Interview: Rob, Splash Mansion

How long have you been working at Splash Mountain?

ROB: About 3 years now. I call Critter Country home, because I've been here for so long. It's pretty much my favorite place in the park. I know how strange that sounds! I bet you've never heard anyone say that before!

You're right, that is a first! What about the area do you love so much?

ROB: It just seems awfully peaceful, all the time. We're kind of tucked away in a corner, and there really aren't any attractions, aside from Splash Mountain. I mean, Winnie the Pooh is there, and so are the Explorer Canoes, but nothing else major. Splash Mountain can get really busy, but the rest of the area is quiet.

I did eat dinner at The Hungry Bear Restaurant my second night there, and it was pretty quiet. I sat up on the deck, overlooking the Rivers of America, and wasn't bothered by anyone.

ROB: Exactly! I do that all the time, and it's really nice. The Mark Twain and the Columbia come by every so often, but it's tranquil over there. That's probably part of the reason why I enjoy it so much.

What do you do on Splash Mountain?

ROB: Load and unload, mostly. Sometimes, I work at the photo booth. There really isn't a whole heck of a lot that you can "do" at Splash, really. The flumes all guide themselves, so we really don't interact with the guests unless they are getting on or off.

Working at the photo booth, did you ever have to deal with any of those... notorious... photos?

ROB: Well... (laughs). We all get them, at least once, during our time working there, but it doesn't happen as often as they claim it does, at least not anymore. But they do also have us, checking out every single photo, before it even comes on the screen for Guests to see. We have to purge it from the system, and report it to security. I've had it happen twice, and I'm pretty sure one of them was accidental. It seems like a rite of passage for some folks. Like, "Hey, I rode Splash Mountain, and guess what I did?" Not exactly family friendly, sure, but all in good fun.

Working at Splash Mountain, I assume you also ride it a lot. Do you have a favorite part?

ROB: I ride it a lot. Maybe it's because I'm there all day long, but it is my favorite ride. I never get tired of it. The Laughing Place is my favorite, though. I consider Splash to be my own personal laughing place, so I think that's pretty appropriate.

I think I got wetter on this one than the one in Florida! Have you been on that one?

ROB: I have, and you're right! Now that I think about it, you do get a little more soaked here - maybe it's just the nature of the drop, and the weight of the flumes... who knows! I think they just changed how the water hits you, somehow, in Florida, so you don't get as wet there. But yeah, I've been on them both. Ours is a little shorter, but I think it's a little more concise, too. The story seems a little tighter. Probably just because I'm on it so much!

With the limited guest interaction, there really isn't a lot of room for magical moments to happen, is there?

ROB: Well, yes and no. I mean, it's hard, yes, because we don't see Guests for that long. I like talking to the people coming through, but again, it's never for long.

But "magical moments" do happen. A little girl lost her Mickey Ears once, after the ride - probably coming down the hill. I was just about to go on my break, so I told them to meet me by the exit in a few minutes. I brought back another, identical pair for her. She was so happy, and the parents were very thankful. You know, it's fun, because it's always these little things that matter the most to people. Sure, they come visit the parks for the rides and stuff, but the things they are going to talk about are the moments they really remember, the ones that were special to them. Makes my job a lot more fun!

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