Sometime during the summer of 1985, a couple of fellow sweepers finished their closing work early in New Orleans Square/Bear Country (remember the Country Bear Jamboree?) and decided to do a little exploring in the Haunted Mansion as part of their "final sweep" of the area. Having befriended the ride operators, they knew where to find the activation control for the elevator that is deftly disguised as the "stretching gallery" where guests first enter the attraction. They thought it would be fun to ride the elevator down and do a walk through, so they hit the control and started the elevator's descent.
Then, for some reason, they decided it would be cool to jump up and hang from the wood paneling ledge that extends around the edge of the room (see photograph above). They did this at the outset and proceeded to dangle (like kids on the monkey bars) while they watched the room "stretch" above them as the elevator descended. Unfortunately, they did not realize that not only did the the wall above them "stretch," but the floor below them also dropped away from them as they hung from the overhang.
When the elevator reached bottom, they looked down, intending to drop down from their ledge. They found to their dismay that now their feet were pretty darn high above the floor. Of course, neither of the dangling sweepers could get to the control button to bring the elevator back up. So, they had little choice but to drop a good distance to the floor. No broken ankles or knees resulted, but they learned a valuable lesson about messing around in the Mansion.
The next time you find yourself in the room with "no windows and no doors," take a look above you at the overhang (the one with the gargoyles holding the candles). Watch where that ends up when the elevator reaches the bottom and the doors open to let you into the hallway. You'll see, it's quite a drop.
In the Olympics Summer of 1984, while working in Day Custodial at Disneyland, I put together a t-shirt that a friend silkscreened for me. It had the Ghostbusters logo modified to show a mouse-ear-and-Hawaiian-shirt-wearing, sunglassed tourist being "exxed out" by the famous red symbol of a circle with a slash through the middle. The attached photo shows a "rough" of the final t-shirt artwork. Among cast members, the shirt was pretty popular and I sold out of my 100 or so that were made. 
I recall a group at the Stage Door Cafe in Frontierland had purchased several. Sadly, none of the shirts survived---to my knowledge. It was pretty cool to see CMs wearing them on their way in to work. Don't get me wrong, we loved the guests, but a little gallows humor and sarcasm was always welcome inside the berm.
Summer 1987.
I was a Jungle Skipper.
This was pre-Indiana Jones. The old dock and bullpen were in place. The West Side of Disneyland actually died down at night.
There was no Fanstasmic clogging up New Orleans Square and the Rivers of America like a pyrotechnic embolism.
Eisner was just starting his destruction of the Park.
The Main Street Electrical Parade actually ran down Main Street (of all places!) on summer nights. The Adventure/Frontier ride operators would join in the pre-parade set up, crowd control and post-parade breakdown. A flashlight with a red or yellow cone on the end meant power. "Folks, I'm going to need all of these strollers folded down, and you will have to take a seat so that the people behind you can see, too."
The torches of the Tahitian Terrace glowed in the night, accompanied by the heady smell of pineapple and teriyaki.
Swisskapolka lilted endlessly in the background.
The jungle was alive with its soundtrack of drums, native chants, bird and animal calls, piped in from invisible speakers tucked amidst the foliage.
The Mekong Maiden and her sister boats were decked out in colorful striped canopies and brightly cushioned seats.
Our Smith & Wesson .38 caliber guns were chained in place at the front of our boats and loaded with blank rounds. The "breakdown" rounds were larger loads that could deafen an African Bull Elephant---while simultaneously notifying your Lead back at the dock that your engine had stalled or---more likely---your boat had come off the track at the turn near the Hippo Pool. Thankfully, the guns are back after an utterly inexplicable politically-correct absence.
Just next door, the Pirates of the Caribbean remained unblemished and true to its original state. The pirates still chased the wenches in apparent hopes of satisfying appetites other than hunger for food. Captain Jack did not exist.
The Mark Twain's steam whistle called out in its haunting voice, and, at night, the sternwheeler's sparkling, lighted decks would brilliantly glide into view past the Riverbelle Terrace.
A fire still burned in the settler's cabin on Tom Saywer's Island, though the old settler no longer had an arrow in him, he had taken up "moonshining" and a still mishap set fire to his cabin.
As the Park slowed down in the late evening, Snow White's voice would trickle over from the Wishing Well Grotto, echoes and all---sometimes, clear as a bell.
We would hungrily wait to get "bumped" from "Unload" so that we could grab a snack during break or lunch.
Women worked Tiki Room, Pirates, Country Bear Jamboree, Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, but not the Jungle Cruise.
Fantasy In The Sky lit up the sky over the Park.
Disneyland still had a parking lot out front.
The Rocket Jets were still in Tomorrowland---not out front, on Main Street!
The Skyway still lifted guests over Fantasyland, through the Matterhorn and over Tomorrowland.
You could still have a great moment or two with Mr. Lincoln over on Main Street and take a peek at a perfect model of Walt's office.
Cobblestone could still be found on Main Street, too.
Oh, there's a lot more to discuss. For me, it was a supremely happy time. I had an absolute ball every day I showed up for work.
We'll get into more of my view of the universe as this Blog continues.
To all my friends and fellow Cast Members from 1984 - 87 (both in Attractions and Day Custodial), I send along my heartfelt best wishes and thanks.
