Letters from Walt Disney World

musings on safari

2007-09-13T22:16:00.000-05:00

Someone asked me (via Facebook. If you're under 25, you should get an account if you don't have one) the following question today:

PS- have you ever had the uncontrollable urge to just
kidnap your bus full of tourists and drive like a
maniac through the safari and then off the property?
i bet you will now. ;)

So I've answered in a roundabout way and reposted parts of it here. Portions are left out, just because I could get terminated if the rest wound up in a public forum. Enjoy!

Let me tell you a little about Safaris.

We drive about 2.2 miles around the reserve EVERY 20 MINUTES, and must immediately redouble our enthusiasm to pick up another bus of hot, sweaty, tired and sometimes cranky tourists who may or may not speak English. There are things you develop to keep from losing your mind out there, as we will sometimes go 3 hours (upwards of 7 rounds!) without a break. Most of that involves screwing around with the guests or out other Cast Members at the docks, but occasionally your mind wanders. I've planned my dinners in my head while driving (and spieling, and watching for animals in front of my truck, and continually looking in my rearview for humans standing up [remember, all of this at the same time]); I've known myself to say a silent prayer for patience; in between rounds, I'll just use my mic as a soundstage, belting out classic songs before picking up new guests. Stand By Me, Hakuna Matata, Lean On Me; whatever...I'll sing it.

Try as we might to avoid it, we will sometimes screw up animal facts (did you know: the warthog uses its razor-sharp tusks to dig into the rock of the earth, and the elephants like to use them as scratching posts?)

One particular day, at the end of many many rounds, when a woman STOOD UP TO GET A PICTURE OF CROCODILES, I practically shouted her down by saying "Ma'am they will straight up eat you; they use their jaws to crush the bones of their prey with more than 2,000 pounds of force!" I had to turn my mic off and laugh into my sleeve after that one...because honestly, who says 'straight up eat you!"?

Many of my animal facts are also worded in such a way that they become word jokes, understandable basically only to me and someone else on my truck paying very close attention. "Of course, they'll eat about 100 lbs of grass and leaves every night...they are hungry, hungry hippos." That's not engineered for a laugh; it's just for me.

When Kilimanjaro Safaris first opened, the drivers were mostly people from Kenya & South Africa that were legit safari drivers who didn't understand the whole "stay on the ride path" mantra, and there are still remnants of their presence in carved up earth where they would just drive off to get a better look at an animal.

As far as driving my guests off property, I'd love to just dump some of them off right with our rhinos, and see how they fare, but mostly you're just glad to get a new bunch after 20 minutes. It's also true that our trucks have governors in them, so they don't get much past 10 mph (and that's a GOOD truck). Occasionally I'll rock it around the poacher scene and try and get some folks wet from the geysers that shoot up along the side, but that only goes so far before you run the risk of literally tipping the truck.

Kilimanjaro Sararis rules, and I wouldn't trade the position for anything else at Disney right now. It just happens that madness starts to creep in after 6 hours on a truck. The next time you hop on a safari truck, have a little patience for the driver that may have been there since the opening of the day.

Until next time, I remain your friend,
~Bobby Perrotti

Time Magazine gets it wrong

2007-09-08T18:18:00.000-05:00

From "The Waiting Game," Time Magazine's last page in the September 10th issue.
"At amusement parks, too, you can now buy your way out of line. This summer I helplessly watched kids use a $52 Gold Flash Pass to jump the lines at Six Flags New England, and similar systems are in use in most major American theme parks, from Universal Orlando to Wald Disney world, where the haves get to watch the have-mores breeze past on their way to their seats, as if Space Mountain were Spago."

Even TIME MAGAZINE has the idea of Fastpass wrong, and I took the liberty of sending them this email:

In your September 10th article titled "The Waiting Game," you incorrectly likened the premium services at Six Flags and Universal Studios with Disney's Fastpass system. Unlike those services, which require an additional fee, the Disney Fastpass is available to every guest, with their regular admission to the park. We are continually explaining this to guests, who incorrectly believe just what you suggested. With proper planning and Fastpass management (what we Cast Members call it), no guest would have to wait more than ten minutes for an attraction.

~Bobby Perrotti
Safari Driver, Disney's Animal Kingdom

Seriously, TIME, get your act together and visit a Disney park.

Now Taking Requests!

2007-09-08T07:29:00.000-05:00

Is there something that YOU would like to see written about on here? Let me know by leaving a comment in the field below, or simply sending me an email. Talk to you soon!

~Bobby Perrotti

My Visit Home!

2007-09-04T21:22:00.000-05:00

Hey there, guys and girls!

I've been admonished by some lately for not writing more often on this blog. While I refuse to apologize for spending more time watching fireworks and less time writing about them, I resolve to try and ignore you less through the fall. I spent four years learning how to write, Michael – these entries don't just get printed out from my brain like a weekly report and uploaded to the internet as a PDF. As proof of this, I submit the last three sentences.

That said, hello again! I'm writing this from the exit row of Southwest Airlines flight 3010, Philadelphia to Orlando. My first weekend home since May 18th was a whirlwind of activity, and without sounding like a bulleted list, I'll do my best to talk about as much as possible!

The importance comforts of home cannot be minimized, and it was wonderful to get back to 19 Woodside Lane again. True to form, my father has been taking great care of the lawn in my absence, and soft green grass awaited my bare feet. Florida grass, you may know, is "grass" in the same way food emerging from Dominos is "pizza." The colors are approximately right, and something about one reminds you of the other, but a northerner is aware that a fresh pie from Joe's is real pizza and grass that grows north of the Mason-Dixon Line is the good stuff that we love to walk on. For this past weekend, I was in a place with soft grass, hills in the landscape, and air that didn't try to drown me in humidity. There were also jug-handle left-turns, real pizza shops, and two-way parking lots, and full-service gas stations. I defy anyone that says New Jersey has no character to spend 3 months in Orlando, Florida.

Obviously it was wonderful to see my family. My mother, sister, and niece picked me up from the airport and we drove home, only stopping briefly at TCNJ to pick up Mom's parking pass and for me to see some friends in the Student Center. Seeing them was great, but we had limited time, and I resolve to spend a night there on my next weekend home. Mark your calendars, TCNJ: consider the weekend of September 28th Bobtoberfest. Coming home though, I was treated to an amazing dinner with my immediate family, my one in-law, and my two nieces. Great company all around, and we even got to play a game of Balderdash (our favorite).

Saturday, of course, was my first official excuse for coming home this weekend (of which there were three). I went to a wedding! My awesome friend Lara, whom you may remember as the excellent hostess that opened up her home to me in May on my way down to Orlando, made an honest man out of her already awesome (now husband) Brad. The ceremony itself was short and beautiful, and afterwards, we all changed clothes for what one guest called "Act II."

We Perrotti kids have a big family and many friends that are like family, and I've been to lots of weddings over the past several years. I can honestly say, however, that never in my life have I been to a reception as enjoyable as Brad & Lara's. I asked Lara last week about dress code, and she said simply, "be comfortable. if you feel like dressing up for the ceremony, change afterwards." Some people have a much more formal outlook on these things, but their entire philosophy was that it was a celebration of their lives, which revolve around positive relationships, beauty, and love. Why get all stuffy with suits, ties, and dresses, and heels? Not to say that the bride and groom were not dressed to the nines themselves: no no, Lara's dress was beautiful! She doesn't stand on ceremony most of the time though, and promptly found a soccer ball to kick around, in her dress, after eating. Catered by Ed D'Aprille, whom my family recommended and Lara's family cannot speak highly enough of, the wedding's spread was delicious (and, like the rest of the affair, unceremonious. A sign upon the pavilion's outer edge read, "Please sit anywhere and enjoy the food!" I'll take any bets on whether you'll ever see that at a wedding again – except perhaps mine).

You've been reading for about 10 minutes now. Would you like to go get a drink of water? Go for it. I promise I'll be here when you get back.

After the wedding, I headed home to greet my cousins and aunt that had made the trip out to NJ for my third excuse for flying home (I'll get to that after my second, momentarily). A big group of us went out that night to celebrate my aunt's birthday, and Andrew, my sister, and I enjoyed some time in New Brunswick before I headed home that evening. Sunday was a big day, and I had to get some rest for it!

Some may already know that my time at Disney is drawing to a close, and while there are those on this program won't be going home (in favor of beginning, in earnest, a career with the Mouse), I'm moving on to other exciting things in January when I return. My awesome church, Liquid, offered me a job several weeks ago, and I've enthusiastically accepted it! Effective January 5th, I'll be the Director of Liquid Kids, heading up development and execution of dynamic youth programming for the kids in my church family. I'm super excited and in the coming weeks I'll probably be talking more about this, but the important thing for you to know now is that my second reason to come home was to spend the day with Liquid. I arrived nice and early to help with setup and to be there while Meg, the Interim Director, ran a scaled-down week with the kids. It was Labor day, after all, so the volunteer teams were reduced to allow them to spend time with family and friends. It was still exciting, however, to play with the kids and observe as Meg led them in worship. Fun stuff, to be sure, and I'm looking forward to continuing that amazing program, as well as developing new and relevant ways to share Jesus with our littlest ones. Seeing the leadership team after several months of emails, phone calls, and letters was awesome, too, and I can't wait to get back again for our team road-trip at the end of this month!

The day wound down with me attending the evening service with my great friend Dan and his awesome girlfriend Maggie. They've been Liquid regulars (as often as possible, attending school in Poughkeepsie until recently) for a couple years and are looking forward to getting more involved this fall. We went to dinner afterward and had a great time catching up and sharing our plans for the future. So after a day in Morristown that was as fun as it was long, I drove home, to arrive at my room just in time for a call from my TCNJ pals, who were indignant that I would not, in fact, be showing up for the party that night. Sorry, guys, I had my graduation party to rest up for the next day!

As far as parties go, The College Graduation Party is trumped in significance only by The Wedding, and as I haven't got one of those coming up any time soon, we really went all-out on this one. Cousin Andrew is done with college as well, and so shared in the honors with me. Our co-branded party was attended by somewhere around 80 family members and friends that we love like family. Seeing so many (of YOU!) was wonderful after 3 months of seeing nothing but strangers every day, and I had an amazing time catching up with everyone. Perrottis, Donatellis, Sianos, Leahys, Silvestris, Bradleys, Fusellas, and a dozen other clans spent the afternoon by the pool, under a sky that you couldn't ask for a better one of. I'm incredibly blessed to call such splendid company my family, and I wish everyone an environment as supportive and encouraging as I've found in you all. The food was great, the beer was cold, and the friends were fun. Big thanks go out to Mom and Dad for putting together such an amazing celebration for Andrew and me. I'll make you proud.

Now my plane is descending to Orlando, where I'll resume providing amazing African Safaris wednesday. It's been fun, Flemington, but it's time to go make some magic!

Until next time, I remain your friend,

~Bobby Perrotti

_____________________

Bobby Perrotti

(908) 797 6133

rperrotti@gmail.com

AOL IM: onlyinbars

http://gonetodisneyworld.blogspot.com

http://picasaweb.google.com/rperrotti

8136 Chatham Manor Boulevard

Apt. 24202

Orlando, FL 32821

Outflow Orlando: Day Two!

2007-08-22T23:15:00.001-05:00

Today's trip around with the Trasaks proved one thing to me, and that is this fact:

Most people experience Disney incorrectly.

I see so many hundreds of guests wandering aimlessly around the parks here that don't know what they're doing, don't understand the Fastpass system, and don't plan their days accordingly, that when I'm in charge and bringing folks around, things appear to go so smoothly that I wonder how anyone could complain. Anyway, that's a post for another week.

I'll recap today briefly, because tomorrow comes soon and I'm actually guiding TWO groups of people around on Thursday. Our morning journey to Animal Kingdom began with It's Tough To Be a Bug, then we rocked out to the tune of Kilimanjaro Safaris (my stomping ground). After that, I had arranged VIP seating for The Festival of the Lion King, which was a big hit with the little princess in our group, Angela (plus, it always makes ME cry...so yeah. Good show). The boys and I hit up DINOSAUR after Lion King, and after lunch at the Flame Tree Barbecue, the family headed back to their resort for swimming and a much deserved nap.

The night's entertainment was over at Magic Kingdom, where we had just enough time to catch a Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor performance before Wishes! the fireworks spectacular that lights up the sky with over a thousand rockets each night. That brought our day to a close today, but I got loads of video and some awesome pictures.

Though we had a blast all day, I think we all were most excited when Angela (4 1/2 years old and every bit as cute as she should be at that age) finally got to meet Tigger after Wishes. He was palling around the Crystal Palace buffet and without reservations, we normally wouldn't be able to get in to eat there – let alone after the park had 'closed' for the night. A Cast Member in training (Jenna from Metropolitan Community College, if you're a CP) pulled just the right strings and made some magic happen and we got in for Angela to meet Tigger. She was SO excited and gave him some of the biggest hugs I've ever seen. Pictures to follow later this week, I hope!

Tomorrow we're going to do Magic Kingdom properly – a full day, complete with full optimization of Fastpasses and planning around parades, meals, and naps. Good times!

God loves you, and so do I.

I remain yours,

~Bobby P.

_____________________

Bobby Perrotti

(908) 797 6133

rperrotti@gmail.com

http://gonetodisneyworld.blogspot.com

http://picasaweb.google.com/rperrotti

8136 Chatham Manor Boulevard

Apt. 24202

Orlando, FL 32821

Liquid's Outflow Comes to Orlando!

2007-08-21T18:45:00.001-05:00

Hey there, friend!

Today, I'm super excited to tell you about a project that I've been working on for about two months now. Only a couple of folks know about it already, and that's because I didn't want to say anything in case something derailed our ideas.

You may or may not know about the church I attend back home in New Jersey. Liquid has been around since 2001, and just recently completed the several-year-transition from a ministry operating inside a Baptist church in Basking Ridge to a full-fledged church that sets up each week in the Grand Ballroom of the Hyatt Morristown. They kicked off a summer of service with a series of messages, outreaches, and random acts of grace entitled Outflow. These projects, which ranged from the remodeling of a single mom's kitchen to giving away hundreds of pizzas to partygoers on the nighttime streets of Morristown's bustling club scene, were done to demonstrate God's overflowing love to the least and the lost. For more information on Liquid's Outflow, check out their website or the itunes podcast.

It broke my heart that I couldn't be there this summer, helping plan and execute these projects that I'm sure had an amazing impact on the community of people in and around Morristown. Needless to say, I listened to the podcasts weekly. One week, Tim mentioned a family that was nominated by a Liquid attender and suggested that they could use a break. "Maybe we could send them to Sesame Place for a day, or down the shore for a weekend," I believe was the quote.

Cue Tinker Bell!

I was on the phone in an instant, contacting my friend Mikey at Liquid. The pieces were falling together in my brain faster than I could keep up, and I wanted to get them laid out on the table as soon as possible. After sharing my pie-in-the-sky idea of sending this family to Disney World, I offered to run some numbers up and figure out just how much it would cost.

A couple weeks and lots of magic later, it was confirmed that Liquid would be sending Eleanor Trasak and her three kids on an all-expense-paid trip to Disney World, and that I would be their exclusive tour guide, providing all the insider perks that a Cast Member is able. With my discount on the hotel room and main-gate park passes that I am provided with during my time as a Cast Member, plus the flights that were donated by Liquid members with extra frequent flyer mileage, their trip became a reality and it began TODAY!

I met up with the Trasaks at the Pop Century Resort, at which point we were immediately off to the Disney-MGM Studios (soon to be re-branded The Disney Hollywood Studios, by the way). I knew they were tired from traveling all day, so we kept things light, with just a few attractions for the afternoon. Our first stop was the Lights, Motors, Action stunt show, which wows everyone in the audience with breathtaking car & motorcycle stunts. From there, we split up and I took the boys to Aerosmith's Rock N' Roller Coaster, while Eleanor walked around a bit with her daughter. Finally, we met up together for Star Tours (a personal favorite) and afterwards – while I was still raring to go and suggesting that we head over to the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, they were ready for some R&R by the pool back at the hotel. They're in charge, so off we went, back to the Pop Century! We're done for the day now, but tomorrow begins bright and early at Disney's Animal Kingdom for some Safari action, VIP seating at the Festival of the Lion King, Finding Nemo: The Musical, and Kali River Rapids!

I'm looking forward to sharing photos and video of this adventure soon, and I'll keep you posted throughout the week. It looks like I'm going to have to continually remind myself that I'm with a family of four including three young kids, and not college program kids with boundless energy.

I was able to secure this week off for this excursion, and I've called it "Disney magic," but really the magic here comes from God, who is making this trip possible from the efforts of all involved. Remember, kids, all you have is God's: He's just letting you borrow it because He wants you to use it for His glory.

Outflow: It's Not About You.

Remaining yours, I am still...

~Bobby Perrotti

_____________________

Bobby Perrotti

(908) 797 6133

rperrotti@gmail.com

http://gonetodisneyworld.blogspot.com

http://picasaweb.google.com/rperrotti

8136 Chatham Manor Boulevard

Apt. 24202

Orlando, FL 32821

Swiss Family Bloginson!

2007-08-06T12:02:00.000-05:00

Yes. A bad pun, but please enjoy this video that I shot on my digital camera on Sunday!

Canoe Races!

2007-08-01T08:27:00.000-05:00

Jambo, guys and girls! Who’s ready for a safari?

Well, I am...but you aren’t going on one with me today. Sorry! That privilege is reserved for folks visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom...but I have heard that a couple folks with video cameras on my truck will be youtube-ing their adventures soon. I’ll let you know if footage of me on the savannah makes it to the cloud (i.e., the internet).

Recently, I had the good fortune to participate in a long-standing Disney tradition that few people outside the Cast Member sphere know about. No, it wasn’t sweeping up the rivers of blood that run through the Magic Kingdom tunnels, or visiting Walt's cryogenic-frozen body beneath the Geosphere at EPCOT: it was the Canoe Races of the World!

These races have existed since 1963, when cast members would race at Disneyland resort in California. The idea for these races was brought over to Walt Disney World in 1973, and has since grown tremendously: this year, 75 teams competed in six divisions, from pro, rec, men's, women's, and co-ed groups. Space is extremely limited for this event, and this year the sign-ups (filled out online) were full within two minutes of the page being accessible. I was lucky enough to be quick on the mouse finger, and successfully registered a team to compete.

I recruited from the Kilimanjaro Safaris cast of game drivers, and we attended two practice sessions before our qualifying race last week. We had been told before arriving that the canoes wouldn't be quite like other canoes we may have been in before, and they were certainly not exaggerating. These 3,000 lb, cement-lined, 10-person canoes were once used for a themed journey around Tom Sawyer island that guests would embark on with a coonskin-capped guide. Though the ride is no longer in operation, the canoes still get used annually for these races.

Because this event takes place on stage, it must be done prior to the Magic Kingdom park's opening, which means that teams are arriving at the park before 6 AM. Never mind that challenge...once we got there was when the fun really began. It's a rare occasion for a person to see the Magic Kingdom when it's not stuffed to the brim with tourists, but on these days there was not a soul to behold: around the castle, on Main Street USA, through Adventureland, you name it, it was empty. I got some great pictures (check out the photos page linked on the right for some of those!), and it was really nice to get a look at what can be a pretty peaceful place just after sunrise.

Rowing these behemoths around the Rivers of America was a challenge that we relished. Learning to work as a team and get our oars in sync with one another was half the fun, and it was especially nice to hang out with folks outside of work. One particular highlight of the event was the DJ that would play music for a team before they set out, and if you've been on Safari, you know that we do have a musical element on our adventure. WELL, after hours of scouring the internet for the Swahili song that plays on our truck, I succeeded and it was our anthem as we rowed. Stuff like that adds a really nice touch to the whole event.

My team, Safari Ferrari, was named after one of our trucks (#28) that has the best speed, audio, and air circulation. All told, we had 12 racers throughout the two practices and one qualifying race. Most of us were College Program kids, but there were a few part-timers and one coordinator. It was an incredibly fun time and everyone that had braved the nether-hours of pre-dawn really enjoyed themselves. There were some grumblings in the car on the way over, but I had many thanks from the folks that I had to practically drag out of bed on those mornings for forcing them to have fun. A truly unique experience, to be sure.

One of the drivers on our team was awesome enough to actually design shirts for us, which you can see best in the photos on picasaweb. Incidentally, those photos really capture some of the best parts of this whole experience, and though I am proud of the role that words play in my life, I must concede that in some circumstances, pictures speak louder than mere participles are able. Check them out!

I've got several posts on the drafting board right now, so check back next week for something new!

Until next time...

Have a wild time out there!

Did you come visit me today?

2007-07-14T21:08:00.000-05:00

Because someone did. I was coming back from lunch this afternoon, and one of my managers, an nice guy named Victor, stopped me in my tracks by pointing and saying, barely intelligibly, "You! Your family...five minutes ago!" He explained that either a cousin, or Uncle, or someone had gotten off Safaris minutes before and were asking about me. He said that they had mentioned speaking to my Dad on the phone, but Dad didn't remember any such conversation.

Did you visit me at work, pretending to be (or actually arriving as) a relative?

Be advised, friends and family, that getting in touch with me is extremely easy and I daresay difficult to screw up. For the purposes of future correspondence and visitations (of which I welcome both, wholeheartedly!) I provide this exhaustive list of contact information. Finding me through these will undoubtedly prove easier than speaking with a manager at my work location.

Cellular Telephone (cell, cellphone, phone), usable for phone calls, voice-mails, txt, picture, and video messages: (always with me or close at hand, expect a reply to a voicemail within one day and txt messages within 2 hours) 908.797.6133

Email (I check continually while home, and twice daily when out of the house): rperrotti@gmail.com

AOL IM: (online most days, always receive messages sent while away) onlyinbars

MSN Messenger: (online most days, always receive messages sent while away) rperrotti@gmail.com

Google talk: (online most days, always receive messages sent while away) rperrotti

.mac chat: (online most days, always receive messages sent while away) bobperrotti@mac.com

Xbox Live: Rotzo

Twitter: (I update with it occasionally, but do not know how to communicate with it, per say) bobby_p

Facebook profile (I check daily, and receive txt messages for wall posts, friend adds, and other misc. actions)

The address of this blog

Physical mailing address:
8136 Chatham Manor Blvd
Apt. 24202
Orlando, Florida, 32821

Here are some places I frequent:
Disney's Animal Kingdom
The Magic Kingdom
EPCOT
Disney/MGM Studios
Pleasure Island - usually Adventurers' Club, AMC 24
Grand Floridian Resort & Spa - usually on the beach or in the lobby
PJ's Coffee, Celebration FL

If you cannot reach me via any of these methods, I am very likely dead or otherwise in mortal peril. Please contact the appropriate authorities and notify my next of kin.

pictures from my birthday!

2007-07-12T14:13:00.000-05:00

Beginning here are some photos from the two days of birthday. I'd have more from night one, but my camera died in the AM and I'm still waiting for friends to email them over. Enjoy the beautiful fireworks shots!

~BP

How I spent my birthday

2007-07-12T13:55:00.001-05:00

For a 22-year-old, I’ve had some pretty awesome birthdays so far. One memorable year, I was on a glacier in Austria, throwing snowballs in July. I’ve seen the Rocky Mountains on Independence Day. I have had more barbecues and pool party 4ths than I can count. We rented out a roller rink at least once. Last year, I even went to Las Vegas for my 21st – spending loads of fun time with my Dad and Cousin Andrew.

Yes, I’ve done all of those things, and they were all super special in their own way. The Rockies are gorgeous, barbecues are awesome, and I’ll never forget Las Vegas’ incredible foods and free drinks, and the most excellent company I dined with. This year, however, my birthday celebration was metered only by the limited time with which I had to celebrate: and even that was a full TWO days! What follows here is a documentation of how I spent the 3rd and 4th of July in the Happiest Place on Earth.

Because most everyone here works 6 days during July 4th week, I knew that I would be unable to secure off on the actual birthday. Resigned to that (hey, there are way worse ways to spend a birthday than giving safaris through Africa, by the way), I got an early start on the 3rd, taking to the streets of Asia at the Animal Kingdom early in the morning. Complete with a pin from guest relations on my chest “Happy Birthday Bobby!” I enjoyed the scenery, exhibits, and walking tours of Asia before heading to my first attraction: Dinosaur in Dinoland, U.S.A. It’s a terrifying thrill ride through the past, when Dinosaurs ruled the Earth. Bill Nye narrates the pre-pre-show, a room filled with fossilized remains of amazing(ly scary) creatures. The very fact that I can sleep at night is based on the rock-solid principle that monsters don’t exist, but Dinosaur gave my principles a shake. Amazingly lifelike audio-animatronics of Carnotaurs, Tyrannosaurs, and Velociraptors were in good supply here, and I gave more than my fair share of screams and shouts as we rocked along at speeds in excess of terrifying miles per hour. That’s not a real measure of speed, but whatever.

Walking back through Asia, I happened upon a man on a platform holding an owl, talking to a gathering crowd about his feathered friend. Not more than 5 seconds after I had stopped to listen (about 15 feet away from him, take note), he said, mid-sentence, “Happy birthday, Bobby!” This bears mentioning because literally dozens of cast members took a moment during these two days to wish me the same. It’s such a small thing, that button, but dudes love being wished a happy birthday, and an identifier like that is a real treat when everyone that mentions it does so with a smile.

Digressions aside, he was promoting the show that was about to begin behind him. I thought he was just there to tell us about birds, end of story, but no: the real show was called Flights of Wonder, and it was beyond beautiful to see the birds soaring over my head. Some of these things are super smart! I feel like a fool for not recalling their names, but one was able to fly out to the audience, pluck a dollar bill of of a man’s outstretched hand, and bring it back to the trainer, depositing it in her shirt pocket. No worries though, it flew back shortly thereafter, handing back the bill to its owner. “Whoa! Somebody got money back at a theme park!” was the comic relief’s joke there. Dad would love this show.

Fighting back tears of joy (shut up. birds are beautiful and I almost cried, so deal with it), I started walking back to Africa to go on a safari. On the way, I thought, “Hey, it’s almost lunchtime. How about a Mickey ice-cream?” and found an ice-cream vendor...who just gave it to me when I tried to pay and said, “It’s okay, happy birthday!” Man, this place is excellent.

After a most excellent tour through the Harambe Wildlife Reserve, I left the Animal Kingdom for Downtown Disney, meeting up with my Aunt Maggie for a birthday lunch. It was wonderful to see her and catch up, as well as hear about how her trip north was. She stayed in my room after all, and spent time with my nearest and dearest. We had a lovely time, but the day was young, and I was shortly off again!

I met up with three friends from work, and we went to EPCOT for the afternoon, taking in Turtle Talk with Crush (where the radical turtle from Finding Nemo talks with kids and parents live!), The Living Seas (Nemo’s oyster-shell tour though the Great Barrier Reef), and Spaceship Earth (before it closed for renovations for the summer!). EPCOT was wonderful, and then it was off to The Magic Kingdom, where more amazing times ensued.

For the evening’s proceedings to make sense, it’s important to remember that I work in one of the biggest locations on property: there are a couple hundred Safari drivers, and when we get together, pairs of people can turn into groups and dozens before anyone knows it. Things worked out that way on July 3rd, because by the time all were present and accounted for, we peaked at 26 cast-members, rollickingly romping through The Magic Kingdom.

Now of course, there are fireworks every night in Disney World, in at least two locations. But for a place that launches thousands of rockets into the air every week, the Fourth of July holds special import. That said, there are four special fireworks shows that happen only during Independence Day. Over the course of the 3rd and 4th, we saw them all, and it began on Tuesday night in front of Cinderella’s Castle. The fireworks lit up the sky with reds, whites, and blues not just over the castle, but around the entire park! Without warning, flares shot up over Main Street, U.S.A., and then over Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, and Frontierland! If I were to complain, I’d say that nobody knew precisely where to look, but that’s okay because that night, no spot was a bad spot for fireworks. The spectacular show concluded with the sky flashing along with The Star Spangled Banner, and from there it was time to regroup and decide where our cadre was headed next.

The two dozen game drivers and I first hopped in line for Pirates of the Caribbean, where we filled an entire boat and I had the embarrassed privilege of being announced as a birthday on the P.A. system on the dock. Cheers and claps accompanied our send-off, and we sang like buccaneers all the way through.

From there, it was on to the Tomorrowland Transit Authority for a relaxing trip through Tomorrowland, followed by an exciting venture into Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, defending the galaxy from the evil Emperor Zurg, sworn enemy of the Galactic Alliance. The Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor provided a brief respite from all the running around and shouting, giving us a chance to sit and laugh along as Mike and his friends made fun of various audience members (including one of us!).

While it was not easy getting everyone to follow along with the designated route (or even decide on a designated route), we eventually made our way over to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which accommodated us with an entire train. As operations cast members, we made the ordinarily arduous process of loading a large number of guests into a ride simple. It was merely a matter of saying, “We drive Safaris,” and they stepped back and let us load ourselves.

As it was getting close to midnight, and my birthday was at 12:16, they had me set our next destination, which I deigned to be the Philharmagic 3-D show, my favorite attraction at The Magic Kingdom. Donald flew at us from all directions, and we were splashed with champagne, teased with fresh-baked pies, and whisked along a magic carpet ride through Agrabah. Awwww. :)

Finally, the night drew towards a close near 1 AM, as we ran aboard Space Mountain for one last wild ride. Here, I found another awesome birthday surprise, as someone wished me a happy birthday over the ride’s P.A. system while we were on the up-slope. How cool! On the way out, down Main Street, U.S.A., I grabbed a free brownie from Casey’s (a birthday treat), and was gifted with a Magical Moment ice cream that was basically as big as my face across the street at Edy’s. Complete with chocolate mouse ears, this waffle cone was just about the most wonderful ice cream I’d ever tasted.

And that was day one!

On the 4th of July, just about everyone works. The day is a hugely popular one at the parks, and we all had to be in at one time or another. Work went really well: I had my birthday pin on, and Wilson, my Safari bear birthday present from my niece and sister, rode shotgun. The fun really began after work though, because that was when we drove like demons around Disney World, taking in the three other fireworks displays!

First up was the Disney Studios (MGM, if you’re not up on lingo). There I met up with not Safari people, but some friends from Flemington that happened to be in town for the week! We had a blast, sitting in front of the giant hat and waiting for the sky to darken and light up again after sunset.

I made a hasty exit from there, rendezvousing with the rest of Kilimanjaro at EPCOT for a special extended Illuminations, where the sky really did look like it exploded for all the bombs bursting in air. It wasn’t long, however, before we were making like tourists and running out of the turnstiles, hoping to get over to Pleasure Island for their fireworks. We were less successful there, however, as none of us were able to secure parking spots before eleven PM. Technically though, we did see the fireworks from the parking lot, so I count that as a win.

Those that made it through the night’s driving and running around once again elected me to determine our destination, and I was not hesitant to select The Adventurer’s Club, Pleasure Island’s premiere bar show. Set in a 1930’s social club for aviators, explorers, and other rugged and learned folk, the club entertains guests with song, laughs, and audience involvement. Guess who was audience-involved here? Your friend the birthday boy was hauled up on stage by the club’s beautiful maid, Sugar Snap, to demonstrate a dance to the rest of the audience. Pictures exist, but I will not volunteer them here. I will recommend The Adventurer’s Club to anyone that makes it down here, as it is one of the finest examples of off-beat amusement I’ve ever been to (we go every week)!

So it was that I concluded a full 48 hours of birthday. Four fireworks shows, a dozen rides, friends aplenty, more ice cream than I could eat, and the knowledge that this is my home for the next five months combined to give me an experience that was almost (but not quite) as much fun as an evening with my family back in New Jersey. I miss y’all, and I’ll be home soon.

Wishing everyone a wonderful summer,

The real Magic behind the Magic Kingdom: Why we love going to Walt Disney World (part 1)

2007-06-19T13:32:00.001-05:00

Last week, my roommate and his girlfriend spent the day at Universal Studios. Universal is Disney’s main competition in Orlando and is renown for its thrilling coasters and dynamic entertainment. I was very interested in the atmosphere of the park (since I haven’t been there in over ten years) and so we talked for a bit about it. What was different? I asked. Was it as nice? I knew the answer couldn’t be yes, and wanted to hear specifics.

His answer was interesting, and it gave me food for thought. At first, he was dismissive, suggesting that it was “not that different,” but when Mike thought about it more, he reversed his position. “You know,” he said, “the people really aren’t as nice. Actually, they were kind of mean, always sort of shouting, hustling us on to the rides: like they were just concerned with getting bodies through.” Was it as clean? “No, definitely not,” he said. Mike works custodial at Animal Kingdom, so he knows what clean looks like.

Working for Disney, that difference becomes clear, when you see people honeymooning, spending anniversaries with us, and taking grandchildren on their favorite rides. Why do families come back year after year after year? What is it about these parks, resorts, and services that kids of all ages enjoy so much? There is no simple answer to this question, because so many different elements have to combine at every single moment for this to happen.

I’m writing from the Grand Floridian lobby: a plush, posh, spacious, gleaming atrium that is filled with comfy couches and brass fixtures. This is the premiere resort hotel, and the cost reflects the luxury. There are several pools, tennis courts, beach-front hammocks, a spa, a gym, and a four-star restaurant on premises (and that’s just what I see walking in). The monorail provides direct access to The Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, and there is no favor too big or too small for the cast members here to provide you with.

I point these things out for a very important reason, which is this: when you step into a park, it doesn’t matter whether you’re staying at the Pop Century resort, the Wilderness Lodge, or the Contemporary. Every cast member knows to treat you like you’ve just stepped off the Monorail from The Grand Floridian. One of the hallmarks of Disney service is the willingness to go the extra mile for each and every guest. No, we don’t know the answer to every question, but we also don’t know what “I don’t know” means. It is our job to find out for the guest, and we will do what it takes to find that answer. I think people like going to Disney World because of how first-rate the cast is in that respect. Nobody gets treated second-class. Amazing services like Faspass are available to everyone, and cast members are happy to help you understand it all.

As cast members, we do our best to ensure that guests have a positive experience with us. Nearly 3,000 people ride safaris every hour, and Kilimanjaro is the most ridden attraction at Walt Disney World for good reason. We deliver on the promise to show guests amazing animals that they would ordinarily never have the chance to see, living in as natural a habitat as possible. It’s safe, it’s fun, it’s educational, and sometimes guests have to wait upwards of an hour to get on board one of our trucks. I want to share a story about this particular element of our show, and what it means for guest service.

Obviously, Kilimanjaro is hugely popular, but that can mean that people begin their experience with a sometimes lengthy wait time in the queue. If they weren’t savvy enough to grab a Fastpass early in the day, waiting on standby is their only option. Usually.

I had the opportunity to provide a very Magical Moment for a family some time ago while working at the front of our queue on Kilimanjaro. It was their first visit to Disney World, and Dad expressed his family’s disappointment. They were going home the next day, and really hadn’t had the chance to do much. This is unfortunate but understandable, as any seasoned Disney vacationer will tell you that it takes years to develop a truly nuanced approach to park visiting. They were not thrilled with the thought of waiting nearly 80 minutes for a Safari (Fastpasses were all distributed hours before), and I could tell that I had the chance to turn things around for them on this hot, sunny day in Africa. You see, as cast members, we are empowered to provide during moments like this. If we think it is appropriate, every cast member is encouraged to go the extra mile for guests. I told him that I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t his last trip to Disney World, and made sure he got through the Faspass line with his wife and children. He was extraordinarily grateful for this act because though it was small doing for me, it meant the world to him that they'd be able to go on a safari quickly. Little gestures like this are what being a Disney cast member is all about. Will putting four more people through the Fastpass line effect our system? No, not really – but it will effect how this man views his vacation.

You see, it’s not just about great safaris, or awesome meals, or beautiful fireworks. Yes, Disney World is all of that, but it’s also about making sure guests leave with great memories of being treated well. The difference here is that we don’t forget how important things like that really are. Serving the guests in acts big and small makes the difference between a hot day in Florida and a Magical vacation in the happiest place on Earth.

Until next week, have a wild time out there!

What I do Every Day

2007-06-12T14:43:00.000-05:00

Jambo, everyone! My name is Bobby, and I'll be your tour guide through this photo safari through Africa. Pay close attention, because if you miss an animal, you'll have to scroll up to look at it again.

Right as we enter the forest, you can see just back there, behind the bamboo, the hind legs of an Okapi. Those stripes may make it look like a relative of the zebra, but actually, it's closest relative is the giraffe.

Next up, just over that rise there – you're looking at the head of a Bon go. See how his horns tilt close to his head? That enables the bongo to move quickly through the forest undergrowth, without getting snagged on thorns or dense foliage.

Oh, we're in luck! On the riverbank there across the way, you can see a Black Rhino! Black Rhino are hunted for their horns, and poachers have gone after them so aggressively, there are only 3,600 remaining in all of Africa. It's sad that even on reserves, poachers do sometimes sneak in and kill these beautiful creatures.

Now, check out these big guys and girls in the water! Those are Hippopotamus, and fully grown males in the species will be almost two and a half tons!

Up on the tree branches, you can see those birds with large bills: those are Pink-Backed Pelicans, and they'll get their pink backs during mating season.

Now, look closely at these creatures. They're called Nile Crocodile and one full grown Croc can be almost 20 feet long!

Now we're entering the Serengeti Grasslands, where many of the more famous animals from Africa live – like this Reticulated Giraffe - the tallest animal on Earth! A baby, like the one shown here, is already 6 feet tall at birth.

Nibbling on some lunch, you can see a Thompson's Gazelle, and he's fully grown at only 60 lbs.

These big, horned bulls are called Ankole Cattle, and those horns can be as long as six feet on either side!

The Impala that are all along the rise here are very nimble: they're known to jump 30 feet in a single leap! Also behind them, you can see some White-Bearded Wildebeest. They're part of the largest land migration left on Earth, with over a million migrating across Africa each year.

Now, here's a picture-perfect view of the modern African Elephant family. Baby African Elephants will spend almost 15 years of their lives with their mothers. During that time, they learn where all the watering holes are and where the best food is. Aren't they cute? Unfortunately, both male and female African Elephants are targeted by poachers since they both have horns. It's sad, because poaching is largely the result of poverty and ignorance. Any person with a rifle can bring down an elephant and saw off it's tusks for more money than they could make in a year in most African countries. The best defense against poaching we have is education, and it's super important to ensure that folks here are aware of the problem of illegal hunting.

These Greater Flamingo are the largest of all flamingos and the lightest flamingos in Africa! Their color comes from their diet, which consists predominantly of shrimp and other sea creatures rich in keratin. They're not actually born pink, you see: it takes 18-20 months for them to develop that color.

Get a good look at this creature here, because the Bontebok is extinct in the wild. They were hunted so aggressively by poachers for their corkscrew-like horns that that's how bad it got: Today, they are extinct outside reserves like ours at Harambe. The bright side is that they are actually thriving on reserves. You could say that we're bringing Bonte bok. (Sue me, it's an inside joke).

Say hello to the White Rhino! Not actually white, the name comes from a mis-pronunciation of the Afrikaans word 'vite,' which means "wide" (after their wide-set jaws). The name stuck when westerners first heard it.

These Scimitar-Horned Oryx are named after the middle-eastern sword, the scimitar. See how their horns curve in much the same way a scimitar does?

The Warthog on this patch of grass here is actually a fierce little guy. See those tusks? They're razor sharp, and they use them to dig into the rock, creating warthog burrows. Once they're backed in, it makes a great defense.

Last but not least, the Ostrich is one of the flightless birds, but that's probably okay with them, since they can run at speeds of 40 miles per hour. Interestingly, they're not the smartest animals around; an Ostrich's eyes are bigger than its brain.

I really hope you've enjoyed a look at some of these amazing animals that I'm privileged to be able to share with you. Remember, no matter how far from Africa you are, there are always opportunities to help conserve and protect endangered species in your area. Guys and girls, it's so important to help protect threatened animals: like Dino-Land here at Animal Kingdom reminds us, extinction is forever.

Kwaherini and good day,

Letters from Walt Disney World

2007-06-10T07:48:00.000-05:00

Hello, family and friends!

It’s not every day that I get to see people’s faces light up with wonder when they see a Reticulated Giraffe for the first time...oh wait, yes it is! Things are going very well down at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and yours truly is having the time of his life.

I’ve made a conscious effort to not write this email or blog for the past week, because I wanted to focus on living the magic as opposed to writing about it. Now that I’ve got a week under my belt (since the first week on the job was actually training), I can more easily reflect on some of the highlights of my time here so far. Incidentally, the belt that my week is under is actually pretty awesome. Check out my photolog – picassaweb.google.com/rperrotti – to see some examples of my awesome wardrobe!

I’ll be honest: the first week, Safari is TOUGH STUFF. As game drivers, we must memorize literally dozens of animals, interesting facts about those animals, a variety of conservation messages, and a myriad of procedures for opening, maintaining, and closing the 30’, half-million dollar trucks that navigate the Savannah. It’s super intimidating and if I hadn’t stayed focused, I might have given up. The training period is long and hard, but now it’s over and I’ve earned my ears! Cast members on Safari make a big to-do about removing the training badge on our name-tags, and I felt super proud to be completely assessed.

Since assessment, I’ve worked several positions at Kilimanjaro, and all of them are awesome. We do spend most of our day on the truck, guiding guests through a two week safari through the African savannah, but there are other positions that need to be taken care of if guests are to have an enjoyable experience. It might sound uninteresting to be loading guests onto the truck, parking strollers halfway up the queue, or checking Fast-passes, but I can say that those are some of our best opportunities for guest interaction throughout the day. People are excited to go out on safari, and we get to be a part of that! Additionally, once they’ve experienced an exciting two-weeks (time really flies in Africa), we get to be there on the way out, asking the pirates and princesses how their safari was! Kids are amazing, and their enthusiasm is contagious.

The safari itself is wild! There are loads of animals across the 800-square-mile Harambe Reserve, and no two trips across the savannah are the same. Some afternoons, we literally have to stop the entire line of up to 41 trucks if we encounter a particularly stubborn giraffe in the road. There’s no going around; we wait until the animal clears our path. Many days, the elephants are just too cute for words. Have you ever seen baby elephants playing in the water? I’m not usually quick to get all warm and fuzzy over animals, but seeing these wild, majestic creatures just playing really gets me worked up. We truly live on an amazing planet that it can be filled with so many wonderful creatures. Next week, I’ll be posting what I hope will be an interesting Photo Safari on my blog. It’s really hard to explain how beautiful all these animals are (and how sad some of their stories are) without showing you in pictures. There’s simply nothing more valuable than a crisp, clear picture of a Scimitar-Horned Oryx to explain what I’m talking about. Except for, perhaps, visiting me and seeing the safari with your own eyes (sorry grammarphiles, but that was a fragment).

But Bobby, you aren’t spending all your time at the Animal Kingdom, are you? Surely you’re having fun at the other parks, right? Of course I am! In the past two weeks, I’ve seen Illuminations at EPCOT twice, Fantasmic! at The Disney Studios twice, Spectral Magic and Wishes at The Magic Kingdom twice, and I swim almost every day in one of the three pools that are exclusive to College Program participants. In case you missed all of the jargon and show names in the last sentence, fireworks and spectacle performances are a huge part of the entertainment at Disney World. Once you realize how less crowded the parks are at night, it becomes much more enjoyable visiting. Since I have the leisure of time and proximity, I’ve made night trips to several of the parks for only one or two attractions.

There was one sad thing that I experienced this past week, however. The rumors proved true, and The Haunted Mansion has closed for the summer for renovations, repairs, and refurbishment. We visited the Mansion at MK on Monday to say goodbye for the summer. Not to worry though, it’ll reopen in the fall –hopefully with some newer, scarier pathways and ghosts & goblins to jump out and make us scream!

Now that things are in full swing and I’m learning to manage my time, balancing between work at Kilimanjaro, cooking delicious meals, and seeing the sights all over the park, I’m also appreciating the independence that this situation offers. Don’t misunderstand: I love home, and that includes my family, my friends, and my church; it’s just that the difference between living at home and living alone is bigger than I had imagined. Believe it or not, most people around here don’t cook! I’m one of the only folks that makes dinner almost every night, and it’s fun when people are excited that I know how to prepare a meal.

It’s been a great few weeks, and I don’t think I’ve ever been happier. I’m super excited to continue on this adventure for the summer and into the fall, and I look forward to letting everyone know how things progress! Remember, here at the Harambe Wildlife Reserve, we don’t say “goodbye” – we say “go well,” and that’s Kwaherini (Kwa-huh-ree-nee) in Swahili. No hurries and no worries here at Kilimanjaro!

Kwaherini,

DAKlimation

2007-05-27T19:21:00.001-05:00

Jambo!

That's the traditional southeastern African greeting that I'll be using to welcome guests into the Kilimanjaro Safaris. Today was DAKlimation, the Disney Animal Kingdom orientation day. My fellow DAKers and I walked nearly 2.5 miles around the park today in our business casual best, learning about Asia, Africa, Dinoland, Camp Minnie Mickey, Discovery Island, Rafiki's Planet Watch, and the Oasis. Most of the folks in my orientation group were with the Safari, so it was really fun to get to know some of the dudes and ladies I'll be working with over the next year.

Hearing about DAK was really exciting. From the moment we walked in, we were learning about the interesting messages of conservation and preservation that all of the different areas of the park stress. Dinoland, while it contains some really cool stuff, is also centered around the concept that "Extinction is forever." Hey, learning can be fun - and though I'm not exactly mourning the loss of 50' carnivores, there is something to be learned from that idea. Once an animal is gone, it's gone forever.

Asia was one of the coolest places to visit; you can really see the care that went into creating a dynamic landscape that is representative of many different places in the big, green continent (sorry, my concept of world geography is shaped by the RISK board). We welcome guests there with "Namaste," and I had a real connection with my trainer when I pointed out that the phrase is all over the first few seasons of LOST. She and I went back and forth, showing off ringtones and silly Lost knowledge with each other. She called me her soulmate! Haha! But I digress. The point of this paragraph was to point out that Asia's theme is "Habitat Destruction," and that it's not all warm and fuzzy animals over at DAK. Many of the rides and even the look of this section of the park stress destruction of formerly preserved land. Sad, but neat to see how it's trying to raise awareness!

Already, I can recommend Rafiki's Planet Watch, because it's filled with cool learning opportunities for kids and adults alike. Turns out that Disney does a whole lot to aid in the preservation of different species through education, and I'm excited to help people learn about how they can be proactive! I'll turn into a conservationist yet. Walt himself was actually a pioneer in the preservation movement with his True-Life Adventures series of nature films in the 1940s.

I could go on and on about DAK, and I probably will in the future, but I want to share one last highlight from the past couple days. A few friends and I took a trip to the Cast Connection stores, where we had the opportunity to buy severely discounted merchandise that has been discontinued, overstocked, or otherwise deemed unfit for guest purchase. I got a great pair of sunglasses for $1, and a friend of mine found a 75% silk shirt for $7! Not bad! If you come to visit, I'll take you inside and you can get a peek.

Tomorrow, Monday, I officially begin training for the Kilimanjaro Safari. I don't know what training specifically entails yet, but I do know that before next week, I'll be filled with exotic animal knowledge AND have the ability to drive a pretty intense truck. We got our costumes today, too - so I'll leave you with a little preview of exactly what THAT looks like:

More to come this week. I'm working something around 45 hours between tomorrow and Friday, so forgive me if the updates are shorter or farther between.

Until then, have a wild time, Viva Gaia, Namaste, and, of course, Jambo!

Dig ya later!

Traditions

2007-05-25T23:52:00.000-05:00

Hello, friends!

It's been a busy couple days for the new arrivals on the Disney College Program! We were treated to a party at the Vista Way pool Thursday night (read: free pizza dinner), and that was a solid couple hours of fun. There was a DJ, plenty of food, and new friends trying to talk over the DJ. I made nice with the three lifeguards I had (jokingly) insulted during the day, and then I took a picture. It is here for you:
From left: Christine, Tember, Nicole.

Those few hours went by quickly, so I headed back to Chatham, expecting to perhaps catch an early night in, since I know how few of those I'll probably have in the near future. Instead I received an unexpected phone call from my new friend, Cassie. We met at check-in; she is a puppeteer! Cassie called to offer me the extra ticket she and her friends had for the midnight Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World's End.

20 minutes later, I was at the AMC in Downtown Disney.

Friday was Traditions: the Disney history lesson that lasts for four (paid) hours, where we got our cast member IDs and badges. I'll spare you the details, since you'll either hear them in August or just read the wikipedia article if you're that interested. It was nice to hear from people that really care about the Disney magic and bringing it to the guests. Really pumps you up for serving the visitors to our parks. We learned about safety in the workplace (Safe-D begins with me!), sexual harassment policies, and more and creative ways to make magic happen for a guest (e.g., magic moments).

With a cast member ID in hand, it was off to the Magic Kingdom for the night, where we took in the sights, sounds, and spectacular attractions we'll grow so familiar with over the next year.

The Wishes fireworks show was AMAZING, and so was the parade, SpectroMagic. Beautiful.

I'd write more, but I've fallen asleep at the keyboard twice now, and there's a busy weekend ahead!

If you have any questions about the program or just want to chat, message me or leave a comment on the blog post! If you HAVE commented, I'll contact you ASAP! I've read, but I'm low on time and energy!

Thanks for reading, and I'll check in again soon!

Magically yours,
~Bobby P.

Now the adventure really begins - at ANIMAL KINGDOM!

2007-05-24T14:17:00.000-05:00

Hey all!

I'm so excited that future CPs are enjoying reading about my experiences so far. I've only been here a day and we've done so much checking in that I wonder if I'll ever get to work. Speaking of which....

I'm proud to report that I've received my role in the show down here, and that for the next seven months, I will be a tour guide for Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney's Animal Kingdom! That means I'll be driving the bus and guiding the tours through Disney's fabulous re-creation of an actual African safari. Here is an overview of the ride itself.

Until I know more about the ride, I can't share any more specifics, but I do know that it will involve some lengthy narration, pretty extensive knowledge of the plant and animal wildlife, and just a little bit of theatricality to add that awesome Disney magic.

Tonight, there is a "Villians & Princess" pool party (spelling error the flyer's, not mine). I hope that doesn't mean that there will be many villains and one princess (she totally wouldn't stand a chance, even if she was one of those 90s girl-power princesses like Mulan) – probably more likely that I'm just anal about grammar.

Thanks for reading, and I'll check in again soon! My next post will likely be a summary of the week's events, since I owe one of those to my friends and family that requested a monthly update.

Magically yours,
~Bobby P.

Several hours later, I'm broke!

2007-05-23T22:43:00.000-05:00

Hey there!

It's been just about 12 hours since I arrived at the Walt Disney World College Program Vista Way Apartments for Check-In (sorry, all those capitalizations make me either want to tear my eyes out or kiss my screen in self-aggrandizing adoration of my punctuation skills. Anyway.) and BOY has Bobby P had one long day.

After debarking from the Auto-Train (can you tell how well I slept? NOT) and bidding a not-so-fond farewell to its cramped innards, I made the short drive from Sanford to Orlando for a roundabout of check-in procedures at Vista way that took just a couple of hours. Most of that time was spent either 1.) Following a dotted blue line on the pavement from location to location, collecting stamps indicating completion of a step in the process, or 2.) Standing in line for fingerprints.

I met some nice people during the day (some of you might be reading? say hi!) and even got a chance to talk with Cisco for a bit. We were going to be roommates, but then I decided to go with a smaller place. It's cool: we are still friends!

As new CPs, we were given a Chik Fil-E (spelling?) coupon that I took advantage of straight away, yearning for non-train food. Turns out this place makes some pretty good chicken sandwiches! I then headed over to Chatham Square where my new apartment was waiting. It's spacious, clean and very, very sterile-looking. I'll have to throw up some flags and posters soon. Once I was all nourished and moved in, I went out to Target with one of the people I had traversed check-in with, Nelie (pronounced Nee-lee). I bought many, many things! It's hard to not have ANY food when moving to a new place.

I cooked dinner for Nelie, myself and Hendrick, my awesome roommate from INDONESIA. I'm glad that I finally have a kitchen, because in just under a half hour I made lemon pepper beer simmered chicken, rice, and peppers&onions. There was salad and bread as well, so it had all the trimmings of any other Perrotti meal, but I was delighted to share.

Tomorrow is Orientation, which I am assured is a pretty hugely boring couple hours. The good news is that shortly after, I'll find out what my actual, SPECIFIC role is! Alright!

Anyway. It's midnight, I'm running on fumes, and it's time to hit the sheets. Stay tuned, I'll be back soon!

Yours in Disney,
~Bobby P

whole lotta not sleep goin' on.

2007-05-23T05:33:00.001-05:00

6:20 AM Good morning! After six fitful hours of sleep, I’m awake and watching the sun rise through Florida treetops. There is sand in the soil and a crick in my neck, and I’m ready to get off this train.
A word on the sleeping conditions in an Amtrak Train: good luck. The seat does go back further than one on an airplane will recline, but even with that, it’s not exactly pleasant for an extended sleep. stretching out over two seats is a decent option, if you’re not 6’ tall (my feet crossed the aisle and it wasn’t exactly comfortable with my calves in open air.
The continental breakfast should be soon, and we are passing some small group of skyscrapers. Should be there in a few hours!

late night rendezvous

2007-05-22T22:58:00.000-05:00

It's just about midnight, and the train is stopped at a station in Florence, South Carolina. One of the other GenY-ers with me says that she's taken this train four times, and it's been late every single time. We're apparently behind schedule, and since Amtrak MAKES the schedule, they should adjust the it and start being on time.

Train is moving again – without any of the passengers on the platform. Hmmmm.

I'm headed to bed for what is sure to be a restless, cramped sleep. Not a whole lot of room for a 6'1" frame to stretch out on.

Dudes and ladies - I'm going to Florida. Peace out till morning.

~Bobby P

The Journey south, continued!

2007-05-22T20:12:00.000-05:00

9:00 PM, location: southeast of Raleigh, NC

The train has been going for five hours now, and I’ve been able to write a little, listen to several podcasts (Slate & Mr. Manners), and plow through three worlds in New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo DS. At 7:30, I went to the dining car for dinner and sat with three other twentysomethings (those nearest to my age by about 50 years). One of them was a fellow CP! We ate a decent dinner and there were wine refills aplenty (the only free drinks on the train, as a glass of wine or bottle of beer at the bar is a five-spot).

Turns out there are power outlets on the train, but not too many, so I’m swapping in and out with others that have laptops. The internet is free during my night minutes via Verizon, so I’m able to surf with impunity while my train coasts along at a smooth 65mph.

All told, it looks like there are three Disney CPs on the train, the rest of which is filled with quite its share of octogenarians (look it up.)

Possibly more later, otherwise, I’ll talk to you soon!

Amtrak Auto Train update!

2007-05-22T12:19:00.001-05:00

I’m currently at the Auto Train station, where I’ve surrendered my car to the attendants and am now inside, waiting to board. It doesn’t look like the train will be very crowded, and the passengers already here are mostly old folks, presumably the birds who fly south for the winter. I’m charging up my iBook on the last power I’m likely to have access to until tomorrow morning, so I’ll wait until I’m on reserves to send in the last post of the night. I want to capture as much of the experience as possible.

On the Road to the Happiest Place on Earth - part I

2007-05-21T16:22:00.000-05:00

Hello, family and friends!

I hope the warm weather is moving its way in to your neck of the woods – I myself got tired of waiting for it to blow into New Jersey, so I’ve shipped off to warmer climates!

I’ve really been busy since we last talked. After graduation on Friday, I spent most of the weekend packing up everything I couldn’t live without and spending time with the people closest to me. On Monday, I said a tearful goodbye to my niece, Veronica, Flemington, and Liquid (my church in Morristown), and started driving. Heading south on 95, I passed some familiar places – “E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!” for all the Philly fans out there!

The trip was non-stop through Deleware, Maryland, and D.C., though I did consider trying to visit a landmark or two. The picture you see is the closest I got to a monument. Have you ever parked in the Capital? Forget that.

I stopped for the night in Alexandria, Virginia, to stay with Lara & Brad, two most excellent people. They were lovely hosts and between dinner and the Heroes season finalé, we visited The Dairy Godmother for ice cream and sorbet. Incidentally, if you are ever in Alexandria, be sure check that place out for some of the best dessert you’ll ever taste. It’s run by a Culinary Institute of America-trained woman from Wisconsin: she knows something about dairy and dessert.

I’m writing this both a Starbucks and a Panera near the Auto Train in Lorton, because Starbucks’ coffee is better and Panera has free wi-fi. Pictures of the journey so far have been posted to my picasaweb album, and later tonight I’ll upload an entry from (and all about) the Auto Train! So far, my trip has been solitary (not a lot of company on the road), confusing (thanks, D.C. road system), uncertain (after all, I won’t know anyone in Orlando), and exciting: after all, I’m going to DISNEY WORLD! I’m excited to keep travelling, and I’ll keep you posted as I go!

Magically yours,

P.S. - here is the photo album for my trip down to WDW.

2007-04-17T08:59:00.000-05:00

Hello, family and friends!

As you may know, upon graduation I will be leaving for Walt Disney World for an internship until January. If you didn't know already, now you do! I’m very excited to embark on this adventure, and I hope that you’ll share in that excitement with me!

While in Orlando, my role will be with Operations, which is one of the many On-Stage departments of Disney that interacts with guests on a daily basis, ensuring that they have as magical a time as possible. The work is expected to be both challenging and rewarding, and while I wish I could tell you precisely what my specific role will be, I won’t know until May 23rd when I check in!

Friends of mine that have taken extended trips abroad or away have shared newsletters like this with me in the past, and I always appreciated an easy way to keep up-to-date on their adventures. I thought that YOU might like to stay on top of things, too – so I’ve included you in this initial email. If your inbox is too cluttered to receive a monthly email, and would prefer to just get things hearsay, that is totally cool (just let me know – I promise we can still be friends). These will also be posted to Blogger, and that information is available below.

In addition, I will be regularly uploading photos to a Picassa web album. This will occur more often than the monthly emails, so instead of emailing when new photos arrive, I’ll just post them and encourage you to bookmark the page. Picassa Web supports RSS, so if you know what that is, just use the RSS link on the side to subscribe.

Feel free to forward these on to others or let them know to email me if they want to be on the list! Thanks for reading, and hopefully I’ll talk to you soon!

Magically Yours,

Letters from Walt Disney World

musings on safari

Time Magazine gets it wrong

Now Taking Requests!

My Visit Home!

Outflow Orlando: Day Two!

Liquid's Outflow Comes to Orlando!

Swiss Family Bloginson!

Canoe Races!

Did you come visit me today?

pictures from my birthday!

How I spent my birthday

The real Magic behind the Magic Kingdom: Why we love going to Walt Disney World (part 1)

What I do Every Day

Letters from Walt Disney World

DAKlimation

Traditions

Now the adventure really begins - at ANIMAL KINGDOM!

Several hours later, I'm broke!

whole lotta *not* sleep goin' on.

late night rendezvous

The Journey south, continued!

Amtrak Auto Train update!

On the Road to the Happiest Place on Earth - part I

whole lotta not sleep goin' on.