I've been busy but I made it to Orlando alright.

[joanna71985]

It never should have been added in the first place. I really hope it gets changed before I get down, because I can't imagine not doing PAC at all (I have done at least one shift per CP since 2005).

[Shorty82]

I found out that the roads behind the Magic Kingdom get closed for the Pirates and Princess Party fireworks. I go through the toll booth and head up N. World to get to Reams like I always do but get stopped by security who is stopping everybody and finding out where they are going. If they are trying to get behind the Kingdom they are told to turn around as the roads are closed off. I wound up having to take Vista to 535 instead of using Reams like I normally do. If I had known the roads were going to be closed I would have gone home a different way instead of having to go out of the way. Going behind the MK is the easiest way home for me normally but there are other ways I could go.

I was heading home from Studios tonight when I saw a tram heading up World Drive with a tram service truck as a rear escort. I think it must have come from Studios as I saw it before I had reached the Epcot exit. It must have been headed for the TTC lot as I saw it just inside the toll booth and heading up the road to the parking lot after I turned around. I've heard they sometimes will travel on public roads to get to the shop or someplace but I've never seen it. In this case I guess someone decided the MK needed another tram as it was headed to the parking lot and not the shop. It couldn't have gotten to the shop anyway with the roads going behind the MK closed.

[Randy B]

I found out that the roads behind the Magic Kingdom get closed for the Pirates and Princess Party fireworks. I go through the toll booth and head up N. World to get to Reams like I always do but get stopped by security who is stopping everybody and finding out where they are going. If they are trying to get behind the Kingdom they are told to turn around as the roads are closed off. I wound up having to take Vista to 535 instead of using Reams like I normally do. If I had known the roads were going to be closed I would have gone home a different way instead of having to go out of the way. Going behind the MK is the easiest way home for me normally but there are other ways I could go.

I was heading home from Studios tonight when I saw a tram heading up World Drive with a tram service truck as a rear escort. I think it must have come from Studios as I saw it before I had reached the Epcot exit. It must have been headed for the TTC lot as I saw it just inside the toll booth and heading up the road to the parking lot after I turned around. I've heard they sometimes will travel on public roads to get to the shop or someplace but I've never seen it. In this case I guess someone decided the MK needed another tram as it was headed to the parking lot and not the shop. It couldn't have gotten to the shop anyway with the roads going behind the MK closed.

It makes sense to close that road for all fireworks. The main launch "pad" is a matter of a few feet from the road (and not much further from the railroad tracks). If they allowed any vehicular traffic to pass there would be a huge chance that even normal launch fallout could cause burns in paint jobs or arms out windows. And if a launch happens to go wrong it could torch a passing vehicle. Better inconvenience than having to deal with the consequences.

You could have just parked along the road and watched the show. Then when the show ended the road would be open.

Did you see who was driving the tram? Maybe it was BW taking one out to the STOL port to practice donuts with a tram. :D:

Randy

[Shorty82]

And I thought requiring attractions training for PAC was bad! I was just checking the EHH for the heck of it and there's a park greeter shift on there. To pick up a freaking greeter shift you have to be attractions trained! That's almost worse than requiring PAC to be attractions trained.

[Cranbiz]

Any time that there are perimeter fireworks World drive closes at the Contemporary. You will get the perimeter fireworks for just about all the hard ticket events except NOJ and Grad night.

I was driving the Pluto shuttle one night and got stuck at Pluto lot for 20 minutes while the road was shut down. There was 1 pissed off manager who wanted to know when I left MO7 before getting stuck. My answer was, "I left at 9:25 which was my scheduled time to leave MO7. I'm very sorry that I missed you."

Watching the MVMCP fireworks from Pluto was pretty cool.

While Floridian Way is shut down for all fireworks for the reason that Randy mentioned (the main launch site is just to the right of the old RCFD station by park2), the perimeter fireworks are launched from pods set up just inside the fence at MK to give the guest that 270 deg experience.

[Shorty82]

While Floridian Way is shut down for all fireworks for the reason that Randy mentioned (the main launch site is just to the right of the old RCFD station by park2), the perimeter fireworks are launched from pods set up just inside the fence at MK to give the guest that 270 deg experience.

I didn't know that Floridian Way got shut down for the regular fireworks though come to think of it the night I saw Wishes while driving up World Drive I saw security blocking the turn lane off of Center. I knew about the fireworks area there but I didn't realize that was the launch point. I thought it was just the storage area or something. I didn't know where Wishes was launched from.

So RCFD no longer uses the old station at all? I just figured out today that the nice building just off of Floridian, near Park 3 I believe, was a RCFD station. I've been by it a number of times but never saw what it was until now.

Got my Main Entrance Pass today! Even though I don't have anybody to let in with it yet the fact I now have the pass is nice.

[Cranbiz]

Yeah, the new building near park 3 is the new RCFD station.

The chief was hoping to buy all new equipment to staff it and keep the old one too but was overruled.

They may still use the old station for staging and special events but the day to day responses will come from the new building.

[bpgstudios]

Last night the problem of only allowing attractions trained CMs to work PAC reared it's ugly head. I was working in Expo Hall when this lady came in shortly before the first Spectromagic and complained to me and another CM with me about how there were no walkways outside like there is supposed to be. According to her she saw only one person working PAC in the area. I told her there wasn't a lot we could do as that wasn't our area and that she should complain to City Hall.

I hope she did complain. Sounds like they can't even get enough people to work PAC with the training restrictions they have on it now. I wasn't able to look out as I was on my way to bump somebody at the Photopass registers when she came in but it sounds like it was even more of a zoo than normal. Maybe if enough guests complain then the restriction will be dropped and more CMs can pick up extra hours with PAC.

Thats why Fantasyland should get PAC back. We used to staff it with help from EHH (anyone could do it too). Main Street took over and IMO has ruined it for everyone. New Years Fantasyland Hub was the only land that had consistently clear walkways all night because we knew how to set up and explain to our new cast and EHH CMs, and had effective positions. Now MS Ops runs it like this as I've been told: Its all EHH CMs with attraction training, but many of them have not worked parade before. The instruction given to a CM that had done parade with Fantasyland that picked up a shift to see how MS runs (and told them he never done it before) it told me that he was told to just "walk around and if something looks like it needs to be done, take care of it. They don't tell people to sit down, they don't use the crosswalk signs or northeast gazebo walkway setups. Entertainment CMs have told me that they dont have effective street coverage even though they have 5 street CMs (we could run it well with 3, sometimes even two) they are all bunched together and don't do their jobs.

Personally I am a bit glad that PAC is attraction trained only, but I would rather Wishes PAC be attraction trained only. We had the occasional problem with EHH CMs not understanding the purpose of PAC (there to control the guests, not stand and do nothing) but we had at least one or two other CMs from the area that have done PAC before that could help them out.

Sorry for the long rant, I just miss my parade. and for reasons mentioned above, will not be working for Main Street.

EDIT: Oh and Floridian Way gets closed off until around 30-45 minutes after regular (just main site) go off, unless there is an issue then it will stay closed longer. when heading south towards the MK the right turn is closed for all fireworks, but during party nights the left may also be closed for the same amount of time, as there is one of the perimeter launchers back behind toontown. Its a pain, but if you've ever seen those areas right after the fireworks, you wouldn't want to drive a big metal box full of flamable liquid through.

[Zazu]

Thats why Fantasyland should get PAC back. We used to staff it with help from EHH (anyone could do it too). Main Street took over and IMO has ruined it for everyone.

Let's lay the blame where it belongs. It's not the fault of *all* of Main Street, just Area Manager Wally.

Yeah, he's the same guy who informed me I was, "No longer welcome in Main Street Ops," after seven years of perfect reviews.

Now MS Ops runs it like this as I've been told: Its all EHH CMs with attraction training, but many of them have not worked parade before.

My entire training on Main Street for PAC was the admonishment, "Don't worry, you'll do fine."

Leaves a bit too much to the imagination if you ask me.

Sorry for the long rant, I just miss my parade. and for reasons mentioned above, will not be working for Main Street.

No need to apologize to me. Much as I hate PAC, I miss my parade too. Coming up on two years since I've seen it.

[Shorty82]

I just want to go back to bed! I got off at 2:15 this morning and have to be back at 10:00. God I'm tired. Good thing that I'll be getting extra pay today since I was scheduled less than 8 hours between shifts.