Lou...

And speculation it is.

I think the person that wrote that piece may be a little of a conspiracy theorist. The resorts are autonomous, they compete against each other. For Disney to show favoritism for a deluxe over a value regarding advanced booking privileges wouldn't go over to well with the values. Not buying it. I never saw any favoritism when I worked at the different resorts and don't see any now with transportation unless the resort wants to pay for it.

I'm really looking forward to seeing the new exhaust fan at the Pinocchio Village Haus.

I'll make sure to get a photo of it.

Do they really need to file with the county to replace a fan?

              2011 Flower Power Concert Series at the America Gardens Theatre

3/4 - 6      Jose Feliciano "Light My Fire"

3/11 - 13  The Guess Who "These Eyes"

3/18 - 20  Chubby Checker & The Wildcats "The Twist"

3/25 - 27  Melissa Manchester (New for 2011) "Don't Cry Outloud"

4/1 - 3      Starship Starring Mickey Thomas "We Built This City"

4/8 - 10    Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. (New for 2011) "You Don't Have to be a Star"

4/15 - 17  Juice Newton (New for 2011) "Playing with the Queen of Hearts"

4/22 - 24  Ricky Nelson Remembered featuring The Nelsons "(Can?t Live Without Your) Love and Affection"

4/29 - 5/1 Paul Revere and the Raiders "I'm Not Your Stepping Stone"

5/6 - 8      Davy Jones "Daydream Believer"

5/13 - 15  Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone "Henry the VIII"

Cool!!  What do you use to make those?

I used a program called Autodesk Maya. It's one of the most, if not the most widely used 3d computer animation programs. If you go to computer animation school, it's the one they use to teach CGI. If you apply for a job in the industry, they expect you to know it. I did go to school, but I learned most of it just by using it 8 hours a day for months.

Thanks, but I take no credit for it. I was born with two abilities, artistic and mechanical. I got the mechanical from my Dad and the artistic from my Mom. I don't have to work at either one, it just happens somehow. I've always been able to do it. I discovered early on that the artistic side would not provide as much financial reward as the mechanical, so I turned to the mechanical side and made a career out of it.  When computer generated imagery happened about 15 years ago I combined the artistic and mechanical abilities. Below is an example of the result. Although you can only see them in one dimension, I created them in 3D, the same as you see in the movies. Although they may look real, they're not. If you had the correct 3D software, you could rotate them, sit behind the wheel, etc. Every single part had to be created and assembled, just like the real thing.

Just some of the things I've done.

Left to right, top to bottom.

Grumpy, He's about 8" tall and is hand sculpted, not molded, in air hardening clay. I've done all 7 dwarfs.

Give Kids the World mascot, Mayor Clayton greeting wish child. It's about 10" tall, hand  sculpted in polymer clay with bronze finish.

Sorcerer Mickey animation cell. I do them exactly like the original cartoon cells. I draw them, transfer the image to a clear plastic sheet, and reverse paint it.

Grandson in peddle car, it's about 10" long, hand sculpted in polymer clay. It's an exact reproduction of a photo of one of my grandsons about ten years ago. Look close and you'll see he's holding Winnie the Pooh. He's a teenager now and is a amateur race car driver.

Carousel Horse, it's half scale and made from a childs spring rocking horse that you can by at any large toy store. Striped it, sanded it, painted it and made the brass pole from two brass floor lamps.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, it's about 24" wide. Same process as Sorcerer Mickey.

Welcome Bob34787. I'm Lou34746.

You can get another FP after one hour.

WDW FASTPASS FAQ

Question

Can a guest get a Disney?s FASTPASS ticket for more than one attraction at a time?

Answer

Guests may use their current FASTPASS ticket or wait until the time on the bottom of their current ticket that tells you when your next FASTPASS is available for a different attraction.

The following is the official WDW explanation of the standard FASTPASS.

When approaching an attraction offering a FASTPASS, you will see signs for three lines:  FASTPASS Distribution, FASTPASS Entrance, Stand-by Entrance

Decide whether to use FASTPASS or wait in the stand-by line. To help make this decision, a clock showing the current FASTPASS return time AND the current wait time will be available. Choosing FASTPASS, you will approach the FASTPASS Distribution turnstiles and insert your theme park ticket.  A FASTPASS will be generated, saving you an automatic place in line at a future time that day.  You will be given a one-hour period within which to return and experience the attraction without waiting in the stand-by line.  This will allow you the flexibility to experience other activities in the park.

In general, the return time should be about the same or slightly longer than the typical wait time for that attraction. To give you flexibility in your schedule, you will have a one-hour window of time during which to return.

When you return, you will go to the FASTPAST Return entrance and hop on the attraction with little or no waiting.

When ready to get another FASTPAST just look on the bottom of your current FASTPASS Ticket to find out when it will be available.

Never mind.

Of course you'll need my address so that you can ship it, looks excellent.

Speaking of endangered creatures, three weeks ago the true species of FF was endangered and almost became extinct. Has FF.net received a check from the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund yet?

While we're on Border Collies, thought I'd post this.

Border Collies are just  the best. 

Piper, our daughter's BC mix rescue is the best dog in the world. How anyone could give him up has us baffled.

He and Buddy grew up together, lived together, and went to work together. They were greeters at my wife's law practice. But Buddy goes to work alone now as Piper lives in GA. We're going to kidnap him some day.

Red Sox fan here.

If you tell me all the money that I have ever gave to the bus drivers at WDW went to management I will be sick.

It is the policy, but as long as you insist, they'll take it and where it ends up is our little secret. Just keep it hush, hush.

So what does management do with it?  Do they use it to buy your Christmas gifts?

Management never gets it. We may be dumb but we're not stupid.

Rix Lounge at Coronado Springs - super cool atmosphere!

Ok, I cheated.

This might be a good question to ask you : What do you think is a reasonable tip to give to a bus driver that helps with a wheelchair guest? TIA

If your referring to a WDW drivers, it's against company policy to accept tips. If the guest insists after the driver refuses it, I believe twice, the driver accepts it and turns it in to management.

ME & CL drivers do accept tips.

You've never had me on your bus have you

Nope, haven't had the pleasure yet.

I have noticed in the last few years that more and more drivers don't interact as much as a few yrs ago.

That's very true. The policy now is no distractions while the bus is in motion. Also most of the Mics volume gets turned down so low by the automated dispatch system, that it's useless. So on most buses if you're going to talk to the entire bus, you better have a really big voice.

actually bus drivers do have a lot of stress. Although they may not work "hard", being responsible for people you don't even know is stressful.

The stress doesn't get to me, but the responsibility is always on my mind.

So what are the ones I posted?

I've enlarged and enhanced the lighting on the 2 photos that I think you're referring to in order to get a better look.

IMO, the one on the Gage dial, if that's what you're referring to, is too far out of proportion to be considered a Mickey. It looks like the 3 circles are the same size.

The other one, again IMO, would qualify as a Hidden Mickey, even though the position and shape of the ears are a little off. Hidden Mickey experts may disagree on that one though. Is it close enough?

Just a little clarification on Hidden Mickeys. Most "Hidden Mickeys" are actually "Deliberate Mickeys". Yes there is a difference and are categorized as such. Below is how Disney describes the difference.  Key words are, concealed & incorporated. No one, not even Disney, knows where all the Hidden Mickeys are.

Hidden Mickey

A"Hidden Mickey" is an image of MICKEY MOUSE concealed in the design of a DISNEY attraction or resort.

Deliberate Mickey

When MICKEY MOUSE's image is incorporated into a design as a decorative enhancement. They are called "Deliberate Mickeys" because they are specifically intended to make MICKEY MOUSE a visual addition to the surrounding artwork or as an identifying logo.

Great thread, Lou!

Thanks Monique.

Lou, I would like to thank you on behalf of myself and my family, any time we have ridden WDW busses, it has been a positive experience.  I always make an effort to say "hi" to the drivers, and to tell them thanks when I get off (much to my wife's embarrassment, she says I am such a dork).  IMHO (not ILHO) you guys do a  great job!

If you're a dork, the vast majority of guests are dorks too. I appreciate your sentiments, but remember we're providing a service that you're paying for, which brings up another myth. It's free to ride the buses. No, you are paying for it. It's included in your room/site rate. I've heard from DVC members that there is a tranportation charge on their statements.

Well it makes me more comfortable to know I don't need to find a tree

I do take a lot of comfort in knowing that you've stopped doing that.

These are some of the things I hear on a regular basis. If there is anything you've wondered about, post it and I'll try to answer it.

Myth: Blame the WDW Transportation Dept. for the long waits and crowded buses.

Nope, blame the resort. They decide what level of service they want to pay for and WDW Transportation delivers that level. The resorts and the Transportation Department are autonomous.

Myth: Certain resorts have better bus service than others.

True, but the things that make the service better is not noticeable to guests. Guests have no way of being able to judge just by staying at a resort and riding the buses. It's a perception based on a tiny window of time. You hear it all the time. I saw three Coronado Springs buses while I was waiting for my bus. Or, two Magic Kingdom buses have stopped and no Epcot buses have come by.

Myth: I'm paying big bucks to stay at a deluxe resort, I should get the best bus service.

Some will say that the All Stars or Pop Century have the best bus service. Which BTW is not true.

Myth: Bus drivers shouldn't get lost, they have this new computerized dispatch/GPS system on board.

There is no new computer system and buses do not have a GPS that gives drivers turn by turn directions. Drivers are required to learn and know all bus routes on WDW property. The number of routes is in the hundreds. If a driver can't remember a route, they can look up written directions on the black box (MDT) if they need to, but it's pretty crude and not that easy to follow.

Myth: Disney knows where a bus is at all times.

Yes

Myth: Drivers drive the same route all day long.

Except for some internal buses, some park to park buses, and CM shuttles, a route is seldom repeated.

Myth: There are security cameras at all the bus stops.

Nope

Myth: Drivers get tired at the end of the day and make mistakes.

Drivers normally do not drive for more than four hours at a time and about 25% of that time is loading and unloading. They are not overworked.

Myth: My bus is taking forever, I'll ask the driver of the next bus when is the next MK bus coming.

This one always cracks me up. There are about 300 buses running and we're supposed to know when the next MK bus is coming.

Myth: Drivers have to take a lot of crap from guests.

Hardly ever happens. I can't remember the last time someone gave me a hard time.

Myth: People are so rude when they ride the buses

This has not been my experience. Of course there is some rudeness, but by and large people are civil.

Myth: Disney runs more buses during certain times of the year.

Disney only has so many buses and utilizes all of them year round. They may bring in outside buses now and then but it's rare. Except for Christmas week, they pretty much use the same plan year round. Send a bus where it's needed and when it's needed.

Comfort Station Pictures

Comfort station, give me a break. It's a rest room, a bathroom, a toilet, it has urinals . Who the heck came up with that name?