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!