VWL Groupies & Lovers Thread (Special Collectors Edition 2.0) updated 21 June 2023

[sleepydog25]

Love to see it - JT & Sleepy in Ranger shorts.

Hey, I rock shorts! Spindly legs, ghost white from being indoors all year. . .wait. . .maybe you're right!

 

[Granny]

If y'all can't tell, he meant a lot to me. As I said before, I miss him dearly. A part of me went amiss when he passed, to the point returning to WL/VWL to stay lost a bit of its luster for me. But we are returning in Dec and able to share with our DSIL and DGS. So with that I hope that the feel will return. I know I am not the only one who misses him here among the groupies but I grew close to him, him to me, so it was like losing a grandfather. Funny how God puts folks together, just like I feel He has crossed all our paths here as groupies

Jimmy...you have told us many times of your connection with Ranger Stan, but I don't think I've ever heard you articulate it as well as you did in this post. You wrote things I didn't know about Ranger Stan (such as his fishing tie-in to Peter Dominick) and your affection for Stan comes through with every word. Just beautiful, and thanks for sharing the details.

 

[Granny]

Okay, I saw this today on another board and thought I'd share with some folks who I know will appreciate it!

​

 

[DVC Jen]

Stan told me he was working as a bus driver in the loops at FW(he and his 1st wife both had retired and moved from NJ to FL to be closer to their DD)and he wasn't looking to go back to work, but was getting bored being at home. So he went to work PT at WDW.

One day his former manager at FW asked if he wanted to see the construction of WL(she was going to be in management at WL)and he went over to see what was going on.
So he viewed the place and that was that for awhile. One day she approached him again asking if he wanted to change jobs and work at WL. He wasn't really interested but said he thought the place was beautiful and he might consider it. He asked what jobs he would fill and she said she didnt know yet, but she would make room for him. Well after some deliberation, he went back to her, and his answer to her was this(he shook his fist as he said it, and told me this was his same reply to her, not in a mean spirited way, but a determined fist)"I don't know what job you have for me, and I dont have any clue what I will be doing here, but I want that job"!!

So she and Stan began to develop the Ranger character and as time went he along with other folks began to come up with many ideas, the flag family, the Wonders of the Lodge Tour, etc. He was among the 1st of character greeters, along with Art the Greeter at Beach Club and his name slips my mind, but he was a greeter at Grand Floridian.

Stan told me several stories of folks he met in the job. Being they were celebrities, he wasn't allowed to approach them, but if they spoke to him 1st, he could converse with them. He told me once of meeting John Denver and what a genuinely nice guy he was. He mentioned meeting Arnold Schwarzenegger and had seen his wife walk in just before him into Whispering Canyon. So Arnold pulls up in a limo, and proceeds into the lobby. Stan says he is looking around like he is lost, so Stan asked if he could help him. Stan said Arnold in his Austrian accent, and Stan did a really good job of mimicking him, "Im looking for my wife" so Stan said I saw her head into the restaurant. But before they parted ways, Arnold says "I like your outfit"

He also met Peter Dominick on several occasions, the architect of WL and AKL. Stan was really sad at his untimely passing as they were supposed to have gone fishing on Dominicks return the following month. They had talked about fishing a lot so they always said next time. Well they had the trip planned but next time never came.

And another of Stans meetings that he talked of with pleasure was meeting Bob Hope. He said Hope talked with him for well over an hour asking Stan about his life, caring less about speaking of himself. Stan always felt a bit special the way Hope treated him.

All these chance meetings was because he worked at WL.

Stan lived in Nj and PA before moving South. His previous life he was a welder among a few other trades. He told me that next time we rode the original Soarin(his favorite ride BTW)to pay close attention as they fly over San Diego harbor scene. They fly over the USS Kitty Hawk, a carrier he helped weld when it was being built.

If y'all can't tell, he meant a lot to me. As I said before, I miss him dearly. A part of me went amiss when he passed, to the point returning to WL/VWL to stay lost a bit of its luster for me. But we are returning in Dec and able to share with our DSIL and DGS. So with that I hope that the feel will return. I know I am not the only one who misses him here among the groupies but I grew close to him, him to me, so it was like losing a grandfather. Funny how God puts folks together, just like I feel He has crossed all our paths here as groupies

Thank you for sharing all of that with us. I wish I had the opportunity to get to know him better than I did. He touched my life with just the little knowledge I had of him. It would ahe been nice to know him better.

 

[cmoliver5]

Hi everyone! Checking into Boulder Ridge for the first time in 18 days! We’ll be in a studio. Can anyone confirm the dimensions of the fold down bed and how high off the floor it is? My 3.5yo DD is super excited to sleep in it but I worry about her rolling out. Still occasionally rolls out at home.

 

[Granny]

Hi everyone! Checking into Boulder Ridge for the first time in 18 days! We’ll be in a studio. Can anyone confirm the dimensions of the fold down bed and how high off the floor it is? My 3.5yo DD is super excited to sleep in it but I worry about her rolling out. Still occasionally rolls out at home.

Sounds like a great trip planned!

I don't have exact dimensions but here's a picture of the fold down bed in the studio. I think Mousekeeping will bring you a bed rail that you can use, but someone will need to confirm that for me.








Of course, there is also the fold out sleeper sofa which would be much larger. I don't know if anyone will be using that in your group?

 

[jimmytammy]

JT, you and I should move down to FL and become twin Rangers! I'm ready!

Love to see it - JT & Sleepy in Ranger shorts.

Hey, I rock shorts! Spindly legs, ghost white from being indoors all year. . .wait. . .maybe you're right!

I can see it now, us tag teaming the Ranger job. It would be more like Laurel and Hardy Head out West, and less Walker, Texas Ranger
I too have the spindly whites, but mine are short. So the shorts would fall below the knees, and no one would see the legs because the socks would make up the difference

 

[DVC Jen]

I can see it now, us tag teaming the Ranger job. It would be more like Laurel and Hardy Head out West, and less Walker, Texas Ranger
I too have the spindly whites, but mine are short. So the shorts would fall below the knees, and no one would see the legs because the socks would make up the difference

A warning should have come with this post. I read it with a mouth full of coffee! Now I need to wipe off my monitor.

(I'm allowed to laugh because I can 100% relate - I am not quite 5 ft tall)

 

[Dizny Dad]

Granny . . . . . And the older we get, the more we dislike CHANGE!

All - When Ranger Stan was no longer with us, a new fella was put in his place. He recognized that he had LARGE shoes to fill, and he had doubts he could "do it right". I have met with Ranger Jack every trip to Wilderness Lodge since December of 2011, to encourage him, to make friends, and to see how things were going with him. In the next few years, Ranger Jack has , IMHO, blossomed into a fine Ranger representing the best of the Wilderness Lodge. He has discovered that Stan's shoes were Stan's shoes; he just needed to make the job his. It was during a Flag Family journey to the top of the Lodge that we took this picture.

Please touch base with Ranger Jack when visiting The Lodge, let him know you are a "Lodge Groupie"!

 

[sleepydog25]

Granny . . . . . And the older we get, the more we dislike CHANGE!

All - When Ranger Stan was no longer with us, a new fella was put in his place. He recognized that he had LARGE shoes to fill, and he had doubts he could "do it right". I have met with Ranger Jack every trip to Wilderness Lodge since December of 2011, to encourage him, to make friends, and to see how things were going with him. In the next few years, Ranger Jack has , IMHO, blossomed into a fine Ranger representing the best of the Wilderness Lodge. He has discovered that Stan's shoes were Stan's shoes; he just needed to make the job his. It was during a Flag Family journey to the top of the Lodge that we took this picture.

Please touch base with Ranger Jack when visiting The Lodge, let him know you are a "Lodge Groupie"!

View attachment 396808

He's short like you, JT!

Granny: Luv said that cartoon was just like me!!

 

[Granny]

Granny . . . . . And the older we get, the more we dislike CHANGE!

All - When Ranger Stan was no longer with us, a new fella was put in his place. He recognized that he had LARGE shoes to fill, and he had doubts he could "do it right". I have met with Ranger Jack every trip to Wilderness Lodge since December of 2011, to encourage him, to make friends, and to see how things were going with him. In the next few years, Ranger Jack has , IMHO, blossomed into a fine Ranger representing the best of the Wilderness Lodge. He has discovered that Stan's shoes were Stan's shoes; he just needed to make the job his. It was during a Flag Family journey to the top of the Lodge that we took this picture.

Please touch base with Ranger Jack when visiting The Lodge, let him know you are a "Lodge Groupie"!

View attachment 396808

Well said DDad. And nice of you to throw a picture of Di in as a bonus!

 

[jimmytammy]

Please touch base with Ranger Jack when visiting The Lodge, let him know you are a "Lodge Groupie"!

I have yet to meet him, though I did see him once back when he 1st got the job. At that time, it was a bit up in the air if he would have the job or not, or if they were going to have more than one. Whoever the older gentleman was that was at that time seemed like he was against keeping FF going or something to that regard. Does that ring a bell? Anywho, we will be there in Dec and I will make my way down for early coffee and meet him, speak with him about Stan and our beloved groupies. I know Stan, he would want me to give him a fair shakedown

Seriously though, its only fair to meet him and just tell him I am glad he is carrying on the tradition that Stan created, and I truly feel Stan would much approve of him because fellow groupies like him. Im sure I will like him too. Just got to take the time to do so.

 

[jimmytammy]

He's short like you, JT!

LOL!!!

A warning should have come with this post. I read it with a mouth full of coffee! Now I need to wipe off my monitor.

(I'm allowed to laugh because I can 100% relate - I am not quite 5 ft tall)

Glad I could be of service Jen

 

[jimmytammy]

Okay, I saw this today on another board and thought I'd share with some folks who I know will appreciate it!

View attachment 396620​

So true!!

 

[Corinne]

Morning Groupies! Busy week ahead leading up to WDW! Tomorrow is the bridal shower, next weekend we’re headed to NH with the kids to celebrate Dana’s 6-0. Hope everyone has a happy Friday!

 

[Dizny Dad]

. . . . . . . . Whoever the older gentleman was that was at that time seemed like he was against keeping FF going or something to that regard. Does that ring a bell? . . . . . . . . . .

So we were Flag Family, and were teamed up with this older gentleman, who, I agree, made us feel like he had no time or interest in the Flag Family routine. He introduced himself as Don Nichols. On the roof of The Lodge, I said to him, "So, before you found your true calling as a Ranger here at The Lodge, what did you spend your time doing?" He then unfolded this amazing story of working with Jack Welch on the Board of Directors for GE. (Jack Welch, CEO of GE 1981 - 2001). It was during that time that the value of GE went up 4000%! When I expressed my surprise and shook his hand again, he really opened up, as he was surprised anybody would remember Jack Welch and the work they did together. He had just moved to Florida a few years before becoming a Ranger, and described the home he had just built (with a basement . . in Florida!). Every time after that I was always excited to met Don and casually discuss current business in the news. He had an interesting outlook on such things, as you can imagine, and always opened up to me with a smile. I haven't seen Don in a couple of years. I hope all is well with him and family.

It is amazing the people Disney attracts; business giants, movie stars, truck drivers, welders, waiters, bank execs, doctors, lawyers, Indian Chiefs. It is a wonderful melting pot that evens us all out, showing us that we really are all the same, in the Happiest Place on Earth!

 

[Dizny Dad]

I have yet to meet him, though I did see him once back when he 1st got the job. . . . . . . . . we will be there in Dec and I will make my way down for early coffee and meet him, speak with him about Stan and our beloved groupies. I know Stan, he would want me to give him a fair shakedown . . . . . . . . .

Jack has become very comfortable with the job. It is a pleasure to see that. The intimidation of Stan's legend has diminished for him. And yes, Stan would want us to get to know him and enjoy his personality. Let him know we appreciate him!

 

[sleepydog25]

Jack has become very comfortable with the job. It is a pleasure to see that. The intimidation of Stan's legend has diminished for him. And yes, Stan would want us to get to know him and enjoy his personality. Let him know we appreciate him!

Yeah, and let him know JT and I are coming for his job!

 

[Dizny Dad]

 

[jimmytammy]

Yeah, and let him know JT and I are coming for his job!