Discussion:
Remembering 9/11 from 10 Years ago in Disneyland
(too old to reply)
Don S.
2011-09-09 16:05:07 UTC
Permalink
Was anyone else stranded at the Disneyland Resort during September 11, 2001
week?



As a family we decided to share in the celebration of the opening of Disney's
California Adventure, the Grand Californian Hotel, and our son's birthday
(9/13). Around 6:00 in the morning on 9-11, my oldest son called us on our
cell phone telling us to turn on the TV. He went on to say that any channel
will do. He wouldn't say why.



After viewing, in jaw dropping silence, the Trade Towers falling, we
concluded that Disneyland could be a west coast target so we rented a car
and drove east, out of Anaheim not returning until late that night. All
airports were closed so we couldn't fly home to Seattle for several days and
were literally stuck at the resort. What a place to be stranded.



I would not have wanted to be a manager at the resort that week. None of
them would have got much sleep. However, it was just incredible how well
they handled the situation. For instance, the brought in entertainers and
opened up the theatres in DTD for free. In addition, the GCH staff notified
all the guests that if they were among the ones that could not fly home,
they would be able to stay on extra nights beyond their reservation for only
what GCH considered a "break even" sum of, if I remember correctly, $95.00.
Later, we were contacted by the front desk and told that management decided
the extra nights would be on the house, e.g., no charge at all!



Well done Disneyland and GCH cast members!!



Don
Patty Winter
2011-09-09 16:33:38 UTC
Permalink
Thank you for the interesting recollection, Don.

What did you do that first day when you jumped in a car and
headed away from Disneyland?

It's great that the staff of the GCH and Disneyland as a whole
looked after you so well.


Patty
Don S.
2011-09-10 15:53:12 UTC
Permalink
Patty,

We drove to Loma Linda and stayed with an aunt and uncle for the day. My
wife's uncle is a retired doctor/instructor of Loma Linda University. It
goes without saying, but we were pretty much glued to their television all
day.

BTW, I called and reserved a car with Enterprise because they advertise they
will come pick you up. They did pick me up and when arriving at their
office I witnessed dozens of people demanding one way rentals so they could
get home. For many of them, home was the east coast. Tempers were climbing
as they had only one car left - the one I had reserved by phone. It was
surreal, imagine a large car rental lot with only one car sitting in it.

God certainly took care of us that week.

Don
Post by Patty Winter
Thank you for the interesting recollection, Don.
What did you do that first day when you jumped in a car and
headed away from Disneyland?
It's great that the staff of the GCH and Disneyland as a whole
looked after you so well.
Patty
Lisa Cubbon
2011-09-10 15:58:13 UTC
Permalink
Post by Don S.
Patty,
We drove to Loma Linda and stayed with an aunt and uncle for the day. My
wife's uncle is a retired doctor/instructor of Loma Linda University. It
goes without saying, but we were pretty much glued to their television all
day.
BTW, I called and reserved a car with Enterprise because they advertise they
will come pick you up. They did pick me up and when arriving at their
office I witnessed dozens of people demanding one way rentals so they could
get home. For many of them, home was the east coast. Tempers were climbing
as they had only one car left - the one I had reserved by phone. It was
surreal, imagine a large car rental lot with only one car sitting in it.
God certainly took care of us that week.
That's quite a story, Don. And your thinking ahead really paid off for
you. I bet you got a lot of nasty looks as you took the car from the lot
too.

Lisa
Post by Don S.
Don
Post by Patty Winter
Thank you for the interesting recollection, Don.
What did you do that first day when you jumped in a car and
headed away from Disneyland?
It's great that the staff of the GCH and Disneyland as a whole
looked after you so well.
Patty
Jon V
2011-09-10 16:08:24 UTC
Permalink
Post by Don S.
Patty,
\
Post by Don S.
God certainly took care of us that week.
Too bad god didn't take care of the 3000 or so others who died horribly
that day.
Paul
2011-09-11 16:41:06 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jon V
Post by Don S.
Patty,
\
Post by Don S.
God certainly took care of us that week.
Too bad god didn't take care of the 3000 or so others who died
horribly that day.
He is taking care of them now.
--
Paul in NH -- Next visit - October 11-18, 2011 (WLV)

pssawyer at comcast dot net
Jon V
2011-09-11 20:22:03 UTC
Permalink
Post by Paul
He is taking care of them now.
\
Too bad he wasn't around when they actually needed him.
CharlesL
2011-09-12 19:56:35 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jon V
Post by Paul
He is taking care of them now.
\
Too bad he wasn't around when they actually needed him.
DON'T FEED THE TROLLS. C'mon people! :)
Jon V
2011-09-12 23:44:29 UTC
Permalink
Post by CharlesL
Post by Jon V
Post by Paul
He is taking care of them now.
\
Too bad he wasn't around when they actually needed him.
DON'T FEED THE TROLLS. C'mon people! :)
Oh, so anyone who takes offense at a completely self-centered view of
things on 9/11 is a troll? God smiled on people who got to stay at
Disneyland while thousands died?

Have some perspective.
Paul
2011-09-13 15:01:52 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jon V
Post by CharlesL
Post by Jon V
Post by Paul
He is taking care of them now.
\
Too bad he wasn't around when they actually needed him.
DON'T FEED THE TROLLS. C'mon people! :)
Oh, so anyone who takes offense at a completely self-centered view
of things on 9/11 is a troll? God smiled on people who got to
stay at Disneyland while thousands died?
Have some perspective.
Perspective? Billions lived.

Millions were touched by the events and will always remember.
--
Paul in NH -- Next visit - October 11-18, 2011 (WLV)

pssawyer at comcast dot net
Jon V
2011-09-13 23:59:17 UTC
Permalink
Post by Paul
Post by Jon V
Post by CharlesL
Post by Jon V
Post by Paul
He is taking care of them now.
\
Too bad he wasn't around when they actually needed him.
DON'T FEED THE TROLLS. C'mon people! :)
Oh, so anyone who takes offense at a completely self-centered view
of things on 9/11 is a troll? God smiled on people who got to
stay at Disneyland while thousands died?
Have some perspective.
Perspective? Billions lived.
Millions were touched by the events and will always remember.
And god smiled on some guy at Disneyland. Really really offensive.
Lisa Cubbon
2011-09-09 20:48:48 UTC
Permalink
Post by Don S.
Was anyone else stranded at the Disneyland Resort during September 11, 2001
week?
As a family we decided to share in the celebration of the opening of Disney's
California Adventure, the Grand Californian Hotel, and our son's birthday
(9/13). Around 6:00 in the morning on 9-11, my oldest son called us on our
cell phone telling us to turn on the TV. He went on to say that any channel
will do. He wouldn't say why.
After viewing, in jaw dropping silence, the Trade Towers falling, we
concluded that Disneyland could be a west coast target so we rented a car
and drove east, out of Anaheim not returning until late that night. All
airports were closed so we couldn't fly home to Seattle for several days and
were literally stuck at the resort. What a place to be stranded.
I would not have wanted to be a manager at the resort that week. None of
them would have got much sleep. However, it was just incredible how well
they handled the situation. For instance, the brought in entertainers and
opened up the theatres in DTD for free. In addition, the GCH staff notified
all the guests that if they were among the ones that could not fly home,
they would be able to stay on extra nights beyond their reservation for only
what GCH considered a "break even" sum of, if I remember correctly, $95.00.
Later, we were contacted by the front desk and told that management decided
the extra nights would be on the house, e.g., no charge at all!
Well done Disneyland and GCH cast members!!
Don
Don, that is a remarkable story. I can only imagine how frightening it
was. Thanks. Lisa
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