Dept 18? I Don't know...

[pizzacam]

Ok I contacted Michael, he told me to email Rob, so I did here's what he said:


Gabriel,

Thanks for contacting me in regard to your fan convention. We've
tightened up a bit on security here at the Support Center, and our
department has implemented some new policies in regard to visitors.
Unfortunately we'll not be able to accommodate you this year.

Best regards,

Robert Gotcher
Director of Entertainment
CEC Entertainment Concepts, L.P.
972-258-5612

That's it from my end, you can try if you want Jenn or anyone else...but this guy's been kind of weird about visitors...he's never present when there's a fan it seems. I've been twice and both times he kinda gave me the cold shoulder so...

[MatHat13]

Typical.:rolleyes :x

[captslappy]

Sounds like we can kiss that off. Screw them. :rolleyes

[pizzacam]

My point exactly! :smokin

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Hmm.....

Well at least it can't be said that we did'nt try guys!

Thanks Gabe for going out on a limb for the group regardless in trying. Kudos to you!


Don't worry guys...we are'nt going to TX for Dept 18 anyway...or CECE for that matter. The main reason i wanted TX to be the spot was so everyone can gather togther and see The Captains' fabulous collection and shows!

So don't let this get you down...we are STILL going to raise the roof and have one heck of a time!

[CEC3066]

THAT'S A DEAL!

[MatHat13]

You can indeed probably point the fact out(and I probably think some of you guys will feel this way too) that I am never gonna respect Dep. 18 the same way agian, sigh, ah well I feel like meeting longtime fans anyway.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Now Matt...let's not get to wound up about this turn of events......

We are still going to have a awesome time!

[captslappy]

Yeah besides, there isn't much to see over there anymore anyway. All of the cool stuff was taken down in the remodel and as far as I know is not back up and I have a feeling will not be put back up. In other words, you aren't missing a whole lot anyway.

[Lilredridinghood]

Hmmm...well, I think you guys should all dress up as mailmen/mailwomen and sing the mailman song (very loudly) while doing the CEC march outside CEC HQ and peek in Robert Gotcher's office window and also tap relentlessy on the glass and do not stop UNTIl they let you in.

[CEC3066]

Kerry I have one word to say.....BRILLIANT!

[cec080]

guys and gals dept 18 is right. just like with cei you really have to be careful these days with visitors. like what was said in the post about the trip with cei Aaron can't just drop everything and say yep i've got time for a tour when he really had other things to do though. and look pizza cam he left his phone number so maybe that was an invatation for you to come down rather than 30 or more people! i'll still stick up for Rob and dept 18. they have a good point. :D

[pizzacam]

I don't think so I've been twice..and both times the guy gave me and the guest(s) the snub...

[captslappy]

I don't know... it's not like we are dropping in unexpectedly. We are giving nearly 5 months notice. At the same time the company doesn't owe us anything but they've done this in the past.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

There are many reasons why the request was turned down. Let's not just blow it off as "Oh, Rob's just being mean..etc." as i don't think that may be entirely the case.

It's good to remember that if he did agree, he would more then likely be the one to take responsibility for us and whatever may happen as a result of us being there. I know it sounds strange, but for him to commit to such a request for such a large groups of "unknowns" would be a risk not many in that situation would be willing to take.

I suppose the size of the group asking for the tour would have a lot to do with this as well.....the larger the group ( over 10) the more difficult it would be to get them to agree to letting us visit. If it's a few guests, and they "know" us ( some of us they do ...) they our chances increase.

Lastly, just to put this dissapointment into perspective...this is after all a "UNofficial CEC themed Fan Convention" and for the Company to agree to have us visit could be interperted as them "endorsing" a otherwise unofficial Event. Surely by now they are aware of this Event....

And i have to say that if i knew a bunch a "crazy CEC fans" were showing up i may be a little put off myself! Let's face it...people think we are wacked..totally nuts, crazed freaks who have weird obsessions about a Rat and his pizza parlor! "Normal" average people in the field have always branded us as "weirdos" for being so enthusiastic and into the CEC Concept. Have'nt we all experienced this firsthand? Ha! You bet...i know i sure have! The only people who did'nt think i was insane were people here on the Board and my pal J! So i can understand why our request was denied....but it's not over until the fat hippo sings folks.

There is ALWAYS hope! I'm not giving up just yet.....

[Lilredridinghood]

Oh, All right....but I still think you guys should at LEAST go down there and all sit on Dick Frank's car, for just a little while....

;)

[captslappy]

We should go down there? What are you not coming? I don't know if Jenn will like that.

[Lilredridinghood]

Hi Captain-no, I won't be able to make it this year, but I send my love, of course...I know you guys will have a great time! And Jenn would LOVE it if you guys did that.

[Rapid T Rabbit]

Hearing this reminds me of a little Care Bears fan meet that I conducted last month in New Jersey where I gathered together about a dozen members from several Care Bear fan websites (similar to showbizpizza.com) on the Internet to see the Care Bears Live (http://www.carebearslive.com) stage show. Some weeks earlier, I had asked VEE Corp. (producers of the touring show) if our group could get a post-performance meet & photo opportunity with the cast of the show.

Unfortunately we were officially turned down...I was told that the privalege was reserved only for "special kids" or "media partners", and that due to overwhelming demand, this was the only way to be "fair" (i.e. by turning down 99% of the requests including ours, implying that we were not important enough).
http://www.bobdbob.com/~rtrabbit/fursuit/cbfansnbnjrr.jpg
So what I wound up doing was arranging to have "my" Tenderheart Bear hiding out in a garage three blocks away from the theater while the show was going on, and then later having dinner in a cafe beneath the garage, bringing out Tenderheart (obviously not appearing the same as he did onstage in the show several hours earlier) after we finished eating. I had to plan this very carefully to avoid having a "Care Bear collision" between two Tenderheart Bears from "parallel universes".

Still, as I posted in another thread earlier, why are longtime older fans of anything or anyone nowadays so regarded with suspicion in this world?

[captslappy]

I told Jenn bringing that bomb into CECE was a really bad idea. I think they are still jittery about that whole deal. Maybe that's why they turned us down. *shrugs*

[VegaNova]

My thoughts... and I'll keep my tongue bitten for the time being, because I don't want to spoil future oppertunities.

Rob is not in charge of CECE. Yeah the entertainment department is the hidden jem inside an otherwise stale, sterile, corporate building - we all know that. But his word isn't what I'd consider to be final by any stretch. He's probably right about what he said, I'll give him that, but he shouldn't have the power to speak for everyone else there. I gots me some ideas that Jenn or Capt can ask me about off the board. 8o

But since things aren't looking good at this point, there's plenty of things we can do to work around it. And as far as I see it, if we're just scum in the eyes of CECE, that's fine. The lower down the evoutionary chain they want to see us, the more fun we'll be allowed to have in their honor. Biting my toungue... biting my tongue...

-VegaNova

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Yes...this is NOT the end of this folks. I'm not giving up so easy! It's only February man...we have plenty of time to plot and gather out resources!

It's all about presentation, timing, and manners. Being realistic helps too..and i am confident that things may work out after all.

It's not a total guarentee....but i personally feel confident that this can be turned around.

[CEC3066]

I've said it b4 I'll say it again:

"Stamd proud and tall
Give it your best
Even Birds fall
When they first leave the nest
Learn how to walik
Before you can run
As hard as it seems
DON'T EVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS!"

[ChuckEFranchize454]

WOW danny thats an old song and from an awsome show

[CEC3066]

indeed!

[chuckrules]

:D

[chuckrules]

But I was looking so forward to seeing the walkabout Jasper from department 18.:\ :(

[captslappy]

The walk arounds and stuff like that will probably be put away. They probably wouldn't be out anyway.

[chuckrules]

ok Mike.

[pizzacam]

I got to check all that out on my 2nd tour...it's just a closet with all the costumes hanging and the heads up on a shelf. ;)

[chuckrules]

like with at our home stores lol.

[CEC3066]

don't think so I've been twice..and both times the guy gave me and the guest(s) the snub..

Rob wasn't even in the office when you Jenn,Danny, & Dani were there.

[pizzacam]

Yeah, that's right it was just the first time and trying to contact him anytime after...still doesn't feel better to me. You? :rolleyes

[CEC3066]

yeah. i think we can safely assume w/ Rob as E.D. our hopes are as good as dead.