Poacher guard gone from safari ride?

[mitros]

Anybody notice that there is no longer a person {CM} posing as a guard on the portion of the safari ride where the poachers were caught? First, they took the gun away from the guy, and replaced it with a radio, now there is no one there at all. When I asked the driver about it, he said that they took the person away after 9/11. That of course was not true because when we were there last October, the guard was still there. Sounds to me like another Disney cost cutting move.

 

[PandyPaws]

hmm...last October ...as in the one just past, or Oct 2002..? The position has been gone for quite some time now, I can find out exactly how long, if you wish.
However, I can tell you it has nothing to do with Disney cutting costs, as ALL of us drivers do rotate through all positions in the attraction...it's merely one position we no longer rotate though

 

[mitros]

You must know since you work there, but we go there so often, that it seems like a recent thing. I know that it has not been since 9/11, we definetley saw the guy with the radio since then. Also, what would you call it if not a cutback? A position that had a CM no longer has one. And if you wouldn't mind, I would appreciate it if you could find out exactly when this stopped. Thanks for the offer. I stopped taking pictures on that ride a long time ago, so I don't have a picture with a date on it.

 

[vickyBaby]

Originally posted by mitros
Also, what would you call it if not a cutback?

What would you call it? The position was eliminated.

As Pandy indicated, there was not a "dedicated" castmember to this position. All the drivers rotated through it.

 

[PandyPaws]

Originally posted by mitros
Also, what would you call it if not a cutback? A position that had a CM no longer has one. And if you wouldn't mind, I would appreciate it if you could find out exactly when this stopped. Thanks for the offer.

hmm, I'm not sure what I would call it, but since nobody lost their job, no, I wouldn't call it a cost cutting move. It does not cost Disney any more or any less to not have a CM standing there. We just go elsewhere in the attraction. Perhaps a "repositioning"?
I'll ask about the exact date for you

 

[mitros]

OK, since I'm getting ganged up on, could you at least tell me why they {management} thought the position no longer had to be "rotated through"? I thought nit was an interesting part of the ride and everybody seemed to get a kick out of cheering the guy {gal} for catching the poachers.


vickyBaby: You have gingerbread castle mentioned as your location. Are you from Hamburg NJ?

 

[mitros]

Sorry, PandyPaws, we must have both been typing at the same time . My post was in answer to vickyBaby.

 

[vickyBaby]

Originally posted by mitros
OK, since I'm getting ganged up on...

Awww, don't you like us Mitros? We're just trying to help.

Watch out for that Pandy. I think she is secretly a poacher moonlighting as a safari driver.

 

[mitros]

Nah, I like you guys {girls?} I'm just a crab. If this was during the daytime, we would probably catch heck from one of the moderators for posting personal messages.

 

[vickyBaby]

Pandy and I are allll female.

 

[WDWAurora]

It hasn't been going for sure since March of 2003, because I never got to see it with the live person (my last trip was prior to AK's opening) and I've been 3 times since then, no person...so at least that long.

 

[WDWisTheBest]

Could it be that all the poachers have been caught and it is no longer necessary to have a security guard CM positioned at that spot?

 

[PandyPaws]

Originally posted by WDWisTheBest
Could it be that all the poachers have been caught and it is no longer necessary to have a security guard CM positioned at that spot?

I wish I could say that were so...however, every time I go out there, it seems there are poachers in the area that we have to help Wilson chase down



Not working today, I'll check on this for you tomorrow, Mitros, but of course, you might have to wait 'two weeks' for me to come back with your answer

 

[bobcat]

I believe there was a guard in July when we last rode it.

 

[n2mm]

This was definitely new. Since we've gone to WDW for vacations probably 25 times since 9/11, only on our Sept and Oct trips did we notice no guard. We were really concerned for Little Redd's safety. Since the poachers are sitting in the vehicle unguarded and Little Redd is in the truck, who's going to stop the poachers from getting out of the vehicle and stealing the truck with Little Redd in it. Hello!! We always enjoyed giving the guard the "thumbs up" for catching the poachers.