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.

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.

....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