Greetings all,  After reading the recent thread about "Mechanical
Music at Walt Disney World" I felt compelled to respond to some of
the comments.  I have worked for Walt Disney World (WDW) for the past
nineteen years.  I was originally hired to maintain their automatic
music machine collection which at that time consisted of about two
dozen machines.

I was told at the time I was hired that they were not running a museum.
They wanted the machines that were displayed to the public to play
well and to not look like a piece of junk.  My desire to restore the
machines properly had to be balanced with my obligation to the company
to keep the machines running as economically as possible and with
a minimum of down time.  You must remember, we are employees and are
subject to the demands of those above us.  I believe this is true for
most businesses that use automatic music machines.

The technician who maintains the instruments may be just as passionate
as any of you in his/her love for mechanical music but must work within
the boundaries established by management.  Robbie is correct in his
comment, "Don't blame the rebuilder -- he only followed Disneyland's
orders."

Managers come and go.  The management team in place at the time I started
work for Walt Disney World had a desire to see mechanical music take a
prominent place at the resort.  Most of that team retired shortly after
I was hired and the music machines were considered to be less important.

The decision was made at that time to dispose of the collection except
for a few instruments that were currently being used.  Instruments
retained were: Seeburg E with pipes in use at Crocket's Tavern and
later sold to a private individual; Seeburg KT currently in use at the
Main Street Train Station; Coinola Midget A-roll piano with pipes from
the Grand Floridian Hotel now in storage needing restoration; the band
organ "Big Bertha" currently at the Grand Floridian needing a complete
rebuild; Wurlitzer Style C orchestrion currently being restored for use
in the Diamond Horseshoe; a Porter music box currently in storage.

When the decision was made to sell the instrument collection, it was
also decided to use the dedicated work shop space used to maintain the
instruments for other purposes.  While I could still do minor repairs,
full restorations were out of the question.  My time was now devoted to
maintaining parade floats and doing a little patchwork on the musical
instruments when necessary.

There has been new interest in the music machines lately.  It was
decided several months ago to restore the Wurlitzer orchestrion.
I was offered the job but since I no longer have a shop where I could
completely disassemble the machine, I suggested that the job could
be better done by a restorer off site.  I recommended Roberts Musical
Restorations and from what I've seen thus far, it's coming along nicely.

There is also interest in restoring Big Bertha.  The problem with Big
Bertha is its location.  It sits in an alcove at the second floor level
in the Park Fare Restaurant in the Grand Floridian Hotel.  The front is
impossible to get to without scaffolding.  The back is accessible by
going to the third floor, entering a utility space then going down a
ladder to the second floor level.  The only way the organ could be
removed would be to bring a fork lift into the dining room.  The floor
is marble tile and even if it were protected by sheets of plywood, it
could not be guaranteed that no damage would occur.

There are other problems as well but I've rambled on long enough.
I hope this answers some of the questions and concerns raised lately.
Rest assured that there some in the Disney organization that do care.

Regards to all,
Bob Moore
Orlando, Florida