Special Guest Post!

 Here's something a little different! GDB friend Mark Raymond sent me a fun account of his attempt to get a job as an Imagineer at Disneyland, back around 1988. In fact, he sent it long ago, and I either didn't see it initially, or I forgot it (which seems unlikely to me). Anyway, I asked Mark if it would still be OK to share his story, and he graciously said yes in spite of my extreme lameness. In a separate email, he'd sent me a bunch of scans of snapshots that he'd taken in 1977; obviously they are not related to the text in any way, but it felt like this would be a good time to share some of them (the blue text is provided by Mark). So, sit back and relax!

The Disney Job.

To start, I was born in Whittier in 1961.  Family photos show me at Disneyland in 1965 but I don't remember it.  My memories, of anything back then, is in bits and pieces.  The first visit I recall with clarity is 1968, right after the opening of the New Tomorrowland and the POTC.   As a fan, I was hooked.  I read everything I could find on the park, Walt Disney, etc.  I knew I wanted to be an Imagineer.

The Main Entrance taken from the Monorail. Mickey was feeling a little colorless that day.

In the days before the internet, when we still sent smoke signals, we didn't know when our favorite attraction was being removed until we saw these signs.  The Mine Train was one of my favorites and this sign greeted me.  Not a good omen for my day.

I'm feeling like I need a tuna sandwich and a Root Beer.

Back then, in a time before APs, we went to the park at least twice a year.  I always enjoyed myself but my mind always wanted to know how things worked.  I would look backwards to see the secret actuators, lights, or the backside of a prop.  In the early 70's I took up photography.  My parents would shrug their shoulders at the amount of gear I took to the park.  And yes, I was probably the guy shooting flash photography on rides because I wanted to see what was hidden in the shadows.  I also took tons of natural light photos; if YouTube had existed back then I would have been all over it.

Ephalumps and Woozles.  Oops, wrong ride.

The Baboon family in their original location near the African Veldt.  There's momma Jean and baby Fred.

Dad is trying to decide if he likes light meat or dark meat.  Yes, they are in there.

In 1979 I graduated from Sierra HS and made a beeline to Disneyland and applied for work.  I didn't get a job so I went to my second passion, the USAF.  I enlisted in 1980 and left California.  My parents still lived in Whittier so I would come back on holidays.  If someone wanted to go with me I headed to Disneyland and just enjoyed a day out.

These Matterhorn shot are pretty dark but they were taken with a simple camera.  The exposed scaffolding always seemed a bit sketchy.  I hope they beefed it up when Harold was added or he'll fall straight to the bottom.

I feel sorry for this family, they zip through the mountain only to be blinded by a flash cube.

I like this seating arrangement so much better than what we have today.  Riding with your girlfriend was so much fun.

In 1988 I wanted to do something different.  The USAF had trained me as an electrician and I loved the job, but I missed being around family.  So, prior to reenlisting, I took all of my leave and headed home for an extended leave.  I pieced together a resume and headed to Disneyland and Knott's.  At Disneyland I filled out an application, attached my resume, and handed them to the person at the counter.  She told me they weren't hiring at that moment but my application would be reviewed.  As I turned to leave she was scanning my resume and stopped me, she said she thought I was applying for general employment.  She disappeared with my resume then returned with another man who directed me to a small break room.  I wish I could remember his name but we talked for about an hour, he was asking very pointed technical questions so I knew I was being interviewed.  In the end he told me that I would receive a card in about four weeks, regardless of hiring status.

Top of the lift hill took you outside and to a great view of Main Street.  A Skyway car passes overhead and notice the brilliantly disguised speaker in the pillar on the right.

A nice view of the pinkish Matterhorn with a Skyway car passing through.

Monorail Red viewed from the Kodak Photo Spot.  How many people have a picture like this?

I waited.  Six weeks later, no card.  I called Disneyland but they said I would just have to wait.  Running out of leave, I returned to the USAF and reenlisted. Two weeks after that, my dad called me and said a card had arrived, I WAS HIRED.  I can't remember the exact wording but it was for Technical Services.  I went to the AF Retentions office but they would not release my reenlistment.  DAMN!  I called the number on the card and talked to the guy that interviewed me.  I told him my situation and that I was sorry for wasting his time.  He told me that the cards had been delayed when they were filed instead of mailed.  So, I don't know where I would have been working but it was technical.   I was angry for a bit but I got over it.  I ended up staying in the Air Force for 20 years, I met my wife, and now live in San Antonio, TX.  

Skyway over the Monorail Station.  No Peoplemovers today, Space Mountain construction shut them down.

My second time riding in the front and in the bubble.  So much fun until we hit a truck.  Yes we did.  

One of the driver's control panels in the Monorail bubble.  We are sitting only a few feet from the Hotel Monorail Station but not close enough to get off.  A delivery truck had entered the front parking lot of the hotel instead of the delivery entrance.  He had wedged himself under the flashing that is mounted under the Monorail beamway.  As we entered the station, the monorail hit the raised flashing which damaged the monorail.  We sat there for about 40 minutes until the tug came to pull the monorail into the station.  The wreck damaged some fiberglass on the monorail as well as its electric pickup so we weren't going anywhere.  We got a free tram ride back to the main gate.

I still love Disneyland and I would like to come back but I don't have family in California any more.  We're saving up for a big trip.  For now, I get my Disneyland fix on GDB, Micechat, and on Youtube.  There are some really good Tubers out there and I've even uploaded a handful of videos from a trip in 1992.  On a sad note, all of my pictures and 8mm film from the 70s was lost during a military move when one of the boxes disappeared.  I still have a few pix that weren't in the box but over 300 Kodachromes are gone.  I would share them all if I could get them back.

Space Mountain still under construction.  It opened only a few months later.  This is the reason the Peoplemover was closed, maybe they didn't want the riders to see any Disney secrets.

Another construction photo, notice there isn't a construction wall in the way?  I guess they are putting some finishing touches on the Speedramp. 

Many, MANY thanks to Mark Raymond for sharing this story! I'm sure he wonders "what might have been", had the timing been just a little different. But it sounds like he had (and has) a nice life in San Antonio with his wife, so it all worked out. It kills me that all of Mark's photos and films vanished, ouch. By the way, thank you for your service, Mark. I hope you all enjoyed today's post.