The First Week is Finished

Hello Troops,
The week is finished. We are fast falling into the ‘groove’. This is the term we use to describe the condition of knowing our lesson, starlab show, and missions so well that we don’t need scripts. It is being in a condition where we run our field trips by instinct. Being in the groove is a good thing. In the simulators it means we are free from the script and able to concentrate on the crew. We can tailor a mission to the crew - highlighting their strengths and deemphasing their weaknesses. We can watch the cameras to find students that need more attention and those that need a bit of discipline. The Groove means we can move through a mission quicker if needed. Sometimes they arrived late or their bus needs to get back earlier than 2:00 P.M.
This year I’m giving schools a mission choice. They can choose their mission from our mission library listed on the Field Trip page of the web site. It empowers a teacher to find a mission that meets the needs of her class. Mission choice helps me as well by giving me variety. In years past we used to run one mission for the entire 9 months. Now we will rotating through four missions. Variety is another good thing.
We ran “Intolerance” on Monday. “The Children of Perikoi” was the mission choice for the Tuesday and Wednesday classes. On Thursday we ran “A Cry From the Dark” and on Friday it was “Perikoi” once again.
We have an awesome daytime staff! Lorraine Houston and Sheila Powell run the classroom and Starlab. In the ships we have myself, Megan, Metta, Emily, BJ, and Aleta. Aleta also runs the office on days where we don’t need her in the simulators. Our high school interns are outstanding: Chrisine, Rachel, Alayna, Kyler, Todd, Rebecca and Zac. Some days we have so much help we can operate the simulator with a doctor character. This kind of help also provides an opportunity to train new flight directors and supervisors.
All and all, this year is off to a good start.
We have been busy with several minor repairs in the simulators. Kyle Herring repaired the Odyssey’s door. The large hole in the Voyager bathroom was fixed. The Voyager’s new carpeting is in place. Currently new tile is being laid in the Voyager’s Brig, Bridge, and steps leading to the Projection Room.
I want to thank our staff and volunteers for their hard work and dedication to our product. We want to deliver the best field trip in Utah to our children. I think we are doing that. We’ve set our standards high because our kids deserve it and we can do it.

Mr. Williamson

The Space Center and Disney. More Reflections.

Hello Troops,
The following comments came by email from a former fantastic Space Center Flight Director named Julie Billings. Julie was once a Disneyland employee and has a unique insight into all things Disney and Space Center. Thanks Julie for your thoughts.

Mr. Williamson

And Now Julie's Comments:
Quick response to Mr. Williamson's blog:

He is absolutely right. It is something Disney has striven to do since it opened. But being attractions instead of simulations makes it difficult. Not to mention the workload of up to 80,000 people a day. Just recently Disney has been able to get out of the repetitive rut with newer more innovative rides, such as the new Tower of Terror with a random selection of drops, Buzz Lightyear with a way to interact, and their newest Toy Story Mania with a 'never the same ride twice' feel to it. At Disney World they have what is called Disney Quest where you can design your own roller coaster and ride it, at an extra price. But never will it be up to what the Space Center can achieve. At the Space Center you are completely immersed in the story for hours at a time. As repetitive a mission can get as a Flight Director, there was always a change based on the creative (or uncreative) children inside.

I remember on my 16th birthday an overnight mission was canceled and Mr. Williamson let what staff who wanted to come do an overnight mission instead. I jumped at the opportunity, birthday or not, and I had a friend who got mad at me because I skipped out on the Mountain View football game. I remember telling her, "I would have rather done what I did then go to Disneyland!" After the words left my mouth I couldn't believe such blasphemy, but it was true.

Now, that being said I love Disneyland and most things Disney. I hope my kids share this love of Disney and love to go to Disneyland. Right now I think I would rather go to Disneyland than anything. But at that age of 16 and before, the Space Center does something to you that nothing else can. And it truly is "Better than Disneyland."

Goodbye Casual and Hello Usual

Hello Troops,
This is the eve of the Space Center's Official Opening for the 2008-2009 School Year. For the last couple days we've hosted our own school for the full four hour field trip. Central students are beneficial at helping us work the bugs out of our programs. They are the victims in our dress rehearsals and, in return for their patience, they don't pay. Well, all that ended this afternoon. Central is finished and tomorrow at 9:30 A.M. we open with our first school of the season - Westvale Elementary School.

It is funny to be able to point to an exact date and time when your life disappears. You see, since July 31st I've either been on vacation or here, working on the Perikoi mission, scheduling classes and field trips, designing a web site, working on simulator repairs, spending too much money on everything from programming books to new simulators, etc. etc. etc. This is my favorite time of year because I can arrive at 8:00 A.M. and actually go home between 6 and 7 P.M. All of that will change tomorrow, September 25, 2008 at 9:30 A.M. From that moment on we are open nearly every school day running two to four classes per day on missions, classes, and starlabs. We run around here "like chickens with their heads cut off" doing pretty much the same thing day in and day out.

Don't misunderstand me, I love my job and wouldn't have it any other way but I still find it interested that everything will change at an exact point in time and stay that way until another exact point in time at the end of May.

We tired something new today on the Voyager school mission. For the first time in years and years we had a doctor on the bridger in addition to the staff. One of our staff set up a sick bay in the Captain's Quarters right off the bridge. During the mission Lorraine sent "injured" crew into the sickbay for a quick scan and a tasty M and M. It worked well and gave crew members a welcome stand up and stretch during the mission. She looked for those a bit bored and sent them in for a dose of attention. It also worked well for attack scenes. Now we can thin down the number of students at the working stations thus increasing the stress level for those that remain. We will try to implement the Field Trip Doctor whenever staffing will allow.

Well, It is time to go home and enjoy the rest of my Worker's Eve. I'll see many of you here in the trenches as we continue to battle ignorance, stupidity and apathy.

Mr. Williamson