I Didn't Die in Anaheim!

So, as most people know, I left the program in mid-July, and am now home going to school again.

What most people don't know is that I am applying for another program in Walt Disney World this time! So, assuming I get accepted, this will become my blog for that program as well! I will do my best to keep posting, but I'm planning on taking classes during the program, so no guarantees!

Belated Blog Post

First off, I am so sorry for barely posting. Also my video in my last post apparently didn't work, so I'm just keeping everyone out of the loop I suppose! There's a lot of stuff to catch up on.

MARCH HIGHLIGHTS

• Getting to explore the old Mule Ride trail behind the Rivers of America, nearly being caught by Tick Tock (giant crocodile in Fantasmic) and some security guards, and later getting to touch the Fantasmic rafts
• My family visited!
• Watched the Bunny Hop and Soundsational parade with an 82 year old lady who has been coming to Disneyland since 1957. She showed me a picture of her kids with Walt himself on Main Street. 
• Got 1,579,400 points on Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters (yes, that is a highlight!)

APRIL HIGHLIGHTS 

• "Disneybounding!" 
• 6hr campout for Fantasmic! I got front row, dead center seats. Yes, it was worth it. No, I'm not doing that again.
• Four Code V's in one day at Star Tours!
• Dealt with some bullies in the program
• Long Lost Friends Week!
• My dad visited! 
• Got to ride in the Lilly Belle, the Presidential Parlor car on the Disneyland Railroad. A very rare and special opportunity. 
• More to come :)

My awful Disney internet isn't letting me upload pictures, so stay tuned for those!

So I meant to post this like a week ago... so some of it isn't totally accurate BUT I tell some cool stories in it!

Today I watched the parade with an 82 year old woman who has been coming to the park since 1957! I had the most amazing conversation with her. She even showed me a picture of her kids and "Mr. Disney!" I nearly cried. I would give anything to go back and be at Disneyland when Walt was still going around meeting guests. I hope I meet her again someday, but if not, I'll always remember her!

I made a video today for my sister! It's her tenth birthday (can't believe it). The password for it is "owl."

https://vimeo.com/62916703

I've been working in Tomorowland quite a bit lately. Last night I wrote this while I was on my break.

The trouble with Tomorrowland is that no matter how innovative, how futuristic the plans for it are, it's going to be outdated at some point. Tomorrow will come, and the theming will look silly. Tomorrowland was designed to show the promises and the challenges of the far-off 1980s. As we are now elbow deep in 2013, we may as well rename it "80s Land." Aside from the newly updated Star Tours, and the edible landscaping, Tomorrowland couldn't be further from "futuristic." But is its retro charm enough to entertain and impress?

Captain EO, the 1986 3D short featuring Mr. 80s himself, Michael Jackson, is hilarious and endearing, as the technology does not stand the test of time, the now outdated idea of the future is charming, albiet obscure to those born from 2000 on. This concept of the past looking at its future is what Tomorrowland has become, for better or for worse.

Aside from its inevitably outdated idea of the future, Tomorrowland is also victim to the gloomy remains of the extinct attraction, the People Mover, that was axed thanks to safety issues. (Read: careless guests) Now that it no longer operates, its skeleton remains. Its track and queue sit there dead and empty like the ultimate crypt of the future. The track is the roots of Tomorrowland, metaphorically and literally, and it stays, silently reminding us of Tomorrowland's potential. 

Autopia and Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, two fairly dull rides, eat up a large area of Tomorrowland. Engineering issues, as well as Tomorrowland's ironic nostalgia, the two aren't easy to get rid of. First off, they will both have to go if one does. Innoventions, another reminder of our silly vision of a utopian future, has so much potential space, but as of yet, no great ideas as to what should go there. 

Walt Disney was quoted as saying, "Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world." Because there is an end to any concept of tomorrow, as tomorrow will come, I suggest we disregard the idea that Tomorrowland will be a utopian model of the future (or, the unfortunate reminder of the 80s that it is now) and focus on some of the great space-themed films and characters that Disney has to offer.

We have the entire Star Wars and Marvel universes at our disposal, Using the structure of Innovations, we could build the Stark Expo. The People Mover, with improved safety and show features, could come back to Tomorrowland. Autopia and Nemo can make way for more thrilling rides, bringing back the young adults that head to California Adventure for "big rides." Space Mountain's queue could be greatly improved for efficiency and show. The "concourse" area of the queue could be used for something more exciting and useful, such as a meet and greet with characters from Star Wars, Marvel, or even Buzz and the Little Green Men. Wall-E and Eve could have a 3D show in the Captain EO theater, and could be an opportunity to educate guests about Environmentality. There is so much potential. 

This is both a love letter and an intervention. The charm and fun of Tomorrowland surely exist, but are hanging by a thread. The 80s, sadly, are becoming smaller and smaller in our rear view mirrors, becoming even more of a part of the past rather than the future that Tomorrowland promises. Guests no longer yearn for a glimpse at a more environmentally friendly, forward thinking, technology rich future because it is already at our fingertips in the real world. Disneyland should always represent a fantastical version of the real world, and Tomorrowland should follow the same idea.

Until my next real post...

Here's a video I made to give you a sense of what my job is like.

Enjoy :)

https://vimeo.com/62395582

Well restroom training was awful. The only good thing about it was that I got to go into Club 33. The restroom in there is ridiculous!! They have their own tp and paper towels. And the toilets look like fancy chairs. Love it. 
But other than that… ugh.
We trained in the Adventureland restroom. It has 34 stalls. 
The yuck factor wasn’t what bothered me. It was the wastefulness of Disney, the extreme pace we have to go at, and the realization that efficiency is most important over safety and ‘environmentality.’ 
If a roll is less than like half there, we throw it away. No recycling. No compost. Garbage. There’s so many ways we could improve this system but it boils down to cost and efficiency. Who cares about the planet when you’re “creating happiness?” 

Because we have to move at such a lightning fast pace, safety is swept aside (custodial pun!) and after only one day I’m already nursing a handful of injuries. God forbid we take more than one hour to so a restroom, even if it means slamming your finger in a sharp seat cover dispenser. Also, with three of us working it took one hour…
I did have a magical moment when a little boy tried using a paper towel dispenser and it didn’t work. I went over and told him I’d “rescue” it. He watched intently as I fixed the problem and then excitedly told his mom, “that lady fixed it! thank you lady!”


So if you’re ever using a restroom at Disneyland please say thank you to the cast members in your restroom because they’ll be dumping your tampons in the trash, wiping up your kids’ accidents, and making sure you have more than enough toilet paper.