So last week my old roommate from the Disney College Program showed up to crash at my place over Wednesday night. She hasn’t changed a bit – and it was great to see her.
We sat reminiscing all evening and reminding each other of memories long forgotten. Here are some of those with the second installment of my Disney memories, tips and tricks:
My roommates were Robynne, Amy, Kim, Erica and Allison. Robynne, Amy and I got along the best – and between the three of us we spanned the U.S. Robynne was from San Francisco, CA, I was from the Univ. of Wyoming at the time with a hometown in Illinois and then Amy was from New York. We had some great times. Robynne worked in the MGM Studios, in the little shops just before the Tower of Terror. Amy worked in the Lady and the Tramp restaurant in the Magic Kingdom (my fingers smell like calamari!!) and I worked the popcorn/soda/espresso stands in the Magic Kingdom.
My other three roommates varied. Kim was from New Jersey (I think?) and on her last day in the program got her tongue pierced. She was quiet and I don’t think she liked us much. Erica was super annoying. Just… really… annoying. She also had a sister that always came over and wouldn’t shut up. Allison was our resident out-of-place girl. You know the type – perfect make-up, always dressed just right, giggles a lot, has lots of guys hanging about. She hated it in our room for the first few weeks but gradually started to warm up to us. She worked at MGM Studio’s seating people for the shows.
This all leads into a kind of crazy story. Allison’s main squeeze that Fall of ’97 was a man named Isaac. Isaac worked in the Indiana Jones show in MGM Studio’s as a stuntman. Isaac was a huge, black man with the deepest voice I’ve ever heard and he hung out with us often in the room chatting with us. Isaac is also Isaac Singleton Jr. He said he wanted to get into the movies and it looks like he got his break in ’98. Good for you, Isaac!!
To this day I can still say “Please stand clear of the doors” in Spanish. I don’t speak any other Spanish, except the Spanish equivalent of $3.50 (the price of the popcorn buckets).
I learned how to say Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious backwards. You can too!
Cast members come up with the craziest, most magical stories. In Traditions (the introductory Disney class in which you are brainwashed into the Disney™ look/act) they tell a few of these stories. (Do not read the bullet point paragraphs if you want to retain some Disney magic.)
- Apparently one Snow White had a smoking addiction and used her break to smoke. Upon arriving back in the area to sign autographs, one of the little kids near her plugged his nose and said, “Ew, Snow White smells like she’s been smoking.” A cast member, upon hearing the little boy, promptly stepped in and said, “No, Snow White doesn’t smoke. I saw her on her break! She was hanging around that evil Cruella DeVil!”
- A common question asked by children is why there is a wire from Tomorrowland to the Castle in the Magic Kingdom. Parents are always overheard saying that it’s how Tinkerbell stays up in the air during the fireworks show. Parents, please tell your children from now on that it’s a line that Peter Pan drew in the sky so Tinkerbell wouldn’t get lost. Thanks.
- One cast member was quick on his feet one day when, while watching Chip and Dale sign autographs, he heard a child ask his mom why Dale and Dale were out there instead of Chip and Dale. (Dale is the chipmunk with the red nose). The cast member gasped for the child’s benefit and said, “Oh my, we need to fix that!” and hustled the chipmunks into the back area, where one of the Dale’s quickly put on Chip’s head). When they came back out the boy was suspicious, so the cast member informed him quietly that out back Jafar had been casting spells and had turned Chip into Dale! At that moment Jafar came out and bowed in apology to the boy. Boy, those cast members can make some magic.
Some interesting trivia – the Haunted Mansion has several chess pieces featured on its architecture. One piece is missing, however. The Knight – because when you enter the building… you are entering the night.
Also, the grass at the Haunted Mansion is cut with scissors to give it that raggedly look. For a great overview of one of the stories (and my personal favorite) read this. (p.s. the ring is embedded in the sidewalk outside of the exit of the ride. If you visit, keep an eye out for it.)
My favorite places to eat: Garden View Tea Room at the Grand Floridian, Victoria and Albert’s at the Grand Floridian, Polynesian Luau at the Polynesian Resort, Rose and Crown Pub in Epcot – and for the best pastry in the world, try Schoolbread in Norway. It’s incredible.
My favorite places to sit: Just outside the Rose and Crown Pub in Epcot, at the fountain in France in Epcot and anywhere on the boardwalk around the BoardWalk Inn Resort.
We most often stay at the BoardWalk Inn or the Beach Club resorts – but while I was in the College Program I stayed at Vista Way in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
So those are a few more of my memories and I hope you enjoyed reading them. My time at Disney was a wonderful time, and one that provided a lifetime of stories for me to tell.
