Don't shoot the Annual Passholders . . . Well, maybe some of them.

Is it hubris to feel a sense of entitlement because you've spent money on an Annual Pass for the Resort? In a way, I can appreciate the Guests who fork over $350.00 a year for the priviledge of being able to go into the Parks any time they want to. It's these diehards who see the value in spending the big bucks to be able to visit their favorite place year round, you have to marvel at their determination to come back time and time again and still feel the thrills they get walking under the Main Street Train Station archways and entering Town Square. But it's the bozos that can barely pony up the $120.00 for the bare minimum pass, then have the nerve to complain that that can never use it when they want to, and that we (the Resort) nickel and dime them every time they want to go on a blockout day. There's a reason they call it the 'Select' pass . . . It's only Entry on 'selected' days!
It's these types of AP's that give all AP's a bad rep. They're the ones demanding more discounts, more freebies, free parking, priority seating, early entry, head of the line priviledges, and carte blanche to do what they want, when they want to do it. Just who do they think they are? Annette Funicello? (If you have to ask, you might as well just go away now.) As an AP, all you've paid for is entry into the Parks. Nothing more, nothing less. Any additional benefits are given at the whim and largesse of the company. You're not really entitled to anything else . . . so just get over it.
To those AP's that I'm not picking on, I apologize for every single one of the Cast Members who looks down their nose at you. It's wrong to paint you all with the same brush that some of your fellow AP's have tainted . . . But it's sometimes so difficult to differentiate between the good and the bad when all that gets thrown in your face is the bad.
There are a lot of AP's out there that are the sweetest people in the world. These are the people who make it a point to look for or visit their favorite Cast Members. The ones that leave constructive criticisms, and workable solutions on the comment cards at City Hall. They ones that not only dispose of their own trash, but will stop to pick something up off the sidewalks or paths. The AP's that realize that the *Magic* is real, and don't try to spoil it for others. The AP's that say "Thank You" to the Cast Members as they get their handstamps or when exiting the Parks for the night.
As a Cast Member I promise to see you as individuals and not as an unruly incorrigible horde. I also promise to keep that smile in my voice and on my face when I hear the words 'Annual Passholder'. I promise to treat you with respect, you're a Guest in my 'home' and deserve to be treated as such.
Of course I expect you to treat me with an equal amount of respect and courtesy. I am not your whipping post because you are having a bad day and need to show off to your friends and family. Remember that there are more than a few of us that make less than the 'barristas' at 'Starbucks' or the griddle boys at 'In-n-Out', we deserve at least the same amount of respect. Remember who's checking your safety equipment . . . I'm not threatening anything, just including a friendly warning. So while you may have spent upwards of $120.00 a year for the priviledge of coming into Disneyland Resort whenever (somewhat) you want, it did not include the right to humiliate or embarrass Cast Members or the other Guests in the Parks. Coming into the Parks is like coming into our home . . . You're a Guest, please act like one.

My World and Welcome to it, but please don't touch anything!

Well, I guess I should spend a little more time talking about me and my world instead of the past and 'He who shall not be named'. After all, this is a MouseWorld isn't it? And I should be speaking about my adventures in the land of the Mouse.

Here it is, the tail end of April and most of our Spring Break Guests are winging their way back home (not soon enough as far as a lot of us are concerned!). Now don't get me wrong, I love what I do and look forward to getting onstage everyday. When asked what I do for a living I always say that I am a Professional Mouseketeer, with a license to carry Pixie Dust . . . And I'm not afraid to use it.
I guess what I do falls into the category of 'Practical Magic'. Myself and thousands of Cast Members just like me work onstage and off stage to create *Magical Memories* and 'moments that will last a lifetime' for every one of our Guests that cross through the turnstiles everyday. That being said, we do encounter many Guests on a daily basis that make that a little harder than it has to be. As a rule, I've learned that while Guests scurry about with last minute packing, the two things they always seem to leave behind is their common sense and courtesy. I think they're sitting right there on the top of the bureau, along with the pocket lint and that fuzzy lifesaver they found in the pocket of their old blue jeans.
Almost every Cast member has stories of being accosted by Guests asking "What time is the 4 o'clock Parade?" Or, "Where is Cinderella's Castle?" And my personal favorite, "Where are the shuttles to California Adventure?" Those aren't so bad, and it's kind of fun to educate the Guests with a smile and a touch of Pixie Dust. However, there are the 'Guestzillas' that are demanding compensation at the top of their lungs because they had a 75min wait for 'Space Mountain'. During Spring Break. On a Saturday. DUH! I'm sorry, but if you've planned your family vacation for one of the busiest periods of the year, along with 100's of thousands of other people, don't you think that you're going to be inconvenienced at some point? And screaming at a Cast Member, that more than likely makes less money that someone working at Starbucks or In-and-Out Burger, is really not going to accomplish anything more than increasing your already dangerously high blood pressure?
Take a chill pill people and realize that every Huey, Dewey, and Louie with 10,000 miles had the same idea. Make the best of it. Buy the multi-day tickets and don't try to do it all in 1 day, you can't. There is no freakin' way you can. Get over it. Take a break during the day and go back to the hotel and use the pool, spread out your 'must-sees' over several days. See the shows, act like a kid and get your picture taken with 'Winnie the Pooh', buy your golden mouse ears. Remember this is a vacation and not the 'bataan death march', remember you traveled with family and/or friends. They're not really enjoying your vitriol and spinning head (... Well, maybe just a little), and it will be a much nicer homeward bound trip if you've kept your sanity during your visit. Just remember one thing, they may be the captive audience to your drama, but they're going to let everyone back home know exactly how you chewed out the poor kid at 'Indiana Jones Adventure'.

My part of this 'Magical Memory Machine' is relatively sane. I'm spared the 'in-your-face' Guest interaction that sometimes scars and embitters Cast Members. I'm only in the Park for Media and VIP events or as a Host during a special in-house/Park event. My daily interaction with Guests is a bit more civilized, but if they insist on working that one last good nerve, I can tell them where to put there concerns in that 'oh-so-Disney-way' that they're never quite sure if they've been insulted or just won the lottery. I've been with the company for a short time, but I've been a part of the company for decades. Shareholder, Annual Passholder, I've marched on the Parade Route all through High School, went to more Grad Nights than any I know, danced with a same sex partner before it was readily accepted, become very at-home in Club 33, found all the hidden Mickeys, and generally avoided become a DisneyFreak by the skin of my teeth. Working for the Mouse at this point of my life was the fulfillment of a childhood dream I put off in pursuit of fortune and glory.

Company lore states: "A Dream is a Wish your Heart makes...", it's something that I've held onto as a truth my whole life.
The whole message of the 50th Anniversary Celebration of Disneyland Park has been 'Welcome Home!" It make take a while for dreams to come true, and wishes made upon a star to be fulfilled, but if you truly believe in Pixie Dust, Truth, the power of Good over Evil, and the Magic of True Love . . . You may find a home in this Magic Kingdom . . . Just like I did.

Testing the Waters, 2

Okay, I've been 'Huntzbergered' . . . So now what do I do with my life?
All right, I'll admit it, if you were me you'd go to Disneyland. Where everything is pretty and clean, where there are smiling faces everywhere. Where people go to discover the child that still lives inside them. A place where every Prince can find his Princess (unless you're backstage and that pairing is rarely as god intended!), fairytales are reality, and dreams truly do come true.
One little flaw in that happy little scenario . . . 'J' works there too. I mean, I could avoid him with a little work, but it's those unexpected moments I dread. It'd be like 'Rory' walking down the street with 'Lorelei' and seeing 'Logan' schmoozing all over a willing blonde at a sidewalk cafe. A quick knife thrust to the heart . . . And don't forget to add the salt.

Ok, I guess some background is need on this all. In the previous posting I jumped right in to the fact that while I was under the assumption that we were just taking a time out (his idea and not mine), 'J' had actually broken up with me. A point he did not get across in any part of his monologue. His oft repeated phrase was "We both need some time to think about what we want in our lives." He also said "I need to concentrate on my classes, getting my degree . . . It's a lot more involved than I anticipated. I been spending all my time with you." At no time did he use the words "break-up", "it's over", or even the dreaded "I think we both need to see other people". When he left that night, I just kept thinking that if I just gave him his space that he's needing right now, and continue to be there for him, we can sit down soon and figure out what's going on. I thought if I just trusted him and believed in him, that he would let me know when he wanted to see me again, and we could start on an even footing together. All I needed to do was give him the space he was needing. After all, he was my 'J', the man I trusted with my heart and my life. I love him, there's no reason to doubt him.

I should have asked more questions. I should have asked him exactly what he meant. I should have made a scene. I shouldn't have been so understanding. I shouldn't have felt so guilty about everything. I shouldn't have let him off so easy . . . I should have made him say exactly what he meant.
Hindsight is so freakin' 20/20.

It's been said that jumping back into the dating pool after being in a relationship is like jumping off the hi-dive, but at the shallow end of the pool. Upon reflection I think that is an overly optimistic statement. Coming out of a relationship is like leaving a nice warm bath and finding your fingers and toes are all wrinkled and cold, and you're shivering because someone has left the window open on their way out. There aren't enough fluffy towels in the world to make you fell safe and warm again. Starting to date, or even entertaining the mere notion of getting back into the 'scene' is not one to be taken lightly. I've never understood what the correct timeline would be for that? How soon is too soon? How long should you mourn a relationship? Are you insane if you wake up in the morning and ache because someone is no longer a part of your life? Is it okay to take offense if someone tells you to get over it and get on with your life. Does it hurt any less because you've now become an emotional inconvenience to some people?

Okay, I tried the crafting thing . . . Other than a enough junk to stock a garage sale, and my housemate making noises about me clearing out the garage, nothing much was accomplished. Well, the coffers of 'Michaels' and 'Big Lots!' are considerable fuller, but I'm not any happier. And forget getting a 'Paul Anka' of my own. The housemate vetoed that idea, unless I wanted to get something small . . . Like a hamster. How do you 'get over' someone who's been a part of your life for over 2 years? I know, silly question . . .

Unlike 'Rory', I don't have a pool house to hide out in. Gotta put that toe back in the water . . . Did anyone mention anything about sharks?