John remembers, “January 1990 – When I was 20 years old, I began working as a tour guide on the Backstage Studio Tour at Disney/MGM Studios (now known as Disney’s Hollywood Studios), in Lake Buena Vista, FL. During my week of initial training as a Disney Cast Member, my Disney Trainer took me on a walk around the backlot. In addition to various movie props and sets on display, there were vehicles that had appeared in recent motion pictures. Two of them caught my eye. The next day I brought a disposable 35mm camera with me to work. During a break in training, my Disney Trainer and I ventured onto the backlot once again and I had him take these photos for me. These were all on display for guests of the park to view during the shuttle tour of the backlot as part of the Backstage Studio Tour. You can see the spaceship from “Flight of the Navigator” in the background of the Sand Skiff photo. I also grabbed a shot of the inside of the Snowspeeder. It was a surreal moment, for sure, being able to touch (and climb on!) these two iconic “Star Wars” vehicles. I only worked at Disney for one year before I returned home to continue with college, but this was one of my fondest memories of that year of my life.”
John on the old Skiff – 1990
