Perhaps you were there. I was. With a glowing coned flashlight and manning the rope at the bridge that leads to Carnation Plaza Gardens, I was part of a small, but stalwart crew of guest control cast members who held back---and helped move---the teeming hordes gathered around the Hub in front of the Castle as midnight approached.
If you were there, you saw the fog come in low over the Castle and pretty much block out the view of the fireworks when the clock struck midnight and 2009 roared in.
You may have seen a small group of Disneyland cast members gathered in the Castle forecourt area (behind the rope) and hug and shout and exchange New Year's greetings after giving up the fight to stem the surging crowd. We hung in there for as long as we could, but---come midnight---no coned flashlight on earth could have turned back the eager guests surging toward the front of the Castle.
So. We kinda just let it happen. We joined in the fun. Sure, for four straight hours we kept "circle flow" moving around the Hub. We redirected the wayward and provided direction for the disoriented. Firmly, lovingly, with true Disney flair, we kept tens of thousands of guests from boiling over into a stampede or a riot.
I wore the big, straw hat. Perhaps you heard me: "IF YOUR FEET ARE ON BRICK, YOU ARE IN DISNEYLAND'S MAIN ARTERIAL WALKWAY! IT'S DISNEYLAND'S ARTERY! IF YOU STOP, YOU WILL CLOG IT AND GIVE DISNEYLAND A HEART ATTACK! PLEASE KEEP MOVING! HAPPY NEW YEAR!"
And similar words of encouragement.
For all the efforts of our crew, we got a nifty Cast Member pin and sincere congratulations from the Parade guest control leads and supervisors at the end of a long night.
I loved every moment! It kills me to be back in the "real" world as a non-cast member. I miss all my friends, but I know that Disneyland hasn't seen the last of me!
A (somewhat) belated "Happy New Year 2009!" to one and all!
----Mike
