Magic Magic Mouseketeer

The Disneyland College Program - Worth it?

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 22:36:00 +0000

I've been meaning to write this post for a while now. It's taken a long time to put together because I have so many thoughts about the College Program, it's hard to organize them into something comprehensive. But, I'm quickly approaching my anniversary with Disney and it's definitely time to wrap things up.

To re-cap - I was an attractions hostess in Fantasyland for the Fall 2010 advantage program at the Disneyland resort after graduating from college.

LIVING

I didn't actually participate in much of the "living" portion of the college program. I didn't live in CP housing and I didn't attend many of the events because I was either working or not interested. So, I can't tell you how great grocery bingo and laser tag were. I have visited CP housing -- the apartments are relatively new, in a nice big building, in a nice part of town 15 minutes from Disneyland.

I found a modest studio apartment 5 minutes from Disneyland in another direction and shared it with my boyfriend. Not living in housing did make me feel a little detatched from the rest of the kids on the program, but the privacy and freedom was worth it to me. No roommates to worry about breaking Disney rules, no Disney rules to worry about breaking, no room inspections.

LEARNING

I took two disney classes during my program -- Blended Learning (required for everyone doing an advantage program) and the Leadership Speakers Series. I really enjoyed the Leadership Speakers series, every department shared lots of interesting facts about the resort that I scribbled down in my notebook. However, I didn't learn much about becoming a leader at Disney.

Blended Learning was OK. I enjoyed the day we did a scavenger hunt around the park and our field trip to do a VoluntEARS activity at a food bank. And resented getting to TDA at 8 am for the rest of the days for... whatever we did. I remember being asked to draw and color my own Main Street window, playing a telephone-esque game to show us the importance of good communication, and writing a 2 page paper about corporate citizenship. And there were prizes sometimes. I could definitely see why it wasn't recommended for college credit.

EARNING

During my program, I felt more like I worked in Fantasyland with a little CP on the side than anything else. And it was great. I worked 30 - 40 hours a week almost exclusively in Fantasyland Classics. I did a couple of special events shifts at Halloween, and my fellow Fantasyland CPs got some Fantasmic and guest control shifts too (but those didn't start showing up for me until after my CP.) I never worked more than 8 hours straight or 40 hours a week, even during the busiest holidays. (Although, some other CPs did occassionally.)

I had a steady schedule and it was/is a fun job with amazing people. I was worried that skipping out on CP housing would mean that I'd have a hard time making friends, but I made plenty of friends in my area that I saw outside of work.

So, I know the big question is... was it worth it?
And for me, the answer is YES! Absolutely.******

I am so glad I did the program. Working at Disneyland has been excellent for me for personal growth and satisfying my inner Disney fan. As a person, I've become louder and more confidant. I've learned to work with cast members and guests from all different walks of life. Etc. etc. etc.

As a Disney fan, I've gotten to see and do so much! I've seen Disneyland transform for Halloween and Christmas and enjoyed an empty park during the off-season and rainy days. I know every inch of Fantasyland (and a few attractions elsewhere!) with the worklights ON and the show OFF, and I've played godzilla in Neverland at Peter Pan more than once. I've hugged Harold the Yeti and shot hoops at the top of the Matterhorn. I got to say goodbye to Star Tours on it's final night, after the park closed and rode it (and the Little Mermaid) before everybody else during Cast Previews. I've seen Walt's Apartment and visited the Walt Disney Studios a couple times. I've been in charge of Sleeping Beauty's Castle and raised the Sword from the Stone with my pinky finger. Etc. etc. etc.

However, I can easily see how the college program could have been the wrong decision for me. Looking back, I would have been very sad if I'd put my college career on hold for a semester to to the Disney college program. I wouldn't have gotten any credit for it, it would have been a lot of extra work to make sure I could keep my grant, and it probably would have messed up ability to graduate in 4 years. Instead, I had time to join my school's radio station as a DJ in my freshman year and I rose to General Manager by the end of my time at Seattle U. I took a few classes of Japanese and spent the second half of my sophomore year in Japan. And I had just enough free time in my schedule to add a minor to my degree.

And I definitely don't think I would have been as happy in any other role. Or even doing attractions far away in Florida. Attractions was great for me because it was such a unique opportunity. And, I love Disney, but not enough to eat/sleep/breathe it in Florida, where you're kind of trapped on the Disney compound. California offers a TON of nearby distractions and events so that I don't feel trapped at the resort. I still end up at Disneyland at least once a week, though. Haha!

My advice to anyone who is thinking about doing the college program at Disneyland or WDW is not to get too caught up in the rush to get to Disney. Weigh the pros and cons of doing the program carefully. Do not put Disney before your education or your finances. You do not want to be at Disneyland worrying about credits and scholarships while you push buttons, brooms, or hamburgers almost 40 hours a week.

Disney will not make sure your priorities are straight for you. When you're on the college program, you are required to be fully available. I knew a couple people who had to drop out of the college program because of scheduling issues. And I know other people who dropped out of school and/or their favorite extra curriculars to work at Disney and then were VERY unhappy and bitter at the end of the Disney career. If you want to study abroad, make that your priority too -- because those were the best six months of my life and it's way easier to arrange to live in a foreign country with your school than it is on your own!

The Disney College Program was right for me because I could justify it in a bunch of different ways. Disneyland meant definite employment after college, with experience that I could use toward a future career (because A+ people skills are always in demand!) Moving to California for the college program gave me plenty of time to have lots of adventures and fully explore Los Angeles and the rest of Southern California. PLUS, I found a cheap-ish apartment and had a roommate/boyfriend so I could afford it. AND, I was free from school. AND I could fulfill my childhood dream of working at Disneyland.

Thank you for reading this ultra-long post. I hope it was at least a little bit insightful.

I wish you all the best of luck on your future college programs! Enjoy it!

#012 FORMSPRING.ME

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 20:59:00 +0000

You can ask your own questions or tell me how fabulous I am HERE, no formspring account needed! Easier than stalking me on facebook or trying to find my e-mail address! Hooray!

Really sad to see you are finishing the DCP, I really enjoyed this blog. Are you going to continue writing on it or do you have another? Also what are your plans after DCP are you staying in California? Full time at Disney?
I'm sad that it ended too! But yes, I'm staying with Disneyland -- there aren't any official full-time positions in Fantasyland open but I'm sticking with part-time and hoping to get enough hours. :3 I'm working on another blog too but it's not quite ready yet!

The applications and E presentations for DL & WDW are totally separate right? I'm applying for both for Fall and I just want to check that I have to watch 2 presentations and fill out 2 apps (and I guess 2 different accounts/logins?). thanks!! :)
Correct! I'm answering this really late, and I'm sure you've figured it out by now but -- yes, the presentations and applications for DL and WDW are separate. They're very similar but there are some key differences so they do make you do both! I hope everything went well for you!

What polaroid camera do you recommend?
"I have a Polaroid One600, which is kind of ugly and clunky but it gets the job done and uses 600 film which is (i think?) the easiest to obtain and was the most recently discontinued so the film has a better chance of being good. Older/cooler cameras take rarer, more expensive film. I have one of the cute old rainbow ones and I bought a cheap filter for my film 600 film to work in it off ebay though, and it works pretty well although it jams once in a while.

If you need a cheaper option you should check out Fuji Film's Instax cameras -- they're imported from Japan and the film is a little different but its still in production so that makes it a lot easier to obtain."

hey emily! did you get a lot of attractions ?s in your interview? i interviewed today & said attractions was my #1 for sure, but didn't get to say why or any specific ?s like the space mtn one (and i got a lot for gr/hotel). hoping that's not a bad sign!
Actually, not really. The specific questions I remember being asked about attractions were little things like... Would I prefer to work inside or outside? Am I comfortable with public speaking? How do i feel about repetitive tasks? Etc.

I was asked more role-specific questions about other roles BUT I still got attractions, so don't take it as a bad sign! :3

I heard they don't ask the space mountain question anymore because everybody knows it and the answer has been discussed on the internet too much.

Hi! Just wondering if you've noticed a drop in your hours now that you are a regular employee there and no longer have seniority? if so, how much less hours are you getting? thanks!Hello!

Yes. When I converted to a regular part-time cast member, my seniority was reset to January 3rd. So, after the college program my seniority AND the fact that the holidays were over and it was no longer peak season was working against me.

During the peak season, I was getting 30+ hours a week. And afterward, I was being scheduled for less than half of that. However, there are always people who want time off or shorter shifts. :3

Spring break season is here and soon it will be summer though, so the park is super busy again and we're open much later AND my schedule is packed and healthy again.

WHAT IS IN MY WORK PURSE?

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 22:39:00 +0000

Hey pals! Long time, no update!

I'll work on correcting that soon... maybe. But for now, I thought I'd knock out a post I've been meaning to make for a long time. This is everything I take to work on a daily basis. Enjoy!

First off, here is my lovely purse. I got it at Company D on clearance a couple months ago. It's perfect for work all my work crap -- very sturdy black canvas with leather straps and thick rings to hold the lock for my locker. PLUS. SNOW WHITE!

So, I'll start with what's at the bottom of my bag -- cold weather stuff that I rarely use. Cheap white gloves, a collapsible umbrella for walking to and from the parking lot, and my rain coat rolled up and stuffed in a little bag.

Food! Definitely a Coke and some candy or Hello Panda. And the something filling like Calorie Mate or a granola bar. And then whatever else I feel like stuffing in there that day. I usually don't take a whole lunch because 1) I don't usually work long enough to get a lunch these days and 2) I'd rather go get some chicken strips and french fries from the Inn Between.

Medicine and beauty supplies! Extra hair ties, bobby pins, and a bow. Tissues, band-aids, extra black-ink pens, a stain remover and two things of hand sanitizer (one for the purse and one in my coat pocket.) Midol, Tylenol, and non-drowsy Claratin. Two lip chaps (again, for purse and pocket) and some hand cream. AND THEN....

My glasses case,a lens cloth, and sunglasses (when I can find them). I also keep a mini-flashlight and a little notebook with phone numbers and radio codes that I can never remember in my pocket.

That seems like a lot of crap, but here's a picture of my purse with EVERYTHING I just took a picture of inside... I suppose you can't see it too well, but really once everything is packed back in it's little bag or pocket, there's plenty of room for my wallet and even whatever book I'm currently reading and a scarf if it's cold. ALSO, tampons. Which are like the #1 most important thing in there and I almost forgot to take a picture of them! Geez!

There you go! A lot of what I pack is just in case of cramps/rain/forgetfulness but it's nice to know that I have everything I need.

It's spring break time in some states, so Disneyland is staying open later and we're back to having fireworks on weeknights. Last night, it was so crowded that everybody got manditorily (lol that's not a word) extended an hour so Disneyland could stay open 'til midnight!

STORYBOOK LAND

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 18:52:00 +0000

Have I mentioned that I got my second attraction this weekend?

Well, I did! And I got my first choice too -- STORYBOOK LAND!

The training process at Storybook was similar to learning Classics. My partner and I were scheduled for three days of training which encompassed opening and closing procedures and checklists, reading the operating guide, being quizzed, taking long lunches at the Inn Between, etc. etc.

Spieling is what really makes this attraction different from all the rest. At Classics, we help people get on and off a ride safely and send them off to see a show -- at Storybook, we are the show. So, as you can imagine, a large part of training was practicing our spiel OR riding along on different people's boats and just listening to their versions of the Storybook spiel.

We got a full script on the first day and were being asked to do our best to recite it without reading off the page later that afternoon. On the second day, we were expected to have it memorized and were spieling to boats full of guests -- in fact, we ended up taking our final assessments early! We did them on the second night instead of the third day! It was a little intimidating, but I made it through!

Luckily, the spiel is only about 5 - 6 minutes long and surprisingly easy to memorize -- the basic script is simple and, of course, there are visual reminders of what you're supposed to be talking about at every turn. I had more trouble remembering the different names of the track switches backstage than I did giving my spiel during the assessment. Ha ha...

I think the hardest part will be learning to live without a computer to help me work the ride -- Storybook is 100% people. There's no console to show us where the boats are on the track to guide us in spacing the boats out or preventing back-ups, and no on-board computer or anything to warn me if the boat is running low on batteries or about to de-rail! And every boat is a little bit different and has it's own quirks -- some run faster or slower, some have touchy microphones, all of the controls are in different places, etc.!

Storybook Land cast members are also responsible for guest control in Fantasyland during parades but there are no parades at Disneyland until Mickey's Soundsational rolls out in the Spring, so I'll be learning all the ropes and positions for that later.

Since we took our test on the second night, that left the third day for tying up loose ends with time to take a few boats out all by ourselves! It was so much fun! I only did about three tours, but I really like the change of pace from Classics. It's nice to sit on a boat and not have to worry about station back-ups and breaking down all the time! Although, my legs really hurt from keeping the boat steady at the dock! If I get a lot of Storybook shifts this spring I'm going to have thighs of steel!

HOURS & HOLIDAYS

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 23:08:00 +0000

After I graduated from the college program, the holidays came and went really quickly. And they were actually pretty pleasant.

I was prepared to be basically living at Disneyland over Christmas and New Years... I imagined myself working ten hour shifts and being begged to extend even longer because the world needs to ride Snow White's Scary Adventure on Christmas Eve...

In reality, though, I was surprised to find that I was scheduled for no more hours than usual -- and I had opening shifts to boot! Christmas week, my schedule looked like this...!

December 19 \\ 7:30 - 16:00
December 20 \\ Off!
December 21 \\ Off!
December 22 \\ 7:30 - 16:00
December 23 \\ 7:45 - 16:45
December 24 \\ 6:30 - 15:00
December 25 \\ 6:15 - 14:15
...
December 31 \\ 7:45 - 16:15
January 01 \\ 7:45 - 15:45

In June, I wrote on my scheduling preference form that I was fully available at all hours of the day, willing to do overtime, and willing to be scheduled six days in a row. But over the course of my program, I think I was only scheduled for six days three or four times and I very rarely worked more than 40 hours per week!

I know a few CPs in Fantasyland did get overtime over the holidays and I heard a lot of other CPs in other areas complaining about extra long shifts -- but apparently, I got lucky!

ALSO! CPs are eligible for holiday pay -- but you need to be past your 120 days of probation to get it. So, those of us that came for fall advantage got paid extra and everybody else not so much. :P

GRADUATION

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 18:41:00 +0000

I officially graduated from the Disney College Program last Friday! The event was held in the Disneyland Hotel's grand ballroom, which was all done up for Christmas. Quinn, our Disneyland ambassador, and Mickey were there to congratulate us. And my sister was in town so she and my boyfriend were also there to celebrate.

The ceremony itself was relatively short and forgettable outside of an adorable skit by two of my fellow cast members from Fantasyland. People gave speeches about how life changing the college program is and learning about responsibility through cleaning and room inspections. And then we got our Mouster's degrees. I spent most of my time whispering about work and what's next with the row of Fantasyland kids I was sitting with.

And then it was over! For parting gifts, we got graduation antenna balls, pins, and a poster. Mickey was available for pictures but the line was ridiculously long so we bailed.

I almost thought I wasn't going to be able to go! Even though the college program says they'll ensure that we're not scheduled to work for events like these, I was scheduled to open on Friday morning. I spent two weeks sending panicked emails to the college program office, trying to get in touch with scheduling, and trying to arrange my own shift change to fix the problem... but it never happened!

I actually showed up to work that morning at 7:45 feeling pretty defeated because not only was I going to miss the graduation but I'd also been told that when I had the time to swing by the college program office to pick up my "Mousters degree"... there would probably not be any graduation ears left! >:0

AND THEN... my lead told me that scheduling had padded my shift without telling anyone (meaning there was an extra person scheduled to cover my spot) and that they had to let me go to graduation if I wanted to. So, I got ER'd from my shift and got to go home and change in time for the ceremony. PHEW!

#011 FORMSPRING.ME

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 17:00:00 +0000

You can ask your own questions or tell me how fabulous I am HERE, no formspring account needed! Easier than stalking me on facebook or trying to find my e-mail address! Hooray!

Whoops! I let these pile up. I'm sorry if you sent me a question in the last few months -- I answered all of these on my formspring page and then never posted them back here on my blog.

I see that one of your missions is polaroids... I was interested in purchasing a polaroid camera. which do recommend?

Hmmm... I pretty much recommend whatever you can get your hands on! I have a Polaroid One600, which is kind of ugly and clunky but it gets the job done and uses 600 film which is (i think?) the easiest to obtain and was the most recently discontinued so the film has a better chance of being good. Older/cooler cameras take rarer, more expensive film. I have one of the cute old rainbow ones and I bought a cheap filter for my film 600 film to work in it off ebay though, and it works pretty well although it jams once in a while.

The impossible project [ http://www.the-impossible-project.com/ ] adopted polaroid's instant patents and a factory so they sell fresh film and cameras but it is EXPENSIVE or sold out pretty often. :/

If you need a cheaper option you should check out Fuji Film's Instax cameras -- they're imported from Japan and the film is a little different but its still in production so that makes it a lot easier to obtain.

When can one start applying for the DCP in Anaheim for Spring 2011?

I think applications for Spring go out in late August or early September!

Is training hard for attractions?

Not really. Although, I'm sure it's different for each attraction/area. It can be a lot of information to take in, though! And a lot of stress!

Hi Emily, I am coming this fall for the DCP in anaheim for attractions as well!! Im nervous about the assessment. Could you give me any advice. I read your blog as well and its great!! thank you for all the information!!
Thank you! The only advice I can give is to try not to be nervous and review whatever notes they give you the day before. It's going to be a very different experience depending on your area, attraction, trainers, and leads. Your trainers are there to help you though, so don't be afraid to ask questions or let them know you need extra practice doing something.

Sorry this is kind of irrelevant, but I really love that gray blazer you're wearing in the Walt Disney Studios pictures! Where did you get it?!
It's from the Gap! But I think I got it about five years ago when I was a freshman in college.

That's all for now! Thanks for all the questions and for reading my blog, of course!

WALT DISNEY STUDIOS

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 17:32:00 +0000

Last week, I took a guided tour through the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank with the college program. It was so amazing! The campus is beautiful, it looks like a college. And there was Disney history around every corner! I saw way too much to write about so here are some highlights instead...

In front of the Mickey Ave. and Dopey Drive sign which is featured in practically every Disney short or special to visit the Walt Disney Studios.

Walked through the original animation building, where classic Disney films were conceived, storyboarded, and drawn! Now, it's the home to offices to the likes of Stan Lee and Jerry Bruckheimer.

In front of the new corporate offices, in the Disney Legends plaza.

Some photos of the stages which are still used today (during my tour, they were mostly filming shows for the Disney Channel and some ABC shows I ~~don't care about~~ haven't seen.) I took a picture of Stage 2 because it's been the home to the live-action part of FANTASIA, the MICKEY MOUSE CLUB, MARRY POPPINS, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 1 & 2, etc. etc.

... and I touched it!

Meanwhile in the Paul G. Wells Building... there was a large exhibits of famous movie hats and a few costumes on display in the lobby.

And just around the corner... the Disney Archives! Be still, my heart!

Just a peek at some of the things in there... cels, a giant collection of books and photos (including all the Disney Golden books ever!), and even the toy bird that inspired the Tiki Room and the first animatronics!

The best part is that as a Disneyland cast member, I can go back and visit anytime I want. :3

OH

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 15:54:00 +0000

BRB Anaheim, I'm just gonna go out to Burbank to visit Walt Disney Studios

♥

WORLD OF COLOR

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 18:57:00 +0000

Let's talk about World of Color! I arrived in CA just days after the show officially opened at California Adventure and after nearly 5 months here, I've seen it from just about every angle.

Most recently, was when my parents were in town and they bought the Ariel's Grotto dining package with preferred viewing for the show. It was definitely the best experience! We had a late dinner reservation, so we were able to eat and watch the show up close/from the side in the dining room -- and then we took our passes and went out to the preferred viewing area which was front and center on Paradise Bay! Beautiful! The meal, the view, and the breathing room are so worth the price!

Everybody else has to go early each day to get fastpasses for access to different zones around Paradise Bay. I think the first time I saw World of Color, I had a fastpass for the Yellow Zone (?) and my fella and I had to be at the holding zone over at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail almost an hour early with hundreds of other people before we were escorted to our zone to try to stake out a good spot to see the show.

Most of the photos in this post are from when I stopped to watch the show from the back, over by the California Screamin' launch zone, while I was playing in the park one night. Of course, the projections didn't quite work from that angle... but the view was still stunning and there was no crazy wait!

Anyway! It's actually really stupid to try to sit here and type about a water spectacular... so, I'm going to stop. If you haven't seen it yet, get down here! (or go look it up on youtube.)

WHAT'S NEXT?

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 17:48:00 +0000

Holiday time is in full swing here at the Disneyland resort and it is CROWDED. Hopefully, it will die down a little this week so Evan and I can come to the park and check out all the holiday stuff as guests. I HAVEN'T EVEN SEEN THE OUR TREE YET! But that's another post...

Today, I thought I would just check in and talk about what's going to happen post-college program. After all, there is only a month and a half of my college program left! I can't believe I've been here for four and a half months already -- it seems like it's gone by so quickly and at the same time, I feel like I've done so much.

Anyway, I turned in my application to convert to casual-regular (part-time) status last week when I went to go pick up my free copy of Toy Story 3 and cast-only holiday party tickets. So, hopefully, I'll hear confirmation that there's room for me in Fantasyland soon.

When my status is converted, my seniority will reset so my hours in the coming months will suck and I'll probably be working a lot of guest control shifts over at World of Color or Fantasmic. BUT I'm looking forward to being scheduled to learn a new attraction and growing in the company when I'm no longer a CP too.

The end of the college program will also probably mean the end of Magic Magic Mouseketeer too. But, don't worry! I still have a lot of 1/2 finished Disney posts to share with you here before December ends!

NOVEMBER @ THE DISNEYLAND RESORT

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 00:13:00 +0000

Alright, I guess I'd better do this before we get too far into November. Not much is going on this month -- I think most of it will be spent working and shopping for Christmas. EXCITEMENT.

NOVEMBER 01 → My 7 year anniversary with Evan!
NOVEMBER 04 → CP Event: Haunted Mansion Holiday Tour
NOVEMBER 11 → CP Event: Disney Legend Marty Sklar @ TDA
NOVEMBER 12 → Holiday time at Disneyland begins!
NOVEMBER 19 → Tangled and HARRY POTTER
NOVEMBER 25 → Thanksgiving

SEPTEMBER @ THE DISNEYLAND RESORT

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:40:00 +0000

Whoops! I'm just a little late with my September post -- so instead of what was scheduled to happen this month, I think I'll do a brief overview of what actually DID happen. We'll return to our regularly scheduled summary in October.

SEPTEMBER 02 → Went to the San Diego Zoo to feed Giraffes!
SEPTEMBER 08 → College Program Space Mountain Night

          I had to close, so I didn't make it in time. The unofficial consolation Fantasyland field trip I ended up one was awesomer though -- maybe I'll post pictures when my time with Disney is over.
SEPTEMBER 12 → Cinespace in Hollywood
          Spotted CRAIG ROBINSON and RACHEL ZOE'S HUSBAND.
SEPTEMBER 17 → Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort begins!
          I rode Haunted Mansion Holiday and Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy for the first time ever!
SEPTEMBER 19 → Cinespace in Hollywood
SEPTEMBER 21 → Thunder Mountain Rail Road Tour
          As a treat for our A+ preformance during audits and to celebrate the end of peak season, we got a backstage tour of Thunder Mountain and totally climbed all over that little mining town at the end!
SEPTEMBER 26 → Cinespace in Hollywood, AGAIN.

You can sprinkle each week with a ridiculous amount of hanging out after work and breakfast-for-dinners at diners too. Since the park closes at 8 during weeknights, there always seems to be something going on after closing! :3 I love the off-season!

BAM!

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 02:28:00 +0000

You guys! I figured out why nobody updates once they start working at Disneyland!

FIRST. We're not allowed to share a lot of what goes on backstage or even on-stage. And it would be rude/unprofessional/stupid of me to use this non-anonymous blog to rant about angry/crazy/really angry guests at work (even though we all know they make for the best stories!).

SECOND. My Disney college program experience has changed from me waiting and preparing by myself for the program to begin to something that involves other people that I see almost everyday -- and it feels a little weird to want blog stories about them or working with them or whatever.

THIRD. it all melts together. Depending on the rides in my rotation, I see between ~500 - 800+ people per hour (FIVE TO EIGHT HUNDRED INDIVIDUAL HUMAN BEINGS PER HOUR) and most are in and out so fast, they don't make much of an impression. Even if someone does ask me a question or have something to say, it's the same old things -- Where are the restrooms? Is this the handicap entrance? Why do those people get to sneak in the back? Where are the fireworks? Is this scary? And etc.

FOURTH. I'm tired. Eight hours a day, five days a week is hard on this mouseketeer. And when I get home, I kind of just want to eat dinner and zone out and not talk or think about work because I have to go to bed and get up for work in a couple hours.

FIFTH. This is a blog about my Disney college program experience... and so far, I haven't been to a single college program activity. (Whoops!) Don't worry, I'm still making the most out of my time down here but it turns out that I haven't had much time for grocery bingo!

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 06:30:00 +0000

Yay!
It was an exciting day to be in CA, today.
I'll make a real update soon, too!
Love,
Emily

AUGUST @ THE DISNEYLAND RESORT

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 21:01:00 +0000

It's time for another brief summary of what's probably going on this month at Disneyland and with me... which is not much at all. My fella is coming to visit me for a week and we're going to get out and explore CA a little bit. Other than that, I'll just be working and saying goodbye to summertime.

AUGUST 01 → Alice in Wonderland is still refurbing indefinitely.
AUGUST 07 → Evan comes to visit!
AUGUST 14 → Happy Birthday, Evan!
& he's attending entertainment auditions!
AUGUST 15 → Evan goes back to Seattle.
AUGUST 29 → Last night of Summer Nightastic!
AUGUST 30 → Haunted Mansion closes 'til September 16th.

TRAINING & ROUTE TWO

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 20:58:00 +0000

Alright!

Last night, I had my assessment for Route Two -- and I passed! Of course!

There isn't that much to write about training and passing on the second half of classics -- the process was the same as the first. In fact, my trainer was even the same guy! All the rides on route two are identical or very similar in running as rides on route one --> The Mad Tea Party and the Carousel work just like Dumbo. Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Snow White's Scary Adventures, and Alice in Wonderland go just like Pinocchio and Peter Pan.

The only hitch was that we trained on Alice and everything... but in the middle of the day yesterday, the Queen of Hearts completely lost it and nobody knows when she'll get it together again! So... I'll have to do that one later and depending on how long between now and it re-opening. It's kind of a bummer because that is the most fun ride to walk through! I love the Tugley Wood scene, it's kind of creepy even with the lights on!

So, that's that!

Toontown, the Matterhorn, the Storybook Land Boats, and Small World are also things that I may be scheduled to train on in the future... but it will probably be a while before I learn any of that, if at all

JULY @ DISNEYLAND RESORT

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 05:43:00 +0000

Whoops! I almost forgot to do this...

Just like last month, this is a brief summary of what's probably going on this month at Disneyland and with me. Things are always subject to change, but I think it's interesting to see everything laid out in one place. I'm pulling a lot of dates for ride closures from mouseplanet.com and other official Disney Events from the official Disneyland website. They're really useful if you're planning a trip to visit me! ;)

JULY 01 → Fireworks: "Disney's Celebrate America!"
JULY 02 → Fireworks: "Disney's Celebrate America!"
JULY 03 → Fireworks: "Disney's Celebrate America!"
JULY 04 → Happy 4th of July!
                    Fireworks: "Disney's Celebrate America!"
JULY 05 → Fireworks back to "Magical"
JULY 09 → MLB All-Star Fanfest begins
                    Interview with Disney's VoluntEARS dept. for class.
JULY 13 → MLB All-Star Fanfest ends with Parade thru Disneyland.
                    Training on Classis: Route 2.
JULY 14 → Training on Classis: Route 2.
JULY 15 → Training on Classis: Route 2.
JULY 17 → Happy Birthday, Disneyland!
                    55 years of ~magic~
JULY 24 → Happy Birthday, ME!
                    22 years of ~fabulous~. I'll be working. Womp-womp.
JULY 27 → RIP Star Tours. Closed for major refurb 'til Spring 2011.

INDEPENDENCE DAY

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 08:46:00 +0000

Happy 4th of July! I'm a little sad that I'm not home in WA, leaving my hard earned dollars with the good folks in firecracker alley and trying to blast my fingers off in my boyfriend's backyard. Oh well!

TRAINING, CLASSICS ROUTE ONE

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 19:32:00 +0000

I spent most of this week training in Fantasyland -- which is amazing and really fun. Our cast members are awesome and we close down for fireworks each night, which is a nice break. Training was great -- they train us two at a time, so I was paired with another girl who was really nice and we had two amazing trainers but I'll tell you all about that in just a second...

SUNDAY

Welcome to Park Operations!

The day after Traditions, I headed back to Team Disney Anaheim for my Welcome to Park Ops class. This was a general class for all of us who would be working in Park Operations -- Attractions, Main Gate, Custodial, Security, and Transportation. The bulk of it was safety information and a tour of the park, stopping along the way to hear a little from managers from each department about what everyone does. Interesting stuff! AND they totally shut down Buzz Lightyear for us to ride and take in all the excellent examples of show it contained. And then! I had class the next morning and a whole day off!

WEDNESDAY
Guest Interaction Training

Wednesday was our first day of real, on-the-job training. We met our trainer at Harbor Point and he gave us a tour of backstage services (like the commissary, learning center, & scheduling offices) and took us to get our costumes! We wear olive green pants or shorts with red piping on the pockets and white, long-sleeved blouses with embroidery on the front -- but we can roll the sleeves up when it's hot.

Then, we had a brief tour of backstage at Fantasyland and were introduced to the Fantasyland attraction's offices, break-rooms, and where to clock-in. Our trainer (who was WONDERFUL, by the way) got us both pin-trading lanyards and took us out around Fantasyland to tour the on-stage area and interact with guests. So, we learned where all the restrooms/water fountains/pay phones/etc. are and we also learned a little about parade and crowd control and got to watch Celebrate!

During all this, people would stop us to look at our lanyards or ask us questions. Our trainer also set an example for us by initiating conversations with guests who looked lost or were even just relaxing. Talking to guests is really fun! People are so nice! And Wednesday was my first day for pin trading too. It was also fun, I think I might get a lanyard for my personal pin collection and start trading once in awhile. At the end of the day, we took a short quiz and it was time to go home.

THURSDAY & FRIDAY
Route One Training
Thursday and Friday we had a new trainer, who taught us how to actually operate the attractions. We were assigned Classics: Route One -- which is Peter Pan's Flight, Pinocchio's Daring Journey, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, and Casey Jr.'s Circus Train. Eventually, I'll learn the rest of Fantasyland too!

Anyway! Thursday, we had to meet our new trainer (who is also WONDERFUL) at Harbor Point at FIVE IN THE MORNING so we could learn how to open an attraction. And the next night, we stayed late to learn how to close. Both processes have detailed checklists to walk you through each step, so it's not as scary as I thought it would be. We spent the bulk of Thursday and Friday learning every position at every ride I just mentioned -- so I can now do anything you can see cast members doing. I can drive Casey Jr., tell Dumbo when he's clear for take-off, and send you into Neverland or through Pleasure Island! I can also group you, unload you, double unload you at Pinocchio, and load your GAC (Guest Assistance Card) holding friends! AND I can shut down everything if you anger me! (Or do something that's not safe, I guess.)

On the second day, we also spent a large part of our evening reading Operating Guides for each of the attractions in Route One. As you might imagine, OGs are BIG binders filled with all the information we'd learned during training spelled out... At the end, we took another quiz -- I missed a few, but I don't think any of it was major.

SATURDAY
Review and PAs

Yesterday went quickly, we did a review then proficiency assessments (PA) -- and then we got ER'd! (Early released!) For review, our trainer took us around to every position we'd learned and had us jump in with minimal comments and afterward, he'd give us some notes. It was pretty much like what our PAs would be like.

I was SO nervous -- which is stupid because I was totally prepared and our lead/assessor was super nice. We started our PA a little before Fantasyland closed down for fireworks and the FIRST thing I did at Pinocchio was break it!! I don't know what I was thinking but I hit the Emergency Stop (which halts the whole attraction and is for EMERGENCIES) rather than the Station Stop (which halts the cars in the station and is for small children that run onto the ride path.) So, that shut down Pinocchio for a good ten minutes much to the annoyance of my fellow cast members. ;__________;

Everybody was really nice about it though -- although, I will never hear the end of it and I'm going to be that girl FOREVER. The rest of our assessment went well. I actually relaxed after my little incident and did Peter Pan's Flight, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, and Casey Jr.'s Circus Train with no more incidents. We ran through every position at each ride, loaded and unloaded Special Assistance guests, closed Peter Pan for fireworks... and in the end, I passed!

So, now I am officially approved to rotate through Route One attractions like everybody else! Hopefully, I'll be learning Route Two and Storybook in the next few weeks/months!

ORIENTATION

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 14:51:00 +0000

Good morning!

Friday was our first day of orientation! I woke up at 7 so I could shower and get pretty for orientation at 9 over in the Team Disney Anaheim building.

When I got there, I drove a little too far in and wound up at what looked like the gate for commercial trucks and deliveries and stuff. A familiar looking hippo from the Jungle Cruise was taking a vacation on a trailer just beyond security! (!!!) The guards were really nice about re-directing me where to go and eventually, I found my way into a big cast member parking structure. It was kind of hard to find a spot that wasn't reserved for one department or another!

After that, it was time to head into TDA! It's such a cheerful building with cute sprinklings of pixie dust on the walls inside. Right away, I filled out some I-9 paperwork and joined/authorized my union to take dues out of my precious paycheck. Then, it was time to take my cast member ID photo! I hope it turned out well, I always have the worst luck with ID photos. (I'll find out today, when I get it!)

Then, they gathered all of us in a little auditorium that was showing the new Alice in Wonderland while we waited for everyone else to trickle in. There were 38 of us that day. And they told us that about 100 Fall Advantage students had arrived already this month and about 250 more would join us in August.

This orientation was mostly about what the college program had in store from us, a little about scheduling, and commuting. At least one class is mandatory here, and there is only one offered for the summer -- so I found out that I'll be attending the Blended Learning series on Mondays for the next 11 weeks. Then, when the Fall sessions starts and there are more people here, I'll be able to choose between and take a couple more classes.

So, we met the Cast Members who run the College Program -- our educators, coordinators, and housing directors. We heard a little about what special events and opportunities are in store for us (hint: I will probably be able to check off a lot of things on my Mission: Disneyland list!) And then we filled out a couple more forms -- one about our scheduling preferences and one about our commuter options. For scheduling, since Evan will be gone, I just put down that I was fully available 24/7 and totally eager to do any overtime they have for me. I can change it when I want, so if that turns out to be too much it's not a big issue. And then, I signed up for a free buss pass and I got another special card that I can swipe on days I walk or bike to work so I get points and entered into the really great incentive programs they have for pretty much anyone who doesn't drive alone to work everyday. The guy in charge was really nice and offered to help me find a bike shop with Disney Cast Member discounts, so I'm seriously considering getting myself one.

We also got information about Traditions and a little bit of our upcoming role-specific orientations. Traditions is TODAY at 10 AM and then my training starts on Sunday, also at 10. Aaaaaaaaannnnnnnddd! I also noticed that "Fant/Toon Attractions" was written in my little pamphlet -- so, it looks like I'll be working somewhere in Fantasyland or Toontown or both! Which is not the Jungle Cruise, but I'm still really stoked because (as you may remember) two of the Attractions on my work-place wishlist are in Fantasyland! And I love everything else back there anyway. Hopefully, I'll find out more today where specifically I'm working.

Traditions today will last until about 5 (eek!) and then Evan and I are going back to Disneyland and California Adventure to try to see World of Color.

OH! And I forgot -- we did some trivia at the end of our session. I answered two questions and won popcorn, a key chain, and TWENTY-FIVE DISNEY DOLLARS!

WA → CA

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 14:05:00 +0000

We made it! The cable company just came by the other day to hook us up with a GIANT cable box and internet -- so I can update all ya'll with what's been going on the past few days. Finally!

MONDAY

My boyfriend and I left my family's home in Gig Harbor at about 8:30 and we reached Roseville at about 10:30. The drive was not too bad. It was mostly just boring (I'm looking at you, Oregon!) Coming down, out of the mountains and into California doing 80 next to a bunch of big scary trucks was the worst part. Everything else was just a blur of singing in my car, middle-of-nowhere rest stops, and soda pop.

We ended the night in Roseville, CA which is about 20 miles east of Sacramento. I got a good deal on our rate and it was really nice, but at the end of so many hours of driving I was wishing I'd picked somewhere a little closer to I-5. Still, part of the reason I picked it was because it was kind of out of the way so I wouldn't have to worry about the safety of all my worldly possessions in our cars.

Look at this expert packing job!!

Mt. Shasta, towards the end of day one.

TUESDAY

We were on the road by 9:30 and day two's drive was REALLY boring for the most part -- straight, flat farmland for hours and hours! And by the time we got through the mountains and into LA, it was starting to get traffic-y. I think we made it to our new home just before five, though! After we Evan unloaded the car, we drove around town and had dinner and marveled at all the hard alcohol in grocery stores. Then, it was time to go home and sleeeeeeeeeeeep.

WEDNESDAY
Our first full day in Anaheim was dominated by Ikea, since we had NO FURNITURE. We picked up a bed, couch, chairs, desk, coffee table, TV stand, kitchen table, and two sets of shelves -- so now my apartment feels much more like a home! Although, sticker shock prevented us from buying a couple more things on my wishlist like a nightstand, an extra comfy chair, and a hall table. And lamps. There is like, no light in here!

There were so many boxes! Only a fraction of it fit in my car, so we had the rest of it delivered the next morning. Also, somehow I brought home an extra box #2 to something and a shelf in the wrong color but we're too lazy to exchange it. I'm sure you'll see it when I make an apartment tour video.

THURSDAY

I woke up at 7:30 to await the cable guy -- and good thing too! They came at like, 8:10. Then, we had a few hours to watch MTV for the first time in forever until the Ikea guys came. And THEN, Evan put together most of my furniture and I was finally able to put most of my stuff away. Until we discovered that I forgot to buy the mid-beam for the bed. So, we had to drive back to Ikea to do that. The rest of the evening was pretty quiet. I think I was mostly concerned with getting my things together so I could get to Team Disney Anaheim (aka TDA, the corporate building behind Disneyland) on time for orientation the next morning.

GOODBYE SEATTLE

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 08:30:00 +0000

I woke up at 7 AM so I could get pretty for graduation! The ceremony was insanely long and they took away our beach balls before we could even get started -- but I ended up walking with my BEST friend since elementary school and I didn't trip on the stage or anything! So, I'm going to go ahead and call that a success.

So, it's official! I am done with college and on to Disneyland! My apartment has been emptied out, my boyfriend's car is full of my stuff (and mine is full of my clothes!) And my alarm is set so I can get up at 7 again tomorrow -- we're aiming to get out of town by 8:30 and be in Roseville by 10 or 11!

I'm planning to tweet as I go, since I can't share my facebook statuses with all of you. So, keep your eye on my twitter gadget in the sidebar of this blog OR go bookmark/subscribe to my twitter account. If you're going to care when I stop to get gas. If not, you'll have to put yourselves on ice for a few days until I get internet and get settled in Anaheim!

My ipod and my car stereo are loaded up with excellent local music, disney soundtracks, and an audio book of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. See you in CA!

EIGHT DAYS

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 12:24:00 +0000

Wow! Only 8 DAYS left until I check in at Disneyland! That means, I'll be arriving in Anaheim in just 5 DAYS. And there are only 3 DAYS until I graduate!

Yikes! I'd better finish this essay...

I owe you guys some blog updates and probably some vlogs... as soon as my skin clears up from these awful all-nighters. Haha! Stay tuned!

JUNE 2010 @ DISNEYLAND

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 04:01:00 +0000

Okay! I'm going to do a post like this of Disneyland (and me) happenings each month, just so everybody keeping score at home can kind of have and idea of what's going on. Things may change or whatever, but I thought it would be nice to put it all in one place at the beginning of the month. I'm pulling a lot of the dates for ride closures from mouseplanet.com and other official Disney events from the official Disneyland website.

JUNE 01 → Indiana Jones closed for refurbishment.
JUNE 02 → Indiana Jones closed for refurbishment.
JUNE 03 → Indiana Jones closed for refurbishment.
JUNE 10 → Last day of my finals! Crashing from 22 page paper.
JUNE 11 → "Summer Nightastic" begins
                     Official World of Color premiere
JUNE 12 → Finish packing, cleaning apartment.
JUNE 13 → Commencement!
JUNE 14 → Roadtrip to California, Part I
JUNE 15 → Roadtrip to California, Part II
JUNE 16 → Unpacking, furniture shopping, settling.
JUNE 17 → More unpacking, shopping, and settling.
JUNE 18 → Check-in for College Program!
                     Toy Story 3 opens!
JUNE 19 → More unpacking, shopping, and settling.
JUNE 20 → More unpacking, shopping, and settling.
                     Traditions and training probably starts in here somewhere.
JUNE 21 → More unpacking, shopping, and settling.
JUNE 22 → Evan goes home?
JUNE 24 → Last Grad Night at Disneyland.