Oo-de-lally Golly What A Day

Sooooo... yeah. It's starting to get reallyyyy slow at the Disneyland Resort. Apparently peak season ends the day after Labor Day, which is in about a week. And trust me, it's already a big difference now that school has started for a lot of people. During this entire summer, our lines at Mickey's Fun Wheel have ranged from 30-60 minutes. Yesterday it was a 10-20 minute wait almost all day long. Which leads me to a really funny story...

A few days ago I was opening Mickey's Fun Wheel. Usually we already have a 20-30 minute line by about 10:20 (the park opens at 10am). However, on THIS day, there was barely a soul in sight. Around 10:15, a few parties got in line, and we let them right onto the ride. During the time that they were cycling (meaning, while the wheel was going around non-stop) only ONE person got in line. So, we got him onto Gondola #2. The other parties were in Gondolas 11-14. After the gondolas with those parties came back into the station and we got them off, there was nobody in line or even anywhere NEAR our line.

Since there was nobody in line, the other two girls and I didn't see any point in cycling it. We decided to just talk and wait for people to get in line. It was ten minutes before more people finally came. We loaded them into the gondolas, and kept loading gondolas until the end of the set (we have 24 gondolas; after we load them all, they cycle non-stop one time). As the wheel starts to cycle, Gondola #2 goes past us.

That ONE GUY is sitting in the gondola. All three of us stared at the gondola, then one by one our mouths dropped open as the realization dawned on us. Somehow we ALL forgot that he was on the ride! He was up at the top for ten minutes! We all looked at each other and just started dying laughing. It was reallyyyyyy funny. But kind of sad. At least it wasn't hot yet, and at least he had a cool view? When the wheel finished cycling and we let him out, Keisha made up some kind of excuse about how we were loading a wheelchair party and they didn't speak English... but the guy didn't speak English either, so he just walked away really confused.

Other than that, today was my first official shift at California Screamin' since I got trained there a couple weeks ago! I was really nervous about it, but it wasn't so bad :) Well, the ride DID break down and we had to evacuate guests off of it, but it was in no way my fault. However, when we go down at Screamin', in order to go back up we have to reset all the brake zones. Remember in my last blog post how I was complaining about hiking up to Zone 4 during my training? Guess which Zone I got drafted to go reset today? Yep, Zone 4.

Here's a visual, so you can understand my pain:

Zone 4 is at the very top of that hill, inside the blue tunnel. There are stairs alongside the track all the way up to that point. And there is another staircase to get up to THOSE stairs. But I don't think I'll be as sore this time - I stretched before going up, and I took it a little slower. Don't get me wrong, I still wanted to faint when I got to the top, but I don't think my recovery will take as long this time around.

Other than that, today went pretty smoothly. One weird thing is how many people manage to leave important things on the ride. You're only on there for about a minute, but people still forget to grab the things they put in the little bag. Today I had a guy come up to me and hand me an iPhone that someone had left (which was nice of him to turn in). Literally two minutes later, someone else handed me a forgotten iPhone. It's lucky for those people that I'm a good person, because I've really been wanting an iPhone...

I have five more Screamin' shifts before it goes down for refurbishment, then I'm back to FunWheel/Swings =[ My shifts on the most recent schedule are a bit shorter too, now that peak season is over. I also have a DCA Parade Guest Control shift - which basically means I walk in front of the Phineus & Ferb float and tell people to get out of the way.

Not much more to report - I can't wait to start doing some of the official College Program events! Things to look forward to: Disneyland Scavenger Hunt this Tuesday, and a tour of the Dream Suite later next month!!

News and Noteworthies

Alright, tons to update you guys on. First of all, let me start off with a picture of me in my Fun Wheel / Swings costume, because I promised this a long time ago and never delivered.

That is my beautiful, uncomfortable costume. When it gets really hot we're allowed to take our tie off and unbutton the vest, but otherwise you're stuck in there. Oh and those awkward pant things - trust me, they don't look flattering on a single soul.

Blended Learning Series class has been going well. A couple weeks ago, our homework had to do with the Windows on Main Street. All of the windows are dedicated to legendary Disney employees, but they are disguised like actual shop/business names - but the businesses had something to do with what the person did in the company. We had to make our own window with our inscription, as well as explain what our legacy would be. We were allowed to just write it out on paper, or we could get creative with it.

As with every aspect of my life, I opted for the creative option. I bought a $4 glass frame at Michael's and used sharpie to write the inscription. Instead of putting a photo in the frame, I printed out a picture of lacy curtains to make it look more window-ish. It says "Wise Weddings" because Wise is my last name and because (at this moment in time) where I really want to go in the company is their Fairytale Weddings department.

It looks a little bit cooler in person...
ANYWAYS.
Today was probably the most stressful day for me of the program. Why? Because today I started training for California Screamin' (the huge roller coaster in DCA). Honestly, if Screamin' was the first attraction I was trained at, I probably would've quit. But now that I am a little better at handling guests and shouting into crowds, I'm slightly better equipped for this attraction.

It took me three days to be trained at two attractions - Fun Wheel and Swings. The training for Screamin' is FOUR long days. I had a training buddy, but it didn't make me feel much better because he is a lead at Grizzly and has been here for three years, so he already knew most of the people and he picked things up way faster than me... For opening procedures, we had to hike allllllll the way up to Zone 4 of the track - that's the very top of the second huge hill.

My legs feel like jelly.

Learning this attraction made me realize what a piece of cake the Swings and Fun Wheel are. Yeah, Swings can be annoying at times, but at least i wasn't so overwhelmed there during my training that I wanted to cry a little... It will get better though, I hope. It's a LOT to take in, but I think with enough practice I will get it down...

Too bad it's going down next month for six weeks of refurbishment.


Oh well, at least the costume is slightly cuter. AND more breathable.

Probably the most exciting news is: starting on Saturday the rest of the Fall College Program people show up! Everyone who is staying in the Disney housing will now be here with us, and our program can REALLY begin. The last three months have felt more like a prologue to the program; the Spring program people were still here, so all of our emails about CP events were directed toward their program. Now that the Fall people are here, we can start going to all the awesome things that are planned for us!

So with the rest of this blog, I just want to share some tips/advice with all of you incoming cast members! (as well as answer questions I have been asked). I'll start with the Q & A:

Are there times before or after the parks close when you can go on a ride with no line?
Hmmm, if you mean WHILE you're working, it really just depends. Other than during your Guest Interaction Training (it's one of your first days of training, and it's the best because you get to go on a ton of rides that day), if you're not in Attractions, you probably won't get to go on rides during your shift. Then, even if you ARE attractions, it really just depends on how cool your Lead is. The other night my closing lead let me go on the swings with all the guests because it was the last ride of the night before we closed it down. Today at Screamin' my trainer let us go on the ride to "show check" it before the park opened. It was really weird because it was just the three of us, there was no screaming, there were no sounds in the park because it wasn't open yet.... It was kind of awkward. But awesome. But I'm pretty sure that was like a one time thing. So far, both attractions I've worked close early for World of Color, so when we cut the line off around 8pm, that's it. The last people in that line are the last people going on the ride.

I'm interested to know if it works the same way at the attractions in Disneyland. From what I've heard about things over there, they probably get to go on their rides even less than we do...

If you close, are there any buses running that late?
I'm pretty sure the bus line runs until about 2am, but the area around the bus stop is kinda sketch, so I would recommend saying on your preferance sheet that you don't want to get out past a certain time.

Rudest/funniest guest stories :D
Oh man, I could go on and on with that one. I'm writing them all down so at the end of the program I can write one big blog post with all my favorite stories :)

Is there job advancement in the cp?
While you're in the program, you are basically locked in your department. However, there are lots of opportunities available for you to cross-utilize. For example, they just had auditions for Youth Facilitators - those are cast members who conduct educational tours/learning programs for schools that come to the park on field trips. You'd probably only have one of these shifts a week, but you'd get $13 an hour for it. Just keep your eyes open for opportunities like this - always check the hub, and even with your Lead - a lot of them will know. There are also networking opportunities available to all cast members - look out for these kind of events as well. As for advancing within your department, one of my Leads started off in the College Program a couple years ago and at the very end of it, they promoted her to Trainer status. Work hard, try not to get any points, and doors will open for you.

What are some random things most people overlook when packing for the apartments that we will need?
Hmm, well I'm not in housing so I'm not really sure. BUT some things that a lot of people might overlook are umbrellas (it's gonna get rainy this winter), an alarm clock, notebooks with paper (for your classes!), plenty of those white socks! (or black, depending on your area), medicine (lots of germs at Disneyland...), carrying case for your toiletries, bottle opener, DUCT TAPE (you never know when you might need it...)

Does Disney regulate how high your socks must be if your costume has a shorts option?
Yes! They must be at least to the ankle bone, but no higher than mid-calf.

Does Disney still provide undies?
Haha nope, maybe in the Entertainment department, but for the rest of us - we are supplying our own undergarments.

Explain the whole point system pleaseeee
In all honesty, I'm not entirely sure about it... which is why I've made sure to not get ANY points (which I'm rather proud of lol). From what I understand, if you get to 24 points within 4 months (6 months?) you get terminated. I think at certain times of the year or after a certain amount of months, your points start to drop off. As for getting those points: If you are late, it's 1.5 points. Even if you're only late by one minute. If you call out sick or personal, it's 3 points. A word of advice - if you call out, say you're sick. Calling out sick, you get three days off and only 3 points. Calling out personal, you still get 3 points but only one day off.

BUT if you want to stay on with the company, I would suggest keeping your record as clear as possible. This allows you to transfer/move-up faster.

As if this blog post wasn't already long enough, I want to end it with some tips for all of you guys coming in:

• If you are driving to work, give yourself plenty of time to find parking in the Katella cast member lot. If your shift is before noon, you should be fine. But later in the day, you might have to drive around for 15-20 minutes looking for a spot.
  
  
• When you go to the costuming department to get your costume, it can be a little overwhelming. Don't be afraid to ask the cast members working there for help! Trust me, the sizes are weird (my Fun Wheel shirt is a size 10, but my Screamin' shirt is a size 4??), you might not know all the pieces you need (bow ties, belts, etc.) - they can help you! Most of them are friendly and willing to assist you in finding your correct size. :)
  
  
• Seniority counts for a LOT at Disney. Don't let it intimidate you when someone has been here a lot longer than you. Just because they've been here for years and years doesn't mean everything they do is correct. If anything, the people that I've seen who have worked in the same department for a super long time - most of them have lost their spark/magic... =/
  
  
• If you plan on staying after the program, apply for EVERYTHING you can. Once the program is over, your seniority is gone, and possibly your hours too. The more things you've applied for while you have that seniority, the more things you have to fall back on when the program ends.
  
  
• Don't jeopardize your entire career with Disney by getting kicked out for underage drinking in your apartment... Just don't take that risk.
  
  
• During the program, take advantage of all the great opportunities they provide us with! This is a once in a lifetime chance to have an amazing experience - make the most of it!
  
  
• Don't Disney yourself out! I'm sure the first couple weeks you're going to want to go play in the parks on your days off... But after you start pulling 8 hour shifts, 6 days a week, you're not going to want to go there on your only day off. There's lots of other cool things to do down here (feel free to ask me anytime!), or you may just want to give your poor feet a break at home.
  
  
• Finally, and this is a big one: Don't be disappointed if you don't get the attraction/land/park you wanted. Because I promise you, there will be benefits to your role that you may not realize at first. I was super bummed out when I saw "Paradise Pier" on my paper. I wanted to be in Disneyland. But now I'm really glad to be in DCA - better hours, more relaxed people/leads, etc. And this way I still actually WANT to go to Disneyland on my free days. If I was working over there, it might lose some of that magical feeling.
  
  I'm SO excited to meet you all, and I really truly hope this is an amazing experience for every last one of you! See ya real soon ;)

I'm still alive!

I promise I haven't completely disappeared off the face of the planet - I know that's what it seems like. So, prepare for a long blog post! Going into this internship, I didn't realize how absolutely exhausted I would be all the time. I work full eight hour days, five days a week, which isn't as bad as some people I've heard are working over 50 hours a week. BUT it gets really stinkin' hot at my attractions. When you work Swings, you are basically cooking up there, with no umbrella or semblance of shade. Lately, we've been getting to Heat Index 1, which means we are allowed to take off our ties and unbutton our vest... This doesn't do much for me. Sometimes I wish I worked at Disneyland where a lot of the rides are indoors, but then I think about the fact that their park opens up to three hours earlier than ours (meaning my opening shifts would start at 6:30, instead of 9:30) and their park closes at least two hours later than ours (meaning my late shifts would go until 1am, instead of 10:45pm).

Though there is ONE thing I'm bummed about with DCA, and particularly Mickey's Fun Wheel... we don't get any cool celebrity sightings!! Within the last month, The Rock, Matthew Mcconaughey, and Leonardo di Caprio (my favorite!!!) were all at Disneyland. But did we see any of them over at Paradise Pier? Nope. We did have ONE celebrity sighting, but I didn't even know who they were... I was working the Wheel when a Guest Relations cast member (they're the ones that get to escort celebs) came down through the exit with a group of kids. I loaded them into a gondola and didn't think anything of it. The family that was next in line was like, "I wonder who they are?" and then their adorable daughter who was probably four years old said, "I know who they are! They're from Ant Farm!"


Ant Farm is apparently Disney Channel's newest show. The two girls in the middle were definitely there, and I'm pretty sure the boy in the middle was there too. The African American girl is also from Tyler Perry's House of Payne or whatever. They were cute, but I wasn't exactly starstruck.

Hmm.. what else is new.. Oh yeah! We started our class - the Blended Learning Series. We've had two meetings so far - both of which have taken place in a meeting room at the Paradise Pier Hotel. We even had our first homework assignment - a leadership interview, where we had to interview a Disney leader. I interviewed my favorite Lead for my attraction (Michelle) who is extremely helpful and great because she cares about her fellow cast members and wants to help them achieve their goals with the company. To be honest though, I'm still not entirely sure what this class is about. Here's what our schedule on the syllabus looks like:

Class Date	Class Title	Location
Jun 21	Introduction & Course Overview	Paradise Pier - Crystal Cove
Jun 28	Networking & Leadership Excellence	Paradise Pier - Crystal Cove
Jul 5	Leadership Interviews	OUT OF CLASS
Jul 12	Disney Heritage, Part 1	Paradise Pier - San Diego Room
Jul 19	Windows on Main Street	IN PARK ACTIVITY
Jul 26	Disney Heritage, Part 2	Paradise Pier - Redondo Room
Aug 2	Orange County Food Bank	12640 Knott St. Garden Grove, CA
Aug 9	Corporate Citizenship	Paradise Pier - San Diego Room
Aug 16	Guest Speaker & Course Wrap-Up	Paradise Pier - San Diego Room

Overall, I'm really excited about a lot of this. Besides the fact that the classes are at 8:30 am (seriously not a morning person), they are really easy to sit through and it doesn't feel like you're there for three hours (which you are).

One of the many things I love about Disney is that they care about every employee and want to make sure you're doing well in your area. As a result, you have a "check-in" with your home-team manager every few weeks (especially during your first couple months with the company). This allows you to discuss any concerns, let them know any of your goals and aspirations, etc. During my last check-in, I got the great news that I'm going to be cross-trained soon!! It's going to be for either California Screamin' or Grizzly River Rapid Run since those are the locations that need more people right now. I'm so excited for a change of pace - working 40 hours a week in one location gets kind of old after awhile. It'll be fun to try something new, plus I get paid like 15 cents more for those attractions because the are more dangerous, apparently...

So that about sums up my last few weeks. I promise I will try to post way more often! And of course, I still owe you guys a picture of me in costume. If anyone wants to come to the park and take an "action shot" of me, I'll use that on here! ;) Sometime in the future I'm going to post a blog of all the funny things guests ask me or things I overhear them say - and trust me, there's plenty of material to work with.

I'd like to end with a joke that an awesome shuttle driver told us backstage:

Q: Why does Ariel always wear seashells?

A: Because B-shells are too small and D-shells are too big!

hahahaha. brilliant.

Have a magical day! If you have any questions for me, post them and I'll answer them in the next blog! :)

It's been awhile!

Let's see, what have I been up to lately. Well, a couple of days ago I was scheduled for Grad Night Screening, which was interesting... So I had to show up wearing the Parade Guest Control costume, which is just royal blue pants, a white polo, and a black peacoat. For the first hour or so they talked to us about how to do pat-downs and what kinds of things to look out for. Then we did some stretches, and then we went out to the front of the park, where one of the shuttle lanes was completely blocked off for us to do our screening...

At first it was quiet. A couple buses arrived and the recent high school graduates trickled down the lane until they got to one of the MANY pat-down entrances. We weren't just looking for marijuana and alcohol - if they had logos on their shirts, we had to have a "runner" escort them to the bathroom and make them turn it inside out. If they had medicine, a runner would take them to the nurse table to get it inspected. If they had dangly earrings, they had to take them off, ETC.

Then things got CRAZY. Swarms of them came. I'm not a fan of mobs in general, but mobs of teenagers are the WORST. I tried to be a runner for as long as I could, but eventually I got roped into doing pat-downs. Let me tell you, some of those girls were sooo sassy, I just wanted to smack them and tell them to get over themselves. But I didn't, because I work at Disney :) During the pat-downs we have to squat to check their pants and shoes... If grad night was on Thursday, and today is Monday, then it took four days for my thighs to no longer ache intesnely. :(

And since I'm sure you're all wondering, I didn't find any illegal contraband on the kids I checked, but I know that a few other people did. And you know what happened to those kids? They got turned over to our on-site Anaheim Police Officers. Sucks for them.

Otherwise, work has been smooth. I've decided to start tallying how many guests tell me I look like Snow White or that I should be Snow White. So far i'm at 5, and 3 of those were today - I guess I must have looked extra white or something. At one point I turned to let a family out of the ferris wheel and the little girl pointed at me and said "Snow White! Snow White!" :) Made me smile.


Other than being pale with black hair, there's not a lot of resemblance...

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming

Wow! I've been busy lately. Not only am I at finals time at school, I have been working five days a week. All of my shifts have been at the Fun Wheel and Swings. I haven't had any WoC shifts since that last one, which is cool because most people get scheduled a lot of them and only a few attractions shifts. But being College Program, we get all the good shifts ;) Some people will kind of resent you for it, but for the most part people are cool.

Anyways, I've really gotten the hang of my job! And I really enjoy it :) I'm glad that I got trained on TWO rides instead of just one, because it gives me even more positions to rotate through, so I get a good variety and work stays interesting. I've had a few hiccups operating the rides, but nothing that couldn't be fixed quickly! The BEST part of my job is interacting with the guests. Yeah, you get a couple boogers every now and then, but for the most part the people are really nice! I've gotten so many random compliments, it's the sweetest thing.

Apparently older Asian women think I'm really pretty... I had one tell me I was "very beautiful" and I had another take a picture of me.. It was kind of awkward, but nice. Oh, and I also have a fan club of 12 year old boys. They went on the Swings three days ago, and today they were at the Fun Wheel. They kept calling my name loudly which was kind of uncomfortable because there were a LOT of people there, and they asked me if it hurt when I fell from heaven...

Other than that, not a lot to report! I'm having a great time, even if my feet hurt :) I'm really looking forward to my first class (The Blended Learning Series) starting soon! And next week I'm working one of the Grad Night shifts, from 8pm - 1:30 am. I'm going to be screening all the high school graduates for drugs and alcohol.... fun stuff...

The last three days...

Time to play catch up! I'll start with Friday:

I had my FIRST post-training shift, and it was actually really easy. Probably because it was only four hours long and they only put me at the "Greeter" position for most of my shift. We shut the fun wheel and swings down for World of Color, so I got to just watch WoC from up high by the swings. It was an interesting view! I had my first disgruntled guest encounter - he was REALLY angry that the ferris wheel shut down early... my bad?

Saturday was another four hour shift, but I went through a full rotation of every position on both the swings and fun wheel, and for the most part I was incident free! ;) I no longer feel really nervous going into work!

Today... well, today was blah. I worked an 8.5 hour World of Color fastpass distribution shift. Picture this: it's 9:25 am at DCA, the park is going to be opened in 5 minutes for a crowd of guests eager to get their World of Color fastpasses. The main walkway into the park is completely empty, except for ME - a new hire about to start my third day without a trainer - stationed there to tell people not to run and to answer questions.

9:30 am, the gates are opened and a FLOOD of people enter the park all at once, all of them running. I'm YELLING at the top of my lungs, making EYE-CONTACT with people running, telling them to PLEASE WALK, NO RUNNING!!! And still they run. It was terrifying, I've never felt so small in my life.

After the initial wave of intense families, the rest of the guests sauntered in, and many of them came to ME, the only visible employee, with tons of questions. Where is a good place to get breakfast? Where is the character dining at? How tall do you have to be to ride this? What's World of Color? How do you get to Midway Mania?

And I answered them ALL. Seriously, I should be in Guest Relations or something.

The rest of the day was incredibly boring and stressful to my vocal chords. I literally stood next to the WoC fastpass machine all day, taking people's tickets and exchanging them for passes, then giving the same spiel of information over and over... Luckily, tomorrow I'm back at Swings/Fun Wheel!

I'm the king of the swingers, oh

Woah I just realized I haven't updated this in a little while... So, here's what's been going on:

Monday I had a little more training for the Swings, and then I had my PA (practical assesment? proficiency assesment? i still don't know) and passed. The worst part about working that ride (besides grouping - i can't count that fast) is having to tell kids that they are too short to go on it :[ If they get really upset though, we give them something called a Height Certificate - which is a little card with a picture of the Swings on it, and on the back it has Mickey saying something along the lines of "When you're big enough for our concert," come back and present this card and we'll get you to the front of the line. Most of the rides with a height requirement have these certificates, and it's cute watching a little kid's face brighten up instantly when we give them one :)

I had a few days off to recover, and now tonight is my first post-training shift, from 6:45 to 10:45 pm. Honestly, I'm kind of nervous... The PA isn't very strict, it's just to see if you have basic proficiency, so I don't really feel all that comfortable running the ride by myself yet...

Oh, I still haven't posted a picture of me in the main costume I wear... I'll do that next time maybe!

I've got no strings, to hold me down

*Breathe in ... and breathe out*

Okay, I am pretty exhausted from the last few days, and my brain is on sensory overload. Yesterday, I started at 8:30 am - which is before DCA opens - and I walked through the opening procedures for Mickey's Fun Wheel with my trainer Brad. He then taught me how to operate the ride, and there was a LOT to remember. How to stop the ride early if someone wants off, how to determine what the wait times are, what to do in emergency situations, how to accomodate guests with disabilities, how to contact maintenance or custodial, ETC.! Once the park opened, I got to practice letting guests on and off the gondolas and dispatching the ride. A couple hours of the day were spent in one of the Learning Centers, reading the Operating Guide (OG).... yeah, my eyes were fighting to stay open. OH! I got to go on Little Mermaid again :) I haven't even used my Cast Preview tickets yet!

Today was pretty similar to yesterday. I finished reading the OG for Mickey's Fun Wheel, and had a refresher on operating the ride. Then, I had my PA - which I think means Personal Assessment...? I don't know, they use SO MANY ACRONYMS here, it's hard to remember what they all mean!! Anyway, basically it means that a trainer followed me around as I did each of the different roles for the attraction, asking me questions during the whole thing. Kind of nerve racking, but I passed and can now operate a 160 foot tall ferris wheel :) There were some delays with my training though - the ferris wheel went 101 (meaning we had to shut it down) twice - it wasn't my fault though!

After lunch, I got a crash course on the Silly Symphony Swings, and then had to go read it's OG... blah. Tomorrow is my last training shift - from 9am to 1pm. I'll be having another PA done for the Swings, and then I'm officially done with training! Here's hoping I pass!

Oh, I also witnessed my first Code V today... yummy

BEST...DAY... EVER!!

Seriously, I'm pretty sure there isn't a job out there whose first day of training is more fun than mine was. Let's walk through the day! (and trust me, we did plenty of walking)

First off, I parked in the Katella cast member lot for the first time! Took the cast shuttle to Harbor Point (where there's a Team Center and lots of important offices, like scheduling). Met up with the other girl I was training with (they usually put two trainees to one trainer) and then we met our awesome trainer, Clinton. He showed us around and then took us to the costuming building, where we got our first costumes, as well as locks to put on lockers. The costume we wore today is the one that we wear when we're scheduled for World of Color shifts. We also got a coat because it was chilly at night!


Don't I look precious?? .....

I also got another costume (which I'm supposed to wear tomorrow) that's for my shifts at the Swings or Fun Wheel. It's also the same costume for Midway Mania. After we got our snazzy outfits on, we walked over to DCA. We got to do some really fun things today - and got paid for it! We went on the Monster's Inc. ride, and then went around to the back to the control room for Roz (at the end of the ride, Roz talks to guests in the car). It was super interesting to see how it worked - I always wondered!

It was a long day, so I can't really remember the order in which we did everything, so I'll just summarize. We went into the Animation Academy, and did the quiz in the Beast's Library and the voice-over thing in Ursula's Lair. We met our trainer for tomorrow, and then went on Toy Story Midway Mania. We went into the Blue Sky Cellar (where they show upcoming changes to the park) and watched the movie that plays in there. We met a TON of people and managers, saw a lot of different breakrooms, had a delicious and cheap lunch in the cafeteria, and then went on the new Little Mermaid Ride!! - let me just say, it was really really pretty :) and the costumes are soooo adorable!! I filled out the cross-training form, where you list your top three rides (in your area) that you'd like to be trained for. I put 1.) Little Mermaid, 2.) Midway Mania, 3.) CA Screamin'. I really hope I get it, but it won't be for at least a couple months because we are on a probation period right now.

Basically, today was called "Guest Interaction Training." We were mostly just walking around the entire park with Clinton pointing out where things are for when a guest asks for it. To end the night, we got to watch World of Color :) And it was ESPECIALLY awesome because today was the first day that it had a new part in it - an extended Pirates of the Carribbean portion, with a lot of scenes from the new movie! Very cool.

All in all, a VERY fun day of training! Of course, it's not going to be as fun after today - tomorrow we are going to be stationed at our attractions (the fun wheel and swings) and learning how to do those. Still excited for it though! :) Even though I'm on a turn-around, starting at 8:30 am...

I'm never gonna catch my breath, say goodbye to those who knew me...

Wow. I am SO exhausted from the last few days. That being sad, today was pretty cool. It was our "Welcome to..." orientation, and mine was for Park Operations (which includes Parking/Transportation, Main Entrance, Guest Relations, Custodial, Attractions, and Security). The majority of the 8 hour day was spent in a conference room, where we learned about safety and all sorts of other things that would be REALLY boring if our facilitators weren't so entertaining.

My favorite part of the day was when we got to walk around the park and hear from a manager in each of the park operations departments. OH, and because we are Park Ops, we got to see an "example" by going on Buzz Lightyear astroblasters! :) At the end of the day, a few of us took the shuttle to one of the "team centers," where we got our Little Mermaid preview tickets!! But what we didn't know was that we got off the last shuttle, which meant we were pretty much stranded backstage. We found our way back into the park and walked all the way through it to get out through the Toontown exit, and finally made it back to TDA!

Oh and we also got our schedules for the next couple weeks, I have some time to relax, and then I have on-the-job training Friday-Sunday! I can't wait to get my costume, I think they are actually pretty cute. I also found out my specific rides! I am starting with Mickey's Fun Wheel and the Silly Symphony Swings. Obviously, these weren't my first choices, but I asked my facilitator and he said I have a very high chance of being cross-trained for Little Mermaid or Toy Story! :) *fingers crossed*



Forgot to mention.... Star Tours was AMAZING!! I missed that ride :)

TRADITIONS!

So somehow I managed to get up at 6:30 am to be at Traditions by 7:30 - it's a miracle, I know. But I was so stoked that I wasn't even sleepy at all! (until about 1:00 pm when I completely crashed) To summarize the day, after signing in that we were there (so we could get paid for our time!) we went to an auditorium in the TDA building, which is where we spent most of our 8 hour day. It looked something like this:

Basically our four trainers showed us video clips, had us play a few games, and did a LOT of slideshows about what it means to be a Disney employee (WE CREATE HAPPINESS!!). We learned about the Four Keys of Disneyland (Safety, Courtesy, Show, Efficiency), as well as the past, present, and future of Disney. Hey, if you want to pay me to learn about one of my favorite subjects, that's fine with me! =)

The best part was when we took a one hour tour of Disneyland, going both onstage and backstage (for those that don't know, onstage is what we call any area where the guests can see you). It was funny watching the guests trying to figure out who this huge group of nicely dressed individuals was, we must've looked very important - and we are! ;) Then we got a lunch break. We ate at the TDA cafeteria, which had some pretty good food and wasn't too expensive. After a few more skits and slideshows in the auditorium, we were visited by a very special guest who brought us these...

Oh! But one of the most important things today was the white piece of paper they gave us first thing in the morning when we signed in. Why you ask? BECAUSE it tells you what area you are working in! Which is how I found out I'm going to be working attractions in Paradise Pier in Disney California Adventure Park. At first I was like " awww :( " especially when the girl next to me got New Orleans Square/Critter Country and a guy I talked to got Fantasyland. But then I thought about it more, and now I don't think it's such a bad thing. Let's talk about why:

• My hours won't be as crazy as if I were in the main DL park. DCA usually opens an hour or two later, and closes two hours earlier. No SUPER super early mornings :) Maybe.


• It's very scenic! No one can deny that the view is lovely.


• At night, all the PP rides close down early for World of Color, which I would be doing guest control for. Once the show starts, you basically get to hang out and watch it! (I'm sure the music will get really old though...)


• There are three cast member cafeterias on the Disneyland property. The only one in DCA is located backstage of Paradise Pier, so it will be super convenient for my lunches.


• As long as I don't get the Zephyrs or Jumpin' Jellyfish (which have ugly Hawaiian shirts) , my costume isn't too bad. In fact, I think they are kind of cute.


• I might have gotten Toy Storia Midway Mania.


• I MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN THE NEW LITTLE MERMAID RIDE.

No matter what attraction I got, I'm super excited for tomorrow! I have to be at the TDA building at 8:30 am for our division-specific welcome orientation (I'm part of park operations). Oh and I forgot the best part...

TOMORROW IS OPENING DAY FOR THE NEW STAR TOURS AND I'M GOING ON IT!!! Thanks to my awesome friend Claudia!! Seriously stoked.

The dreams that you make do come true...

Today was my check-in appointment, 2:00 pm at the Team Disney Anaheim building!! First, let me just say that the TDA building is amazing, I want to live there. When I walked in, I immediately felt the Disney magic - the walls were navy with gold sparkles painted on them, the carpet was mickey-print, the employees were super friendly and pointed out which way to go, I loved it.

First 45 minutes or so, we were filling out the rest of our paperwork (tax information, union membership, etc), and then we got our photo taken for our picture I.D. After that, we were led upstairs to a room with tables, where we sat and watched Ratatouille until everyone got in the room! So cool!


While we were waiting for everyone to get there, we had time to peruse the hefty folder they gave us, full of information and goodies! Some of the things we got include:

• A fancy and detailed guide to the Disney Look


• Brochures about things like Disability Insurance, Workers' Compensation, Sexual Harrasment, etc.


• Our "Safe-D" manual


• A random white board and dry erase marker


• Employee policy manual


• Information about their Federal Credit Union


• A 2011 Program guide, complete with day planner! (with cute things on the dates, like Goofy's birthday)


• A DCP keychain thing for our cast member ID!


• A disney pen :)

The next hour and half were filled with a few presentations from different departments. We heard about the education requirements with class descriptions, from an awesome guy who is a teacher for some of the classes (Paul Solis). We had a presentation from Scheduling, and filled out an availability and preferance sheet. The final presentation was about community updates, housing events (which local CP'ers are still allowed to go to), college program events, etc. Oh, we also did one of those ice breaker games where you go around the room and have people write their name on your paper and stuff....

The most exciting part is, we start Traditions tomorrow!! For those that don't know, Traditions is the orientation that all new employees go through. I'm not sure everything that we talk about, but tomorrow I will be sure to post another blog about it :) The only bummer is that we have to be there at 7:30 am, yikes... Sunday is when we have our introductory orientation for our specific division within the park. Since I'm attractions, I'm part of park operations, and I have to be at TDA 8:30 am, which isn't as bad as some people (like retail) who have to be there at 7:30 am again.

It's going to be a looooong but exciting weekend, I will be sure to document everything for you guys! :) Well, I'm off to buy my work shoes!

Time is Racing Toward Us!

Only three days until I check-in at the Team Disney Anaheim building!! I can't believe how fast it's snuck up on me! I really don't have much to say except how absolutely excited I am to begin my adventure and make new friends!

So on Friday I have my check-in appointment, where I finish filling out additional paperwork and have my cast member ID picture taken. Then I find out what my schedule is going to be like for Traditions and orientation. My emails say that Traditions (which is our first paid day of orientation that every new employee must go through) doesn't happen until a week or two after our check-in day, which is a bummer because I want to start NOW!

Anyway, I will be back on Friday to let you all know how it went!

I walked with you once upon a dream

Sad news. I've been kind of in a slump the last couple days ever since my mom texted me saying that my dog back home, Cody, died. I hadn't seen him since Christmas, and I always thought I would see him at least one more time before he passed away. I know he was "just a dog" but I've never had anyone in my family or anyone close to me die before, so I've been pretty torn up about it. We got him when I was nine years old, and now I'm 21, so twelve years is a long time to have someone in your life. I wish I could've hugged his blubber-y body one more time, but I know he's in doggie heaven now, eating everything.

R.I.P. Cody, I love you.

Never smile at a crocodile

Not a whole lot to report, still just counting down the days until check-in (which is in exactly FOUR WEEKS). I got my purple folder in the mail a couple weeks ago, which basically has all the information that's online, plus a welcome letter with a more detailed description of your role. Also, it came with 3D glasses which goes to an online game called Mission: Timekeeper - where you basically get to learn about disney history and trivia, while defeating the evil Sidheron... To fill my time while I wait for my program to start, I've been doing various disney paintings. My most recent one, which I did three days ago, features Wall-E and Eve "dancing" in space. I think it turned out really well (it's also pretty big - like 2' x 3'): Close-up: Also, this is kind of random but I'm sort of proud of it. When I went to the CP Presentation at my school, they gave us a purple sticker that said "Disney College Program" on it. I saved that sticker for a month or so until I found out I got in and what my check-in day was, just so I could put it on my calendar: And yes, I have an Owls of Ga'Hoole calendar. I'm not going to apologize for it.

Countdown!!

I found a website that makes little Disney countdown banners to put on your website, so I decided to make one. After I typed in the "event date," a preview of my banner showed up, and it said 38 days. 38 days??! Somehow, I didn't realize how soon it was going to be! That's only a month and a week away! Time to really start preparing!

On a separate note, I was at Barnes & Noble yesterday and I found this awesome book on sale - Little Known Facts About Well Known Places: Disneyland. It's cute and has lots of interesting things that I actually didn't already know! For example, when President Theodore Roosevelt visited Disneyland, he refused to go on the Dumbo ride because he didn't want to be photographed on an elephant - the symbol of the Republican party. Go check this book out - I got it for only $6.95! I have 38 days to improve my Disney knowledge, so hopefully this book helps with that :)

A big post about SHOPPING!

Alright, so for those of you who know me, you know I LOVE to shop - what girl doesn't? Combinine that love with my obsession of Disney and you get a blog post like this, filled with nothing but super cute and awesome products with a Disney theme :) Click on the item you like to go to it's website!

One of my favorite product lines is "Disney Couture" - they make all sorts of really cute and trendy jewelry, clothing, and accessories. I love the Jiminy Cricket Pendant Necklace ($65 amazon.com), the Pinocchio Bangle Bracelet ($45 amazon.com), and the Tinkerbell Pearl Necklace ($50 amazon.com). They are on the pricier side, but the quality is top-notch and it comes in a cute little silk bag!

While these might not fit the "Disney Look" they are great casual pieces for wearing to the park! The Dolman Sleeve Rhinestone Snow White Top ($69 disneystore.com) is very cute and hip but sadly didn't fit me right when I tried it on =( On the other hand, the Little Mermaid Burnout T-Shirt ($22 hottopic.com) is a more classic shape that looks good on everyone. I also really love the Minnie Sequin Skirt ($18 forever21.com) because it's a classy, subtle way to wear Disney.

Ever wanted to smell like your favorite Disney character? Now you can with their various perfumes! I thought the Little Mermaid and Minnie Mouse ones were very pretty, but you can purchase other characters like Tinkerbell and Aurora! They range from $10-$20, and most of them can also be purchase as a gift set with body wash and lotion (around $25). And so the men don't feel left, there's also a Tron Legacy Eau de Toilette! ($12)

As far as carrying cases go, the Tinker Bell Rainbow Wallet ($20 hottopic.com) is pretty, sparkley and has plenty of room for all that money you're going to spend on the other things in this blog post ;) The Winnie the Pooh Tote Bag ($10 amazon.com) is simply adorable - who doesn't love Pooh?? And the Pook-a-Looz Wristlet ($5 toysrus.com) is pretty darn cute, as well. Plus, it's the perfect size to take the essentials with you into the park!

Okay, so if you've never been to Etsy.com, you need to. It's a great site where you can buy various handmade items, and they have pretty much anything you could think of. My current obsession is the Snow White Decal for Macbook ($9). I don't even have a Mac, but I want to get one for no other reason than because I love this sticker (it also comes in sizes for iPads and iPhones). The Alice in Wonderland Tea Party Ring ($20) and the Drink Me Alice Necklace ($18) are also super adorable things you can find on Esty!

Finally (and most importantly!) check out my Zazzle store (zazzle.com/teaandhoney) where you can buy products with my original artwork on it! There are only a few things in there right now, but more will come! I am also taking requests, so let me know if there is a specific disney character, scene, etc. that you would like, and what kind of product you want it on (shoes, shirt, necklace, etc.). Thanks for reading, have a magical day! ;)

Thanks, but no thanks....

Alright, so you've seen which rides would be my dream to work at. But there are certain parts of the parks that I'd rather not get stationed at for 7 months... Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled for the chance to work at Disney, but we all have our personal preferences.

5. A Bug's Land

I think this part of the California Adventure park is one of the least exciting. To be honest, I often forget about it unless I'm using it as a shortcut to the Tower of Terror. The rides are somewhat forgettable, and the "It's Tough to be a Bug" 4D show frightens me. While a lot of the props and theming are cute (such as the giant umbrella that forms a circus tent), if this section of the park were to be gone tomorrow, I probably wouldn't even notice.

4. Paradise Pier

With the exception of California Screamin' and Toystory Mania, the rides of Paradise Pier aren't even ones I go on when I visit the park. I usually don't even go to that part of the park unless I want a scenic walk around the lake. To be frank, a lot of the rides are similar to those that can be found at carnivals (although, with a much higher quality!).

3. Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage

I actually have a legitimate reason for not wanting this ride. I went on it for the first time a couple months ago and actually started crying - I'm extremely claustrophobic, and even more so if that small space is in the water. Being in a submarine 8 hours a day sounds like my worst nightmare. And I'm worried because I've seen the blogs of several CP'ers who have gotten this ride...

2. Autopia

I don't really know what more to say. I've just never liked Autopia - I went on it once when I was around the age of ten and have never gone on it since. You're tucked away in the corner of Tomorrowland, so you don't really have a great view of anything. And Tomorrowland is the only part of the park that doesn't get Christmas decorations. =(

1. Muppet Vision 3D

As frightening as submarines are to me, nothing scares me more than anything created by Jim Henson. The Muppets have always terrified me. I've never watched this show and I never plan to. Please please please please PLEASE don't let me get this attraction. =(

No matter what Disney gives me, I will take it with a smile, because I get to work for the greatest company ever. Aside from the Muppets, none of these attractions will make me not want to come to work. However, let's just hope I get one of my top five... =P

Where do I want to work...

So, as you know, I've been selected for an Attractions role, which means I will be working at one of the rides in Disneyland or California Adventures. During my phone interview, I kind of name-dropped a few rides I would most love to work at. It might not have done me any good, but I've heard of a few people who requested a specific ride and ended up getting it. Doesn't hurt to try. While I'm super happy that I even got into the program, there are definitely some rides I want to work at more than others. After careful thought and consideration, I've narrowed it down to my Top 5 choices....

5. The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure
This ride isn't even open yet, which is one reason I think it would be cool to work it. Twenty years from now when my own kids ride it, I can say "Yeah, I totally worked at this ride when it first opened." I've seen the concept art for this ride, as well as the 3D models of it, and it looks like it'd be pretty similar to working the Haunted Mansion because you are basically loading people on and off of little carts. BUT The Little Mermaid is one of my favorite Disney movies and, if nothing else, I bet I would get to listen to some form of the amazing music from that film!

4. Hollywood Tower of Terror

Basically, I want to creep people out. And I think I'd be good at it. You get to wear a sweet bellhop outfit and try to scare people, what part of that doesn't sound good? Also, I love the ambiance inside that ride - all the dusty cobwebs and the smell of must. Yummy.




3. Fantasyland
So I've heard that if you work Fantasyland, you are trained on all or most of the rides there. That's pretty awesome because it means you could be working a different ride each day and therefore won't get bored of having the same scenery every single shift. Fantasyland is also one of my favorite parts of the park - it's colorful, it's where the castle is, and it's where the princesses are. Ultimately, I would love to work Storybook Land. I think that ride is one of the cutest things ever, and you get to talk a lot - which is something I enjoy.




2. The Haunted Mansion
Okay, first of all, New Orleans Square is my favorite land in the park. The ambiance, the music, the shops - I love it all. Secondly, the Haunted Mansion costumes are my favorite for any ride (I think the emerald green color would look awesome with my black hair). When the ride converts to Christmastime, your costume gets even cuter! And once again, you get to be kind of creepy. For some reason I'm really drawn to that. Oh and Jack and Sally usually hang out over there, so you might get to see them! :)

1. The Jungle Cruise

Though it's not my favorite ride in the park, it's the one I think I would have the most fun working. The skipper outfits are adorable and I think I would be great at the delivery of all the horribley wonderful puns. I always get that person who's not really into it and butchers the jokes and I think to myself, "I would be so into it if I had this job!" What else am I gonna do with my four years of high school drama class?

Those are the top choices ladies and gentlemen. There are some honorable mentions as well (Pirates of the Carribbean, Star Tours, and Space Mountain), but I will honestly be excited no matter what happens :) Coming up next time: My bottom 5 choices....

The Disney Look

Hello everyone, for this post I'm going to talk a little about the "disney look." When you first read all the requirements and nit-picky details about how you can and can't look, it's a little intimidating. Here's a brief overview for the female guidelines:

• Fingernails should be clean. If polish is used, it should be an appropriate neutral color.
• Fingernails should not exceed one-fourth of an inch beyond the fingertip.
• Hair should be neatly combed and arranged in a classic, easy-to-maintain style. Extreme styles are not permitted.
• Hair products may be used to create a soft, natural hairstyle within these guidelines.
• If the hair color is changed, it must be natural-looking and well maintained. Subtle highlights or frosting is permitted as long as it creates a uniform look over the whole head.
• If makeup is worn, it should be applied in a blended manner and in appropriate, neutral colors.

These are just a few of the requirements, there are plenty more about hair accessories, glasses, jewelry, shoes, etc. Also, I recently learned that we are expected to wear professional business attire to certain functions, such as our "Traditions" course and our other classes. And they have plenty to say about what constitutes appropriate business attire. Let's just say a shopping trip is definitely going to be in order before my program starts...

Now, I still want to look good at work even though I'm going to have to edit my makeup choices and what-not. So I put together a little shopping list of my favorite products that will keep you looking good while still following Disney's guidelines - as well as maintaining the budget of a poor college student. Sound good? (Sorry guys, this is mostly for the ladies, but a lot of this stuff can be used for guys too!)

1. St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub

The first step of looking naturally beautiful comes with great skin. I love this product from St. Ives - it exfoliates, clears breakouts (thanks to the Salicylic acid), and reduces redness (thanks to the green tea). I use it every time I shower!


$6, drugstores and retail chains





2. Nail Buffing Block

For those of you who have never used one of these, they are amazing. We have to have clean, neutral nails for the Disney look, and with these it's a simple 4-step process to get your nails naturally shiny and smooth! And since it's your own nails, you don't have to worry about the shine peeling off like a polish would. If the sheen starts to go away, simply buff it again to touch it up!


$2, drugstores



3. Baking Soda

Alright, so one of the most important things for a Disney cast member to do is smile - always! In order to get those pearly whites before you start your program, I suggest brushing once a week with regular baking soda, dipped in a little water to make it stick together. It really does work! Only use it once a week though, as it has the potential to strip your enamel if you use it too often. Plus, there are TONS of other great uses for this stuff!

$3, drugstores and grocery stores


4. Slant-tip Tweezers

In my opinion, one of THE MOST IMPORTANT things you can do to look put-together and clean is to have well-groomed eyebrows. Be careful to not overpluck! The space between your brows should be equal to, or a little wider than, your eyes. If your brows are sparse or spotty, fill them in by pressing a brown (or dark gray, depending on your hair color) shadow into them using an angled eyeshadow brush. Natural-looking, maintained brows create the perfect frame for your face and let your pretty eyes stand out! :)

$2, drugstores and retail chains


5. Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer SPF 30

Hands down, the best thing you can do for your skin is wear some form of sunscreen (at least SPF 30) every single day - cloudy or sunny. I like this moisturizer from Aveeno - it naturally evens out skin tone and reflects light to bring out skin's natural radiance.


$17, drugstores and retail chains



6. Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse

I hate the feeling of caked on concealers and foundation, and I'm pretty sure Disney doesn't want us looking super-fake either. Right after I put on my face moisturizer, I put a small amount of this mousse onto my problem areas and blend. It goes on extremely smooth, and creates a natural-looking, even skin tone. Just finish it off by dusting a light, organic powder across your entire face to set the mousse and create a matte finish.

$9, drugstores and retail chains

7. Carmex Strawberry Stick

A lot of us are going to be working outside, in rain and shine. Some kind of chapstick is going to be a MUST. I like the Carmex Strawberry Stick because it adds moisture, protects from the sun with SPF 15, and heals chapped lips (it contains germ-killing menthol and phenol, which speeds the healing process). Plus, it's small enough to fit in our pockets!


$2, drugstores


Disney is all about natural beauty, so find which products work for you! Maybe I will end up doing another post about the disney look - if there's something you'd like to see let me know! (I used to be a "Beauty Advisor" at Walgreens, so I know a bit about various products!)