the party and would rather work, please let Katwyn and Rick know so we can schedule accordingly.  Thanks!

LAST CHANCE FOR HHN – HOS – 11/1
Three nights left to sell tickets! Let’s really talk to EVERY guest over these next 3 days and push these Halloween events! Remember for HHN for Friday and Saturday, you must sell the “Same Day Non-FL Res” ticket. Howl-O-Scream tickets are good for any of these 3 nights.

PROFESSIONALISM
Guys, we are constantly being looked at by hotel management and our competitors. Our competitor is using some of the lack of professionalism by some of you against us. What do we need you to do? Look professional. Make sure your shirt is ironed and neat, you are wearing the proper pants and shoes, your hair is combed and professional looking, you’re clean shaven (men), and you are wearing your nametag. There are to be NO hoodies, sweaters or sweatshirts worn at the desks. If your hotel is cold, wear a blazer (black or navy blue). Act professional. Be attentive to the guests around your desk and in the lobby. Stay off the internet and your cell phones! Greet guests with a pleasant greeting. SMILE! Help them with ANY questions they may have. If you don’t have the answer, ask them to give you a minute to find out. Google it first. If you still can’t find the answer, call a lead or a manager.

READ TICKETS OUT LOUD TO GUESTS
We have had far too many mistakes made on tickets lately. Remember, YOU MUST READ EACH TICKET OUT LOUD TO THE GUEST AS YOU HAND THEM OVER. This includes EACH ticket on the Disney “Congratulations” page. The most common mistake we’ve had lately is printing “Magic Kingdom” tickets for “Non-Magic Kingdom” guests. Disney will not let the guest in if they have the wrong tickets. If you read the confirmation page out loud, you can catch this mistake and correct it.

CLEAN UP DESKS – DE-CLUTTER
Some of you have far too much clutter on top of your desks. Take a look at it from a guest’s perspective. We DO NOT need 25 different brochures on top of the desks. Take down some of them and only leave up the bare minimum and most profitable, like dinner shows. We do not want our desks looking like a Flea Market. Also, take the time to CLEAN and organize your desk area. Go through your material and throw away anything that is outdated.

GOING INTO SLOWER TIME
As we go into a slower time, it will be critical for all of you to CONCENTRATE ON HIGH PROFIT TICKETS. This means you have to talk to EVERY guest about Legoland, Blue Man Group, Dinner Shows and Cirque. You’ll have more time to spend with each guest and VACATION PLAN. Use the itinerary planners in the FunPak to help you with this.

SELL 4 PARK OWNER’S TICKET
Don’t forget that if you have a timeshare OWNER at your desk, they can be sold the 4 Park Value Ticket through Connect, which is ONE VISIT to each of the four major parks. This is a great ticket with high commission and we can only sell it through 12/19. If you are at a location that is not a timeshare resort or one of the approved locations (Nike for VV owners, Inn at Calpyso, Encantada or Regal Oaks), Armando or Rick must talk to the guest for verification.

UPCOMING EVENTS
11/16 – Employee Appreciation Party – Sea World, 6 pm                                                                    11/18 – Fall HAT (Hospitality Appreciation Tradeshow) – Wyndham LBV, 10am – 5pm

DUAL OPC/GUEST SERVICES
Remember, if you are working a dual location, you should be asking every guest that approaches your desk discovery questions to find out there needs. Then show them how they can save the most money. Use pre-gifting as a way to get them the tickets they want right away. Ask Kymry if you are unsure of pre-gifting procedures. Let’s really concentrate on getting more tours as it slows down!

GIFTING CORNER
We only have a few more days left for the incentive so be sure to encourage the OPC’s! Anne and Eddie are still in the lead! Please make sure you send in a quote receipt with the OPC’s name with your deposit so we can keep track!

MOD FOR SATURDAY – ANAMARIA
Saturday 11/1, the MOD is AnaMaria.

Employee Notes: Happy Birthday to Evelyn on 11/2 and Juan on 11/5! Please welcome Antonio, Melany and Inmarist to the AGS team! Don’t forget the HOWL-O-SCREAM INCENTIVE for Busch Gardens!

A DIFFICULT TIME

It’s always difficult to lose someone that has been so close to all of us– especially at such a young age with so much life ahead of them. While Diego may be gone, we hope all of you will remember his great spirit, his giving heart, and his love of guest services. Please keep Diego’s family and friends in your prayers during this difficult time. If any of you have any anecdotes to share about Diego, please text them to his father at 407-234-7668 or e-mail him at hawaiihiker808@gmail.com. If any of you are available, there will be a memorial service at Woodlawn Cemetery off of Apopka-Vineland Road this Sunday, 10/26 at 3 pm.

LAST WEEK FOR HALLOWEEN SALES!                                                                                                       This coming week is the last chance to sell tickets to HOS and HHN. Let’s really make a push for these sales! Remember if you have someone asking about HHN, be sure to also recommend HOS at Busch Gardens! This is a great profit ticket! Also, this will be the last weekend for the “Spooktacular” at Sea World and “Brick or Treat” at Legoland. This is included in the regular park admission, but you MUST sell the any day tickets or Combo Tickets that include Sea World in order for them to be able to enjoy this event! The Weekday tickets are NOT valid for this event.

UNIVERSAL 3RD DAY FREE TICKETS
These tickets will be valid through June 7th of next year, with a BLOCK OUT OF 12/26-1/3/15. Please keep this in mind when doing any APS sales. We will be taking these tickets out of the system on 12/11 so they won’t be able to be printed between this date and 1/3. You will enter these in the POS as a regular 2 Day Base or 2 Day Park-to-Park Universal ticket but print the 3rd Day Free tickets in Instant Ticket Wizard. If you are not sure of the procedures, please call a lead or manager. We would rather have you call than make a mistake. Remember, if the guest wants the 2 Day PTP with Wet ‘n Wild, you ALWAYS print the 3 Park Unlimited ticket.

NEW PART-TIME RUNNER – MICHEL
For those of you who weren’t aware, AnaMaria had a minor surgical procedure done and is out all this week. We have hired a new part-time runner to help us out during this time and he will also be staying on as a weekend runner. His name is Michel (pronounced MEE-shell). If you need to reach him for any reason, his cell number is 321-527-1527. He is still getting his feet wet, but so far has done a great job. He does speak and understand English but please talk slowly. Thanks!

4 PARK DISNEY VALUE TICKETS
Just a reminder that these tickets are ONLY for Timeshare owners. If you are working at hotel and an owner happens to be staying at the hotel (through an exchange or points program), this MUST be verified. Armando or Rick S. must talk directly with the guests to confirm that they are an owner. If they have proof of being in II (Interval International) or RCI, you may sell them the tickets. You must be very clear with these tickets that they are ONE day for each of the 4 major parks ONLY, with no changes, upgrades or additions allowed AT ALL. This means they CANNOT repeat any park, they CANNOT add Hopping, additional days, the Water Park Fun & More option or No Expiration – NO CHANGES WHATSOEVER! You can ever WRITE this on their confirmation page as extra clarification – “No changes or Upgrades”.

CONVENIENCE FEES – DON’T LIE!
Again guys, you CANNOT lie to a guest if they ask you if are tickets are the same price as at the gate. This should be your response: “While most of our tickets are discounted, the 1, 2, and 3 Day Disney tickets as well as the 1 Day Universal tickets do have a convenience fee added. We want to be able to offer all of our guests the opportunity to purchase their tickets ahead of time and not have to wait in line. Plus you can set up your Fast Passes in advance with the Disney tickets, which is worth the fee alone!”

MVMCP – MICKEY’S VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS PARTY
The dates we will be selling are 11/7, 11/10, 11/13, 11/14, 11/16 and 11/20.  We will be picking up and distributing tickets next week.  More info to come.

HOTEL BOOKINGS – ALLGUEST.COM
If you have a guest looking for a hotel room, whether here in Orlando or elsewhere, you can go to allguest.com and click on “Book Hotel” at the top to help the guest make a booking through Booking.com. Obviously it’s similar to doing a Disney Florida Resident booking where you have to get the guest’s information and enter it for them. We haven’t worked out the details yet, but send in a copy of the confirmation page and we will give you credit for booking!

LATES
All of you were doing such a good job for a while, but some of you are starting to slip into bad habits again. You have a 7 minute grace. Anyone arriving more than 7 minutes late will be subject to disciplinary action and possibly termination.

UPCOMING FAMS
10/24 – Orlando Magic, 5 pm                                                                                                                10/24 – Halloween Guest Services Party at Pirate’s Town – 10pm – 2am                                           11/18 – Fall HAT (Hospitality Appreciation Tradeshow) – Wyndham LBV, 10am – 5pm

DUAL OPC/GUEST SERVICES
You guys are awesome! Keep up the good work! Every dual location now has a binder with extra invites, backup supplies and information. Please feel free to look through it but DO NOT TAKE IT from the location. Have a great week!

GIFTING CORNER
Great job with Eddie and Anne leading the pack! Be sure to encourage the OPC’s and make sure you send in a quote receipt with the OPC’s name with your deposit so we can keep track!

MOD FOR SATURDAY – ARMANDO
Saturday 10/25, the MOD is Armando.

Employee Notes: Congrats to Kelci for 4 years on 10/28, Cristian for 1 year on 10/25, Eric G. for 8 years on 10/30, Mark for 16 years back on 10/26, Mahvash for 9 years on 10/31 and Rick S. for 24 years on 10/29! Happy Birthday to Karina on 10/27, and Greicy and Linda Piesko on 10/31!  Don’t forget the ANY DAY incentive for Sea World and Busch Gardens!