Traditions and Training. Where the Fun Starts...

Friday was Traditions day! If you don't know what Traditions is, it is a class at Disney University that all new disney employees take, it is everyones first day of work at Disney.

Its all about the four keys of Disney, safety, show, courtesy and efficiency, and how we work towards these in our job everyday, and how it is our responsibility to uphold them. I don't want to ruin it for anyone, but you do take an exciting trip to a magical place around the corner.

Then we got a visit from someone very special, who brought us a present…

Our name badges! We had been wearing little sticker versions all day so we got to get rid of them and put the real thing on. And Goofy is the critter i won when our table named the most disney characters in a minute. Not bad for a day of work.

That night was the first time we were able to use our cast id's and get into the parks… FOR FREE! We of course went to magic kingdom, with a detour at the Polynesian Resort on the way.

Ive never stayed in any of the disney resorts, but we are trying to at least have a look around all of them because they are all beautiful, and the pulled pork nachos at the Polynesian are fantastic. Yacht and Beach is also my new favourite,

just look at the view.

Anyway, Magic Kingdom. We got there quite late as we came home after Traditions to get changed before we left again. So we only had time for a couple of rides and some food in Tomorrowland before Wishes! (Said in the disney employee style, if you have done the recreation class, you know what I'm talking about) Then since it was open late, we went and had a look around New Fantasyland, which is beautiful! And because it was so late everything had short wait times, so we went on dumbo and the new little mermaid ride, we also had a look around Gastons Tavern and of course went to the Tangled bathrooms.

Also, a word of warning for current/future CP's. If you want to get a bus back from the Magic Kingdom at closing time, get on at the Polynesian, not the Ticket and Transportation centre, unless you are prepared to said over an hour and a half for a bus that can actually fit you on…

The next day me and my roommate Bex had a day off so we went to Hollywood Studios for the last Star Wars Weekend of the year. I had also never been on Rockin' Rollercoaster or Tower of Terror, so i was dragged on them…twice… My face was indescribable in our picture from Tower of Terror. Its not my favourite ride. We also had a look around 'Darth's Mall' and of course went on Star Tours, then we headed back and sat around the pool at Patterson for a bit.

Then on Sunday we had our 'Welcome to Recreation' class at Disney University, where we spent most of the day doing e-learning, but we also got our schedules and things and learnt more about our costume for when we get it.

Finally today (Monday) we had our first day of Ellis lifeguard training. And i have to say, i was expecting the worst but i had quite a fun day. Apart from doing so much cpr i now have carpet burns on my feet from moving around so much. But i actually feel quite confident that if something did happen in a swimming pool i would know how to act, and i would feel comfortable doing so. And this is only after one day!

I have training for the next two days and, if all goes well, i will then be a fully licensed lifeguard! Then i have FIVE days off before i start at my location, so plenty time to play in the parks!

I thought the definition of a CP was meant to be overworked and underpaid, but just now i just feel underpaid… But i'm loving every minute of it.

Arrival and the First Few Days.

I arrived in not so sunny Florida at about 4pm (9pm uk time) after travelling for about 11 hours, and having not slept for about 24! This was not so fun. But all my flights went fine, immigration wasn't as bad as i was expecting and we easily got a mears shuttle from the airport to Vista Way using the discount vouchers sent by Disney, so it only cost us $16.

Now, after travelling for hours and feeling horrendously jet lagged, of course the first thing they do is take your picture! This is for housing id's, and i found out that i was in Patterson Court.

Patterson is the newest of the apartment complexes, and in my opinion, the nicest. It was my second choice on dorms, but that was mainly because there is no bus stop, it shares the one at Chatham. But this was made out to be a 10 minute walk away, when really, it takes about 2 minutes. I also like how close it is to The Commons, and its within walking distance of the outlet mall, where we went for lunch in one of our breaks between hours of meetings at The Commons Clubhouse.

Most of our time so far has been spent either checking paperwork, filling in more paperwork, and learning what we can and can't do. Its pretty dire, but Disney try their best to make it bearable, and its quite nice not having anything too strenuous to do while you're still jet lagged.

So i arrived on Monday night, and heres a little summary of whats happened so far:

Monday

The dreaded Walmart trip. I was lucky that i managed to fit bedding in my case and i am SO glad i brought it! I went to walmart because i wanted food for the morning but i didn't really have to go, but i felt like a zombie the whole way round, it was horrible, but i did get a phone and hairdryer and things so it wasn't a wasted trip.

Tuesday

Im lucky that two of my roommates, Bex and Rachel are lifeguards too, and they were meeting another lifeguard, Curt, for breakfast, so i tagged along. We went to Applebees and i got french toast, it was amazing but i couldn't finish it, there was just so much! Then we had a drug test in one of the apartments at Vista Way where we met the rest of the lifeguards, and let me tell you, peeing in a cup is more stressful than you think! Then we all stuck together and went to The Commons where we had a passport check, then got lunch at the outlets, then went back for our housing welcome session. Then i had some time to myself and skyped my mum and sorted my phone and everything. Then we met up with the other lifeguards and some other people and went to the Rainforest Cafe in Downtown Disney for tea! Its safe to say i slept well that night.

Wednesday

We had an early start at The Commons where we got told about the Disney Look and checked to see if we were sticking to it. Then we had hundreds of forms to fill out for social security stuff and we were told more about what would happen if we broke the law and why we shouldn't break the law! But we also got our times for Traditions, and mine is on Friday at 2pm, which is when we finally get our cast member id's (which let us into the parks for free!) and our name tags. Then we headed over to Vista Way where we killed some time while attached to our phones because of the wi-fi. Then we had our 'recruiting welcome' which is where most people found out there work locations, but we won't find out until after our swim test at 6pm tonight!

So its been a busy few days, and I'm so glad we have tomorrow off! Although i don't have any plans for it yet, but that might be a good thing!

Disney and exams!?

So my past few weeks have been great fun.

Its exam season. And luckily i only had two, but they were both pretty near the end of the exam period, and pretty spaced out, which at first sounds like a good thing, but once all your friends are out on their celebratory end of exam nights out, and you've only had your first one, it gets quite annoying.

Anyways!

I was a bit stupid. During my January exams, i pretty much did anything but study up until the very last moment, meaning one thing. Resits. In August. When i will be working in Disney.

Whats that you say? Its a shame ill have to self terminate and come home early? Before I even know what it'll be like?

Hopefully, not so much!

I found out through Yummy jobs that Disney offer proctoring (invigilation) services through Disney University. So i have spend the past few weeks, whilst on my study breaks of course, sending emails back and forth to my department at university, writing formal letters to try and find a way for it to be possible for me to sit my resit exams in Disney World. Its not been confirmed yet, but i think its looking positive, I've had the thumbs up from my department, i just need the final yes from the university and i should be good to go!

I know this probably sounds horrific to some people. Sitting exams and having to worry about studying whilst you're in the happiest place on earth. But really, i could do a lot worse that being able to study somewhere with a view like this.

(Not my photo)

Now i am two exams down, with my fingers crossed i won't get any more resits, and with 13 days to go!