Keys To The Kingdom

Went on "Keys To The Kingdom" tour today. Had previously gone on this, but shorter version offered by Disney University for Cast Members. Accidentally woke up Soyoung with my alarm. Quick breakfast, got ready, on my way. Tour was for 9:00am, with my having to be there 15 minutes early to check in. Thought I had plenty of time. Arrived about 8:15am, parked in Minnie, and walked to TTC. Got in line for monorail. Monorail Gold (yay!) was sitting in station, but wasn't going. Doors were opening, and Monorail was "snorting" like the trains at Big Thunder, but nothing happening. PA announcement - going through safety checks. Took a little while. Clock kept ticking. Gold eventually ready. People went in, I moved up. Saw Transportation Cast Member's name tag said he was from Chicago. Said he was from the North West side. I said where I was from. Said he knew where it was.

"60187, right?"
"Right!"

Kids excited, waiting for next monorail. Monorail Red pulled into station. Doors opened...gates did not. Another Transportation Cast Member began going through the cabins, opening the hatches for the phones and picking them up to make sure they were working. Doors made "bing-bong" noises you hear on subways and the L. Red started snorting too. Were they doing safety checks? WERE THEY DOING SAFETY CHECKS?!?! Yes. PA Announcement told me twice. Finally, at 8:53am, we were ready to go. Missed check-in time; thought I could still make tour. Got through ride, moving to entrance, bag check (security didn't know where to enter for tours, but by then, people were going inside), and tickets. Entered park 9:01am. Found check-in at City Hall. Asked if I was Cast Member on tour. Said yes, was directed to sign in paper. Thought it was odd. Saw "DU" for Disney University at time. Told them I was on actual, actual tour. Got to pick up name tag, ordered "Anchors Away" tuna sandwich and Coke from Columbia Harbour House. Offered free water and coffee. Sweet! Directed outside. Tour Guide - Gregg from upstate New York. Handed headset, tuned to Channel 2. Had a bit of trouble getting earpiece on my ear. Finally managed it. Waited a little bit more for other Guests, then set off. Walked up Main Street, down side (Center?) street as trolley show was coming. Introductions - name, where from, role you'd want at Disney. Older couple next to me said they were from Homer Glen. Said Carol Stream (hoped they'd recognize it) and said I wanted to be in Holiday Services. Gregg surprised, said it was very specific. Explained Holiday Services to rest of group. Some wanted to be in Guest Relations, one head of horticulture, one wanted to be Mickey, one wanted to meet the owner of the place. Window gazed. Went up to Hub. Headed to Adventureland. At Swiss Family Robinson Tree House, Gregg mentioned renaming of Disneyland's to Tarzan. Said he had a brother in the animation department. When trying to figure out what Tarzan should look like, decided to try and figure out what he looked like as a baby. Had a young niece at the time (maybe animator's daughter and Gregg's niece?). Used her as reference. True story. Way cool!! Went to Jungle Cruise. Gregg got us our own boat. Had a skipper drive while he told us secrets about Jungle Cruise. Hidden Mickey, sensors, guy at bottom of rhino pole has same face as watchman in Haunted Mansion. Very cool experience. Bathroom break at Pirate and Parrot, which appeared to be open, damn! Talked to girl named Katharine. Also named after Katharine Hepburn. Middle name Joy. Sometimes called Katie Joy, since people didn't really like Katharine Joy. Sister's middle name is Elizabeth. Went on Pirates. Got to sit with Gregg. Had mentioned before he started as CP at front gate. Wanted to ask him more, but he answered other Guest questions. Fun ride, no splash this time. Wandered to Frontierland. Time to go backstage. Went past Woody and Jessie (apparently one couple really liked this characters - husband pointing out Woody to wife, saying she got a rumbly in her tumbly seeing him) and to parade step off. Gregg said past yellow line, out of site of Guests. No clothes off until beyond fence/gate. Paused before heading back there. Reminder - no pictures. Continued on. "Pretty glamorous, huh?" Headed to float storage. Cast Member working back there flipped on the lights to the fish. Made it seem as if she was just doing her job, but I wonder if she did it for us. Some of us said thank you anyway. Turned to see Woody and Jessie without their heads going to swap out point. Laughter and giggly goodness from group. Got to see water pumps for Splash. That's a lot of water! And a lot of power! Shoe floating in water. Said they'd found a prosthetic leg? Talked about trash too. Only park to have the A.V.A.C. (spelling?) system. Too expensive. Back out onstage. Told once we cross the yellow line, we'll forget all we've seen. Through Frontierland. Paused by Christmas shop. Bunch of little kids wandered by shouting "Tinker Bell! Tinker Bell!" Informed part of a family tour. Had a cloth scroll with clues and everything, ooh. Moved to carriage house by Haunted Mansion (which we were told we'd be going on after lunch). After a few minutes, Gregg went to Columbia Harbour House to check what's up. Enjoyed weather in meantime. Greeted by lunch coordinator. Escorted inside, up stairs, into VIP room. Meals set out for us. Find place card. Found mine and sat down. Got a bag of chips in addition to meal and drink, sweet! Another tour guide came in. Said she was there so Gregg could rest his voice. Guy sat down across from me. Wearing Wrigley Field t-shirt. Asked him if he was from Chicago. Alabama, but had visited Chicago. Chatted a bit about it. Guy found our key pin was on the inside of the name card. Cool ^-^ Gregg asked if he could join us. Ate salad that had been sitting next to me. Thought placard had another name on it. Maybe Guest didn't show? Alabama asked Gregg if he'd ever been Mickey. Then asked who his brother's favorite animator was. Probably Ward Kimball? Had a light discussion about Ward's stuff being sold on eBay. Felt bad for Gregg, being asked all about his brother (though I was curious too). Asked Alabama about driving or flying, and tried asking Gregg more about his job, whether easy to move around in Company. Said used to be, in 2007, but now, not hiring so much because of economy and people not coming. Asked also if true Tour Guides had to be in Guest Relations for a certain period of time and had audition. Said it was. Asked if I was going to go out for Guest Relations. Said no. Maybe wouldn't have the patience to deal with people. Something like that. Probably not the best thing to say x.x Gregg said Guest Relations means having to take the good with the bad, handling complaints, which they actually get. Told him I knew, trust me. Left to go to bathroom. Met up with Katharine and sister. Was asked if I was staying on property. Trying to hide Cast Member roots (surprisingly difficult on a DISNEY TOUR). Said family was out in park, I was taking tour. Staying at Pop Century. Woman behind them said her too. 80s building for them. I saw I was in 70s. Asked Katharine. Turns out, woman was her Mom. Bathroom busy because downstairs one was closed. Adding in changing station. Made joke about standing in line being what you're supposed to do at Disney. Waiting for great bathroom ride. Came back, took another bite of sandwich, another sip of Coke, saved chips in purse, tossed everything else but water from the morning.

Gotta get to bed. Another 5:30am day tomorrow. But notes for next update:

"Keys" to the kingdom
Haunted Mansion
Servants quarters
Finally spotting Hidden Mickey
Paul Frees - I'm just a fan
Alas - no tour
Liberty Square "brown river"
Pause
Imagineering - English Literature
Washington Irving - Headless Horseman/Rip Van Winkle
Hub
Flower vacuum
Hidden Mickey ring
Bathroom break again
Same backstage entry from DU - Keys To The Kingdom
Goofy!
Bricks painted on wall - firehouse
Jungle Cruise boats
Down into the tunnels
(Woman worried about clausterphobia in tunnel)
Guest reaction - smiles and big eyes
Vice President Phil (and earlier)
Band members
Alice
Kingdom Kutters?
Video
No wall display?
Back up "my" staircase
Tinker Bell landing
Back onto Center (?) street - where's the yellow line?
Roy and Minnie
End of tour - hand the stuff in
Linger, just taking it easy
Haunted Mansion favorite ride? - Book, theming
Jungle Cruise movie?
Called Mom
Oops, name tag
Carousel
Big Thunder
Come back to make phone call
Soyoung left!
E-mail
Nibbles and food planning
Vista, Walmart, food making
Call again
What's my next steps?