So Sad, November Disney Trip Postponed

   Hi guys, we were planning to go to Walt Disney World from November 10th to the 18th but I took a job as full time reporter at a newspaper in Londonderry, New Hampshire and, well it was a cut in pay but a challenge that I felt I should take. As a result a few financial reassignments were made and the WDW trip had to be pushed out.
   Anyway, I'm excited to be back blogging about WDW and sharing with anyone who'll listen (read?) about the happiest place on earth.
   Originally, this blog was about my time at WDW as a Security Host and it will continue to be so. That way I can share what it was like to work there and reminisce a little and jog my memory for the book.
   However, I think I'll expand the scope a little and make the name Protecting the Magic to include how people who visit WDW can protect there magical experience at WDW and not "lose the pixie dust" as we cast members and former cast members say. I'll share inexpensive places where visitors can eat and where to go that won't break a budget. (After of course, conferring with my wife who is  the money saver in the family when we lived there and go there on vacations)  Having lived in Kissimmee, there's plenty of places to explore and add to a Disney experience. Not that Disney needs any additions.

   The above picture is that of the entrance to the Cast Services building backstage at Epcot. Once inside those doors, there's a Security Host that inspects the bags of cast members who are showing up for work that day.
   After you pass through security, there are row after row of lockers to your right and a wall on your left that extends almost the entire length of the building. Go through the doors in that wall and you are in "costuming." All the costumes needed for the park are in that room. A cast member goes in and selects up to five costumes (three for security) and drops off the soiled costumes which are scanned. Bring the new costumes to the "check-out" station and a cast member scans them too and you're ready for another week.
   All cast members other than security (at least when I was there) are allowed to "zoom."
Zooming is wearing your costume to work. Security at the time wasn't allowed this priviledge. We were told that wearing the costume looked too much like law enforcement and if God forbid you walked into a seven-eleven and it was being robbed, you'd be the first one shot. How true that is, I don't know. Those royal blue pants are pretty hard to confuse with the deputies attire. Sooo, security cast wore bulky clothes over the costume and then just took off  the outter layer when in the locker room. We were just careful not to get caught. I wore a Hawaiian shirt over my security shirt and that seemed to suffice.
  One last tidbit. While the cast member is in the locker room or at the back of the building waiting for the bus to your work site, music is heard overhead. When I was there it was WMMO in Orlando and probably still is. (if anyone knows differently that it has changed, get the call letters and let me know).
   It really is cool to go on the computer to work on writing projects and put on WMMO and know that at every Cast Services Building, the cast are listening to the same thing. There a little connection there I guess. That's it for today, so, until next time--Have a Magical Day!
  

Back To Blogging!

   Well, when last we spoke, I was suspending this blog to work on writing a book called "Protecting the Magic" and well, I thought that writing the blog would take away from time writing the book. Well I'm still writing the book, but can't seem to remember stuff as easily as when I'm blogging. It seems my editor says that he thinks that I'm trying so hard with the book that it's preventing me from relaxing enough to write. Whereas blogging is fun and more informal, he thinks I should blog and use the blog for a sort of outline for working on the book. In short use what I've written to share with you as a launching pad for my memory and add details in the book. Sounds like good advice, besides I really missed this blog. So here we go again!

   I took this picture on a recent research trip for the book to WDW. I was standing by the American Garden Theatre when I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. The movement was this majestic Bald Eagle swooping down to land on the flagpole atop the American pavillion across the promenade. I grabbed my camera and took this picture just before the symbol of our nation flew off.

   I recently received a very nice e-mail from a fellow Walt Disney World Security Hostess. (I won't give her name because, quite frankly I'm a gentleman and she hasn't given me permission to do so) but I encourage anyone who has come across our little blog to do so as well.

   I enjoy hearing from cast members (former and present) and Walt Disney World enthusiasts. I guess I view it like the Marines. There are no former Marines. There are no former Security or other cast members. We will always be cast members at heart.

   I'm going back to Walt Disney World on November 10 for another research trip, gathering photos and jogging my memory and keeping an in depth diary for the book as sights and locations trigger more thoughts and memories to add to the book. 29 days and I'm off!!

   I'll be blogging before I leave and while I'm there so until next time, Have a Magical Day!!!