Pa> * From: parabicoli@aol.com (Parabicoli)
 Pa> * To: Mike_Tuchman@AirNSun.blkcat.com (Mike Tuchman)
 Pa> * Newsgroups: rec.arts.disney.parks
 Pa> I read in your post that you took the "Backstage magic" tour. I'm
 Pa> thinking of taking it on our next trip in April, would love any info on
 Pa> how you liked it etc. Thanks,Cheryl
 We thought it was fantastic.  Officially the cost is $160, but if you
 charge it to American Express you gedt a 20% discount, so the final cost
 was $128 each
 We met at 8:45 outside Epcot (at Guest Relations).  There were 16 of us
 plus the guide.  We were given collectible-type (Mickey Through The
 Mirror) nametags and asked to put our first names on them.  These were
 so we could be identified as part of the group when onstage.  Judy and
 I were already wearing nametags so we did not write our names on them.
 We were taken on a small bus which was provided with an unlimited supply
 of sodas and bottled water, for whenever we felt thirsty.
 First stop was backstage under American Adventure, seeing how everything
 was put together.  Think about a rear projection lens for a CONVEX (not 
 concave) 28' x 80' screen.  We saw the way the audioanimatronics were
 set up for the show.
 We then went onstage (and backstage) into The Living Seas and got very
 close to the Manatees, learning their names and how to tell them apart.
 Backstage again under Body Wars.  We were under one of the simulators,
 watching it load.  When the doors closed and loading ramps were raised
 the lights where we were went on and we were able to watch the action
 of the simulator (as well as see, on a monitor, what was happening to
 the people inside.
 Then we went to MGM where an artist had us draw a character, giving a 
 very good lesson.
 Then onstage again into the Studio, where we went to Mama Melrose for
 lunch.  We were at two tables (18 including the leader and the driver)
 and were brought a very large selection of items, so we could sample 
 some of everything.  We had one of the "streetmosphere" people (Nancy,
 who had stopped into her local bar - in housedress, slippers, and her
 hair in curlers) kidding around with us while we ate.  (We had been 
 told, at the start of the tour, of the planned lunch so if anyone was
 going to have dietary problems they could be accomodated.)
 After lunch we went backstage again.  "Nancy" came on the bus with us,
 did a 360 turn, and dropped out of character.  She is an Equity actress
 and told us how the real performers (streetmosphere, dancers, 
 characters, etc.) were treated as far as performance times, time off, etc.
 When we got to our destinations were were again taken into a workshop where 
 we learned to (and did) color a cel each.
 Back to the bus to the parade staging area at MK.  We went into the 
 building and saw the Spectromagic floats and costumes ready to go.  We
 also saw them getting the Easter Parade floats ready.  We left as the
 cast members for the Remember the Magic parade were coming on duty (at
 2:00) for the day's parade.
 Then to the central shops.  We saw some cars being constructed for the 
 Test Track, audioanimatronic creatures in various stages of repair or
 construction, a full-size bus just coming out of one of the paint rooms,
 character heads under construction, carrousel horses in for repair, and
 lots of other things.  We were allowed to try on character heads.
 We then went to the DACS room, where we saw the 3:00 parade in progress
 and how it was controlled.  We were shown other items in the DACS room,
 including a couple of the original programming consoles, one with a lot
 of sketches signed by Bill Justice.
 After this we went to other areas in the Ulitidors, such as costuming,
 where the wigs were cleaned and shaped (they use artifical fibers), 
 and where the Zoo Crew hangs out.  (Everything in the Utilidors was
 very organized, except the Zoo Crew room; probably that's one of the
 reasons they are referred to as the Zoo Crew.
 Finally we went onstage again in Town Square, where we discussed forced
 perspective and some of the other aspects of the show.
 Back to the bus, where we stopped by the studio and the leader got our,
 by now dry, cels and distributed them.  We got back to Epcot Guest
 Services about 4:30pm.
 We were told at each stop if we could or could not take photos.  It was
 safe to leave things in the bus as either the driver would be in it or
 he would lock the bus.
 Our only real unanswered question was what is day two of the tour like.
 We would like to see more tours like this available that do not
 duplicate anything we had previously.
... My hard disk is full! Maybe I'll try this message section thing.
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