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Nathan: I'm here with Bob Frazier, a cast member working at the Disney-MGM Studios. So, Bob, tell me a little about your background and how you came to work for Disney.

Bob: Oh my gosh, that's a very long story! You want to start at the beginning?

Nathan: Sure, let's start at the beginning.

Bob: It started back in 1978, actually, on my first trip to Walt Disney World®. Just the Magic Kingdom® back then and I was completely blown away. It's like, “who creates this kind of thing?” I wasn't very savvy about Walt Disney. And from there, it just grew. Once I get an idea, it just rolls with it. I can't absorb enough and talk to enough people about it. So that's how my whole Disney career actually got started, just going on interviews with a lot of people, helping with a lot of projects, and it grew to where I am now, you know, working with Disney history a lot at the parks.

Nathan: And what was your first job as a cast member?

Bob: First job as a cast member, when I came and applied for a position, I was a photograher by trade. So they said, “Why don't we put you on Main Street as a photographer?” I said, “Sounds great to me.” I was going to take whatever they offered. It didn't matter if I was slinging food over at some cafe. But that was probably one of the best jobs I've ever had here. It was really a magical experience, working right on Main Street. I'm sure you've seen the photographers patrolling there. Back then it was a Disney job. I know Kodak had taken over some of those. I'll never forget working at the Magic Kingdom. I think any cast member should work part of their career at Disney at the Magic Kingdom.

Nathan: Wow. That's true. Actually, how do you feel about the new PhotoPass that came out a little while ago?

Bob: Yeah, I'm a technology geek. I love the whole idea here, the whole concept. I mean I just ordered some prints of my own online. It's a great concept, how they are putting it all together.

Nathan: It definitely seems like a lot more guests are stopping and getting their picture taken now that they have the ability to just scan a card and go home and view the photos.

Bob: I think they are understanding now that it's a much easier process, you know, and they're not committed to anything, and they can just have fun with it. And that's really great. It's a lot different than it used to be.

Nathan: So besides being a photographer on Main Street, I know you've have had other various jobs at the Disney resorts. Care to name a few of them?

Bob: Well, from there they were opening the One Man's Dream attraction, and at that point, even though I was a photographer, I was very big into Disney history. I was writing articles and giving little seminars, and I knew I wanted to work at One Man's Dream. So like any other Disney job, especially the opening of an attraction, I had to go audition for the job. And I got the job there, and from there I do a lot of training there. I've been at the Studios ever since. I've been at the Backlot Tour, do a lot of work back there and also training back there.

Nathan: What has been your most exciting work to date? You touched a little upon Main Street, and also working at One Man's Dream. What would you say is your favorite job you've had as a cast member? What has been your most magical experience as a cast member?

Bob: Yeah, that would have to be Main Street. As much as One Man's Dream is my love, I would want to be there more than any place else in the world. It was just that special feeling being on Main Street. I remember a Dad walking his small child, maybe six years old, and just telling that child as they passed by me that they were on the most famous street in the entire world. They were just so excited to be there. It's just what it's all about.

Nathan: Oh wow, yeah. That's true, I mean, that's the way I feel walking down Main Street, going to the hub before going to the lands.

Bob: Sure, I still feel that way.

Nathan: Main Street itself, just to sit there and soak in the atmosphere is a great thing.

Bob: It sets the tone. Really, being inside the berm, as Walt said, you know, really takes you away from the rest of the world.

Nathan: And as far as One Man's Dream, it just got announced a little while ago that it would be a permanent attraction. I visited myself when it first opened, for the 100 Years of Magic celebration. Can you tell us a little bit more about the attraction, what it entails and what changes, if any, have gone on now that it's a permanent attraction?

Bob:Some of the exhibits in there have been moved for the 50th Anniversary [of Disneyland]. We're told some new things are coming in. Don't have some new things yet. We have the new film at the end, which you probably knew about, with Julie Andrews doing the narration. Which is quite an improvement, in my opinion. Other than that, they are starting to look at making some changes. Dave Smith has come by and said that we might be changing some things in it, or taking some things out. We're really astonished that Walt Disney's office is still there, from it's location at Disneyland. Probably because of the 50th nothing can be done for that now, but we expect to see something happen with that.

Nathan: Now is his school desk still there? I love that little thing where he had his initials carved in it.

Bob: It is. It is still there. Yeah, it's a great conversation piece the moment guests walk in. I mean, it's a great attraction to work. My whole job is making sure people are safe and talking with them about Disney history, and I actually get paid to do this. Shh! It's an amazing thing.

Nathan: (laughs) Actually, on that note, you've also been called a Disney historian. Could you give us a little detail on how that came about?

Bob: Um, yeah, actually, especially working at One Man's Dream, when my knowledge of Disney history became pretty apparent, things just kind of went from there. I'm obviously not like a Jim Korkis, which I know you know. He's pretty much a global historian, I'm considered more of a local or regional historian for the Studios area, specifically with some of the training at One Man's Dream. I am listed as a historian with the American Historical Association. I do have people like from the Orlando Sentinel every so often get a hold of me and ask a question or two.

Nathan: What have been some of the interesting things you've been asked to help out about Disney history?

Bob: Well, at the attraction, it's all kinds of things. Guests come in and you just never know what's on their mind. Some of them are pretty Disney savvy, it's amazing when the see some things there and they get some pretty good questions coming out of them. Most of it is the general questions everybody wants to know, the type of stories about Walt, and there's a lot of talk about that.

Nathan: Okay. I know you should say One Man's Dream, because that's what you work at, but, what is your favorite attraction on Walt Disney World property?

Bob: Let me think for about a split second and tell you it's probably One Man's Dream. (both laugh) You can go wrong, that's my love, it really is. I love being there and it's just a magical place, dealing with Walt all the time and talking to people about Walt. Life just doesn't get any better.

Nathan: Any interesting information that you can tell our listeners about Walt Disney World that they might not have heard before?

Bob: Hmmm. Boy, it's tough to step back to a place where I didn't know some things and remind myself that other people don't know those things also so, you know. Nothing comes to mind right away.

Nathan: Okay. Well, thank you for taking the time to be interviewed for the MouseTunes podcast. Actually, we'd love to have you on another show. And this is Bob Frazier, and actually if they're in Disney-MGM Studios and see you standing there outside One's Man Dream, can they come over and say hi?

Bob: Yeah, please! If you're stopping by the Studios, stop by One Man's Dream and definitely say hi. A couple of things will happen. Either I won't there, in which case you can leave some information and your email address even, and I'll put you on my list, and keep in touch with people. But if I am there, stop and say hi and I'll be glad to give you a little tour, tell you some interesting facts about the attraction there.

Nathan: Great! Thank you very much, Bob.

Bob: You're welcome, Nathan.

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