The Royal Family of Marocco launched into space today

It started snowing again today from the afternoon onwards until now and still going. So we opened up later than normal today because all the checks (validations) had to be done again (the opening procedure) because some parts were frozen inside the mountain. People were queuing up outside the entrance all the way to the end of Discovery Land even. They were really determined. But most people were quite annoying asking the same questions over and over again. Is it closed? Why? When does it open? What time do I come back? How do the fast passes work? Where is that? And so on and on. After a while, after people did a bit of dancing to warm up, we proceeded with a 102, the opening of the ride to the guests.

While at the mixer, I had to stop a lot of children who were too small/short to go on the ride. They and the parents were quite upset of course because they had waited for so long all ready and now they have to leave. That is quite bad because that means that the Greeters 1 and 2 haven't checked everyone properly. But luckily I caught them before they actually arrived at the point where they board the trains. That would've been worse! This is not so nice to do because the kids start crying and the parents get angry at me and say it's only a bit, let us go!

Also there was this family (Russian I think) who just entered through behind the normal queue while the normal queue was full of people and the waiting time was 60 minutes. They just came and wanted to walk through, but of course I didn't let them. They were trying really hard to convince me to let them through. But I didn't give in because that would've been very unfair to the other people waiting. So in the end after quite a while they left and didn't even come back in the normal queue. Oh well. Too bad for them.

Did my first pin trade today. Changed my little Pluto pin for a pin of Stitch dressed in the Tower of Terror costume. Good swap I must say.

I also bought a new pin for my collection. This one of Space Mountain.

22 December 2010

MORE TO COME - TO BE CONTINUED

Our break area with the free hot drinks machine today

After work I quickly went into the Studios again to ride the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster with Aerosmith. It was quite okay, only the worst part is the beginning when you get launched off. It goes extremely fast and feels terrible! There weren't many people because the Studios were closing so I went two times after each other, which was enough! 

Photo at the end of the ride the second time

PS: INTERNET IS NOT WORKING GOOD HERE AND NOT ABLE TO CONNECT TO SKYPE

SORRY

TILL TOMORROW!

4 days until Christmas!

The day went by quite quick today. Only the morning was long doing the "load" all the time (reason why my arm and wrist are hurting now, because of pushing down on all the harnesses all the time) without any break from 08.40 until 11.45 when I had my lunch break. There was a lady today who entered the train and said she didn't want to put the harness on, but that is impossible and not even allowed at all! So she made everyone wait and caused delays by wanting to get out with her daughter. People get so panicky when the harness doesn't open at the end of the ride and don't let me or the other cast members calmly help them to get out easily. Oh dear the fast pass ticketing machines had a problem today for a while and during that time of course I was just going to the greeter 2 position and everyone attacked me with questions about the fast passes. It was strange because some people's tickets worked and some did not. So to at least do something I gave some people blank tickets with the time and my signature on it so that they could come back later anyway. But there were just too many people and the blank tickets ran out and I wasn't even supposed to be at that position and everyone got irritated. Then later at the Mixer position where the people with the fast pass tickets enter the queue many people just wanted to enter with no tickets or with invalid tickets or an hour or more too early. They just didn't understand. I explained to them that the other people in the normal queue are waiting 45 minutes to an hour to get on the ride and that it is not fair if I would just allow everyone to enter from the fast lane. 

After I finished work, badged out at 16.29 and walked to the Imaginations building because the bus was blocked by the cars for the 5pm parade, changed, got clean costume, had dinner in canteen, then decided to go to the Disney Studios for a while. Went on the Siggy Dog Ride which was a bit disappointing but nice for little kiddies, but it only had 5 minutes waiting time so was good. 

Then I went on the Tower of Terror, Hollywood Hotel, which is a giant lift where you sit in and it goes up and down when you least expect it. It goes quite high and it's open at some parts at the top so you can actually see the outside. Wouldn't like to do it again!

Studios

                                                          Toy Story Playland - Studios

Afterwards when the Studios closed at 7pm I went into the Park which closes at 10pm at the moment. Went on BTM (big thunder mountain) because I still had a fast pass to use so didn't wait long also. And again lots of Dutchies around today.

Main Street in Disneyland Park with all the nice lights and Christmas decorations

Planing for coming weeks

Lundi 20/12 - Repos
Mardi 21/12 - 08.40 - 16.29
Mercredi 22/12 - 08.40 - 16.29
Jeudi 23/12 - 08.40 - 16.29
Vendredi 24/12 - Repos
Samedi 25/12 - 09.40 - 17.29
Dimanche 26/12 - 14.56 - 22.45

Lundi 27/12 - 14.56 - 22.45
Mardi 28/12 - 14.56 - 22.45
Mercredi 29/12 - Repos
Jeudi 30/12 - Repos
Vendredi 31/12 - 13.30 - 21.20 (?)
Samedi 01/01 13.30 - 21.20

Excusez moi, nous sommes fermés! Working day 5

Started at 07.30am today and actually arrived 20 minutes too early despite the heavy snow. Was really happy when the bus came around the corner this morning at 6am! This morning there were only 3 people (including me) for Space Mountain who made it so there was a bit of chaos at the beginning. We were supposed to open at 8am for the hotel guests but it was snowing so so much that this was not possible and we had some frustrated guests. We had to shovel the snow and ice to make it safe. I shovelled the entrance, waiting queue area outside, the stairs and the evacuation routes. Also put salt and soda on the slippery parts. Did this for about 3 hours but it kept on snowing so once one part was finished it was exactly the same again or even worse! So it was completely impossible! Because of this, even though that the attraction was okay, we couldn't let people enter because of the risk that when they fall it's our fault. Also the snow from the inside had to be removed because parts of the catapult are exposed to the outside, snow just falls in and causes technical problems. 

Backstage (Les Coulisses) with Space Mountain in the background

On stage (Sur Scene) with Orbitron in the middle and Space Mountain on the right

There were quite a few new temporary cast members who are still in "formation" (training) and I had to help them a bit as well because they seemed to be quite confused and since it seems now that I've been there for a long time now. As David said it, that I'm almost the Queen of Space Mountain, hehe. 

Because of the snow problems, we had many many 101's (interruption du service) and 102's today (reprise du service) and had to explain to all the people queuing up outside why they cannot enter. Always the same questions. 

Is it open? No, sorry

What's wrong? Why? Technical problems, because of the snow and a part of the catapult being open

Will it open today? Probably yes, later today

When? We are not sure yet, we cannot tell you an exact time, sorry

But what time? Sorry, we don't know

Why aren't the fast pass machines working? They are not working today for any attraction

Which attractions are actually working? Probably the inside attractions, but we are also not sure of everything

Can I be reimbursed? Maybe, you have to ask at the City Hall

Can I complain? Yes at the City Hall

Snow Space Snow Space Snow

Finished the "check out" today, and passed it all okay so "Welcome to Space Mountain!"
Afterwards I could start working (normally and without anyone checking me all the time). I quite enjoyed it, other cast members were really friendly and we had fun, with a few breaks and i went 4 times after each other in the ride as well which was a bit too much at the end! Had to do this to accompany the handicapped people inside the train.  It's actually a really nice ride, with good effects (such as the supernova, hyperspace, mother of meteorite (MOM), electro velocitor, the "boom" in the catapult and the rest) and sensations. Although I don't understand why everyone screams the whole time! Now that I've done it 5 times it's not as scary any more, it's quite fun!

I was told that my schedule for tomorrow is going to be different. That instead of starting at 09.40 I have to start at 06.30...I told my colleagues and they said that's not right because today I end at 19.14 and there has to be a "decarage" (time gap) of 12 hours. So after many phone calls and discussions it was decided that I start tomorrow at 07.30 instead which is just what is allowed so it's ok. But if my colleagues wouldn't have told me I wouldn't have known about this.
Met lots and lots of Dutch people today and of course also English and French and a few Spanish. At the fast pass position, we made jokes with the guests and pulled their leg a bit which was really funny.

At 19.00 I did my last rotation and finished off with sweeping the inside of the mountain and then went to "badge out".
It was snowing so so much since the afternoon, and it hasn't stopped yet even! It was even snowing inside the mountain which looked really pretty with the lighting. Therefore the buses stopped working as usual as well, so I walked to the main "Imaginations" building where we have our lockers, the costuming, all the main offices and the main canteen. It was full of people who were snowed in and couldn't get back home because there were no buses or trains going any more, so they stayed inside watching the Simpsons episodes, which sound really weird in French! Anyway I decided to start walking towards the exit and the "Chessy" train station which is just outside the exit of the park. It was packed with people also trying to get back home or to their hotels. And luckily after about 40 minutes of waiting a train arrived and we made it to Val d'Europe. From there there were no buses or anything at all, so I walked/trekked as if being in the film "The day after tomorrow" with more than 20cm of snow towards Les Pleiades.

It was not that bad, although my coat zipper broke this morning so it couldn't close and my ipod died out and going through deep snow with normal shoes was a bit hard. But finally finally 2 hours after I finished diner (nice cous cous thing) in the canteen and left I made it back alive to my room and have to be back again in 9 and a half hours. (I hope if transport returns to normal again and it's a Sunday as well which makes it worse!)

"Check out" Day

My Space Mountain costume!

Had the "check out" today. Lucky I made it this morning at 06.30 because the buses were suspended after the first one at 05.25 which I took because of the snow and extremely icy roads everywhere. Even at Space Mountain we had to put salt everywhere and with a racklette take the ice away. 

Started by doing the "tour des portes" myself this time, and after some searching for the right doors and passage ways it all went well. Also the validations for the Gare principal went well. Then after lunch I had my "check out" to test if I remember everything they told us, safety/security wise but also technical, medical and other problems, codes/numbers and facts. There are about 200 questions which you have to answer orally which all need an explanation, so it's quite long! That's why I have to continue and finish it tomorrow.