Wierd stuff happens at Disney. Yes guest's really do ask."What time is the three o'clock parade?" and "How much are the two dollar ballons?". For those who missed the news, there was a parental throw down at the Tea Cups near the end of 2007 that ended up in court and I believe prison time. I can see it now, "What are you in prison for?" "Well, I was at a Tea Party. . ."
When I first transfered to the resorts I worked at the All Star Resort front desk. As part of that job we also answered the phones in a place we called DAKRA. (Disney's Animal Kingdom Regional. . .something or another). We were the ones that answered all the lost guest questions, the angery "where's my lost luggage?" questions and the "my child's lost his pacifier in the Animal Kingdom Lodge's savanna" panikced parent calls.
One of my favorite calls, wasn't even mine. One of the other operators had a call from a guest who insisted that there was a Zebra out side of the Magic Kingdom parking lot. We assured her that none of the animals from the Animal Kingdom had gotten loose and told her it was a deer. She became very upset . "I know what a Zebra looks like and I know what deer look like! This had stripes." We called animal services, because we said we would. They were highly amussed.
Speaking of animal services, those people must be ran ragged 'fetching things from the Lodge's savanna'. Usually kid's stuff, once it gets thrown over the railing, most parents agree it was time to wean Jr off the pacifer anyway. Numerous cameras are pointed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge balcony's to prevent people from harming the animals. Knowing that, parents are pretty quick to call us about lost items. It's amazing how few pacifiers parents want back after it's fallen into a savanna filled with animals, and what animals leave behind. One lady was drying her plus size bathing suit on the railing and a gust of wind blew it away and it landed on a near by roof. Maintanence had to get a high lift to fish it off the roof.
Let me say a brief word about Love Bugs. . . the little black bugs, not the car. Love Bugs don't bite, don't eat anything, nothing will eat them. Basically they don't provide any useful purpose. According to pest management, they hatch, breed and die and their life span is only a few hours. These little pests wreak havoc for our guests twice a year. (spring and fall). The most common complaint is, " why didn't any one tell us about the bugs? I spend good money on this trip. . .yada yada yada." To answer that all I can say is, "We don't know when they will get here. It all depends on the temperature, rain fall ect." They tend to go for bright colors, so the hotel doors at All Star Resort are always plastered with them for that two weeks or so. Custodial tries to keep up with the dead bodies, but it's a huge resort. I had a guest irrate that 'A', one, Love Bug got into her room. Let me remind you, they don't bite and they will die soon anyway. This guest insisted that we get some one over there immediately to remove the one Love Bug. I called pest management, they told me that as soon as they were finished relocating the rattle snake, that they'd be right over.
We had a guest enjoy the pool bar a bit too much one day. He went back to his room, turned the water in the tub on and passed out on the floor. Fortuneately for him he passed out face up, because the tub overflowed and flooded out six rooms. When questioned, he said, " If you didn't want me to get drunk, you shouldn't have sold me the liquor."
It's been said that people loose IQ points when they get to Disney. They walk into lamp posts, leave thier cameras at the restaraunts, leave thier children behind in the car, all of which, in thier own minds, is never their fault. Blame it on Nicotine withdraws, Caffine withdraws, jet lag, stupid airlines, lost bus/taxi drivers, but they never seem to want to take the cedit for thier faux pas.
I recently had a guest demand that we compensate her because of a flight delay as if we're resposible for AirTran's plane breaking down.
That's alright honey, that's why we're here
Friday, May 23, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Hunchback of Notre Dame: A Musical Adventure !
Way back when each new movie was welcomed by fan fare and a new show or parade being added to the park, there was a show based on Disney's bastardized version of Victor Hugo's Hunchback of Notre Dame Classic. The animated film was 'ehh' and was kind of out of step with most of Disney's animated movies. The show however took on a life of it's own as a thirty minute retelling of the film and had a huge fan base.
Located in the back of the park, it seemed to always be under threat of closing. We were amazed when we lasted one year, much less seven. This show was and always will be one of my favorites. It was a show about outcasts, and being an entertainer you never quiet fit the social norms of society, anyway. We had a little bit of everything in that show: seven Equity performers (anyone who has special skills, talks or sings is Equity), nine character performers (pupeteers who in another life worked with Mickey, Pluto, Chip, Dale etc.), pyro techs (they burnt down Paris five times a day), six costuming dressers (who were always ducking out of the way of props, and dodging cast members who were late for enterances), two cosmetologists (it is amazing all the uses there are for doublesided hair and makeup tape) and one preshow juggler act (who had his own fan club following after a while).
It's petty sad when you'd rather be at Work on a holiday that with your family, but the cast and crew at Hunchback was my family. . . sort of. On our first Easter sunday, we turned the court yard between the stage and the greenroom into a little outdoor French Bistro. The techs had two hot plates in the back corner making omletes. We had electric skillets and waffle irons with pitchers of batter to make pancakes and waffles. Breads and pasteries of every size and discription was on another table. You name it we had it. Costuming put together an Easter Egg hunt. I found the quickest way to turn grown adults into children again is to hide something and tell them to go find it.
Costumes were alway an issue at that show. One of our gypsies (characters) hated his hat. He called it the "Herbie the Misfit Elf" hat. In one show it fell off, as it usually did, but this time he never got it back because his precious cast members kept kicking it around the stage like a hacky-sack. After that the stage managers made the hat go away. Costuming's claim to fame was a seven second complete Esmeralda costume change. It didn't have to be seven seconds, but we wanted to prove we could do it. Esmerelda would sneeze on stage and disappear behind a curtian and a poof of smoke. One of us would unzip her red dress, drop it to the floor. The second dresser would drop the blue dress over her head. The first dresser would zip it while the second dresser would snap the sash into place. Meanwhile, cosmetology straightened her hair and she was off.
The characters took being a gypsy to heart and were the mischievous bunch of people I have ever worked with. They had themed shows like the 'Riverdance Show' where everyone moved around on stage like they were in Riverdance. In one scene the gypsies where thrown in jail. The top of the jail was a stair way where the Gargoyles stood. We had certian gypsies that loved to torment the Gargoyles by untying thier shoe laces or pulling on thier tights.
As with most theater shows, Broadway and other wise, we had understudies. Everyone knows that. One particular day, we ran out of Quasimodos and the managers had to call in the under study. . . We'll call Quasi J. The only problem was, Quasi J, being his day off, was at the Epcot WINE and Food festival. (note the emphasis on Wine) Quasi J told them he was at the WINE and Food festival, but Stage Managers said "We'll deal with that when you get here, just come in and save the shows." I happened to be dressing that track that day and had to deal with the tipsy Quasi. . . lucky me. Quasi T wanted the lead in the show so bad, but there was one minor issue, a rope swing stunt from one side of the stage to the other that he was petrified of. He almost never landed right, in fact we refered to his rope swing as 'Bowling for Guards' since he usually took out several guards each show.
Props were a big part of that show. Let me emphasize BIG. We had a life size horse puppet we lovingly refered to as Snowball. Frollo would ride out on this thing being pushed by a puppeteer. I was always amazed the Frollo never took a header off the front of the stage. After his scene, we used Snowball to preset costumes on. His right ear became The Official Spot for the stiltwalking gypsy's dew rag. Since the show went away five, six years ago, Snowball turned into a convention prop. Just the other day I actually ran into him at some holiday promotion thing. I ignored the people working the event and told Snowball how much I missed him. The people thought I was nuts.
Back stage at Hunchback was 'all about no where to stand'. In our seven year run, we only had one costuming manager who wasn't afraid to be back stage during a show. In fact we had one manager (blonde . . .enough said) that came to see us right before the show. The music started. People started running. This manager was like a deer in headlights. When the 'burning buildings' were rolled back stage (real flames), she was gone and never came back to the show again. Between flaming set pieces, Snowball the life size horse, a Madonna and child statue, various size puppet racks, stiltwalkers and just the general wierd costume/props, we were always moving out of the way of something, not the least of which was running cast members.
Disney shows are live microphoned singers, so let me end with our blooper reel and Hunchback had some real doosy's.
One of the gargoyle parishoners was supposed to "ask for fame."
Instead he asked for "pain" one day.
In a touching scene, Quasi is supposed to tell Esmerelda that "I don't think I'm your type." Esmerelda replys "Nonsense, your sweet, intellegent (yada yada yada)"
However, Quasi T said one day "I don't think you're my type." Esmerelda had no response for him. Although it was interesting to watch her dig herself out of the hole.
Clopin in the opening of the show was supposed to say something about Paris "...and the cities awake."
What he said was yada yada Paris. ". . . and the titis awake." Hmmm wander who he was looking at in the audience.
Clopin in the Feast of Fools scene, he was supposed to say, "Tospy Turvy is when you shock the Prig and mock the Priest."
One day he said, no lie, "Tospy turvy is when you shock to prig and f##k the priest."
And the stories continue, but at another time.
I found a pretty good version of the old show on youtube. check it out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZrYogrA2Ao
Located in the back of the park, it seemed to always be under threat of closing. We were amazed when we lasted one year, much less seven. This show was and always will be one of my favorites. It was a show about outcasts, and being an entertainer you never quiet fit the social norms of society, anyway. We had a little bit of everything in that show: seven Equity performers (anyone who has special skills, talks or sings is Equity), nine character performers (pupeteers who in another life worked with Mickey, Pluto, Chip, Dale etc.), pyro techs (they burnt down Paris five times a day), six costuming dressers (who were always ducking out of the way of props, and dodging cast members who were late for enterances), two cosmetologists (it is amazing all the uses there are for doublesided hair and makeup tape) and one preshow juggler act (who had his own fan club following after a while).
It's petty sad when you'd rather be at Work on a holiday that with your family, but the cast and crew at Hunchback was my family. . . sort of. On our first Easter sunday, we turned the court yard between the stage and the greenroom into a little outdoor French Bistro. The techs had two hot plates in the back corner making omletes. We had electric skillets and waffle irons with pitchers of batter to make pancakes and waffles. Breads and pasteries of every size and discription was on another table. You name it we had it. Costuming put together an Easter Egg hunt. I found the quickest way to turn grown adults into children again is to hide something and tell them to go find it.
Costumes were alway an issue at that show. One of our gypsies (characters) hated his hat. He called it the "Herbie the Misfit Elf" hat. In one show it fell off, as it usually did, but this time he never got it back because his precious cast members kept kicking it around the stage like a hacky-sack. After that the stage managers made the hat go away. Costuming's claim to fame was a seven second complete Esmeralda costume change. It didn't have to be seven seconds, but we wanted to prove we could do it. Esmerelda would sneeze on stage and disappear behind a curtian and a poof of smoke. One of us would unzip her red dress, drop it to the floor. The second dresser would drop the blue dress over her head. The first dresser would zip it while the second dresser would snap the sash into place. Meanwhile, cosmetology straightened her hair and she was off.
The characters took being a gypsy to heart and were the mischievous bunch of people I have ever worked with. They had themed shows like the 'Riverdance Show' where everyone moved around on stage like they were in Riverdance. In one scene the gypsies where thrown in jail. The top of the jail was a stair way where the Gargoyles stood. We had certian gypsies that loved to torment the Gargoyles by untying thier shoe laces or pulling on thier tights.
As with most theater shows, Broadway and other wise, we had understudies. Everyone knows that. One particular day, we ran out of Quasimodos and the managers had to call in the under study. . . We'll call Quasi J. The only problem was, Quasi J, being his day off, was at the Epcot WINE and Food festival. (note the emphasis on Wine) Quasi J told them he was at the WINE and Food festival, but Stage Managers said "We'll deal with that when you get here, just come in and save the shows." I happened to be dressing that track that day and had to deal with the tipsy Quasi. . . lucky me. Quasi T wanted the lead in the show so bad, but there was one minor issue, a rope swing stunt from one side of the stage to the other that he was petrified of. He almost never landed right, in fact we refered to his rope swing as 'Bowling for Guards' since he usually took out several guards each show.
Props were a big part of that show. Let me emphasize BIG. We had a life size horse puppet we lovingly refered to as Snowball. Frollo would ride out on this thing being pushed by a puppeteer. I was always amazed the Frollo never took a header off the front of the stage. After his scene, we used Snowball to preset costumes on. His right ear became The Official Spot for the stiltwalking gypsy's dew rag. Since the show went away five, six years ago, Snowball turned into a convention prop. Just the other day I actually ran into him at some holiday promotion thing. I ignored the people working the event and told Snowball how much I missed him. The people thought I was nuts.
Back stage at Hunchback was 'all about no where to stand'. In our seven year run, we only had one costuming manager who wasn't afraid to be back stage during a show. In fact we had one manager (blonde . . .enough said) that came to see us right before the show. The music started. People started running. This manager was like a deer in headlights. When the 'burning buildings' were rolled back stage (real flames), she was gone and never came back to the show again. Between flaming set pieces, Snowball the life size horse, a Madonna and child statue, various size puppet racks, stiltwalkers and just the general wierd costume/props, we were always moving out of the way of something, not the least of which was running cast members.
Disney shows are live microphoned singers, so let me end with our blooper reel and Hunchback had some real doosy's.
One of the gargoyle parishoners was supposed to "ask for fame."
Instead he asked for "pain" one day.
In a touching scene, Quasi is supposed to tell Esmerelda that "I don't think I'm your type." Esmerelda replys "Nonsense, your sweet, intellegent (yada yada yada)"
However, Quasi T said one day "I don't think you're my type." Esmerelda had no response for him. Although it was interesting to watch her dig herself out of the hole.
Clopin in the opening of the show was supposed to say something about Paris "...and the cities awake."
What he said was yada yada Paris. ". . . and the titis awake." Hmmm wander who he was looking at in the audience.
Clopin in the Feast of Fools scene, he was supposed to say, "Tospy Turvy is when you shock the Prig and mock the Priest."
One day he said, no lie, "Tospy turvy is when you shock to prig and f##k the priest."
And the stories continue, but at another time.
I found a pretty good version of the old show on youtube. check it out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZrYogrA2Ao
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Mother nature's fury meets the Magic Kingdom
Pardon me if I seem a bit side tracked at the moment. As I am writing this, I am also watching my state burn down on the news. Florida is extremely dry and crispy right now and some idiot decided to light several forest fires. Back in 1998 we had a similar set up that got real close to home. A huge fire burned really close to the Magic Kingdom for serveral days that year. Disney, so far, has faired very well in the face of mother nature's fury, however.
Since there are nightly fireworks displays, Disney keeps every thing well watered and I mean everything. During the 1998 fires, I was working on a Star Wars event at the Studios. If you have never been to Star Wars Weekends and are a Star Wars Fan, you gotta go. We have seventy to eighty Star Wars characters, stars from the movies and hundreds of fanatical, if not a little scary, fans. But more on that at another time.
At the front of the park during Stat Wars Weekends they put Storm Troopers up on top of the turnstiles to torment and amuse the people waiting to come in. If you are familiar with the Studios, you'll know that just inside the front gates is a small information kiosk called Crossroads. On top of it is a spire with a Mickey statue. During the 1998 fires all of the smoke lifted up and over Magic Kingdom and dumped on the Studios. We could barely see a few feet ahead of us. The Storm Troopers on top of the turnstiles couldn't see Crossroads, if fact they could barely see the guests down below. They later said that they only way they kept from falling off the turnstiles was to follow the yellow caution tape marking the edge of the roof.
365 days a year, Disney is never closed. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Y2K scares we were open. However, a stiff hurricane and police ordered evacuation tends to stop us in our tracks. Disney has Hurricane Rideout crews that are made up of Cast members who volunteer to ride out the storm and to keep the place from blowing away(and it's huge amounts of overtime pay). I worked one Ride out Crew years ago. I think it was Hurricane Opal. We gathered in our main wardrobe building and watched one of our managers climb around on top of the fourth tier of the clothes rack as he spread plastic over everything, in case we lost a roof. (It was amazing how much dust he stirred up doing that too.)
That night, nearly a hundred of us tried to sleep on the floor of the Great Movie Ride. The following morning we were expecting destruction and mayhem. No, just branches down and leaves. After a through cleaning, the park was opened a couple hours later. We 'the Rideout crew' were expecting to go home that morning. Oh no. Because of call ins, we had go to work the shows that day. I walked into Beauty and the Beast and said, " I am here to just dress the shows. In between shows, you can find me sleeping underneath the rail of ball gowns."
Y2K, the disaster that never was. Disney planned for the Apocolypse, I think. They had pages of protocol and multiple plans if the world's computers were to crash on January 1, 2000. At every traffic intersection there were generator powered work lights. There were multiple generators staged all through out the parks. You name it, they did it. I also worked part-time at Universal Studios as an Entertainment Tech back then too. After seeing Disney's over planning, I was amazed at how non-chalant Universal was. I arrived at work December 31, 1999 and was handed a sheet of paper. One sheet, that's it. Basically it said, We are shutting down the rides at 11:30 pm. If all hell doesn't break loose at mid night, the rides will be reopened at 12:30.
One last thing, after our record setting four hurricane year with Charley, Francis, Jean and Ivan, the powers that be made pins to thank us for all of our hard work. It's one of my favorite Disney momentos. It's Mickey holding onto his Sorceror's had as the wind is trying to blow it away. http://eventservices.disney.go.com/pintrading/pin?id=34775
Since there are nightly fireworks displays, Disney keeps every thing well watered and I mean everything. During the 1998 fires, I was working on a Star Wars event at the Studios. If you have never been to Star Wars Weekends and are a Star Wars Fan, you gotta go. We have seventy to eighty Star Wars characters, stars from the movies and hundreds of fanatical, if not a little scary, fans. But more on that at another time.
At the front of the park during Stat Wars Weekends they put Storm Troopers up on top of the turnstiles to torment and amuse the people waiting to come in. If you are familiar with the Studios, you'll know that just inside the front gates is a small information kiosk called Crossroads. On top of it is a spire with a Mickey statue. During the 1998 fires all of the smoke lifted up and over Magic Kingdom and dumped on the Studios. We could barely see a few feet ahead of us. The Storm Troopers on top of the turnstiles couldn't see Crossroads, if fact they could barely see the guests down below. They later said that they only way they kept from falling off the turnstiles was to follow the yellow caution tape marking the edge of the roof.
365 days a year, Disney is never closed. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Y2K scares we were open. However, a stiff hurricane and police ordered evacuation tends to stop us in our tracks. Disney has Hurricane Rideout crews that are made up of Cast members who volunteer to ride out the storm and to keep the place from blowing away(and it's huge amounts of overtime pay). I worked one Ride out Crew years ago. I think it was Hurricane Opal. We gathered in our main wardrobe building and watched one of our managers climb around on top of the fourth tier of the clothes rack as he spread plastic over everything, in case we lost a roof. (It was amazing how much dust he stirred up doing that too.)
That night, nearly a hundred of us tried to sleep on the floor of the Great Movie Ride. The following morning we were expecting destruction and mayhem. No, just branches down and leaves. After a through cleaning, the park was opened a couple hours later. We 'the Rideout crew' were expecting to go home that morning. Oh no. Because of call ins, we had go to work the shows that day. I walked into Beauty and the Beast and said, " I am here to just dress the shows. In between shows, you can find me sleeping underneath the rail of ball gowns."
Y2K, the disaster that never was. Disney planned for the Apocolypse, I think. They had pages of protocol and multiple plans if the world's computers were to crash on January 1, 2000. At every traffic intersection there were generator powered work lights. There were multiple generators staged all through out the parks. You name it, they did it. I also worked part-time at Universal Studios as an Entertainment Tech back then too. After seeing Disney's over planning, I was amazed at how non-chalant Universal was. I arrived at work December 31, 1999 and was handed a sheet of paper. One sheet, that's it. Basically it said, We are shutting down the rides at 11:30 pm. If all hell doesn't break loose at mid night, the rides will be reopened at 12:30.
One last thing, after our record setting four hurricane year with Charley, Francis, Jean and Ivan, the powers that be made pins to thank us for all of our hard work. It's one of my favorite Disney momentos. It's Mickey holding onto his Sorceror's had as the wind is trying to blow it away. http://eventservices.disney.go.com/pintrading/pin?id=34775
Sunday, May 11, 2008
If All The World's a Stage, Why Am I stuck in the Dress Rehearsal
For those of you who have never worked in theater, let me first of all say, "I'm sorry". There is nothing quiet like an entertaiment family. And we truly are a family. Wardrobe / Costuming is mom to everyone. We always knew when some one needed to have a shoulder to cry on or a confidential friend to talk to.
Creative Costuming, those responsible for making the stuff, always seemed to a little out of touch with reality. They could make the most beautiful garment. . . on a dress form, but put it on a living, breathing, sweating person and it would fall apart. Silks looked awesome, but when they were washed, they would bleed like a rainbow. Belle, from the Beauty and the Beast Show, her ball gown was at least thirty, forty pounds. I could never get the thing off the ground to hang it up.
The Technicians are always the dads, (male / female it didn't matter). The techs are the keepers of all things safety, all things flammable and all things that when used wrong or carelessly can injure and or maime someone.
When you hear the words "Pyro coming through..." you Move. The holidays around 2005 or 2004, (i'm keeping it intentionally vague for privacy sake) there was a holiday show that, it was said, the techs wanted the last show of the season to go off with a little extra flair, so they added extra pyro. The performers were not told this and several members of the cast were injured with minor burnes. Some costume pieces melted. I saw one of guys a short time later and he didn't have any eyebrows. They had been singed off.
Then we have our precious children 'The Cast'. I loved my cast . . . most of them. There will always be those individuals that have been seared in my mind that if maiming was legal . . . . sorry, let's move on. I always have a philosophy 'when in rome do as the romans'. Each stage has it's own ambience, it's own culture, it's own unwritten rules of order. Any show with equity dancers, tends to be a bit high maintenance. 'My gloves are not in the right place. OH, I can't go on. My life is ruined.' (disclaimer, for those dancers who will get upset when you read this, go out to the stage, check your preset, then come back and finish reading my blog.)
My favorite stage will always be the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, or as we call it, EPIC. The testostrone runs thick at that show. Predominately a male cast, teaching the boys to pick up after themself usually takes some unorthodox methods. When shoes, hats, etc. would get left laying around the greenroom, the offender would find his items in the freezer the next day frozen in a block of ice. My managers would always freak out when they heard that, but they were always to afraid too step foot in the Epic trailer, so they never knew about the other stuff we'd did. One of they boys newest games (before I left) was throwing hangers at the clothes rack and trying to see if it would stay there. The words "Hanger In Flight !" Usually meant "DUCK".
Parade performers and puppteers always seemed the be the children of the children. You had your old school performers that were awesome. They looked at a new costume and figured out how to make it work. Then some where along the way we aquired a new set of darlings that worked harder at getting out of doing the parade than they ever did in the parade. To watch a puppeet show like Playhouse Disney or Lion King from under the stage is pretty darn cool. From sliding on their knees from one side of stage to other at Playhouse Disney in order to make thier next enterance to learning to see in the dark at Voyage of the Little Mermaid, the puppeteers are usually pretty intense about their jobs.
Then there are the musicians, streetmosphere, face painters, convention performers, Epcot Cultural performers, the horse people, and . . . we'll get to them later.
Creative Costuming, those responsible for making the stuff, always seemed to a little out of touch with reality. They could make the most beautiful garment. . . on a dress form, but put it on a living, breathing, sweating person and it would fall apart. Silks looked awesome, but when they were washed, they would bleed like a rainbow. Belle, from the Beauty and the Beast Show, her ball gown was at least thirty, forty pounds. I could never get the thing off the ground to hang it up.
The Technicians are always the dads, (male / female it didn't matter). The techs are the keepers of all things safety, all things flammable and all things that when used wrong or carelessly can injure and or maime someone.
When you hear the words "Pyro coming through..." you Move. The holidays around 2005 or 2004, (i'm keeping it intentionally vague for privacy sake) there was a holiday show that, it was said, the techs wanted the last show of the season to go off with a little extra flair, so they added extra pyro. The performers were not told this and several members of the cast were injured with minor burnes. Some costume pieces melted. I saw one of guys a short time later and he didn't have any eyebrows. They had been singed off.
Then we have our precious children 'The Cast'. I loved my cast . . . most of them. There will always be those individuals that have been seared in my mind that if maiming was legal . . . . sorry, let's move on. I always have a philosophy 'when in rome do as the romans'. Each stage has it's own ambience, it's own culture, it's own unwritten rules of order. Any show with equity dancers, tends to be a bit high maintenance. 'My gloves are not in the right place. OH, I can't go on. My life is ruined.' (disclaimer, for those dancers who will get upset when you read this, go out to the stage, check your preset, then come back and finish reading my blog.)
My favorite stage will always be the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, or as we call it, EPIC. The testostrone runs thick at that show. Predominately a male cast, teaching the boys to pick up after themself usually takes some unorthodox methods. When shoes, hats, etc. would get left laying around the greenroom, the offender would find his items in the freezer the next day frozen in a block of ice. My managers would always freak out when they heard that, but they were always to afraid too step foot in the Epic trailer, so they never knew about the other stuff we'd did. One of they boys newest games (before I left) was throwing hangers at the clothes rack and trying to see if it would stay there. The words "Hanger In Flight !" Usually meant "DUCK".
Parade performers and puppteers always seemed the be the children of the children. You had your old school performers that were awesome. They looked at a new costume and figured out how to make it work. Then some where along the way we aquired a new set of darlings that worked harder at getting out of doing the parade than they ever did in the parade. To watch a puppeet show like Playhouse Disney or Lion King from under the stage is pretty darn cool. From sliding on their knees from one side of stage to other at Playhouse Disney in order to make thier next enterance to learning to see in the dark at Voyage of the Little Mermaid, the puppeteers are usually pretty intense about their jobs.
Then there are the musicians, streetmosphere, face painters, convention performers, Epcot Cultural performers, the horse people, and . . . we'll get to them later.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Look Toto, we're not in Kansas Anymore. . .
Okay, kids today we're going to talk about that deep, dark mysterious place called 'The Magic Kingdom Tunnels'. Simple answer to do they exist: Yes. Okay, we're moving on. . . . Kidding. Yes, there is a pretty extensive tunnel system under Magic Kingdom. NO, it's not the Emerald city. I have had people get all misty-eyed when they think about entering the inner workings of the great Magic Kingdom.
Reality check time. The Cast members park way behind the park and have to take a five to ten minute bus ride to get to the back of the Magic Kingdom. The mouth of the tunnel is actualy not far from the old 20,000 Leagues under the Sea ride. I believe it was most recently 'Ariel's Grotto'. Disclaimer time, don't try to sneek back stage to find it. First, there are fences and deep drop offs. Secondly, in the currrent light of global security, Disney takes an extremely dim view of extra curious guests.
As far as 'a city' under Magic Kingdom, well, not really. At the mouth of the tunnel is a commissary called the Mousecateria (probably spelled it wrong). All the years I worked at the Studios, we always refered to ours as the commi-scary. I'll elaborate more on that some other time, but let's just say, "baked chicken shouldn't be greasy and pasta shouldn't be crunchy". The commissaries have TV's, Microwaves, and way over prices sodas. One saving grace, most of the park's commisaries added a Subway Sub Shop. It's still over priced, but it's Subway.
The other side of the tunnel enterance is entertainment costuming. You didn't think Mary Poppins and the Princesses washed their own clothes did you ? Mixed in with costuming is the cosmetology department. Any one looking for them, just has to follow the smell of hairspray.
Back on the right side of the tunnel is a place called the Learning Center. There are several of these places scattered through out property. Basically, they are a Disney Cast Mamber library and computer lab. If you decide you have to learn Spanish, because everyone in your department speaks Spanish except you, the learning center has all kinds of resources. If your pay check was eaten by the payroll computer system, you can use the Center's computers to track it down. If you are custodial and you are tired of cleaning up after the 'precious, darling, crabby children that just stuck cotton candy to the seats of the dumbo ride for the THIRD time', you can use the Center's resources to learn a new field, like typing to be a secretary.
Now, you're at a cross roads in the tunnels. Right takes you toward adventure land. Left takes you to Tomarrowland. A left then quick right takes you to a short cut to Mainstreet. The halls are color coded so you know where you are. The stairs and elevators and numbered and labeled as to what's above you. In a perfect world it would work. The few shifts that I have worked at the Kingdom, I was always walking in circles.
Not to rain on your parade, but most of the tunnels are walkways, storage for the restaurants and shops above and a few scattered offices. The one thing that is pretty cool, is over head are various utility lines. water, electric AND a garbage collections system. That was a concept that was pretty darn futuristic in the 60's.
None of the other parks have a tunnel system. Although there are two places were you drive under a lake. One is going back to the Contemporary Resort. The Magic Kingdom Ferry goes over the road. The other one is back near Yacht and Beach club going toward Epcot.
Until next time.
Reality check time. The Cast members park way behind the park and have to take a five to ten minute bus ride to get to the back of the Magic Kingdom. The mouth of the tunnel is actualy not far from the old 20,000 Leagues under the Sea ride. I believe it was most recently 'Ariel's Grotto'. Disclaimer time, don't try to sneek back stage to find it. First, there are fences and deep drop offs. Secondly, in the currrent light of global security, Disney takes an extremely dim view of extra curious guests.
As far as 'a city' under Magic Kingdom, well, not really. At the mouth of the tunnel is a commissary called the Mousecateria (probably spelled it wrong). All the years I worked at the Studios, we always refered to ours as the commi-scary. I'll elaborate more on that some other time, but let's just say, "baked chicken shouldn't be greasy and pasta shouldn't be crunchy". The commissaries have TV's, Microwaves, and way over prices sodas. One saving grace, most of the park's commisaries added a Subway Sub Shop. It's still over priced, but it's Subway.
The other side of the tunnel enterance is entertainment costuming. You didn't think Mary Poppins and the Princesses washed their own clothes did you ? Mixed in with costuming is the cosmetology department. Any one looking for them, just has to follow the smell of hairspray.
Back on the right side of the tunnel is a place called the Learning Center. There are several of these places scattered through out property. Basically, they are a Disney Cast Mamber library and computer lab. If you decide you have to learn Spanish, because everyone in your department speaks Spanish except you, the learning center has all kinds of resources. If your pay check was eaten by the payroll computer system, you can use the Center's computers to track it down. If you are custodial and you are tired of cleaning up after the 'precious, darling, crabby children that just stuck cotton candy to the seats of the dumbo ride for the THIRD time', you can use the Center's resources to learn a new field, like typing to be a secretary.
Now, you're at a cross roads in the tunnels. Right takes you toward adventure land. Left takes you to Tomarrowland. A left then quick right takes you to a short cut to Mainstreet. The halls are color coded so you know where you are. The stairs and elevators and numbered and labeled as to what's above you. In a perfect world it would work. The few shifts that I have worked at the Kingdom, I was always walking in circles.
Not to rain on your parade, but most of the tunnels are walkways, storage for the restaurants and shops above and a few scattered offices. The one thing that is pretty cool, is over head are various utility lines. water, electric AND a garbage collections system. That was a concept that was pretty darn futuristic in the 60's.
None of the other parks have a tunnel system. Although there are two places were you drive under a lake. One is going back to the Contemporary Resort. The Magic Kingdom Ferry goes over the road. The other one is back near Yacht and Beach club going toward Epcot.
Until next time.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Armadillos and Gators and Deer . . . Oh My
Disney has always been known as an eco-friendly place. Inspite of major habitat desctruction, wildlife still runs rampant through out the property. Not long ago I was working as a Front Desk Runner for the All Star Resort. Between runs, I usually would find a shady spot and park the pargo (modified golf cart). The nice thing about All Star sports and All Star Music is that the designers incoorporated the natural landscaping into the suroundings. So there was plenty of old growth pine trees, palmetto bushes and other ground cover. On this particular day, I heard a noise crushing it's way through the palmettos. I stopped and waited. I thought it can't be anything dangerous we're in the middle of the resort. A few moments later an armadillo crawled out of the bushes went under my pargo, came out the other side, looked up at me then meandered it's way across the drive.
That's what wildlife does on Disney property. They know that no one hunts them (anymore), so they meander. The next time you go to Magic Kingdom, keep and eye out on your left (East. . .I think. The opposite side of the monorail.) I usually find anywhere between four to ten wild turkey 'meandering' along the open fields beside the road. I had to park in cast parking for an overtime shift last year and found that the cast members have learned to share thier parking lot with them as well.
I don't golf. I have never golfed and know I would be horrible at it. The only time I have ever been on a golf course was when my brother and two of his friends wanted me to get them a tee time on a Disney course. Since there was three of them and two golf carts, I tagged along. A little side note, I learned that they weren't very good golfers either. :) Anyway, the back nine of the Magnolia course is full of deer, rabbits, squirrels, you name it. I felt like i was in a Bambi movie. If you are ever driving around the back side of Magic Kingdom, you're not supposed to be that far back, but in case you are, take those curves behind Grand Floridian slow. That is prime deer territory.
Back a few years ago, I had just left the Studios on the way home, and in the wooded area between the Studios parking lot and Victory Way, I saw a large clump of tan scruffy fur on the edge of a swampy area. I came to a complete stop on the road. I know the people behind me thought I was nuts, but I had to stop. The clump of fur was a Bobcat. A real, life, top of the food chain Bobcat. He tooled along the edge of the woods for a few moments then disappeared back into the undergrowth.
I can't end this enstallment with out talking about one of our most meligned and misunderstood creatures. . . The Alligator. I can always tell when guests are from up north and out west. We usually get biraged with gator questions. I have had guests ask 'Disney relocates all of the gators, right?' 'Ahhh, No.' Logistically that would be impossible. I was flying back to Orlando from England a few years ago and a gentleman asked me, 'Now, seriously, do alligators really get into swimming pools ?' I had had to confirm that 'yes they do get into swimming pools', but I am pretty sure that you'll see them before you dive in the deep end. At that point I always go into my Gator 101 class. Number one, if you see a gator and it doesn't acknowledge you, that's good. It means that it's doesn't associate people with food. Number two, never, ever feed an alligator. There will be no Crocodile Hunter activities allowed on property. Number three, assume that all bodies of waterin Florida and the Southeast have at least one and probably more gators. However, if you are on Disney property and you rent a Sea Racer or other water craft, have fun and don't worry about alligators. They are usually very shy creatures, that when not fed by stupid people, pose very little threat.
We did have a guest paniced one day. She swore that there was baby alligator in her hotel room and that she wanted it removed immediatedly. . . . It was a tiny lizard, but more about our lizards, geckos and snakes later.
Until next time---
That's what wildlife does on Disney property. They know that no one hunts them (anymore), so they meander. The next time you go to Magic Kingdom, keep and eye out on your left (East. . .I think. The opposite side of the monorail.) I usually find anywhere between four to ten wild turkey 'meandering' along the open fields beside the road. I had to park in cast parking for an overtime shift last year and found that the cast members have learned to share thier parking lot with them as well.
I don't golf. I have never golfed and know I would be horrible at it. The only time I have ever been on a golf course was when my brother and two of his friends wanted me to get them a tee time on a Disney course. Since there was three of them and two golf carts, I tagged along. A little side note, I learned that they weren't very good golfers either. :) Anyway, the back nine of the Magnolia course is full of deer, rabbits, squirrels, you name it. I felt like i was in a Bambi movie. If you are ever driving around the back side of Magic Kingdom, you're not supposed to be that far back, but in case you are, take those curves behind Grand Floridian slow. That is prime deer territory.
Back a few years ago, I had just left the Studios on the way home, and in the wooded area between the Studios parking lot and Victory Way, I saw a large clump of tan scruffy fur on the edge of a swampy area. I came to a complete stop on the road. I know the people behind me thought I was nuts, but I had to stop. The clump of fur was a Bobcat. A real, life, top of the food chain Bobcat. He tooled along the edge of the woods for a few moments then disappeared back into the undergrowth.
I can't end this enstallment with out talking about one of our most meligned and misunderstood creatures. . . The Alligator. I can always tell when guests are from up north and out west. We usually get biraged with gator questions. I have had guests ask 'Disney relocates all of the gators, right?' 'Ahhh, No.' Logistically that would be impossible. I was flying back to Orlando from England a few years ago and a gentleman asked me, 'Now, seriously, do alligators really get into swimming pools ?' I had had to confirm that 'yes they do get into swimming pools', but I am pretty sure that you'll see them before you dive in the deep end. At that point I always go into my Gator 101 class. Number one, if you see a gator and it doesn't acknowledge you, that's good. It means that it's doesn't associate people with food. Number two, never, ever feed an alligator. There will be no Crocodile Hunter activities allowed on property. Number three, assume that all bodies of waterin Florida and the Southeast have at least one and probably more gators. However, if you are on Disney property and you rent a Sea Racer or other water craft, have fun and don't worry about alligators. They are usually very shy creatures, that when not fed by stupid people, pose very little threat.
We did have a guest paniced one day. She swore that there was baby alligator in her hotel room and that she wanted it removed immediatedly. . . . It was a tiny lizard, but more about our lizards, geckos and snakes later.
Until next time---
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
....above all else remember it was all started by a Mouse - Walt Disney
At any book store you can fine literally hundreds of tour books about how to get from point "A" to point "B" at Disney's Magic Kingdom (or as we say 'Tragic Kingdom'), but there are very few places that will tell you what it's like to be trapped in a fireworks fall out zone. Seeing large balls of fire bouncing off the roofs of back stage trailers at the Studios is an experience you don't soon forget.
After many, many years of working for The Mouse, I've seen a lot of truly unique stories and I've worked a lot of exciting events. The opening of Animal Kingdom will always be one of my fondest memories. As the blog moves forward, I have no intentions of devulging deep dark secrets. . . like Walt is frozen in a cryogentics chamber in the Magic Kingdom castle (by the way, he's not) nor am I going to be just another travel log spouting 'warm fuzzy thoughts about the company'. Believe me, there is so much sugary fluff written about this company, you could choke a horse.
My goal is to relate the stories that you would only experience if you were on the inside. Stories like 'what's it's like to work backstage at Beauty and the Beast show', or the about the guest ' got drunk and passed out in thier hotel room with the water running in the tub."
So welcome, feel free to ask questions, make comments (keep it clean and tasteful)
Deydreem
After many, many years of working for The Mouse, I've seen a lot of truly unique stories and I've worked a lot of exciting events. The opening of Animal Kingdom will always be one of my fondest memories. As the blog moves forward, I have no intentions of devulging deep dark secrets. . . like Walt is frozen in a cryogentics chamber in the Magic Kingdom castle (by the way, he's not) nor am I going to be just another travel log spouting 'warm fuzzy thoughts about the company'. Believe me, there is so much sugary fluff written about this company, you could choke a horse.
My goal is to relate the stories that you would only experience if you were on the inside. Stories like 'what's it's like to work backstage at Beauty and the Beast show', or the about the guest ' got drunk and passed out in thier hotel room with the water running in the tub."
So welcome, feel free to ask questions, make comments (keep it clean and tasteful)
Deydreem
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