Interview a CP: Sara (Wilderness Lodge QSFB)

Our last day of work!

As many of you may know, I participated in the DCP with one of my best friends. If you have seen some of our video blogs, she's the other half of Sara Squared!

Many of you have been asking to hear about what it was like to work at the Wilderness Lodge! Well, here's her story!

What role did you have during the DCP, and where did you work?

I worked in Quick Service Food and Beverage at the Roaring Fork in the Wilderness Lodge. I LOVED IT.

What was a typical day like at work?

I ALWAYS worked until close, the restaurant closed at 12 so that meant working 4-1230. Except for my last three weeks or so, they randomly started messing with my schedule and put me on mornings, I wasn’t too happy about that. Anyways 4-12:30. I would catch a bus about 50 minutes before work. Since the bus got there about 15 minutes before 4 and my costuming was right there, I always had plenty of time to check out a costume, get changed and clock in on time. At four the whole night shift would gather in the back and have pre-meal with the closing manager. We discussed everything from park hours to watching inspirational videos at pre-meal. Then we would do our “go forkers” cheer and all head off to our positions. There were five different positions you could have: Salad station, Grill Station, Dining Room, Cash, or Runner. I loved being on cash or the grill, but I did not have a position I hated, except for maybe Runner:P

            Salad: Salad station usually worked 3-11:30 because this station closed at 10. People on salad were responsible for making salads, sandwiches and pasta. We also kept an eye on the soup, chili, and the bakery case.

            Grill: There are two grill positions, grill and window. The person on grill was responsible for making the burgers and chicken sandwiches and for prepping the flatbread pizzas (we often had a culinary person here, but we could all do it). The person on window was responsible for taking orders, making fries, chicken nuggets and pizzas and giving the guests their food.

            Dining room: There are 2-3 dining room positions. At night we usually only had 2 people in dining room but in the morning they often had three. The two positions we always filled were the main dining room and the food court. Sometimes there was also a third person who would take care of the patio, trash bins and washing trays. In main we had to clean all the chairs and tables, keep the condiments bar stocked, take out dining room trash, and take trays in the back. Food court had to keep the counters and drink machines clean. Food court also stocked drinks, chips, cereal and the cabinets under the drink machines. If there was no patio person the two would share the patio responsibilities and main would wash the trays.

            Cash: On cash you had to know the dining plan like the back of your hand, you also spent a good amount of your time stocking mugs. I loved cash because of all the guest interaction.

            Runner: One of my managers called the runner the heart of the restaurant. The runner was in charge of making sure both the salad and grill stations had everything they needed, from food to plates. They also had to make cookies, keep the coolers stocked and cover the grill when the grill people went to break. If the runner did not do their job quickly and efficiently all of the other stations suffered.

Closing was our time to shine. We would do as much pre-closing as was possible while we were still open (this included shutting down a drink machine early or cleaning a grill early etc.) In order to close the restaurant we had to have everything wiped down, wrapped, locked and stocked etc. It was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun! After our manager walked through the restaurant and checked everything we had post-meal in the back and then we all clocked out together.

Sara (right) and some of her coworkers!

Is this the role you originally wanted? If not, are you happy you got it?

Not at all. It was one of my very bottom picks. I am so happy I got it! I loved it and after seeing what the roles I wanted had to deal with, I would not have wanted any other job. 

What are your favorite and least favorite parts about your job?

I absolutely loved being able to help guests, I know some people tired of explaining the dining plan, but I loved seeing the look on a guests face when they learned they could get a dessert TOO! I loved being able to make magic left and right. And I loved making wilderness salads. My least favorite thing was cleaning the grills and the Panini grill, or dumping fryers! Dumping fryers is scary because you are carrying boiling hot oil and it is very easy to burn yourself. Most of my managers would not let me dump fryers but I had to do it once and it was the scariest moment of my CP life.

Any specific magical moment you want to share?

I had so many cool magical moments, I don’t know where to begin! One of the cool things about being in a resort was that I was able to get to know our guests because they would come back again and again. One time when I was on the grill I was talking to this sweet couple and I discovered that it was the husbands first time at Disney and he was 50! Apparently the wife had been many times with her family but they had never been able to afford to go, until now. I gave him his first Mickey Premium Bar and gave them advice on what to do that day. They came back and saw me every single day after that. They always got so excited and told me about their day and I’d help them plan their evening or the next day. By the end of their stay they were showing me pictures of their pets and their daughter who is getting married, I was one of the first to see her dress. I looked forward to their visits every day and on their last day there they added me on Facebook. 

What made you want to do the DCP?

Sara;)
Just kidding, I had known some people who had done the DCP previously and I had always considered doing it. When Sara decided she wanted to do it, I decided it would be a good experience for me as well.

Is there something you wish you would have known before doing your program?

I guess I wish I would’ve known more about Disney and the parks BEFORE I got there. I learned so much while I was there, but I think I could’ve gotten even more out of it if I’d had more knowledge of Disney World.

What advice would you give to those who are going to be participating in your role?

Just be patient with those on the dining plan;)

What advice would you give to people who are interested in doing the DCP?

DO IT! But know this, it’s a job. You’re not going there to play all day, it is hard but it is soo worth it! And you will get to play a lot;)

Sara unfortunately doesn't have a blog, but if you have any questions you can leave them in the comments below, and I'm more than welcome to ask her myself!

If you're a current or past college program cast member and would like to share your experience, email your name and role to thedisneyden@yahoo.com to participate!

Have a magical day!!

Interview a CP: Jesi (Photopass)

Jesi hangin' with Micky and Pluto at C-Spot!

What role did you have during the DCP, and where did you work?I worked as a PhotoPass Photographer at Epcot for the Spring 2013 term.

What was a typical day like at work?

I had to take the bus about an hour and fifteen minutes before work. I was NEVER late to work during my program, despite how unreliable the bus system allegedly is. If I played in the parks before work, I would take the monorail or walk to my locker to change into my costume!

Work was so much fun! I would cheerily say hello to all my coworkers, managers, and coordinators once I came in and put together my camera gear. Normally I worked afternoon to closing hours, I liked it that way. Each day I picked up CDS silently praying to the deployment gods that I would get to work with a character. I would mentally happy-dance when I got to spend a few hours with Minnie, Mickey, or Pluto at Character Spot or cringe when I had to spend a few hours at the backside of Spaceship Earth (my least favorite position).

PhotoPass is the best role--hands down. I got to capture and add magic to families' memories by doing what I love: photography. Disney was paying me to capture guests' reactions to meeting Mickey Mouse and their other favorite characters for the first time. Who else could say that? It was something I never grew tired of.

Shooting icons is fun, too! I loved giving guests' magic shots, making couples take cute kissing photos, and coming up with creative poses rather than the standard "stand and smile awkwardly" pose that is done over and over again. Shooting icons is when I got to have real conversations with guests and learn about how much fun they were having on vacation or where they were from. I met people from all over the world. It was great having so much guest interaction. I also gave out tons of Mickey stickers and compliments. You don't get that kind of interaction in a fast-paced character setting.

One little-spoken aspect of PhotoPass is that you get LOTS of guest interaction, but you do not get much contact with your fellow coworkers unless you are in the view station where there are 2 to 6 of you in one room. While shooting, photographers are pretty much alone. They are spread apart so that they do not see each other or cannot really speak to each other without shouting. Consequently, you end up talking to guests to pass the time. 

I loved my job and I felt like the luckiest Cast Member in the world to be in PhotoPass!

Is this the role you originally wanted? If not, are you happy you got it?

PhotoPass was my top choice, and I got it! I heard that there were only 70 College Program Photographers total for Spring/Spring Advantage (there are several THOUSAND students in the DCP), but I don't know the validity of this statement. I definitely felt lucky!

What are your favorite and least favorite parts about your job?

My favorite part was being able to combine my passion for photography and Disney into a job that I sincerely loved. I won Photo of the Week twice at Epcot, and it made me so happy! I would say my favorite part is giving fun families giant photo shoots and capturing those crying/big smiles/hugging photos with characters. 

My least favorite was working in Backside. It was the hottest and coldest part of the park, and it gets slow at some points. In the beginning, I didn't like having so much weight from the spare batteries, PDA, baracoda, rain gear pack, water bottle, and camera all hanging off my body, but I got used to it. It doesn't faze me now.

Any specific magical moment you want to share?

One night, I was having some personal problems that escalated to me crying on the phone at 2 in the morning. That day, coming into work was the last thing I wanted to do and I was on the verge of tears all day.  To make matters worse, I was put in my least favorite World Showcase location for the whole day.

I faked happiness pretty well. A little Princess dressed in an Aurora gown and sporting a pink parasol from the China pavilion and her family came up to me for a photo. I told the girl how beautiful she looked and how she needed to have her own photo shoot. She gave me her sassiest and most elegant poses, and afterwards, came running over to me to give me a big squishy hug. She truly felt like a Princess. Then, she gave me a sticker another Cast Member had given her, saying that was her gift to me for being so kind to her. Her family loved that I took the time to give them a personal photo shoot. If only that family knew what I had been going through before work; that hug did more for me than they know.

I go in for my break, and my manager had told me that a manager from the Character department had walked into the base JUST to tell them that they wanted to recognize me for being a great Cast Member, having a great outlook on my career, and that there should be more Cast Members like me out in the field. Suddenly, my terrible day had turned into one of my best days at work. 

That evening, a family of Annual Passholders stopped by--not to take a photo--but to say hello. They told me that they have seen me work on a few separate occasions, and started to look for me every time they visited Epcot because I was their favorite photographer. You have NO idea how happy that made me. I thanked them a million times over and gave them a few tips on some other good photo locations and characters to check out in return.

That day was magical not just for the guests, but for me as well! It was almost like a dream and the best day I had at work during my entire program. A week later, one of the photos I took of the little Princess won me Photo of the Week for Epcot. 

I was told this, and trust me, it is true! "The day you don't want to come in to work is the day you make the most magic!"

What made you want to do the DCP?

I am obsessed with Disney Parks. I was a Passholder and grew up going to Disneyland, so it was on my bucket list to work for Disney Parks at some point in my life. I loved Disney, but I figured working for the company was just a "one and done" thing, but the program would be a testing ground to see if I would want to make a life-long career with The Walt Disney Company. Well, I fell in love with Disney in a way that I did not before. I fell in love with the company, what it stood for, and the whole business and management side of it. You can bet I plan on working for WDP&R as a life-long career, now. I hope to combine all my passions (Disney, photography, and communications) into a career with Parks and Resorts. :)

Is there something you wish you would have known before doing your program?

How to cook. Blah. I was tired of eating out, frozen food, and making quick fixes like pancakes, pasta, and chicken.

What advice would you give to those who are going to be participating in your role?

Have some kind of photography knowledge. It isn't necessarily required to get the role, but you can tell who has some know-how. By having some basic knowledge, you'll know how to compose a good photograph (COMPOSITION IS EVERYTHING), why the exposure settings are what they are, and have more fun coming up with creative shots. 

Also, be outgoing and engage guests! I asked during my phone interview what qualities they look for in PhotoPass Photographer, and Disney looks for outgoing and talkative people. Us photographers can be invisible sometimes, so we have to initiate guest contact (without hawking photos) and not be afraid to greet or start conversations with guests just so they have a good time and at least are aware of what the service is.

What advice would you give to people who are interested in doing the DCP?

Take a lesson from Splash Mountain: "You can't run away from trouble--ain't no place that far." You may be at Disney, but not everything will always be perfect. It has its highs and lows.

Also, don't come into the program with too many expectations. People come into the program expecting to complete their 50-item bucket lists, find true love, and have fun every day. These kinds of unattainable expectations only lead to disappointment. 

Stalking the DCP tag on tumblr can help build your excitement, which is great, but it also has a downside of making you compare your experience to others'. Try not to compare yourself to other people. It never ends well, and the program is different for everyone. Also, reading up TOO MUCH on the program ruined some surprises for me. I didn't like that, but it is a personal choice.

Finally, if you are planning on blogging your DCP experience, best of luck to you! It is crazy to see how many people make DCP blogs and vow to vlog and write every day or every week. Yes, a handful of people do it (mad respect, because it is hard!), but from what I've seen, 80% of those blogs end up being abandoned within a few weeks or a month.

If you have any more further questions about Photopass or Jesi's experience, you can contact her on her blog right here!

If you're a current or past college program cast member and would like to share your experience, email your name and role to thedisneyden@yahoo.com to participate!

Have a magical day!

Interview a CP: Raisa (Character Attendent)

Raisa hanging with Rapunzel, Aurora and Cindy at work!

I met Raisa at the vlogger party in Magic Kingdom I posted about back in February! She has actually been a part of two college programs! Before participating as a character attendent in Walt Disney World with me, she was actually in the Disneyland program as a photopass cast member! Here's what she had to say about her experience in Walt Disney World:

What role did you have during the DCP, and where did you work?

I was a character attendant in the Magic Kingdom.

What was a typical day like at work?

I would leave an hour or so before my start time because the cp bus to MK took forever. If I had time I would grab some food at the Mousekateria. Clock in, check with my base manager then head off to my location. I would then write down any set times* (the times that the characters go on and off stage) and get to know the performer, learn their preferences, then do my thing with them. at the end of the night, pack up my stuff and clock out

Is this the role you originally wanted? If not, are you happy you got it?
It was actually! This was my second program and this was the role I wanted from the beginning, but Disneyland does not offer this role to its interns

What are your favorite and least favorite parts about your job?
All the funny outgoing people that I met made my job not a job. I was coming to work to play all day. And while I loved meeting families from all over the world but sometime the language barrier became very difficult.

Bradley's autograph!

Any specific magical moment you want to share?
Working with characters all day I see lots of kids. One day I was hanging out with Tinkerbell and her fairy friend Rosetta. It was later at night when there isn’t anyone else in the room with us. Bradley was afraid of meeting fairies. His sister was already talking with Tink but he was stuck at the door. I then got down on his level and pointed above us. “Do you see this leaf? Is a magic leaf! This is our Pixie shrinker, even though you are already small, fairies are even smaller.” I pulled a quarter from my pocket, “Bradley you see how small this is now, you and me are going to go in there and I bet this quarter is going to be bigger than both of us!” He didn’t believe me. So I tossed the coin into the room. “Why are you throwing lost things at us?!” Tink was a little mad, but Bradley thought it was funny. So I took his hand and we took a big jump though the portal. Sure enough Tink was sitting on the quarter I had just thrown into the room. Bradley’s jaw dropped but he didn’t let go of my hand. I introduced him to my friends and gave them both really big hugs. After he was done flying around the room with them, I looked at Bradley and gave him a piece of paper and asked him to sign his autograph for me because he was my hero. As they were getting ready to leave his mother approached me with his autograph book and insisted that I sign it, telling me I’m just as much part of the magic as Tink was and thanked me for making her son’s visit the highlight of their life. Bradley has tumors in his brain she told me and he wasn’t expected to live long enough to go to Disney World with his family.

Hangin' with Stitch at work!

What made you want to do the DCP?
See previous question.

Is there something you wish you would have known before doing your program? This being my second program I already kind of knew what to expect. 

What was the main difference you noticed between your programs in Disneyland and Walt Disney World?

Housing and the size of the program itself. I felt like more of a number in Florida. For example I'm still in touch with my housing directors back in Disneyland. (Sara comment: I didn't even know we had housing directors in Florida.)

What advice would you give to those who are going to be participating in your role?
My advice would be to get really good shoes, I cant tell you how much pain I could have saved myself in the beginning because I got cheap shoes. Don’t call out/ ome in late so much. Points are precious, don’t waste them.

What advice would you give to people who are interested in doing the DCP?
Do it. It changed my life in so many ways. I’ve met life long friends from all over the world, worked in some of the coolest places on the planet and got both college credit and paid to do it all.

Raisa has an amazing video blog channel on Youtube and shared a lot about her experience both in Disneyland and Walt Disney World! You should definitely take a look here!

If you're a current or past college program cast member and would like to share your experience, email your name and role to thedisneyden@yahoo.com to participate!

Have a magical day!

Interview a CP: Mitchell (Sunset Blvd Attractions)

Spieling in Studio C at Coaster! Photo by yours truly ;)

Mitchell is one of the first friends I made during the program. You might recognize him from the vlogger party in Magic Kingdom video that I posted earlier during my program. He has an interesting story, starting out working at Fantasmic! and Beauty and the Beast, but then was able to cross train and transfer to Rockin' Roller Coaster (which is extremely rare for a CP). I'm personally a little jealous, because working at Coaster looks like so much fun!

What role did you have during the DCP, and where did you work?
I'm attractions at Disney's Hollywood Studios within Sunset Attractions. I started off at Fantasmic, and from there I was trained at Beauty and the Beast and Rock 'N' Roller Coaster where I currently work the most.

What was a typical day like at work?
Well while working Fantasmic, I typically did crowd control, loading and unloading guest into a huge amphitheater while also taking care of any guest situations that they had. Now at Rock 'N' Roller Coaster I do any kind of operations from loading to unloading, greeting, and much more.

Is this the role you originally wanted? If not, are you happy you got it?
It is exactly what I wanted, I couldn't of got a better role or place to be put in.

 What are your favorite and least favorite parts about your job?
My favorite parts about my job is for one, guest interaction. Being able to talk to guest and help them out to enjoy their vacation is something I love. I also like to play a character, and I do so at Rock 'N' Roller Coaster by playing a tour guide and a parking attendant. I also love loading the vehicles fast, that way I'm being super efficient and guest get the best of their experience. I honestly couldn't say that I have a least favorite part about my job. Everything I do is fun and it's always something new.

Working at Fantasmic!

Any specific magical moment you want to share?
I think the one moment that will stick with me forever and it's not really a magical moment, but I was at kids spot, which is where we give out stickers for kids to decorate a record with. One little girl was making one and as her parents told her she had to go she handed me her record, I told her that she gets to keep it and take it home and this is what she said to me " I'm not taking this one home, you wanna know why? I replied yes. She said because I made this one for you". I honestly melted after that and I have it hanging up in my room.

What made you want to do the DCP?
I have always wanted to do the Disney College Program since I was in 7th grade, which is when I first heard about it. Even besides that Disney has always been a part of my life, it is my second home. I just wanted to do something bigger than myself and give guests a great Cast Member experience that I received when I was growing up and visited the parks. I want to be with this company long term, and what better way than to start here.

Is there something you wish you would have known before doing your program?
There isn't something I wish I would have known, just because I searched up all the information I could. Maybe though I wish I knew that it was going to be hard to leave close friends that I've made.

What advice would you give to those who are going to be participating in your role?
Focus, safety is main part of our role, and part of the whole company. Do your job right and don't slack or be lazy. Make the guest feel like they are really there.

What advice would you give to people who are interested in doing the DCP?
Do it, that's all, just do it. It's great on your resume and it's an exceptional program to build experience and maturity, along with professionalism. It will help you with speaking better to people and also will help with people skills. Honestly it's one of the best programs anyone could ever do. I'm glad I have been able to experience it and so will you.

(I tried to upload a clip of Mitchell playing his role as a tour guide in Studio C at Rock 'N' Roller Coaster, but for some reason Blogger just wouldn't let me...)

You can see more about Mitchell's experience on his Youtube channel, Mitch and Trey's Disney Days! (I'm in a couple of those videos!)

If you're a current or past college program cast member and would like to share your experience, email your name and role to thedisneyden@yahoo.com to participate!

I hope everyone has a magical day!

Interview a CP: Christine (Entertainment)

Me meeting Christine's best friend, Daisy!

Christine is one of my best friends that I made during the program! We actually started talking on Tumblr way before we even knew we would be accepted or not. It was so much fun talking to her about our applications, getting accepted, and when she found out she was going to be a character performer! Words cannot describe how much I love this girl. I miss her so much! Okay...on with her interview!

1) What role did you have during the DCP, and where did you work? 
I am a character performer and I’ve worked at all 4 of the parks, the Polynesian and Beach Club, and Typhoon Lagoon!

2) What was a typical day like at work? 
Get up, clock in, warm-up, pull costume, make magic ;)

3) Is this the role you originally wanted? If not, are you happy you got it? 
ABSOLUTELY. I’ve wanted to be a character performer for the longest time.

4) What are your favorite and least favorite parts about your job?
My favorite part is getting to see the guests’ faces light up when they finally meet their favorite character. The kids are adorable (most of the time) and I love being able to make magic for them. My least favorite part is the physical strain it puts on my body. My back, shoulders, and neck have hurt for the past 6 months.

5) Any specific magical moment you want to share? 
One time, Mickey had a dining shift at Tusker House in Animal Kingdom. At this end of his set, a waitress asked him to stop by a table who just wanted to say goodbye again. Usually Mickey doesn’t go out of his set rotation, but the table was on his way back to the kitchen so he stopped by. The little boy at the table was blind and Mickey spent 10 extra minutes in the restaurant with him. The little boy got to “see” Mickey’s face with his hands. It was amazing.

Christine's friend Meeko hangin' with Pocahontas!

6) What made you want to do the DCP? 
I was on a family vacation to Disney World when I was 12 and I randomly decided to ask a girl who was selling balloons on Main Street how I could work here. She told me that I could work here right when I got out of high school (which was obviously a long way away for the 12-year-old me) and that there was a program here for college students. I was sold right then and there.

7) Is there something you wish you would have known before doing your program? 
IF YOU FIND YOUR ROOMMATES BEFOREHAND ON FACEBOOK, DON’T ASSUME THEY’RE NORMAL BECAUSE THEY SEEM IT ONLINE. My last roommates… most of them were fine. One of them was loud, and rude, and just not a pleasant person to be around. I never would’ve expected it from the way she acted online. So just be careful when you choose a roommate. Also! Be prepared to be broke as all hell while you’re down here! (I also wish I would’ve known that not everyone here is as into Disney as you are and you’re going to meet people who are in the program who think Despicable Me is a Disney movie BUT THAT’S BESIDES THE POINT).

8 ) What advice would you give to those who are going to be participating in your role? 
IF YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN ACCEPTED INTO THE PROGRAM AS A CHARACTER PERFORMER, START WORKING OUT. I’M SERIOUS. Do back, neck, and shoulder strengthening exercises. YOU WILL NEED IT.

Christine's good friend Mickey and his pooch, Pluto!

9) What advice would you give to people who are interested in doing the DCP? 

DO IT. Absolutely do it. It will be the best experience of your life. And if it isn’t, I will finish your program FOR you. Even if you’re scared out of your mind because you’ve never lived away from home and you don’t know anyone and you think you’re going to be alone and you’re never going to make friends (AKA me before I got down there), DO IT. I PROMISE YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT. I have learned so much about myself being down here. And I’ve made such good friends who I swear I will keep in contact with until the day I die (AKA SARA, AKA THEDISNEYDEN WOOO HI SARA!).

DO. THE. DCP.

ALSO FOLLOW MY DISNEY BLOG PARDONOURPIXIEDUST (hahaha)

You heard her! Go follow the girl if you have a Tumblr! ;) 

In all seriousness, if you have any questions for her feel free to ask her either on her blog, or you can even ask in the comments and I can ask her for you!

If you're a current or past college program cast member and would like to share your experience, email your name and role to thedisneyden@yahoo.com to participate!

Have a magical day!

Vlogging from Magic Kingdom!

My internet finally decided to cooperate and upload our adventure in Magic Kingdom!

Sara, Liz and I decided to go to MK to finally meet Merida, try a Nutella and fruit waffle sandwich, ride some rides and got to see some surprises along the way!

Enjoy!

Have a magical day everyone!

To see our other videos, check out our Youtube channel, here!

New Cast Member Interview Series!

Many have asked if my friend Sara could write about her experience working at the Wilderness Lodge. I asked her if she would like to write something for you guys, and she was more than willing! However, since she doesn't usually write blog posts, she wasn't sure where to start. This had me thinking...why don't I make it in the style of an interview?

Also, why stop with just Sara's experience? I went ahead and asked a few of my other roommates and friends if they would like to share their experience working in their roles (attractions, entertainment, merchandise, etc.). This way, my readers (and possibly future CP cast members) can see what it's like at different positions in Walt Disney World!

With each CP, I'll be asking a series of questions about their job, experience on the college program, magical moments, and if they have any advice for future potential cast members. If you have any specific kinds of questions that you would like me to ask, let me know! I'll do my best to cover everything you'd like to know. If it's a pretty specific question for a specific role, I can include that in my friend's list of questions if they have not had their interview yet.

Furthermore, if you're a past or current college program cast member and would like to be a part of this, comment below with your role and a form of communication (email, etc.) and I would be more than happy to send you the questions!

Stay updated on when I post the interviews by subscribing! Also make sure to follow on Tumblr, Twitter, and Facebook!