The Hidden Mickey Book Fan Club BLOG! - v012
The OFFICIAL HIDDEN MICKEY FAN CLUB!
Hello Hidden Mickey Fans! Jungle Cruise memories' (part 2 of 3)
As a Jungle Skip you see a lot of people come, and a lot of people go. Some are brand new kids who find that the Jungle was not to their liking. The Jungle itself had a habit of weeding these people out. It was a safe bet that if someone was able to survive a summer on Jungle, they could handle anything else Disney threw at them. Many former Skips have gone on to other prestigious positions throughout the park. Others were veterans, Skips who truly knew and understood Jungle but had to leave because life moves on. Those old Skips were my friends, and over the years I said a lot of tearful goodbyes. One specific memory is of a girl named Mandy.
We made a brief stop at Tropical Imports to "borrow" two pirate swords. I had no idea what Andrew had in mind. In a few moments we were walking up Indy's exit. Andrew stopped John by the old water heater and said, "keep people here". Andrew then walked farther up and stopped me at the cave, again his comment "keep people here".
A crowd started to gather near John. I don't know what he was telling people but they were laughing and waiting quietly. A second crowd gathered near Andrew and I. We told them it was a mini show for a Skipper's last day. Everyone waited patiently. In a moment we saw Mandy's boat round the corner from the rainforest. Then the magic happened.
Mandy finished her tour and we made it back in time to see her final boat come in. Andrew "borrowed" two more swords from Tropical Imports (they weren't too thrilled that we lost the other ones). As she docked for the final time she explained that it was her last boat. She explained she was an Indy fan, and in tears she thanked us for our little stunt. Andrew and Mandy both took a bow to a standing ovation. Fifteen minutes later a Manager went running up to our Lead asking if he had heard a gunshot around Indy. "The boat must have backfired sir" was the only reply. Many thanks go to 'techskip' at MiceChat.com for his wonderful article 'Jungle Cruise memories', we are looking forward to the continuation of his remembrances... 'Jungle Cruise memories' Part 3. Well... that's it for this issue... Future Book Signings Be sure to check The Hidden Mickey BLOG for the latest Hidden Mickey news and Book Signing Dates. If you don't see HIDDEN MICKEY in your local bookstore, please ask the Store Manager to order it, or contact us with the Bookstore name & address, Managers name, (plus their Phone and/or eMail if possible). We will contact them and maybe even set up a Book Signing there.
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Mandy
was a HUGE Indiana Jones fan. She loved everything about the movie and would
quote it constantly on her trips. She'd been a fixture on Jungle for years, and
when she put in her 2 weeks a lot of us cried. Andrew felt we should "do
something" we should "give her a proper send-off". I asked what he had in mind
but he would only smile. Her last day went like any other, until the last 15
minutes. A Lead got Andrew, John and I out of rotation. Andrew just quietly said
"follow me". 
From
the mouth of the cave there used to be a perfect view of the river. It didn't
have all the bamboo that is there now. As we waited Andrew took both pirate
swords and looped them through his belt. He drew the swords a couple times just
to make sure the scabbard was secured to his belt.
Andrew
had a clear path from me to John. In seconds he was on his feet, both swords
drawn, screaming wildly and swinging the plastic blades back and forth. It was a
perfect recreation of the scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark. Mandy was shocked;
stunned, and then she recovered her senses. In quick order she drew her gun and
fired at Andrew. He immediately slumped over the rope, dropping his swords in
the river below. She blew the smoke from her barrel smiled at her crew, and put
the boat in gear. Mandy's crew was stunned, not sure what just happened. The
crowd around Indy couldn't stop laughing, applauding our little show. We had to
run to get back to Jungle.
