First off, I have officially "Earned my Ears" at Animal Kingdom, meaning I am all on my own now at work, aka I no longer have a trainer. This change took place on Monday evening. That means on Tuesday and Wednesday I got to put into practice what I spent all last week learning. In the beginning I was nervous, but pretty much all of the guest have been understanding of my slower pace (:
Being a Cast Member has been very fulfilling. It is wonderful being able to talk with the guests about their day, their vacation, where they are from, and what they have enjoyed most about Walt Disney World. One of my favorite things to do though, is to speak with the children that come into the stores. Almost all of them only need me to say hello and instantly they light up and start talking to me about everything. I had the chance on Tuesday to perform a 'Magical Moment' with a little boy and girl who are siblings. The Magical Moment was playing a couple games with them and they soaked in the moment for all it's worth! Another one of my favorite things to do is Merchantain with the stuffed animals in the store. What this means is that I interact with the guest using the animals. Without fail, this continually brings a smile to every guests face, no matter their age. This far, not even a complete week into my job, I am truly enjoying every minute of it! Sure, most nights I am exhausted, but then I remember the smile I put on all the guests faces and it makes my tiredness totally worth it.
I have realized that there are a few fun facts that I have not shared with you all yet.
About Floridian life:
Fact #1, The main type of transportation that I use here in Florida is the bus system that the Disney College Program provides. Because of this, it takes me about 40 minutes to an hour to get to and from work everyday.
Fact #2, Walt Disney World runs everything on military time. This includes that bus system. When I first got here I was very confused. However, because everything, even my work schedule, runs on military time, I have become pretty quick at reading it (:
Fact #3, There are lizards everywhere throughout my apartment complex! They come in all sizes and are very fast. I think some of them enjoy playing chicken because quite often they wait till last minutes to run in front of me to cross the sidewalk. The smallest ones are only about 1 inch in length.
Fact #4, There are hotels everywhere! Since Florida is so flat, I can look in every direction and see hotel after hotel. Along with hotels there are also plenty of timeshares as well. Clearly this is a popular tourist area!
Fact #5, I was surprised to learn that Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and Sea World are all within 30 minutes of each other (give or take). For those of you who are Harry Potter fans, I might have a chance later in the year to visit Harry Potter World!
Fact #6, Everywhere I look everything is colored in luscious green. Because of the rain there isn't any dead or brown grass or trees. It is purely lovely!
About yours truly:
Fact #1, My favorite Disney Princess is Cinderella (always has been)
Fact #2, My favorite Disney movie... that's a toughy... as of right now Live Action would have to be Pirates of the Caribbean (only the first 3) and Cartoon is Peter Pan
Fact #3, My favorite Disneyland ride is a tie between the Tea Cups, Space Mountain, and Pirates of the Caribbean
Have a magical day!
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Sunday, August 25, 2013
A Week of Learning
Hello my dear friends,
It seems as if it has been a very long since I have updated my Blog. However, it has only been 6 days. Crazy how fast time goes go by, and yet how slow at the same time (if that even makes sense). A bunch of stuff has taken place in the my life since I last wrote. Without further ado, here is an update on yours truly...
*Last Monday I had orientation. Originally I had thought it would be my first day of training, but I was incorrect. My orientation ended up consisting of taking a tour of Animal Kingdom, and meeting the trainers that would eventually train the new cast members. --In case I have not mentioned this before, Animal Kingdom is basically Disney's version of a zoo.-- Having a tour of the Animal Kingdom was pretty neat. The trainer who was my groups tour guide, knew SO much about Animal Kingdom! I asked her if there was a book with facts about Animal Kingdom? Her answer was, no, but that some of her information was from a book, but most is from listening to others knowledge. This was also the day I was able to get my costume for my job position. I am not so sure if I'm going to upload a photo yet. My costume is VERY bright! Maybe eventually you all shall see it.
*Tuesday was my first official, on the job, day. It was a pretty law low day. Mainly getting comfortable with the back stage area as well as what type of merchandise I will be selling in each separate location I could potentially work. This day was also the start of getting sick for me. I know, not even 2 weeks into the program and I am already feeling under the weather. However, I think that the sickness is my bodies way of getting adapted to Floridian life.
*Then on Wednesday I was off, which was fabulous! Since I wasn't feeling 100%, I had a "lazy" day. Honestly, these are my favorite. They are perfect for thinking about life, and for learning new things, as well as recharging one's energy (:
*Thursday I spent all day at the Disney University learning about the combination of Merchandise and Entertainment that Disney so cleverly calls 'Merchantainment'. After this class, my brain was on overload! There was so much information thrown at my fellow cast members and I. I'm pretty sure all of us left that day feeling like, "what have we gotten ourselves into"? The main reason for the information overload is because this is the day I was taught how to use the Disney POS (Point Of Sale) System. The instructors were very encouraging though, which was wonderful! The lady who taught had been a school teacher for 30 years and after retiring, became a cast member for Disney. The man who taught is currently a cast member at the Emporium --extremely large Disney store-- in Magic Kingdom (for those of you located in California, Disneyland has an Emporium as well).
*On Friday and Saturday I was able to put what I had learned into practice. At first I was intimidated. Not only was I expected to know, understand, and use the POS system, but when you wear a Disney costume every single guest assumes that you now everything there is to know about Animal Kingdom. After about 16 hours of practice, I'm getting used to the merchandise role. It will most likely take another week or two for me to feel comfortable in the role. One of the other roles I have aside from register, is stocking the floor. This part of my job is really fun actually. Some of you reading this might not know me well enough to know that I LOVE organization! Working in merchandise fits perfectly with my personality, at least up to this point. haha. During my register role, I get to interact with the guests and make them feel special. Then during my stocking role, I get to make the store inviting for guests.
In addition to the daily events I listed above, there are a few other things that I have to share with you all.
In no particular order...
First, is that almost everyday I get caught in the rain! But seriously, without fail it happens. Even if I have an umbrella, I always end up without it just as it down pours.
Second, because of all the rain the cloud formations are gorgeous! If it was possible for me to combine the Tucson Arizona sunset, the sunrise from an Island off the coast of Belize, and the clouds from Orlando Florida, that would be perfect! Hehe
Third, Saturday night I went to Magic Kingdom all by myself. Yes, I can be a loner, but it ended up being just the thing I needed. First off, I love Disneyland and nothing will ever change the magical feeling I get every time I enter the property. However, Magic Kingdom has something that Disneyland won't ever have and that is a ferryboat. No joke, picture a big body of water and across it is the Magic Kingdom. Sparkling with all its white lights, and the picturesque Cinderella castle in your view, it was breath taking! Then there was the fireworks. Magic Kingdom has titled the attraction, "Wishes". Watching them was like being a child again. The combination of the exquisite castle, the fanciful music, and the sparkly-bright fireworks, all came together to create one of the most magical experiences possible. Oh, and I can't forget the fact that Disney is very talented at creating romantic settings, fyi.
Being in that environment was just what I needed to remind me why I am where I am. The past couple weeks have been difficult. Living in Florida and working for the Disney Company has caused some unexpected emotions. I am an independent individual, but being at the most magical place on earth, with no one near and dear to share it with, has been hard. There is the saying, "home is where the heart is", and the truth is my heart is not connected to Florida, yet. Surprisingly, spending a few hours reliving the child-like magic the only Disney can create, helped me to be at peace with where God has placed me. Oh, and there is also the fact that even being in the Disney College Program is an incredible blessing and opportunity. I learned that in a years time, Walt Disney World accepts about 2,000 individuals into their college program. This number is not split evenly between the Spring and Fall semester, it is whatever Disney decides. After hearing this, my mind was blown.
Fourth, I am very thankful to those who graciously warned me about the negativity I would hear from other cast members. However, it still surprises me that people choose to focus on the negative. Also, there is a mindset of entitlement that I have noticed. I am working for a Fortune 500 company, and not only am I, but everyone else here is too. Being here only two weeks I can understand why people forget that they are working for the company that creates magic for a living. However, my newly found way of re-charging my love for the magic, is to spend an evening watching fireworks. Seems legit, right? Haha (:
To all those who took the time to read this, thank you. My life is ever changing. I'm constantly learning something new and also doing my best to remember that through all this madness, God is the one thing that remains consistent.
Once again I come to the part where I say... wishing you all a magical evening and week!
It seems as if it has been a very long since I have updated my Blog. However, it has only been 6 days. Crazy how fast time goes go by, and yet how slow at the same time (if that even makes sense). A bunch of stuff has taken place in the my life since I last wrote. Without further ado, here is an update on yours truly...
*Last Monday I had orientation. Originally I had thought it would be my first day of training, but I was incorrect. My orientation ended up consisting of taking a tour of Animal Kingdom, and meeting the trainers that would eventually train the new cast members. --In case I have not mentioned this before, Animal Kingdom is basically Disney's version of a zoo.-- Having a tour of the Animal Kingdom was pretty neat. The trainer who was my groups tour guide, knew SO much about Animal Kingdom! I asked her if there was a book with facts about Animal Kingdom? Her answer was, no, but that some of her information was from a book, but most is from listening to others knowledge. This was also the day I was able to get my costume for my job position. I am not so sure if I'm going to upload a photo yet. My costume is VERY bright! Maybe eventually you all shall see it.
*Tuesday was my first official, on the job, day. It was a pretty law low day. Mainly getting comfortable with the back stage area as well as what type of merchandise I will be selling in each separate location I could potentially work. This day was also the start of getting sick for me. I know, not even 2 weeks into the program and I am already feeling under the weather. However, I think that the sickness is my bodies way of getting adapted to Floridian life.
*Then on Wednesday I was off, which was fabulous! Since I wasn't feeling 100%, I had a "lazy" day. Honestly, these are my favorite. They are perfect for thinking about life, and for learning new things, as well as recharging one's energy (:
*Thursday I spent all day at the Disney University learning about the combination of Merchandise and Entertainment that Disney so cleverly calls 'Merchantainment'. After this class, my brain was on overload! There was so much information thrown at my fellow cast members and I. I'm pretty sure all of us left that day feeling like, "what have we gotten ourselves into"? The main reason for the information overload is because this is the day I was taught how to use the Disney POS (Point Of Sale) System. The instructors were very encouraging though, which was wonderful! The lady who taught had been a school teacher for 30 years and after retiring, became a cast member for Disney. The man who taught is currently a cast member at the Emporium --extremely large Disney store-- in Magic Kingdom (for those of you located in California, Disneyland has an Emporium as well).
*On Friday and Saturday I was able to put what I had learned into practice. At first I was intimidated. Not only was I expected to know, understand, and use the POS system, but when you wear a Disney costume every single guest assumes that you now everything there is to know about Animal Kingdom. After about 16 hours of practice, I'm getting used to the merchandise role. It will most likely take another week or two for me to feel comfortable in the role. One of the other roles I have aside from register, is stocking the floor. This part of my job is really fun actually. Some of you reading this might not know me well enough to know that I LOVE organization! Working in merchandise fits perfectly with my personality, at least up to this point. haha. During my register role, I get to interact with the guests and make them feel special. Then during my stocking role, I get to make the store inviting for guests.
In addition to the daily events I listed above, there are a few other things that I have to share with you all.
In no particular order...
First, is that almost everyday I get caught in the rain! But seriously, without fail it happens. Even if I have an umbrella, I always end up without it just as it down pours.
Second, because of all the rain the cloud formations are gorgeous! If it was possible for me to combine the Tucson Arizona sunset, the sunrise from an Island off the coast of Belize, and the clouds from Orlando Florida, that would be perfect! Hehe
Third, Saturday night I went to Magic Kingdom all by myself. Yes, I can be a loner, but it ended up being just the thing I needed. First off, I love Disneyland and nothing will ever change the magical feeling I get every time I enter the property. However, Magic Kingdom has something that Disneyland won't ever have and that is a ferryboat. No joke, picture a big body of water and across it is the Magic Kingdom. Sparkling with all its white lights, and the picturesque Cinderella castle in your view, it was breath taking! Then there was the fireworks. Magic Kingdom has titled the attraction, "Wishes". Watching them was like being a child again. The combination of the exquisite castle, the fanciful music, and the sparkly-bright fireworks, all came together to create one of the most magical experiences possible. Oh, and I can't forget the fact that Disney is very talented at creating romantic settings, fyi.
Being in that environment was just what I needed to remind me why I am where I am. The past couple weeks have been difficult. Living in Florida and working for the Disney Company has caused some unexpected emotions. I am an independent individual, but being at the most magical place on earth, with no one near and dear to share it with, has been hard. There is the saying, "home is where the heart is", and the truth is my heart is not connected to Florida, yet. Surprisingly, spending a few hours reliving the child-like magic the only Disney can create, helped me to be at peace with where God has placed me. Oh, and there is also the fact that even being in the Disney College Program is an incredible blessing and opportunity. I learned that in a years time, Walt Disney World accepts about 2,000 individuals into their college program. This number is not split evenly between the Spring and Fall semester, it is whatever Disney decides. After hearing this, my mind was blown.
Fourth, I am very thankful to those who graciously warned me about the negativity I would hear from other cast members. However, it still surprises me that people choose to focus on the negative. Also, there is a mindset of entitlement that I have noticed. I am working for a Fortune 500 company, and not only am I, but everyone else here is too. Being here only two weeks I can understand why people forget that they are working for the company that creates magic for a living. However, my newly found way of re-charging my love for the magic, is to spend an evening watching fireworks. Seems legit, right? Haha (:
To all those who took the time to read this, thank you. My life is ever changing. I'm constantly learning something new and also doing my best to remember that through all this madness, God is the one thing that remains consistent.
Once again I come to the part where I say... wishing you all a magical evening and week!
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| Right before the fireworks |
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| A view from the ferryboat of Magic Kingdom |
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| Another view from the ferryboat |
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| Main Street |
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Visiting the Parks
The past few days I have had time to visit all of the parks that Walt Disney World (WDW) offers on their property. For those who are not as educated on all that WDW has to offer, let me enlighten you. In Florida there are 4 parks, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Epcot. There is also a Downtown Disney area, however, I have not had a chance to visit there yet.
Prepare yourself, this is a long Blog entry!
All of the parks are very large! Being from California and growing up with Disneyland, I cannot get over how large WDW truly is. Each park is easily the size of Disneyland and half of California Adventures put together. A lot of the rides offered at WDW are very similar to the ones located at the original Disneyland as well at CA Adventures. On Friday I visited Animal Kingdom and then Magic Kingdom in the evening. As a reminder, I will be working in Animal Kingdom at Discovery Island Merchandise.
Magic Kingdom is very similar to Disneyland, but again, it's so much larger! When I first entered that park Friday night the timing was perfect because the Electrical Parade had just started! I cannot even begin to describe my excitement when I realized that I was actually getting to watch the Electrical Parade. Ever since I was little girl, it has been a dream of mine to see it and finally that dream was coming true right in front of me! It was beautiful! I cannot wait to go back again and enjoy it in its fullest! Not only did I see the Electrical Parade, but I was able to get a '1st Time Visit' button as well! I know, I'm such a Disney nerd.
My girl friends and I were able to go on a few of the more popular attractions including, Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, and Space Mountain. While on the Splash Mountain the fireworks went off, so that made the ride that much more 'magical'. Even though my time at Magic Kingdom was a magical, there is only one thing that I would have changed... I wish that I could have shared the experience with either my family or one of my close friends or both (:
Prepare yourself, this is a long Blog entry!
All of the parks are very large! Being from California and growing up with Disneyland, I cannot get over how large WDW truly is. Each park is easily the size of Disneyland and half of California Adventures put together. A lot of the rides offered at WDW are very similar to the ones located at the original Disneyland as well at CA Adventures. On Friday I visited Animal Kingdom and then Magic Kingdom in the evening. As a reminder, I will be working in Animal Kingdom at Discovery Island Merchandise.
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| Walking through India's animal zoo section |
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| Real Bats! (They were huge) |
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| Dug and Russell |
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| Pooh Bear! |
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| Butterfly that I found |
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| Tigger was embarrassed that I kissed him :) |
Magic Kingdom is very similar to Disneyland, but again, it's so much larger! When I first entered that park Friday night the timing was perfect because the Electrical Parade had just started! I cannot even begin to describe my excitement when I realized that I was actually getting to watch the Electrical Parade. Ever since I was little girl, it has been a dream of mine to see it and finally that dream was coming true right in front of me! It was beautiful! I cannot wait to go back again and enjoy it in its fullest! Not only did I see the Electrical Parade, but I was able to get a '1st Time Visit' button as well! I know, I'm such a Disney nerd.
My girl friends and I were able to go on a few of the more popular attractions including, Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, and Space Mountain. While on the Splash Mountain the fireworks went off, so that made the ride that much more 'magical'. Even though my time at Magic Kingdom was a magical, there is only one thing that I would have changed... I wish that I could have shared the experience with either my family or one of my close friends or both (:
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| Pirates of the Caribbean! (my favorite) |
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| Splash Mountain |
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| Cinderella's Castle |
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| Train Station on Main Street |
On Saturday I visited Hollywood Studios. You guessed it, this park is themed for movies. It is here that you can ride Hollywood Tower of Terror. For those of you who have ridden the one in California, the one here in Florida is more of a ride in the sense that not only does the elevator go up, but it moves forward as well (that's all I will say, because I don't want to ruin it for you). While I was at Hollywood Studios it down poured! Funny thing, is that I had just taken a picture underneath an umbrella from the movie 'Singing in the Rain' when it began to rain! There is also a very awesome indoor roller-coaster called 'Rock n Roller Coaster', themed for the band Aerosmith.
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| Singing in the Rain :) |
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| I know, I'm a nerd (Star Wars for those who don't know) |
Today I got to go into Epcot. I was the minority while walking around! It seemed as if almost everyone was speaking a different language. Epcot is a park where the theme is the world. There is a large lake in the park and around the lake different countries are represented. It is actually really neat! At each location the Cast Members are from the country that is being represented. An example would be that the Norway section has individuals from Norway working there. While in Epcot it poured as well. It was very strange to see rain and yet the temperature was still around 85!
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| Got to take a picture with one of my dream cars! |
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| One of the girls I live with |
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| The clouds are beautiful!! |
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| Going into Italy |
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| Going into Mongolia |
Having only spent a few hours in each of the Walt Disney World Parks I have come to really enjoy listening to how others talk. This may sound odd, but it's really neat to hear so many different languages in one place! Everyone here, for the most part, understands basic English and yet they still speak their native tongue the majority of the time; this includes the Cast Members. I know that everyone who has been to WDW has their favorite park, but all of them are so different it is hard for me to pick a favorite. Maybe in about a month I will be able to answer that question. One thing I must say is that even though Magic Kingdom is WDW equivalent to Disneyland, nothing could ever compare to the magical feeling that I get every time I enter Disneyland's property. This most likely comes from the fact that Disneyland has been apart of my life growing up. It is where the Magic first came alive for me and where I have created such wonderful memories with those I love. So here's to making new memories here at Walt Disney World this Fall!
Tomorrow I begin my official on the job training!
Talk to you all real soon.
Have a magical evening <3
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Becoming a Cast Member
Becoming a Disney Cast Member (employee, for those you have not heard the term Cast Member) has been awesome!
This past Thursday I had Traditions, which is a mandatory class that Disney University has for all its new Cast Members. There was a surprise trip into the Magic Kingdom during our class! --Magic Kingdom is Walt Disney World's equivalent to the California Disneyland.-- Mickey Mouse himself even made an appearance during my class! Traditions was a 4 1/2 hours class that taught me all about the Disney Company. This includes the Disney Company's Common Goal, "We create happiness by providing the finest entertainment for people of all ages."
Thursday evening I attended a housing party for the DCP students. It was themed Woody's Round-up. You guessed it, it was a western theme. One of my favorite aspects of the party was that there was a DJ who taught simple line dances to everyone (: I was also able to meet Woody and Jesse!
As I have mentioned in a previous Blog post, Disney is really big on safety! A clever slogan that they have is "Safe D begins with me." Safety is the first of four Keys that Disney lives by. The other three include, Courtesy, Show, and Efficiency. It continually amazes me how incredibly organized Disney is. Everything and everyone is run like a machine, but it is because of this that Disney is so very successful.
Yes, I have had the chance to visit two out of the four parks offered here at Walt Disney World. However, you all will have to stay tuned for another Blog post about that.
As always,
Have a Magical day!
This past Thursday I had Traditions, which is a mandatory class that Disney University has for all its new Cast Members. There was a surprise trip into the Magic Kingdom during our class! --Magic Kingdom is Walt Disney World's equivalent to the California Disneyland.-- Mickey Mouse himself even made an appearance during my class! Traditions was a 4 1/2 hours class that taught me all about the Disney Company. This includes the Disney Company's Common Goal, "We create happiness by providing the finest entertainment for people of all ages."
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| First Official entrance into the Walt Disney World property |
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| First view of Cinderella's castle in Magic Kingdom |
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| Newest Member at Walt Disney World! |
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| With a couple of my apartment roommates |
Yes, I have had the chance to visit two out of the four parks offered here at Walt Disney World. However, you all will have to stay tuned for another Blog post about that.
As always,
Have a Magical day!
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Day two and three
Hello too all,
The past couple days have been pretty non eventful. On Tuesday I had a housing meeting. That meeting laid out for all of the DCP students what was expected from them as well as all the regulations.
The environment here is very safe! No one can get onto the property without their ID, and I mean no one. For those who would like to come and visit DCP students *hint, hint* we are allowed to sign people into the property. Also, the curfew for visitors and residents is 1:00am. Therefor, no one is allowed to spend the night in another individuals apartment.
Surprisingly, I am learning to enjoy the humidity and it has only been a few days (:
Last night, very late mind-you, my roommates and I had a conversation about how we are going to go about sharing food, quite hours, having visitors, cleaning schedules, ect. We ended up talking till 2:30am! It was really great! All of us are pretty different, but we are learning to enjoy and even laugh at those differences. One of my roommates is from Porto Rico and she is the oldest (almost 21). After we were all through talking about the logistics of living together we shared random facts, cultural differences and food likes/dislikes.
As a reminder, I live with 5 other girls. My roommate is 18 and from Washington State, two of the girls are Filipino their ages are 19 and 20 and they live in Northern California, last but definitely not least is a black girl from Minnesota and she is 20. As previously mentioned, we all get along and that I seriously such a huge blessing!
Today, Wednesday, I had an off day. Because of this I was able to sleep in and go on a much needed shopping trip. On the bus ride to Walmart I sat next to a girl who is from Australia. It was really neat being able to talk about cultural differences. She will be at Walt Disney World for a year for the International Program. The 'adventurous' thing that happened today was that I got caught in the rain. My hands were full of grocery bags, so much so that I almost could not carry all of them!
Tomorrow morning I have my first paid day of work! It is my Disney Traditions class. After that class I will be an official Cast Member of Walt Disney World! You know what that means... finally I get to enter into all the parks for free!! =D
Until next time,
Have a Magical day/evening ;)
The past couple days have been pretty non eventful. On Tuesday I had a housing meeting. That meeting laid out for all of the DCP students what was expected from them as well as all the regulations.
The environment here is very safe! No one can get onto the property without their ID, and I mean no one. For those who would like to come and visit DCP students *hint, hint* we are allowed to sign people into the property. Also, the curfew for visitors and residents is 1:00am. Therefor, no one is allowed to spend the night in another individuals apartment.
Surprisingly, I am learning to enjoy the humidity and it has only been a few days (:
Last night, very late mind-you, my roommates and I had a conversation about how we are going to go about sharing food, quite hours, having visitors, cleaning schedules, ect. We ended up talking till 2:30am! It was really great! All of us are pretty different, but we are learning to enjoy and even laugh at those differences. One of my roommates is from Porto Rico and she is the oldest (almost 21). After we were all through talking about the logistics of living together we shared random facts, cultural differences and food likes/dislikes.
As a reminder, I live with 5 other girls. My roommate is 18 and from Washington State, two of the girls are Filipino their ages are 19 and 20 and they live in Northern California, last but definitely not least is a black girl from Minnesota and she is 20. As previously mentioned, we all get along and that I seriously such a huge blessing!
Today, Wednesday, I had an off day. Because of this I was able to sleep in and go on a much needed shopping trip. On the bus ride to Walmart I sat next to a girl who is from Australia. It was really neat being able to talk about cultural differences. She will be at Walt Disney World for a year for the International Program. The 'adventurous' thing that happened today was that I got caught in the rain. My hands were full of grocery bags, so much so that I almost could not carry all of them!
Tomorrow morning I have my first paid day of work! It is my Disney Traditions class. After that class I will be an official Cast Member of Walt Disney World! You know what that means... finally I get to enter into all the parks for free!! =D
Until next time,
Have a Magical day/evening ;)
Monday, August 12, 2013
First Day
The past few hours have been a whirlwind!
From the very beginning of this trip, God has blessed me in ways I could not have seen coming.
It all began when I arrived at LAX. I noticed as I was going through security that a man without legs or arms was close by. It ended up that we were both flying to Orlando on the same flight. He came over to me with his family (I had open seats by me) and I had the opportunity to talk to him. Why am I telling you all this, well because this gentleman happened to be Nick Vujici. For those who may not know, Nick is a motivational speaker. His website is, http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/ Close to the beginning of our conversation, he asked if I had a church in Orlando. --For those who don't know, I wasn't sure if I would be able to find a church and then be able to attend-- When I answered 'no', he then gave me the name of a church he highly recommends and that he thought I would really enjoy. It is called Northland. (Chantine, if you read this I bet I can picture the smile on your face!) If talking to him wasn't cool enough, he invited me to board the plane first with him and his family! It is still difficult for me to comprehend that this all happened. Below is a picture of Nick and I :)
From the very beginning of this trip, God has blessed me in ways I could not have seen coming.
It all began when I arrived at LAX. I noticed as I was going through security that a man without legs or arms was close by. It ended up that we were both flying to Orlando on the same flight. He came over to me with his family (I had open seats by me) and I had the opportunity to talk to him. Why am I telling you all this, well because this gentleman happened to be Nick Vujici. For those who may not know, Nick is a motivational speaker. His website is, http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/ Close to the beginning of our conversation, he asked if I had a church in Orlando. --For those who don't know, I wasn't sure if I would be able to find a church and then be able to attend-- When I answered 'no', he then gave me the name of a church he highly recommends and that he thought I would really enjoy. It is called Northland. (Chantine, if you read this I bet I can picture the smile on your face!) If talking to him wasn't cool enough, he invited me to board the plane first with him and his family! It is still difficult for me to comprehend that this all happened. Below is a picture of Nick and I :)
Arriving as Walt Disney World...
From the moment I stepped onto the Vista Way Apartments property, my life has been non-stop. I stood in many lines today, first one being the one to check in, get my ID photo taken, and work location information. Then I took a bus to the Casting Center where I completed the first steps to becoming a Disney Cast member!
Oh, I cannot forget to mention the humidity... OMG those of you who warned me were not kidding about the intense humidity! There is no reasonable way to explain the humidity, you just have to experience it for yourself.
Details that I am sure all of you are curious to know:
1) I am living in Vista Way Apartments
2) I have one roommate, but there are 6 girls total in my living quarters
3) Address:
Abigail Wiebe
13501 Meadow Creek Drive Apt. #1404
Orlando, FL 32821
4) Work location is Animal Kingdom!
I have heard that Animal Kingdom closes early because of the animals. Guess what that means, no late night shifts for this girl :)
Another surprise is that two of the girls I am living with are from the bay area in California. One of them actually attends Cal Poly Pomona too! My roommate is from Washington State.
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| The Casting Center |
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| These are the door knobs on the Casting Center door! |
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| Door to my apartment |
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| Side View |
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| View from right outside the front door |
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| The living room/kitchen/dinning area |
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| Looking into my room (kinda boring right now) |
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| Another view |
Until next time,
Have a Magical day!!
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Beginning the Adventure
Hello to all!
As some of you may already know, I am moving to Florida in a few hours for the span of 4 months/21 weeks. The sole reason for this excursion is that I will be taking part in the Disney College Program (DCP) at Walt Disney World! I am beside myself with excitement and awe because I still can't believe that it is happening!There are a few specific individuals who have told me to keep them posted on my time in Florida. Because of this, I have decided to Blog.
Some of you may be wondering what exactly the DCP is? To be honest, I only know what I have read on http://cp.disneycareers.com. This will be an incredible learning experience and I am inviting all of you to join me in this adventure :)
Here is what I know up to this point... I will be living on the Walt Disney World property in an apartment that they provide. Each apartment is different and I could be living with up too 7 other girls. Disney has hired me in the position of Merchandise. First thing Monday morning, August 12, I will learn the location of my job and what my responsibilities will be. The college aspect of this program fits into the picture because twice a week I will be taking 'Experiential' classes from Disney professors. I only had the option to pick two classes, unfortunately, so I chose 'Marketing' and 'Guest Services'.
After reading this I hope that all of you have a pretty general understanding of this adventure I am taking!
Until next time,
Have a Magical day :)
P.S.
If you have questions feel free to ask! You can either comment on this Blog or email me at abigail.wiebe2015@gmail.com
As some of you may already know, I am moving to Florida in a few hours for the span of 4 months/21 weeks. The sole reason for this excursion is that I will be taking part in the Disney College Program (DCP) at Walt Disney World! I am beside myself with excitement and awe because I still can't believe that it is happening!There are a few specific individuals who have told me to keep them posted on my time in Florida. Because of this, I have decided to Blog.
Some of you may be wondering what exactly the DCP is? To be honest, I only know what I have read on http://cp.disneycareers.com. This will be an incredible learning experience and I am inviting all of you to join me in this adventure :)
Here is what I know up to this point... I will be living on the Walt Disney World property in an apartment that they provide. Each apartment is different and I could be living with up too 7 other girls. Disney has hired me in the position of Merchandise. First thing Monday morning, August 12, I will learn the location of my job and what my responsibilities will be. The college aspect of this program fits into the picture because twice a week I will be taking 'Experiential' classes from Disney professors. I only had the option to pick two classes, unfortunately, so I chose 'Marketing' and 'Guest Services'.
After reading this I hope that all of you have a pretty general understanding of this adventure I am taking!
Until next time,
Have a Magical day :)
P.S.
If you have questions feel free to ask! You can either comment on this Blog or email me at abigail.wiebe2015@gmail.com
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