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Hotel Entertainment-Past & Present

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Sun, 06/28/2009 - 19:00
MouseTraveler's picture
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Hotel Entertainment-Past & Present

In the old days, when there were just a few hotels, no Downtown Disney and little other night life around Walt Disney World, there were lounge entertainers in the various Disney hotel bars, etc.

I spent many an evening sitting in Captain Cook's in the Polynesian enjoying a guy named Dan Riley.
http://www.danriley.com/

Dan was wonderful as he played guitar, sang a few serious and a LOT of silly songs, including a stint with a fake wig and moustache as he did his "Freddy Fender" tribute.

There was another guy who used to play there as well, but his name doesn't come to me.

The only hotel entertainer I see that appears to be on a regular basis now is Bob Jackson at Port Orleans. (I somehow got hooked up with him on Facebook)
http://www.yehaabob.com/

Anybody have any ideas of others?

I hate to sound like a cliche, but it really WAS a simpler time and I enjoyed my evening cocktails in the Disney hotel lounges, especially in the winter when the Magic Kingdom (and then MGM) was closed early.

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Sun, 06/28/2009 - 20:13
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There's still a fellow who plays guitar at the Poly upstairs outside of 'Ohana isn't there?

Sun, 06/28/2009 - 20:19
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Dan Riley, who I mentioned in the post, spent several years on Disney Cruise Lines as well. He had a short lived show on the Home & Garden Network a few years ago, and now pretty much just does local stuff around his original home in Wisconsin.

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Sun, 06/28/2009 - 21:09
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You know, I was trying to figure this out the other day, too! Someone on dis was asking what there was to do in the winter when things starting closing and I just couldn't come up with anything except Boardwalk entertainers and Jellyrolls.

You DO have the jazz band that plays in the Grand floridian outside of Mizner's now and again...

Sun, 06/28/2009 - 21:12
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I guess Disney decided that a bunch of drinkers in their bars wasn't their idea of "proper entertainment", but these little places were a ball.

Captain Cook's, which was downstairs in the Poly where the snack bar is, was probably half the size of the snack bar but was always packed! It was always fun, the people were friendly, and I frequently closed it down.

Oh well, the perils of getting old and watching traditions pass you by.

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Mon, 06/29/2009 - 15:07
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I can't imagine that's a terribly big expense either. I would think that it would definitely add to the experience and not cost Disney much. I wonder what their thinking is.

Mon, 06/29/2009 - 18:12
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Brad wrote:
I can't imagine that's a terribly big expense either. I would think that it would definitely add to the experience and not cost Disney much. I wonder what their thinking is.


Especially in the winter months when everything closes. They can make a lot of cash on alcohol/entertainment.

I'm sure there's no shortage of CMs wanting to make their mark in music...

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Mon, 06/29/2009 - 18:51
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bali wrote:

I'm sure there's no shortage of CMs wanting to make their mark in music...

That is a really good point.

 
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