Even though it was 30 years ago (1979) and only for one summer season, my stint at Disneyland, at the Tahitian Terrace is a memory I will always keep. I travelled 40 miles one way from Riverside to take a job as a dishwasher. It was the only job available for me at the time, but I didn’t care, I was going to work at Disneyland! Maybe I had (still do?) pixie dust in my eyes, but it was one of those rare occurrences when I was delighted to go to work each day, through the heat, the smog, the traffic, listening to the Main Street Electrical Parade in my '65 Ford Falcon’s cassette deck rolling down Hwy 91 to The Happiest Place on Earth. I remember being late night guinea pigs to test Big Thunder and the chocolate cake in the commissary, yum!
The TT worked in shifts unlike regular restaurants where you come and go as you please. They had set times for the dinner and show. The doors would open for a dinner and the place fills up with guests choosing their menu selection, probably some form of teriyaki steak (sponsored by Kikkoman!) or the coconut shrimp while sitting under a Disneydendron. Then the exotic show begins! The waterfall parts, lovely ladies dance, mysterious men play with fire, corny jokes are told, men are prodded up to the stage and given hula lessons then it’s over. The guests are ushered out and wham! The dishwashing area is absolutely slammed with piles and piles and piles of dishes, cups, plates and bowls. These dishes are needed for the next show. Franticly the dishes are swept clean, rinsed off and thrown into the dishwasher, and then out they came steaming hot, piled up and carried over to the kitchen. Back and forth, more dishes, more soy sauce rinsed, more non-eaten kids meals rinsed away, into the dishwasher. Then just as suddenly as it started, it ended…nothing, no dishes coming in, we’re done. Until the next show and some 30-40 minutes later, wham! It’s starts all over. I loved it. It’s time to bring it back; the show is about to begin.
- Darryl
Be sure to check out Darryl's blog: http://bettertoburp.blogspot.com/ |
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)