MiMs

[Big Wallaby]

PS: I do spiel about Club Cool now and "push" Beverly. I wish the I could see some of those faces. :hysteria:

You have an even darker side I had never seen before. That's is so awful of you. Just another reason we get along.

I wish they would take the word "bitter" out of the explanation, though, and just tell you that it makes the Italians want their food. That's right, it does, because they're trying to get that awful taste out of their mouths.

Last night, I was put on the Pluto Shuttle, which is primarily utilized by managers. I did my schtick for them, and had an amazingly high number thank me, as that was very entertaining. And that was managers, who so often do not wish to talk to the driver, but instead have their own conversations amongst themselves. So, I think I might be able to garner some support from other departments when I come in and say I don't want to use the sound system. I had a disproportionate number of them say I belonged at Tower.

Oh, and the security guard at the gate to MO-7 loved it too. When I was coming in empty, I would make an announcement over the PA since the speaker outside works. Had her and the people who would break her laughing every time. They loved it.

[PapaMouse]

Just wait till they don't even need the driver any more.

I was watching a video of the Monorail in Tokyo and there is no driver.

Cars can now park them self, soon they will drive them self. and then it'll be bye bye drivers.


Sorry you feel shut out of the role. I always liked sitting close to the driver so I could talk to them, but felt I shouldn't as it would distract them from driving. I guess maybe Disney feel that if the driver is talking over the mic they are not concentrating on driving.

[BRWombat]

...PS: I do spiel about Club Cool now and "push" Beverly. I wish the I could see some of those faces. :hysteria:

Am I the only one who doesn't find Beverly completely repulsive? Granted, it's not my favorite -- that would likely be the watermelon soda -- and I'm not going to be ordering a case of it any soon, but I didn't think it was all that bad. In fact, I thought the Brazil drink with guarana tasted a lot worse.

Our tasting did lead to the following exchange as I waited in line for HISTA with my kids, my wife, and her parents:
[indent]Me, without thinking: "I'm going to get a drink of water. I need to get the taste of Beverly out of my mouth."

Me again, off of their bemused looks: "That may be the only time I ever say that sentence."

My wife: "I hope so." :D: [/indent]

[Cranbiz]

No Wombat, you are not the only one. I have learned how to drink it with a smile so that I can convince others to try it. :D:

A session with newbies there usually starts with the watermelon and goes along with Beverly last. I drink and then they drink. I just love watching them and then the comments like "Don't you think that this is the foulest soda ever?"

My comment back is that it is an aquired taste. :p:

[Big Wallaby]

Cranbiz, would you please change your title to "Sadistic, Beverly-Drinking Bus Driver"?

So today, I had 4961, which is a new bus to the fleet, with some upgrades to the systems. I had the best experience I have ever had with the MiMs system... because the microphone is not attached to the MiMs except in that it immediately overrides it. That means that the announcer can be talking, I can interrupt, and the announcer keeps on truckin'! When I release the microphone activator, the announcer is still talking.

That means I can cover over it and the system doesn't know the difference.

So I did a TTC run tonight, which is the route with the classic Disney music... Zip-a-dee Doo Dah to Be Our Guest to Never Had a Friend and so on. Since the microphone immediately cuts the music and immediately brings it back in (instead of the eight-second fade), I can interject over the autospiels and music. After doing the safety spiel, I instructed the group to listen to the songs and think of the words in the music. I would add my own soundtrack when I felt it appropriate, with my own soundtrack being my maniacal laugh. I had people rolling in the aisle they were laughing so hard.

"When you wish upon a star,
Doesn't matter who you are!
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you! Mu-wa ha ha ha ha ha!"

So now, I think there is hope for MiMs, as long as I am in the new buses.

And please... Don't get lost... in the woods...

Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

[Cranbiz]

Cranbiz, would you please change your title to "Sadistic, Beverly-Drinking Bus Driver"?

Can't. It's too long.

So how about the one that I just changed to?


I'm glad to see that there may be hope yet for MiM's. I had 4751 all night (I would not wish that bus on anyone). Box worked but no audio at all. So I was able to spiel all night. It was a pretty good night after all.

[Big Wallaby]

What I am about to say, I have had the entire weekend to think about. Well, my day off, anyway.

Well, I finally took the risk and talked to a manager about my opinions. I am less happy with the system now than I was before. You see, the answer I was given was that my time to interact with my guests will now be only as they are boarding and disembarking the bus, but the rest of the time I do need to shut up and drive. Mind you, that was before my shift. The first bus I drove had working MiMs, so I followed his rules, and didn't get a single simple "thank you" for the trip or anything. The second bus had a non-working box, so I had to spiel. I had multiple guests come up and write down my name to make sure and write a letter. I had one gentleman at the Sports thank me, shaking my hand, and run. By the time I realized he had slipped me a $20, he was off the bus and running so I wouldn't give it back. I had one lady tell me how this was her last night, and riding with me was the neatest thing she had done the entire time she was here. In two hours, I experienced what I am about to lose, and possibly for the last time. You see, management is about to step up the system in a week or two, and when they do they will start handing out reprimands if you don't let the system do all the spieling. The time where your bus driver can make your time on the bus a special thing is rapidly drawing to a close. To say my eyes aren't watering up at this latest turn of events would be a lie. Honestly, I'm a little crushed. Soon, those who ride my bus will no longer be my guests, but just my passengers.

With the word I received, there is nothing more I can do for the bus department, and I realize the idea of guests having a special time on the bus ever again after the system goes through its next change is dead. I am no longer a good fit for this department. I know this because any time the computer has taken away my ability to interact with my guests in the past, I have become more and more depressed through the day. I am an attention junkie; I realize this fact, and I even embrace and enjoy it. So what am I to do now?

They drill into our heads (and rightly so) how interaction with Cast Members is so important to our guests, then they take and automate all the interaction of an entire department, except for the half a second you have with each guest as they board.

Allow me my short pity party, and I will move on and get over it before the sun comes over the horizon in just a few hours. At this point it does me no good to wallow in what is being taken away from my guests and me. Tomorrow is a new day, and there is much work to be done.

I am going to begin work on being recast post haste. There are other areas where I can become an asset... Tower of Terror (the times I am loading the elevator), Dream Squad, Monorails, Watercraft (until they install MiMs), any attraction where Cast Member spiels are a vital part of the experience... my favorite right now being the Kilimanjaro Safari. Today being my day off, I went on that three times, just to watch the Cast Members. I didn't even do anything else, because after the first time I was so fascinated with the Safari as a possible new home at Disney World. The first time out, I rode with Kyle, who made the experience memorable because of the way he treated it as an attraction and supremely as a chance to entertain. His showmanship from the driver's seat was excellent. The second driver was very good as well, but I never saw or heard his name. He created some very neat moments which made the entire trip worth doing a second time. The third driver, Dave, was exceptional with his facts, and he was very good at making you not even realize you hadn't seen the lions on that trip. Only reason I realized it was that I had been on it multiple times now. All three drivers had characteristics I would like to have. Were you to combine them into one driver, you would have one amazing person behind that wheel, with whom it would be fun although nearly impossible to compete for having the best show.

Despite all the complaining it would seem I have done in this thread, I know that I am going to find my niche here at Disney World. I can feel it in the fact that even after enough time to make a decision whether I like the place or not, I feel more like I am going to a second home than to work. I go to work on my days off... there have been about four times that I didn't go to work for my day off. I can see myself at Disney for a very long time. It was interesting to speak to someone in line today who had worked on a project for Disney and had actually met Walt. I came so close to asking if I could just touch her, to shake a hand that had shook his. Where else in the world do you find out someone you are talking to has met your company's creator, and you want to just get them talking about him and not stop until they have said every last detail they can think of?

So I want to keep working for Walt, but my days of wearing purple pants are quickly coming to an end. And with the new policy as handed to me by a manager, I sincerely hope it comes sooner than later.

[mechurchlady]

I wish I could change things but I cannot so I will do what we do best at SGT, I will hug you and listen to your rant. I will serve you coffee and wear a stupid party hat. I will wallow in self pity with you and when you are done I will throw you into Bay Lake and bonk you on the head with a bar of soap.

It is sad that they are stepping down on bus drivers and taking away another piece of fun in busses. I will be sad to have not had a chance to hear you spiel.

Chin up friend chin up

hugs
Laurie

[Main Streeter]

The second bus had a non-working box, so I had to spiel. I had multiple guests come up and write down my name to make sure and write a letter. I had one gentleman at the Sports thank me, shaking my hand, and run. By the time I realized he had slipped me a $20, he was off the bus and running so I wouldn't give it back. I had one lady tell me how this was her last night, and riding with me was the neatest thing she had done the entire time she was here.

Big W, you are such an interesting, fine writer. Wish I had your talents. :) You made Magical Moments for more than 2 guests & were rewarded. This is absolutely fantastic! NOS manager told me one time I had the heart of Walt. I'll never ever forget his comment, so I'll pass it onto you. You are a great CM who totally embodies Disney. WDW is more than fortunate to have you as a CM - Remember this!! Many managers are more than wrong. Some never interact with guests nor see the light of the parks. Please be recast ASAP!! Most CMs I've spoken with are much more suited to their 2nd location, & happier also. I did a recast, no, not because I was asked to. :D: Rethinking your qualities & best traits are most times your soul speaking. Listen closely. You'll never fail at recasting when you can envision yourself in another role & know you will be calmer, happier, & really make a difference to guests as well as give yourself a brighter future. Go for the dream Big W! You will be a success!!

[Kwahati]

What I am about to say...sooner than later. (Cut for space)

You're an amazingly eloquent writer. You've made your points in such a way that I'm quite certain hasn't left a dry eye among those who've read this. I'm not so eloquent (at least, I'm not feeling eloquent right now) so I'll get right down to my point:

Holy crap! Damn the man! They'd better recast you in a hurry because, if they lose someone like you, it'll be clear they've completely lost their god-damned minds-er-lost sight of Walt's dream, I mean. (Sorry to anyone who's offended, I'm not good at censoring myself when I feel strongly about something and this kinda has me fighting mad because I've honestly told my "family" about BW and we were really looking forward to trying to find him in Nov...)

Whatever comes of this, I hope you find a way to keep yourself smiling. The way I figure it, you have to make good money OR love your job OR both. The moment you've got neither, the job becomes a bottomless pit of despair that'll suck your soul. It's clear to a lot of people here that you deserve better than that.

Best of luck to you sir. Keep us posted on further developments as they occur. (I'm gonna go smoke now. This news struck me like a blow in the chest and brought my whole morning down several notches...)