A marsupial night out

We note that there is a showing of Fantasmic at Disney-MGM Studios at 8:00. Our family saw that spectacular show on our first trip, in 2003, and it remains our all-time favorite of any of the live productions here at Walt Disney World.

Becky, Bob, and Linda want to do a bit more shopping, and then go back into the room to pack. They are not at all enthused about getting back out to the parks, particularly since the sun has gone done and it’s much chillier again. So, no Fantasmic! for them. The boys and I are good to go, and Wallaby’s enthusiastic about joining us. Cool! We’ll have a marsupial adventure to the Studios.

Before we part ways, though – and while we have an extra set of hands – we have another try at getting a decent picture of our family with the Polynesian lobby greenery behind us. Wallaby does a good job with the camera, but the nighttime lighting and the fact that we’re on the second floor and farther away from the greenery means the background doesn’t show up as nicely. Oh, well.

Wallaby admits that he hasn’t brought a coat for the cold. Fortunately I have a spare Mickey jacket that I’m not using. We bid goodbye to Becky, Bob & Linda, and then stop by the room and grab the jacket for Wallaby on the way out to the buses.

Having Wallaby with us is like having our own personal tour guide. Since he drove a bus at Walt Disney World for some time, he knows every part of the property, including the parts that are screened from guest view. We chuckle as he points out certain non-descript roads and describes where they lead, including one to the sewage treatment facilities.

I perk up when he points the way to the south vehicle maintenance facility, known in driver-speak as “VM South.” That abbreviation caught my attention when I first heard it, since the chorus I’m in is also known as VM. (Ask us if we know how to repair a bus, and we’ll ask you to hum a few bars!)

Wallaby grimaces at the MIMS automated announcements. He seems to agree with my take on them, that they can be better than a driver who doesn’t speak, but the Disney ideal is a driver who loves interacting with guests and who makes each bus ride a magical experience. That doesn’t seem to be what Disney is currently going for, though.

As we turn into the MGM entrance, Wallaby volunteers that there’s one thing in particular that really makes him dislike MIMS, but he doesn’t want to tell us on a crowded bus where others might overhear. This certainly piques my curiosity.

We have to wait until we’re off the bus and walking toward the entrance to the Studios before he’ll quietly tell us, making sure no really young ears are around. It turns out that the automated announcements could very well spoil the magic if you’re being attentive – the announcement on the way to the Magic Kingdom says that Mickey “can always be found at Mickey’s Country House,” while the bus to MGM says that Mickey “can always be found on Soundstage One.” If you happen to take both buses in one day – how can Mickey Mouse “always be” in both of those places?

I see Wallaby’s point. And I love how passionate he is about making magic for the guests here.