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| Jeff hangin' with Mickey & the gang! |
Jeff runs a beautiful Disney photography blog on Tumblr, and he's also a really sweet and nice guy! I'm so happy he was able to take the time and share with you about his experience as a PhotoPass Photographer in Epcot the semester before my college program!
What role did you have
during the DCP, and where did you work?
During Fall Advantage 2012,
I was a PhotoPass Photographer at EPCOT!
What was a typical day like
at work?
I would start each day by
setting up all of my camera equipment. After getting my first assignment, I
would go onstage! One of the benefits to PhotoPass is having the chance to take
pictures in a few locations during each shift (unless you’re scheduled for
something otherwise). I was able to work with Characters and take pictures with
Icons (like Spaceship Earth in EPCOT) during a single shift! At the end of the
shift, I would head back to base, check my work schedule, and talk to my
coordinators and managers at base. It wasn’t very complicated really - I was
always put in areas with lots of guests so I had the chance to interact with
people from all over the world constantly!
Is this the role you
originally wanted? If not, are you happy you got it?
It was my second choice
behind being a Character Attendant. I’m very happy that I got the chance to be
in PhotoPass ‘cuz it’s a mixture of everything in Entertainment!
What are your favorite and
least favorite parts about your job?
Being a part of the Disney
Entertainment family was the best! There’s nothing better than getting to
capture magical moments for all of the guests in the Parks & getting to
hang out with the characters at work! Taking pictures of proposals is one of
the most memorable experiences as well and I was lucky to capture four of
them!
It’s very hard physically
and emotionally to be a Cast Member sometimes. Carrying 10 lbs. of electronics
can be tiring after awhile if you don’t exercise and stay healthy. Closing
shifts and longer shifts can be rough at times.
Any specific magical moment
you want to share?
One of the most magical
moments of my time in the DCP happened at the entrance of EPCOT. I was taking
pictures of the guests with Spaceship Earth in the background. I watched a
large family with “Make A Wish” shirts come through the turnstiles and smiled
and waved to them. They approached me with their PhotoPass card out and
assembled near the flowers. There was a young princess in a wheelchair whose
wish had come true to go to Walt Disney World with her entire family (who were
the most kind, funny, courteous and gracious people I’ve met). She couldn’t
speak due to her condition but it was impossible not to see the sun shine
through her ear-to-ear smile!
I took a ton of pictures
with the whole family! I took the normal family pictures then asked if we could
have some fun with it. We took ones with hugs, funny faces, superhero poses,
princess poses and so much more. They were laughing and having the best time
and that made my heart soar.
I turned to the young
princess in the wheelchair and asked if she wanted to take some very special
magical pictures, to which she smiled even bigger and nodded. I told her
Tinkerbell was flying around and she would join us for some pictures. We took some
pictures with her and the young princess couldn’t stop smiling.
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| Jeff and the Great Goofini! |
When we were done and ready
to part ways, the mother came up to me and thanked me by name for making the
beginning of their day magical. She also pointed out to me that her daughter,
the young princess, was saying that she loved me in Sign Language. It broke my
heart in the best way ‘cuz I was able to help that family and that young
princess start the day on a good note that would only get better. They left
smiling and waving to me and the young princess smiled at me until they passed
out of sight.
That moment in time will
always have a special place in my heart.
What made you want to do
the DCP?
I’ve always wanted to work
for Disney. One of my best friends had applied for the DCP before and that got
me interested! I was tired of being in school so I wanted to try working in my
dream job while taking some time off of classes!
Is there something you wish
you would have known before doing your program?
I wish I had known not to
bring so many things for downtime in my apartment. I brought quite a few things
with me from California to Florida and barely used them! I was out in the parks
and hanging out with people most of the time!
What advice would you give
to those who are going to be participating in your role?
You have the chance to help
people capture the magic of their time in the parks! You get to hang out with
characters like Mickey! You can work in a lot of different places in the
resorts! Make the most of your time in this role. It is very rewarding on every
level. You’ll be able to incorporate your skills in the Arts and many other
areas. Have fun and make every moment magical for those around you!
What advice would you give
to people who are interested in doing the DCP?
Be honest with yourself! If
you’re trying to be a part of the DCP, you should be very honest with yourself
and the Disney CM’s who interview you about your strengths, weaknesses,
abilities, experience and desires for the program. If you go into the program
with weak or false intentions, you will be crushed by the pressure of working
in the Disney Parks. If you’re honest (while trying to make a good impression),
they’ll recognize that and you’ll enjoy your time in the DCP so much more! Just
stay open to the countless opportunities to grow while you’re going through the
entire experience ‘cuz it’s something you will never forget!
If you want to get in touch
with me to talk about the DCP or being a part of PhotoPass/Entertainment, you
can reach me at any of these places:
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!
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