Our first 'character' meet

So, we’re at Walt Disney World, fully checked in. Our rooms won’t be ready until this afternoon, and the four theme parks are calling to us. So where do we go first???

Easy call. We put off the parks and go to the Contemporary to visit Zazu.

Zazu, like Wallaby, is another CM friend from StupidGuestTricks. From our pre-trip communication about his work schedule, it seems today will be our only opportunity to meet up. And, given our event schedule later today, meeting him before we get to the parks is about the only way it will happen. Fortunately my family is okay with a short delay so I can meet a friend.

Upstairs we go and out to the monorail platform. The monorail! Nothing says “Disney” like it. I mean, if my daily commute back home included a monorail ride, it might get to be less exciting, but for now this is the only place I ride a monorail, so – it means we’re at Walt Disney World!!!

Monorail Gold glides into the station, the doors part, and we step on. This is so cool. All our chatter ceases as Bob, the boys & I all wait for the announcement we’ve heard a million times in our dreams (and once from my MP3 player): “Please stand clear of the doors. Por favor mantengan se alejado de las puertas!”

The doors do their usual “swing shut and slide up to latch” maneuver, and the train begins to move with the hum of electric engines. Soon the Seven Seas Lagoon comes into view for the first time. Oh, wow. There’s the Contemporary resort across the way, with construction cranes on the north side building the new Disney Vacation Club tower that doesn’t “officially” exist yet. We cruise past the Wedding Pavilion and make a stop at the Grand Floridian. Sometime we’ll want to get off here and see the big Christmas tree and the giant gingerbread house.

The monorail continues on. It is a gorgeous, sunny day. The one downside to the beautiful weather is that for our matching outfits for this year we ordered windbreakers instead of shirts. So far we do not need them (though weather forecasts we’ve seen suggest that will change). Also, the logo I created for this winter trip is a “Mickey” made up of snowflakes! Right now that really doesn’t fit with the actual weather – not that I expected it to in Florida.

We stop at the Magic Kingdom, and most of our fellow passengers disembark. It’s tempting for us, too – I’m ready to walk down Main Street U.S.A. and see the castle! But we stay on and content ourselves with a few pictures.

One more quick leg and we slide into the Contemporary and get off. This building never fails to impress. The lofty tower above us, the Mary Blair mural on the center column, the monorails passing through, and just the general hubbub of activity makes this a place like no other.

Our group descends the escalator and we start making our way through the building to where Zazu has told us he’ll be working (actual location withheld to protect the semi-innocent). When we near the location, I recognize him immediately even though we’ve never met, as he is also a contributor to the best Disney planning guide on the market, Passporter, and has his picture on its credits page.

Zazu’s busy helping another guest, so we park ourselves a short distance away and wait. Unfortunately, this particular guest seems to need a lot of help, because we’re standing around waiting for the next 15-20 minutes. I’m impressed watching Zazu work, though. He’s apparently knowledgeable, patient, and extremely friendly, just what a cast member should be.

Finally the previous guest moves on. I step up with Brandon & Benjamin, my opening line ready: “Yes, I’d like to report a stupid guest trick.”

Zazu smiles in recognition. I introduce the family and chat for a minute. Our visit doesn’t last long, as he has work to do and we have fun waiting for us, but it’s nice getting to see in person someone I’ve “known” online. Even though there are other SGT-ers in the Dallas area, Zazu is the first I’ve ever met in person.

Of course we have to commemorate the event with a picture of Wombat and Zazu together. (Picture withheld to… well, you know the drill.)

Okay! Social obligations are behind us. It’s 11:20 now, and we head back to the monorail for a quick trip to the TTC (Transportation and Ticket Center). Epcot awaits!