WDWCP: Check Out My Sexy Skirt!

All good things come to an end, and this might be the end of the work posts. We are at my final spot in rotation and my final costume... check this beauty out. That's NOT a skirt!! I'm rocking me some long ass culottes! I must say this costume was pretty darn comfy, and so Frontierland!

My main role in this costume was the hot dog cart. This costume was only worn outside of the restaurant at food carts/wagons. I wore it for hot dogs, turkey legs and for about an hour at Sunshine Tree Terrace. 

My hot dog carts (I worked 'em all!) were usually down by Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain. I would have to be careful to not get wet when walking between the Pecos complex and my cart since Splash will occasionally shoot a water canon out over the guests observing the big drop. 

Two people would run the hot dog cart. Ryan was my partner most of the time. We would constantly drill each other on prices. $2.25 $4.50 $6.75 $8.00.... this would be said so many times to each other, even after I was back home in Oregon. Why? Because we had NO cash register and NO calculator. It was a cash only cart, and I took on the role of keeper of the cash. The other person would cook and serve the dogs while I managed all the money. I think we maxed out at $18 for a single order once. The smart people would grab some McDonald's fries and a Coke from the old covered wagon then come get one of our perfect looking dogs. They'd get a filling meal for a lot less than anything you could get in a restaurant! We were pretty darn popular. We even had to use stanchions to queue up our line during the busy holiday season. There were times by the parade route during Christmas that we couldn't keep up with the demand We could serve faster than they could cook! 

Santa talking to ME!!!

I had a couple of highlights I'd like to share from my time out in Frontierland! Once was during the Very Merry Christmas Parade. My cart was on the parade route that day, right across from Pecos, with Rivers of America behind me. Santa Claus was finishing off the parade and waving at guests. As he passed our cart he said, "Ho Ho Ho! Boy, something sure smells good down there!" and pointed at me and my cart. Not gonna lie, that made my day!!

At that same cart I once watched a seagull swoop down and take the tip of a churro off of a baby's churro while it sat smiling in it's stroller. The big thing, though, that I will always remember, hopefully, was a moment with a guest. This man came to me to buy his hot dog and he was excited to see me! Huh?? I don't even know him! He said he was here earlier in the year and remembered me and my smile from helping him inside Pecos Bill Cafe and now here I was again giving him more food! Growing up I would recognize Jungle Cruise Skippers from prior Disneyland trips, so the fact that a guest remembered little old me was incredible. I was so flattered and really felt like I was finally part of that Disney Magic!

Ryan in front of the turkey
leg freezer.

I was able to spread cheer and magic in another way while wearing this costume. Rarely I would be in this huge walk-in freezer, usually borrowing jackets for more layers, and I would prepare the turkey legs for cooking! Once organized in their baking trays the legs would be lowered to the Utilidor, wheeled over to another kitchen in Frontierland, cooked and then sent out to the turkey leg wagon by the Westward Ho snack shack. When I worked at the turkey leg wagon all I did was wrap the legs with waxy tissue paper and hand them to our guests. I kid you not, even the biggest grown man would appear to shrink to little boy size as his eyes widened and his jaw dropped. It was so entertaining to see reactions when being handed an enormous leg of turkey. Forget the false rumors. I saw the boxes myself. They ARE turkey, NOT emu!

On my last day of work I was sent to Sunshine Tree Terrace, right next to the Enchanted Tiki Room, to help out. It was maybe an hour. I was fixing desserts, mostly soft serve ice cream. Mine looked horrible. I felt bad for the guests hoping to get photo worthy dessert and instead getting my failed attempt and making the perfect swirl!

Our last day of working at Pecos Bill Cafe was the last day of its operation in current form. The next day it would close for a big remodel. Mile Long Bar went away. The topping bar expanded and became pretty impressive. It had our already elaborate standards, like cheese sauce and corn relish, but they would also be sautéing onions and mushrooms right there on stage! The costumes also changed and look more like Little House on the Prairie versus cute saloon dresses. I'm glad I was there during the time I was. I mean I actually worked the Mile Long Bar in my saloon dresses. Unrealized dream come true!

See ya real soon! °o°