The beginning of the end

I’ve recently had an email from housing saying that I have only 6 weeks left and I need to send them my details for leaving the country. That’s insane. I can’t believe that its come around so quickly! I well and truly have the fear now. In so many respects I am ready to leave, but then I think of saying goodbye to everyone and seeing wishes fir the last time and I really start to get upset. So for now I’ll think instead about all the exciting things I have done!

The best thing that has happened since my last post was that I went home for a week. When I applied for the programme I originally decided I wouldn’t spend money on returning home when I could spend the money on another trip somewhere else. But my cousin was getting married while I was away and she asked me to be bridesmaid, and that completely changes it for me and I knew I had to be back. And actually, even without the wedding I was so glad to be back. I have recently started to miss home terribly- I think its because now I’ve been sway for so long that it’s really hit me. After being home for a week, I really appreciated what I have here in america and its helped me enjoy the last few weeks even more. But it also made me less nervous about coming home St the end of my programme. I currently have zero plans as to what I’m going to do when I return and was getting a bit worried about it, but just being at home with my family and my pets made me so happy that I know it’ll be fine and I’ll be able to figure things out when I’m ready. So I would now actually really recommend going home to people. Yes, flights are expensive but it helps change your outlook on a lot of things for the better, and helps you look on the programme with fresh eyes.

In America though I’ve also had some pretty sad times now becssue so many of my friends have now finished their programme. One of the nice traditions that we do is called last tables. Your last day is always an am shift on the Wednesday, and anyone who is not working comes in to eat at the restaurant to be served by whoever is leaving, and I’ve done that twice now where both times several people have been leaving that day. It’s so weird as these are the people theta in’ve soent most of my programme with and have been some of my closest friends, and not having them around isn’t very nice at all. I keep coming into work and expecting to see one of them. I know we’ll see each other again, but it just won’t be with the regularity of ease as it is here, but it’ll be so nice to have friends back home with whom you’ve made so many wonderful memories.

On mine and Amy’s last night together we went to magic kingdom and tried to get in at Be Our Guest, the beauty and the bests themed restaurant inside the beasts castle. Reservations run out months in advance, so the best way to get in is to keep going to the podium and seeing if there are any cancellations. We waited outside for an hour before there was room, but we finally got in! It was well worth the wait as the restaurant is beautiful and so well themed. There’s a study room, the west wing (where we ate) and the ball room, and you can meet the beast in his study as well. The food was ok-nothing special compared to other Disney restaurants, but the atmosphere was amazing and it was so special for me and Amy to be there as we’d been talking about doing it for months, and it was the last thing we did together just us two.

I’ve done a few more resort strays as well- contemporary( where we stayed club level so had all the free food, and and an amazing view of magic kingdom and wishes from our balcony) Coronado springs, old key west and the treehouse villas at Saratoga springs. The treehouses were absolutely incredible, as they sleep up to 8 so we had a larger amount of people go and a living room where it was nice and easy to chill out. When I went home I booked a resort stay for the night before my flight home and the night I returned from home. A taxi to the airport is about $40 and with cast discount and splitting between us a room isn’t that much more expensive, and you get free transportation to the airport and its a much nicer experience. And it was so lovely to come from home straight to all my friends saying they’d missed me. Made me feel very loved ❤
So on to nights out- still a big part of the programme! I still go to lasses regularly, and I even now have a position which was fantastic and completely unexpected on my part. I’m songbird, which means I have to make sure everyone is singing and changing our songs- for fun when we’re in the taxi and when we’re playing the other countries to show us as one nig team working together. All very noble haha. One thing I will say is this year I have become a much better drinker- I can stomach beer now which I couldn’t before (we play with beer for the games so you have to be able to drink it) and I’m getting better at downing it when we play waterfall, so I’ve divinely achieved that this year!

There have also been quite a few more throw ins as we’ve had lots of large groups arrive-again some really great people. I do love throw ins because they’re in bars not clubs so you get a good chance to talk to people that you sometimes only see on nights out. Theres a lovely atmosphere, I think because every can’t help but think of their own throw in and how much has changed since their own throw in. I’ve also been to backbooth a few times which I love, and Ibar which is cheesy music that isn’t my thing but I have a good night with everyone anyway. The one place I haven’t been to in agesis House of Blues. Its my favourite club of all time and I’ll probably miss it more than some of the parks so I need to make sure I get back there. There was also another international party in glitz, which is basically like a big happy Mondays meet up but none of the games, just dancing and unlimited alcohol(when you can actually get to the bar). Cracking night out. Me and Sammy have also been to city walk a few times, which is universals version of downtown Disney but. uch better because its a night out for grown ups not kids. They have some really nice bars there, including a karaoke kne but where you are backed up by a live band! We’ve had some really nice nights there, and I’m glad we went even though we kind of started quite late into my programme.
In city walk as well there is the hard rock hotel, where I went to see Deep Purple play. I was so excited when I knew they were touring and made sure I had an am shift so that I would definitely be able to make it and it was well worth the effort. All of the band members are really old now nut they still put on a great performance, and they’d included some really interesting elements into their set, like when all the lights were turned off except for ones at the end of the drummers drumsticks which also lit up the back screen in time with the best which was really cool.

In the cinemas in city walk as well they also put on a live rocky horror show as they show the film, and that was really entertaining. I’d never seen the film before and I think you need to know it to get all the jokes from he film. Nevertheless it was a great laugh and I would love to do it again.

Halloween Horror Nights have also started at universal- me Sammy Jen and Annie went last night. They have a rocky horror show there which is a shortened version of the show and with universal show-ability it was amazing! They also have scare zones where people come and frighten you as you walk around, and of course the scare houses. I’ve done them before at home but was all of a sudden really scared to do it and wanted to back out, but the others helped me and and I ended up really enjoying them. I’ve nought a frequent fear pass so I’ll be able to go as many times as I want for the next month or so so I’m hoping to go again a few times. Mickey not so scary has also started. I’ve got a ticket to go in a few weeks, but I’ve already seen the fireworks as I went with Chloe to see them from the contemporary which was lovely. I saw fanstamic that night as well (taking any opportunity I get to do these things now I’m near the end) and after hallowwishes we sat on the beach for a while and I really knew I was so lucky to be here.

Ive also had a new roommate move in we had a bunked installed a few months ago but no one came, but now aya, my Japanese roommate has moved in. She is really lovely actually- she’s going to be working guest relations in animal kingdom lodge so our ours are basically going to be opposite. Only bad thing is that with three of us and all our stuff in the room it is VERY crowded and I honestly feel like I’m living ins hostel room, which I resent a little bit as after a long day at work I want to come back to a room I feel comfortable in.
Last bit of good news- I finally ticked one of the major things off my bucket list and went skydiving! We went to the skydiving space centre which is next to the Kennedy space centre, which is about an hours drive. It was me will Ashleigh and Sammy. We did the highest tandem fall in the world-18,000 feet! We were all tricking it before the jump, especially as there was so much waiting around to do. But then after all that waiting it happened really quickly and they barely gave you enough time to think. I would recommend anyone to do it- the feeling was indescribable. It was expensive, especially as for something like that you want to buy all the photos and videos you can, but it was worth every penny.

So, that’s a quick overview of the last month. I can’t even fit all of the wonderful smaller things that have happened over here into this post. Will miss it all so much when I got home
Until next time xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

where is the time going??

Another couple of crazy months have passed by. All of a sudden I’ve become one of the more senior CRPs in the pavilion, who only has 2 months left. I’m one of those that sees people in the merchandise shops and have no idea who they are, and who struggles to remember all of the new people on podium. Its so weird- I couldn’t ever imagine it happening but it has!

It’s been incredibly strange to see the pavilion completely change. Most of the people that I worked with on podium have now left, and not one person on podium currently worked with me, and its been like that now for a while. Everything looks different. Not necessarily better or worse though. In general I enjoy it, simply because I am so comfortable here now that I no longer feel shy speaking to people I don’t know, and I know where I am in the programme. I’m happy to see that there are a lot of nice people coming into the pavilion, and despite the fact that ill see them comparatively shortly on my programme id like to think we can still be friends. It’s nice to see them with their whole programme head of them, even though I don’t envy them at all as I am so happy to be where I am right now.

The last few months have been cracking. The job itself- serving- I love. I really do. Its challenging (or it feels so after podium) but yet not ridiculously hard. Theres a lot more scope to have fun with it and you generally work more independently, which I prefer as you’re not relying on other people. And it sounds cheesy but most of the time I genuinely enjoy speaking with my guests. Don’t get me wrong- some of them are dicks, but a lot of the time you meet genuinely nice people. I’ve even had about 5 separate families over the last few months give me their email addresses and say that if I ever need a place to stay when I’m in their city I’m welcome to stay with them. First time it happened I was dumbfounded. Whether I take them up on the offer or not (i’d like to think I would one day, but maybe it would be a bit weird) it is the thought behind the offers that count. And you never know, maybe one day I’ll tour America and run into all my guests again!

Sometimes at the end of the night I’ll have one table left, and want them to go so I can get home. But them I’ll begin talking to them and completely forget about wanting to go home because we get into a really interesting conversation. It sometimes still shocks me how genuinely interested people are in where I’m from, and how I’m enjoying my time over here. They ask loads of questions- if I’m quiet I’ll stand and speak all day to them. the only time this becomes a problem is when I’m really busy. The last month or so has been astoundingly quiet ( which has meant more time off-yay!). But it was busier when I first began and it was hard to find the time to talk when you have a million and one other things to do. Its strange how stressful serving seems while you’re working when its not really. The worst thing that could happen is someone sends their steak back, realistically, but catch any of us in the kitchen when its busy and we’re stressed to hell worrying that someone’s waited more than a minute for some more ketchup! Its funny actually. I certainly don’t worry in work as much as I used to, as I try and keep in mind what it is at the end of the day, serving food, nothing more serious so there is no point getting stressed. And now that I’m comfortable in the job I don’t feel weeded even when I’m busy- experience really does help you keep things under control. I’ve also had the chance to train food running now which I enjoyed, even though once I became a server I stopped enjoying food running by itself.

So, on to more exciting things that I’ve been doing. I went on my first trip outside of Florida which was pretty cool. Me Lydia and Will went to Atlanta for a few days and had a great time. We rented a car and was going to split the driving between us. Problem was I only passed my test a week before leaving here and hadn’t driven since. I spent a bit of time driving but I found it stressful and nearly went into the wrong lane. Had some practice later and got better though, so I’m hoping ill improve my confidence in time until I can drive without another driver in the car keeping me calm!

In Atlanta we went to the coca cola factory, Georgia aquarium(which is so beautiful- I could have spent days there) and the martin Luther king area. The martin lither king centre was great- there was a museum exhibit, you could see his house and also the church where he preached. The coke factory was more interesting than I expected, although its not the original plant. We also spent a day in the six flags park. I have dreamed about going to a six flags park since I played roller coaster tycoon when I was younger, and the place did not disappoint. I couldn’t believe how many amazing roller coasters there were, I think there were like 9!

We drove back really late on the night. It was a seven hour journeys each way. on the day there it didn’t feel that long at all because we had so much to talk about, but it was harder on the way back because we drove through the night and we were all pretty tired. It was non stop though- when we got home I had chance for a ten minute sleep(well, nap) before getting ready for my next adventure…

THE DIAGON ALLEY GRAND OPENEING!!! after watching it be built for months and all the excitement and anticipation, universal studios finally released a date for the opening of dragon alley. Me and Sammy are big harry potter freaks, and Kathryn and us booked time off work and swapped shifts so that we would be able to go. We arrived at city walk, the entrance to the universal studios area at 4:30am because we wanted to be as close to the front as possible. We were amongst the first, as city walk didn’t even open until 5. We waited there for half an hour before being let through, then proceeded to the gates at the universal studios park entrance to wait for another hour or so, before being let into the area just outside of dragon alley, which is modelled to look like a street in London and where the knight bus is parked. It was a fantastic atmosphere. There were massive keenos there- all of the slogan t shirts, harry potter jewellery, and even full robes (despite the heat) were not uncommon. On the whole people were also very happy and friendly. There wasn’t too much pushing in or around and everyone was happy to chat. It was nice to see everyone there for the right reason and just wanting to have a good time

Diagon alley itself opened at 8,but because we were there so early we got pretty much to the front and just waited a while. when we looked back we could see quest were forming way back across the park, and we knew it was definitely the best thing we could have done to get there so early. The actual opening ceremony was great, there were some mini speeches, fireworks and banners… and then we were let in! One of the top moments of the hear was seeing it for the first time. The detail in it is simply beautiful. Everyone was cheering and clapping and the atmosphere was indescribable the gringotts ride is a lot of fun, but for me the best part is just wandering around the shops- the detail is such that you would think you was actually there. They also have a couple of great shows – Celestine warbeck the singer and a mystery play style re-enactment of the deathly hallows story. We ate breakfast in the leaky cauldron and left about 11. We didn’t go on the Hogwarts express because we were all dead on our feet- I hadn’t slept since the morning before and Kathryn had been out to lasses so we went home and I slept for the rest of the day. I’ve been on the express a few times since each way and its fantastic and a much nice way to go between the parks.

Another cool thing was that someone took my photo when I was entering dragon and put it up on the universal studios Facebook page, and its had loads of likes haha. I think they chose it because I had the deathly hallows sign painted on my cheek…
Me and some friends also took the opportunity to go to Tampa for a night… to watch kiss and def leopard! It was an incredible concert, the stadium was an open one so you could watch the sunset over the hill as they started to play. The show itself was unlike i’d ever seen from a rock concert before. Lasers, fireworks, zipwires (fake) blood pouring from the demons moth, massive animatronic spider on stage… just amazing. I even bought a starchild costume to wear and all of us went with full on faxe paint and got loads of compliments 🙂

Some good restaurants that I’ve eaten in that I would recommend are chefs de France, crystal palace, chef mickeys and hoop de doo revue (the last one for the atmosphere more than the food). Ive stayed in a few more resorts also, and I now have 8 left before I’ve stayed in them all. 8 resorts in 8 weeks. Lets do this!
My friend from home visited for 17 days. I unfortunately didn’t bet as much time off work as I would have liked but we still had a great time together catching up and I saw her as much as I could around work. She did the college programme last summer, and we had bonded over Disney when she had her placement arranged and I was applying for the crp. She worked for 3 months on the j-1 visa in the haunted mansion, and on our day in magic kingdom she was telling me loads of interesting stuff. A friend of hers also visited with her, but we had a couple of unfortunate nights were both of them, on separate days, became ill and had to go to hospital for some medicine. Luckily it was nothing major but I have to say it was kinda cool getting to go in an ambulance and seeing an American hospital. One of the drivers used to work as a pyrotechnic wxpert in Disney and helped design loads of shows- like illuminations which I see every night! So he was telling me loads of interesting facts… goes to show you never know where you are going to meet people!

I also celebrated forth of July! I was scheduled a pm but wanted to work an am so I could enjoy the evening off, luckily loads of people wanted to work it so it was easy to swap. I had a few drinks from the world with people from work and ate in the rose and crown before the fireworks began. and the were spectacular- might have guessed how much effort the Americans would out into them!
Other stuff that’s been happening… we discovered a new club downtown. On a Friday night a club called backbooth plays 80s music. Me will and drew went one night hoping for a rock night out. It was nothing like what we expected but the bartender suggested the 80s night so we came back to that and now its one of the regular nights out for some of the pavilion was proud to have started that.
So, more things have happened. more meals out, film nights in and everything in between its crazy to think of now busy life is out here. But its great. Just trying to focus on fitting as much in as possible in the next two months!
Love xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

its been a while…

Wow it has been a LONG time since I’ve posted  sorry about that. So much has happened in the last few weeks (months) that its been hard to find tome to write it all down. I’ll try and cover as much as I can in this post, but will probably skim quite a lot of stuff…

One of the coolest outings on this programme has to be when I went to a baseball game, to see the New York Yankees play the Tampa Bay Rays! Going to an american sports match was something I was really interested in and it was loads of fun to watch and experience- especially such a well know team! Although I obviously supported the home team!

I also went to an awesome concert- one of my favourite bands- Sabaton( who usually headline in Europe) were supporting a Floridian Rock band called Iced Earth and were playing in the House of Blues. I always enjoy seeing Sabaton, but I mega enjoyed Iced Earth as well. I had not heard of them before but by the end of the set was a converted fan- I eve caught a guitar pick that they threw into the crowd, and got the guitarist’s autograph and photo afterwards!

The most important thing to have probably happened since my last post is to become a server! It was a long time coming- my first day was on my sixth month anniversary of being in America, which was later than the three months in I was lead to believe in when I applied for the job. Being on podium for longer than a lot of people wasn’t a problem for the first five months, but by the last month on podium I was getting very bored with the repetitiveness of the job and I couldn’t wait to move on.

So-training. the first day you have is culinary, where you don chef whites and spend a day in the different stations in the kitchen learning how it works. It gives you a chance to see how the food is prepared and how long things take in the kitchen, for example to make fish and chips or a shepherds it takes a fraction of the time compared to say a well done steak.It’s important to know these things so that you can pace the meal effectively for your guests, and make sure that things are fresh when they go out, and don’t get to the table to quickly or too slowly. At lunch time you also get mini portions of most of the food. It was nice to actually taste what I would be selling, although we were scheduled a menu change 3 days later and some of the items on there I still haven’t tried. Another training day is bar day, where you go into the service bar and make all the alcoholic drinks, which was loads of fun. Then you have 2 days of food running, which is in essence taking food from the kitchen to the table, with a few other bits of sidework  I liked food running more than expected, though they are very long days and exhausting because you are constantly carrying heavy plates and trays back and forth.

 

After that first week you have your first tipped week of food running. After 6 months on podium wages it felt incredible to be earning tips- theres a pretty big difference in pay I will say that. Although you definitely work for that money! The third week of training is then the actual service training  its only three days which is less than I thought it would be, considering now vastly different the job is. and you literally get thrown straight into it. I’m not even going to lie, I was terrified. But I had really good trainers that kept me calm even when I made mistakes. I dropped a drink on a guest on my fist day which threw me off and I thought the whole thing was going to be a disaster, but over the next few days things got better and better. You do an AM shift, a mid shift (am and pm), and then a final PM shift as well as a few classes on the different wines and alcohol that we sell. It was all really interesting, and I was super excited to do my test

On test day you have your own section as normal, but its a smaller section with only three tables (most sections have 4) so it feels pretty easy when you’ve been pushed to do 4,5 or even 6 tables during your training. One of the tables is a manager who you have to pretend is a normal guest which is kind of weird. They make sure you bring out everything on time, in the right order, do enough spieling and are generally a good server. The thing I struggle with most is spieling- I don’t want to sell people stuff they don’t want or make them feel uncomfortable. I think its the British in me though- whenever I do it to Americans they love it! Passed my test no bother, and became a full on server! So proud!

So I passed in late may, had a few days serving, then my family came. I was nervous to be going back after 10 days off, but I got back into the swing of things pretty quickly. And I have to say, I love love love serving. I actually feel like I’m using my brain in work, it varies from shift to shift, and it can be a lot of fun depending on what shifts you get.

So yeah, that was the other big thing that happened- my family visited! I told them I would have to book the hotel and everything to get the discounts, and I told them I was going to book us into port Orleans, but I surprised them and booked them into a club level at animal kingdom lodge. I wrote them a letter to open on the plane which told them this so they didn’t now until they were already in the air. I had to hope and pray the plan worked out as otherwise there would be a lot of confusion when they checked onto the magical express! It all worked out fine- they got to the hotel just a couple of hours before I finished work. I was super lucky as well that I had nearly all the timer off approved, and the shifts that didn’t I managed to swap ( bar one short am shift) so  I am super grateful for everyone at work that helped me out there.

The holiday was amazing- I think it was really ready for the time with my family. I’m really close to them but also quite independent, so generally it hasn’t been super hard being away from them. But after 7 months I was really starting to miss just hanging out with the, so the time I had with them was really special. We’d been on amazing holidays in Disney when I was younger. Being in Disney world has kind of lost its shine after being here for so long, but being with them in general was just magical. The other good thing was that I kind of dropped off the radar while they were here and didn’t see any of my friends as I wanted to spend all my time with dad and lee, and after a few days I started to really miss my friends and my life out here with them. So dad and lee coming out also helped me appreciate how amazing my life and my friends in Orlando are, so the holiday was super medicinal. Of course I was sad to see them go, but I know I’ll see them again in a few months and I was excited to continue my life in Orlando which is only a temporary.

I also finally finished my classes. I did my final presentation as I did most of my classes- hangover after lasses. Still got a 95% pass grade in it though! I enjoyed the class but I’m so glad its over- I did sign up for another onewhich sounded interesting but decided not to go so I could spend my time off doing other fun things. I would consider maybe doing one next semester, but for now I definitely need a break from them.

Housing put on an amazing event recently as well. It only happens once a year, and its called starlit splash. They basically rent out the typhoon lagoon water park for the night for Disney cast members! This was definitely a highlight of my programme- nearly everyone from work was there and we all had so much fun! It was kind of a surreal moment to be in typhoon lagoon at 12 at night, watching fireworks from the wave pool. A moment to remember.

Done quite a few more resort stays as well with different people- still hoping to stay in as many as possible by the time the year is out! I’ve stayed now in boardwalk, beach club, all star sports and another stay at Caribbean beach. The staycations are nice as we usually go out to dinner somewhere nice as well and its so nice to get to chill out together without worrying about housing (as your not allowed in other housing complexes after a certain time).

The saddest thing that’s happened recently though that Tom from my arrival group decided to leave. He had a job opportunity at home that was too good to pass up- it was definitely the best thing for him to go but he was one of my best friends here so I was sad to see him go. We went to the rose and crown for dinner and to watch the fireworks. It was strange that that was my first time in there as a guest, and I have to say I really enjoyed it, and it was pretty special getting to see the fireworks from our table. Sad as it was to say goodbye to Tom, I know that at least ill see him again for sure when I get back to England.

I also took part in the expedition Everest run Disney challenge. It was a 5km run around animal kingdom park at night followed by a scavenger hunt. it wasn’t so much a race as you stopped on the way to meet characters and go on rides and stuff- going on expedition Everest in the dark is incredible. there was a group of us who did it so it was loads of fun, though it was very expensive for what it was. It was something on my bucket list though to do a run Disney event so I’m so glad I got to do it!

So these are the main things that have happened, though it only just scratches the surface of what the last few months have been like. The programme so far has been far from easy with one thing and another, but it really is turning into everything and more I hoped it would be. Ive been lucky enough to have some amazing experiences, and have met some wonderful people who I am now lucky enough to count as friends. I hope the programme continues to be just as amazing! Will try and not leave it this long until my next post

Lots of love xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

ALL of the work

So work has been pretty hectic the last few weeks. Nearly everyone is working between 40-50 hour weeks over 6 days, because on podium we are short staffed as quite a few people have moved into service but we’ve had people come into podium at a slower rate. However, the exciting news of this post is that a bunch more of the girls from my interview groups have come! Its quite strange to think that we all applied together, and I’ve been here so long while they’re only just starting. Because I’ve been working so many hours and still had class on my days off, I found it difficult to give them the welcome I wanted which was a shame, but now within just a few weeks it feels like they could have been here longer. We had another throw in for them which was a load of fun, especially seeing the difference between how I felt at my own throw in just a few months ago and now how comfortable I feel now. It surprising how much can change in just a few months.

So because of all the hours at work its been a bit of a struggle to find time to do day things. It feels like ages since I’ve been to a Disney Park, but because I didn’t need early nights in order to get up and go to a park I’ve finally started going out at night again which has been a lot of fun. Sammy had her friends from home round, so we decided to take them out to our favourite places and show them a good time, so we of course chose Cowboys, House of Blues, and happy Mondays. House of Blues has definitely become my favourite place, the only downside being that I go on a Sunday so I’m always knackered for my 8:30 am class the next day! Although yesterday was my last exploring session so I won’t have that problem anymore. I’m very pleased to say that for getting through the 8 week course I earned my “Mouseters Degree” in Exploring Cast Engagement and Human Resources! Overall I would definitely recommend doing one of these courses, as I felt that for the small amount of time it requires you get a lot from it. In fact, I’ve signed up to do another one in the summer semester, which is about Exploring Disney heritage and history which I think will be fun. A couple of the girls from work have also signed up to this one so I’m really looking forward to it.

There is still a few weeks left of my collegiate course, and I have to say I’m hesitant to consider doing another one. I am learning from it, but it is quite time consuming, with the reading and assignments, and I already feel like there isn’t enough time here! I have a group presentation coming up, which my be hard as the girls I grouped with all work different shifts which menus it may be herd to meet up. However, they’re all lovely girls who I’m now very friendly with, and I think hat we’ll work well together on this final project! One really worthwhile thing from the classes is that it’ given me a great insight into the differences between the UK and America. My workplace is, obviously, staffed almost entirely with UK CRPs, besides the managers, but the class is full mainly with American Collage Programme participants.  It’s been really cool getting to know Americans and it’s given me chance to see what how diverse the opportunities are in Disney, as Collage Programme participants get the chance to work in a wider variety of jobs then CRPs do. Also, in class today we were studying safety in the workplace, and one of the things we covered was what to do if someone entered the workplace with a gun. As a British person I found it shocking that Americans felt that this is a legitimate issue to prep for. Also the whole healthcare thing is real eye opener when we discussed the options Americans have, and made me really appreciate the UK. So yeah, very educational.

I’ve now also had my trainer training class, so I am now an official Disney trainer! I had actually conducted several training sessions prior to my class, but the class is important as it makes you official and you also get the trainer pin. I was so happy to be made trainer as It’s something that really interests me, and I’ve now done quite a few training shifts, which I’ve really enjoyed.  It gives me the chance to get to talk to the new people, which can actually be quite difficult when there are so many of them.

Talking of which, SO MANY new people recently. For the first few months of candlelight so few people arrived, I guess because they didn’t want to much training over such a busy period.  But we’ve had several large arrival groups recently, as well as lots of people finally moving into service, an some people finishing their programmes altogether. I get the feeling that this consent fluidity is going to be a constant from now on, but I will find it weird as it was so different when I arrived. It’s starting to get harder  as well, as people leaving now are those I’ve had more of a chance to get to know, so it’s much sadder than those that left when I’d only just arrived, and there are some people I will be really sorry to see go. We did a last circle last night where everyone gets into a circle and sings with the people leaving in the middle. I’ve been to a few before, but they really mean so much more once you’ve been here a while, and it reminded me that one day baht will be me. Although it is a sad thought, it reminded me to make the most out of every second that I am here!

So other fun, less emotional things that have happened… well I am eating loads of food because there are so many good, cheap restaurants around and there’s always an occasion, even if its just catching up with someone that you haven’t seen much of because of work. Me and a few girls from work also took part in a towel folding class for a laugh, where you learn how to make towel animals! Got to love the opportunities in Disney… I also had a lovely night staying at the Art of Animation resort with. group from work. We’d all been working a lot so it was nice to hang out outside of work, and the resort itself is beautiful. We stayed in the Cars suite, but now I want to stay in all of them!

Another fun thing was the international party, where all the countries from happy Mondays got together for a massive party. It was so much fun and it was lovely to see so many of my international friends in one place.

So yeah, that’s this month! Writing it all down has made me realise how much has actually happened this month, as I felt like I did nothing but work at one point! Much love, will update soon

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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!

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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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