Home stretch

Well, as my time here winds up, I am enjoying the last bits of Florida I can squeeze in. I was lucky enough to get a long weekend away from work and I am spending time in Tampa with some friends. We went to Busch Gardens today, which was fun, but it is so different from Disney! I didn't realize how spoiled you get at Disney where everything is so clean, orderly, and friendly! Busch Gardens certainly has some bigger thrills though, so I think it is a good destination for families with older children.
I have graduation from the college program in just a few days on May 5th, and I think it will be a bittersweet occasion. I am so excited to be back in Arizona, but I will miss all the friends I have made here so much. It's also scary, in a week and a half, I will be out of ASU and thrown out into the world, and I really don't know what will happen next! It is exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.
Now that I am completing my college program, I can honestly say I would definitely recommend it. It has its ups and downs, and the work can be long and grueling, but nothing is like Disney, it is in a class of its own. Many of the people who work there have been there since before the park even opened, and to me, loyalty to an employer says a great deal about the company. As I continue a job search for the phase of my life, I will take much of what I seen, heard, and learned from the Walt Disney Company and keep it close to me.

15 days left!

15 days left! I've began creating a list of things to do before I leave Orlando, and I completed one of them yesterday and finally met Winnie the Pooh! He's always been one of my very favorite characters so it was an exciting moment for me! Working at Disney behind the scenes definitely has some perks, yesterday my coworkers and I got to attend a test meal at Sanaa, a new African-Indian inspired restaurant opening at the also brand new Kidani Village. We got to try nearly everything on the menu, and I think the restaurant will be a big hit! They start the meal with homemade naan which is amazing. After our lunch, since many of us had the day off, we decided to go to Animal Kingdom. The parks kind of lull between spring break and the beginning of summer so it's the perfect time to go and get on all the attractions with very short lines.

I had an interview for my professional internship, and will hear back in the next week or so. I was excited to get an interview, the positions are very competitive and I was the only intern from my hotel to make it to this step. I also had an interview with Disneyland for a transfer which went very well, and the rep told me I should be receiving an offer within the next few days. I am keeping a few irons in the fire in Phoenix as well, just in case. I am currently just trying to keep my options open, and after I hear back from everyone, I will make a decision!

April 13

I just completed my Action Plan for class, and it has me thinking about the next month in Orlando and where to go next.

There is so much I still want to do here, both for my learning experience, and just for fun! I have never been to Orlando, and when I got here it felt like I had all the time in the world, now I feel like I am running out of days! There is still a ton of stuff at Disney World that I want to do, let alone outside of the parks. There is a chance I will be back to Orlando in June. I have applied for a professional internship as a Front Office Manager intern, which would be a huge opportunity to move in the company if I get it, but there are very competitive, and even more so now with the economy on the decline. I have also put in for a transfer to Disneyland, so I am keeping my options open. I may end up doing neither and going back to Phoenix or to Idaho to be near my family for a while.

I have started reading a biography on Walt Disney called "Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination." It is really fascinating to learn about one man whose vision has changed the entertainment world forever, and in a relatively short time. It is cool to learn how the different rules and just the way things are done at Disney World, began with Walt himself. For example, the famous two-finger "Disney Point" originated from Walt's chain-smoking tendencies, and pointing with a cigarette in his hand, hence a two-finger point.

I think tomorrow I am going to start compiling an Orlando to-do list, and will have to get working on it!

Celebrate You - Corbin Bleu
More at MP3-Codes.com

Easter Week

From low last week, to high this week, here comes the busiest week of the year! Easter is a crazy time for the WDW resort, and I think it's going to be a very interesting week! I have a normal work week, 5 days with 40 hours, but I am sure it will be extremely hectic. All my roommates who work inside of the parks, however, got notice today that they all were working 7 days next week- no exceptions! It looks like it will be a week of staying home and getting rest instead of our usual every night out!
Two of my roommates have decided to extend their programs until August, however for me it is just not something I am considering. I can't live another 3 months without my car. Orlando is very spread out and the provided bus transportation definitely leaves something to be desired. I am, however, considering extending my program with Disneyland and moving the West Coast. It would be much easier for me, being close to my family between Idaho & Arizona and having my own transportation! I would like to get away from the front desk for sure though, possibly into guest relations. I would like to experience working in a park. Another reason I am considering extending my program is because of the job market right now. Putting off finding a job until August is sounding awfully appealing, and I could actually extend until January if I wanted! It will give me something to think about over the next couple weeks, anyway. We received notice to pick up our tickets for Disney graduation today! I can't believe it! 1 month to go! :(

A sad week

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-bk-disney-world-layoffs-032620090,0,3479231.story

Even Disney isn't safe from the recession. It's a weird time to be working at WDW. Everyone is very anxious and on-edge and reasonably so. I have a lot of conflicting emotions about the layoffs occurring, which are affecting all of us. I feel so awful for those with families, especially since many of these workers have been here for 30+ years. Alternatively, at a time like this, I almost feel like it may become a case for survival of the fittest, and possibly companies can take this challenge as an opportunity to alleviate redundancies.

Hopefully, everyone who has been let go had some previous indication to begin preparing. Most of those laid-off have been middle-management positions, but a lot of these people are leaders we answer to on a daily. Thankfully, none of my managers have been released, but one of my favorite leaders has been transferred to another Disney resort to cover deficiency. This week has definitely changed my view on the company, but I suppose such is life once you are on the inside of such a large conglomerate.

March 19

This week, all the college program interns at my location had a "round table" discussion with two members of cast services. It was a chance for us to give feedback to our leaders about training, housing, transportation, work conditions, and anything else we wanted to see more or less of. I thought it was a really nice gesture that made us feel like the company really does want to make sure we are getting the most out of our internships. It was also nice to have a session like this where it is only interns, no managers or permanent employees because sometimes they may influence the free flow of ideas, or our need to vent!

I am realizing how quickly time is going by here, and there is still so much in Orlando I want to experience! My family is here this week visiting from Idaho, and it has been so fun to show them everything I have discovered during my time at Disney World!

2 months down!

Time is flying by in Orlando, I can't believe I've almost been here for two months already! My cousin and her boyfriend from Phoenix came to visit last week, and it was really fun to have some familiar faces around and to show them all around the parks, now that I'm a pro!I love so many things about this internship, but there are others that I could definitely live without. Today we had an inspection of our apartment, and they are notoriously strict on the condition of our apartments and have very clear rules and regulations. I understand why it is necessary with such large numbers of students living in the complexes, but it is also frustrating. As 6 young women living together, all over the age of 21, it is frustrating for us that we have to adhere to rules we haven't since high school! We cannot have visitors past 1 AM, we cannot hang anything on the walls except one bulletin board per tenant, etc.

Work is going well and I was trained on a new position as the front desk runner this week. It is a fun position because you get to be away from the desk and all over property. I mainly put together character cards and amenities for guests with various celebrations, which was really fun knowing I was helping make their time at Disney World a little more special. We are in the middle of a quiet time for the next two weeks, and then spring break hits and it is supposed to be a mad house until the end of the summer! I have a feeling the time is just going to go by even faster once peak season truly hits!

Going above & beyond

Work has been very, very busy these past few days with the holiday weekend. The theme parks saw attendance numbers much higher than was expected, nearly 30% more than projected, so it was a great morale booster for everyone at the company this weekend. We currently have a convention in-house and today was our major check-in day, so every department was extremely busy. Yesterday I had a new task that demonstrated how Disney goes above and beyond for their guests and why they have a legendary reputation for customer service. One of the four Disney Basics is to "Go above and beyond." A guest needed an amenity that our resort does not offer. Instead of just apologizing and saying we did not have the item, I was sent by my mangers in the company car to the store to find the item so the guest would have it that night. Even though the store was about 25 minutes outside of Disney World, it was more important to deliver on meeting the guests needs, than their own convenience . I am now very comfortable in my roles, and have begun interacting more with other departments and I am seeing how all the areas of the hotel come together to create the lasting experience for our guests.

Week 4

I've completed my first week on my own at the Contemporary and I am feeling very comfortable in my position. I have been working both morning and evening shifts, so I get to deal with a lot of different guest needs and watch how my supervisors and managers interact as well. My one-on-ones with my homeroom manager have been very helpful and informative. She has been explaining and sharing with me the different ways I can make the most of my internship, such as signing up to be a trainer, which would help me with my technical skills as well as my managerial skills. They have also let me know that they would like to be train in other front office roles so I can be more well-rounded and step in during my stay if necessary. A lot of kids in my program are already talking about extending their internships until August, but I am going to just stay focused on my current assignment before I think about that too much.

Meanwhile, I am still enjoying spending time with my roommates and meeting students from all over the world. I am working very long hours, and a pretty topsy turvy schedule, but I think that is just the life of a Disney intern!

On my own!

I'm officially done training and I have removed my "earning my ears" sticker from beneath my name tag--only now people have no reason to be patient with me!
I had my first one-on-one feedback session with my supervisor and so far, we both seem to be meeting each others' expectations. I have been mainly working at the front desk and I have had several managers grade and critique my check-ins which is something I haven't experienced before, but it has been very helpful with remembering all the steps and correct verbage. The Contemporary is a 4-Diamond AAA property and are always prepared for inspection, so I know all my guest interactions need to be careful and professional, while still friendly.
I step into a new role this week, I will be the transportation greeter, which basically means I direct traffic around the hotel, answer questions, and keep track of the bus schedules for guests. I am looking forward to it because I get to be outside all day in the beautiful Florida weather! I just hope it isn't raining that day!

Disney 101

I have settled into my Disney apartment and have begun "Living, Learning, and Earning" which is the motto of the Walt Disney World College program.

I live with 5 girls from all over the country and we will work around the parks together over the next 5 months. I am working as a front desk agent at Disney's Contemporary Resort, which is one of WDW's original resorts, having opened on October 1, 1971. It is a "Deluxe" resort which means it is one of the luxury hotels and is AAA 4 Diamond. For the first week and a half in Orlando, I attended classes about the history and mission and the Disney Corporation, and then began formal training courses as Disney University.

Upon completion of my University classes, this past week I began work at the desk of the Contemporary with a one-on-one trainer for 6 days- 5 down, 1 more to go before I have "earned my ears!"

The best part of working at WDW so far is that we can get into all the parks for free at any time. My roommates and I have taken full advantage of this so far and we have already visited all 4 parks inside of Walt Disney World, some more than once! I am looking forward to completing my training and being able to work on my own with my guests, but there is still a great deal for me to learn about the Contemporary and the parks!