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As we all know, the NBA took home at Disney World to complete their season. The EPSN Wide World of Sports at the Walt Disney World Resort created the NBA “bubble” that would house the league so that basketball could continue throughout the pandemic.
The location was chosen because Disney World has the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex which was the perfect venue to house the 2020 NBA season. The Walt Disney World Resort is around the size of San Francisco, and it was also the perfect bubble system as the area could act as a controlled environment to players. The 22 basketball teams were confined to 3 Disney resorts:
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
- Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
- The Gran Destino Towers at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
All three resorts being luxury level when it comes to Disney’s standards, it didn’t hurt to be an NBA player this season.
Related: NBA Bubble ‘Pops’ – Grand Floridian Takes Down Barricades
Reddit user PlasticPaulBunyan took to Reddit to say:
Definitely lovely to hear after the recent news of lay-offs. NBA Player Russell Westbrook apparently left an $8,000 tip for the Grand Floridian housekeepers when the Houston Rockets left the NBA bubble. Moreover, I’m told, he left the room virtually spotless.
Definitely lovely to hear after the recent news of lay-offs. NBA Player Russell Westbrook apparently left an $8,000 tip for the Grand Floridian housekeepers when the Houston Rockets left the NBA bubble. Moreover, I’m told, he left the room virtually spotless. from WaltDisneyWorld
Reporter Brad Townsend was one of the few reporters who was staying in the NBA bubble and tweeted:
Only @russwest44 would be able to truly confirm this, and I doubt he will, but I’m told that he left a $8,000 tip for the Grand Floridian housekeepers when the @HoustonRockets
left the NBA bubble.Moreover, I’m told, he left the room virtually spotless.
Only @russwest44 would be able to truly confirm this, and I doubt he will, but I'm told that he left a $8,000 tip for the Grand Floridian housekeepers when the @HoustonRockets left the NBA bubble.
Moreover, I'm told, he left the room virtually spotless.
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) October 6, 2020
To confirm this, reporter Taylor Rooks spoke to Russell took to Twitter to say:
Spoke to Russ Westbrook. Confirmed he left a generous tip & thank you letter to housekeepers in the bubble. He didnt disclose the amount
“They took great care of us. Took the time and energy to do their job at a high level. That was the right thing. I like to do the right thing”
Spoke to Russ Westbrook. Confirmed he left a generous tip & thank you letter to housekeepers in the bubble. He didnt disclose the amount
"They took great care of us. Took the time and energy to do their job at a high level. That was the right thing. I like to do the right thing"
— Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) October 6, 2020
To know that NBA player Russell Westbrook was so generous to Disney Cast Members — even while he was keeping his room very clean so that housekeeping did not have to overwork themselves — is heartwarming to hear right now. Westbrook himself has not confirmed the amount which only goes to show that he did this as a thank you to the Cast Members who had a hand in making sure the NBA bubble could function and give him a space to play this season.
Amid the layoff news we cannot seem to escape from the Walt Disney World Company — which is effecting 28,000 Cast Members, Imagineers, and Executives — this was a small light of positivity. Russell’s appreciation for Disney Cast Members matches that of many others in the community. Although we may not all have $8,000 to give, many members of the Disney community are reaching out to do what they can.
What are some ways you have seen Cast Member appreciation being done lately? Let us know!