Interview a CP: Melissa (Recreation)

Melissa hard at work!

Earlier last week I interviewed Caitie, who was involved in the children's activities aspect of the recreation role. Melissa had a different role for recreation, boat docks/marinas! Here's what she has to say about her experience as a resort recreation cast member:

What role did you have during the DCP, and where did you work?

I am Recreation! I worked the Sassagoula Region, which includes Port Orleans Riverside and Downtown Disney.

What was a typical day like at work?

My typical day is closing docker. Like most cps, I close almost every day...(which is fine by me because the marina is only open until 7pm!) I'll come in around noon, speil and load guests into boats, bring boats in, fuel up some searaycers, maybe break the cashier and be tormented by the lakers. Especially be tormented by the lakers. 

Other things included in our role is cashiering, surrey bikes/regular bikes, and fishing hole.

Is this the role you originally wanted? If not, are you happy you got it?

Originally when I saw Recreation, I was hoping for Children's Activities. But I actually really really enjoy my job and the people I work with. I wouldn't want to work anywhere else :)

What are your favorite and least favorite parts about your job?

Pros:
Constant hours. The marina hours are constant. No extra magic hours. Marina closes at 7...latest I work is 8:30. No force extensions. I also love mostly everybody I work with. Everybody has a great sense of humor, and they are a lot of fun to work with. At Port when it's slow we play games like corn hole, jenga, and four square. We blow bubbles, hula hoop, dance, whatever we want. My coordinators are like the older brothers you've always secretly always wanted. They squirt me in the eye with water guns, throw footballs in my face, and almost run me over with their pargos...the list can go on. I also really like that I work in two locations and I love both locations for different reasons. Downtown Disney is the busiest marina in all of Walt Disney World, and it definitely holds true. Some days, you blink your eye and its over. Port is more slow paced, and you get way more guest interaction. You can talk to the families a little more and get to know more about their vacation which also means that there are more opportunities to create magical moments. At Downtown, you're always on the go, so it's a little harder to give every family special attention. All in all though, I really do enjoy my job. Also, I sometimes get to go on a boat. It's a good day when they take you out on a lake patrol boat.

Cons:
If you're a docker, you're outside for a very very very long time out in the sun. You are doing a lot of physically draining work in that humid Florida sunshine. You are running up and down the dock loading and unloading families, making sure children don't run off the dock into the lake, trying to direct in pontoons with crazy, clueless drivers without being knocked into the lake, starting and spieling large groups of seayracers at once, etc. etc. Its just a lot of hustle and bustle in the heat (especially in Downtown!) and sometimes it's hard to just stop and take a drink of water. Another con are the guests that don't speak english. We have to go through a very important safety speil before we send each family out. (How to drive the boat, what to do if you need help, what to do if the boat stalls, waterway etiquette, etc) and a lot of times, these people will have absolutely no idea what I am saying which is incredibly dangerous, especially if they have never driven a boat before. It's definitely a huge inconvenience.... this also goes out to the guests who don't want to listen to your speil! It's like you're talking to a wall! Also, fishing hole at port. Blech. And checklists. We have lots and lots of checklists. 

Melissa with some fellow cast members!

Any specific magical moment you want to share?

There's only one I can think of right now.... I was cashiering at Downtown and a dad and his son (around maybe 6 years old) just came back from going on a searaycer. So I was doing the usual 'welcome back! did y'all have a good time? yadda yadda' and the little boy was like "My dream just came true!" and I was like "Oh yeah? What was your dream?" and he said "To go on a boat!" And I just gave him like 100 mickey stickers and he was adorable. 

What made you want to do the DCP?

The moment I heard about this program I knew this is where I needed to be. I love everything about Disney, and I knew since high school that this is where I belong. 

Is there something you wish you would have known before doing your program?

No, I did my homework before coming! :) 

What advice would you give to those who are going to be participating in your role?

• Drink LOTS of water
• Wear sunscreen
• Be prepared to be outside for 8.5 hours
• Thunderstorms are your best friends
• Bring two pairs of shoes & socks, and two shirts. (If it rains, it's nice to have a dry pair of sneakers to change into. Also, two shirts because there are a lot of birds who like to use the dock as their potty and sometimes the dockers get in the way...)
• Accept the fact that you'll probably fall in the lake atleast once.
• Searaycers are going to be a pain in your butt. But they do get easier. I promise. 
• Know your spiel. You're going to get audited, and just know your spiel because audits are scary. 
• Also, don't wear expensive sunglasses. You'll go through about 50 pairs. 
• Be prepared for an awful farmers tan.
• Know your knots! 
• During lightning storms, cps are sent out with metal rods to go see how close the lightning is. CP sacrifices are common. (jk :P )

What advice would you give to people who are interested in doing the DCP?

 Be prepared to work! Don't come here expecting just to party and goof off. You will work a lot and you will work hard. Not all days are going to be magical. Just come with an extremely open mind. If you come with certain expectations and aren't willing to try to accept things are the way they are, of course it's going to suck. I wasn't totally excited to work at a marina at first, I was pretty bummed about it. But I had an open mind and did my work, and eventually I grew to love it. And be prepared to meet your future best friends.  I grew to love a lot of people down here who changed my life for the better. This program changes you and your whole life. This experience molded me into who I am today, and I am forever grateful for this experience and everyone who made an impact on me. This program will truly change things (hopefully for the better).

If you're a current or past college program cast member and would like to share your experience, email your name and role to thedisneyden@yahoo.com to participate!

Interview a CP: Sarah (Kilimanjaro Safaris)

Sarah with her safari truck!

Sarah was one of my roommates during my program. She had one of the coolest jobs as a safari driver in Animal Kingdom! It was so neat to hear some of the stories about the animals and the guests she would tell us after work some days, and after a while some of us started to memorize her safari spiel! ;) Here's what she had to say about her experience!

What role did you have during the DCP, and where did you work?
I was Attractions, and was fortunately placed at a spieling attraction, more specifically Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

What was a typical day like at work?
A typical day included getting assigned a specific truck and then going through a checklist to get the truck ready to be taken to the ride path to be used for the day. The checklist included things like checking the tires, making sure the gauges and other electronics worked properly, and just generally assessing the vehicle for the day. After opening the truck and getting signed out by a manager, I would drive the truck a mile or so down to the ride path and then start taking guests! The days are broken up into (approximately) 2 hour sections, three or four of which are spent on a truck and the other spent on a "land" position like info guide (greeter) or departure (grouper). At the end of the day whatever truck I was on I would take off of the ride path and back to the Vehicle Maintenance parking lot where I would get it fueled and then shut it down for the evening! On any given day I would spiel to around 400 guests total. Or more.

Is this the role you originally wanted? If not, are you happy you got it?
I originally wanted entertainment, but after a bombed dance audition, I couldn't have been more pleased with KSR (Kilimanjaro Safari Ride). Plus, entertainment success came later on... But thats a whole 'nother story. 

What are your favorite and least favorite parts about your job?
My favorite parts.. oh man, there are so many. The people I work with are incredible. KSR is a massive, beautiful attraction to run, with around 85+ cast members working each day, and about 200 employed in total. I love every single safari driver I work with, and their dedication, passion, humor and family-style love are things that are indescribable. Also, my guests. Getting to spend around 22 minutes alone with my 35-45 guests is a magical thing. I love being able to educate them while playfully bantering with and entertaining them simultaneously. Each exclamation of "oh wow!" or "I didn't know that!" that I heard on my truck makes me love my job even more. There is also nothing like applause after a safari ends or the numerous guests who would come up and tell me that my safari is the best they've ever been on, or come up to ask questions or share stories and facts with me. Not only did my guests learn a lot from me, I definitely learned a lot from them as well. Lastly, the animals. Even though I have grown accustomed to spending every day surrounded by lions, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, hippos, rhinos, etc., these fabulous creatures still take my breath away. I can't believe I get paid to watch baby elephants splash around in a river, or to have white rhinos nuzzle my truck, giraffes linger within arms reach, and to hear lions roar. I won't ever forget each moment that I got to see the guest's reactions to these gorgeous, awe-inspiring animals.

Any specific magical moment you want to share?

Action shot!

There are too many. One of my favorite Guest Service Fanatic cards came from a couple who happened to get on my truck during a slow point and I gave them a private safari. The lady had never been on the safari and, in fact, had just gotten released from a long stay in the hospital. She was amazed by each individual animal, but the lions were her favorite. When we pulled up to the kopje rock, I was so thankful to see the gorgeous male lion perched powerfully at the top of the rocks. Since I knew no other trucks were around, I sat and let her admire the lions for much longer than normally allowed. The tears on her face are something that will stay in my heart forever. Of course, small children provided many of the magical moments of my job. A lot of magical moments came, surprisingly, from working land positions. I always loved when tiny princesses would throw their arms around me or blow me kisses, and having guests ask if they could take pictures with me (I always say yes!). I just love interacting with guests.. I could go on forever. Also I got filmed to be on the Brazilian version of American Idol... that was interesting.

What made you want to do the DCP?
Honestly, I think I was born knowing I wanted to do the DCP. I can't remember when I decided I wanted to do it, Disney is a fire that has always been in my blood.

Is there something you wish you would have known before doing your program?
YOU WON'T NEED HALF THE STUFF YOU BRING. Also, two bedrooms in Patterson are wonderful, Vista Way actually isn't bad and I wish I would have lived there because of the social life, the party bus IS A BAD IDEA slash gross, don't date full timers even if they are a prince, DO NOT EVER CALL IN OR GET POINTS, yadda yadda yadda.

What advice would you give to those who are going to be participating in your role?
Ooh this one is a bad one for me because my attraction is so different than others. The people you work with WILL BE YOUR CLOSEST FRIENDS (99.9 percent of the time) because you have similar schedules, you understand each other's work stories/problems, etc. If you are lucky enough to be placed at KSR then 1. congrats, 2. cross your fingers that Jimmy is your trainer cause he's the bomb, 3. always sit in the back of the VIP cast bus. Khaki rules!

What advice would you give to people who are interested in doing the DCP?
Pick the earliest arrival date possible, don't stress too much over which apartment complex you get, don't waste time oversleeping, enjoy every moment and spend every free moment with friends or at the parks, choose Advantage, DON'T get ANY points, pick spring because you get Star Wars Weekends, bring bed risers and a vacuum, take classes (particularly Entertainment PDS, its life changing).

If you would like to see some of Sarah's safari tour, she makes a guest appearance in my Sara Squared Animal Kingdom Vlog here!

If you have any questions for Sarah, you can ask through her twitter here! Or, if you don't have a twitter, feel free to leave any questions in the comments below and I can ask her for you!

If you're a current or past college program cast member and would like to share your experience, email your name and role to thedisneyden@yahoo.com to participate!

My Disney College Program Review

Just a little review of what I thought the DCP was overall like, how it affected me, and what my plans are for the future! Enjoy!

If you guys have any suggestions for future vlogs or blog posts, please let me know!

Feel free to leave any questions in the comments!

Have a magical day!

To see my other videos, check out our Youtube channel, here!

You can also follow on Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook!

Interview a CP: Lindsey (Costuming)

Lindsey earning a quarterly award!

Costuming is a role that not very many people know about, so I was thrilled with Lindsey volunteered to share her experience working as a costuming cast member during her college program! She was also lucky enough to become a regular cast member after her program! Here's what she has to say about her role:

What role did you have during the DCP, and where did you work? During my DCP I worked as a Costuming Hostess, primarily at Hollywood Studios. 

What was a typical day like at work? For me a typical day depended on where I was scheduled. I learned three areas, skills, while a CP. I learned Cast Member Costuming (Ops, this is a global skill, which means I could do it at any CM costume location), the Character Room at Hollywood Studios, and Jedi Training Academy. In the character room, my day consisted of getting characters ready for the next day as well as laundry. For Jedi Training Academy, I helped Darth Vader and his Troopers get ready for show and made sure all their costuming needs were met. I also took care of laundry. 

Is this the role you originally wanted? If not, are you happy you got it? I knew going into the application process that Costuming was my first choice. I did mark an interest in Attractions and Merchandise, but I knew I wanted to have a career in Costumes with the company. 

What are your favorite and least favorite parts about your job? I really enjoyed working with the character costumes, getting to be up close and personal with them. It was fascinating to me. My least favorite job was Cast Member costuming. Costuming is a primarily backstage role, so I haven't ever had much Guest interactions, but the believe it or not, I've had CMs behave ruder to me than park guests. 

Any specific magical moment you want to share? After my program, I was lucky enough to go part time. Recently I finished working on Star Wars Weekends in early June. One of my duties for SWW was helping get kids into robes for the Motorcade/parade. After one Motorcade, a mom was thrilled and asked if my co-workers and I would sign her son's autograph book and take a picture with him. We bestowed a lightsaber on him and the shocked look on his and his mom's faces was priceless.

What made you want to do the DCP?I was coming up on graduation and had no clue what I wanted to do with my Theatre Arts-Production degree. I concentrated on costume design in school. I found the tumblr of someone doing costuming and realized it was the perfect transitionary job, to put off the real world a little. I ended up realizing that ultimately Disney was what I wanted to do as a career.

Is there something you wish you would have known before doing your program? I lucked out and was applying at a time when there  were many bloggers talking about their DCP experiences, so I felt fairly well informed when going into the program. I think I would have liked to have a better idea of what Costuming did. There wasn't a lot of information about it (which is why I'm hoping I'll be able to help some folks when they read this!). 

What advice would you give to those who are going to be participating in your role? Be prepared to not have fun all the time and learn to adapt to different times of the day. I've had shifts where I did laundry for 5 hours. I'm not a morning person whatsoever, but more often than not, I had 6:30 am shifts, which meant getting up at about 3:30 to get ready to catch the bus on time.  

What advice would you give to people who are interested in doing the DCP? Learn all you can. Don't let your ego get the best of you, sometimes you have to swallow your pride and just let the trainer show you how it's done at Disney. Talk to your leaders, if you have an interest in something within the company, let them know. Chances are, they might know who you can talk to about it and be able to arrange a meet and greet. It may not work out, but networking and putting yourself out there to network can be great experience. 

If you would like to contact Lindsey with any questions about her role or experience, you can reach her on her blog DressingtheForce! 

If you're a current or past college program cast member and would like to share your experience, email your name and role to thedisneyden@yahoo.com to participate!

I hope everyone has a lovely day!

My Disney College Program Experience

The Disney College Program was definitely the most amazing experience of my life. I've been posting interviews from other CPs and every one of them seems to have the same kind of point of view as I do. This program changed my life, made me a better, more independent person, and helped me meet some of the most amazing people that I hope to keep in touch with for as long as I live. I was able to network with important people for my possible future career, and learned a lot about Disney's marketing in all different fields of the company.

I met so many guests from around the world. I will always remember the guest who would call me Snow White every day he saw me at work, the little girl who asked if I was a princess when I was working at the Grand Floridian, the birthday princess who had the same name as me, and the old man from the UK who had never been to Disney World before who was excited to tell me about his adventures every day when I worked at Art of Animation. Nothing will compare to asking about everyone's vacation and seeing the light in everyone's eyes when they talk about their experience. It's that amazing Disney magic that you can't get anywhere else that will always have a special place in my heart.

I created this blog and all of its extensions to share my experience during the program with other people, to let them know what it's like and answer any questions they might have. Since then I've gotten numerous comments and messages about how thankful they are for my blog, as well as how excited they get when they decide they want to apply. I want to say thank you to all of those people, and to everyone who has supported me throughout this entire experience. I'm forever gracious for this opportunity, and I can't wait to continue sharing the magic with all of you!

Interview a CP: Caitlin (MK Merchandise)

Caitlin with Sebastian at a cast appreciation party!

Caitlin was kind enough to share about her DCP experience working as a Merchandise cast member all over Magic Kingdom! 

What role did you have during the DCP, and where did you work?

I work Merchandise at Big Top Souvenirs in Storybook Circus, but I have also been deployed to Tomorrowland, Frontierland, and Adventureland as well.

What was a typical day like at work?

Pretty crazy!

One of the things that I love the most about the circus is that, even though I’m Merchandise, I get to do so much more than just stand at a register. We have a confectionary kitchen as well, which means you also have shifts spent entirely making treats.

Register Shifts – They’re great…until it starts raining! You have the ability to engage the guests in really interesting conversations, especially since there are so many kids in our store. You get to be extra silly since you’re working in the circus, too. They encourage you to step away from your register and make connections with the guests and to interact with them. So even when you have a register shift, you can get what we call “tasks” that are all about interacting with guests. We even have circus games that we can play with the kids like a ring toss. When it starts raining, though, it gets completely hectic. We’re pretty much the only covered location in the area, so we get overwhelmed with the crowds. People sit down in the doorways, block the aisles, come behind the register to ask you for ponchos, and it’s generally insane. But the time spent in rain scenarios is so little that most of your day will not be like that at all.

Kitchen Shifts- I like the kitchen more than registers because you literally spend your whole day dipping cake pops in chocolate and decorating them. You do have to make sure to keep your pace up to meet your daily quotas, but that’s not a problem. The kitchen is a big family and there’s never a dull moment. It’s especially fun when we get to make magical moments for the guests. Our favorite magical moment is making them a marshmallow on a stick with chocolate and toppings on it. It’s so simple, but it really makes people’s days. Sometimes we can even give them a cookie or a cakepop. People appreciate it so much and it’s great to know that you’re making their day. The only thing that’s rough is that you get extended more often in the kitchen than register, and clean up keeps you at the park 2 hours after it closes. So yes, I’ve been there until 4am closing the kitchen before, but someone has to do it.

Floorstock- These shifts are the the most tiring. You run around the store all day fixing things and stocking shelves, but you have so many opportunities to interact with guests that the time actually goes by really quickly. People think I’m crazy, but I really like working on the plush section. It’s tough because all of the kids walking out of the meet and greet next door run over to it and pick up and play with everything. At the same time, though, that means that you always have something to do and it’s not like you’re standing around searching desperately for a job.

I close the store pretty frequently – most of the time honestly. The days that I don’t are a rare gift – don’t take those days for granted.

With merchandise, though, you can be deployed. Being deployed means that they send  you to a different land or different park/resort for a week. I’ve gotten to try out tons of different places this way, as I mentioned earlier. The only bad thing is that it’s involuntary; it’ll just show up on your schedule. You feel out of your element, but it’s cool to see things from a different perspective and you learn so much more about the parks.

Is this the role you originally wanted? If not, are you happy you got it?

No, I really wanted entertainment, but that didn’t work out. I’m happy I got it, though, because it allows me to still be entertaining kids in a way with the silly games and such that we have. And I would much rather be in merchandise than a lot of the other roles!

What are your favorite and least favorite parts about your job?

Favorite- the people. You meet some wonderful people and get to make a lot of people’s days so much better.

Least favorite- The people. Working in merch makes you an easy target for angry guests. Even if you don’t do anything wrong, they’re angry about something else that’s going on in your day, and you’re there for them to yell at or attempt to scam. I have had some very very bad guest experiences or people who get angry at me for things that are out of control. For example, even though we sell treats and bottled drinks, we don’t have fountain drinks. People get very angry because we don’t have fountain drinks, especially since that means that we don’t have any free ice water for them. They get really upset about this and talk about how we’re trying to scam them when literally we don’t have any ice or any drinkable water for them.

Frontierland costume!

Any specific magical moment you want to share?

I had a few in Frontierland…the one was at their outdoor cart by Country Bears. I was playing with the bubble guns that we sell and was playing with a few kids. The kids loved it so much that they actually asked for a picture with me afterwards.

For the other, there was a girl who was visiting for the first time and wanted to know more about pin trading, so I told her all about it and helped her through the whole process of finding her first set of pins and lanyards and such. I made her first trade with her and she gave me a hug afterwards because she was so thankful.

It was the end of the night for the other one, and this young boy came in and we just struck up a conversation about his new vinylmation and that went into his favorite park, etc. etc. etc. and we talked for at least 15 minutes. He and his parents were so thankful that he hugged me before he left too.

In the circus, there was this one absolutely adorable princess I met while I was stitching some hats. We sang together and got her her first pair of Mickey ears with her name on them and she was just so adorable that I got her a free slushie. She asked for my picture before she left, too.

What made you want to do the DCP?

A girl that I had done shows with in high school did it and I looked it up and it just sounded so amazing. It was the perfect opportunity for me based on my majors and where I want to go with my career. I mean, when else was I gonna get the chance to work at Disney for a year, making magic for others and for myself? It sounded like the perfect thing to do to have fun with my 20s and to build up a great resume at the same time.

Is there something you wish you would have known before doing your program?

You are going to work a lot and you will be exhausted and yet you will never have money but you’re going to love it anyway.

What advice would you give to those who are going to be participating in your role?

Be proactive. Don’t be the person that stands around yawning. Be the person that does things that need to be done without having to be told to. Be ready to work, and if you’re not doing anything, ask what needs to be done. Be helpful and kind to all of the guests no matter how tired or sad you actually are. Your managers will notice and you will be rewarded for it.

What advice would you give to people who are interested in doing the DCP?

Do not let wanting a specific role ruin things for you. I know people who let their program be ruined (or who declined their acceptance) because it wasn’t the role that they wanted. Make the opportunity you have as amazing as you can. You can choose to let it suck, or you can choose to embrace it.This is fantastic opportunity and you will have the time of your life...don't let your role/expectations ruin it!

If you have any questions for Caitlin, you can contact her on her blog, goingthedistancedcp!

If you're a current or past college program cast member and would like to share your experience, email your name and role to thedisneyden@yahoo.com to participate!

Have a magical day everyone!

Interview a CP: Erika (Maharajah Jungle Trek)

Erika in front of her favorite ride!

What role did you have during the DCP, and where did you work?

My role was attractions! I ended up working at Animal Kingdom and I was placed at the Maharajah Jungle Trek. 

What was a typical day like at work?
So at MJT, our role is to educate guests and answer all of their questions about all the different animals that are on our trail. We had a Komodo Dragon, Fruit Bats, Tigers, Banteng (Asian cattle), Eld's Deer, Blackbuck Antelope, and a ton of different birds from literally all parts of Asia. All the CM's rotate positions every hour or so, so it never got to be too much. We also worked the Flights of Wonder bird show at Caravan Stage, making sure guests knew about the show, directing them to seats, etc. 

Is this the role you originally wanted? If not, are you happy you got it?

Attractions wasn't my first choice (it was my second). I originally wanted concierge. In the end, I was so grateful that I got attractions. In my opinion, my job was one of the most fun ones you could have! I got to continuously talk to guests and make magic without worrying and being distracted by other things, such as operating a "real" attraction. 

What are your favorite and least favorite parts about your job?
My favorite parts about my job were that I was able to be an educator and advocate about all of our animals, and also teaching guests conservation methods! (^ see above for more favorite things). My least favorite part about my job was that I constantly had to repeat myself to guests. I hate sounding like a broken record.

Any specific magical moment you want to share?
I was at the place in the trail where we have the Fruit Bats. A family came in and I just went up to them and started talking to them, since there were no other guests at the time. They had a little girl who couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 years old and she was in a wheelchair. I was talking to them about the bats and I knelt down and was talking to their daughter. I asked her who her favorite princess was. Her mom explained to me that she had cerebral palsy and isn't very responsive. She started to cry and told me that she loves how CM's treat her daughter like a normal person and thanked me for keeping the magic alive. It was really touching.

What made you want to do the DCP?
My best friend told me about the program. I never even knew it existed to be honest. As soon as I found out a little more about it, I fell in love with the whole idea of working at The Happiest Place on Earth. Disney was always a huge part of my life and I wanted to take it to the next level. I also loved the idea of meeting a ton of new people, and making memories that would last a lifetime. 

Is there something you wish you would have known before doing your program?
Not really! Like I said, I did a lot of research. I watched a ton of different YouTube videos about the program, and I just tried to gather as much information as I could.

What advice would you give to those who are going to be participating in your role?
Since my role really wasn't the "typical" attractions role, just because you get chosen for Attractions you should keep an open mind. I honestly thought I was going to be placed at a ride. It could turn out to be anything!

What advice would you give to people who are interested in doing the DCP?
DO IT! YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT ONE BIT! I just finished up my program 2 weeks ago and it was the best thing I could've ever done for myself. I had the time of my life! I loved my job and I met some of the greatest people in the world who I know I'm going to stay in touch with forever. Don't believe everything you hear about people's negative experiences with the DCP. It's different for everyone but it's what you make of it. Sure, you might have your bad days at work, or just bad days in general. Everybody does. Don't let that ruin your attitude. It's seriously a once in a lifetime opportunity and Disney doesn't pick just anyone ;)

If you have any further questions, feel free to contact Erika through her blog, erika-in-wonderland!

If you're a current or past college program cast member and would like to share your experience, email your name and role to thedisneyden@yahoo.com to participate!

Have a magical day!

Interview a CP: Kaela (DisneyQuest)

Kaela (left) and her friend Nicole!

DisneyQuest is an entirely different kind of role for attractions! It's filled with four floors of unlimited interactive gaming and virtual experiences! I went once with Sara and my roommate who worked in the DisneyQuest food court. If you like video games, it's definitely fun to check out! Here's what Kaela had to say about her experience working there:

What role did you have during the DCP, and where did you work?
Attractions! I worked in Downtown Disney at DisneyQuest.

What was a typical day like at work?
A typical shift would start between 2 and 4pm til 10:30pm. I would get there, clock in, get my assignment and then head out on stage! There was a rotation at my job so you were never in a position too long, and I would spend the time either operating a ride or in a greeter position. 

Is this the role you originally wanted? If not, are you happy you got it?
It wasn't in my top 3 originally but I am really happy that I got it! It was super hands on and I had lots of guest interaction, and I really got to see firsthand how much fun they were having.

What are your favorite and least favorite parts about your job?
My favorite part was that I really really adored my coworkers and managers, and I got to interact with tons of people every day and really have an impact on their vacation.
My least favorite part was dealing with difficult guests...but there weren't too many of them that I had any serious problems!

Any specific magical moment you want to share?
My last week of work, we were at outside greeter and saw a little girl in a wheelchair dressed in her most beautiful Rapunzel dress. We talked to her mom and found out she was confined to her wheelchair. We talked to them for a while and omg this girl was so full of life and energy that we absolutely adored her. We decorated her chair with flowers and ribbons, calling it her "carriage", and made her a crown from maps! Her mom absolutely loved it and I felt like we really were able to make some magic for them.

What made you want to do the DCP?
Honestly, I applied on a whim! I wanted to take a break from school and it seemed fun. And now that

Kaela's last day of work with all her friends!

I've done it I am so happy I did!

Is there something you wish you would have known before doing your program?
I probably would have just read more about the program in general. I wish I would have known more about the rules and policies and things like that, because there was never a lot of clear answers on things like that, which is partially why I started my own blog to tell people what I wish I knew!

What advice would you give to those who are going to be participating in your role?
Attractions is soo much more than just "pressing buttons" to run rides! and get ready to adjust your sleeping schedule because you will alllllways work closing shifts! 

What advice would you give to people who are interested in doing the DCP?
DO IT. Seriously, this is the best experience I've ever had and I have not regretted it even once. I've met the best friends of my life and had sooo much fun doing it, but also grown up and learned a lot about myself. DO THE DCP!

If you have any questions for Kaela about her experience or her role in DisneyQuest, feel free to contact her through her blog, here!

If you're a current or past college program cast member and would like to share your experience, email your name and role to thedisneyden@yahoo.com to participate!

Have a magical day everyone! :)

Interview a CP: Gaby (Blizzard Beach QSFB)

Disney's Blizzard Beach water park! (Source)

Gaby participated in the Spring 2012 semester Disney College Program (a year before me). She actually was my go-to gal when I had questions regarding the program before I started mine!

What role did you have during the DCP, and where did you work?

I worked in Quick Service Food And Beverage. I originally started my program in Epcot and one and a half months in I switched to blizzard beach. I was at Blizzard Beach until mid April where I voluntarily pulled myself from the program for medical issues, that at that point had been going on for over a month. 

What was a typical day like at work?

At Epcot a typical day was counting inventory/money, watching the Jammin' Jammitors while selling ice cream and drinks and then recounting inventory/money. At Blizzard a typical day involved making food to order for a guest, and registering which I honestly enjoyed much more. (Blizzard in general) 

Is this the role you originally wanted? If not, are you happy you got it? 

I am happy I got this role even though I was hoping for a type of resort role. I made good friends while I was down there which was fun while it lasted. Only two I really stayed friends with. 

What are your favorite and least favorite parts about your job?

Favorite part was getting to see how happy little kids (and big kids) live out a dream and of course living it out myself since it had been 12 years since I had been at disney. Least favorite part was dealing with the rude guests who thought disney world was so magical that not a single mistake was allowed.

Any specific magical moment you want to share?

I helped little kids become a chef and make their own cookie once. It was fun!

What made you want to do the DCP?

I LOVE DISNEY!!!! Enough said.

Is there something you wish you would have known before doing your program?

How many hours they work you. At Epcot I was working 12 hour days, six days a week. Blizzard toned down a little bit, but it was A LOT of work. 

What advice would you give to those who are going to be participating in your role?

BRING YOUR OWN SUPPORTIVE NON SKID WHITE/BLACK SHOES.....again enough said. (Side note: I agree! The shoes they give you are SUPER uncomfortable!)

What advice would you give to people who are interested in doing the DCP?

Go for it!!!! It's a chance of a lifetime! But do be prepared for long hours!

Are you a current or past college program cast member and would like to share your experience? Email your name and role to thedisneyden@yahoo.com to participate!

Have a magical day everyone!

PI Spotlight: Conservation Education Presenter

Arielle at work in DAK!

 I've been sharing with you some interviews from the various roles students can have when working for the Disney College Program at either Disneyland or Walt Disney World. Recently, Arielle became interested about participating in one of these, and I quickly found out that last semester (while I was doing my program) she was doing a Professional Internship with Disney in Animal Kingdom! PI's are kind of the next big step with the Disney company. They're highly competitive and range from a variety of careers such as engineering to marketing (what I want to do!). Arielle was nice enough to tell us about her PI experience this past Spring!

What role did you have during your PI, and where did you work?
My role was a Conservation Education Presenter, and I worked throughout Disney's Animal Kingdom.

What was a typical day like at work?
No day was ever like the one before! A typical day would usually include standing in the Oasis at park opening with a bug box containing some type of insect (madagascar hissing cockroaches, lubber grasshoppers, Antilles pink-toad tarantulas, and huntsman spiders, just to name a few). After that, we would rotate between working at animal positions and the six Kid's Discovery Clubs. At each position, we would teach guests about the animals in the area and talk to them about conservation efforts. The Kids Discovery Clubs have now been replaced with Wilderness Explorer stations. Some days I would work in Dinoland and Africa, other days I would work in Discovery Island and Asia, and other days I was all over the park!

Is this the role you originally wanted? If not, are you happy you got it?
I originally wanted a more backstage role within Animal Kingdom, but in the end I couldn't have asked for a better experience. The guest interaction and the look on the children's faces when they saw their favorite animal up close was something that I would never trade for a desk and a computer. 

What are your favorite and least favorite parts about your job?
My favorite parts were getting to hang out around animals every day and really getting to know them! My favorite was the American crocodile in Dinoland and the two anteaters in the Oasis! I learned their names, their habits, and was able to point out their favorite hiding spots to guests who couldn't see them (animals don't enjoy the hot sun either). I also loved connecting with my fellow interns. It sounds cheesy, but we really were like one big, dysfunctional family. My least favorite parts of the job was standing in the hot sun and the pouring rain some days, but even those days had its upsides, because animals love to play in the rain! I also did not enjoy when guests would lose items in an animal enclosure and I had to call for the keepers to retrieve it for them- so nerve-wracking!

Any specific magical moment you want to share?

Sharing fun facts to guests!

My favorite moment when I was working at the kid's Discovery Club in Dinoland. In that activity, kids have to put together dinosaur fossils and then name the dinosaurs. Kids always guessed the T-Rex and the Triceratops, but had trouble guessing the other two (Edmontosaurus and Camarasaurus). Most of them usually just said duck-billed and long-neck dinosaur, but one day I met a quiet little boy who knew the scientific names of all four dinosaurs! It was the first time I had seen a kid answer correctly for each, and I was beyond impressed. So I asked for his autograph. The boy was beaming from ear to ear. Afterwords, the dad quietly told me that the boy was very smart, but had a hard time making friends at school. I still have that piece of paper with the autograph on it, and I hope that boy learned that knowledge is definitely something to be proud of. 

What made you want to do your PI?
I wanted to work at Disney because I grew up going to the parks, and I loved how no matter what I was going through at the time, all my worries just went away by being there. I wanted to make magic for others, and I wanted to make a difference in the world. If even one child took away a conservation message and decided to plant a tree, or grow up to work with animals, then I consider my time there successful. Most of the children were focused on running from ride to ride, but there were always those select few who really paid attention to what I was telling them, and it was for that reason that I continue to love and respect Disney as a magical place. 

Is there something you wish you would have known before doing your internship?
I wish I would have known just how exhausting it would be. Animal Kingdom is the biggest park, but most people only stick to one area (such as a store or a ride). Since I worked all over the park, I was constantly running to my next location. I was also constantly sweating and chugging my water bottle every chance I got. Every day after I got home from work, I jumped in the shower and just stood there with my eyes closed. On the bright side though, I got a great night's sleep every night and by the end of the program, was definitely in good shape.

What advice would you give to those who are going to be participating in your role?
I would tell others interested in this role to show enthusiasm for working with guests and animals. Even if you don't know everything about animals and biology (I certainly didn't), make sure to let recruiters know that you are passionate about Disney and inspiring others. Also, be prepared to work with a big team and be willing to work in exposure to the elements.

What advice would you give to people who are interested in doing a PI?
If you are interested in a professional internship, doing the DCP first is a great start! I was a rare case in that I got accepted for a PI without doing a CP, but I believe that is really rare. Most of the other interns in my group were former CP's. Definitely work hard in school and get good grades, because the interviewers do look over your transcripts. But above everything else, passion for the company and a willingness to learn new things are great traits to have while applying for any PI!

If you've participated in either the DCP or a PI and would like to be a part of these interviews, just email your name and your role to thedisneyden@yahoo.com for more information!

Have a wonderful day everyone!