Yoo Hoo, Disney EchoEars!
Continuing with WDW trip reports from my friend Bruce Metcalf...
Metcalfs @ WDW day 4 w/Spoilers
Today was *very* special, even for WDW.  We arose promptly at our 6 a.m.
alarm clock, and were showered, shaved, dressed, and presented ourselves
for breakfast at the Polynesian's Coral Isle Cafe within the hour.  (Can
you say, "excited"?)  Tonga Toast (my very favorite) and an omelette for
SWMBO, and we were ready for our monorail ride to Epcot ... about half an
hour earlier than we needed.  Ah well, a complimentary newspaper later
(Poly CMs are so *very* accomodating, even for non-resident guests like
us), we *and* the monorail were ready to go.
        >>> SPOILER ALERT <<<
This was the day we got paid back for the annual fee on my American Express
card.  Yup, that's right, we took the 8-hour Backstage Magic Tour.  Even
with the 20% AmEx discount, it still cost $128 (lunch included), but I
think it was well worth it.
The group that assembled in front of Epcot at 8:45 a.m. inluded 16 guests
and cast member Joseph, our guide for the day.  The first stop was Epcot's
American Adventure.  No, not the theater, the basement where the "war
wagons" positioned eighteen scenes under the stage for the show.  We
watched as CMs prepped each animatronic actor for their days performances
and maintenance crews prepared to run a safety check before opening.  Wow!
Most CMs don't even get to see this stuff!
Then off to The Living Seas, where we toured backstage manatee holding
pens, kitchens, and discussed the design of wings--backstage areas that are
visible, even if only for a moment, from on-stage.
Disney Animation Studios next hosted us for some drawing lessons, and boy
did some of us need them.  Fortunately, we had animator Tom Macachyck to
help us past the rough spots.  His wit and enthusiasm got us all through
drawings of Goofy and Pumbaa.  When he bragged about how quickly he could
draw Mickey Mouse, I pulled off my wristwatch and challenged him.  He did
it in 3.6 seconds--not too bad!
Lunch was at Mama Melrose's, an assortment of breads, salads, and entres
served family style ... with "Shoiley" inviting herself to join as a member
of that family.  One of the Streetscape performers, she kept us all in
stitches, servers included.  At one point, she hauled out a box of Trivial
Pursuit cards and chalenged us.  SWMBO got three right before falling,
which earned her first runner-up honors and a sucker.  I frustrated her by
continuing to get questions I knew, even after she made me change topics
from history (my major in college) to science (my minor) to biography (my
good luck).  I won one of those Nestle chocolate balls with the character
inside that litiginous fools claim are choking millions of babys.  I didn't
choke on that one, either.  
Shirley joined us on the bus for the next leg of the trip, and came out of
character to tell us about work as an Equity actor CM, and her love of the
work here.  Interesting lady (but warped!).
Back to the Animation Dept., where we were shown how cels are painted by an
exceedingly pregnant CM (Friday, and not one minute later, I hope).  Not
enough time to finish, but we were sent home with paints and brushes to
finish up with.
A visit to Fowler's Harbor and the Parade Warehouse came next.  King
Triton's Electrical Water Pageant and SpectroMagic looks so different in
the daylight!  We talked a lot about the problems with SpectroMagic and
Light Magic, and heard Joseph's frank evaluation of why the new parades
weren't as good as the old MSEP:  no story for SM, no clue for LM (much of
LM was outsourced, including some creative work--bad idea).  I thought
Joseph was going to choke when I opined that one of the faults with SM was
the "Chuckies".  It seems I was the first non-CM to use the term and he
said he had been waiting for it to leak out to the public.
What can you say about WDW Central Shops?  It's this planet's primary Magic
Manufacturing facility!  Elephants waggling their ears while getting
painted grey; new parking lot trams for DL being built from the motors to
the seats; a short chat with Isle Voght, the lady in charge of painting
each and every carousel horse (who reports that a chariot will be installed
soon!); to a preview of a travelling exhibit where an animatronic figure
(about the size of "The Dancing Man") will tell the history of Disney parks
and animation; to the head department, where all character heads worldwide
are produced from a mix of exotic materials for light weight, durability,
light weight, ventillation, and light weight.  It's hard to put into words
all that we saw in a quick walk-through, and it will all be different by
next week.  
Finally, we toured the Utilidors under the Magic Kingdom!  More than a
little disconcerting to be strolling along down an industrial corridor,
passing headless dwarfs, CMs of all different costumes, suits, forklifts
carrying bread and rolls, and just about anything else you might imagine
and many you wouldn't.  Quick looks in Parade Control, computer systems,
cosmetology, then the long hike up to Town Square to view the end of the
parade we saw started "downstairs".
The whole day, every question asked was answered, with very little
defensiveness even when the questions (or answers) didn't reflect the best
possible light on the company, including my frequent queries about up-time
ratios and redundant systems.  Walkaround casting was discussed, as was
Disney's Traditions program and it's importance to the show.  Fellow tour
members seemed quite well informed about most operations (for non-fanatics
like us, of course).  Several guests--and a couple of CM--were fascinated
to learn I was making these reports, and eagerly asked how to subscribe to
r.a.d.p or join EMuck.  Look for them to be joining us soon.  (Hi, Tom!)
This tour isn't for everyone (and not just because of the minimum age of
16).  At a list price of $160, it isn't cheap, and it takes a full day.
(We followed it with a short nap, a quick dinner, and an early return to
the hotel.)  However, if you really want to see what makes the magic, you
could hardly find a better way short of joining the cast--and maybe even
then.  We loved it all, and recommend it to any Disney fanatic worthy of
the title.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go lie down again.  The shakes are
coming back.
Bruce Metcalf,
EMuck Rufus,
mailto:bmetcalf@cdc3.cdc.net
--- April V1.0+
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