Post
by Big Wallaby » Mon Sep 24, 2007 1:54 am
Okay, this one happened the other night, and made for one of my neatest moments ever. Because of this, I wound up using my entire grace period at the end of my shift, and had so much fun that I didn't care to get extended to make sure I was paid the entire time I was there. I literally clocked out with about ten seconds to spare. But it was worth it.
It was my last run out of Magic, and I was waiting in the Wilderness Lodge LZ (LZ 1) for anyone who might show up. Well, because the Wilderness Lodge has two methods of travel to MK, most people do NOT take the bus. Finally, they cleared me to take the first people who approached, which I was glad to do when I heard their first words.
In buses, it's rare that you will see a guest more than once. They get on your bus, they get off your bus, and you never meet up again. It does happen sometimes, though, like the night I was at dinner with Zazu, SWMBO, KidAtHeart, Laurel and Troy at Crystal Palace, and we were walking in. We were walking to our table, when I heard "bus driver!" and looked over to see a cute little Cinderella waving excitedly at me. Needless to say, those are words that stand out to me in a crowd, much the way you would all notice if I was to go into a crowded restaurant with you and in more than conversational tones utter "sex". While not exactly provocative, "bus driver" has the same effect on me.
The other night, though, this family approached me, and the first words I heard were "Hey, look! Our favorite bus driver!" I vaguely remembered them, because Grandma was in an ECV. If you ride my bus and that's the only contact I get with you, if I vaguely remember you, you may consider it one of two things: 1) a compliment, or 2) an insult. It all depends on your behavior. So they got on, and after we were underway, I did some of my Magic schtick that they hadn't heard since they had ridden with me from AK to Pop. I didn't do my slightly bombastic schtick, but instead talked to them as for this trip, they were my personal guests, and I didn't have anyone else that I had to worry about entertaining. They asked about working for Disney and I gave them my opinion (I don't work here, except maybe once in a while... I play professionally), and for the most part I simply enjoyed having them on my bus (and they seemed to enjoy riding with me). I helped them to take some neat candid pictures of some of their kids sleeping on the bus (we had to coordinate since a flash inside a dark bus at night is *not* normally a good thing). They said something to the effect that I should play a character in the MILF, so I gave it a try, which they seemed to thoroughly enjoy. When we arrived at the Pop, since it was their son Matt's birthday, I had him sit in the driver's seat for some pictures of him "driving" the bus. Well, since I knew I wasn't going to be going back for more people, I spent some extra time with them and some of the pictures included sudden stops and my reaction as I hit the windshield.
Where else in the world would I have possibly done that? I mean, really? The entire point of doing that was to make their stay special. At the end of the time, I deduced from things they said that they were at the end of their time here at Disney World, and I managed to make their last night special. And in enjoying me, they made that trip memorable to me, too. Again, that's either a compliment or insult, in this case the former, not the latter.
I wouldn't trade working here for the world.
Heh. Working. Pfft, whatever.
If Matt and Family should happen to be wandering the internet and find this thread, it was great having you on my bus and as my guests. I hope we can do it again next time you're here. People like you are the reason I am at Disney.
My opinions are mine and mine only. If my opinions are the opinion of others who happen to share whatever my crazy views may be, then fine, but it's not because I represent them in having my opinions. Got it?