Thunder, 1987.
BTMRR opening shift.
Track walk.
In the quiet moments before the Park opens, a small crew of mine train operators walks the track on a safety inspection.
The charcoal pants, rose shirts, blue bandanas, full boots, vests and wide brimmed hats make up their outfits.
This team of dedicated miners are looking for lost items and signs of trouble.
What kind of trouble?
Cracked welds, broken wires, leaking hydraulic fluids, failed animation, any other obvious indications of mechanical problems.
This post focuses on the lost items.
The myriad of objects that bounced off of guests during their harrowing runaway train rides.
The obvious ones are here: sunglasses, an occasional hat, Disneyland merchandise bags (often with merchandise and receipt still inside), random children's shoes (never in a pair), pens, gum, false teeth.
False teeth?
Oh yes. Found the uppers from a set of dentures just past the spinning opossums.
What's this?
A camera bag.
A baby bottle.
A t-shirt - used. (Hmmm. I don't remember any guests coming back into the station topless...)
A diaper, also used. (Really? We have trash cans just past the exit.)
A cup. (Hey, no food or drink, please).
A belt.
A belt? (I'm not going to posit how this managed to fly off the ride).
A plush toy. (What are the chances?)
$20.00 bill. (Better hang on to that...)
Coins. (Plenty of 'em tossed by the dynamite goat).
An umbrella stroller - kidless. (Thank goodness---they're usually out of sorts and not too cooperative on the trip to Lost and Found).
Souvenir Guides. (They're everywhere!).
Large, swirling, circular, multi-colored sucker. (Looks like it came from the Candy Palace over on Main Street - wow, still in one piece).
Grad Nite button. (From 1985? - how'd we miss that for so long?)
Purses and handbags. (Lost and Found again - hopefully someone's ID is inside so they can be contacted).
A women's size 5 flip-flop (left foot).
Sippy cups.
Binky.
Wristwatch.
Earring (never a pair).
Hair piece.
Yes.
A complete hair piece. (How'd you like to have been the person sitting behind THAT guy!).
Sock.
A shoe, I can understand.
A sock?
What ARE these people doing while on this ride?
At the back side of the mountain, by Thunder Trail, the outside edge of the circular turn has a stream of strewn bits and pieces.
Videotape cartridge.
Handkerchief. (These are just gross. Who blows their nose into a small cloth and THEN sticks it right back in their pocket for RE-USE later????).
Coonskin cap. (Hey! We still sell these?).
It was always interesting to see the things that flew off our guests or from their grasp.
Truly, the wildest ride in the wilderness!
---Mike
Monday, October 17, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Disneyland - Jungle Cruise - Unload
If you work Jungle, you will work "Unload."
Sounds like a bad psychology textbook or potty euphemism.
Actually, it is more about hanging out on the end of the dock between boats, waiting for the next one to chug around Trader Sam.
You and a partner have either the front or rear unload position.
I preferred working unload at the rear position, because you could stand along the easternmost edge of the dock on one leg, balancing precariously over the murky Jungle river water.
Just for the heck of it.
You get to tease the incoming skipper and vice versa.
Face it, the skipper has a live microphone, a P.A. system and a captive audience who has just been forced to spend 9-12 minutes with him, puttering through the wild.
You are slightly outgunned.
Still, the banter is usually worth every moment --- with the proper Skipper/Unloader combination.
Both, for instance, must have a sense of humor.
Both must have impeccable timing.
At least one must have incredibly thick skin and/or little sense of personal dignity or outrage (usually, this is the Unloader's role).
Ah. To be the butt of the joke.
The straight man.
The fall guy.
The one who stands ready to help each guest out...
by the rear...
Of the BOAT that is!
(One of the oldest Jungle lines in the spiel).
We had many routines of skipper-unload interplay:
You get the picture. I could go for some "dock abuse" right about now, actually.
Happy Thursday, 101-ers!
---Mike
Sounds like a bad psychology textbook or potty euphemism.
Actually, it is more about hanging out on the end of the dock between boats, waiting for the next one to chug around Trader Sam.
You and a partner have either the front or rear unload position.
I preferred working unload at the rear position, because you could stand along the easternmost edge of the dock on one leg, balancing precariously over the murky Jungle river water.
Just for the heck of it.
You get to tease the incoming skipper and vice versa.
Face it, the skipper has a live microphone, a P.A. system and a captive audience who has just been forced to spend 9-12 minutes with him, puttering through the wild.
You are slightly outgunned.
Still, the banter is usually worth every moment --- with the proper Skipper/Unloader combination.
Both, for instance, must have a sense of humor.
Both must have impeccable timing.
At least one must have incredibly thick skin and/or little sense of personal dignity or outrage (usually, this is the Unloader's role).
Ah. To be the butt of the joke.
The straight man.
The fall guy.
The one who stands ready to help each guest out...
by the rear...
Of the BOAT that is!
(One of the oldest Jungle lines in the spiel).
We had many routines of skipper-unload interplay:
- "You'll be helped out of the boat today by the Lee brothers...Ug Lee and Home Lee! (Ug is on the left)."
- "And ahead there along the dock are two prime examples of why some animals in the jungle eat their young at birth. Don't stare, folks! They might become aggressive and start touching your elbows as you exit!"
- "Assisting you from the boat today are two of the largest hairless African Albino pygmy gorillas in captivity --- they are on loan to us here from the Zambezi Zoo. Aren't they adorable?"
- "Ooh, LOOK! Boat unloaders! Two of the most feared animals in the jungle! You know folks, each of them weighs over 800 pounds! They can leap over 20 feet! And..they...eat...small....children. (some of my favorite animals).
- And ahead, on the dock to our right---two living and extreme examples of why it is SO important for you young folks to stay in school!
You get the picture. I could go for some "dock abuse" right about now, actually.
Happy Thursday, 101-ers!
---Mike
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Disneyland - Whoa. Is It October Already? Shuttle Bus Blues and Aromas...
Gang, things have been a bit busy in the realm outside the Jungle is "101" administrative offices lately.
I posted on September 11 and then next time I looked up, it was a month later!!!
I hate it when the real interferes with the virtual world and keeps me from posting my deeply insightful prose.
C'est la vie.
So.
Where to start?
How about a story of a modern Disneyland cast member's experience?
Namely: the shuttle bus.
In my day, we parked in the employee lot, walked through Harbor House, and went off into the Magic Kingdom to start our shifts.
Today, the employee--ahem---Cast Member--parking lot is, for most folks, located some distance away from the Park.
Indeed, one of the main CM lots is located off Katella, across from McCormick & Schmick's Grille and the Cheesecake Factory. It is known as, oddly enough, the Katella Cast Member Lot ("KCML" or "K-Lot").
It is quite large.
I favored parking along the fence on Katella, east of the main entrance to the K-lot during my recent Cast Member sojourn.
I would then amble over - in full Jungle Costume - to the...Bus Stop.
Yes, the Cast Member Shuttle.
Imagine a locker room on wheels.
Perhaps that is a bit harsh, but I will say that the shuttle had a certain "air" about it that was unmistakable.
Sweaty folks returning from their shifts or bringing soiled costumes to exchange over at Wardrobe, combined with the the endlessly recirculating air conditioning system of the shuttle, to form a heady atmosphere aboard.
At the end of the night, after a Parade guest control shift let's say, a crowd of Cast Members would fill the shuttle to capacity over at the Harbor House gate. We'd ride shoulder to shoulder, pit to pit, arm to arm---back to K-Lot. I think that's where the stronger aromas were cultivated initially.
Then they would infiltrate the ventilation system of the shuttle where, like spirits in the Haunted Mansion, they were doomed to haunt the shuttle inhabitants forever.
The ride in from KCML to begin a shift was much the same, though typically quieter. Folks were plugged in to I-pods, I-phones, cell phones, I-pads, you name it.
Some stared off through the windows as we made our way from KCML to the eastern entrance of Disneyland, along Harbor Boulevard.
The shuttle buses looked like they were shipped from a Holiday Inn in North Carolina, hastily outfitted with Disney logos, and gassed up for delivery of groups of Cast Members to the Park's doorstep.
It was about a 15-25 minute process to get from the Park onto the shuttle and back to KCML.
The union made sure everyone got paid for this extra commute time.
Believe me, that $0.84 made all the difference!
I don't know.
I mean I understood the logistical reason for locating the Cast Member lot so far from the Park. Where the heck else were they gonna put Disney's California Adventure?
I just know that starting and ending each day with a bouncy bus ride was a bit less magical than the old days when we literally parked our cars outside the Park's gates.
In many ways, we shared the guests' experience. We parked in the same 100-acre lot (though our section was cordoned off over on the northeastern edge, near the Monorail track along Harbor).
We left its wide grayness and entered the Park to a world that was quite colorful (once we were onstage).
From outside the berm to inside in a few minutes.
No waiting in line for a bus.
No huddling in a crowded shuttle, hanging from straps.
No thick, musty smells.
I am sure in my younger days, the shuttle would not have seemed quite so unpleasant.
At the end of our shift, my friends and I would have enjoyed the ride back to the parking lot to joke with and tease each other; to plan post-shift activities; to lambast leads and managers, etc.
Perhaps that is how the 20-something Cast Members of today experience the shuttle ride.
I saw some indication of it during my recent stint on Jungle.
As for me, I'll take the 100-acre parking lot of old.
For readers of these lonely bits of data in cyberspace, I expect that last sentence is hardly a shock!
Stay happy and savor the promise of the future my friends!
---Mike (your wayward Captain, guide and dance instructor)
I posted on September 11 and then next time I looked up, it was a month later!!!
I hate it when the real interferes with the virtual world and keeps me from posting my deeply insightful prose.
C'est la vie.
So.
Where to start?
How about a story of a modern Disneyland cast member's experience?
Namely: the shuttle bus.
In my day, we parked in the employee lot, walked through Harbor House, and went off into the Magic Kingdom to start our shifts.
Today, the employee--ahem---Cast Member--parking lot is, for most folks, located some distance away from the Park.
Indeed, one of the main CM lots is located off Katella, across from McCormick & Schmick's Grille and the Cheesecake Factory. It is known as, oddly enough, the Katella Cast Member Lot ("KCML" or "K-Lot").
It is quite large.
I favored parking along the fence on Katella, east of the main entrance to the K-lot during my recent Cast Member sojourn.
I would then amble over - in full Jungle Costume - to the...Bus Stop.
Yes, the Cast Member Shuttle.
Imagine a locker room on wheels.
Perhaps that is a bit harsh, but I will say that the shuttle had a certain "air" about it that was unmistakable.
Sweaty folks returning from their shifts or bringing soiled costumes to exchange over at Wardrobe, combined with the the endlessly recirculating air conditioning system of the shuttle, to form a heady atmosphere aboard.
At the end of the night, after a Parade guest control shift let's say, a crowd of Cast Members would fill the shuttle to capacity over at the Harbor House gate. We'd ride shoulder to shoulder, pit to pit, arm to arm---back to K-Lot. I think that's where the stronger aromas were cultivated initially.
Then they would infiltrate the ventilation system of the shuttle where, like spirits in the Haunted Mansion, they were doomed to haunt the shuttle inhabitants forever.
The ride in from KCML to begin a shift was much the same, though typically quieter. Folks were plugged in to I-pods, I-phones, cell phones, I-pads, you name it.
Some stared off through the windows as we made our way from KCML to the eastern entrance of Disneyland, along Harbor Boulevard.
The shuttle buses looked like they were shipped from a Holiday Inn in North Carolina, hastily outfitted with Disney logos, and gassed up for delivery of groups of Cast Members to the Park's doorstep.
It was about a 15-25 minute process to get from the Park onto the shuttle and back to KCML.
The union made sure everyone got paid for this extra commute time.
Believe me, that $0.84 made all the difference!
I don't know.
I mean I understood the logistical reason for locating the Cast Member lot so far from the Park. Where the heck else were they gonna put Disney's California Adventure?
I just know that starting and ending each day with a bouncy bus ride was a bit less magical than the old days when we literally parked our cars outside the Park's gates.
In many ways, we shared the guests' experience. We parked in the same 100-acre lot (though our section was cordoned off over on the northeastern edge, near the Monorail track along Harbor).
We left its wide grayness and entered the Park to a world that was quite colorful (once we were onstage).
From outside the berm to inside in a few minutes.
No waiting in line for a bus.
No huddling in a crowded shuttle, hanging from straps.
No thick, musty smells.
I am sure in my younger days, the shuttle would not have seemed quite so unpleasant.
At the end of our shift, my friends and I would have enjoyed the ride back to the parking lot to joke with and tease each other; to plan post-shift activities; to lambast leads and managers, etc.
Perhaps that is how the 20-something Cast Members of today experience the shuttle ride.
I saw some indication of it during my recent stint on Jungle.
As for me, I'll take the 100-acre parking lot of old.
For readers of these lonely bits of data in cyberspace, I expect that last sentence is hardly a shock!
Stay happy and savor the promise of the future my friends!
---Mike (your wayward Captain, guide and dance instructor)
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Disneyland - September 11, 1984
The 1980s era had many things going for it.
Big hair.
High-top Reeboks.
Indiana Jones.
Oingo Boingo.
Alex Keaton.
Back to the Future.
Ghostbusters.
The Los Angeles Olympics.
Asteroids.
Pac-Man.
Mall rats.
Valley Girls.
MTV.
Ray Ban Wayfarers.
Yaz.
One thing it DID NOT have, which I miss terribly in this present age, was a date in September (other than Labor Day, perhaps) that really stood out in the national consciousness.
Tuesday, September 11, 1984, for example, was like many September 11ths before it.
The Angles lost to the Indians 4-2. Rod Carew was 1 for 4 off winning pitcher Don Schulze.
Bucky Dent played his final major league game as a Kansas City Royal.
Pope John Paul II was in the midst of a visit to Canada and held a Mass for the beatification of Sister Marie-Léonie Paradis.
Three's Company ran a repeat on ABC at 8:30 p.m. and was up against a repeat episode of The A-Team over on NBC.
Woman's Day asked on its cover "Who Makes the Best Second Husband?"
President Ronald Reagan met with NATO Secretary General Lord Carrington at the White House.
Reagan also declared in 1984 that, "There is renewed energy and optimism throughout the land. America is back, standing tall, looking to the 80s with courage, confidence and hope."
He was right.
In November of 1984, Reagan would rout Walter Mondale--who only won his home state of Minnesota---in the Presidential Election.
Born in the USA got plenty of air time on the radio for Bruce Springsteen.
The UCLA Bruins were preparing to take on Long Beach State at the Rose Bowl on Saturday, September 15th.
The Go-Go's put on a live show at Western University in Macomb, Illinois.
There was a war in Afghanistan, but it involved Soviet troops, not Americans.
Tina Turner's What's Love Got To Do With It? moved to the top of the charts.
The September 11, 1984 New York Times reported that Apple Computer
had just introduced a version of its Macintosh personal computer that, with a suggested retail price of $3,195, will feature 512 kilobytes of internal memory - four times the 128-kilobyte memory on the existing Macintosh.
Apple also said it was cutting the price on the existing machine to $2,195, from $2,495, and would begin selling a $995 kit to enable current Macintosh owners to upgrade their machines to 512 kilobytes of memory.
Not quite an I-Pad, but the Apple company showed promise.
Sure, terror existed then, too.
A year earlier, in 1983, a Korean Air Lines civilian airliner was shot down by Soviet interceptors over the Sea of Japan.
On September 20, 1984, the U.S. Embassy annex would be car-bombed in Beirut, killing 23.
We lived in a chaotic world.
The Middle East was, as always, in a state of near boiling.
Another great superpower threatened us with Mutually Assured Destruction by way of its atomic arsenal.
But life somehow still went on.
It had hope, promise.
We did regular things.
We lived without an ever-present shadow of vague uneasiness.
The September 11th that followed 17 years after that Tuesday in 1984 ripped up the old world, almost to its roots.
I realize now, ten years later, that the whole world has become weird.
Stuff I thought would last forever is gone.
A world economy - gone.
The United States I knew then is vastly different.
Disneyland, of course, has changed.
But enough remains the same to provide some comfort to bewildered travelers, who have awakened in what seems to be another dimension - today - September 11, 2011.
My heart is with everyone this day.
All of us lost someone or something 10 years ago.
No one has come out of it unscathed.
What I would not give to return to a world when September 11th was just another day.
Pax vobiscum.
---Mike
Big hair.
High-top Reeboks.
Indiana Jones.
Oingo Boingo.
Alex Keaton.
Back to the Future.
Ghostbusters.
The Los Angeles Olympics.
Asteroids.
Pac-Man.
Mall rats.
Valley Girls.
MTV.
Ray Ban Wayfarers.
Yaz.
One thing it DID NOT have, which I miss terribly in this present age, was a date in September (other than Labor Day, perhaps) that really stood out in the national consciousness.
Tuesday, September 11, 1984, for example, was like many September 11ths before it.
The Angles lost to the Indians 4-2. Rod Carew was 1 for 4 off winning pitcher Don Schulze.
Bucky Dent played his final major league game as a Kansas City Royal.
Pope John Paul II was in the midst of a visit to Canada and held a Mass for the beatification of Sister Marie-Léonie Paradis.
Three's Company ran a repeat on ABC at 8:30 p.m. and was up against a repeat episode of The A-Team over on NBC.
Woman's Day asked on its cover "Who Makes the Best Second Husband?"
President Ronald Reagan met with NATO Secretary General Lord Carrington at the White House.
Reagan also declared in 1984 that, "There is renewed energy and optimism throughout the land. America is back, standing tall, looking to the 80s with courage, confidence and hope."
He was right.
In November of 1984, Reagan would rout Walter Mondale--who only won his home state of Minnesota---in the Presidential Election.
Born in the USA got plenty of air time on the radio for Bruce Springsteen.
The UCLA Bruins were preparing to take on Long Beach State at the Rose Bowl on Saturday, September 15th.
The Go-Go's put on a live show at Western University in Macomb, Illinois.
There was a war in Afghanistan, but it involved Soviet troops, not Americans.
Tina Turner's What's Love Got To Do With It? moved to the top of the charts.
The September 11, 1984 New York Times reported that Apple Computer
had just introduced a version of its Macintosh personal computer that, with a suggested retail price of $3,195, will feature 512 kilobytes of internal memory - four times the 128-kilobyte memory on the existing Macintosh.
Apple also said it was cutting the price on the existing machine to $2,195, from $2,495, and would begin selling a $995 kit to enable current Macintosh owners to upgrade their machines to 512 kilobytes of memory.
Not quite an I-Pad, but the Apple company showed promise.
Sure, terror existed then, too.
A year earlier, in 1983, a Korean Air Lines civilian airliner was shot down by Soviet interceptors over the Sea of Japan.
On September 20, 1984, the U.S. Embassy annex would be car-bombed in Beirut, killing 23.
We lived in a chaotic world.
The Middle East was, as always, in a state of near boiling.
Another great superpower threatened us with Mutually Assured Destruction by way of its atomic arsenal.
But life somehow still went on.
It had hope, promise.
We did regular things.
We lived without an ever-present shadow of vague uneasiness.
The September 11th that followed 17 years after that Tuesday in 1984 ripped up the old world, almost to its roots.
I realize now, ten years later, that the whole world has become weird.
Stuff I thought would last forever is gone.
A world economy - gone.
The United States I knew then is vastly different.
Disneyland, of course, has changed.
But enough remains the same to provide some comfort to bewildered travelers, who have awakened in what seems to be another dimension - today - September 11, 2011.
My heart is with everyone this day.
All of us lost someone or something 10 years ago.
No one has come out of it unscathed.
What I would not give to return to a world when September 11th was just another day.
Pax vobiscum.
---Mike
Friday, September 9, 2011
Disneyland - CHOC Walk
Jungleteers:
October 16, 2011 is CHOC Walk at Disneyland.
An event no true Disneyland fan will want to miss, CHOC Walk supports a great cause while allowing you novel access to the Park in the earl morning hours, including great "behind the scenes" views.
Here is the website, sign up today!
We now return you to your regularly scheduled internet...
---Mike
October 16, 2011 is CHOC Walk at Disneyland.
An event no true Disneyland fan will want to miss, CHOC Walk supports a great cause while allowing you novel access to the Park in the earl morning hours, including great "behind the scenes" views.
Here is the website, sign up today!
We now return you to your regularly scheduled internet...
---Mike
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Disneyland - I could really go for...
Right about now, I could really go for:
Stay thirsty my friends!!
---Mike
- a mid-theater seat on the comfy benches of the Country Bear Jamboree, waiting for the show to start;
- a stroll through Harbor House to grab my time card on my way under the trestle to Wardrobe;
- a hot Monte Cristo sandwich at Carnation on Main Street;
- an elephant ride (make it an African Bull, and be sure to wave at the Jungle boats as they drift by);
- my old (metal) pan and broom at my side and a Main Street opening shift;
- a leisurely wander through the old One-of-a-Kind shop in New Orleans Square (just looking!);
- some Plaza Inn pot roast;
- a tram ride through the 100-acre parking lot to the Main Entrance drop off area, with a tram-ful of eager guests;
- craning my neck and scanning the area for whoever just sounded a "Sweeper's Whistle" in my direction;
- a view of Cascade Peak and Big Thunder Falls from the top deck of the Mark Twain;
- fifty cents and a Shootin' Arcade rifle;
- a stick to wake up Jose (the bird, not the busser who used to work nights at the Cafe Orleans);
- an early morning canoe race (cast members only, sorry);
- a squeaky Donald Duck hat (not for me, for the kids)...okay, I'll try it, but just one or two squeaks...;
- a pre-opening walk-through of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad;
- checking the schedule in the old Custodial offices behind Plaza Gardens (ahh, good ol' Dept. 336!);
- a refreshing dip in the Submarine Lagoon (it always looks so inviting);
- a walk past the lightning-filled windows and spooky paintings in corridor of the Haunted Mansion just past the elevator doors;
- a bench on the Hub; and
- a whole day ahead of me at the Park.
Stay thirsty my friends!!
---Mike
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Disneyland - A Break
Greetings, Jungle lovers!
Pecking out a post on this old Underwood.
The keys are sticking in this moist heat, greatly diminishing my words per minute and sapping my energy.
Perhaps I should take a hot tea.
Our British companions swear by it.
I suppose the goal is to get one's insides close in temperature to the outside.
This creates an illusion of "cooling off," when, in fact, you have merely "heated up."
Boiling a kettle over a camp fire in an Indian jungle is a treat.
Dry heat and smoke mingle with the sopping dankness to create a miniature hell.
The fire keeps the mosquitoes at bay---somewhat.
Wish I could catch a break.
A break.
That reminds me of many moments spent in tucked away break areas of the Park.
Adventure/Frontier Attractions cast members had several options, but perhaps the most convenient was the break area just outside the Adventure/Frontier offices located above the River Belle Terrace.
I remember pushing through the door to the back area, the wooden "gate" tucked between the Bengal Barbecue and the Riverbelle Terrace, and strolling through the narrow alley past kitchen carts and racks to the base of the stairs. They were a bit rickety, with a wood railing, and they led up to the area office.
At the top of the stairs was a covered porch, with vending machines along the wall to the right, picnic tables to the left and the door to the offices straight ahead.
Beyond that door was the world of "Operations" and area managers. Scheduling was done in there. The schedulers never had to buy drinks when our crew went out after work. Keep your scheduler happy, was my motto. The person who had a role in assigning shifts was indeed a good friend to have.
Sure, there were seniority and union contract issues, but after those variables, the schedulers and the managers with whom they worked laid out the weekly calendar in every detail.
Want a closing shift?
Need a day off?
Last minute trade of a shift so you can make your final exam?
The scheduler could help---or hurt---you.
That is why I would walk past the vending machines, step through the door and say a cheery "Hello" to our friendly scheduler before turning around, heading back out onto the porch, and grabbing a Cherry Coke from the vending machine.
I would then sit down at an open picnic table or grab a seat with any of my friends who might have the same break schedule.
After hours on one's feet at the helm of a Jungle boat or loading passengers, those 15 minutes of break time were sublime.
I best recall the cold, damp nights in winter, bundled in my jacket and scarf, sitting in the break area over a cup of bad coffee or hot chocolate.
Sometimes I would be the only one up there.
It was cool. I was in this little hidden world "backstage."
I could hear the Mark Twain's whistle and the Jungle's drums and animal sounds.
Down below, I could see the backstage area of the Golden Horsehoe and the dacning girls would click by in their heels and fishnets. Ah. It's good to be here!
Those cups of coffee in the cold nights still warm my memory.
My feet would get cold around mid-shift and that was it.
They would not warm up until I got a hot shower or bath on my return home.
No problem.
The worst day working at Disneyland beat just about anything else I had ever experienced.
So I would sit in the break area and let the steam from my cup warm my face.
I might get involved in some trite conversation, lighthearted joking or involved planning as to post-work activities with my comrades in nametags.
The time would fly.
A glance down at my watch would reveal that 14 minutes had passed!
Uh oh.
I would leap to my feet, bolt down the stairs, burst through the gate and hightail it through the heart of Adventureland back to the Jungle dock and my rotation.
Heaven help you if you took a long break!
The justice that would be meted out by the other skippers in your rotation was swift and severe.
It usually involved keeping you in your boat.
When the time would come for your dockmate to step in and take over the helm, he would not be there!
Or he would smile, along with another member of your rotation---and your lead!---as the two of them bumped each other to break after break while you were stuck in the boat for another trip (or six) through the Jungle!
Breathless, I would tap my fellow cast member on the shoulder as I made it back to the dock.
"You're bumped! Enjoy your break!"
I am pretty sure he did.
---Mike
Pecking out a post on this old Underwood.
The keys are sticking in this moist heat, greatly diminishing my words per minute and sapping my energy.
Perhaps I should take a hot tea.
Our British companions swear by it.
I suppose the goal is to get one's insides close in temperature to the outside.
This creates an illusion of "cooling off," when, in fact, you have merely "heated up."
Boiling a kettle over a camp fire in an Indian jungle is a treat.
Dry heat and smoke mingle with the sopping dankness to create a miniature hell.
The fire keeps the mosquitoes at bay---somewhat.
Wish I could catch a break.
A break.
That reminds me of many moments spent in tucked away break areas of the Park.
Adventure/Frontier Attractions cast members had several options, but perhaps the most convenient was the break area just outside the Adventure/Frontier offices located above the River Belle Terrace.
I remember pushing through the door to the back area, the wooden "gate" tucked between the Bengal Barbecue and the Riverbelle Terrace, and strolling through the narrow alley past kitchen carts and racks to the base of the stairs. They were a bit rickety, with a wood railing, and they led up to the area office.
At the top of the stairs was a covered porch, with vending machines along the wall to the right, picnic tables to the left and the door to the offices straight ahead.
Beyond that door was the world of "Operations" and area managers. Scheduling was done in there. The schedulers never had to buy drinks when our crew went out after work. Keep your scheduler happy, was my motto. The person who had a role in assigning shifts was indeed a good friend to have.
Sure, there were seniority and union contract issues, but after those variables, the schedulers and the managers with whom they worked laid out the weekly calendar in every detail.
Want a closing shift?
Need a day off?
Last minute trade of a shift so you can make your final exam?
The scheduler could help---or hurt---you.
That is why I would walk past the vending machines, step through the door and say a cheery "Hello" to our friendly scheduler before turning around, heading back out onto the porch, and grabbing a Cherry Coke from the vending machine.
I would then sit down at an open picnic table or grab a seat with any of my friends who might have the same break schedule.
After hours on one's feet at the helm of a Jungle boat or loading passengers, those 15 minutes of break time were sublime.
I best recall the cold, damp nights in winter, bundled in my jacket and scarf, sitting in the break area over a cup of bad coffee or hot chocolate.
Sometimes I would be the only one up there.
It was cool. I was in this little hidden world "backstage."
I could hear the Mark Twain's whistle and the Jungle's drums and animal sounds.
Down below, I could see the backstage area of the Golden Horsehoe and the dacning girls would click by in their heels and fishnets. Ah. It's good to be here!
Those cups of coffee in the cold nights still warm my memory.
My feet would get cold around mid-shift and that was it.
They would not warm up until I got a hot shower or bath on my return home.
No problem.
The worst day working at Disneyland beat just about anything else I had ever experienced.
So I would sit in the break area and let the steam from my cup warm my face.
I might get involved in some trite conversation, lighthearted joking or involved planning as to post-work activities with my comrades in nametags.
The time would fly.
A glance down at my watch would reveal that 14 minutes had passed!
Uh oh.
I would leap to my feet, bolt down the stairs, burst through the gate and hightail it through the heart of Adventureland back to the Jungle dock and my rotation.
Heaven help you if you took a long break!
The justice that would be meted out by the other skippers in your rotation was swift and severe.
It usually involved keeping you in your boat.
When the time would come for your dockmate to step in and take over the helm, he would not be there!
Or he would smile, along with another member of your rotation---and your lead!---as the two of them bumped each other to break after break while you were stuck in the boat for another trip (or six) through the Jungle!
Breathless, I would tap my fellow cast member on the shoulder as I made it back to the dock.
"You're bumped! Enjoy your break!"
I am pretty sure he did.
---Mike
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Disneyland - Trader Sam's - World Of Color and General Trifles
The bar looks like the Jungle Cruise crashed into the Tiki Room --- what's not to love?
Tiki drinks, Disney style.
Order a Shipwreck or an Uh-oa.
The bar lights up with special effects.
One of them made possible from fellow blogger Kevin Kidney - who designed the "ship in a bottle" above the bar. It is a replica of a certain ship floating down in the caverns of the Pirates of the Caribbean.
Here's Kevin's post about his (and Jody Daily's) involvement. Once again, Kevin and Jody are amazing!
The Shipwreck drink itself?
So-so.
I heartily endorse the Uh-oa.
After a couple of these, you soon echo the sentiments of our dear friend Koro, the midnight dancer:
"Today my magic feet no move. My head sore. But last night all tiki gods had BIG time. SOME luau! When drums begin to pound, (your) head full BIIIIG SOUND!"
Some views of the interior of Trader Sam's are set forth below for your edification and enjoyment.
The bar is cozy. There is a porch outside the bar, but it is pretty warm during the day. I would probably wait until dusk or evening before taking a seat out there.
Great bartender.
Bit of a head case.
A real "people person" though.
Not a vegan.
He really wants to serve you.
So, don't get too close to the large kettle in the back.
As I mentioned in my last post, we stopped by the "other" park and actually sat down to take in World of Color. Staying at the Grand Californian, we were able to be the first into the park to get FastPasses for the event. We got the "Blue" section and, thanks to a hot tip, we were told the best spot to take in the show was along the bridge that leads across the water towards Ariel's Grotto.
I snapped the shots below from our vantage point on the bridge as evening fell upon us.
We were treated to a gorgeous sunset.
And here is a shot of the World of Color show in progress---as you can see, we had some of the best seats in the house---short of grabbing a table at Ariel's Grotto.
1. Stay at one of the resort hotels---preferably Grand Californian---you get into the Park early (if you are there on the right day) so you can be among the first to get WOC FastPasses.
2. Get in line EARLY at the hotel entrance gate for California Adventure (just past the Napa Rose in the Grand Californian). The line presently forms before DCA opens.
GET.
THERE (in line for the hotel entrance to DCA).
EARLY.
3. As for the show itself - GET TO THE SHOW AREA EARLY. Get to the rope at the bridge leading to Ariel's Grotto (between the Little Mermaid attraction and Ariel's Grotto) well, well, well BEFORE the scheduled showing of World of Color that you are attending. Be among the first along the rope so you can pick out your spot when it drops. Hold hands. Cling to each other. The massive horde behind you WILL stampede you and tear at your party like charging bull elephants.
4. Bring a blanket or two to lay out on the ground and mark your spot (anything that can help you stake out territory from all the "last minute Larrys" who WILL inevitably show up just before showtime and try to hone in on your personal space).
That is all for now, dear readers.
You guys are fabulous!
Keep up the good work!
---Mike
Monday, August 22, 2011
Disneyland - Club 33 and I meet Anne
My family and I went to stay at the Grand Californian during the last week of July. A Grand time was had by all. We made the most of our week, dropping by Trader Sam's over at the Disneyland Hotel, giving Steakhouse 55 a try, finally braving the crowds for a---believe it or not---FIRST time ever viewing of "World of Color," stepping aboard the new Star Tours and taking in lunch at Club 33.
Oh! While walking through the Park during our visit, I spotted a young woman wearing a "Jungle Is 101" t-shirt as I entered the Plaza from Adventureland. "Hey! Nice shirt!" I called out. The young woman was with two of her friends and she looked at me. "I'm MIKE, the Jungle is 101 blogger."
"I'm Anne."
"ANNE!! Nice to meet you! Are you guys having fun?! I'm here with my family."
Anne has been one of this blog's 4 (four) readers for quite some time now.
She was very nice and said she wears her Jungle is 101 shirt to the Park often.
It was an absolute treat to meet a reader in person.
Quite a rare event, since I figure I've got about a 4-in-8 billion chance (3-in-8-billion if you exclude my mom!) of actually meeting someone who reads this stuff.
Anne seemed remarkably cogent and normal for a "Jungle is 101" devotee!
Anne, it was very nice to meet you!
Now, where was I?
Ah, lunch at Club 33.
For you Disneyland-o-philes, Club 33 is something you have heard about many times. I imagine a few of you have made it up there for lunch or dinner.
As for the few who have no idea what Club 33 is---here's a link.
We took in the Club for an 11:30 a.m. lunch.
Here is a photo-essay of the visit.
We arrive at the red main entry and board the elevator shown below (those are my daughters inside) for a lift to the second floor dining area.
The entire Club interior was designed by Emile Kuri---the famous Hollywood set designer who also has his own window on Main Street.
Here is the main dining room.
Our table was in the southwestern corner of the main dining room. We could step out onto the balcony there above New Orleans Square. Here are a few views from the balcony. Ahhhh.
Below, we look down toward the main entrance of the French Market.
Next time you are there, turn around and look back and up. You will see our balcony there next to the magnolia tree and above the Cafe Orleans.
Here is the balcony as seen from street level.
Here is a view from the eastern end of the balcony, looking down at the riverfront of New Orleans Square.
Fabulous artwork and a close up of some of the interior wallpaper. Fresh flowers, but of course.
The delightful Club 33 Bloody Mary atop our table in the main dining room.
Now, some views from inside the Club and out onto New Orleans Square. First, a peek down from the main corridor:
Next, the view out of the window at the top of the main entrance stairway (the phone booth is to the right, not shown).
Here is the view from the corridor where the buffet and bar are located. We are looking out upon the entrance to the Blue Bayou.
Here is another view.
And this is a shot, taken from street level, of the window out of which the above photographs were taken (the white-trimmed window at the upper right side of the photograph).
Another view of the main dining room.
Looking south toward the Court of the Angels (through that lanterned archway in the the distance) from our balcony along Orleans Street.
And here is the opposite view, looking from the intersection of Orleans and Royal Street back up toward our balcony (the one in the center-left of the photograph, next to the tall magnolia tree).
My best to all of you---and thanks for checking in!
---Mike
Monday, August 8, 2011
Disneyland - The Lost Safari Leader Returns
My best to you, Adventurers and Adventurettes!
Mike here.
I would have posted more in the past two months had it not been for a wrong turn in the Guatemalan rainforest. You can get pretty disoriented in jungle overgrowth, especially with a blowdart in your neck! After I came to in a dark hut, I managed to free (most) of the other members of our group and we made our way down river and back to our rickety dock. Talk about a sight for sore eyes! The guys on the dock greeted us warmly, but had somehow managed to be completely unaware of the fact that we had been missing for over eight weeks. Ah. Skippers.
I have much to tell you as, after our ordeal, I made a sojourn to the Grand Californian for four days in order to recuperate. Poolside mojitos can powerfully combat the most virulent of jungle maladies. I also managed an invite into an exclusive club in New Orleans Square---it had been a while since my last visit. I have pictures, but no time to upload them this morning. Stay tuned.
The Park, as always, revitalized my weary spirits, rekindled my devotion and rewarded my many years of Disneyland experience. Oddly enough, we had a supremely happy time at this particular place on earth. Hmm. Maybe there's something to that old slogan after all...
As to you, my devoted four (4) readers (Hi, Mom!), what can I say? I feel like a deadbeat dad, an AWOL soldier, a bolting groom, a Ponzi scheme con-man, a pirate rowing away from you on a lonely island beach, a DMV clerk, a Congressman, a neighbor who borrowed your rake four years ago (and still has it), a garage mechanic in a small desert town---350 miles from anywhere---who has your broken-down car up on a rack, a distant cousin who is still promising to make good on that loan---someday, a...well...like someone who has left you high-and-dry. I am sorry.
I will try to make amends by getting back to posting daily---or at least a couple times a week! Thank you all for continuing to check in with me and for your good thoughts and best wishes on my behalf. These are truly cherished and appreciated.
---Mike
Mike here.
I would have posted more in the past two months had it not been for a wrong turn in the Guatemalan rainforest. You can get pretty disoriented in jungle overgrowth, especially with a blowdart in your neck! After I came to in a dark hut, I managed to free (most) of the other members of our group and we made our way down river and back to our rickety dock. Talk about a sight for sore eyes! The guys on the dock greeted us warmly, but had somehow managed to be completely unaware of the fact that we had been missing for over eight weeks. Ah. Skippers.
I have much to tell you as, after our ordeal, I made a sojourn to the Grand Californian for four days in order to recuperate. Poolside mojitos can powerfully combat the most virulent of jungle maladies. I also managed an invite into an exclusive club in New Orleans Square---it had been a while since my last visit. I have pictures, but no time to upload them this morning. Stay tuned.
The Park, as always, revitalized my weary spirits, rekindled my devotion and rewarded my many years of Disneyland experience. Oddly enough, we had a supremely happy time at this particular place on earth. Hmm. Maybe there's something to that old slogan after all...
As to you, my devoted four (4) readers (Hi, Mom!), what can I say? I feel like a deadbeat dad, an AWOL soldier, a bolting groom, a Ponzi scheme con-man, a pirate rowing away from you on a lonely island beach, a DMV clerk, a Congressman, a neighbor who borrowed your rake four years ago (and still has it), a garage mechanic in a small desert town---350 miles from anywhere---who has your broken-down car up on a rack, a distant cousin who is still promising to make good on that loan---someday, a...well...like someone who has left you high-and-dry. I am sorry.
I will try to make amends by getting back to posting daily---or at least a couple times a week! Thank you all for continuing to check in with me and for your good thoughts and best wishes on my behalf. These are truly cherished and appreciated.
---Mike
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