FROM: Amber Earns Her Ears Published Mondays

Amber and the Rippy Roommates

As part of her Disney World College Program Internship, Amber this week deals with guests who dangle babies over sharp machinery, a Captain EO fan who WILL dress her kids in Captain EO merchandise, and a minor roommate rumble back at the apartment.

- Amber Sewell, July 25, 2011

"Please do not pass your infant across the clam-mobiles. There is a seven foot drop full of machinery between them. Please do not pass your infant across the clam-mobiles."

You hear a lot of unique conversation around the water coolers here at Disney. Working at the Seas one day this week, I had run back to get a drink of water (yes, it was quite literally water-cooler talk) and two girls from Attractions were chatting about some... less than intelligent guests they had had that morning.

"Oh, you think we're kidding," one of the girls said to me as I snorted into my paper cup of water.

"No, no, I believe you." And it's true. Just when you think you've seen all there is out of people, when you think they can do absolutely nothing more to surprise you, they pull out some grand stunt like trying to pass their two-year-old from one clam shell to another, and you find yourself baffled all over again.

Like the hordes of people who never consult their Times Guide and don't realize that the Imagination Pavilion closes at seven - and yes, it has done so for many years, now. The ones who ask why all of the clownfish have different sized fins, or why there are seagulls on the merchandise in the Nemo store. What is that concrete track thing that makes a loop around EPCOT; I don't remember it being there on our last trip. Yes, we spent the morning at Disney World before we came here, and we just got off of Fast Track (I hate when people can't get the names right; a pet peeve of mine).

Captain EO - Or Else

Luckily, though, not all of the guests are that thick, and many of them are devoted Disney fans. I was working on the EO cart recently when a family came up, the parents and three kids. The mom told them all:

"Now, I don't care what you all say, you are all getting a Captain EO shirt. Now, walk around this cart and pick you one out, 'cause you ain't leaving without one."

She had seen Captain EO when it first debuted in the eighties, and was adamant that her children were going to love it as much as she did. We chatted a bit, as the EO cart receives very little business, and I love the chance to talk with anyone who stops by for a second or two. We talked about how Captain EO receives minimal attention, and how awesome it was that she was buying all of her kids the light-up sequined glove along with their shirts, a few Captain EO posters, and some light-up sunglasses which I was so charmingly sporting.

When a fellow Cast Member came to send me back for a new assignment, I warned her that she was about to receive a large purchase from the most awesome family I'd met all day - or possibly all week - and the mother gave me a hug as I went inside.

That night, the girl who replaced me at the cart told me that all three children had demonstrated their impressive moon-walking skills after they'd donned their superstar gloves. I was envious that I'd missed that sight.

The Roommate Rumble

Recently, roommate drama has had a momentary flare-up. Luckily, Lindsey (whom I share a room with) and I get along very well; the fact that we have mirroring Harry Potter pictures taped up on our walls and Disney stuffed animals on our beds (although hers is much more crowded than mine!) aids said friendship. Others, however, haven't been so lucky.

Two of my other roommates work in Magic Kingdom; they leave for work late, typically, and don't return until the ungodly early hours of the next morning. They each share a room with someone from Entertainment; they work fairly regular hours in the middle of the day, sometimes earlier, sometimes later, but never arriving home at the four or five in the morning that the other two experience.

One night, the two girls in Entertainment decided it would be wisest to share a room. It made sense, after all; this way, the people with similar schedules would be rooming together, and wouldn't have to worry about waking someone up as they came in, or disturbing someone who'd just fallen asleep as they were leaving. They moved everything quickly and neatly; I hardly noticed that any change had been made until they told me.

I went to my room and was watching a video on my computer, and when it ended, I managed to catch the end of a row between two of the former roommates. Apparently, it was a huge inconvenience on the part of one of the girls who hadn't moved that she had a new roommate (despite the fact that we all live in the same apartment). How she figured this, I'm not sure; she knew the person sleeping across from her already, she wouldn't have to worry about waking her up when she came in, nor being awoken just as she'd fallen asleep. None of her stuff had been touched during the move; in fact, the girl who switched out of that room left her TV for her to watch, since she'd become used to it.

"...You've never lived with other people before, you've never had a roommate, you don't know how this works. You didn't take into account how much of an inconvenience this would be on my part. You think this was an adult decision, but it wasn't; it was just stupid." - Insert slightly fumbled explanation - "No, I don't even want to talk about it right now. I can't talk to you about it. Maybe in a few days when I've cooled down, but don't even go there."

Perhaps it's because I don't particularly get along with the aforementioned roommate that I scoff at her condescending speech, but the aggravation the simple switch of beds caused was blown out of proportion for people who are considered mature enough to live on their own. Others may disagree; Lindsey thinks she is perfectly justified in her anger.

Whatever the justification, it only adds to the small voice that would rather enjoy it if my program were coming to a close and I was looking forward to returning to school. Not that I would leave if I were given the chance; I have gotten to really like a lot of the people who I work with, and I'm too stubborn (I think) to quit not even halfway through my second internship with Disney, but walking through Target's back to school display had me wishing I was ready to buy pencils and college ruled notebooks in preparation for another grueling semester of school. Nerd that I am, I always wished summer was shorter, and about this time I am always ready to return to school, no matter how eager I was at the end of the previous academic year to finish it.

Amber Contemplates the Future

Nothing truly exciting is on the horizon for me. I'm starting research into the Worldwide Conservation Program for an article for Celebrations magazine, and am trying to focus on keeping my room clean for more than a day. I'm seeing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part Two for a third time Tuesday before work with Lindsey and possibly a few others (though I have no idea who). And I suppose I shall continue to attempt to figure out what in the world I'm going to do when college is over, although I have a feeling any plans I make will inevitably be dashed before I even make it into my Masters program.

Oh, the life of the young, where roommate drama is the highlight of the week, and laundry sits in the basket for four days before it's folded and hung up.

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