The hunt for 999,999 and MNSSHP

It has been almost a month...

     And it is hard for all of us in the apartment to believe. Between working all the time and going to the parks consistently, time is FLYING by and that is not an understatement, but we are making the most of it. Out of the 25 days I have been here, 13 of them I have been to the parks, and I could not be happier.

     So far I have been to Magic Kingdom the most (shocker I know) but it has the most to do and always has the longest hours. During one of these trips I purchased the Mickey's Kitchen Sink Sundae, $15 yes but 1000% worth it, I got a great souvenir and serious stomachache, totally worth it though. If you plan on getting it I'd recommend sharing it with a friend as I did, even though I ate most and my stomach paid the price, its a significant amount of sugar that should be shared among two people in my opinion. 

     Since day one here, I have been determined to get 999,999 on Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin and I swear it will happen eventually. I have been on it 8 times already and the closest I have come is 918,000...I was LIVID when I missed by so little, but I'm getting there and before I leave Florida I will complete the quest for 999,999.

     On this past Tuesday myself and a few friends made the decision to go to Magic Kingdom all day and do nothing but character meet and greets. It was a great decision and a great day, we got to the park about an hour after opening and just went to work. We met Woody and Jessie by Splash Mountain, Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Minnie at Storybook Circus, Buzz Lightyear in Tomorrowland, Merida by Cinderella Castle and on our way out we met Aurora next to Guest Services. Sadly, I forgot my autograph book that day, but did not forget it that evening for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party!

     Yup, it is that time of year in Disney where the special ticketed events are in full force, and we are starting with the Halloween party. I went that evening with my friend from my building, she went as Spongebob and I essentially Disney Bounded as Mickey. Although 5 hours is no where near enough time to explore the entire party, you'll just have to prioritize what you want to do and do it. We ended up meeting Lots-O, Gaston, and Minnie, Donald and Daisy in their Halloween costumes, riding Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear, watched the Hocus Pocus Stage Show, the Boo To You Parade and Hallowishes, and Trick or Treated around MK. There is so much to do at the party with all the special characters out for meet and greets and the trick or treating locations, but just make the most of it and have fun, we did and had no regrets on what we ended up doing while there. 

     Lastly, work has been the same old same old for the most part, continuing to enjoy it for what it is and being content that it is rather stress free. The newest part of my job has been transfers, where we load up a van with guests' luggage who are moving from our property to another Disney resort. The most intimidating aspect is driving the big van with all the luggage, but after I do it enough times I will get more comfortable with it.

     As you may or may not be able to tell, I am loving it down here. I am making the most of my time, have met great people along the way and continue to enjoy my time here. Food and Wine starts today, more plans for other activities are in the works and I cannot wait to see what next week has in store!

Work Hard, Play Hard

Work has begun...but I won't stop playing...

     I'm exhausted and it is 100% worth it. Over the past days since my previous post, I have started working at Port Orleans as a Bell Service Dispatch/Greeter and I have gone to parks on almost all of those days and I could not be happier about it.

     Work is incredibly simple and, thankfully, after a rocky first day, it is a great role to have. I have worked primarily day shifts but I know that is changing as my upcoming week is all closing shifts #CP #ClosingPersonnel. And I know a lot of CPs will complain about them. but being here a week, I'd rather have the closing shifts because all my roommates and friends work them as well and we would all rather work at the same time so we can go to the parks at the same time.

     As a Bell Service Dispatch/Greeter at Port Orleans, we are first trained as greeters, which is as simple as it sounds. We stand outside the resort, say hi to everyone entering and exiting, store luggage, answer questions and things along those lines. So far it has been rather stress free and now that I have started to become more talkative and cordial with my co-workers, it has become rather enjoyable. I stand outside all day in the shade with a Mickey Glove on and wave to everyone, kids and parents love it and seeing the smiles on people's faces make it all worth it.

     So for the most part that is work, pretty easy and simple, not much to it yet. On the flip side, I continue to run myself ragged going to parks all the time and I love it. I've had 2 days off and went all day at the parks both days. Even after work, getting out at 5:30, pending the day and park hours, I could have 2 or 3 hours to spend at one of the parks....so I have. Whether alone or with others, I have tried to do something everyday after work. I have been to EPCOT and Magic Kingdom the most, primarily because their hours are the longest, but on my day off I did Animal Kingdom in the morning since you really need the park's full hours to get the most out of it, at least in my opinion.

     I have been keeping track of what parks I go to on what days, how many times I go to each park and how many times I ride everything. Just a personal thing, and I know a lot of other people do it as well, but I'd like to see at the end how much I REALLY did during my program.

After Traditions...Before Work

The honeymoon phase...

     It's too real, you have so much freedom for a few days I knew I could not contain myself. After my first night at Magic Kingdom after Traditions, I had nearly 4 full days of freedom with the exception of one, 4 hour class. During these 4 days, I can confidently say you have the opportunity to either make the most of it, or waste it away but that depends on who you are. For me, I went to 4 parks, 1 water park and am pretty sure I cemented some pretty solid friendships in the process.

     As of now I lucked out with roommates, we are getting along swimmingly, both in and out of the apartment, and I could not be happier! Likewise I have a few friends that I met through Facebook prior to the program, friends of friends who I finally had a chance to connect with and my Australian/New Zealand girls who live on the 3rd floor of my building who are loads of fun!

     Friday started slow, all of my roommates had class that day, I did not. Got away with a late start, hit Publix with some of my new friends from down undah in the AM and then rolled over to Magic Kingdom in the afternoon with one of my roommates who finished at 12:30. Spent a few hours there having a blast then picked up my friend from school after work (she was on Main Street), met up with another roommate and went to Hollywood Studios for a few rides and the Frozen Fireworks. Fireworks were UNREAL! I thought Frozen was good, I enjoy the music but the fireworks Studios put on were over the top incredible!

     Saturday was the day with 1 class at Disney University, but it was in the morning so I had the entire latter half of the day to have fun. Therefore I made the most of it, some of my roommates had training, one had laundry, I was ready to get out and do stuff. So I agreed to take one of my friends to work and then just spend my time at EPCOT after I dropped her off. Although I was alone, it was immensely relaxing to have nothing tying you down and being able to do whatever you want. For about 4 hours I just wandered, did a few rides, explored some of the pavilions and then my roommates met me that evening to watch Illuminations. My biggest recommendation is do not be afraid to go the parks alone, you have the chance to do WHATEVER you want with no one stopping you and you can just relax, it is great!

     Sunday we planned all too well, hit Animal Kingdom in the morning, head home for a pre-nighttime nap, pick up our friend from EPCOT then hit Magic Kingdom for Wishes. That is exactly what happened, Animal Kingdom from open until 3ish, with breakfast at Tusker House, solid hour and change nap, throw in the curveball of hitting EPCOT at 8 to get a ride on Soarin' (10 minute wait....WHAT WHAT!) and run out and catch Illuminations. Grabbed our friend at 9:15, walked through the entrance of Magic Kingdom at 9:45, caught Wishes, grabbed my first Dole Whip then enjoyed the attractions until midnight when they closed.

     Monday wasn't quite as packed but goodness did we have a blast. Typhoon Lagoon in the mornin', did all the slides, wave pool and lazy river in 3 hours, murdered it. Came home to relax and rest our feet, then went to Studios that afternoon to catch the final showing of the Frozen Fireworks...not gonna not. It was the most enjoyable, amusing night ever and I feel like the group I was with bonded real well. We all grabbed ice cream of various types (Mickey Bars was the majority) ended up dancing like SAVAGES on Hollywood Blvd. for a solid 45 minutes leading up to the fireworks at 9. When you are at Disney, let it all hang out, no one will judge you, it is Disney, everyone is there to have fun, so HAVE FUN! We watched the fireworks, loved every second, and now I have entered reality where I have work all of the upcoming 4 days. I am ready, I am excited and cannot wait to get into the work groove at Port Orleans!

Traditions

And now you're an official Cast Member...

     Don't hold in the excitement, let it out and get jazzed up, you are a Cast Member, you have your name tag and can finally go to the parks! Traditions was a great day, long, yes, but as magical as you may suspect it to be. It is about 5 or 6 hours of nothing but why Disney is the best at what they do.
     I had the second session of traditions (sad face) so I started at 2:30, my bus left Chatham at 1:30. We arrived to Disney University and they began dividing us up into our different classes, it is completely random so if you arrived with your roommates there is a good chance that you will be split up, which is good because it gives you the opportunity to meet new people! We got into class...don't touch the red box...and for the next few hours we learned all about Disney's history and their standards.
     The class was certainly long but was not too boring or egregious, the coordinators keep you engaged and try and make it fun with trivia and prizes. Once the class begins its conclusion, a special guest arrives and brings your name tags and your employee IDs! When you are out of Traditions, I highly recommend you do as dreamers do and go to the Magic Kingdom ASAP and watch Wishes.
     It worked our perfectly for myself and a few friends as we walked under the railroad as the clock struck 10 and Wishes began, could not have been more perfect. We watched, I smiled, the whole time, like a 5 year old and then enjoyed the final 45 minutes the park was open. We hit Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear and Peter Pan's Flight all before they closed Magic Kingdom. Needless to say I was extremely excited and could not contain it, I was shameless. Having tons of fun, dancing around having a great time as I recommend you do too. You are now officially in Disney World and a Cast Member, you are in The Most Magical Place on Earth, where dreams come true, have fun and let it all hang out!

Between Check-In and Traditions

You'll be stuck in a weird limbo...

     During this time you will get a chance to see how your apartment will function with your roommates, if you like your roommates and meet some new people in your complex. I'm lucky to have some solid roommates and we met our neighbors from upstairs the day we checked-in and they're awesome, I've also taken the time to find the pool and fitness center as well as the closest Publix for all my grocery shopping.

     The first day after check-in you will have your housing meeting at The Commons Clubhouse, its long and pretty boring but we all have to do it so you just gotta tough it out. The remainder of that day is yours to enjoy, I chose to lay by the pool for a few hours and that evening my roommates and I went to the Boardwalk to walk around and ended up getting surprised with a magical moment from a cast member at  the Yacht and Beach Club. He approached us asking what were up to, I told him we are CPs that just arrived and it turned out he offered us a fireworks cruise to watch Illuminations.....ummmm YES PLEASE! It was unexpected, surreal and amazing, I was smiling like a school girl the whole time and loved every second of it!

     Definitely take the time during those few days to find everything in your complex and do some resort hopping if you can, it is a great way to get acquainted with your surroundings and spend the days with people you want to get to know. The more you do and busier you keep yourself the happier you will be, I do not want to stay in my apartment during these days so I've been trying to do whatever I can to get out and enjoy my surroundings.

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Arrival and Check-In

It's finally real....

     And now your official a member of the DCP, you have your housing ID, your program guide and all the anticipation begins to fade, you move in and realize you are here for good. It was a crazy day, constantly occupied with something and by the end of it all I was exhausted, but it was all worth it.

     Check-in at 7:30, arrived at Vista a little after 7 and was one of the first in line which 100% paid off in the end. They started walking us through the check-in process starting with getting your sticker name tag so EVERYONE addresses you by name (only Disney) and you find out your work location, housing complex and roommates, get your ID, get a brief breakdown of your itinerary for that day and the ones to follow...next thing you know your on the bus off to casting.

     Since my check-in was so early they took me straight from check-in to casting (my casting time was 8:30) and when I was on that bus I realized it was real. When you pull up to casting, the building itself is whimsical and pure Disney. Depending on what time you arrive there will determine how long it will take you, but at the end of the day they just do all the usual pre-employment shenanigans and once your out of there you head back to Vista and then to your respective complex

     Being so fortunate, I headed out around 10ish and got to my apartment at Chatham Square at 10:30. I was lucky to end up with the 3 roommates I found on Facebook and linked with through DORMS, but we also ended up with 2 random roommates and are in a 2 bedroom....not pumped about the bunk beds but we'll make do. 

     Today has been pretty exhausting, I have traditions on Thursday my first training class Saturday and my first day of training next Tuesday...oh yeah, I'm working at Port Orleans, pretty excited. When you first move in I'd recommend heading past Walmart on 535 and going to the giant Target at the end of the road on the left. One of the guys from the Auto Train told us that and it was great advice, cause there was no one there; where Walmart (as I'm told) is a madhouse on move in day. Got some household essentials and did some grocery shopping as well.

     If you have a car you will also need to pick up your parking decal from your complex's clubhouse. It couldn't be easier, they ask for your license, vehicle registration and proof of insurance. Took literally a minute and I was done....while at the clubhouse you can grab any kitchen essentials that are not in your apartment. There was a sheet of paper for us to fill out upon arrival in our apartment and we took it to the clubhouse and came back with everything we needed.

     All in all I'm fried, if I lay down I'll be out for a good 2 hours. But it's nice to be all moved in, slowing getting settled and figuring out how the apartment will function, looking forward to the next few days for sure!

Down to Earth (aka Disney)

The journey begins...

Train cars that got to carry our cars.

     So your arrival is going to begin, as far as I’m concerned, about 5 days before your check in day when you receive the email with your arrival time. I received mine on Thursday, August 27^th and my arrival time is 7:30-8:30 AM. Early, yes, but in my opinion, likely well worth it. From everything I have been told, the earlier your arrival time, the faster check-in and casting go and the quicker you have the opportunity to get fully moved into your apartment. So waking up that early is a small price to pay to enjoy the benefits that (should) come along with it.

     Last night I made sure my car was (for the most part) completely packed, minus the carry-on bags I would be taking on the train with me. I tried to be as minimalist as possible but that is because my car is pretty small, so the less stuffed in it the better. I brought a backpack with my laptop, chargers and a few mags to read. With that I have a duffle bag with my changes of clothes for the next two days rather than trying to dig through my car to get to my suitcase…just much easier.

     A few immediate recommendations if you choose the Auto Train, its hot, but bring sweatpants, a hoody and a pillow. The train can be a bit chilly at first, and especially overnight, I was frozen and it was no fun. Also consider bringing a change of comfortable clothes to wear on the train, it will make your trip much less miserable. Lastly, reach out on Facebook to see who else is taking the Auto Train, trust me, you’ll be happy you did.

     From the area of Jersey I am from, it took me about 5 hours to get to the Lorton, VA Auto Train Station with minimal traffic and a few rest stops. Overall pretty painless, I left at 8AM and arrived in VA at 1PM giving me about an hour and change until they began boarding the train that departed at 4:30PM. As I sit on the train typing this, I just wrapped a glorious game of Apples to Apples with 7 other CPs….beauty of this mode of transportation, I can almost guarantee other CPs will be with you because we all want our cars and this is an easy option if you are from the Northeast. 

The next morning....

     Sitting in the station in Sanford feels fantastic right now. If you take the Auto Train and ride coach, sleeping will be horrible, just is what it is. We got here at around 9:30 and they are unloading the cars as I type this so myself and a few other CPs are just sitting, waiting, anticipating the greatest shower of our lives when we get to our respective hotels.
     All in all it wasn't a terrible experience, sleeping was tough but when you connect with other CPs you are no longer alone and the trip is much more enjoyable. I'm now less than 24 hours away from check-in and it is still surreal!

30 days out....10 days out....

And we're less than 2 weeks away...

     By now you have your packing list finalized, done everything you can to find roommates, signed up for classes and then you got another e-mail about your New Hire Paperwork and everything just becomes more and more real. Now the New Hire Paperwork may be a bit underwhelming when you go to complete it, but it makes you realize that your arrival date will be here before you know it and you are officially going to be working for Disney.

     The paperwork is pretty generic, asking for all your general info, sign off on a bunch of policies and other things and include information for direct deposit. Shouldn't take you more than about 20 to 30 minutes to fully complete. But, don't be a rebel and try to be cool and complete the paperwork on a browser other than one that they recommend. I use Google Chrome and thought I was a hot shot doing it on here but could not sign any of the policies. So use Internet Explorer of Firefox or whatever Disney tells you to, otherwise it will not work.

     Disney tells you that you will receive the e-mail about housing 10 days out....THEY LIE. You will get it two weeks before your arrival date and you have to complete it (as well as the New Hire Paperwork) by the date 10 days before your arrival date. So for me, I arrive August 31st, my housing e-mail came in on August 17th, and the housing paperwork and my New Hire Paperwork is due August 20th.

     So the housing paperwork can be a little more exciting because you and your roommates will finally be able to link with each other officially and place your preferences for where you would like to live. The first few pages are just general information and information for your car if you are bringing one. Following this, you will come to a page to link with your potential roommates (keep in mind these are preferences and Disney does not guarantee you will be with them). Now as much as I'd love to give every detail on how to link with your roommates, my roommates and I are still having issues figuring it out as I write this, so I will go into more detail at a later date when we have all the details. The most I can say for now is you can only link with 2 other people, a pain in the butt I know, but it is what it is.

     Once you link with your roommates, you are given the chance to put your preferences in order of most desired to least desired. And much to my surprise, you reorder all 16 housing options across all 4 apartment complexes. So you and your roommates may want to figure this out before you complete the paperwork so you can go through it without any major speed bumps.

     So my arrival date is rapidly approaching, I leave in a little over a week and I'm getting PUMPED, can't wait to start my journey through the Disney College Program!

It's Not About the Money, Money, Money

Seriously though, the DCP isn't about the money

    In reality, its about the experience and although I am still yet to participate in it, I am taking my classmates word for it as well as my own thoughts on what to expect. We are the bottom of the barrel, usually working the most hours and getting paid the lowest wage, so our earnings are not going to be great to begin with. Next, we factor in the weekly rent that will be withdrawn which, although small in comparison to most, is still a significant amount of money to lose on a weekly basis. Then there is necessity number two, FOOD. We all need it and we are all gonna be buying it, more often than not from restaurants or somewhere in the park rather than cooking. Even as someone who cooked as many meals as possible for myself during my time at college, I want to spend as much time outside my apartment as possible during my DCP so I see myself eating out a significant amount, which I've come to accept. Lastly, its Disney, we're Disney fans and we will be surrounded by Disney merch...we are going to end up buying some if not a ton of it!

    The most proactive action we can take leading up to the DCP is to work and save that money so we are able to support ourselves financially throughout our program. As of now, I just completed a ten week internship and saved as much money from that as possible, as well as the money I saved working during this past school year, so I'm thankful to a have a fair amount saved up. The last thing I want restricting my ability to have a good time in Disney is money, and I am doing everything I can to thwart that.

    And let's be honest, everyone keeps telling us how AMAZING Disney looks on a resume. I have heard it from everyone...from classmates to co workers, everyone raves about how great Disney will look on my resume for future job applications. So in my mind, making money is just a perk on top of being able to learn from the greatest hospitality company on the planet. Having the opportunity to make a guest's day magical is all the incentive I needed to want to participate.

Handling the reactions of your decision to do the DCP

You will hear a lot of opinions, don't let them sway you...

    As your time between acceptance and arrival passes and you inform others of your acceptance to the DCP, everyone will have their own reactions. From the, "Congratulations!" the, "What's that?" and, "Why would you do that?" the mixed reactions can certainly take a toll on you emotionally and can effect your mindset. I have told a vast number of people and have seldom received the same reaction twice. A lot of people have been very happy for me, while others are skeptical of my decision. Regardless, I have not let them change my opinion on the decision to commit to participating in the DCP.

    For the most part, a lot of people have been very supportive of my decision but also given me words of caution, which I understand. Disney has a variety of reputations depending on who you speak to about it, those of us who believe in and support the way Disney performs and conducts their business have no issue with it, others are skeptical of the high standards and strict rules they require cast members to follow. After speaking to fellow classmates who have done the program before and are equally major fans of Disney as I am, they LOVED completing the DCP! This also did not surprise me, we love this company, everything it does and everything it stands for; therefore it makes sense that we would love being a part of it. For those who are doing it to put Disney on their resume or participating on a whim, I fully support that decision, but it makes sense why it may not be for them. With Disney, there seems to be very little middle ground on people's opinions, they either love it or hate it, so as long as your are committed to and believe in being part of making magic everyday, there is no reason we should not enjoy the DCP.  

    I think the harshest words I have received came from someone who has spoken to individuals who worked for Disney and said Disney treats their employees poorly. When I hear that, I think of all the different variables that can play into an opinion like that; what were their hours like, how was their management team, what was their position in the company, were they committed to hospitality as a career? Anyone can endure a company that, "treats their employees poorly," if they are working under a management team that mismanages them or they are not fully committed to the position they have been placed in. Of course, my bias opinion on Disney and not wanting to believe the negatives factor into my opinion on this, but I try to look at it objectively. Without all the facts on their situation, I will take the comment in stride but not lose sleep over it. I will have my own opinion on how Disney treats the cast members when I become one, until then it would be unfair for me to judge them without having experienced it first hand.

    In conclusion, the message I want to get across is do not get discouraged about participating in the DCP from what other people have to say about it, especially those who have not done it. The opinions I have taken seriously are those from my classmates who have done it before and are doing it again because they enjoyed it so much. When we arrive, we can generate our own opinions based on our own experience, but for now, let your dream come true and participate in the DCP, whether anyone else likes it or not!