So I should start off this blog post by telling you that I’m finally home! I flew in a couple of days ago, and one of the first things on my to do list was to completely update this blog. I went through and corrected all of those terrible spelling mistakes (so much easier on my Dad’s laptop than it is on my tablet) and added some photos and tried to expand on some of my paragraphs a bit. Most of the time I wrote my blog when I had a rare spare hour. This should give you an indication of how busy life can be on the CRP programme. For one thing I noticed my posts became less and less frequent as the year passed, but I tried to keep them as detailed as possible so it would still be in some way helpful to anyone thinking of applying to the programme. It’s been over two months since my last update, and it has been the busiest and best part of the programme. Because so much has happened, I am splitting it into sections so not all the events run entirely chronologically, however it will make a lot more sense to read than if I listed every little thing in the order it happened.
Work
If there’s anyone wondering why I only got back a few days ago when I was due to finish my contract at the end of October, it was because I got a 4 week extension. I was incredibly happy to receive my extension as it meant that I had another four weeks to earn some money and also to finish off doing the things I wanted to do- be it my staycations, new restaurants or any day trips. It also gave me more time to spend with my friends, and was particularly lovely when it gave me the chance to better get to know people that arrived very late in my programme that I may barely have spoken to if I had left earlier.
When you are due to leave you need to send in your flight details to housing as proof that you are leaving the country to get your travel allowance. But my work location kept saying that they wasn’t sure if I was getting an extension or not, which left me in a potentially tricky situation with housing. If I didn’t get an extension, I would have missed the deadline for my travel allowance reminder. Luckily however I did get the extension, and shortly after I booked my flight home and let housing know. Although I had been unlucky with timings in regards to not getting into service until later, my date did mean that I had a good chance of getting an extension in case they needed more staff over the busy food and wine period.
For the last two months of my programme Epcot hosted the International Food and Wine Festival, where there are over 20 temporary outside cooking stations set up representing countries from all over the world. The idea is that there are cheaper ( though still comparatively expensive- it is Disney after all) small portions which enable you to try different types of food without the expense of a full sit down meal in just one country. It does create a great atmosphere in the parks and attendance soars- other than Christmas and New year it is our busiest time, which means that its generally a good time to be a server as you get lots of guests coming through, and a surprising amount still want a full meal despite the tastings they’ve had all day. There’s a big focus on alcohol, which can be good and bad. I found more guests drinking than ever, and a wider variety of drinks, all of which up your tip average. However, the downside to this is that there were lots of drunken people around the park. We’re not supposed to serve people over a certain alcohol limit, but people will always find a way to be served and we had lots of rowdy drinking groups. Very few did anything particularity bad, but even so most of the large groups were loud, chanted, swore and stumbled around, completely oblivious to the fact that they were still in a family friendly park with kids around. On the whole though it was kept under control and I was lucky in that I didn’t have any awkward situations to face- although a number of my friends had to refuse alcohol service to some which is uncomfortable for all involved!
One of this things I enjoy about work is the culture amongst ourselves with food. That sounds like such a fatty thing to say, but oh well. On a regular basis if someone was hungover, running late, or simply fancied it, we would organise a taxi that stopped off at panera bread, the local coffee shop for food. It was always a good chance to catch up with people and have a laugh, and incredibly useful if you were hungover and couldn’t face the transtar cast buses! After work on a pm there were regular meals as well. Lots of people, myself included, find it difficult to work a grocery shop into our dchedules and we found it much easier to pop to a restaurant after work for food- somewhere like TGIs, BJs or Applebees were popular choices though we occasionally varied it a bit. Before this programme I could never have imagined having a full sit down meal at 11:30 at night but some of the best nights of the programme were these meals- they were so easy to organise as you just asked around people who were working, and it meant that you had chance to socialise with people that you may not have any days off with.
As I just mentioned it was often difficult to get time off with certain people. This was compounded because for a large part of my programme we have been understaffed, and for months on end we were on permanent 6 day weeks. Quite often on our days off we were already exhausted from working 6 days and usually several mids, and then had to choose between doing useful things and socialising. I found the balance quite difficult. For the last 4 months (or even more) of my programme I didn’t do any grocery shopping as I found it much more convenient to either eat out or not eat. Being in service does give you that luxury. One thing to note though is that people were excellent with picking up or swapping shifts. It was hard to take shifts when we were already on 6 days, but if someone was desperate then someone always offered to help. As much as we could we also communicated amongst ourselves to swap shifts so that we had more mid shifts, but put us back on 5 days. This was good, but mid shifts are also tiring as they are often 10-12 hour days, depending on what time you had to start and which section you had at the end. To be fair, a mid shift would have sounded like hell to me before the programme, but I can honestly say that because the work itself is so good and so fast paced it goes pretty quickly- you just feel it afterwards!
I was also incredibly happy to be made a trainer in service. Bit of a white lie- when I got my first service training shift I was terrified. I felt like it was a lot of responsibility- more than podium or food running- and was nervous about it. But after my first shift I discovered I loved it. It gave me a lot of pride when I saw my trainees succed at their jobs- I was fortunate that everyone I trained I liked and expected them to be good from seeing them work in other areas, but I was still happy to be a part of their training experience. For anyone that is thinking about training but is nervous, I’d honestly say just go for it- you’ll probably enjoy it more than you think!
One of my shifts was livened up considerably one day when a gentleman proposed at my table! He’d told the podium at check in who in turn had informed me, and after seating he came up and gave me (yes–me!!) the ring and asked me to bring it to the table with the meal. It was so cute as he looked like he was bricking it, but she said yes!
As I mentioned before I really did enjoy my job. Although there was the occasional day when I would come into work not feeling it, usually I was cheered up the end of my shift. I loved everyone I worked with and I loved talking to my guests. The more experience I gained the better I got as a server, which meant that I was able to hold decent conversations with guests even when I was really busy. I also felt like I got lots of recognition from guests. Lots of guests would write notes on receipts or even leave me little cards in the checkpads at the end of the meal thanking me for my service. I had several people ask to speak to a manager to say good things of me, asking for me when they returned to the restaurant, I had some write four keys card for me. My proudest moment was receiving an applause-o-gram, which means they’ve gone to guest services specifically to give you recognition for outstanding guest service. These were all things that made me feel valued in the workplace, more so than my managers who I felt didn’t particularly care about us- probably because they know we are temporary workers and will be gone soon enough. But when I had a good guest interaction I didn’t care about that as it was them that made work worth it- I even had several more guests give me their email addresses and ask me to stay with them!
The most surreal thing I found at work at the end was Bonfire night (or Guy Fawkes Day as they call it over there). My very first day in the Rose and Crown was on Bonfire night last year, and they had a little celebration backstage with food and gave out pins and stuff. They did the same again this year, and looking around and seeing the set up the same, but with an entirely new cast was so strange. For the last 6 weeks of my programme I was the most senior, as there was no one else in my arrival group left and everyone that had previously been more senior had left. It got me thinking about how much has changed over the last year. Was quite emotional actually! It really hit me then that I was about to leave.
Day to Day Fun
I tried to fill every day with as much fun as possible to make the most of being here, even if they were only little things like going to the Outlets, or chilling at someone’s flat watching films. One memorable night was when we went back to hoop de do revue for food. It’s dinner and a show, and so much fun- especially as included in the price you get unlimited Sangria, which of course we took full advantage of, before an evening of car bombs in Raglan and then HOB. Such a good night, and one where I spoke to a few people who were pretty new who I became good friends with in my last month or so. Another lovely meal was when we went to the melting pot on international drive as a goodbye meal to those who arrived in September but received a programme extension. Its a really cool place, where you start with a bowl of melted cheese to start and dip things in, and then a bowl of broth on which you dip in and cook your meat, potatoes and vegetables at the table, then followed by a chocolate fondue. Would definitely recommend!
Another thing to recommend is to do a prop picture. Sammy organised one on the Tower of Terror, and the concept is basically instead of just screaming like how people usually do in ride photos, you do something comedic, usually involving props. This was our result…
I’m the one having a shower with a cap on. It took a fair bit of organising but we were all really pleased with the result.
Speaking of Disney rides, there was a sad sad day when they closed Maelstrom, the ride in Norway, because they were closing it down to remodel it as a Frozen themed ride in Arandelle. There was quite a lot of discontent regarding this. A lot of people feel like the World Showcase is there to act as a reasonably authentic representation of the countries that are there. So even though they can be stereotypical and commercial, they do at least endeavour to show some sort of truth regarding that country. However, they are now replacing a ride based off a real land with a fictional one, which many people dislike. Some Norwegians even told me that guest genuinely get confused, thinking Arandelle is real and not knowing that Norway is actually real. I know it sounds crazy, but from some of the guests I encountered its not wholly surprising, just a little shocking and sad that people are that uneducated. Some of the questions I got asked at work…but I wont go into that here! You could write an entirely new blog on dumb things guests say!
I had one more concert while I was in Orlando- it was Steel Panther (who I’ve seen several times at home and are amazing) and Judas Priest, who I have always wanted to see. It was again at the Hard Rock Cafe in Universal, and it was as incredible as I expected.
In the last week as well I stayed in pop century and Port Orleans French Quarter, meaning that I had stayed in every resort on property! I was so pleased to achieve this and it’s been something that I’ve really enjoyed. I love seeing all of the different resorts and types of rooms available, and I now consider myself something of an expert at them!
One last thing was that I had the opportunity to go to an NFL game! It was something I’ve always kind of wanted to do, and Disney housing put on an event which included tickets and transportation down there. We watched the home team- Tampa Bay Buccaneers- play the Atlanta Falcons, and it was a really good game. I got far too excited and spent loads of money on merchandise but it was such a good day I think it was worth it, even if we did lose 🙂
So that’s everything worth mentioning, but of course it only just scratches the surface. The social life out here really is great. There’s always someone available to do something with-big or small- and its these moments which made me realise why I came here. It’s funny, you have an idea of what you want life to be like out here- you want it to be a shiny perfect bubble. Well it’s not perfect- there are problems, whether it’s with work, or hosuing, but on the whole the reality of actually living this life is so much sweeter than I imagines.
Trips
I thought I’d designate a separate paragraph for the trips- mainly because there have been so many of them!
One of the biggest trips I did was the Disney Wonder Cruise. Before I came out to America, the trips I had planned in my head were places like Las Vegas and New York. But I realised some time through that I can visit those places any time for the same sort of price, and upon other peoples recommendations I changed to wanting to do a Disney cruise and Disneyland California. So me Will and Ashleigh booked a cruise for a few days after Will’s programme ended. And we chose well- we did a six night Western Caribbean Cruise! We get amazing discounts as Disney cast members and it was too good an opportunity to pass up. The itinerary was incredible- the Cayman Islands, Mexico and Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island, with two at sea days. The ship departed from Miami and was the Wonder ship- it was so luxurious. The food was good and it was glorious to spend time relaxing and being a tourist. In Grand Caymn we got off the ship and found a tour operator at port, which was cheaper than pre booking one through Disney and was much better value. In Mexico we prebooked a caving excursion which is in one of the top five experiences of my life. We went into an underground cave that was only recently discovered, and when we sat down and turned off our headlamps you could see nothing at all- it was total darkness. Incredible. In Castaway Cay we wondered off the ship and did a 5 km run in the morning, and explored the island the rest of the day. I also had an amazing massage- they’re really expensive but Will had won a gift voucher and gave it to me as he doesn’t really like the spa. We also ate in the fine dining restaurant- all food on the cruise is included apart from this place called Palo, which is $25. It may seem like an unnecessary extra, but I can honestly say it was 100% worth it-both the food and service was the best I have ever received in my life.I was so sad when the trip was over- it had been 7 days of pure luxury and relaxation, and I think every CRP should try and do one.
On the way back from Miami I got insured on the car and drove part of the way back. I’d done this before a few times in the last few months, but never had the confidence to do it for an extended amount of time. However, Miami seemed to be the catalyst to change that as I felt fine by the end of the drive.
So much so, that soon I booked a car and drove myself and a few friends to Clearwater beach for the day. It was a very pretty beach, but the thing I enjoyed most was simply being with my friends outside of Disney! I also drove to Anna Mara Island another day, which is absolutely gorgeous. All of the houses are pastel coloured, and while it caters to tourists its not a massively touristy area which is very refreshing. Me Roisin and Roseanna also took advantage of having the same days off and organised an overnight trip to St Augustine, which is about a two hour drive away. It’s the oldest town in America, founded with the original Spanish settlers. Because of this it’s got more history than anywhere I’ve seen in America before. It was an incredibly charming and historic place- so much so that we spontaneously decided to stay an extra night! Oh Florida life…
All these trips were made possible because we were, after months and months, finally taken off six day weeks. It was great timing for me, as it coincided with my extension so I actually had the opportunity to travel while I was still working- something that had been very difficult before.
And the final trip I did was also one of the best- Disneyland California! The week before we left was scary as none of my vacation time had been approved, and I had 5 shifts that needed to be picked up. A lot of the time people would call in personal for a day or two for vacations- it was generally accepted, and fine as long as you didn’t call in sick becasue that was actually lying. However, my manager was really strict with me and hinted at serious repercussions if I called in- even though people do it at the time. It was because one shift that was getting covered for the cruise didn’t go through properly, so it looked like I just didn’t call in for my shift, even though I had spoken to someone about it to ensure it went through. It was really upsetting for me at the time, as I really had tried to make sure everything was set for me leaving, and then it turned out that it hadn’t been sorted. I know it probably could have been sorted, and would have been if I was more friendly with the manager, which left me upset. I just decided to not let it upset me, but it did make me worry for California. However, I was overwhelmed with gratitude when different people offered to pick up my shifts, and within 12 hours it was all sorted. I couldn’t believe how helpful people were. It meant so much that they was willing to help me out and it meant that I could go on a trip that turned out to be so incredibly special. I was a bit paranoid and kept checking my email and schedule to make sure that nothing changed last minute again, but luckily everything went smoothly.
The trip itself was amazing. The first day we did LA and the Hollywood walk of fame, a few museums and the sign, and the rest of the time we spent in Disneyland. And I must say Disneyland is so much more charming than Disney world. Because it’s older, it has a lot more charm and it much less commercialised. It was weird being in a Disney that we didn’t recognise, but we all had a great time. We stayed in the Disneyland hotel which to me is everytjing a Disney resort should be- its classy but has those little touches of Disney that make it magical. I actually had an extra night there because I mistakenly booked a flight for a day later than the others, which meant I got more time to explore and got to see the night time show, World of Color, again!
Last Week
So, as to how my last week went. It was very surreal. I wasn’t looking forward to it at all, but as soon as it hit my last week I couldn’t wait to be back. It wasn’t that I wanted to leave exactly, I was just looking forward to seeing my family and friends ( and most importantly, pets) again. Another thing was that much as I like my job, and my social life and all the things that my programme offered, I knew I could never be 100% happy because I feel the work environment could be much improved. Disney as a company are great, but in my location I felt by and largely uncared for and let down at certain points, for several reasons. I could ignore it for 13 months, but I know that I could never stay in a work location for any longer unless I was truly happy with everything.
My last shift felt exceedingly ordinary actually-nothing much out of the ordinary. The only difference was that I finally received my year pin. Most CRP’s technically finish their programme a week and a half or so before their year anniversary and so don’t receive the pin. However, one thing that was fortunate about my arrival date meant that there was always a good chance of me getting an extension which meant I could get it! And it was beautiful-my managers had completely forgotten to put it through, so when I reminded them it only gave them enough time for me to get it to wear it for one day instead of a few weeks. But I was so proud to wear it and felt very lucky that I had a chance to earn it.
After my last shift I tied up a few loose ends with regards to costuming and my bank, and then met some of my friends for a final dinner in the Rose and Crown (where else) to have a magical star cocktail- mine and Sammy’s favourite. It was also my last day in Epcot so I did a few rides, and then we watched illuminations, throwing my work shoes in the lake afterwards as per tradition.
Clocking Out for the last time
On my last full day not working, I hit up animal kingdom, hollwood studios and magic kingdom for the last time. As soon as I left work, an entire weight had lifted off my shoulders, and the parks were magical in a way that they haven’t been for months. I got some pictures and went on all my favourite rides- Annie and Chloe even made the effort to see me for a short while before dashing off to work, an effort which I really appreciated. Later on loads of other people who weren’t working met me in the contemporary. I was staying in a deluxe studio for my last night, as a treat for being my last staycation. The room was gorgeous with a lovely view of the lake, and when everyone arrived I was so touched. We watched Christmas Wishes and Celebrate the Magic from the balcony. They were the only shows that never ever lost their magic, and to see them for the last time was very sad. But I knew it was time to be moving on, planning for my next adventure.
So to conclude this very very long essay, the flight was home and I am safely back in chilly England. It really has been the most incredible experience- I’ve learned more than I ever thought I would and had more fun than I could have imagined. I would recommend the programme to anyone. Like I mentioned before, it’s not squeaky clean, so don’t come with the expectation that everything is going to be perfect. It’s not perfect. But it is a wonderful, life changing adventure.
Emma's Disney Blog 