Disney Detail

I really value people with talent. More impressive, however, are people who accomplish. The Disney Company is full of talented people who take no short-cuts in their work, and consequently, accomplish extraordinary things!

Example #1:

The Animal Kingdom has authentic thatched roofs on their huts in "Africa." Thirteen men traveled from South Africa with bundles of native berg grass (harvested by their wives, sisters, and mothers) and using twine, constructed roofs for all the buildings in Harambe.

Example #2:

The Flower and Garden Festival at EPCOT. Right at the entrance, Toy Story 3 characters welcomed guests to the park. Lotso the bear not only looked soft, but he smelled of strawberries!

Example #3

Belle's dress is hand stitched. It represents $15,000 worth of fabric, beading, and craftsmanship. Could they have cut corners? Of course! Only now, Belle really feels like royalty, and once again, the cast members are shown that their company values excellence. Knowing these details increases respect among employees, and Disney World continues to be a magical place for everyone.

Creepy Things

I have never been into bugs. Personally, I avoid things that creep. Part of my job, however, is to teach families about the important roles invertebrates play in nature, and to promote the existence (against my better judgment) of spiders, tarantulas, cockroaches, millipedes, grasshoppers, and scorpions.

For five months I have been feigning enthusiasm for these animals. "Hey kids, come take a look at my fuzzy friend! Do you know why tarantulas have all that hair on them? They use it feel around for food. What do you think they like to eat? Bugs!! They have just enough venom to turn flies and mosquitos into bug milkshakes! But don't worry, their bite is no worse than a bee sting!"

-or-

"Take a look at these cool bugs! Have you ever seen grasshoppers this big? These are called lubbers, and they live right here in Florida. What kind of colors do you see? Yellow and red are warning colors in nature. They tell other animals, 'hey, I'm poisonous!' If a bird eats a lubber, he's going to get really sick. Can you think of other animals that use color as a warning?"

Are you all convinced yet? I have had hundreds of kids promise me that they will not squish bugs anymore, but it wasn't until Thursday of this week that I too became a believer in the 'coolness' of spiders and insects.

What made Thursday special? I had a backstage tour in the invertebrate holding area. Instead of looking at these animals through a glass box (with a lock) I held them in the palm of my hand. There is something very powerful about touch, and it wasn't until I cradled a very fragile grasshopper that I appreciated how hard life is for an insect.

Just like the kids, I also promise to be considerate of the creepy critters. They really are cool!

Lost & Found

Yesterday I had a signal 70. This is a radio code for a lost child. Let me share what happened.

Just after lunch, as I was heading toward my afternoon position at the crocodile in Dinoland, a woman put her hand on my shoulder to catch my attention. With a terrified-yet-trying-to-stay-calm expression, she said, "I can't find my grandson." Her panic was my catalyst to becoming a hero, and I was actually excited for this chance to prove myself as a trustworthy, magic making Disney employee. Calmly, I gathered information: where did you last see him? how old is he? what is he wearing? what is his name? Most situations, I am told, resolve themselves in 10 minutes. If the child has not been reunited with his or her parents after 10 minutes, security is then contacted.

After searching our corner of Dinoland, and after the 10 minute rule, I called security. This seemed to reassure grandma. It turned out that a custodian had brought the missing boy to one of my fellow co-workers, and that the two were waiting for his family by Triceratops Spin. By this time, the parents had appeared and before hysteria had completely taken the family, I invited them to all walk with me around the corner, where their missing family member was getting to know my friend Dan.

The reunion was dramatic. Little boy is trying to listen to cast member, little boy is obviously scared, parents see their little boy, and after getting a scolding from mom, dad, and grandma, gets hugs from all of the above.

It feels good to help out. So good, in fact, that I looked for more lost children throughout the remainder of the day.

A reflexion on identity

This morning at the Animal Kingdom a little girl looked up at me and asked, "Are you a scientist?" I told her that I was, but her question made me think. How am I seen by guests? I wear a Safari uniform, which is more like a costume, and although I take myself pretty seriously, I'm sure I look ridiculous to others.

This is how I see myself:

This is how others probably perceive me:

This is how the little girl saw me:

For all my life I have aspired to be a reputable scientist. That little girl paid me a serious compliment this morning by assuming that I was a real scientist. I wonder: when does a biology student become a biologist? At what point do I consider myself a proficient in my field? Will I ever reach a point where I'm no longer a student? Do I just have to know more than the person next to me? In the mean time, I hope to contribute to happiness and learning in my current role as a "Conservation Education Presenter."

African Cats

Last night I saw the premiere of African Cats. Disneynature releases a documentary every year on Earth Day, and this is by far the most beautiful cinematography I have ever seen. Throughout the film I kept asking myself, "How? How do the cameras get so close? How am I seeing such incredible behavior from wildlife? How have I never been to Africa?"

Go see this film.

Nature documentaries reconnect us to the essential elements of life and remind us of the beautiful world that was created for us.

Trying

Today I met a 6 year old at the Tree of Life Kid's Discovery Club. We were discussing bugs that you find in the backyard, and I asked him where he came from. "South Carolina." Then his grandpa whispered something in his ear, and this boy corrected himself, "I mean, Georgia. I used to live in Virginia." "Oh," I replied, "did you just move?" "Yeah, my mom died." In half a second I put the pieces together and, matching his own matter-of-fact tone, continued to talk about the bugs he could find in his new backyard in Georgia. Afterwards, grandma took a picture of me, the boy, and the bugs, and I watched the family walk away with their Kid's Discovery Club card.

I've thought about that family all day. That dear boy recently lost his mother, and his grandparents recently lost their daughter. A trip to Walt Disney World was perhaps an attempt at happiness. I hope they found it, at least for a moment.

Nahtazu

I spend most days working at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Here is a brief history of the park:

It opened on earth day of 1998, and it is the largest of the four Disney parks at Walt Disney

World. (Actually, all other three parks could fit inside of it). In my opinion, it is also the most beautifulof the parks. The 500 acres have been meticulously landscaped, transforming what was once a swamp into a lush paradise fit for animals (and people) from all walks of life.

Over 1700 animals are on display, though every “enclosure” gives the animal a great deal of freedom. There are no wire fences or concrete floors, making this “zoo” a leader in the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums). The Kilimanjaro Safari is an exploration by truck through the African savannah, a reserve home to dozens of animal species. With the

exception of a rescued baby elephant at the end of the trek, all the animals are real. All receive veterinary care, balanced diets suited to their needs, and care from keepers at a facility with a "no-touch" policy. These are wild animals, and we are all safer when we remember the instinctive nature gibbons and gorillas, macaws and muntjacs. Like Mufasa taught young Simba, "everything exists together in a delicate balance..."

Other areas of the park are dedicated solely to research and conservation. Since its beginning in 1995, the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund has donated $15.6 million dollars to conservation efforts in 111 countries. The Wildlife Tracking Center carries out projects to assess migration patterns in Florida's sea turtles, reproduction in Columbia's Cotton-Top Tamarins, and even vocalization among African elephants. One-third of all the property owned by Disney in Orlando is dedicated to native Florida wildlife, and remains undeveloped.

It is truly a marvelous place. "Nahtazu" is a fictional word that describes the animal kingdom. Pronounce it, "not a zoo." Here are a few words spoken at the dedication:

"Welcome to a kingdom of animals... real, ancient and imagined: a kingdom ruled by lions, dinosaurs and dragons; a kingdom of balance, harmony and survival; a kingdom we enter to share in the wonder, gaze at the beauty, thrill at the drama, and learn." Michael D. Eisner, April 22, 1998