TALL TALES, URBAN LEGENDS AND GHOST STORIES.

First I need to correct two urban legends that I heard years ago. I’m not sure where they started, but it is obvious it did not come from any one who has ever been to the parks. The first one is “In the event of a hurricane, they deflate the ball (Space Ship Earth) at EPCOT to keep it from blowing away. . . . WRONG. It is not a giant bouncy ball, it’s a building filled with . . . Stuff. An entire ride to be exact.

The second urban legend is that in an event of a hurricane, they can disassemble the Magic Kingdom castle. Also Wrong. The buildings that you see as a guest at Disney are tough, solid structures. A.k.a. they ain’t going anywhere. If fact, when a hurricane gets close, I tell the college kids and other ‘new to Florida’ apartment dwellers, to volunteer for the hurricane ride out crew just so they are in a safe place. Now, behind the scenes is another story. Near the warehouses is a place I refer to as the trailer trash section, but more on that in a later blog.

By the way, if you missed see the Magic Kingdom castle when it was a pink birthday cake, you can take a look http://www.pansophist.com/cascomp.htm . I was told that the wedding pavillion at Grand Floridian lost quiet a bit of money, because who wants a pepto bismal pink castle in thier wedding pictures. christmas 2007 they made look like an ice castle. Now that was cool.

And the final one, NO, Walt is not cryogenically frozen beneath the castle.

Working at All Star resort, you soon learn at least one stereo type is true. Cheerleaders are. . . well. . . how should I put this ? Well, they’re a bit Blonde. I don’t want to step on toes, but the facts are facts. As a front desk runner during cheerleader competitions in January, February and March, my days were one key assist after another. “I lost my key.” “I locked myself out.” My daughter left her eye lashes in her room.” “Have you seen my coach ?” “I can’t carry my suit case THAT far.” In fact, one day I was driving a pargo(modified golf cart) through All Star Sports to answer cheerleader’s key assist call in All Star Music, when another cheerleader’s mom literally jumped out in front of me to make me stop. Her tragedy was that her daughter had left her eye lashes in the room. Now, mind you, I told this lady that I had a mother needing to get her daughter’s diabetic medicine. She insisted that I help her first. I guess all’s far in love and cheerleading.

After the cheerleaders were done and the team sports came in like softball, lacrosse, baseball, ect. it got so quiet around there I had to keep checking my dispatch radio just to see if it was still on. I did have one major team faux pas though. A girl's lacrosse team managed to lock, deabolt and safety latch thier door
then walk out of the room through the connecting door AND lock that one as well. When I got there the entire team was waiting, the coach was pacing and everyone was getting pissy thinking it was Disney's fault for having a bad lock. I had to call maintenance and they had to literally break into the room. Once the coach realized it was the player's fault, she a closed door "coaching session" with the girls involved. They almost missed thier tournament.

I love how nobody takes responsibility for their actions at Disney. “I left my camera at the restaurant, how are you going to compensate me?” “My tickets are at home. Why can’t I get in to the park with out them.” Well, All Star had a guest who drank a wee bit too much at the pool bar one day and stumbled his way back to his room where he turned on the water in the tub. Then he passed out on the floor. Fortunately for him, he did so face up, because the tub overflowed and flooded out six rooms. He was later quoted as saying, “If you didn’t want me to get drunk, why did you sell me the beer.” They fined him $500.00 for damages to the rooms.

At All Star Movies there is a Herbie the Lovebug section complete with a little white VW. I don’t know if it is THE Herbie, but I’m pretty sure it’s the same one that used to be parked on residential street at the Studios before Lights Motors Action took over that space. During school group season. . . wait, at All Star that’s everyday, anyway we had a school group at the resort that hot wired Herbie and went joy riding. Needless to say, Herbie was briefly taken away to make it inoperable. Speaking of vehicles at Disney, the Beverly Hillbillies truck that hangs from the ceiling at the Planet Hollywood restaurant gave guests a little something extra in the beginning. Story has it that since they rushed to get the restaurant opened, they didn’t take the time to prep the truck properly and it dripped motor oil on people as they ate. (don’t worry it was later fixed.)

I looked on the internet one day for ghost stories at Disney and came across a story about the spirit of a little boy that’s at the haunted mansion. A real one not the animatrons. Recently I worked with some one who came from that ride and he said he was in the off load area on a slow day. Not wanting to walk the treadmill for nothing, he stepped back into the curtains where he could still see if guests were coming. A little while later, he heard the laughing of a little boy. He stepped onto the treadmill expecting to greet guests, there was no one there. There is also a story of a lady caught spreading a white powder on the ride. They were never sure if it was ashes of her son or not, Hmmm.

Speaking of ashes. We had a character coordinator that passed away from a brain tumor and was later cremated. Tom ate, slept and dreamed Disney. I was told by a very reliable source that one night Tinker Bell didn’t JUST spread pixie dust across the Magic Kingdom as she flew out of the castle.

While working at Epic (Indiana Jones), I had my own ghost story. One day I told my co worker that I was going to the commissary to grab lunch before a huge thunder storm hit. . . .I didn’t make it. On my way back across the park, lighting was popping everywhere. Rain was pouring down and I was drenched. As I crossed the Epic stage, which at this point is a giant wading pool, lighting struck near by and I felt it in the water. That was near miss number one. Because of all the water, the techs had to blow the water out of the flame affects before the next show. I almost walked into the flames because the spotter wasn’t where he was supposed to be. Near miss number two. Later, I was standing at our counter watching television. Beside me was a stack of supplies, tee shirts ect. Next to that was the coordinator’s desk. Someone asked me for a tee shirt. As I turned to get it, until the day I die, I will swear I saw some one sitting at that desk. I gave the shirt to the cast member, looked back at the desk and there was nobody there. The chair was even pushed under the desk.

Rumor also has it that Jim Henson’s ghost is backstage at the Little Mermaid show. Why Little Mermaid ? Because that stage was originally a muppets show when he died.

If you have any urban legends, ghost stories or tales about Disney, i'd love to hear them and i may include them in my next installment.