Working at Disney World Part Two:

As I said in my previous entry, people often ask what it was like working at Disney so I figured I'd spend some time talking about it in the blog.

I already talked about how I got there, so today I want to discuss my co-workers...or fellow Cast Members. There are many different reason why people work for Disney. To some it's just another job; no different than flipping burgers at McDonalds. To others, it's convenience or the free tickets yet to many it was a dream from childhood to be a part of the magic. Now I know that sounds corny in so many ways but it's true. They firmly believe in the things Walt Disney stood for and what to be a part of it. Those were the ones I most liked working with.

I met fifty year old who had made a career (if you can call and hourly wage) working in the park. Many of them had spent time at all the big signature attractions like Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, etc. Despite their low pay (I think they capped out at like $10 an hour when I left in 2000) they loved what they did and believed in Walt's Dream. Despite the fact they were probably being taken advantage of pay wise, most didn't seem to care. To them it was all about putting on the costume and making magic...and I really respect that in many ways.

One thing I enjoyed was meeting people from all over the country (and sometimes the world!) with a very different way of looking at life. It's a great way of not only learning more about the world around one you but it certainly broadened my mind in many ways. It seems like everyone who lived in the Orlando area came from somewhere else (which ended up driving me crazy!) with very few native Floridians.

As an example of opening my mind, I had hardly (to my knowledge) been around very many gays. There are quite a few working at Disney (yes, I know...shocking!) and it helped me become far more tolerent especially after eight years in the military. I worked pretty closely with a few who showed me that the flamboyant swishy stereotype is not really the typical gay. Hell, a few of the guys I didn't even know were homosexual until someone told me.

I even found myself sticking up once for one kid (he was the stereotypical male gay) that worked with me at Tower of Terror (TOT) when a couple of idiot fellow Cast Members were being rude to him because of his sexuality. No one messed with me there, probably because of my military background (I never lost that bearing...you know the shoulders back square jaw look) and physique...so when I told them to knock it off they did so without question.

While working in the project management side of things was generally enjoyable, it was my time out in the theme parks where I really had the most fun (I'll talk more about that in my next blog). I was probably about ten years older than most people working there on average so either something strange happened in that decade or the biggest collection of freaks work in those parks. For instance, at TOT it was pretty well know that there were certain girls who they described as "blow job queens." They got off going up on the roof of the Tower (where you can see most of Disney World) on break and going down on guys. They tried to lure me up there but I was not interested. One was fairly attractive too...I just wasn't um...biting... for various reasons.

Then there was the girl who often made outrageous sexual comments to shock people. Having traveled the world and being a bit older, I generally just shook my head. There was nothing there that I hadn't heard, seen or done and that really annoyed her because she was use to getting a response. So one day it's just she and I in the TOT control room and she tells me she just got "something" pierced. I just said "that's nice" and before I knew it, she had pulled up her top to show me her pierced nipple. I just nodded and went back to watching the system. She actually said at that point "doesn't anything shock you?" I proceeded to tell her about Boy's Town in Mexico and the donkey show. I think she pretty much got it after that and never tried to shock me again.

So you're thinking, Lloyd that's just one attraction but honestly, I heard from other people similar stories all over the parks. You know those cute Disney characters that hug your kids and you've got a picture of your family with sitting on your mantle? Have you ever wondered who's under those costumes? I had a friend who worked with me during the week in the office who spent some weekends as Pooh Bear. She told me that the biggest freaks of all are the characters and went on to tell me about the pictures they took including various characters performing sexual acts on each other (and I'm talking about Cinderella, Snow White, etc). Ironically, a few years later another friend sent me this picture he found on the internet after I'd related the story to him.



Pretty much says it all and based on what Pooh Bear told me, this is tame.

So what's the point, you ask? Am I besmearching the good name of Walt Disney World? Hardly. Just letting you know who may be in that Mickey costume. :)

Now besides the freaks, I did met many wonderful people, some of whom I stay in touch with today. I met one of my closest and best friends in the world working there (though not in the park). It's a big cross section of your average town in many ways...if that town happened to be circus town. :)

Come back next time and I'll relate about what it was like actually working at Tower of Terror and some of the other attractions I spent time at.

People ask me all the time what it was like working at Disney World in Florida so I figured I'd write a few blog posts about it.

Like most people my age, I grew up watching Uncle Walt every Sunday night on the Wonderful World of Disney. Of course, Mr. Disney had died a year after I was born so this was repeats but I didn't know that. Unfortunately, my family could never afford to take a vacation to Florida so I never got the opportunity to see Disney World through the eyes of a child but I strongly remember seeing it on television and being amazed. I also had a Viewmaster that featured scenes from various places in the Magic Kingdom...I remember Pirates of the Carribean and Jungle Cruise specifically...though they could have been from Disneyland in California....I also had this little movie camera thing where you could change out films and when you looked into the lens and cranked the handle, you got about two minutes of footage. My favorite of course was the Magic Kingdom.

Anyway, the first chance I ever got to go there was in my twenties soon after I graduated from college. I won a trip from the opening of a new strip mall and took my college girlfriend. From the moment I laid eyes on Cinderella's Castle from across the Seven Seas Lagoon I was hooked; it was like nothing or no where I had ever been before and everything I dreamed of as a child. A few years later I took my new wife there on our honeymoon (as an FYI, not the college girlfriend) and we decided then that if we ever had the opportunity, that we would live in Florida (life lesson alert....never fall in love with a place on vacation because living there is far different from visiting!).

That opportunity came about six years later. The military was drawing down after we won the Cold War and I was asked if I'd take a year's severence pay and seperate. We moved to Orlando where I promptly tried to get a job in security management at Disney. Unfortunately they only offered me a job as a guard with no guarantee that I could get into management. Instead, I ended up working at Universal Studios who were in the midst of their big expansion (the excellent Islands of Adventure) and told me I'd be primed for a management position. I didn't last long there (they treated their help pretty poorly in those days) and for a while struggled to find my place in the world.

About a year or so later through a series of coincidences, I met a now good friend of mine who offered to hire me and teach me project management with Disney's Facility Asset Management. I agreed and went to work on hotel renovations at Walt Disney World. At the same time, I decided to make myself more valuable to the company by working some weekends in the theme parks. In my grand vision of the future, I figured if I knew more than one area of the company, I could move up quicker (it might have worked too if not for those meddling kids....).

They trained me to work at the then premier (and maybe still top) attraction on property, the Tower of Terror at Disney-MGM Studios. So now I was working M-F in the office and on the hotel properties and on weekends wearing a bellhop costume scaring the bejesus out of guests at the Tower.

So what was it like? Well, for the most part I loved every minute of it. I won't go into details in this post (come back for more!) but working as a Cast Member at Disney World is wonderful and lousy all in one. I will say that some of the biggest freaks I have ever met in my life worked there...but I'll tell you about that next time (and there may be pictures!).

Hmmm....so what am I up to lately?

Well, I've started working on the third book in the Ronan Marino series...as in actually writing chapters. Yes, I know I could be working on my other book, the great American novel, but I have a plan. That plan is to write three books in the Ronan series and then move on to other things.
"Chasing Curves," the next book in the series is done and ready when and if my publisher wants it and I hope to have book three ready sometime in 2007. It's going to take time for them to build steam...hell, "Two Redheads" has been out in e-book form since August and people are still finding out about it. I fully expect it to take a few years for mystery readers to discover and embrace the series (unless I can get that movie or series deal from HBO :)).

If there is demand, then I'll start working on a new Ronan book. In the meantime, there are so many other stories in my head that want to be told, I can keep busy writing for the next five years easily. Only time will tell...

Meanwhile...I took my daughter to see "Happy Feet" yesterday and I am pleased to report that it's a very well done and entertaining movie. Now I've heard the cries that it's a commercial for Greenpeace (there are issues in the film revolving around overfishing) but I disagree. The story is about learning to accept our differences and using each of our talents to better our species. If part of it means using those talents to protect our Earth then I am all for it.

The truth is we humans need to be better guardians of our planet. For the past century plus, we've selfishly exploited it's resources and it's time we start to plan long term, keeping in mind the other species we share our home with. If it takes dancing and singing animated penguins to make people wake up to that fact, then so be it. I personally would like to make sure my grandchildren's children have clean air, water and the ability to see penguins, tigers and every other wonder the Earth has to offer.

This past Thursday night I had one of those seminal father son moments that I just had to share. I had to take the day off to take my fourteen year old son to a doctor's appointment and on the way home, he mentioned that we hadn't been to a Bruins' game in a long time. Since it was student night, I decided we should go.

So we get down to the "Gahden," I buy our tickets and then we walk over to Burger King. We get to the counter and order our food and I reached for my wallet to pay when my son stopped me and said "I'll get this one, Dad." I was shocked. Not because I haven't taught him to do things like this, but it was the first time we'd ever gone out and he'd been in a real position to pay for our meal. He's been working part-time bagging groceries and walking a dog so he's got far more money than he used to.

Needless to say it was a very proud moment in my life. When I told my wife, she said my eyes lit up like it was Christmas morning. It's always the little things like this that make it worthwhile to be a father. I don't need my kids to be sports stars or honor role students (though I do demand they work as hard as they can in school). I just want them to grow up to be good people and this was a good sign that I've been doing my job. :)

So I think today will be one of those definite random thought kind of blogs:

...so I started working on my next book which may or may not be entitled "White Lions." I've decided to write three books in the Ronan Marino series and then move on to other works until there is demand for new books in the series. I have a huge backlog of original screenplays that I'm interested in turning into novels so there is plenty for me to work on.

...I installed Cakewalk, a home recording program, on my computer this weekend. The plan is for me to record scratch tracks of original songs, send them to the band I work with in Florida, have them record their parts and eventually I'll get down there to do my vocals, guitar and harmonica work. I'd love to eventually finish my CD while I still have a voice. :)

...another disappointing loss for the Patriots. Richard Seymore, their all-pro Defensive End, said they were outcoached by Belichick disciple Eric Mangini and I have to agree. For the second week in a row, the playcalling was atrocious with too much emphasis on throwing the ball and not enough running. They need to turn it around fast or the wheels could come flying right off the bus.

...the holidays are around the corner and my wife keeps asking me what I want....I have no idea. I said the same thing for my anniversary and got a t-shirt so I'd better think fast. There must be a DVD set I'd enjoy or something.

...lately I've been really getting into the music of former Dire Straits leader Mark Knopfler. I've long been a fan of his work with that band and soundtracks (especially the Princess Bride soundtrack) but his solo stuff is incredible. The tone of his guitar is so warm and relaxing and the songs are very witty, especially "Boom Like That" which is about McDonald's founder Ray Kroc.

...if you use Comcast for your internet, then you get free Rhapsody which is a music service. I've programmed my own channels and it's great for it to pull out songs that I haven't heard for years. I used to be a big fan of The Alarm back in the 80s and my U2 channel seems to play a lot of their stuff....they were basically always the poor man's U2 anyway.

...I took my daughter and wife to Plimouth Plantation on Friday and the weather was great; it's very unseasonably warm in New England. We all agreed that we enjoyed the Native American side far more than the Pilgrims/English. The Wampanog tribe do a great job of explaining how their forefathers lived. It was funny having to explain to my eight year old daughter that the English were play acting actual people from 1627 but the Wampanog were themselves. The confused look on her face was priceless.

It was really an eye opener for my daughter to see how poorly the colonists treated the natives including kidnapping them back to Europe as slaves. She is fascinated by the Native American culture and for a very active child, she sat and listened to the grandmother Wampanog tells stories about how they lived for nearly an hour. I may have to check her DNA (though my mother and aunt swear we have Native American blood...though they can't document it).

Well, the election is over and as most predicted the Democrats took back the House and Senate and by all accounts will make Bush's last two years miserable. As a down the middle conservative, I'm not all that upset about it. It's cyclical and the Republicans have no one to blame but themselves for the foolish way they spent their chances.

Throughout the election, I've heard a lot of rhetoric about moving America in a new direction. Lots of hope, holding hands and singing Kumbayah. Here are my ideas to move America forward:

1. Iraq - The current plan isn't working and we need a better course of action that isn't so ethnocentric. Throughout history, the region has been overwhelmed with violence and in-fighting. It's their way of life and giving them the magical gift of democracy isn't going to change that. I say we intall a king who rules with a benevolent but strong hand, break the country up into three states, one for the Sunni, Shiites and Kurds and let them elect their governors, mayors, etc. We help them establish this system and then pull back giving them a limited form of democracy.

2. Outlaw Lobbyists - nothing has ruined this nation more than politicians being courted by lobbyists from various special interests. Get rid of them and let the politicians do what's best for the rank and file Americans.

3. Illegal Aliens - deploy the military along the borders to prevent anymore from slipping in. Meanwhile, make it illegal to give them driver's licenses, rent them property, employ them and have stiff penalties for any state or business that doesn't comply. Meanwhile, allow a limited amount in to work towards citizenship, which will include being fluent in English. Set up a half-dozen Ellis Island type locations where immigrants must come through and be screened.

4. Business - Stop giving out corporate welfare. Do oil companies need government handouts?

5. Energy - create a "Manhattan Project" to develop an alternative to oil. Provide grants to build windmalls and install solar panels.

There's a lot more that could be done besides what's on this list but it's start. If the Democrats want to endear themselves to Americans, they need to tackle these issues in a way that improves the situation. If all they're interested in doing is subpoening Bush and company, then it's doubtful much will get done and they'll eventually lose power again.

Of course, while this is probably a pipe dream, I'd love to see a third party come into power and right the ship. Maybe in my children's lifetime.

My family was saddened to learn this week that one of our favorite theme parks in Florida had a huge fire that destroyed much of the gift shop and entrance. No, it wasn't anything at Disney but Gatorland, one of Florida's first theme parks. You can read about the fire and see video and pictures here: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/custom/tourism/orl-gatorland-sg,0,757094.storygallery?coll=orl-business-promos-tourism

Back when we lived in Orlando, we only lived a few miles away and had annual passes to get in as much as we liked. They were very inexpensive and the kids loved to see the huge gators, snakes and other Florida type critters. While it's not as big and flashy as Disney or Universal, it had a down home quant and laid back atmosphere that I enjoyed. You didn't have to fight the crowds like at the bigger theme parks and the prices for everything were reasonable. It's probably the only place I've ever been where you could try gator nuggets...and yes, it does taste like chicken.

On a lazy Sunday afternoon we'd head over for a few hours and let the kids play in the children's waterpark area or just sit and watch the eighteen foot gators cruise through the lagoon. Sometimes we'd even buy the fish and feed the hungry beasts. I'm not afraid of much in my life but I'd hold on tight to my then tiny daughter when she'd lean over the rail to drop a fish into their mouths. If you've ever looked into the eyes of an alligator, you'd understand why. They look at everyone and everything as a potential meal.

I remember a few times we went there for their Halloween event. Walking through the back area in the breeding marsh in the near dark, you could see the glowing eyes staring back at you. That was far scarier than any fake zombie or homicidal cannibal chainsaw maniac roaming the grounds.

Those who know the park are familiar with it's iconic alligator mouth entrance. Thankfully that survived and only a few of the animals died in the fire. The Orlando Sentinel has reported that a reptile heater was the cause of the fire and because it was in the mostly wood giftshop, the fire spread quickly. They plan to reopen using an alternative entrance November 22nd.

I'm grateful for that because I hate to see places like this fade away. Everything in life doesn't have to go zero to sixty in 2.3 seconds.

Well, my Patriots prediction was way off. In fact, they stunk up the joint. Brady and Belichick both had probably their worst games ever. Why they stopped running the ball in the second half is beyond me.

On to other things....

My favorite song is "Thunder Road" by Bruce Springsteen. Here's my favorite part of the song:

"Your graduation gown lies in rags at their feet. And in the lonely cool before dawn, you hear their engines roaring on but when you get to the porch they're gone, on the wind, so Mary climb in, it's a town full of losers and I'm pulling out of here to win."

There was no Mary in my life at that time but the line "town full of losers and I'm pulling out of here to win" echoed my sentiments regarding my hometown at seventeen and my long term plans. I actually followed through and left soon after graduating from college. I'm still not all that enamored of the place to be honest about it. Maybe it's just all the bad memories. I love New England but I will never live in that town.

So I see that Cindy Margolis, the woman once called "the most downloaded model on the internet" has posed for Playboy and the pictures are floating around the net. Now of course, I know that it's all airbrushed like everything else in the magazine but she looks awesome. It's also good to see she hasn't completely given in to the uh...modern grooming trends like most nude models. Cindy is now in her early forties and a mom and I have to say, I definitely find a mature women like her far more attractive than most twenty year olds.

Maybe that's a function of my age as the twenty year olds get closer to my own son's age. Either way, there is just something about a beautiful mature woman who is a mother that makes me want to build a fire, construct shelter and go hunt sabre tooth tigers with a spear. Well, it's either that or I just like the idea of wearing a fur loincloth and running through the wilderness smeared in mud. :)

Wow, it's been a busy, busy weekend and the Patriots still haven't played.

Friday I went to a huge sportscards and memorabilia show in Wilmington, MA. One of my hobbies is collecting sportscards (specifically cards of former Bruins and hockey hall of famers Ray Bourque and Cam Neely as well as current Patriot Tedy Bruschi). I spent almost the entire day there browsing table after table of cards from the turn of the century to now.

One dealer had an incredible Cam Neely game used away jersey from the 87-88 season....only $7500. Um...yeah, a little expensive for me though it's something I'd love to own. Anyway, I found some great stuff to add to my collection and pulled a nice Reggie Bush/Lendale White dual autograph card from a jumbo pack of Topps (books for $600...hell, Ebay!). As I write this, I realize I am probably speaking in tongues to some of you.....

Saturday I spent the day winterizing my house which included putting up shrink wrap plastic over the windows in my daughter's room. I'll get to my son's room next week. My house was built in 1985 and apparently in those days, they felt that insulated glass was just as good as storm windows. It's not and you can feel the cold radiating through the window. I hate putting up the plastic but it does make a difference. I'd replace the windows but we plan on moving next summer (hopefully!) so I don't want to put the investment into the house.

Saturday night I was supposed to go out with an old Air Force buddy but he wasn't feeling too great but I went out anyway. Another friend, the drummer from a former band, was playing with his eighties hair metal tribute act "Decadence." I planned on leaving around midnight but ran into a bunch of other musicians I know so I hung out until about 1:30. I did go up and sing with the band doing the Judas Priest song "You've Got Another Thing Coming." It was a great time and I feel somewhat motivated to play out again....if I can find the right band.

I'm not used to staying out that late so I'm feeling it today. I've been just hanging out watching football while the family rakes leaves....

So the weekend will be capped by the Patriots vs. Colts game. It should be a good one. With the Colts having the worst run defense in the NFL (#32 of 32) the Patriots two-headed monster of Dillon and Maroney should have career nights. I fully expect to see the two back set for the first time this season. The Pats defense should also have a good night against Peyton Manning, who seems to have trouble against them (except last year when the Pats had major injury problems). The big question seems to be will the fans boo the returning Adam Vinatieri. I think I'd cheer him for the first kickoff then after that, he's now a Colt and would get booed.

So my prediction is Patriots 31 Colts 17. Let's hope I'm right!

More evidence of liberals "supporting the troops".....

If you read my previous entry regarding this subject, you know how I feel about the statement "I support the troops but..." This week has been a banner one for my arguments.

First up, Massachusetts Senator and former Democratic Presidential nominee John Forbes Kerry. In a speech to a group of students in California he told them that if you don't study hard in school then you'll end up in Iraq; the implication being the members of our armed forces are serving because they are stupid and can't get real jobs. Of course the ol' gigalo himself tried to pass it off as a botched joke about Bush but the damage was done. We all knew how Kerry truly feels about the military anyway, dating back to the Winter Soldier hearing in the seventies when he and his fellow Vietnam anti-war protestors made up atrocities against our men and women in uniform.

Then there is Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Seymour Hersh who made this brilliant statement; "In Vietnam, our soldiers came back and they were reviled as baby killers, in shame and humiliation," he said. "It isn' happening now, but I will tell you there has never been an [American] army as violent and murderous as our army has been in Iraq."

Really, Seymour? Where is your proof? Was it the picture of the nude Iraqi wearing a dog collar that was "violent and murderous?" Grant it, what happened at Abu Ghraib was wrong but it was far from torture that some make it out be. Don't you think that if all these atrocities were happening that the BBC, Al Jazeer and CNN would be all over the story?

Now please, don't take this as an endorsement of the way things are going in Iraq because I am pissed that there seems to be no real plan to get out of there. The invasion itself was executed brilliantly but there was little thought put into the "then what?" I'm more patient about this probably than the average American (I don't need the instant gratification we've all grown accustomed to) but I also don't want to see us over there for a decade plus like Nam'.

Politics is again making it tough on our military to execute a war and like Vietnam forty years ago, we might win all the battles and lose the war unless people like Kerry and Hersh zip it and our "leaders" in D.C. let the military do what they do best.

Truly NOT the greatest generation.....

If the generation that won World War Two is the greatest generation (and I believe that to be true) then my opening statement is how I'd describe the one running our country today. This isn't a Democrat vs. Republican issue, it's a condemnation of the entire power structure of our nation. Both sides have had a chance and it's been nothing but downhill since January of 93'. The "leaders" who grew up in the turbulent sixties and early seventies have done a poor job collectively of protecting our interests.

Somehow the pursuit of money and power has overshadowed what's best for America. Politicians line their pockets and ignore the reasons they are supposed to be in office. Meanwhile we've got a mess in Iraq with no clear way ahead, record oil company profits (after gouging us all year), a flood of illegal aliens (and associated diseases that we thought were eradicated in this country) crossing the border taking jobs from our citizens, terrorists plotting our demise, an almost complete loss of our manufacturing base, a continued dependence on foreign oil (we put a man on the moon almost forty years ago but can't come up with a cleaner and renewable fuel?) and a nuclear North Korea and Iran. Our kids can't read or write legibly, schools are a PC joke and in the name of acceptance and diversity we've allowed all kinds of small special interest groups to force the majority to accept them into the mainstream.

So are you angry? Are you tired of this or are you more concerned about your favorite NFL team's record or the latest episode of "Grey's Anatomy" or "CSI: Boise?"

So if you're angry like me, what are you going to do about it? Here's a suggestion; it's time to drum the "not so greatest" generation out of power and that doesn't mean voting Democrat. Let's turn our government back into one of the people, for the people and by the people as our forefathers intended. This means going to the ballot box and writing in your neighbor who pays his taxes, loves America, has raised a family and run his own successful business for congress. It means writing your friend's nephew who just retired from the military in for governor. Go ahead, write me in for your senator. I'm sure I'd do a better job than the majority of the current Congress.

It's the only way we'll get this country back on track. The generation heading into middle-age (the children of the eighties!) needs to take the reigns and clean up the mess that the "not so greatest" generation has made of things. We need to restore America back to her pedestal as the shining beacon of democracy and freedom that other countries once aspired to be. Let the old "guard" fade into obscurity where they belong. History will judge them for what they've done to our country and I doubt it will be in a positive light.

If not, then we're heading down the same path as Rome...and we all now how that turned out.