Opening Sweet Spells

DCP – Day 8 – August 20, 2012

Today was my first real day of actual on the job training at Hollywood Studios.  My day started bright and early.  I was on the bus at 5:45.  My shift started at 7 and the bus route has apparently been changed because the driver went to HS first instead of making stops at the resorts first.  So I ended up getting there way earlier than I intended too.  But all is good.  I got to eat my measly bag of Cheerios and sit in the break room.

I met my trainer, Aleida, at seven at Sweet Spells.  It’s so weird to walk through the park and no one be there.  Anyway, Aleida showed me how to open up the shop and get everything ready for the day.  It was kind of mindless, boring work but it wasn’t that hard.  I was a little worried going in to today but my fears were greatly diminished after today.  The women I worked with were really fun and very helpful.  I got to help stock the candy and all the goodies in the display case as well as sample the cake pops.  I’ll never complain to do that job.

Aleida said that I was one of the best workers she’s trained, which made me feel good.  The register work comes second nature to me which helps a lot I think.  I didn’t count change back the Disney Way but Aleida said that the way I was doing it would be ok.  I like to call my system the Robyn Disney Way.  It’s the best of both counting worlds.  If you’re wondering what the Disney Way is, see my post from yesterday.

After working in Sweet Spells in the morning and early afternoon, I moved to Once Upon A Time and worked a little on the registers.  It was so much fun to actually get to work and not be in training mode.  Or course, I don’t know everything so having Aleida there as a backup was quite handy.  Although my shift was long and my feet hurt, today was pretty great.

 

Merchantainment

DCP – Day 7 – August 19, 2012

I love Disney University.  Love it.  Can’t explain why but I just do.  There’s just something about that place that make me happy.  I love all the pictures on the wall of the parks from previous years and it gets me all incredibly excited about work.

I had training at DU today called Merchantainment, which is a Disney made word for entertainment in merchandising.  The class was kinda fun.  It was just teaching us about the different ways retail can be theatre.  We also got to practice work on the registers and learn how to count change the Disney way.  Not very excited about that.  It’s just totally opposite of what I’ve done for the past five years at the IGA and is going to take some major time getting used to.  But I fully believe I can do it. 

The most awesome thing about today was getting to eat lunch in the cafeteria in the Magic Kingdom utilidoors.  I had this most amazing three meat calzone that topped just about anything I’ve ever had at the parks.  I love my job and this place.

I also love the storms that roll in in the afternoon.  We have a perfect view from our balcony and I just love it.  I could sit out here for hours just watching it storm.

 

Jack Sparrow and A Kitchen Fire

DCP – Day 6 – August 18, 2012

Today was my Merchandise Tier 1 training.  I met my trainer, Melissa, this morning in the costuming building at Hollywood Studios.  She was so amazing.  She was a CP last year and is a CP Facilitator this year.  My training was one-on-one and I loved it.  Melissa showed me around the park and where I would be working.  There are nine stores in my area and I think I know where they all are and what they sale.  I also got my pin lanyard today.  I cannot wait to start pin trading with the Guests!

It’s really cool to see the behind the scenes action to Hollywood Studios.  I might get lost walking around backstage but I’m still really excited to get started.  I learned all about clocking in and out and all that jazz.  I walked around the different stock rooms and found the cafeteria, which has a Subway in it.  While we were eating lunch, Jack Sparrow was eating lunch across from us.  I couldn’t stop staring.  It was just like Johnny Depp was sitting across the room from me.  Apparently, they’re opening a new Jack Sparrow exhibit and he’s there to promote it.  And apparently Johnny Depp comes to the park all the time.  So I’m hoping he comes to the opening of the new exhibit.

After work, I came home to find out there had been a small kitchen fire.  Thankfully, no one was hurt.  It will definitely be a story to tell one day about my first week in the Program.

And this is my new frog friend that likes to hang out on the ledge outside our apartment.  On the third floor.

 

Theme Park Orientation

DCP – Day 5 – August 17, 2012

After waking up way before the sun, I made my way to Hollywood Studios for my theme park orientation.  I learned how to clock in and everything before we on a tour of the park.  Our tour guide was Nathan and he knew ever random fact about the park.  It was really handy to know the little facts that I can share with Guests someday. 

I got my training schedule for next week today as well.  I’ll be working at Once Upon a Time on Sunset Boulevard near the Beauty and the Beast show.  I’ll also be working across the street at the candy store.  Not quite sure how I feel about that since I have to learn to make candy but I’m sure it will be fine.  I can always just dazzle my manager with my amazing skills and transfer to another store.

I also got this snazzy new ribbon to go on my equally snazzy costume.  Please try not to laugh when you see my costume.  Trust me.  It’s better than most.  Haha.

I received my schedule for next week and was pleased to see that I have two days off.  I am beyond excited to finally get to be able to work.  Although the leisure of the past few days has been fun, I’m ready to just have a scheduled time to be somewhere.  I’ve miss the stability of having a job to do and a place to be.  I guess I’m just weird and like work.  I’m just so excited to get to work at Disney!  I still feel the need to pinch myself sometimes to remind myself that I’m really working here.  I can’t wait to make magical memories for the Guest and myself! 

 

We Create Happiness

DCP – Day 4 – August 16, 2012

Today was Traditions.  For those of you unfamiliar with the DCP, Traditions is where you learn all about Disney history and the four keys of Disney.  It’s a four hour class at Disney university that was actually kind of fun.  The first hour or so was a lot of warm and fuzzy Disney videos and talks.  They play all these inspirational videos that at the end you feel the need to stand up, cheer, point to the screen, and say, ‘I work here!’  Or maybe that’s just how I felt. 

We also played a game where you had to put different events in Disney history in order.  Halfway through the game, the woman doing the presentation was like, what better place to learn about Disney history than the Magic Kingdom!  So we went on a field trip to the Magic Kingdom.  We rode a bus to the back side of Magic Kingdom and got to go in the utilidoors.  It was really cool to see behind the veil of the Magic Kingdom.  Although, it does seem to take a little bit of the magic away.  But not much.

We walked in to the Magic Kingdom through a Cast Member entrance and walked down Main Street toward the Castle.  We had these little ear things in our ears so our leader could talk to us while we walked and as we were walking down Main Street she said, ‘Look at all the happiness we create.’  The irony of this was in the midst of all the happy people was a little boy crying hysterically.  Obviously he wasn’t happy.

After the tour of the Magic Kingdom, we went back to Disney University to finish Traditions.  We did more Disney history and learned the Four Keys: Safety, Courtesy, Show, and Efficiency.  The goal of Disney is to safely put on a courtesy show efficiently.  They have a great business model with this and the business side of me really liked this portion of Traditions.  We also played a trivia game and I answered a question right and got this cute little figurine.

When the woman doing the presentation was talking about going above and beyond the call of duty to make a guest’s experience magical, there was a knock at the door.  And Mickey Mouse came in!  He brought our name tags in a present box and it was awesome.  They laid our nametags out in this display case and let us come up and get them.  Ever since I was little, I’ve wanted to know what it would be like to wear one of those oval shaped names tags with the castle on it.  And now I know.

 

Housing Meeting

DCP - Day 2- August 14, 2012

Today was our housing meeting.  I really had no idea what to expect.  We went in to this dark conference room with strobe lights and loud music made to pump us up.  It worked.  We were all really excited by the time the meeting actually started.

The meeting was kind of self explanatory.  It was just the basic stuff like no alcohol, drugs, candles.  But the two women that presented the meeting were really fun so that kept the meeting from feeling so monotonous. 

We didn’t have anything else planned for the day so we went to the store and I got some food for dinner.  I fixed my first meal totally by myself!  I made pork chops and mac and cheese.  Well.  I bought mac and cheese and followed the directions on the box.  But still.  I also made sweet tea and Abby and I had a great meal!

 

Hurry Up & Wait

DCP – Day 1 – August 13, 2012

Everything about today was crazy.  And long.  And amazing.  I woke up wayyy too early.  5 AM to be exact.  My dad drove me to Vista Way and dropped me off so I could wait in the long check in line with my roomies. Hurry up and wait.  The check in wasn’t supposed to start until 9 but the line started moving at 7:30.  We were checked in and moved from line to line to fill out some paperwork and get our apartment.  Hurry up and wait.  We got the last two bedroom apartment in Patterson Court.  After we got out apartment, we had our housing IDs made and then we were sent outside to wait for the bus to take up to Casting.  Hurry up and wait.

We arrived at Casting after a short drive and had to wait for the all clear to enter the building.  Hurry up and wait.  Once we were inside, we were told where we would be working.  I’m working at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Animation/Sunset Boulevard!  That’s exactly where I wanted to be!

After we found out where we were working, we were sent on a maze of the Casting building going from one department to another to fill out more paperwork and all that fun stuff.  There was a lot of hurrying up and waiting going on here.  It took about two hours to go through everything.  We were fingerprinted and verified we existed with our social security cards and a bunch of other rather boring stuff.  After all that fun stuff was over, we were free to go to our apartment!

Patterson Court is the newer apartment couple about five/ten minutes from Disney.  Our apartment is really nice.  Except for the fact it’s on the third floor.  We got all of my stuff moved in and set up the way I wanted it.  There is a lot more room than I thought there would be so that is good.

Later, I went to dinner with Dad at Olive Garden before dropping him off at his hotel and heading back to my apartment.  My roommate, Abby, spent the night with her family so I have the room to myself.  My best friend, Rachael, came over earlier and we hung out and listened to country music. 

Overall, this first day has been pretty good.  I’m tired and ready for bed but I’m really excited to get this whole thing started!