Captain Hank's Summer 2008 Report (Picture-heavy)

Captain Hank's Summer 2008 Report (very photo-heavy)

Howdy all! Here's a summer recap from working at WDW for the summer again. I did a little bit of everything this summer, working in merchandise (primarily Future World North, though I got to pick up shifts at World of Disney, the Emporium, DAK Main Entrance and Tomorrowland), and also helping out at Epcot Science. I had some really neat experiences all around. Here's just a sampling of some of the things I got to do, and some of the pictures I took. I was planning on doing more of a running commentary over the length of the summer, but my apartment got struck by lightning in mid-June, which blew out the Internet access. By the time I left in late August, it still hadn't been repaired--I was not happy. Anyway:

Star Wars Weekends

Star Wars Weekends were great this year. I got to meet both Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) and Warwick Davis (Wicket the Ewok).

My set of autograph Fastpasses:

Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca)

Warwick Davis (Wicket the Ewok) About a week after taking this picture, I ended up giving Warwick Davis and his family a VIP Behind the Seeds Tour of The Land. He was a really nice guy. His daughter was doing a project on plants in school, so he taped the whole thing and was going to cut it into a short movie to show in her class.

David Prowse (Darth Vader) I didn't get to actually meet David Prowse, but I did see him in the parade and in the Legends of the Force talk show.

And, some other assorted Star Wars characters.

Chewbacca

A Sand Person (is that the proper singular for "Sandpeople?")

Jango Fett

 

[Captain Hank]

I actually found the indoor setting to work pretty well at nighttime, too. That's odd that the tripod isn't working. Make sure that the camera has enough time to finish taking the exposure before moving it.

 

[karlamaria]

I actually found the indoor setting to work pretty well at nighttime, too. That's odd that the tripod isn't working. Make sure that the camera has enough time to finish taking the exposure before moving it.

I never moved it, just pushed the button and it did not come out blurry at all, just dark. but the indoor setting came out very nice. I just do not get these settings . I am really going to have to play with them before going on my trip. thanks for the help. I love your pictures and if you think about it maybe I could have a few of them for my albums. I am always on the look out for great pictures as my pics always stink :lol: Have a great weekend!!!

 

[NewfieFan]

Thanks for sharing your amazing photos!:wave:

 

[supapampam]

Great Pictures -- thanks for sharing!

 

[Gucci65]

Great pictures. Sounds like you had an awesome summer:sohappy:

Loved the castle reflection picture!!

 

[MattyFresh]

You have a lot of really great pictures...you guys that get to return every year, even though its work, I am really jealous of. I was so close to doing a semester down at Disney.....but thats a whole other story.

Great pics. Hopefully there will be more!!

 

[WDWFigment]

Great Epcot at sunset shot--I also love the SWW pictures!

 

[yankspy]

There were lots of great experiences. It was really cool meeting Peter Mayhew and Warwick Davis, then giving a tour of The Land's greenhouses to Warwick Davis' family a little while later. I also got to take a CM-only walking tour of the entire ride path of the Haunted Mansion, which was awesome. I got to walk through the whole attraction with worklights on, and when I got to go down into the ballroom and walk around both sides of the giant pane of glass. All in all, it was a really cool summer.

Oh, and I also met several forum members at various points. To everyone I met, :wave:

That must have been quite interesting. I would love to walk through HM with the lights on. Great pictures.

 

[Yellow Shoes]

I thought of you, Captain, when we did Behind the Seeds. (our tour guide was Shauna from Purdue).

Really glad we did it--we had been talking about it for a long time, but always had a kid that was too young with us.

Saw 3 CMs working VERY hard planting something during the tour--it was stifling hot in the greenhouse and they were drenched with sweat.

The next day on the boat tour we noticed that they had been planting (or more, accurately, transplanting) sorghum. I always knew that CMs, especially CP CMs were cheap labor. Now I know that they are cheap farm laborers.

 

[Captain Hank]

I thought of you, Captain, when we did Behind the Seeds. (our tour guide was Shauna from Purdue).

Really glad we did it--we had been talking about it for a long time, but always had a kid that was too young with us.

Saw 3 CMs working VERY hard planting something during the tour--it was stifling hot in the greenhouse and they were drenched with sweat.

The next day on the boat tour we noticed that they had been planting (or more, accurately, transplanting) sorghum. I always knew that CMs, especially CP CMs were cheap labor. Now I know that they are cheap farm laborers.

Glad you enjoyed the tour! I got to work with Shauna a little bit, though she mostly hung out in the bug lab.

And thanks for bringing back ever-so-fond memories of crop pulls in Temperate house. (and the Sorghum is on the cool side of the greenhouse--it's usually much hotter on the other side of the boat canal)