Living and Learning in Disney

Apologies for taking so long to update this. Quite a lot has happened in the last few weeks which is why I’ve been rubbish at taking the time to write it all down, but it has been yet another fantastic month!

I finally got around to posting my family’s Christmas presents home. I felt terrible for not sending them back in December but there was just no time before. I got on the bus to the post office, and let me tell you it is a bit of a trek. Early in the morning there is only one of these buses an hour, which means that once you get off you have to wait there for an hour before you can get picked up. This didn’t work too badly for me as I had loads to sort out, but it does mean that with a long journey there and a long journey back its a good few hours of your day. It felt so nice to be sending packages home, but its certainly not something i’ll be making a habit of as it was really expensive! As a one off though I didn’t mind. I tied the trip into my grocery shop as well, as the bus also goes past Publix and getting the bus means I could buy heavier stuff without having to walk home.

This last month has also seen the start of me getting back into academia, which the geek in me has found pretty exciting. A lot of people who live in the housing complexes are domestic students who are here on college programmes, and Disney offer courses on different topics which they can use towards collage credit. Being a graduate and a CRP, I don’t need to take any courses, but I wanted to take advantage of learning as much as I can from Disney, so I signed up anyway. It was $9.99 for an 11 week course which I thought was great value, and its 4 hours teaching time a week, plus we had to buy a textbook (I paid $60 for a kindle version) to read and we are expected to do assignments and quizzes most weeks.  I’m studying Human Resource Management, which is a topic I’ve always been interested in but never explored properly, and I thought this would be a good introduction course. I’ve had two weeks of classes and it seems very good so far. I like the instructor and a lot of the people in my class are nice, though at the moment everything covered has actually been quite basic.  I’m hoping it will get a bit more challenging so that I feel like I’m using my time effectively, as having to be in available and in Orlando every class day makes future travel harder, and also swapping shifts is harder as I now can’t swap my Tuesday like I could before because of class. But I am hoping it will be worth it. I believe these new courses are offered 3-4 times a year, so if they are good I would do another one to expand my knowledge base, as there are quite a few topics to choose from.

Disney also offer an exploration series, which is an 8 week seminar course where you learn how Disney specifically handles different areas of business. These courses are only 2 hours a week and require no homework, so instead of a proper certificate you get a certificate of attendance. I’m doing Cast engagement, which is pretty similar to my other course so I thought they would complement each other well. The two sessions I’ve attended in this course have been excellent, even though it’s a 8:30 on a Monday morning! Both classes require business casual dress, which is doable for me but because I had limited room in my suitcase I only bought a few dresses as I didn’t expect to have to dress smartly all that much, and I don’t want to spend money on more clothes that I’ll only need a few hours a week- so if you’re coming out and want to do a course that may be something to consider.

Disney education resources are pretty great to be fair. In each housing there is a computer labs where you can use computers for free, and in vista way there is the learning centre, where they have people available to help if you are struggling signing up to something online or if you need any more information.  They actually helped me to sign up to another series of seminars on generic business skills like speaking in public and interview skills. I’ve been to the one on resume writing, which was probably the best class of its kind that I’ve been to- full of useful and practical knowledge and delivered by a great speaker, so these are definitely going to be worth going to. The learning centre also has a writing lab, where you can get your work checked over for free if you make an appointment. I got my first assignment checked over, as I know that Americans have different rules for grammar and spelling, and the referencing system is also different so I wanted a bit of help with that, and again the girl who helped me was fantastic, so i’ll probably use the service again.  It’s so nice, as I do miss the university environment and I feel like I’m getting that back, without it being over whelming like my last few months at university were!

I did go to a talk on Professional Internships, mainly out of curiosity. Even though after this year I know I’m not going to be ready to settle down into a career, I did start to think that in a few years time if I do want to settle down Disney would be the place I could see myself, as I love the work culture here. However, Disney very very rarely will take anyone into management if they are not a domestic because it involves sponsoring visas, which means my chances of me getting a career in the Walt Disney World are pretty slim.  I was a bit sad at first, but I guess its a good thing I know what my options really are this early on, and I can concentrate on the options that are open- apparently good steps for internationals to take are in the Cruise Line and in Adventures by Disney, so maybe in a few years time I may look at those options. It’s really great to have so much information readily available, which is why I really do love working for Disney.

So other fun things that have happened recently…. I saw Disclosure at the House of Blues, who were AMAZING. I usually see rock bands live, so I wasn’t sure how this sort of music was going to translate to an in concert experience, but they put on an amazing show and I had so much fun! HOB is a great concert venue, so from now on I’m going to keep my eye on upcoming events and try and go again.

I’ve also tried to continue going to the parks before work to make the most of my days when I’m not working until the afternoon. I’ve been to Hollywood Studios quite a few times with my friend Amy, because we both really love the animation classes, there, where animators teach you how to draw characters. Over the rest of my programme I’m going to try and draw as many of the characters as possible- I’ve heard that there are well over 50 so I won’t be able to do them all, but i’ll do what I can! It’s a really wonderful free activity to do before work and it’s nice knowing someone that is as into it as I am! And the drawings are going to be nice to take home, because they’ll be something I’ve spent time on doing and collecting, so it’s a bit more special than stuff I’ve just bought.

I still feel like I haven’t seen enough resorts, which is something I need to change. I did briefly visit the Grand Floridian last week with my German friend Michelle, who I love but don’t get to see all that much because of different work schedules. We went for lunch in one of the cafés which was quite simply stunning- beautifully decorated, wonderfully friendly staff and fantastic food- I tried the French onion soup to start and then had a steak and lobster burger which was incredible. Best part of the meal was that because we were cast members they had a special offer where we got 40% off, so even with tax and tip it didn’t work out too expensive at all. I had to go to work after lunch so I didn’t get to explore the resort as much as I’d like, but just seeing the little area that I did made me fall in love with the place, and I can’t wait to go back properly!

I also spent a few hours in Fort Wilderness, another of the deluxe resorts. It was Connors birthday, so he rented a cabin for a night and a bunch of us went to visit and have a few drinks. Me and Kim went up together early in the evening and spent  good few hours there having a good laugh-we did nearly get lost though because that resort is humongous, but it’s really cool and the theming makes you feel like you are somewhere else entirely. I’d certainly love to rent a cabin again, but probably with fewer people and a lot less alcohol as I think it got a little rowdier after we left early in the morning, and you have to be careful with how much noise you make, as it is a family resort after all!

I also took a mini trip out of Orlando- there was a groupon voucher online to swim with manatees in crystal river, which is a few hours North West of Orlando, so I went with. Few friends who live downtown. It was so much fun, even though it was pretty cold, it was worth it once you got into the water, and you completely forgot about the temperature. Manatees are more common at this time of year where the come to rest in the springs, so we were promised a good experience, which turned out to be entirely true! As we left the boat and started snorkelling up river, I looked down… and saw 3 manatees almost directly beneath me! And It carried on from there: there must have been dozens in the spring that we visited, including really large ones and a few smaller ones. You’re not allowed to swim directly above them and I tried to adhere to that rule as much as I could, but there would be so many moving around that sometimes you felt like you had nowhere else to go! They were real beautiful and gentle creatures, and not fazed at all by us lot swimming around them, in fact some were quite curious. I’d recommend anyone to do it if they get the chance, especially as it’s a way to interact with wild creatures that doesn’t cause any harm: they’re very strict on how you interact with the manatees to protect them, and once you’ve swam out of the spring there’s no mark that you were there as you don’t leave any litter behind.

After that we drive back to Orlando and had a quick nap because we’d been up so early in the morning, before heading out to a craft beer festival. This was where you bought a ticket that allowed you to go to around a dozen bars and sample different types of beer. We met up with a bunch more people I’d never met, and it was strange hanging around with people who lived in Orlando but who had nothing to do with Disney- quite refreshing actually, even though I’m a Disney geek myself. We walked through downtown for a few hours going to all the different bars, though it was probably more stumbling towards the end of the evening. It was so great to do something a bit different, and it made me like downtown Orlando more than I had previously.

Final exciting thing is that my Dad has booked his flights to come see me! He’s going to here for 10 days over Whitson week, which is fantastic as that’s where my birthday falls. I’m in charge of booking hotels and sorting out a vague plan for when he comes which will be very exciting. I can’t bloody wait til he comes out here- I feel as close to him as I always have despite living so far away, but its still hard not being with him as often as I would like so I’m really pleased that he’s able to come visit.

So that’s what’s been happening recently, quite a lot I know! Accounts for why I’m so tired right now anyway! Will update soon…

Lots of love xxxxxxxxxx

Miami, Christmas and the New Year!

Wow, what a time it had been recently! I feel like so much has happened since I last updated this blog!

The first big thing that happened is that I took my first trip outside of Orlando- to Miami no less! I was chatting to Tom about travelling saying that there were so many places I wanted to go that I didn’t even really know where to start, and he asked if I wanted to go with him and Ashleigh, a lovely south African girl from our arrival group to Miami for a few days. We all had the Wednesday off, and him and Ashleigh had Thursday off also- I had the Tuesday off instead, but luckily Sammy wanted to swap so we did that and it meant I could go!

On the Wednesday we got up super early and got the bus into the dolphin resort, where we picked up our car, as Tom drives. We took the toll road down as it was the quickest way, even though it cost us like an extra $20, but it did mean that we got there in just over 4 hours. Tom and Ashleigh had found a backpackers hostel right on South Beach which was just over $22 a night which I thought was pretty sweet- there was a big parking lot nearby for us to use ans it was only a few minutes walk from the beach-and what a beach! It was absolutely beautiful, and even though it was December it was still wonderfully hot and pretty busy. We had a walk up and down the beach and the over the front and had a little explore. The area has a lot of art deco buildings as it was that period that Miami seemed to get its big boom, and it was incredibly beautiful. It looked just like what I imagined it to look like but more so- the art deco buildings, neon lights and palm trees. That night we headed to a sushi restaurant and had another wander through town.

The next day we agreed we didn’t want to spend only at the beach, so we got the bus downtown, and then walked for ages in search of an area called Wynnewood. We must have walked for about an hour and a half and went through some really dodgy areas that made me glad that it was the daytime- at one point we had to walk over train tracks and I honestly wondered if it would be worth it…but it so was. So Wynnewood was this really poor area in Miami (hence the scary outskirts) and all of these graffiti artists suddenly started to decorate the area. But not just a few graffiti tags-the covered entire walls and streets with massive art works that all try to make some sort of statement. Some of them were really breathtaking, and in fact there was a little gallery and bar set up for tourists like us. So we got to chat to someone about the history of the place and then have a drink and a bite to eat. It was definitely worth seeing and would tell everyone to see it if they get the chance.

 

After we went back downtown and got a bus into an area know as little Havana  this is where lots of Cuban immigrants came in the 60s after all the troubles in Cuba to settle and make a new home, and the area is indeed its own little community.  there were loads of cigar she, coffee shops and everything seemed to be in Spanish  we stopped and had a cup of coffee in this little corner shop which was actually a gorgeous cup of coffee, and just as we decided to have a mojito we were joined by a fellow traveller also having a wander around, who turned out to be in the wine business, so we had a good chat with him. The whole experience of being in a hostel, travelling and good conversations with strangers kind of reminded me of being a backpacker, and made me miss it so much! Just before it got dark we headed back and then had a great Mexican dinner on the historic Spanish street in south beach.  The whole trip was different to how I imagined a weekend in Miami would be-I guess I imagined more partying and shopping etc, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way as I had such a fantastic time.

We got up early again on the Friday as I had a safety training class  1:45. The journey was fine but the closer it got the more nervous I was that I would be late- Tom dropped me off in the guest car park and I ran through backstage and just about clocked in right on the dot! Best timing ever for sure.

On the 23rd I was sitting in the break room on lunch when Sarah came in for hers as well, and had the bright idea that we book a hotel for Christmas eve night, so that night we booked into all star movies. We both had Christmas eve off, so we checked into our hotel and then had a lovely afternoon in Epcot. I wasn’t feeling too well unfortunately as I was coming down with a cough that a few people at work had, so we didn’t stay too late, but instead headed back to the room and ate pizza and watched films! It was just what I needed actually, as the beds were so big and so comfy and as I don’t have a television it was a real treat to get to see a film.

The next morning, after a cracking nights sleep, we opened our presents, I had a secret Santa gift filled with chocolate and green tea (they chose well!) and a box of gifts from my dad. He’d chosen really thoughtful presents and they all meant a lot to me, as it just shows he knows me so well. It was more emotional than I was expecting it to be, but I just had to not let if get to me as I was working that day. I was actually scheduled to have Christmas day off, but I really wanted the experience of working Christmas so I took Maireads shift as she had flown home to surprise her family. Work itself was strange, as a lot of guests were actually in a bit of a bad mood and I think quite a few staff members were withdrawn because they missed home. But overall it was worth it, especially a few families who were so grateful we were working so that they could enjoy their Christmas! Another lovely present I had was from Anna- she had written me something called a four keys card.  In Disney there are four ‘keys’ to being a good cast member- safety, courtesy, show and efficiency, and these cards are written when you are recognised as doing one or more of these well.  I was so grateful for it, as merchandise people seem to hand them out quiet regularly, but they don’t seem so common in food and beverage, and it was sweet to feel like someone had taken the time to write one for me and it was nice to be recognised for working hard. After that I resolved to start handing them out myself to anyone that I saw being a good cast member. I also got one on Christmas day from a random member of staff after I fixed a rope that was a potential trip hazard, which was nice but pretty random.

A few days after Christmas I was randomly talking to a guest while stocking the condiment bar in chippie, and she said that her mother had fallen over on her way to Epcot and was in hospital for surgery, but had made her daughter and grandkids go into Epcot so as to not spoil their day. Poor thing seemed pretty stunned, so I told her to wait at her table for a few minutes and rushed into the Toy Soldier shop, and asked Danielle and Alex for some help to help her feel better. so we gave her a Winnie the pooh plush toy to give to her mother in hospital and wrapped its arm in a bandage, telling her that it wasn’t to be removed until her mothers arm was better. She was so happy and grateful, and I felt like I had really made a difference to her day. It was exactly this sort of thing that made me want to work for Disney, and I even got recognised yet again with a four keys card!

So in terms of me giving them out myself, I gave one to a girl who worked on Mission: Space, because she was wonderful with this young girl who was crying because she was so scared, and really took time to comfort her and make her feel better. Then on NYE (more on NYE in a moment) I had ordered a chocolate milkshake with my drink, but when I got to the counter they had ran out, and the girl who served me was so helpful about it, offering me any alternative (even more expensive things) and a desert to make up for it so I gave her one as well, and she was so happy for it I was glad I had taken 2 minutes to write one for her.

In other news, I had my first solo stocker shift on the 30th. I was nervous about it but Tom and Natalie gave me some help with it which was really appreciated, and overall it went pretty well-generally I managed to keep on top of things even though I obviously was nowhere near as good as Connor or Mark, who nearly always do it, but now that I’ve done a shift on my own hopefully I can start getting better at doing it. Overall I’ve been working more than previously, as I’ve been asked or have asked myself to come in early a few times and for Christmas week and new years week I have worked 6 days, and several shifts have been between 8-12 hours, when before I often worked only 6. I’m pleased to have more hours, even though it can be tiring!

New years eve I worked from 9 in the morning until 9 at night which was crazy. It meant that me and will, one of the newbies, had to open chippie, even though neither of us had opened since training, which seemed like a flaw in the scheduling. It was easy to be honest though as it’s basically opposite to closing chippie which we do every night, even though there were a few changes because they were expecting it to be so busy, one example being that we weren’t to sell any hot drinks because comparatively they take too much time to make. We also had to create a que line that extended much, much further than usual, and we had to pre bag many more cookies than usual because we would sell so many. For the first 45 minutes after opening, I thought everyone had been over reacting… and then the crowds came. And came. And came. An hour after opening, we had a que for chippie 4 times longer than I had ever seen it before, and it stayed like that ALL THE TIME. Most of us were working today, but we needed it. I was chippie filling for 2 hours, but we had 5 people inside rather than the usual two, and even with all the extra man power we just kept everything running on time. I had my first break at 12 and then took position on chippie register, but I’m pretty sure that inside they had at least 5/6 people working, plus 3 instead of 2 chefs. There were also 2 chippie stockers all day, which is a position that usually only exists for one person for a few hours, and there were 2 people doing the rest of the stocking.  Instead of the usual one, there were up to 4 people on beer cart. Everyone had to work so hard all time  and within a few hours I’m pretty sure many people were starting to get tired, but I have to say I’m pretty proud of everyone because we managed to get through the day well without any major mishaps. There was a terrible moment when on register we were told not to sell any fizzy fountain drinks because the machine had broken, but it was soon fixed and then things carried on as before. And what really impressed me was that all the managers and coordinators got stuck right in, even doing stocking and chippie filling when needed. So even though I was bloody knackered by thru time my shift finished, I left happy. I bumped into Sarah from HRC on the way out, and we got some food at the American Adventure (where I gave out the aforementioned four keys card) and then got a space to watch the fireworks. It was incredible actually, as Epcot had had a showing of illuminations at about half 6, for those with young families that needed to get home early on.  They then showed illuminations again at half 11, finishing with the Christmas section for the last time. For the final 5 or so minutes before the next year was about to start, they listed in turn which countries had celebrated their new years at one time, listing them in order. So china and Japan had celebrated theirs first, so they had a mini firework display set of in turn behind each of their pavilions set to themed music. They did this for all the countries around the world showcase, and the fireworks for the UK was set to Rule Britannia, and was had red white and blue fireworks.  it was way more emotional that I thought it would be, especially because at 7 in the evening everyone had cheered for the UK and I had had to not let myself think about it too much because I didn’t want to get upset while I was working thinking about everyone back home. But watching the UK fireworks was incredible, and it made me so incredibly proud to be working in Disney. And the fireworks that went off at 00:00 were literally the best I have ever experienced, especially with the atmosphere of everyone there cheering and singing and hugging each other. I just couldn’t believe that I was ending one year and opening another in such a wonderful place with so many wonderful people, and it’s made me excited all over again for the time I have left on the programme.

So, happy new year everyone! I hope you all get what you dream for in the new year

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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• Miami, May 2012, just visited for the day, but completely worth it (funkyellasuk.wordpress.com)

No longer the newbie!

As of this week me and Tom are no longer the newbies at work! We’ve had another arrival group, which includes 3 people in food and beverage, so it’s another pretty small group. I first met them last Thursday for their throw in, and they all seem really lovely which is cool. But it was incredibly strange to see them in the some position that I was just a few weeks ago, and to know that they are at the very start of their Disney journey. Quite emotional actually! It’s also nice knowing that it’s getting closer and closer to the girls that I met in Manchester coming out. I don’t at all want to wish my programme away but I am really looking forward to them being here!

We had another Disney housing event as well late week- the Winter Formal. Disney hired out a couple of the Ball Rooms in the Contemporary Resort, and organised buses to take us there from housing, where they had food and a DJ and characters to meet! It was a wonderful event to be part of, because everyone dressed up lovely and it was great to see people making the effort. After a few of U went for some drinks in Applebee’s, and theonly downer on the night was that we wanted to get into Vista only so we could get the bus home, but you’re not allowed in any of the complexes that aren’t your own after 2:00, so we was told we could only come in if were we willing to receive a housing point or warning or something, which we didn’t want, so we had to walk home. That was a bit annoying, they really need to change that system as I would be none to happy if I had to walk back on my own.

I’ve done an awful lot of eating out recently, which has been good and bad. Good, because the food is incredible! Sometimes I’ve gone into work early to go to one of the other pavilions , usually Morocco or Japan for some lunch before work with someone, so it’s social as well. But with that and not going to the gym I was starting to feel a bit podgy! So I’ve tried to reduce my casual eatings out now, and the other good thing about that is that it actually saves quite a lot of money, which I want to try and out towards bigger things like a mini break! It’s finding a balance, as I don’t want to never go out, but also don’t want to be ridiculous at spending. It helps that I’ve started doing better at grocery shopping so I can make proper food to take in with me instead of just snacks. I’ve started taking in things like Pasta to heat up at work, which is a bit healthier and a lot cheaper!

Talking of money, I’ve now also opened a proper bank account here. I have a checking account, which is basically a current account, and a savings account. I actually feel a lot more settled having a proper bank account now, and it wasn’t too hard to set up- me and Tom went up to Disney University on the bus and we only had about half an hours wait before we were seen, and we’d heard it could be much longer, It means that if we want we can put our money into a savings account where we are less likely to spend it!

On my mornings before work I’ve tried to be more productive, so that means grocery shopping, or increasingly going to the gym. Maybe because I’ve never had a full time job before, but I’ve found it exhausting trying to work out and go to work! Still learning to grow up I guess haha.

Work is still fantastic, I can honestly say I do really enjoy it- sometimes, especially after a day off, I would prefer to go to a park or something, but as soon as I get into work I cheer up. Surprisingly I’m really enjoying working in the chippie, despite much preferring podium to begin with. One of the reasons may the moment podium is much busier than usual because of candlelight. Anyone who comes in the candlelight package, which is most of them, have to be in and out quickly in order to make it to the show on time, so tables get turned over quicker. This means more tables are needing to be bussed and sat. Also, because guests have made reservations quite far in advance, they expect to get whichever tables they want- outside if its warm, or inside of its cold and/or windy. If they don’t get what they want them some of them can get really quite rude, more so than guests before candlelight. Whereas at chip shop guests seem more happy in general, and I’ve had some lovely customers recently who I’ve had nice conversations with, especially if it’s quieter and I can spend more time with them.

Some times we’ll also get assigned to tasking, which is basically doing small jobs for between 1o minutes and an hour and a half. I usually do bits of stocking in this time a it is a useful job, and I’ve had some longer conversations here when guests start chatting to me and I know I have the time to talk to them as I don’t have a proper task which is nice.

On another Disney note, I saw Frozen at the cinema the other day, and it was so good! I enjoyed every second of it, mainly because the songs and animation are so beautiful!

TTFN xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A whole month!

1 month down , 11 to go! God that’s depressing. This whole experience is going too fast! I feel like I’ve only been here for 2 weeks, even though I feel settled and comfortable now. The strangest thing is that I know next week there are some new people coming, so I will no longer be the newbie! I am looking forward to some more people arriving- everyone was so great to me when I arrived that I want to do the same for someone else!

So this week I’ve been mixing it up by doing things other than working, drinking and going to one of the parks. Last Wednesday housing put on an event for thanksgiving, where they gave us a free dinner and put on some music and brought out some characters for us! It took place in some fields in one of the housing complexes and it had a great atmosphere, and the food was actually well tasty! It was nice to have a night out that was a bit different instead of drinking or gong for a sit down meal, and it gave me a chance to meet some of those working in merchandise that I haven’t seen much of yet which was very nice.

meeting Donald at Thanksgiving

 

The next day I met up with several others from the UK and we went to Animal Kingdom and Hollywood studios- my first time park-hopping! It was fab because it was so quiet- we got on the safari ride, expedition Everest, tower of terror and rock n roller coaster several times each! It rained quite heavily at one point but even so it was a fun day, especially when the Christmas lights came on. It was a shame that fantasmic got cancelled because of the weather,  but I know that there is plenty oft time to see it!

I also went to the cinema for the first time since being here to see Caching Fire. It was weird being in a cinema again as it feels like it’s been ages but the film was really good and now I can’t wait for the next one to come out.  I took advantage of having afternoon start at work to go to Cici’s for a $5 pizza buffet with Sarah and have a look around the World Showcase. It was nice being in Epcot as a guest and not a cast member- it’s something I really haven’t done enough, so will try and do it more often!

I have also now completed my final training shifts! One role was beer cart which I only trained on for an hour but is pretty simple. The final role was the one I was dreading most was stocker. In this role, you have to; make sure that all the condiments, trays, cups, cookies, etc etc in the chippie are stocked; ensure that the kegs in the kegroom are full, and change them if they are not; make sure the soda machines are well stocked; keep the fridges in the bar stocked; keep the kitchen fridge stocked; beer cart stocked. I think that’s it. So basically you do all the running around and making sure that the other cast members have everything they need to perform their job. There’s a lot of lifting and running around and up and down stairs in this job, but the good news is that because you are kept busy the shift goes very fast. I had 2training shifts which actually didn’t go bad, but the park was relatively quiet. I am slightly concerned that on busy days it’s going to be incredibly hectic, and probably very stressful as everything needs stocking more regularly and people will be barking orders down the radio left right and centre. Still, I will cross that bridge when I come to it! But the main thing is that now I have done all my training I can safely say there is no job that I dislike so I can continue to have fun at work everyday!

Went to lasses again on Monday and we ended up at  karaoke bar! I loved it but I didn’t sing haha. We played flip cup as usual, and I swear I really need more practice as I am rubbish at it! And then last night to celebrate being here for a whole month, some of our arrival group went to Applebees for some dinner and drinks. 3 of us from the UK went, but in total there must have been 25 of us from all different countries. It was a cracking night and it was lovely to see how everyone was getting on in their respective jobs.

So another fab week. I am sad that this experience is going so fast- it just keeps reminding me to make the most of being here!

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Settling in

Yesterday marked my 3 week anniversary in Florida which is so crazy! Even though in some ways I’m starting to get used to it I do often feel like this is all a dream. I sometimes feel settled, and other times I feel like a complete newbie. It’s so wonderful though- some of my favourite parts of the day are when I walk through EPCOT to work in my costume and guests smile at me just because I’m a cast member. And especially at night when the lights twinkle over the lake and the music is playing it really does feel like a magical place to work.

Last Thursday I had to get up at 5 in the morning in order to get to a social security appointment. It was nothing major just had to show some paperwork but the early morning wasn’t great- but I passed everything so I should have a social security number come though soon! It only took a couple of hours so I then met my friends Eryl ( UK HRC) and Pierre (from my arrival group)and we spent the day in Animal Kingdom! It was so much fun, we introduced Pierre to rollercoasters via Expedition Everest, watched the Lion King which was amazing and scared ourselves silly on dinosaur. Me and Eryl also did the safari which we loved, though Pierre didn’t as he’s from South Africa and so sees those sorts of animals all the time! I love talking to people from other places and realizing that so many things that I consider ‘normal’ or ‘exotic’ are largely based on my experience of being British. Of course I’ve always known this, but actually talking to someone about it has been pretty cool.

I’ve also had a couple more nights out. Because so many people finish late at work we always head out at 11:30ish which is nice as it means everyone has the chance to come if they want. My second lasses was really fun though I woke up covered in glitter which just did not come off! I had to go to work with it all in my hair..not that any of the guests noticed (hopefully!). Speaking of work, it’s been really good! I’ve now been trained on chippy, so I can both work the register and also fill the orders. A couple of the chefs who work in chippy are really nice to talk to and I enjoy the role more than I thought, but it is pretty repetitive, especially as we have such a limited menu! Best part about the chip shop though is that we are a lot closer to the British Revolution band who play, so I get to listen to really good music! Just yesterday I was told it was time to take off my earning my ears sticker, as I’ve now done everything except beer cart and stocker. I didn’t really want to lose it but I guess it is time!

I’ve also been able to catch up with some other international cast members from my arrival group, which was great as I haven’t seen them as much as I thought because of different work schedules. We went to BJ’s again at Vista which was fab- their deserts are incredible, especially the oreo cookie dough!

Also finally got round to getting a phone. I spent quite a while looking at different plans etc, and  ended up with unlimited talk, text and web in the US for $35.For another $10 you could call UK landlines but I wanted to save the money and I’ll just use the internet to stay in touch!

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Working at Epcot

I swear every day just gets better and better around here. After my last post I went to the pool with a lovely Canadian girl called Chelsea who I met at the training earlier in the day, and very soon I discovered that we had loads in common, even though we had a laugh comparing Canada to the UK (I really should never complain about snow again. like, ever). After chilling in the late afternoon sun for a few hours- which was glorious- we popped back to our respective apartments to get changed and ready to meet some of the Mexicans also on our arrival date. A few I had met briefly before so it was nice to get to know them better. They took us around the Mexican pavilion and Steffani was a fantastic tour guide! Then we went to see the O Canada film which is a 360 degree film which takes you around Canada, which was a million times better than I thought and really made me want to go to Canada, so I guess it did its job! Then we gathered around the fireworks and it was really beautiful for me to see them fir the first time in so many years. I actually had a little tear, but was so happy that it didn’t turn into full-blown crying- luckily!

The next day I was in Epcot with Tom where we got shown around the UK pavilion and backstage of Epcot so we knew how to get where we needed to be. And then we went to get our costumes! I love mine, its a full skirt, with puffy sleeves and  tighter fitting top, all of which are pretty comfortable, and as far as work clothes go quite flattering and comfortable. Then for the rest of the afternoon we had MORE computer training. It was really dull and I couldn’t wait for it to be over. I had had several early starts, and with getting ready, the journey to work and taking into account I’m getting everywhere early because I’m a newbie keeno means that I’ve been getting up very early in the morning. It ha really caught up with me and I nearly fell asleep when I got home sometime in the mid-afternoon, but I tried not to as I didn’t want to mess my sleeping pattern up. So I took advantage of the cooler weather and went for a run and popped into the gym. I started to do a lot of running this summer, and even though I only did about 20 minutes it felt good just to be exercising again. By the time I got home my Kim was back from her training. Although she works in the same pavilion after traditions she received different training because she is in Merchandise and I am Food and Beverage, and we had a good catch up and an early night.

Another early start was needed, but this as for Discovery day, so no complaints! We had a talk in the morning, and the speakers were again absolutely amazing, and really made everything fun even though they were giving important and valuable information. Then we had a detailed walk around the park. We were still in professional attire, and the only smart black shoes I own are heels. I’ve just been dealing with all the walking round over the last few days, but this day the long walk was starting to get to me as my feet started to hurt! Tried to suck it up and get on with it though, and ended up having a great day- we all got to ride spaceship earth and realy get to see the layout of Epcot. We were then told we were being taken on a tour of world showcase- I nearly cried when he said it was 1.2 miles long, but he meant on a boat  which was great! Then we headed backstage for some more presentations before being taken to the UK again to meet some of the managers and coordinators. One of them- Karen- sat us down and talked through stuff, all of which was much more specific to our role which was incredibly helpful. I had been getting nervous about my job again- until that point it had been more general tips on how to be a good Disney cast member, but it was nice to have an idea of the day tasks. When this was over me and Tom met Kim and Anne-Marie, our lovely little arrival group, to have another round of Epcot and do some more rides! So we did test track, soaring and the finding nemo area before heading home because again we were quite tired.

And today was my first day in costume! It felt incredibly strange to leave my apartment wearing my outfit, but around the complexes there is such a wide variety of costumes it doesn’t really get noticed!  This was my first day entering training on my own, as it was Tom’s day off as he is getting trained later in the week when I have a break. I was training with Rob today, who I met briefly in the interviews but has already been here 3 months. I was being trained on seater position, which basically means taking a guest from the podium to wherever they will be sitting, welcoming them and chatting to them on the way. It’s pretty simple, but you have to learn all the table numbers- this isn’t a hard thing by itself but when you are new its easy to get flustered. You also have to check the ticket for any allergies or dining plans so that you can highlight them for the server. I got through the day without too many major mistakes. I sat one table in the wrong position and was obviously much slower than the others, but I don’t think I did too bad and I was enjoying it after the initial hour! Some guests were quiet, some wanted to chat loads, and there were some that would ask to change seats and I’d have to go and sort that out with the assigner, so there was a real mix of guests. I also did some bussing in the evening, so basically helping to clean and reset the table.

One thing that struck me today was how friendly and helpful all the other staff was. I mean, all Disney staff encountered so far have been great, but I’ve seen them in situations where they are there specifically  to train me. Today, when I met the staff I was the new, slow slightly clumsy girl in their everyday work situation, And since new people come in all the time I guess I expected a quick hi or half smile- just another new girl. But actually every body greeted me properly, introduced themselves and asked how I was doing which I thought was just lovely. When you are nervously scanning for a table it’s nice to see a more experienced person give you an encouraging smile! Same goes for the managers also, who asked if I was ok and if I was enjoying it. I think once I get the hang of things I’ll be very comfortable, even though there are several more jobs I need to be trained on! There were some people which I recognised vaguely from facebook or their blogs that I have read, so it was weird them introducing themselves when I already kind of knew their name haha.

After work i was exhausted but me and Kim popped to publix anyway as we needed food. I am truly tired even after only one day of this, but I enjoyed it more than I thought so I feel very positively about it.

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Traditions, training and four loko

Another busy few days, so I thought I would update before I start forgetting things!

After my last post I skyped my Dad for the first time since arriving which was really nice, and then I caught the bus from commons over to Vista Way where we had some more immigration work to take care of. For some reason none of my hire documentation was online, but the staff were great and said they would take care of all of it and I was not to worry. While waiting in the que I sat next to a girl who recognised me from the facebook group which was nice, so I got the bus home with her and we had a nice chat. On the way to Vista I had bumped into my friend Sammy who I had met at both the interviews and Manchester, so I was well excited to see her, She invited me round to her flat on the night for pre drinks before going out to Downtown Orlando, which I of course accepted!

In the afternoon Alex met me Kim and Anne Marie to show us the outlets that are near by and some of the supermarkets that are in walking distance. One thing that really struck me was how friendly everyone was- even in the small stores the cashiers greeted us really warmly which I was SO not expecting! It was useful to have chance to go to another supermarket and I came away with a fair bit of stuff (including nandos sauce).

I was pretty tired when I got back, as I think the jet lag had caught up with me, so I went back home after Vista to do a bit of tidying and to have a nap. It was so hard to get up as I honestly felt like I could have slept through the night, but I managed to get up and cobble together a Halloween outfit. To be honest it was basically a big football shirt but I used some eye shadow to try and look like I had bruises- not the best but pretty good for my limited resources! I went round to Sammy’s place as she lives in the same complex as me and bless her she had bought me a can of four loko to celebrate my arrival! I got to meet quite a few more of the Disney CRPs and they were again really lovely, so it was great to get to meet them, Then we went clubbing in downtown Orlando! I had so much fun and I found downtown…interesting haha. Was definitely feeling it in the morning though, so I took advantage of the day off to have a decent lie in. Then Kim’s friend Josh came to see her- they had met in their own interviews, which took place before mine, so us three went out for a little wonder round the shops and explored the local area. Then me and Kim chilled in our room for a bit before deciding to go out to Downtown Disney again to have another wonder which again was great- the atmosphere was brilliant as there were so many people and types of music. I still can’t wrap my head round the fact that I’ll be here for a year!

Next morning was the day that I had been waiting for…Traditions! We got up really early to get ready into our first day of business attire and then get the bus up to the Disney University (yes, such a thing exists).  The day was to basically introduce us to the company- its past, present and future. Me Kim and Anne-Marie sat at a table with a lovely Canadian called Carolyn who we became fast friends with. The room itself was beautiful with a massive mural on eiother side of the room of Disney characters. I answered the first question correctly and got rewarded with a critter, which is a little figurine that you can only get in a traditions class. I got 2 more throughout the day, one fore being voted team other because me and my team won a round where we had to list as many Disney animated characters as possible. I was so happy to get  my little critters- I got Pluto, Donald and Daisy. The presenters were fantastic and gave us loads of useful and interesting stuff but gave it in a way that felt entertaining to listen to. We also got a tour around Magic Kingdom where the demonstrated different features which made the park as great an experience as possible, Even though it was raining really heavily I had a great time. As team leader I had to keep an eye on my team to make sure they didn’t get lost, but it was pretty easy as we all stuck together anyway.

I couldn’t believe when traditions was over, but I was excited to know what I would be doing next. On the way out Anne-Marie saw a friend also finishing her traditions, who had a car and took us to Mall at Millenia which is BEAUTIFUL to look at phone options, and to a supermarket so we could get some heavy stuff which was so kind of her.

And the today after I was back at Disney University for food training. It was mainly basic computer stuff so it was really boring but I got chatting to some nice people and went to the costume building after to get my GORGEOUS (lol, jokes) non-slip shoes for work. I get to finally go to EPCOT for work tomorrow which I am so so excited for as I’ll get to see where I’ll be working!

A lot can happen in a few days it seems! Will keep things posted as long as I am busy

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Loving my new home!

I am happy to be able to say I arrived in Orlando safely and almost without hiccup, and already I can see that it is going to be a fantastic year!

The last 2 weeks before I left were pretty hectic. No matter how much time you have to prepare, it’s always sad when you get to the final goodbyes, and I couldn’t help but want more time even though I was desperate to get over here!

Some more good news though- a week before I flew out I passed my driving test, which is so nice that it’s now just done so I don’t have to worry about learning to drive again when I get home. My new license will have to be posted at home, and then Dad will have to post it out to me.

I flew out on the 29th October from Manchester airport. I had a nice mid day flight at 11:55, but it still meant that I had an early start as I had to drive up from Birmingham on the morning, after getting ready and doing the final bits of packing. Talking of which, packing was not as smooth as I had hoped for! I did a practice pack about a week ago so I could gauge how much my suitcase would weigh. I was under by a couple if kgs then, but when I packed on Monday I was well over, and so had to work out what I should be taking out. Looks like I did a bit too much shopping in my last 2 weeks!

My brother came along with me and my dad to Manchester which was great. The journey and check in were pretty smooth, though I had to do a little jiggling of stuff between suitcase and hand luggage to get them both underweight.  I was expecting to check in and then go for a final coffee or sit somewhere to say goodbye, but there was NOWHERE to do this in my terminal and the check-in lady said I should probably go through straight away. I guess it was good as it meant I had less time to work myself up to the final goodbye, but there was still a little crying involved! Wasn’t as bad as when I left for Vietnam though- I think being used to spending time away from home made things easier, and to be honest I was getting so excited by this point that this was all really happening that I wasn’t as sad saying goodbye as I thought I would be!

I’d arranged to meet Kim and Tom, who I was flying with, after security which we did. We had some food in the airport before boarding, and the plane journey was the strangest I’d ever experienced because it was so so empty! Was fantastic though ad we got to spread out and move around no bother, and I can’t believe how cheap the flight was because the service and food was excellent. Journey took over 9 hours, which was quite long but not too bad, especially because it was comfortable!

Only hiccup was that when I arrived and went through immigration I got pulled aside to wait for like 20 minutes with no explanation, before having an interview as to why I was here. I knew I was obviously legal and supposed to be here etc., but it was still a little nerve- wrecking because I had no idea why I was pulled aside- and still don’t- but they let me through and then we got our pre booked transfer car (which I booked on the Mears website) to the Vista Welcome Centre.

Disney send you an email before you go with information on how to get to housing from Orlando International Airport and a voucher for a discounted shuttle. However, we flew into Sanford because it was much cheaper. There were no shuttles available, which meant that we had to privately rent a car. It was $150 so between three of us it was fine, but had I flew on my own it would have been very expensive!

I think stepping out of the airport started to make it more real, as we could actually feel the heat and the sun. The flight didn’t feel real, and it actually took a while for me to fully comprehend that I was really truly on my way to begin my adventure in Disney World!!

Check in was nice- first impression of the Disney staff is AMAZING  as they manage to do efficiency and professionalism mixed seamlessly with friendliness and helpfulness. We had our pictures taken for our housing ID, and after s long flight I can tell you I look rough! I didn’t know this was when we were having ID photos taken, so would warm anyone else going to be prepared! Me and Kim got to be room mates like we requested, and got placed in Commons which is the one I really wanted because a lot of the UK people live here and we also get our own washer and dryer. The apartment is great, big and spacious, and we’re in a good location really near to the clubhouse and the bus stops. Me and Kim then did a Walmart shop, and let me tell you that place is bonkers. It’s huge and has everything you could ever want in there. We got some basic food, some bedding and a few other bits and bobs and then returned as it was all we could carry.  By this point we were knackered so as soon as we got back we made our beds put away the food and then conked out at about 2:00am. And that’s local time, so with the time difference I think I was awake for about 24 hours! But then I feel guilty complaining about a long day, because when we met our room mates they said that had a 29 hour journey! They’re 2 really nice girls (we have a 2 bedroom flat, so 4 girls) from Namibia, so they had to take several transfers.

Next morning we planned to have a proper lie in before our first housing meeting, but we all woke up early- probably with the excitement. We had a wander around and I logged on to one of the computers to message home, as we didn’t have a router and I can’t connect my tablet to the internet via a cable. Our housing meeting was a million times better than I expected, the speakers were great and really made it fun, and everyone was willing to get involved. They asked a few trivia questions at the start- I got one right  (location of other parks other than Florida) so I won a couple of prizes 😀 . It really got me pumped up and made me realise that this is actually happening! At the meeting we saw a couple of people that we had talked to on the facebook group and got chatting to them. I keep seeing people that I think I recognise still, but am not sure whether to say something or not, although the atmosphere is so friendly that you could probably start a conversation with most people. After the meeting we went back to Walmart to get more stuff, like a router-yay!- so now that the flat is feeling more full it feels more like home.

Then a couple of the UKers that have been here a couple of months, one of whom I met in the interviews, invited us out to get to know some people! So we met at the bus stop and went to Planet Hollywood in Downtown Disney where the food is amazing, and the to Raglan Road, an Irish Bar, for a couple of drinks. It was so lovely that people were willing to make an effort to welcome us and I had a great night with them. Only silly thing is because Disney have my passport and I’m still waiting for my driving license to be posted out I couldn’t drink as I don’t have any ID, but it wasn’t a massive deal.

It’s now my second full day. We had an immigration talk this morning, and had someone talk to us and check we were ok for the Disney look, which all went pretty smoothly. I just have a couple of hours break, so I thought I would update this as there has been so much going on already! Any nerves I had before coming have definitely disappeared, and I am so looking forward to everything that is about to happen!

Will try and update this again soon

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Less than 2 weeks left!

Been a while since I last posted so I thought I would give a little update 🙂

Since my last post several more people have had offers which is great news! There are 4 people left on our opportunity list, who are really nice girls, so I hope some more offers will be rolling out soon! I think that means around 7-9 people from our opp list now has an offer. I hope this helps people see that the opportunity list is not a bad thing at all, most of us have dates now and all the waiting has been completely worth it! Applications have now opened again, and I know some people who got through to the pre-screen interviews applied again. Unfortunately no many of them seem to have gotten through the first application stage, which is a real shame. It made me realise how lucky I am to be going to Disney on my first application. I think the first stage must be the hardest and I bet a lot of luck is involved, so to anyone who is applying please don’t be disheartened if you don’t get through the first stage.

I kept trying to log in to the Disney website in order to pay my programme assessment fee. It wasn’t letting me log in, and I wanted to make sure it was paid before I went, so I emailed Disney directly and they emailed me saying it should be working now- which it was! Not long after I got an email asking me to fill in an online form requesting which apartment complex and type I would like to live in. I put Patterson as my first choice and would like it to be a 3-bedroom, as I think 6 would be a nice number. Having said that, I don’t think I’ll mind too much where I go, as everyone I have spoken to says they love where they live, regardless of which complex they are in. I’ve put in to try and get an apartment with a girl called Kim who is arriving on the same date and who I have been speaking to loads

I did a practice pack today, to see if I can take everything I need in my luggage allowance. Luckily it went well, I packed most things and my suitcase came in at just under 30kgs, which is the upper limit I’m allowed to take on the plane. It made me feel better as I was concerned it was going to be too heavy, but it’s all fine!  Packing was well strange- trying to fit a year of your life into one suitcase! It still felt like I was packing for a holiday! Got me so so excited though so it was a bit of a shame when I had to put everything back.  It’s all starting to feel so real now! I just want to et over there!

I’ve done all of my shopping now I think. I plan to spend the next 2 weeks picking up any final bits and bobs, and saying goodbye to people. Will update when I have more to update on! Lots of love,

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Couple of Steps Closer- visa and flight

It’s been a pretty exciting week Disney-wise! Last Thursday me and my Dad got up early (4:00 am !!!) so we could catch a train down to London, as we thought London would be a bit manic to drive down to and park in! My appointment was at half 8 in the morning, so I arrived at the embassy at about 8:00am just to be on the safe side. Our train got into Euston at 7:15am, and we then bought a day tube pass and caught the tube to Oxford Circus. Despite both of us having Google maps on our phone we got a little lost, but a friendly Londoner (a rare breed) kindly walked with us to show us where to go. The embassy was in a beautiful area of London and was absolutely massive.

I first dropped Dad off at Starbucks and headed to the embassy, leaving with him everything except my paperwork as you’re not supposed to take in any electronics or anything and I wanted to play it safe. . I’d been in a bit of a flap before I went worrying about my paperwork. We’d been told to bring letters that had been sent to us via email, but I’d had only basic emails- no attachments. In retrospect its seems silly to have worried as the emails had all the information I needed, but if for some reason you don’t get your visa because of small errors ( as in not declined because they don’t want you to enter the US) you have to book another appointment- which is another $190, so I wanted to get it right. But the emails were fine when I showed them to the staff in the embassy- first they checked my appointment time, and then I was sent through security which is in a small outside the embassy. I went to another reception where they gave me my number and told me to wait to be called out, and then I sat in the waiting room to wait for my number to be called up to go to a window booth on the side of the room. I only waited for about 5 minutes before I was called up, and this interview took about 2-3 minutes. I then had to wait to be called up again for the ‘proper’ interview, but this time I was waiting AGES. Good news though was that they had a big TV screen showing cheesy videos about the US to keep me occupied. After what must have been well over an hour (I didn’t have a watch on me) I went to the next interview. This again must have taken less than 5 minutes, then she just casually slipped into the conversation that my passport would be returned within 3-5 business days! I was kind of stunned, but said thanks and quickly  left the embassy (exiting through security).

Me and Dad then had the day in London! We had a wander around, popped into Harrods to see my friends Mom who works there, had food, and visited St Paul’s Cathedral, which neither of us had seen before, but loved because it’s so beautiful.  A bit more wandering, more food and then we made or way home.

The next day I did another exciting thing…I booked my flight! I’ve had my eye on this flight for ages- it was £174 on sky scanner, flying from Manchester to Orlando Sanford. Sanford is another half an hour away from the Disney complexes, but the money I saved on the flight means it’s more than worth it. In total after adding seat reservation, food and baggage it was £211, which I was really happy as the cheapest flight I’d seen apart from this one was about £400!

So that’s two big things done now! The only thing really left to do is pay my Programme Assessment Fee, but I can’t log on for some reason to pay it. I emailed Yummy Jobs and they’ve old me to be patient, so I’m hoping it will work soon as once that’s done I’m pretty sure that’s everything!

Though having said that there are loads of ‘extra’ things I need to do. My laptop broke at the end of uni, and my camera at the end of Vietnam, so I need to find cheap but decent replacemnets. Still doing bits of clearing around the house, and I’m hoping that by the time I pack I’ll have gotten rid of all the rubbish that I never use!

Will update when I have something more to update on……6 weeks tomorrow!

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