Thanks for visiting Web Watch this past year. We thought we’d take a quick look at how 2010 has gone, and share some details on what our visitors were most interested in reading before we dive into 2011:
Tag: Epcot
Cast Member Confidential -a Disney Employee Memoir
If you’re a Disney park fan, then one thing that you’re probably interested in is some of the behind-the-scenes stories about what it’s REALLY like to work at the Most Magical Place on Earth.
Sure, you could read KEVIN YEE’s book MOUSETRAP: MEMOIR OF A DISNEYLAND CAST MEMBER, or maybe even Inside the Mouse: Work and Play at Disney World, The Project on Disney, based on interviews with former Disney employees. Both are excellent books for what they cover, and Web Watch recommends them highly.
But sometimes works like those can offer some views of life at Walt Disney World or Disneyland that are a bit more whitewashed than how things actually were. Looking at working at the Mouse with rose-colored glasses, if you will.
Sometimes we want to see a truth that’s a bit more unadulterated and unfiltered.
Sometimes we want to really pull back the curtain and see what life really is like to work as a cast member at one of the World’s Busiest Theme Parks.
As the book says, MICKEY MOUSE NEVER FAILS.
Supposedly.
But sometimes Mickey does have a bit of a bad day. As do many of Mickey’s Disney pals around Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and the other Disney theme parks.
Because being a walkaround character (sometimes called “rubberheads” or “FUR CHARACTERS” by some) is not always the best job to have in the theme park.
Your vision is hindered, if you can see at all. The costumes are heavy, unbearably hot, awkward to manuever in, and not often cleaned to smell as fresh as they should be. You’re often kicked, poked, prodded, propositioned, and occasionally abused by children young and old-enough-to-know-better.
Yes, being a Disney Costumed Character has been called ONE OF THE WORST JOBS AT DISNEY specifically because of the high accident/injury rate associated with it according to INSIDE THE MOUSE, a book based on interviews with former park employees.
And with all that, the employees who act as “friends of” each character continue to do so in order to bring smiles to the faces of every park visitor. And for putting up with all that, and doing their job well — we at Web Watch salute you.
The Adventures of the Zip Code Man
David Rosdeitcher has an affinity for numbers, or just a really good memory. He is a street performer from Boulder, Colorado, and his act consists of asking the audience for their zip code. He then proceeds to tell those people not only what city they’re from, but also about a restaurant or other local point of interest that’s located there.
He’s been called THE ZIP CODE MAN, THE MIGHTY ZIP CODE MAN, and MR ZIP CODE.
As a busker, he earns money based on the tips that people provide from the entertainment he offers. His pitch line is “give me money, because I know where you live.” It seems to be effective.
Fans of Walt Disney World’s EPCOT theme park have a new mission: to RETURN THE FIGMENT AND DREAMFINDER CHARACTERS TO EPCOT, specifically to the Journey Into Imagination ride.
First, some history: when Epcot first opened, the plan was for the park to not have any of the traditional Disney characters present at all. Of course, “where are the characters?” was a common complaint from families who visited and expected to see Disney characters at any Disney theme park they visited – which, at the time consisted of just the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland…not exactly a large sample size to deal with, here.
But Epcot did have one cuddly, friendly cartoony character available – FIGMENT, the playful winged dragon of imagination — who, along with his mentor Dreamfinder, became the defacto face of Epcot when no other characters were available.
Luckily, park fans loved Figment and Dreamfinder, and together they made the original incarnation of the JOURNEY INTO IMAGINATION attraction a family must-see favorite. Ask anyone who visited the park in those days if they could sing the “Imagination” song, and you’ll hear everyone share their version of “One Little Spark”.
Due to some enterprising and creative folk with access to some video editing software, here are a few different (and occasionally NSFW) takes on a popular Internet meme of Hitler finding something to complain about:
Hitler Wants to eat at Epcot’s Le Cellier
Cass and Robert are big Disney fans.
They’ve been to Walt Disney World numerous times, and taken a Disney Cruise or two.
But Cass has a little bit of an obsession with the Disney facilities, as she felt the need to post PHOTOS OF EVERY WOMEN’S RESTROOM AT WALT DISNEY WORLD.
A few friends of mine think that Epcot is the best thing at Walt Disney World. There are quite a few people who agree with that belief, such as the folks at EPCOT CENTRAL, all for their own reasons. I can’t say that I disagree with them, as Epcot can be underrated by park visitors. Ask any person who dislikes Epcot and they often say the same things:
- “There’s nothing to do there.”
- “It’s boring.”
- “Why do I have to walk so far?”
Epcot is an immersive environment, with surprises and treats around every corner, if you would only bother to look. But that’s a different topic for a different day.
For those Epcot naysayers out there – I say that if you don’t like where you are, sometimes it’s because you aren’t creative enough to make your own fun.
Today, I will provide you with something to do after you have seen all that Epcot has to offer – courtesy in part from my creative Epcot-loving friends, and in part by today’s website, DRINK AROUND THE WORLD.