Staffers Have First-Hand Fun to Help Members Plan

The Grinch could not dampen the spirits of two AAA staff members on their recent trip to Orlando, Florida. Kim Cable and Eboné Turner were on a familiarization trip, experiencing Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios as well as hotels on Universal’s property. It is of great value to our clients and members to have our front line staff have first-hand experience regarding our popular destinations. Universal is one of those destinations.

"The first and very important piece of advice I would give to everyone visiting parks anywhere is to wear comfortable, supportive shoes. I wore flip-flops and was exhausted with tired legs and back by the end of the day," Kim said.

"We were thrilled with the Islands of Adventure and particularly enjoyed The Mummy, a coaster ride in the dark. It was exciting," said Eboné. "We also enjoyed The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man. We put on our 3-D Spider-Vision glasses and careened through the streets for a high-tech 3-D thrill ride." One of the favorite spots of the two was Seuss Landing, where they encountered Seuss characters including The Cat In The Hat and Thing One and Thing Two. There were lots of photo opportunities and both young and older visitors thoroughly enjoyed interacting with the "come-to-life" characters.

Universal Studios provided an interesting look at movie-making and experiences for all ages. The girls enjoyed Twister, E.T. Adventure and Terminator 2 to name a few.

"We were completely impressed with the cleanliness of both parks. We tried to buy gum in the park and were told they don’t sell gum because they don’t want the mess it causes. They were really conscious of keeping the park spotlessly clean. We were very impressed," Kim reported. Both parks appealed to visitors of all ages.

The girls stayed at the beautiful Portofino Bay Hotel and toured Hard Rock Hotel and Royal Pacific Resort, all on-site, and were impressed with all three properties. They said if you stay at one of the resort’s hotels, your room key is an express pass to all the rides - a nice plus!

CityWalk, adjacent to the parks, provided a place to unwind and enjoy great food, cold drinks and live music. They reported the food was excellent and said Pasta More’ was one of their favorite restaurants. The variety of restaurants here provides something for everyone’s palate. Live musicians and trendy shops are part of this exciting venue, all near Universal theme parks and hotels.

Eboné Turner, who joined AAA Central Penn in 2000 at the Market Street office, is a Member Service Specialist. You will find her at the Progress Avenue office where she will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding Universal. Although music is a large part of her life, poetry is her first love. You can read her poem, "My Year," at the end of this article. We are delighted to have Eboné as part of our staff and congratulate her on her poetic talent.

Kim Cable has been with AAA Central Penn for 12 years. She began her career in the Membership Department. After one year she moved to Member Services and is the Branch Manager of our Market Street office. Her daughter, Marquisa, is a high school senior and keeps Kim busy. Kim’s hobbies include reading and traveling.

We are delighted to have Kim and Eboné as part of our staff. We are appreciative of their enthusiasm, expertise and friendliness in assisting our members.

If you are contemplating a trip to Universal, be sure to talk to Kim or Eboné. They are happy to help.

My Year
By Ebone' Turner
Rainy nights whisper promises of brighter days
and constant struggle guarantees a chance of a better way
if one could only wear my shoes for one day
they would understand why I say
there’s got to be a better way
I need to redirect my energy towards positive thoughts
retrace my steps, in search of a better walk
speak positively when I talk
because I can’t take another negative thought
and this is why I say...
I am approaching this year with absolutely no fears
taking on each and every task with out any cares
because this is my year
NO I will not settle for less
but I will not judge what others do
and I will continue to understand
that as long as I do not allow it
that I can not fail or prosper
from what others choose to do
I will achieve every goal that is set fourth
and I will accept that it may not happen when I want it to
but it will happen,
because this is my year!!!!