# Disney World visit next week - anyone working there?



## ship (Jun 4, 2011)

Forgot about the pressing issue of the coming week, given my week has been all about a pair of 1928 Major boarder lights that I’m way behind schedule on at this point for delivery. I’m it would seem going next week to Disney World for a week and as a tech person, have that fantasy of being the “It’s a Small World” lamp changing guy. Something about that concept in general would drive me crazy but in the same sense, I would love it. It’s something in concept I have held onto for years now - give me a break in something not cool but also cool. How cool would it be to be the lamp changer for the "It's a Small World" ride.

Any members that can pro tour or get me into that or other type stuff such as I would in tour of my own shop? Find myself going there next week and it would be cool if I could also take Wifie and Nephew backstage, but overall just that “Small World” exhibit has been on my mind for almost 20 years now.

Next week going there and really wanting to find a member working there so as to see what I really want - that backstage view of “it’s a Small World.” Friends I might contact etc? 

Yes I’m upper enough in status where I work, and where I work is large enough to make it an official tour should it be needed through proper channels. Still though member tours are better than designated person tours.

Contact me by PM if working there in making this tour I really want work out.


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## derekleffew (Jun 4, 2011)

ship said:


> ...How cool would it be to be the lamp changer for the "It's a Small World" ride? ...


Well, personally that's my perception of h3ll on earth, but to each his own. 

Hopefully someone will contact you privately. Likely we have members who work at Mouse-witz Florida, but they are not allowed to publicly state it.


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## Dondaley (Jun 4, 2011)

derekleffew said:


> Well, personally that's my perception of h3ll on earth, but to each his own.


 I agree with you there, I went on that ride almost 10 years ago, and I think I may still be traumatized from it. I really think Disney should reclassify that one as a horror ride.


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## DuckJordan (Jun 4, 2011)

When I went I was 12 years old. IT IS HORRENDOUS FOR A TWELVE YEAR OLD. I had nightmares the rest of the trip just the repetition of "It's a small world after all... Its a small world after all..."

That said I don't think that music is ever turned off... so when you are going to sleep after changing the lamps I think you'll be singing it.


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## Tex (Jun 5, 2011)

It's probably not exactly what you're looking for, but WDW offers some pretty cool, albeit pricey tours. Here's one:
Backstage Magic | Walt Disney World Resort There are more...
I went on the shorter, Magic Kingdom only tour and it was very interesting. I'll be there in July, but after so many trips I'm in a more "beers around the world" frame of mine this year. 
I've always thought they could make a killing if they'd just sell softballs in the queue of Small World. I'd buy a bucket full!


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## chausman (Jun 5, 2011)

Hey Gafftaper, instead of dragging Derek out to the wilderness somewhere, maybe we should send him to Disneyworld to change all the lamps to LEDs (or similar)!!!


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## What Rigger? (Jun 5, 2011)

derekleffew said:


> Well, personally that's my perception of h3ll on earth, but to each his own.
> 
> Hopefully someone will contact you privately. Likely we have members who work at Mouse-witz Florida, but they are not allowed to publicly state it.


 
Well, at least the exterior of SW in Anaheim appears to have gone to LED's. So much for lamp changer, I suppose.


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## What Rigger? (Jun 5, 2011)

DuckJordan said:


> When I went I was 12 years old. IT IS HORRENDOUS FOR A TWELVE YEAR OLD. I had nightmares the rest of the trip just the repetition of "It's a small world after all... Its a small world after all..."
> 
> That said I don't think that music is ever turned off... so when you are going to sleep after changing the lamps I think you'll be singing it.


 
Here ya go...the audio level is way down...but you get the gist. Family Guy, "Tiny Tiny World".


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## What Rigger? (Jun 5, 2011)

The FastPass is strong in this one.


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## gafftaper (Jun 6, 2011)

What Rigger? said:


> The FastPass is strong in this one.
> 
> [video]http://www.youtube.com/embed/t4_dZPVg8KI[/video]


 
Awesome Video!

By the way Ship an informal visit backstage is HIGHLY unlikely. You may be able to pull some strings through work and arrange something official, but the Mouse is VERY tight on who is allowed back stage.


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## zmb (Jun 6, 2011)

Second best thing is talking with the crew at the booths before and after the show. Honsetly, I am drawing blanks right now where this would be an option, sorry.


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## urban79 (Jun 6, 2011)

zmb said:


> Second best thing is talking with the crew at the booths before and after the show. Honsetly, I am drawing blanks right now where this would be an option, sorry.


 
The theatre in Hollywood Studios that shows Beauty and the Beast has an open booth. Fantasmic would be awesome, but I don't know where the booth is...


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## ship (Jun 6, 2011)

Thought about it later and yea, I remember watching some backstage at the mouse shows in the past and behind the curtain probably wouldn't be easy. Thanks for the ideas and videos and the Hell of being that lamp changer would be why its cool.

Going to be very strange after like three weeks of 18 hour days between work old fixtures and that certain set of strips I was working on for a week and dropped off today (two days late to suddenly find the there to enjoy myself mode.
The strips were from He!!.!!! by way of amount of work to do to them, even this morning I had a cold solder which allowed a neutral to short in requiring me to open it up... again. Porcelain enamil reflector paint all over my floor and parts all over the place, plus a backlog of other lights and projects to work on. Never again antique strip lights - my Wife will make sure of that - two weeks work compressed into one week. 

Now to switch to family vacation mode... not really sure how to do it. Vacation for me would be locked in my house alone and just doing my thing. Though a goal for the weekend is at least once to drink my Step Dad around the world one night. That is a techie thing that is universally famous. Last time I was there was like 20 years ago (43 now), and I suppose tradition for me is the Dumbo ride that will be a must do.


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## Chris Chapman (Jun 8, 2011)

ship said:


> Thought about it later and yea, I remember watching some backstage at the mouse shows in the past and behind the curtain probably wouldn't be easy. Thanks for the ideas and videos and the Hell of being that lamp changer would be why its cool.
> 
> Going to be very strange after like three weeks of 18 hour days between work old fixtures and that certain set of strips I was working on for a week and dropped off today (two days late to suddenly find the there to enjoy myself mode.
> The strips were from He!!.!!! by way of amount of work to do to them, even this morning I had a cold solder which allowed a neutral to short in requiring me to open it up... again. Porcelain enamil reflector paint all over my floor and parts all over the place, plus a backlog of other lights and projects to work on. Never again antique strip lights - my Wife will make sure of that - two weeks work compressed into one week.
> ...


 
"it's a Small World" underwent a rehab a couple years back in Orlando. It didn't get the MAJOR overhaul that Anaheim got, but a lot of lighting was freshened up. I don't know how much is LED inside though.

The Open Booth tech's at Orlando are very tight lipped. I was asked politely to not be peeking into one. The booth for "Finding Nemo" is very nice to watch the show automation and mixing from. It is center house and very visible.

The Backstage Tours will take you backstage on one or two attractions, but you never know in advance which ones. They also change up the tour orders.


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## DHSLXOP (Jun 8, 2011)

Another booth that is fun to look at is at Hollywood Studios at the Indiana Jones show. Its an open booth right at the edge of the stage (at center), but there are a number of seats that are open right behind it if you get there early enough. There's a lot of people that work in that booth, mainly because they have all of the special effects control, in addition to lights and sound. The Stage Manager also sits in that booth, so if you can get behind them, you can hear him/her calling the cues and doing check ins with all of the stuntmen (who seem to be wearing in-ear monitors) throughout the show. 

Like someone else mentioned, the booths for both Finding Nemo the Musical (in Animal Kingdom) and Beauty and the Beast (in Hollywood Studios) are also open and visible, though you really need to get there early in order to sit behind them or check them out - especially at Finding Nemo.


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## zmb (Jun 8, 2011)

Chris Chapman said:


> The Open Booth tech's at Orlando are very tight lipped. I was asked politely to not be peeking into one. The booth for "Finding Nemo" is very nice to watch the show automation and mixing from. It is center house and very visible.


 
An outdoor stage at Downtown Disney exists and I'm never sure what it gets used for, but it is relatively simple compared to other setups (Ion instead of Hog series console) and last time I was there the techs were willing to talk about what they do.


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## Tex (Jun 9, 2011)

zmb said:


> An outdoor stage at Downtown Disney exists and I'm never sure what it gets used for, but it is relatively simple compared to other setups (Ion instead of Hog series console) and last time I was there the techs were willing to talk about what they do.


I've seen high school choirs and bands perform there often, but never an actual "show".


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## BrianWolfe (Jun 15, 2011)

What Rigger? said:


> The FastPass is strong in this one.





We actually made the Vader and Stormtroopers in this video.


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