I know this thread goes through active periods and not so while it's kind of active again I have something I'd like to ask: I saw back in November, I think it was here, an actual pic showing the ground dug up next to the monorail lines. I'm looking for that pic and can't find it. Could someone link me to it or point me in the right direction please? My reason for needing that pic is important and with all this discussion going in I want to tell my own personal monorail "story" so to speak.
The reason I'm trying to find that picture is because I'd like to show it to my Mom. She doesn't believe they're really going through with this automation project. Like so many on this forum, one of my major dreams since I was a kid has been to be a monorail pilot at WDW. I thought that maybe as I went into my teens and into my adult years maybe I'd change my mind and decide I didn't want to do that anymore. I just turned 35 at the end of December and I still want to do this more than ever. I have tried twice since turning 18 to actually pursue this dream, and looked into the move to Florida from Chicago. Initially, I wanted to do it right after high school..thought I'd go to UCF for college and try to get in at Disney. I got the UCF info but my parents plus a local principal who was a family friend were strongly steering me towards a commuter college. It's like ok I'll try this school, to make everyone happy. That first winter I was very unhappy with the school I picked and finally got the guts to say I wanted to go to UCF instead. Mom said look into what it will actually cost and we'll talk. I did and it was too expensive to move at that point. Thought maybe after I finish at this school. After graduation I tried again to look at the logistics and it was still too expensive. So, over these last 17 years I have worked..honestly really miserable retail jobs. One of them I did very well at, the other several have been passable I guess. All that time, I knew my heart had already left here long ago, I've never really been happy up here.
Over the years, I have gotten some monorail tshirts, I have mp3s most of the past spiels including the Disneyland and Tokyo Disney ones, the actual pilot wings they give to actual pilots, and I have two editions of the training manuals. I have studied them front to back, and have paid very close attention to how the job is done over the years. I have begun to memorize hold points as well.
This past October, when I was down there, I got a very early, unexpected test of what I really know and after that night, I'm more dead set on this job than ever. One night during my stay, the monorail I was on stopped at the Contemp, and one of the guys working the station came to the car I was in wanting people to move so they could put wheelchairs in. He was VERY unhappy with his job, and everyone just sat there refusing to move so I did. I asked him where he wanted me to go and he said car 3 and I nodded and held up 3 fingers, he nodded back. I get up towards the front and what I'm going to say next I kid you not and I can't make this up. The pilot of this monorail was also very unhappy with his job. He was literally losing it on the spot so he waves me over and he's like I gotta step away from this for 5 minutes, I can't take this job anymore..I'm thinking well here's a major chance to prove myself so I told him you go downstairs for a few and I'll help with the load up. He says daaaamn, how much do you know about the job? I told him enough to where I can do it right now. This guy was shaking and said ok you're on, help the other guy out. So, over the next 5 minutes I helped load the huge amount of people waiting in..having to quickly decide where people needed to go and of course the damn wheelchairs. Some guests said to the other worker really? He's not even an employee! The guy told them do what he tells you, he's doing the job the way we should be. The pilot gets back, and I gave him a thumbs up..he walks over to me, and so does the other worker and they were speechless. They both said they were beyond impressed and to please take the job off their hands! They said I belonged there and not them. Their manager is next to us at this point and said he did outstanding, I saw the whole thing. You both are in huge trouble. Maybe I should be paying him instead, he looks like he wants to be here! She told me think about going to casting tomorrow and applying! I said if Disney pays to move me from Chicago, I'll make the move. This was surreal. I proved myself under pressure and that night showed me thats where I need to be. I felt like I'd made more of a difference that night than I have in the last 17 years.
I am very heavily leaning toward applying to Disney and UCF finally, and if I get in I'm done with Chicago. I want to take my shirts, my pin, and my training manuals to this interview and show them I belong there more than anyone they could choose. I'm going to tell them what happened that October night, so they can see why they need me. I want them to see I'm heart set on this. I'm willing to stay through to the end of this project and past that if needed. If I'm going to do this it needs to be this year, because my time is running out thanks to this project. I need that pic to show my family why doing it now is so important so anyone that can get me that pic will have my thanks!
I'll see what I can do..I wouldn't be against Anaheim but that one I'd have to think about a lot more for a few reasons. But thanks for the reply
