tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447925586766848102024-03-18T21:43:31.074-05:00The Fro Diaries: Working for the MouseOne girl's journey to The Happiest Place on Earth to work for a very famous mouse.MsFrazzledFrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17231762456113199209noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744792558676684810.post-69500200315752449342014-06-02T21:09:00.001-05:002014-06-05T15:03:21.954-05:00Shopping 'round the (Disney) world<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.easywdw.com/reports/edfgall246.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.easywdw.com/reports/edfgall246.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hi, I would like to live here forever please. (Source: easywdw.com)</td></tr>
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If you're anything like me (and I don't mean the short female part), you likely love to buy cool stuff to put in your home, eat, remember where you've been or give as a gift. And if you've ever been to Disney World before you know the Disney is chock full of this kind of stuff. I mean, seriously - challenge yourself to walk into a merch shop and not come out with a bag of stuff or an unfulfilled desire to buy at least one thing there.<br />
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I've already discussed <a href="http://thefrodiaries.blogspot.com/2014/04/when-your-money-goes-to-wonderland-how.html" target="_blank">sticking to a budget</a> and have given my advice over good ways to spend your money while on the program, so if you're already good on that front brace yourselves - today I'm going to talk about some of my favorite places to shop on Disney property! Note that this is entirely my own opinion and that I may have tastes that are very different from yours, so don't be afraid to explore and find your own favorite places when you get to Florida!<br />
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(<b>NOTE: </b>I received word after finishing this post that Sid Cahuenga's One-of-a-kind in Hollywood Studios is now closed to make way for a MyMagic+ station so you will no longer be able to shop there. I haven't heard if another shop will start selling the signed memorabilia now.)<br />
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<h3>
Top Five Favorites Overall</h3>
Though I'll discuss these shops in more length later on in this post, I thought I would start off by listing my top favorite five shops in all of Disney property. I like these shops for different reasons - in terms of good deals, unique merchandise, location, whatever - which I'll explain in a bit.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Mitsukoshi Department Store, </b>Japan Pavilion in Epcot</li>
<li><div class="detailpage_maincol_left_section_heading_withrating">
<b><span id="ContentPlaceHolder_MainBody_Label_ElementName">Sid Cahuenga's One-of-a-kind, </span></b><span id="ContentPlaceHolder_MainBody_Label_ElementName">Hollywood Studios</span></div>
</li>
<li><b>TrenD, </b>Marketplace in Downtown Disney</li>
<li><b>Basin, </b>Marketplace in Downtown Disney </li>
<li><b>Mobassa Marketplace, </b>Africa in Animal Kingdom</li>
</ol>
Now, it's on to the main body of this post!<br />
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<h3>
Shops in Magic Kingdom</h3>
Shopping in MK can be a ton of fun, although if you're looking for non-Disney merchandise you'll have slim pickings. Main Street, however, has some fantastic higher-end merchandise for those who are feeling a bit picky. Among the shops, I like visiting <b>Crystal Arts </b>and looking at the beautiful pieces on display. Everything is a bit on the pricier side - and is definitely not the sort of thing you'd give to a child - but there are good deals and lots of eye candy. There's also a shop that routinely sells paintings and other pieces of art, though I can't remember the name right now. It's close to the Confectionery on Main Street, though.<br />
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Outside of Main Street, I really enjoy <b>Big Top Souvenirs</b>, located in New Fantasyland. Though most of the merchandise here can be found elsewhere (except for Dumbo's stuff - Dumbo fans rejoice, there's a place for you to get merch now!) the theming of the shop is super adorable and it always smells good thanks to the food counter in the center that sells sweets and slushes among other things. Buy something from them, they're delicious!<br />
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A good shop to stop in if you're shopping for mostly non-Disney stuff is <b>The Yankee Trader</b>, located in Liberty Square. It's full to the brim of stuff for the kitchen and other nice household-y things like that, and usually has a bit of stuff that isn't overtly Disney. (As a side note, it also stocks Haunted Mansion stuff - if you're as obsessed with the ride as I am this is your kinda place).<br />
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<h3>
Shops in Epcot</h3>
Epcot is one of the coolest places to shop (at least for me) because of the World Showcase. Though a chunk of what's sold is pretty much cheap tourist junk there are some fantastic items to be found in some of the pavilions.<br />
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As I mentioned earlier, <b>Mitsukoshi Department Store </b>in the Japanese pavilion is one of my favorite places in all of Disney property to shop. It's easily one of the largest shops in the World Showcase and contains everything from nerdy stuff (anime, manga and video games in particular - which I love) to traditional wear like kimono to snacks and cookware. If there's something you want, chances are Mitsukoshi has it - and everything is really good quality. If there was a downside I'd have to say it's that products here tend to be priced higher than in other pavilions so it's not the place to go on a budget, but since a lot of the stuff is really unique and hard to find in America otherwise I always think it's worth it.<br />
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Another place I like to poke around is the United Kingdom's pavilion, and even though I don't have a favorite shop there I have a special love for <b>The Tea Caddy</b>. This is mostly because I was raised drinking tea and love it more than any other drink... and also because I adore the teacups and tea sets they have there! (The shop in China also has some nice tea sets by the way, though theirs are made of metal and the UK's seem to be porcelain.)<br />
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Lastly, all of the little stalls in the <b>Mexican Pavilion</b> are beyond fun to look through. There's everything from spices to ceramic wall decorations, and the theming of the indoor market they're located in is beautiful. It's modeled to look like a courtyard at dusk and the darkness is very soothing to your eyes after the harsh Florida sun. Since Florida is close to South America it's highly possible you can find the stuff sold here in various other local places but here it's made a unique experience.<br />
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<h3>
Shops in Hollywood Studios</h3>
If you're a fan of movies (especially Disney movies or movies from studios owned by Disney) you'll find a lot of fun places to look through here. My favorite (and my second-favorite WDW shop overall) is <b><span id="ContentPlaceHolder_MainBody_Label_ElementName">Sid Cahuenga's One-of-a-kind</span></b><span id="ContentPlaceHolder_MainBody_Label_ElementName">, which is right to the left of the entrance as you enter. Sid's has TONS of signed prints, movie memorabilia and the like, and it's not all limited to things Disney owns so it's yet another place to go gift hunting for non-Disney things. Prices here can be high - signed photos start at about $40 and get more expensive depending on the celebrity - but it's more than worth a look around.</span><br />
<span id="ContentPlaceHolder_MainBody_Label_ElementName"><br /></span>
<span id="ContentPlaceHolder_MainBody_Label_ElementName">If you like the idea of Sid's but want more Disney stuff, there's also the <b>Animation Gallery</b> (located in the Animation Courtyard) which stocks hand-drawn prints of the characters along with original paintings and other art. There's an artist who sketches every day and you can request your favorite character if you don't see it - just remember that they can get pricy!</span><br />
<span id="ContentPlaceHolder_MainBody_Label_ElementName"><br /></span>
<span id="ContentPlaceHolder_MainBody_Label_ElementName">Lastly (though it's hard to pick only one more store), you can't go wrong with <b>Tatooine Traders </b>if you're a Star Wars fan - and trust me, I'm a fan. This shop is almost always crowded since it's part of the exit from Star Tours, but there's tons of fun Star Wars merchandise to be had for those willing to brave the crowds. Unfortunately CPs aren't allowed to partake in the main draw of this shop, the build-your-own lightsaber station. Sigh.</span><br />
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<h3>
<span id="ContentPlaceHolder_MainBody_Label_ElementName">Shops in Animal Kingdom</span></h3>
<span id="ContentPlaceHolder_MainBody_Label_ElementName">Animal Kingdom is the park I worked in last time so I might be biased on this, but it has the most interesting and unique assortment of things to buy than any other park. Seriously! If you're willing to be surprised you will find plenty to be surprised about. My fifth-favorite shop in WDW is located in the Africa area of the park and goes by </span><b>Mobassa Marketplace</b>. There are some really lovely things here past the standard Disney souvenirs like beaded animal statues, jewelery and hand-painted items and they're relatively reasonably priced.<br />
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Over on the other side of the park, Asia also has some interesting merch though its shops are much smaller. The <b>Serka Zong Bazaar</b>, located at the exit from Expedition Everest, is the biggest and offers both general merchandise for the land and Everest-themed stuff. I got some really cool Tibetan prayer flags here once and remember seeing some very pretty women's clothes and bags as well, so if that sounds good to you make a point to visit!<br />
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Lastly, when you're on your way out of the park <b>Disney Outfitters </b>is a cool place to stop by. Though some of it is just standard Disney merch there's a few interesting things to look at and the building it's housed in is lovely too. It's a great example of the colorful architecture on Discovery Island!<br />
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<h3>
Shops in Downtown Disney</h3>
Downtown Disney is essentially an outdoor shopping mall and there are TONS of cool places here - too many to describe, in fact. So since two shops were listed in my top five list I'll discuss them in more detail now - though you should go look through all the shops :)<br />
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<b>TrenD </b>is the place to shop for fashionable clothing for young women and teenagers, and if you're looking for pretty Disney things to wear look no further. Guys are unfortunately left out here (though the shop is attached to a sports-themed clothing store so you can send any men in your party there if that appeals to them) and for the most part so are children, but hey! They've got their own places to go.<br />
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<b>Basin </b>is part of a chain selling stuff for the bath like soap, bath bombs, lotions, bath salts and the like and if you like to smell good things then this is your kind of store. There's even a station where you can sample things like sugar scrubs so you can try a product before you buy it. The staff is usually very pleasant and helpful too, so if you're shopping for someone you're in good hands.<br />
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<h3>
Shops in the Resorts</h3>
Though most resorts only have your basic souvenir shop that sells basic Disney merch, there are some with pretty cool shops. The Boardwalk, of course, has an excellent selection since it's half shopping/nightlife area and half resort, but it's a pretty unique hybrid in that regard.<br />
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If I ever need to go to a resort to kill some time shopping I usually choose either the <b>Polynesian Resort</b> or the <b>Contemporary Resort.</b> The Polynesian features some pretty Hawaiian-themed apparel in addition to the typical merch, and the environment is very laid-back and relaxing. The Contemporary's shops, while it doesn't have a lot of unique merch, are located in a pretty cool area since they're on the floor of the main atrium. They also<span style="font-size: small;"> have a good selection of <a href="http://www.h2oplus.com/category/bath+and+body/disney+resort+amenities.do" target="_blank">H</a><a href="http://www.h2oplus.com/category/bath+and+body/disney+resort+amenities.do" target="_blank">2</a><a href="http://www.h2oplus.com/category/bath+and+body/disney+resort+amenities.do" target="_blank">O+ products</a> (a line of hair care and skincare products), which I love - their lotion got me through a terrible sunburn on vacation once and since then I have been obsessed with it!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Outside of those two, an interesting shop I like to stop by whenever I'm visiting is the <b>Zawadi Marketplace</b> in the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Much like Mobassa Marketplace, it sells a lot of African-inspired gifts and books in addition to typical stock. If you missed out in shopping in Africa while you were visiting DAK or don't have time (or money) during your vacation to visit it this ensures that you at least don't end up having to skip some really cool stuff.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">So that's my list of places I like to shop! Do you have any places you like to go to that I didn't mention? Are you looking forward to visiting any of the ones I mentioned? Let me know! </span><br />
<ol>
</ol>
MsFrazzledFrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17231762456113199209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744792558676684810.post-60552315002948419562014-05-20T18:10:00.001-05:002014-05-20T18:10:16.453-05:00When Grandma Joan comes to town: how to request work off or trade shifts<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://behindthethrills.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Disney-Hub.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://behindthethrills.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Disney-Hub.png" height="354" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We request work off at this hub, right? (Source: behindthethrills.com)</td></tr>
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So you've started working at your job (which you are likely in love with - or at least don't mind doing) and are getting into the routine of working all the time. However, one day your parents call you... and they're coming to visit for a week! You're super excited but there's only one problem - you have to ask work off and you aren't sure how!<br /><br />Never fear, friends - today I'll do my best to explain to you how you ask work off, request a schedule swap or trade a shift with a coworker! Please note that this post will not cover how to call in sick/personal, however (which isn't the same thing as getting work off). It will also not cover shift giveaways or exchanges for performers, who I believe use an entirely different system.<br />
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<h3>
Can't Wait Until You Get There?</h3>
If you have an event that you absolutely must attend and feel you cannot wait until you start work to request shifts off, you are able to email a request to the Recruiting office for up to five days off in a row. You may be asked to produce documents verifying that you have a legitimate reason for requesting off so early so make sure you have these on hand. Also, keep in mind that this is just a request - you aren't any more likely to get it approved than if you had waited.<br />
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Please note that while you are able to send in requests ahead of time for any reason, Recruiting does this mostly for those who need work off for important events like weddings, graduations or anything or the sort. If you want work off for something like a family visit, personal vacation or concert wait until you start work and request off using the normal method (the Hub).<br />
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<h3>
Asking Work Off</h3>
Once you gain access to the Hub you'll be shown the page where you put in requests to get work off. It'll be located in the same place as the page you use to swap shifts with or give a shift to a coworker, which I'll talk about in a minute. Requesting work off is probably the easiest thing to do through the Hub, since it doesn't require any other cast member or advanced knowledge about schedules. However, keep these points in mind:<br />
<ol>
<li>You can only request up to ten days off in a row.</li>
<li>You are still responsible for paying your rent each week, which is taken directly out of your paycheck. If you don't work enough hours to pay rent for a week you'll be sent a notice of how much you owe and a deadline to pay it by.</li>
<li>If you need days off immediately (for a medical/family emergency or a funeral, for example) don't bother with the Hub. Contact your managers directly and they'll be able to work something out with you.</li>
<li>Your request may take up to a few days to process and you may get waitlisted. It is your responsibility to keep an eye on the status of your requests, as you won't be emailed when they get approved/rejected.</li>
</ol>
The form is pretty simple to fill out so I won't go into too much detail. When it comes to stating a reason for requesting off you'll get a drop-down menu with a lot of options - Regular Day Off and Personal Day Off are your best bets though your stated reason usually doesn't matter much (unless you need work off for something specific, like jury duty). Regular Day Off means that you want the day you're requesting off to be one of the two days you usually get off per week. Personal Day Off means that you want an additional day off.<br />
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<h3>
Giving A Shift Away To Another CM</h3>
If you can't get work off for a certain day, you might consider giving your shift to another cast member. These requests will always be approved unless you or the person you're giving the shift to aren't qualified to give/take the shift. These reasons include:<br />
<ol>
<li>The shift you are trying to give away is a training shift or one that only you can complete (like one with a meeting with your managers already scheduled).</li>
<li>The CM you are trying to give the shift to doesn't have the appropriate training for the role (for example, you can't give an Attractions CM at Space Mountain a shift for Soarin' because they aren't trained for that attraction). Sometimes the system gets mixed up with training, however - if this is the case let a manager know and they can override the system to put the request through.</li>
<li>You are giving a shift to someone who already has too many hours for the week, making your shift overtime. They can only accept an OT shift if you were already getting OT for it, though this may differ between roles.</li>
<li>The CM you are trying to give the shift to works at the same location as you but doesn't have the same proficiencies (for example, as a merch CM you can't give a cashier shift to someone who hasn't been cleared to work the cashier yet). Again, the system may get messed up and your manager may need to step in.</li>
</ol>
If you and the CM you're giving the shift to are totally able to make the exchange all you need is the other CM's login ID and the date and time of the shift you're giving away. Again, you won't be notified if you get the request approved or denied so you will both need to keep a close eye on your schedules. If the request is approved the shift is no longer your responsibility, though I have heard rumors that you can still get penalized if the CM you give your shift to doesn't show up for work. In this case, make sure that you can trust whoever you give the shift to.<br />
<h3>
Trading Shifts With Another CM</h3>
Trading shifts with someone is a good deal like giving a shift away (and it uses the same form), but it is a bit more complicated. You might want to trade a shift if you need a certain part of the day off but still want to work (for example, you might want to trade a night shift for a morning shift so you can go out to dinner with your family in the evening). You might also want to trade a shorter shift for a longer one, or a shift at a position you don't like for one you do. However, along with the tips mentioned above also keep these in mind:<br />
<ol>
<li>The shifts you are trying to trade must BOTH be either non-OT or OT. You can't give a shift that is OT for you in exchange for a shift that wasn't OT for the CM giving it and vice versa. This rule may change depending on role.</li>
<li>The shifts in question do not have to be on the same day, but both CMs must be able to work on the day and at the time of the shift they are receiving.</li>
<li>Three-way shift swaps are possible but you may not be able to use the Hub's form. Contact a manager if not.</li>
</ol>
Again, keep an eye on your schedules afterwards to make sure that you know if/when the request gets approved. You are responsible for keeping track of your new schedule.<br />
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<h3>
Finding/Posting About Shifts</h3>
So you have a shift you need to get rid of or trade, or you want to pick up more hours for a week - but you don't know how to get the word out. Luckily, you have several options. The Hub has its own shift post board that you can search for your role specifically in addition to the EHH (Extra Hours Hotline), which has shifts you can pick up no matter how many hours you already have scheduled.<br />
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In addition, depending on your role and location there may be a Facebook group of coworkers as a sort of virtual bulletin boards. These may be secret, however, so you'll have to find someone willing to let you in in order to use it. In addition there may be additional rules you have to follow in order to post on the page so keep an eye out for those.<br />
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Finally, you can go the old-fashioned route and post papers in your breakroom or base, if there's a place to put it. Keep in mind that some managers won't let you, however, and will throw your notices away if they see them. Ask if it's okay before you put anything up.<br />
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For the most part that's all you need to know about anything shift-related! Your particular role may have different procedures but most should be the same for all cast members. I hope this helps, and if you have any questions you can contact me through the blog or Twitter.MsFrazzledFrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17231762456113199209noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744792558676684810.post-42001057762317465692014-05-14T17:52:00.000-05:002014-05-14T17:52:54.451-05:00The Boy Who Lived (in Florida): A walkthrough/review of the Wizarding World at Universal (minus Diagon Alley)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTT-IK5m1As_3XsEQuL5MgyTU-y4nTuA0xaIKEdYfPdx_SCCEZOEW7mzoyLU9ULFMOE3fyPTfXDtJ_o3LY8YCAxw8PgQ-743TuCzBx43Qd7smOR6BB6OJN7rsudpKKQpg1yGUsqIzZTA/s1600/IMG_4754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTT-IK5m1As_3XsEQuL5MgyTU-y4nTuA0xaIKEdYfPdx_SCCEZOEW7mzoyLU9ULFMOE3fyPTfXDtJ_o3LY8YCAxw8PgQ-743TuCzBx43Qd7smOR6BB6OJN7rsudpKKQpg1yGUsqIzZTA/s1600/IMG_4754.JPG" height="425" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AKA Welcome to Crowds and Lines</td></tr>
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In May of 2007, Universal Orlando announced that they would be building a themed land based around the insanely popular Harry Potter series and would allow guests to immerse themselves in the world of the title character and his friends. Construction took about three years, and the land opened to the public in June of 2010. Lines in those early days were INSANE. I didn't have the chance to go until last year (2013) so I can't say from first-hand experience, but according to various blogs Universal actually had to start limiting the number of people who could be admitted to the area at any given time. Thankfully, it calmed down now but it still a very popular area of the park.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So why am I discussing a single area of Universal, rather than discussing the entire two parks at length? It'd be helpful if I did, right? Well, I have several reasons.</div>
<ol>
<li>I am a huge Harry Potter fan, and have been since I was nine. I was one of those lucky kids who literally got to grow up with the series, and to say it was a big part of my childhood is an understatement. Putting it simply, there was a time in my life where it was my everything.</li>
<li>People have been super fascinated with WW since it opened, and people who wouldn't have considered buying tickets to Universal otherwise are now making plans to visit. I want to tell them what to expect!</li>
<li>To be honest (and disclaimer here: I am speaking as an individual, NOT as a Disney cast member) I've found most of Universal to be underwhelming. They're not bad parks by any means, and have a couple of rides (Spider-Man and Forbidden Journey, for those who care) that I will say are among the most amazing I've ever been on, but overall I don't feel that same connection to what I'm seeing that I do when I'm in a Disney park. It doesn't help that more of Universal's rides are aimed at thrill seekers and I'm picky about what thrill rides I do or do not enjoy. But by all means, if you enjoy them that's totally okay. They're fun and well-staffed.</li>
</ol>
So here we go! I'll discuss the area, the shops, the food and the rides, and along the way give my opinions on each. And once again, this post is entirely for fun - I am speaking as my own individual person, not as a Disney cast member or someone who is getting paid to write.<br />
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<h3>
Getting Around</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3OjM-ibTpj4fllFgZz3BtnQAJObhy9c8JbJQnssxijNgMoh0rwpLNrGenf50L9j7gSKEl4pHWj1wOAVlXXx62Dy-jOSy4-R00NlIm_yz91kXJgZSA3m8TYVlhWnGGOpdRj36gDNn6ZA/s1600/IMG_4752.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3OjM-ibTpj4fllFgZz3BtnQAJObhy9c8JbJQnssxijNgMoh0rwpLNrGenf50L9j7gSKEl4pHWj1wOAVlXXx62Dy-jOSy4-R00NlIm_yz91kXJgZSA3m8TYVlhWnGGOpdRj36gDNn6ZA/s1600/IMG_4752.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're on a bridge!</td></tr>
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Every inch of WW is accurate to the books and films - from its stone pathways to its crowded rooftops to its window displays. If it weren't for the fact that hundreds of guests are walking around in T-shirts and fanny packs you could almost swear you've stepped into the real Hogsmeade. Of course, Potter purists will point out several inconsistencies - Hogwarts is too close to Hogsmeade, Ollivander's is in Diagon Alley rather than Hogsmeade, etc etc etc. (I've heard conflicting reports on whether Ollivander's will be moved to the new expansion area when it's opened; this post was written before its official opening.) Overall, though, it looks awesome.<br />
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So what could be wrong with this level of detail, you say? Well, a lot. Anyone who has seen any of the films or read any of the books knows that a lot of wizarding areas are very crowded and feature narrow passageways - and, unfortunately, this detail is faithfully replicated. Did I mention that WW is still super popular? Trying to simply get from the land's entrance to Hogwarts Castle, which houses Forbidden Journey, can be an exercise in patience and aggressiveness - and for the most part, don't expect to be able to shop comfortably. This problem is only magnified in summer, when crowds are larger and feature those obstacles known as tour groups.<br />
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In short, this is something you're not going to be able to avoid if you want to visit though it is doable to get where you want to go - you just have to be patient. And while you're wading through the crowds, take the chance to check out the super-cool buildings!<br />
<h3>
<br />Stuff for Sale</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYs23fdknKrsS1XwMR-hWo6Dv5d-l2hoWccOIhMouxhhGt9NMKSWTB2O2RDa6gejRz0yv5mEvJTRttqAb-tZ8Moww5CdzdzotRRAj-TsRnp-A8Ann2UT8fRg79BcVE_Q_o0bHrtPzI4g/s1600/IMG_4780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYs23fdknKrsS1XwMR-hWo6Dv5d-l2hoWccOIhMouxhhGt9NMKSWTB2O2RDa6gejRz0yv5mEvJTRttqAb-tZ8Moww5CdzdzotRRAj-TsRnp-A8Ann2UT8fRg79BcVE_Q_o0bHrtPzI4g/s1600/IMG_4780.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cue the nerdy squealing.</td></tr>
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<b>Warning:</b> if you are a Harry Potter fan with a bad spending habit you may want to avoid this section (and avoid all gift shops as well). It's gonna get hard to resist the urge to buy things.<br />
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So much merchandise has been released for Harry Potter over the years - licensed, unlicensed, mass-produced, handmade by fans, etc. It's everywhere and on everything. However, I am very pleased (and still somewhat shocked) to announce that WW actually stocks merch that I have never ever seen anywhere else! They have just about everything you might want from keychains to stuffed animals, pillows to T-shirts and knickknacks to wands. They even have costume replicas of student robes, Hermione's Yule Ball dress (fun fact: the real dress that Emma Watson wore is on display in one of the shop windows on the street) and Voldemort's black garb.<br />
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However, not all is perfect - some items, such as the aforementioned costumes, are a bit overpriced for the quality they are. Seriously, go touch the robes when you visit - they're unpleasantly scratchy and the fabric feels cheap (though this may change at any time, I haven't visited in a while). You're paying for the licensing, of course, but I found that most of the costumes could probably be done better and for less money if you made it yourself. Some people won't care, but I find it a bit disheartening. There's also the issue of congestion in the shops, though I discussed that above so I won't get into it again!<br />
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<h3>
Eating and Drinking</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcb2sPzo9j6XB7RfcFToSBln9kVICepGkRc1gdHFHj2PojzNxfEF02NnKQrXhhqCcpHW01v5kemzetAYbvTzse2fZnc4UMenbIn-ywXyLQU959Sc-5piPGbEhcqfIDbKnA5yCUy8suPA/s1600/IMG_4764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcb2sPzo9j6XB7RfcFToSBln9kVICepGkRc1gdHFHj2PojzNxfEF02NnKQrXhhqCcpHW01v5kemzetAYbvTzse2fZnc4UMenbIn-ywXyLQU959Sc-5piPGbEhcqfIDbKnA5yCUy8suPA/s1600/IMG_4764.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butterbeer: contains 0% beer and 100% sugary goodness.</td></tr>
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Prepare your stomachs! Dining in WW is limited to one quick-service location and several snack stands but everything is themed to the land (except for water bottles and the like, of course). Among the themed foods is the famous butterbeer, which is drunk by various characters quite often from the third book/movie onwards and has created a sort of strange cult among Potter fans as they tried to recreate it. This iteration (which is now considered the "official" recipe depending on who you talk to) is a lot like cream soda, though richer and creamier, and comes either in liquid or frozen form. Yum! <br />
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The Three Broomsticks, which should be instantly recognizable to any fan as the pub located in Hogsmeade, is where you go to eat anything besides candy. It's easily my favorite part of WW theming-wise - I mean, just look at it:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ27EttCACO_cPeaO5qGWf3Fgxu9mHyMBr1TVbTw2qWOzPIZtHgYS8zL9R81G727Zk_cK8jWWP9MG6zocU_mg7FUe-wybYCGGT2ZgzMPGYEzImRbYMUz_rt49bmZPw4bMFpew9F_M8GQ/s1600/IMG_4759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ27EttCACO_cPeaO5qGWf3Fgxu9mHyMBr1TVbTw2qWOzPIZtHgYS8zL9R81G727Zk_cK8jWWP9MG6zocU_mg7FUe-wybYCGGT2ZgzMPGYEzImRbYMUz_rt49bmZPw4bMFpew9F_M8GQ/s1600/IMG_4759.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_i2BHwETdaHedrrRERcutxjjXqkU_GasINovc6e0pZeuhayt_9oHPIrUWlxSBsqfaPeAEknmrhrbyW5gM0ah_RFUzH2GpXjO7tIzjY7yRvPypdWxjNofRtkfwvXoHzKfgIlDN6AEYQ/s1600/IMG_4760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_i2BHwETdaHedrrRERcutxjjXqkU_GasINovc6e0pZeuhayt_9oHPIrUWlxSBsqfaPeAEknmrhrbyW5gM0ah_RFUzH2GpXjO7tIzjY7yRvPypdWxjNofRtkfwvXoHzKfgIlDN6AEYQ/s1600/IMG_4760.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgcrztZmtLWwDrBabC320hmFR-KbwSiViQubuiJbssWfls-VxU-Gfc3gy60DXdxMAVRxOHWNFnn1k2qFJ3uNxxnJCjKadpupthhUCnl8U4owvGNo_LVOSJLBMP_Eo89XJUVvgcMa0kDw/s1600/IMG_4766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgcrztZmtLWwDrBabC320hmFR-KbwSiViQubuiJbssWfls-VxU-Gfc3gy60DXdxMAVRxOHWNFnn1k2qFJ3uNxxnJCjKadpupthhUCnl8U4owvGNo_LVOSJLBMP_Eo89XJUVvgcMa0kDw/s1600/IMG_4766.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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The food served here is pretty decent - the menu goes beyond serving up typical stuff like hamburgers and tries to serve up dishes that feel accurate to the setting, like shepherd's pie and rotisserie chicken, though how well it succeeds depends on how picky you want to be about the food. It's all pretty good for being quick-service and is definitely among the better places I've eaten at, but doesn't serve up anything especially impressive or gourmet. (Tip: don't get the pasties. They taste good but are a lot smaller than they look and aren't very filling.)<br />
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Snack-wise, Honeydukes sells a wide variety of candies and other packaged foods form the series including ones that haven't been seen on Muggle shelves before like Acid Pops and Pepper Imps. Old-fashioned jars of classics like lemon drops also appear with Honeydukes' logo on the front. Of course, old favorites return as well, including the Chcoclate Frog (which you can buy for about $10 - it includes a holographic card).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy! Chocolate!</td></tr>
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There aren't many let-downs here, since everything is pretty much just candy (overpriced candy, but what did I say before? You're paying for the licensing!) - although in my opinion, there's one notable exception. Please don't attack me Potter fans... but I really don't like the pumpkin juice WW sells. It's way too sugary and rich for me (and this is coming from someone who loves pumpkin pie), and doesn't taste at all how I imagined it would. It comes in a cute bottle though, I'll give it that.<br />
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<h3>
Adventure Time!</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHirQ-X5sUq6gsBXQyo7eE0T6EqNYQi6eTaCOQBEwcHLVm0ZNcXuTD4LaHGOgRudUM78P2vvJ_vP7BF0dBXg25jEG5vGGt3I6IGcCaGLYHIXhOVZvqO7AQY4v3RCDiTJ45CNtuGBooQ/s1600/IMG_4778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHirQ-X5sUq6gsBXQyo7eE0T6EqNYQi6eTaCOQBEwcHLVm0ZNcXuTD4LaHGOgRudUM78P2vvJ_vP7BF0dBXg25jEG5vGGt3I6IGcCaGLYHIXhOVZvqO7AQY4v3RCDiTJ45CNtuGBooQ/s1600/IMG_4778.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You may come across this very familiar car while waiting in line...</td></tr>
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Good news: every ride in WW is really-cool looking and well-themed! Bad news: there are only three rides in the entire land! However, the ride shortage is more than made up for, in my opinion, by Forbidden Journey, which as stated before is located in Hogwarts Castle. There's also two roller coasters - a junior coaster called Flight of the Hippogriff and a much more intense dueling coaster called Dragon Challenge. Their entrances can be hard to find among all the scenery with all the crowds around so keep a careful look out when going to the attraction you want to ride.</div>
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Now I'm not much of a roller coaster person so I haven't been on Dragon Challenge myself (I wanted to ride Flight of the Hippogriff but my traveling companions didn't want to). However, I've heard that it's a very fun coaster for those who like high-stakes thrills. Just be aware that the queuing area is pretty dark and it can be hard to see if you're pretty much night-blind like I am. In addition, there's a pretty nice area (and by that I mean it's nice because it exists) for rider swap or party members who simply don't wish to ride, but there's constantly dragons roaring and other somewhat creepy noises so if you're coming with little kids keep that in mind.</div>
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A ride that is a bit harder to describe is Forbidden Journey, which is easily the main draw of the land. You are strapped into robotic coaster arms and taken along a track, though the cars don't travel along the track that fast so it's not a roller coaster. You're basically swung all over the place by the arm (though you never go upside down) and might find yourself dangling over scenery or tilted all the way on your back. I guess you could describe it as a much more active Soarin' (comparison is not entirely mine but one I saw on another blog - and it's much more accurate than anything I could've come up with myself). You'll also be placed in front of large wraparound screens at some points, and if you easily get motion sick I suggest finding a focus point and sticking with it.</div>
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I said before that Forbidden Journey is one of the best rides I've ever been on and I'm not kidding - everything from the theming in the elaborate queue area to the ride experience itself is well thought out and insanely entertaining. Even if you don't wish to ride you're allowed to "take the tour of Hogwarts" - that is, explore the queue without having to ride - and you definitely don't want to miss out. There's not much more detail I can really go into here except to say that if you're a Potter fan this ride will incorporate everything you love about the series and you'll be sad when it's all over.</div>
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So is this ride right for you? Well, I'd say that it's definitely not as terrifying as someone who has never been out before might make it out to be. The ride is very smooth and avoids drastic movements where it would throw you around too much. If you can handle riding Dinosaur or the Spider-Man ride at Universal I think you should be just fine on FJ, though it all depends on what makes you motion sick. Stuff jumps out at you at times, though it isn't as sudden as if you were in a haunted house and you can kind of anticipate when stuff might happen. Definitely give it a try unless you suffer from any health problems that would prevent you from getting on a thrill ride - in that case, you know what's best for you.</div>
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Overall Impressions</h3>
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I don't agree with those who say that Disney is going to lose a chunk of their visitors because of WW - after all, Disney is still a lot more ingrained in the public's minds and one small land in a competing theme park isn't going to change that - but there's no doubt that Universal has outdone themselves working on it. It is far and away worth the price of admission, and fans and non-fans alike can find something to appreciate. It can be crowded and difficult to navigate, but it is no harder than some areas in Magic Kingdom so coming with an open mind and patience will take you far. I look forward to visiting again when I go back to Orlando, and am very excited to tour Diagon Alley once it opens!</div>
MsFrazzledFrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17231762456113199209noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744792558676684810.post-75407709836174127782014-04-23T15:08:00.000-05:002014-04-23T15:08:02.915-05:00My job gave me these puffy pants - how to navigate costuming<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://disneydose.com/wp-content/uploads/disney-world-costuming-shirts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://disneydose.com/wp-content/uploads/disney-world-costuming-shirts.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, every costuming place is about this big. (Source: disneydose.com)</td></tr>
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One place that will be vital do doing your job properly is costuming, where you'll have to pick up the clothes you're required to wear for your role in the parks, resorts or Downtown Disney. Unlike most workplaces, Disney provides you with pretty much everything for your costume (although you will usually have to provide your own shoes). However, being able to get all of it can be tricky - costuming locations can be quite large, and not all costumes are available at all locations even if they're global. For example, as Photopass on my last program I would pretty much need the same costume no matter what park I worked in (except for Main Street in Magic Kingdom), but not all parks had a costuming department that carried the DPI costume. The worst part is that you're not told by costuming who has what costume as not all cast members there know about costuming outside of the park they oversee.<br />
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However, don't let this scare you! Today I'll talk a bit about how costuming works, how to find the correct costume in your size, how to check pieces out and how to turn them back in. Keep in mind that each location may work slightly differently - I'm going off of the Animal Kingdom location in particular because that was where my costume was carried.<br />
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<h3>
So Many Racks, Not Enough Time</h3>
When you get your paperwork telling you about your first few days of training you'll most likely get a page with photos detailing what costume pieces you need. It's important that you follow this list<b> very </b>carefully, as there may similar clothing items to yours that aren't what you need (for example, needing a black fabric belt instead of a brown belt or a leather belt). You won't have to worry about searching for your costume for very long, however - at the end of each rack there should be a hanger with every piece of the costume on it. This is the rack that contains your costume, though some racks share with different roles so make sure that what you grab is what your costume requires.<br />
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Depending on your costume, the rack may be further divided into male and female clothing. Pick out whichever is appropriate (keep in mind, though, that if you have a role where men wear pants but women wear skirts you might be forced to choose whatever the option is for your gender). They'll also have markers for sizes. Here's where I talk about a few things that are important to know when picking out an outfit:<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Disney sizes are not the same as regular US sizes.</b> For example, in street clothes I wear anything from a 6 to an 8, but in Disney costuming sizes I can't wear anything smaller than a 12. In addition, if you're from a country that uses different measurements from the US you might be even more lost. A good rule of thumb is double the number of the US size you are in street clothes.</li>
<li><b>Always try everything on beforehand.</b> The sizes listed can be misleading - a costume piece that has been washed a bunch before may be more shrunken than a newer piece of the same size. You also have to keep an eye out for wear, stretched fastenings and things of that nature. The Costuming CMs are usually pretty good at catching that kind of stuff but sometimes pieces fall through the cracks.</li>
<li><b>You cannot have more than the allowed number of costumes.</b> For example, if you have a costume with shorts and a shirt you won't be able to get more than five of each. Any extra pieces will net you a charge on every paycheck until you give it back.</li>
<li><b>You cannot check out costume items that are not needed for your role.</b> If you work custodial, for example, you can't check out a Haunted Mansion costume. If you pick up a PAC shift, however, you're welcome to check out one of those. You can also try on the costumes for fun if you wish - just don't take away costume pieces from a CM that needs them and don't annoy Costuming. And try not to take any photos.</li>
<li><b>Don't rely on Costuming to direct you to pieces you need.</b> Costumes for certain roles are constantly changing and the CMs have to keep up with at least a dozen different costumes, not including stuff like rain gear and accessories. On my last program I nearly walked out with the wrong coat because two Costuming CMs thought that that was the one I needed. If you have questions, ask your managers - they are a lot more knowledgeable about your specific costume.</li>
</ol>
<h3>
Checkin' Out The Costume</h3>
For checking out clothing you have two options - getting someone from Costuming to do it and checking yourself out. There are a few situations where you can't check things out yourself, depending on what the costume consists of - if this is the case, you'll have to get Costuming to do it. If someone isn't standing at the check-out desk there will be a bell that you can ring to call them up. Give them a few minutes - they could be among any of the racks taking care of the costumes. You'll need your employee ID for them to scan in order to open up your outfit.<br />
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If you're checking your own stuff out, you'll walk up to the opposite side of the desk from where the CM is. Don't worry, everything is clearly labeled and you can always ask someone if you don't understand how to use the station. However, <b>be careful</b> if you're wearing your costume while checking pieces out - the scanner can pick up on the sensors on the clothes you're wearing which can confuse it. The good news is that you won't have to worry about finding a barcode to scan as you would in the grocery store - just wave the piece under the scanner until it pops up on the screen. Rinse and repeat until you've checked out everything you need. Make sure to close your account if needed.<br />
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<h3>
Checkin' In The Costume (AKA "Please Do My Laundry")</h3>
You can check in costume pieces at any time to get new ones as long as you never exceed the maximum allowed number. Basically, you have to check things in before you can check new things out. The good news is that checking things in is super easy! All you have to do is throw them into the return slot that every costuming location will have towards the front. The slots are equipped with sensors that pick up on the sensors in your clothes so they'll instantly pick up on anything you push through.<br />
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There's also no limit on how often you check things in or out. I knew some CMs who claimed that they never did laundry because they always took their dirty costume pieces back to costuming! However, be careful doing this if you struggle to find pieces in your size, because there's never any guarantee that they will be clean pieces that you can wear. Also, as with the check-out scanner you need to be careful about the slot picking up on the sensors on the costume pieces you're wearing if you're wearing any.<br />
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<h3>
I Need...</h3>
In addition to supplying costumes, Costuming also supplies name tags. Though you're given one when you go through Traditions, if you lose it or want a new one you'll have to come in and request it. If you've lost your tag and need a placeholder (AKA Chris from Orlando) until you can get another one printed for you Costuming also handles that. The fee for a new tag is about $5. If you want to change the name on your tag the CM will probably require that it be a reasonable request - as in it will have to either be part of your legal name or a nickname that isn't too weird. If you want to change the location it will have to either be your registered hometown or a place you've lived in for quite a while. However, it's always possible to find a CM who is willing to put whatever you want on the tag.<br />
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That about wraps it up for costuming today! I hope this post will help you successfully navigate the different areas of Costuming so you won't be too lost when it comes to checking out your costume pieces. If you have any questions over this or anything else you are always welcome to contact me here or on Twitter. Until then, have a great day!MsFrazzledFrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17231762456113199209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744792558676684810.post-84712716718200406482014-04-21T14:47:00.001-05:002014-04-21T14:47:17.680-05:00Calm before the storm: the first few days with housing and Traditions<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIMQnSGULfozdoqbte_JmtxGwzrY6MwHpSXNrZROTGuWqn0l-93zNfyfQsUoqsuMDAs4UGdZQclbP37Rn9yxmJqyDK38vZ2zCxRcV5Po4Zk-jDdXqMJT_qw0SmJ03T5M1BSgoc0Kyyw/s1600/427676_10151344823562158_886897329_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIMQnSGULfozdoqbte_JmtxGwzrY6MwHpSXNrZROTGuWqn0l-93zNfyfQsUoqsuMDAs4UGdZQclbP37Rn9yxmJqyDK38vZ2zCxRcV5Po4Zk-jDdXqMJT_qw0SmJ03T5M1BSgoc0Kyyw/s1600/427676_10151344823562158_886897329_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See? Perfectly calm.</td></tr>
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So, at this point in your program you've finished the stress and the madness that is move-in day. You've probably bought everything you'll need for your apartment right away and have gotten acquainted with your roommates. The question now is... what next? The first week or so of your program will probably be an odd mix of orientations and training as you and your roommates start learning the skills for your respective roles. A lot of people aren't sure what to expect so for this post I'm going to go over the different things you'll have to go through as well as some ideas for fun stuff to do during your time off.<br />
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<h3>
I Have a Free Day...</h3>
So your first day after check-in day will either be entirely free or free except for a housing meeting. The housing meeting will seem pretty standard to anyone used to living in college dorms but for those who aren't, just think of it as "101 Things You Can't Do In Housing". So, you'll have a lot of free time. What do you do?<br />
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Well, unless you're willing to shell out the cash to buy a ticket to go to one of the parks you won't be able to go there, as you don't get your cast member ID until Traditions. And no, the folks at the turnstiles won't let you in even if you show them your housing ID because they can't swipe it to record that you visited. Depending on when you have Traditions you might not be able to stay out too late either, as some sessions start very early in the morning. Starting to feel you might be bored? Never fear! Here are few suggestions on stuff to do both around housing and around the WDW area:<br />
<ol>
<li>Cook a "family dinner" for you and your roommates - use it as a time to bond as well as save energy for the long days of training and work ahead. If none of you really wants to cook, you can drive to one of the nearby restaurants (if you have a car) or travel to Downtown Disney/a Disney resort (if you don't) to eat out. You don't have to go too crazy buying expensive meals - eat light and fill up at home if you have to.</li>
<li>Resort hop around the Disney resorts! Each one has a unique style and they're free to visit - you can take the buses if you need to because you'll have your ID at this point.</li>
<li>Visit the other housing complexes! You can use the buses to get there and will be able to freely visit until 1 AM. You can also use any of the facilities in the complexes - gyms, pools, tennis and basketball courts, etc.</li>
<li>Visit Downtown Disney. If you want to drop a wad of cash and don't mind that you'll miss out on the cast discount, you can pay for DisneyQuest (only do this if you really love arcades, though, as it's essentially just a huge arcade and is a bit dated). If you don't have much cash to spare, take some photos of everyone in front of the giant LEGO statues!</li>
<li>Again, if you don't mind missing out on the cast discount and paying quite a bit, you can go to one of Disney's water parks. They're both amazingly themed and have some really great pools and slides, but may be crowded depending on when you go.</li>
<li>Visit some tourist traps in central Florida. There are TONS and some don't charge that much for admission. If you go to a visitor's center for Florida you will probably get a bunch of ads for them so I won't name too many here.</li>
</ol>
In addition, here are some things you can't do or might not want to do your first day:<br />
<ol>
<li>Attempt to enter the parks for free by going through backstage areas. I'm mostly talking to alums who don't have a cast ID (aka the ones who will have to go through Traditions again). It's just a bad idea, plus your ID is the only thing that will get you through security gates and the like anyway.</li>
<li>Go to the beach. Even if you have the whole day off, you'll probably have to spend a lot of time driving there and back. However, if you want to go anyway it's cool - just remember not to stay out too late.</li>
<li>One important thing to suggest: <b>DON'T BUY DISNEY MERCH. DON'T BUY DISNEY MERCH. DON'T BUY DISNEY MERCH.</b> You won't have your discount at this point and will essentially be wasting money on stuff you can buy after you get your ID.</li>
<li>Go clubbing. Um, if you have Traditions the next day you probably won't be able to go all out... and what's the fun of going then? Plus, it'll take a while to commute depending on what club you go to.</li>
<li>Sleep. Okay, you might have some sleep to catch up on depending on how little you got the last two nights... but you have a free day! Get up! Go play! You'll be starved for them later on so take advantage when you get the chance :)</li>
</ol>
<h3>
And Now There's Traditions</h3>
About two days after your arrival (though it may be sooner or later than that, two's just the average) you'll have Traditions. Essentially, think of it as a general orientation for the entire company and lectures over basic stuff like the Four Keys (principles to follow when working) and safety. Pretty much the only thing anyone cares about for today is the fact that you finally get your name tag and employee ID (AKA the thing you use to get free admission), though you really should listen to and make note of everything else ;)<br />
<br />
If you tend to fall asleep during classes at school, be aware that a lot of Traditions is sitting in a classroom and occasionally doing work (plus, you might be taken on a field trip to the Magic Kingdom) so rest up the night before. Also, there's the dress code. Traditions is strictly <b>business professional wear, </b>not business casual or any other type of dress. Since this may be your very first job (or your first formal job that requires business wear) I'll take a moment to discuss it all with you.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZg2VabO58imxWeG03SPz2Rclu65IwE5f_D79rxYl6hDR0vhT94dZUkWYfc0OK8ULb1UlglxymSynFWMeWV9YLkGTZ2z8nTG9MJml0vqxLyoVzNuH7xRw7ClYrWyc_kTMijSEMQmELQ/s1600/299575_10151347698722158_1991306113_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZg2VabO58imxWeG03SPz2Rclu65IwE5f_D79rxYl6hDR0vhT94dZUkWYfc0OK8ULb1UlglxymSynFWMeWV9YLkGTZ2z8nTG9MJml0vqxLyoVzNuH7xRw7ClYrWyc_kTMijSEMQmELQ/s1600/299575_10151347698722158_1991306113_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Traditions outfit from my last program, shown through an obnoxious mirror selfie.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h3>
Traditions Wear Tips (And Fashion Advice)</h3>
(<b>NOTE:</b> These tips are mostly geared towards women - sorry guys! However, some can easily apply to both genders so feel free to read through and modify my advice as you see fit.)<br />
<br />
Business professional wear is not simply formal wear - for example, most of the time you can't simply wear whatever you wore to your sister's wedding last month because that's a different kind of formal dress. It is also not business casual wear - you won't get away with wearing denim no matter how nice it is, and you can't just throw on a gauzy cotton top with spaghetti straps. However, don't get too overwhelmed! Dressing in professional wear can be easy as long as you know what you're looking for.<br />
<ol>
<li>Look around you for professional workers - they're even on TV. Lawyers, politicians during formal events, college deans, bank tellers in large banks - they all have been known to wear business professional wear and it will give you a good idea what to look for.</li>
<li>If your school or city has some sort of career prep office, visit it. The folks there will know exactly what you need to wear and will be able to aid you in buying clothing that's appropriate.</li>
<li>Be prepared to spend money. You can find bargains on professional wear in consignment stores, department stores and even Goodwill but for the most part it's a bit pricier than casual clothing. It's worth the cost, however, especially if you're planning on a career with Disney afterward or one in a corporate/business field. </li>
<li>If you decide to go with a shirt and pants/skirt combo you should expect to always tuck your shirt in. It looks neater and (at least for women) looks much more flattering in a business setting.</li>
<li>Try to avoid patterns outside of stripes and polka dots. They can get distracting and make the outfit look more casual than it is. HOWEVER, if you're going to be wearing a blazer then the shirt or dress top under it can have a nice pattern - it won't be too noticeable.</li>
<li>Shoot for neutral colors unless your entire outfit can be color coordinated. If you can't find neutral-only clothing that's totally okay - business professional wear doesn't really have too many rules in the way of color. However, you might look silly if you're entirely in bright colors that don't go together so plan it out.</li>
<li>Length requirements are super super important - if you feel your dress or pants are too short don't even try to wear them. There are PLENTY of places that sell flattering, professional clothing in appropriate lengths so it shouldn't be too hard to find.</li>
<li>Go simple. Don't go overboard with sequined clothing, jewelry or makeup. You're not dressing to look fashionable so much as you're dressing to look professional (though you can, of course, look fashionable and professional at the same time). And I promise you that no one will judge you for showing up looking a little plain, you'll still look beautiful :)</li>
</ol>
I've created <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/msfrazzledfro/disney-college-program-traditions-wear-suggestions/" target="_blank">a board on Pinterest </a>for those of you who need visual suggestions on what might be appropriate (and all are linked from stores so you can buy them if you wish). However, always make sure you try on your outfit before you need it - height, body type and other similar factors may make something inappropriate to wear for Traditions. My suggestions are by no means a guarantee that you will be able to wear that particular clothing item.<br />
<br />
<h3>
What Next?</h3>
Depending on your role, you might start training the day after Traditions or might not have to start until days later. On my last program I had about two or three free days between my Traditions class and my first day of training, which I obviously used to play in the parks since I could get in at that point. However, don't plan out this part of your first week until you get your work schedule - especially if you have friends or family coming to visit right away.<br />
<br />
You'll receive papers telling you when your training sessions are (at least the ones in the classroom) and may also get costume information for your role. If you need something for your costume (usually shoes), get it right away. Your managers will usually expect you to be completely in costume by your first day of training (though you'll usually be taken to costuming beforehand with one of your training classes - for me, they did it at my park orientation). Past that I can't really tell you what to expect since every role is different - just that you'll probably keep a pretty regular schedule of mostly days until you finish training and start getting regular shifts.<br />
<br />
<h3>
FAQ</h3>
There have been a few questions I've seen asked quite often by new CPs (mostly on Traditions and professional dress) that I haven't discussed yet so here we go.<br />
<br />
<b>Q: </b>I'm tall and most dresses are too short on me. Can I wear a maxi dress to Traditions?<br />
<b>A: </b>It depends, though I would err on the side of caution and say no. The problem is that most maxi dresses are in very casual styles and might not fit a professional setting. If you're very tall, I'd suggest wearing pants (Disney also allows you to wear shorts and capris as well, as long as they are long enough and are made of professional material) and there are plenty of stores out there that sell all lengths for different heights.<br />
<br />
<b>Q: </b>I don't understand the restrictions on footwear. What can we wear?<br />
<b>A: </b>Basically, find shoes that are leather, faux leather or pretty much any material that's not canvas or cloth (silk is fine) and not sneakers or tennis shoes. Flats, pumps, and other similar footwear are all fine.<br />
<br />
<b>Q:</b> Does Disney Look extend to our accessories like purses, wallets, etc?<br />
<b>A: </b>No, the only thing you'll have to worry about is your jewelry. Bring whatever other stuff works you for you.<br />
<br />
<b>Q: </b>What do I have to bring to Traditions?<br />
<b>A: </b>You'll be told on check-in day, though I believe all your have to bring is yourself (and keep your housing ID with you so you can get back into your complex afterwards, obviously). Also bring money in case the cafeteria is open (it wasn't during my last Traditions class, but others have said it was during theirs).<br />
<br />
<b>Q: </b>I have a visible tattoo. Do I have to cover it up for Traditions/classroom training?<br />
<b>A: </b>Most definitely yes.<br />
<br />
<b>Q: </b>How much walking will we have to do for Traditions?<br />
<b>A: </b>You'll probably do at least a mile through the Utilidors and the Magic Kingdom. Definitely make sure that your shoes are comfortable enough for this, because you can't opt out.<br />
<br />
<b>Q: </b>Can I call in for training or get those days off?<br />
<b>A: </b>You may be able to call in if you're seriously ill (though it'll screw up your entire schedule), but you can't get training days off. If you trying to get off training because your family's in town, they will just have to wait for when you're free.<br />
<br />
<b>Q: </b>I'm female but don't feel comfortable wearing dresses or other feminine clothing. Is that okay?<br />
<b>A: </b>Sure, I've found that Disney is very understanding about things like that and won't penalize you just because you're not wearing a dress. You can get away with wearing a nice button-up shirt and slacks to Traditions, it's listed under the guidelines on the Onboarding site. You may also want to put on a blazer.<br />
<br />
<b>Q: </b>Will my roommates and I all have the same days off between Traditions and training?<br />
<b>A: </b>Probably not, even if you all share the same role (though it's more likely if you do). On my last program a few of my roommates were sent to train right away while two of my roommates and I were off for days.<br />
<br />
<b>Q: </b>I want to wear a dress/blouse but its straps are too narrow (Disney Look says they should be at least three inches wide). Can I still wear it if I have a blazer over it?<br />
<b>A: </b>Yes, Disney Look only worries about what is visible - as long as you don't take your blazer off you should be fine.<br />
<br />
<b>Q: </b>Can I go to Traditions with all of my roommates?<br />
<b>A: </b>Traditions has two sessions per arrival date that I've seen, and they're divided up by last name (so A-J might meet in the morning and K-Z in the afternoon). You will probably have to split up with your roommates unless you all happen to have last names with close first letters in the alphabet.<br />
<br />
I hope this post helps you plan out your first week! It'll be hectic no matter what but just take everything a day at a time and you'll be able to work it all out :) If you have any other questions I'm always listening both here and on Twitter, so ask away!<br />
<ol>
</ol>
MsFrazzledFrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17231762456113199209noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744792558676684810.post-64128381339556448772014-04-13T02:40:00.000-05:002014-04-13T02:40:04.313-05:00Welcome to paperwork: the joys and agonies of check-in day<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUrQD6OQcE_NzhA5dt7aDACLZLBd_-WhEUZvjc-YVeUCMBbtIe9cX74kfkKaoVpfL7le9RAxT7N8ox1l0aTU-wZQ6M8vpu7guSWqHpBIGOeJgOIlVruLTBv4ccvUGWkXWyMquH1rAOcg/s1600/150912_10151342298042158_1830441840_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUrQD6OQcE_NzhA5dt7aDACLZLBd_-WhEUZvjc-YVeUCMBbtIe9cX74kfkKaoVpfL7le9RAxT7N8ox1l0aTU-wZQ6M8vpu7guSWqHpBIGOeJgOIlVruLTBv4ccvUGWkXWyMquH1rAOcg/s1600/150912_10151342298042158_1830441840_n.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This crappy snapshot does not even BEGIN to show how bad lines can be!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One thing that can get pretty complicated to explain is check-in day - after all, a lot of important things like filling out the last of your job's paperwork and getting your housing assignment happen and there's a lot of getting shuffled around. It also requires quite a bit of preparation on your part beforehand, though unless you're reading this as you're checking in it's all easy to do. Never fear! Today I'm going to explain, albeit in broad strokes (my last program was before DORMS so I don't know much about how that works yet) what you should expect on your first official day of CP duties.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Before You Go</h3>
About ten days before your scheduled check-in date, you'll be sent emails to fill out your preferences in DORMS and fill out your new hire paperwork. <b>Fill this all out right away!</b> It'll save you a ton of time come check-in day and it's pretty much expected that you'll do it before you come anyway. Plus, it's all relatively easy or quick stuff to fill out, like putting in account information for direct deposit and filling out a simple tax form or two.<br />
<br />
If you've already found people you want to room with, ensure that you get all of their ID numbers before entering DORMS, as you'll have the chance to request them all as roommates. This is a big improvement over the last program, where you had to essentially tie everyone together and hope that the line didn't separate you along the way (it almost did with my roommates on my last program). Besides that, however, I can't really give too many details as I haven't had the chance to use it yet. However, based on things I've heard from my CP friends this segment of check-in day, which usually took an hour or so to get through at least, is now really fast as they've already assigned you to housing by the time you arrive and just hand you your room key.<br />
<br />
A few things to remember to keep on you at all times during check-in day:<br />
<ol>
<li> <b>Your forms of identification</b> - If you have a US-issued passport you <b>only </b>need to bring that. If you <b>don't, </b>you need two forms of ID. One should be a government-issued form of ID like a driver's license, and one should be something that proves that you're a US citizen (like a birth certificate, or some sort of naturalization paperwork if you weren't born a US citizen but are one now). If you're not a US citizen, you likely already know the appropriate visa you need to bring. If you're an ICP/CRP, your stuff is completely different and I'm afraid I can't help you there!</li>
<li> <b>Your DORMS form</b> - I've heard that DORMS spits out a form with a barcode that you need to bring to check-in day in order to get your room assignment. It'll likely be very clear what you need to print out and bring with you, so again I'm sorry that I've never used it myself so I can't be more specific than that!</li>
<li><b>An uncanceled check</b> - You need this <b>only </b>if you didn't complete the paperwork for it online but still want direct deposit. If you opt to go for the card Disney offers instead, I think you can skip having this.</li>
<li><b>A large bag, purse or backpack</b> - You're going to have a lot of paperwork and other junk thrown at you, and although I think you might be given a goodie bag when you check-in I don't remember for sure. Bring a bag just in case anyway!</li>
</ol>
<h3>
Getting to Vista Way</h3>
Vista Way is where everyone checks in (and <b>no, </b>it does not mean that you'll be living at Vista - they just have all of the appropriate buildings and space to accommodate everyone) and you'll be here for most of the process except for when you go to Casting. Since housing is determined through DORMS ahead of time it's no longer necessary (or really wanted) to show up any earlier than when check-in starts at 9 AM (exact time may change depending on program, know before you go). When you show up there will likely be loads of signs directing you to the pavilion where check-in takes place, so don't worry about getting lost. If you can't see any signs, just walk straight from the security gate as far back as you can get and you'll probably find what you're looking for.<br />
<br />
I don't know if this bit has changed since the advent of DORMS, but if it hasn't your first stop will be to get your housing assignment. As I said before, this is likely a no-muss no-fuss affair nowadays so you'll probably be in and out quickly. You'll also get your housing ID made at this point which includes a photo of you, so... just be aware of that if you want to look pretty! Make sure to pick up a Program Guide when you come across them - they'll have times and dates for housing meetings on the back. If you're arriving with your roommates I encourage you all to find planners with the same time and day printed on them, as there are several slots available and it wouldn't make sense for you all to not have it together, right?<br />
<br />
Next comes the paperwork. You'll have a Program Guide/planner at this point; a cast member will give you a very important sticker. What's the sticker? Why, your job location! However, depending on your role it can be very vague about what your assignment is - while globally-trained roles like custodial and Photopass only need to know which park they'll be working in, attractions may be given the name of a complex of attractions that they will be trained on but the actual names won't be used. Other roles have similar things happen. But... you'll know what park/resort you'll be working in, at least!<br />
<br />
After this, you'll be given the first of several contracts. They're all your basic stuff - there's one for housing that essentially says that you'll follow the rules while living there, and there might be one for your new job. Most job stuff will be handled at Casting though, which I'll talk about in a bit. You'll also be asked if you have a car you want to be able to park in the complexes - basically, if you want a car on your program you'll say yes to this. You'll be pulled out of the line and given another form to fill out with your car's info (so I'd suggest knowing things like its make, model and plate number in case you need to record those).<br />
<br />
Lastly, before you go to Casting you'll be given a time and date for your Traditions class and a cast member will look you over to make sure that you fit Disney Look. By this, I <b>do not </b>mean that you have to dress in Disney Look or even wear your professional wear - wear whatever you can have on comfortably for an entire day of unpacking and running around. The CM will just be looking at your hair and face to make sure you don't have a weird dye job or facial piercings outside of the one piercing in your ears you're allowed. If either of these is something you have to fix before arriving in Orlando, be warned that they'll check right at check-in and may delay your Traditions class or even send you home if you don't fit it.<br />
<br />
Depending on your role, you may also get pulled aside for a drug test (though any role can be randomly tested - there are just a few where it's essential that they test you right away). From what I've heard it's a standard urine test (I know, ick, but you gotta do what you gotta do), so don't worry about them wanting something weird. However, if you feel there's anything in your system that might get you in trouble (no judgement), get clean now. And stay clean throughout your program. If you're taking prescription medication that might interfere with your test results, make sure you let the cast members know.<br />
<br />
After that's all done, it's off to Casting! If you brought luggage with you but don't have family to leave it with there's a luggage room you can stash it in until you come back from filling out all your paperwork. It'll be clearly marked and close to where the buses pick you up so you shouldn't have trouble spotting it. There's also a reception room for anyone who came with you, as they won't be allowed to travel to Casting with you.<br />
<br />
<h3>
The Holy, Glorious Casting Building of LINES</h3>
As far as I know you can't drive yourself to Casting - you'll have to take the CP buses. However, housing security will direct you to a place to park your car when you arrive at Vista so it won't be a problem to leave it there. Plus, Casting is literally right across the street (okay, highway - but who's being picky here?) so it's not a long ride there or back.<br />
<br />
At this point, I'm going to get really vague on what to expect. This is for two reasons. The first is that on my last program I was going through check-in on about three hours of sleep so I could barely process what was going on. The second is that you're essentially going to spend half of your time there in lines - through the atrium, down the hallways, in large rooms. Lines everywhere. Hey, what'd you expect - it's Disney! ;)<br />
<br />
However, there are definitely a few things I remember doing distinctly. You'll be fingerprinted so that Disney can have an independent security firm run a background check on you. This is where that whole "have you ever been convicted of a crime" question from way back when you applied comes into play - if something pops up on your record that you didn't admit to at the time of your original application you're in trouble! However, if you've already worked that out with your interviewer you'll be just fine.<br />
<br />
Also, you know those forms of ID I said you had to have on you at all times? Well, prepare to show them at least a couple hundred times (this is almost not an exaggeration). Don't put them away, don't leave them with your luggage and <b>don't lose them.</b> Actually, make that a general rule of thumb to never misplace important government documents, kay?<br />
<br />
You'll also likely have a few cast members verify things you said both on your application and new hire paperwork, so make doubly sure all the information they're showing you is correct. This is so Disney can make sure that they don't put you in the system with inaccurate information among other reasons.<br />
<br />
After you're done with all the paperwork, you'll be told that you're free to leave! YAY! However, don't be stupid like me and get lost in the building - there are signs pointing out but they may not be clear and Casting is pretty confusing to find your way around by yourself. When you get back outside you'll have to wait for the bus to come back and pick you up - they come pretty often so don't worry about waiting for very long! If you want to wait for anyone in the Casting building that's fine - just make sure the bus driver knows he can go on without you.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Back to Vista and Freedom</h3>
One you get back to Vista, pick your luggage back up from the luggage room along with your friends/family if they came with you. You're free for the day! If you don't have access to a car special shuttles will be available to take you straight to your housing complex - don't use the regular CP buses as there's not much room on them for luggage and they're likely busy with working CPs anyway.<br />
<br />
Here are a few things you'll probably want to do now:<br />
<ol>
<li>Unpack your stuff in your apartment.</li>
<li>Go shopping for any food/toiletries/other home essentials you don't already have.</li>
<li>Get to know your roommates.</li>
<li>Become familiar with your complex's layout - make special note of where the nearest laundry facility, pool, mail room, etc. is. Also note where the front desk is - it'll be important for a lot of things over the course of your program.</li>
<li>Make a game plan for the next few days, as they're likely to be the most free time you and your roommates get before you start training for work.</li>
<li>If needed (and I highly recommend it), work out a few house rules with your roommates. They don't have to be too crazy, just outline things like sharing property/chores/guest policies.</li>
</ol>
Make sure to get a good night's sleep! Even if you aren't busy the next day, you'll want to be as well-rested as possible leading up to your first week or work. Also remember that your family must be off the property by 1 AM, and if you have members who are younger than 18 they need to be gone by 7 PM. Security might be more lax on this since it's move-in day but I wouldn't push my luck if I were you.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Warnings</h3>
<ol>
<li>You can <b>never </b>give anyone else your apartment key. Don't give it to your family so they can move you in while you're at Casting; if you get caught doing this you will most certainly be termed.</li>
<li>If you arrive to check-in with hair or face that doesn't meet Disney Look, you may either be denied a Traditions class until you fix it or even termed on the spot depending on how bad the offending feature is. For example, it'd be much easier to dye your hair than it would be to shrink any gauges you might have.</li>
<li>Your family cannot come on any of the buses with you - not the one to Casting and not the one to your housing complex. Make sure they have a way to get to your complex with you if they're helping you move in.</li>
<li>Don't wear yourself out too much. Anything you'd want to do late at night can wait until you've had a chance to settle in. Take the time to get comfortable with your new living space.</li>
</ol>
With that, I'm about finished explaining check-in day! I may write another post over your first few days on the program will be like, including your housing meetings and Traditions, but it'll be a few days before I'll be able to get around to it. Until then, have a great day! MsFrazzledFrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17231762456113199209noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744792558676684810.post-62688319651803798562014-04-10T13:49:00.000-05:002014-04-10T13:49:09.271-05:00History time: EPCOT pt. 1 (the ideas, the grand opening and the long-dead attractions)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.finddisney.com/images/1982%20EPCOT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.finddisney.com/images/1982%20EPCOT.jpg" height="498" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: finddisney.com</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Epcot is the epitome of what could be called an "adult" theme park. Its pavilions and rides deal with some very serious topics in the technological world, the architecture of the buildings can be very cold and impersonal, and the World Showcase consists of almost nothing else besides shops, restaurants and museum-like exhibits. And let's not even talk about the sometimes-insane unofficial game that is Drinking Around the World. (Seriously, let's not.)<br />
<br />
However, as any Disney nut will tell you, Epcot wasn't always entirely like this. In fact, Epcot wasn't originally intended to be a theme park at all! Instead it was what would become Walt Disney's final big dream - a futuristic city and planned community which would revolve around the testing and implication of new technology. In those days it was referred to as the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, which is how Epcot got its name (it's an acronym). Some of Walt's ideas were pretty extraordinary, but unfortunately he passed away before any of them could be realized.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://enterpriseportal.disney.com/gopublish/sitemedia/TPR/News_TPR/twidh_0928_1-epcot-walt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://enterpriseportal.disney.com/gopublish/sitemedia/TPR/News_TPR/twidh_0928_1-epcot-walt.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: orlandoparknews.com</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After Walt's death, Imagineers were split over what to do with EPCOT's plans. While they all agreed that they didn't want to build and run a city without Walt there and would build a theme park instead, they couldn't decide what its focus would be - while some wanted it to focus on technological advancements, others wanted it to be a showcase of the world's cultures and customs. The two ideas were eventually merged and construction began in 1979, in what was at the time the largest construction project in the world's history. If you ever felt that it didn't make sense for having Future World and the World Showcase in the same park, I hope this answered something for you!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.imagineeringdisney.com/storage/Imagineering-Disney_EPCOT-Center-Construction-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.imagineeringdisney.com/storage/Imagineering-Disney_EPCOT-Center-Construction-1.jpg" height="502" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: imagineeringdisney.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The central icon and original flagship attraction was Spaceship Earth when EPCOT Center opened in October of 1982, and is an extraordinary bit of construction itself. I won't talk too much about it here but an interesting fact is that this was one of the first structures to be planned and drafted with the help of a computer - a fitting thing for a park focusing on new technology. The original ride was much different from the one we're used to today - for starters, the ride was narrated (allegedly) by Larry Dobkin and sponsored by Bell System.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://waltdatedworld.bravepages.com/7c115470.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://waltdatedworld.bravepages.com/7c115470.jpg" height="392" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: waltdatedworld.bravepages.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The rest of Future World was much different as well. Rather than having eight major pavilions only four were standing on opening day - CommuniCore, World of Motion, The Land and Universe of Energy. Horizons and Journey Into Imagination wouldn't arrive until the next year, and there's actually a souvenir video floating around the Internet that states that Horizons is "still under construction". Ironic since the ride <b>and </b>the building no longer exist!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.illuminatingepcot.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/epcot_construction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.illuminatingepcot.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/epcot_construction.jpg" height="280" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: illuminatingepcot.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
CommuniCore was the essentially the original incarnation of Innoventions, though its focus was a lot more on computers and other serious topics of the time. Remember, back in the 80s personal computers were all but unheard of so there was quite a bit of apprehension over how they worked! A show/tour called the Astuter Computer Revue was meant to help guide people through EPCOT Center's computer systems, but it became the first attraction to close when it was replaced by Backstage Magic.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://waltdatedworld.bravepages.com/4a040d90.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://waltdatedworld.bravepages.com/4a040d90.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: waltdatedworld.bravepages.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The photo above also tied a theme from the World Showcase to Future World - it was a literal fountain of information from all over the world and symbolized what the future of technology could bring. I think it's super-cool looking, even if it is dated :)<br />
<br />
World of Motion, housed in the round building that now hosts Test Track, was a lighthearted and slow-moving look at the history of motion - from the invention of the wheel to trains to airplanes and everything in between! It was sponsored by General Motors (GM) and usually featured some concept cars for the company in the post-show area - something that Test Track still does to this day. However, GM eventually decided that they wanted to sponsor a ride that focused solely on cars - and more specifically GM's cars - and urged Disney to create a new attraction. This new attraction, obviously, became Test Track. We'll talk more about it later.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lostepcot.com/images/motionoutsideday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.lostepcot.com/images/motionoutsideday.jpg" height="408" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: lostepcot.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Land was originally sponsored by Kraft Foods and has remained largely the same in terms of what it teaches about - agriculture and and environment - though most of its original attractions are no longer there. The sole remaining survivor is Living with the Land, originally titled Listen to the Land, which in my opinion is a highly-underrated and fun attraction! Other than that, the pavilion opened with Kitchen Kabaret - a cute show about nutrition and the major food groups housed where Soarin' is today - and an environmental film called Symbiosis.<br />
<br />
The Land has also always been well known for having some delicious restaurants with fresh produce in its food - since there are greenhouses nearby this makes perfect sense.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://land.allears.net/blogs/debwills/land4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://land.allears.net/blogs/debwills/land4.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: land.allears.net</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Before Ellen took over the Universe of Energy pavilion, the attraction was... pretty much the same as it is now. Long and dull, unless you really like energy. However, the original preshow was a series of blocks with screens on them that could flip and rotate in sync to show various moving images. I'm still pretty convinced that this is one of the coolest things I've ever seen. If you can find a video of the original attraction with the preshow I highly recommend that you watch it.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/Energy04a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/Energy04a.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: land.allears.net</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A little somewhat-unrelated thought - the Universe of Energy ride might be the longest in all of Walt Disney World. It clocks in at about forty-five minutes long!<br />
<br />
So, that settles it for an overview of what was going on in Future World... but what about the World Showcase? Well, firstly I hope that you aren't too attached to the Morocco or Norway pavilions - on opening day in 1982 they hadn't even been built yet! Yup, originally Epcot only had nine pavilions even though it was designed to hold many more - every now and then a rumor will crop up about a potential new country being represented but usually costs or said country's government get in the way.<br />
<br />
If you're anything like me eating in the World Showcase is probably one of your favorite things to do, but think back to 1982... how could one make dinner reservations? Walking up is always an option, as is called ahead by telephone, but the Internet, cell phones and other forms of communication didn't really exist then. However, EPCOT Center took a different route. Remember how I talked about how computers were pretty alien to guests back then? Well, here they were <b>forced </b>to use them if they wanted information or reservations through kiosks called WorldKey.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.burningsettlerscabin.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/worldkey10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.burningsettlerscabin.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/worldkey10.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: burningsettlerscabin.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
WorldKey stations could be found in Spaceship Earth's post-show lobby, near the bridge to the World Showcase and outside of the German pavilion. At these stations, guests could use s touch screen (revolutionary at the time) to get information about operating hours, rides and the different countries represented. If needed, they could also video chat with a cast member <b>live</b> - another revolutionary idea - which added a much more personal touch to a somewhat frightening piece of technology.<br />
<br />
Without geeking out over the technical aspects of this idea, WorldKey stations were a cool way to not only get in-depth information over certain areas of the park but to also get guests acquainted with a piece of technology that would grow to become more and more important as the decade went on. Though they were closed down in 1999, you can still see where they used to be near Guest Relations in Epcot:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yrIZObOLGVU-MAQu2VM0BFPjuw8hTzcoa1CZkNuH2gsNvtAsXKR9tbp8t87vNSrEPZQzHOlQiVxPFgSzT4K7nAJQcaT8zl0LwtHWAJIqbZ31ABjNBU9cLU-ZPByCEDNXDYIYH5VHFzA/s1600/epcot_kiosks.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yrIZObOLGVU-MAQu2VM0BFPjuw8hTzcoa1CZkNuH2gsNvtAsXKR9tbp8t87vNSrEPZQzHOlQiVxPFgSzT4K7nAJQcaT8zl0LwtHWAJIqbZ31ABjNBU9cLU-ZPByCEDNXDYIYH5VHFzA/s1600/epcot_kiosks.png" height="486" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: imaginerding.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So that just about wraps it up for this history lesson! Next time I'll talk about the Future World pavilions that were added later on in the decade (Horizons, Journey Into Imagination, The Living Seas and Wonders of Life) as well as discuss the two countries in the World Showcase that were added after opening (Morocco and Norway). And after that I'll talk about the new millennium, which brought the greatest parade that has ever been seen (no, really). Until then, I hoped you enjoyed this and I'll see you again soon!MsFrazzledFrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17231762456113199209noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744792558676684810.post-34755810781301469372014-04-09T13:43:00.001-05:002014-04-09T13:43:51.186-05:00A day in the life of a working cast member (plus the Hub)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcbUd_KSXs0rSKI6pXKiVgTRJNDaTZaqrGCJL9ZWM0dZqcNa8Nt4XLg7g8LdqPv_iIAwoNu8jrsKMcr72TCFOIfuRGF4GHAmDWjUDOu3_8vOF6DCSA5CGaGIm0gilcFyiCRg2DILwdQ/s1600/184442_10151345313897158_19783741_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcbUd_KSXs0rSKI6pXKiVgTRJNDaTZaqrGCJL9ZWM0dZqcNa8Nt4XLg7g8LdqPv_iIAwoNu8jrsKMcr72TCFOIfuRGF4GHAmDWjUDOu3_8vOF6DCSA5CGaGIm0gilcFyiCRg2DILwdQ/s1600/184442_10151345313897158_19783741_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is not a day in the life of a typical cast member, but you get the picture.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So a little while ago I wrote something over how the record card and Disney Look guidelines work, but I realized that new CPs have a lot more questions over more general things - the most popular of which is "what will a typical work day look like for me?" Though every role and location is vastly different both in when you'll work and what your responsibilities will be, today I'm going to give you a general idea how an average work day might look for you. Note, however, that this post does not guarantee completely that this is exactly how your job will be so as before, take all of this with a grain of salt!<br />
<br />
As a CP, a single shift can last anywhere from four to fourteen hours - there aren't any hour caps in place that I know of unless you've worked out that you're still an active student with Disney and therefore need time off to take your classes. However, for the purposes of this post we'll say that a typical shift for you is eight hours long. We'll also say that you have a role that only ever works mornings and early afternoons.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Arriving and Clocking In</h3>
There are two ways to clock in - through a typical wall clock or through the Cast Deployment System (CDS). Wall clocks are mostly only used for cast members who don't rotate positions (office workers, or those participating in classroom learning) or those whose rotation is directly overseen by one person (like character attendants). CDS is used for any role that have more than just a few cast members rotating through positions - attractions, Photopass and merchandise are a few roles that have CDS deploy their cast members.<br />
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No matter which method your role uses, you'll want to show up to work about fifteen minutes early at least (so if your shift starts at 8:30 AM, intend on being there at about 8:15). This is for two reasons. First, at least for CDS, the system opens up fifteen minutes before your shift starts and it's a good idea to put yourself in the queue for the first assignment of your shift as early as possible. Secondly, if you have a role where your coordinator needs to prepare anything for your shift (Photopass, this is very important for you) it's good to come in early so they know you are there and can get you out to work on time.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Rotation, rotation!</h3>
So, what is rotation? Essentially, it's a way to keep a single cast member from being stuck in one position for an entire shift (though days like this may still happen for you, especially if your location is short on people for the day). Let's say that your typical shift that we discussed earlier is at an attraction that has the basic positions of load, unload, Fastpass queue, greeter and stroller parker in that order. Your first assignment that you get at 8:30 AM is greeter. This means that when rotation goes out, you'll be bumped from your position and sent to relieve whoever is parking strollers. You'll also bring instructions to that person - "go to break", "go see your coordinator", "go to position X" or something along those lines.<br />
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Some roles have much more complicated rotation, however. Photopass, the role I had on my last program, basically assigns a cast member coming off of break the position most needing to be given a new assignment and doesn't pay any mind to any sort of pattern or cycle. This sometimes makes it difficult to know where you will go next, though it's also pretty fun.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Clocking Out and Going Home</h3>
If you're not closing a position for the day (and since we're using our example situation of someone who only works mornings and afternoons, you won't be in this post), you'll eventually be given instructions to return to your base/break room and prepare to clock out for the day. You won't be able to clock out early unless your manager says it's okay no matter what method you use to clock in and out of work. You need to still be dressed in costume when you clock out too, so if you brought a change of clothes don't put them on until after you're off the clock.<br />
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If you can't get to the wall clock/CDS computer right when your shift ends, that's okay! You have up to fifteen minutes after your shift is over to clock out before you get penalized. If your bumpout is late and no one has told you what's going on, you'll usually be extended until someone can come by and relieve you.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Bumming Around the Hub</h3>
So in the title of this post I mentioned the Hub, though I haven't gotten around to mentioning it yet. Well, I'll take the time now to explain it a little. The Hub is essentially a virtual center for all things related to being a cast member, from a place to send in requests for shift swaps and time off to a list of cast discounts to park news. You'll be able to access it and all of its features once you start training and get your login information.<br />
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One thing to keep in mind, though - some of the information available through the Hub is <b>very </b>sensitive and shouldn't ever be shard with non-cast members. This includes information that hasn't been released publicly, information on a cast member's work location available through Rostr and backstage maps. You will get into <b>serious </b>trouble if you are found breaking this rule and breaching confidentiality. Disney takes this stuff seriously.<br />
<br />
So that's about it for work-related stuff for now! I hope that this answered some of the questions you might have about how a typical shift might work for you, though of course every job is different and you may find that you will expected to do very different things. Remember - if you have any suggestions on what I might talk about next you can always contact me and I'll do my best to tackle it! Until then, have a good day!MsFrazzledFrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17231762456113199209noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744792558676684810.post-31998124626521504692014-04-08T20:11:00.002-05:002014-04-08T21:31:34.733-05:00Finding roommates for the DCP (AKA how to successfully speed date)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFDYG1GaSeyLsUU_3qH3SgGUuE6Psjo1aj8jx2sIFYmt9aq4JponX5cTx82zWmp0FREDURuRSkNymUiEE9o5Jrn5W1OSEKlkMsLJfpvuiPWWFvdZZdldivHyOXLq_ZyU43tgaOaf_HA/s1600/IMG_5556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFDYG1GaSeyLsUU_3qH3SgGUuE6Psjo1aj8jx2sIFYmt9aq4JponX5cTx82zWmp0FREDURuRSkNymUiEE9o5Jrn5W1OSEKlkMsLJfpvuiPWWFvdZZdldivHyOXLq_ZyU43tgaOaf_HA/s1600/IMG_5556.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Choose us - we have party hats!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So, you've gotten accepted into the College Program. You know your role, you've chosen your arrival date and you're starting to get a feel for the different housing complexes and know where you might want to live. There's just one problem - you need roommates but don't know where to start. Of course, you could just show up on move-in day and have housing assign you random roommates... but if you wanted to go that route you wouldn't be reading this advice over choosing roommates, right?<br />
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Random roommates have their advantages. You don't have to join the crush of new CPs all over social media essentially pimping themselves out to prospective roommates and snatching others up like hawks. With the new DORMS system, you can even state your preferences ahead of time and be matched up to those you may not have met otherwise. However, for some (like me), being able to plan housing-related stuff and get to somewhat know your roommates before heading down to Orlando is too important to be left up to chance.<br />
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Let me just give any CP, regardless of how they get their roommates, a piece of advice before I start talking more on this post's topic - you never know what someone will be like until you move in with them. I've seen both horror and success stories from people who chose their roommates, and similar results for those who let housing assign them randomly. Never let anyone tell you that one method is better than the other - it's totally and completely up to whatever is most comfortable for you.<br />
<br />
Anyway, since you're reading this post because you're looking to find roommates let's talk more about that. First of all, where do you find these other CPs looking for roommates? Well, the top three places I have seen people look is:<br />
<ol>
<li>Facebook (as in, the Facebook groups for the DCP program you're participating in)</li>
<li>Tumblr</li>
<li>The DCP board on many Disney forum sites, including DISBoards</li>
</ol>
In addition, a guy named Matt has started a whole site dedicated to finding roommates through whatever search criteria you want to use. I have a link on the right-hand side of this blog under "Helpful DCP Links".<br />
<br />
Each platform has its advantages and disadvantages, and since you are most likely familiar with how at least one of them works I won't go into too much detail there. You'll usually find a good template for a roommate survey, including stuff like your name, favorites, sleep schedule and personality, on whatever site you choose to use. It's up to you how thoroughly you want to fill these out - remember, you're publishing them in a very public fashion so be careful about what personal information you include.<br />
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Once you've published one, or if you decide to avoid doing one and just want to search for roommates, you can look around whatever site you use and find others' surveys. If they sound like a good fit, you can reach out to them and discuss potentially living together. However, keep in mind that roommate-hunting can sometimes be very competitive (yes, really!) so it's possible they'll tell you they've found some roommates already. Also keep in mind that people are also constantly looking at your own survey if you published one. You'll likely feel like a horse at an auction if a lot of people contact you.<br />
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<h3>
Questions to Ask Potential Roommates</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
Though the surveys the various roommate-hunting grounds provide do a good job of laying down the foundation for what life with a potential roommate might be like, there are still some I feel are important to ask or keep in mind when deciding if someone will get along with you:<br />
<ol>
<li>Have you ever lived away from your family before?</li>
<li>Have you ever shared a room with someone you weren't related to?</li>
<li>Are you open-minded and willing to potentially live with roommates from various backgrounds with various beliefs? (especially important if you worry that someone might discriminate against you for whatever reason)</li>
<li>Are you willing to contribute to chores around the apartment? (sounds silly, but you want to make sure that you'll have roommates that do their fair share when it comes to cleaning for inspections)</li>
<li>Do you get sick easily, or have problems being around those who are sick?</li>
<li>(for Wellness CPs) Do you feel you have any problems maintaining an alcohol-free apartment? Can you promise to respect housing's ban on alcoholic drinks and paraphernalia?</li>
<li>(for Non-Wellness CPs) Would you be comfortable living in an apartment where everyone drinks on a regular basis, or would you rather live with those who drink more rarely?</li>
<li>How important is it that you live with roommates who have a roughly similar work schedule to yours? Can you handle living in an apartment with roommates coming from and going to work at any and all areas of the day and night?</li>
<li>Are you good at sharing space and resources? Can you promise to respect the personal property of your roommates even if the property has been made available for the entire apartment to use? (especially important when it comes to things like cookware and any electronics placed in living areas)</li>
<li>Can you provide yourself with necessities like food and toiletries, and do you promise to never consume another roommate's without permission? (trust me, this issue is common in CP housing)</li>
</ol>
<h3>
Tips for Finding and Evaluating Potential Roommates</h3>
<ol>
<li>Don't assume that just because you know someone personally or are close friends with them they will make good roommates. Well, unless you've lived with them before. You never know what living with someone is like until you move in together.</li>
<li>Finding like-minded roommates is always nice, especially when it comes to things like religion, partying, drinking and cleanliness/messiness. However, you will meet many people from many different backgrounds on your program and it can't ever hurt to branch out a little and find interesting people with a different outlook on life than you!</li>
<li>Be honest and upfront about what is important to you - don't hide facts or distort them out of fear of being rejected. If you're LGBT and it is important to you to find roommates who support and respect you, make it known. If you're a devout Christian and need roommates who are willing to attend church or religious group meetings with you, make it known. If you're deathly allergic to something that you feel might inconvenience those you live with, make it known.</li>
<li>Be courteous to those who have made contact with you, even if you have no interest in living with them. Thank them for considering you and be kind if you must turn their offer down.</li>
<li>If you're making contact with a potential roommate, respect them if they don't want to live with you. It's nothing personal, and if the other person is making it so they weren't worth living with anyway.</li>
<li>If you have multiple offers from potential roommates and choose which one(s) you want to live with, don't leave those you didn't choose hanging. Tell them that you've made a decision right away so they can continue with their search.</li>
<li>Don't stress out too much if you can't find roommates that fit what you need for your program. Not choosing roommates doesn't put you at a disadvantage when you arrive in Florida - most us are moving in with people we don't know well at all.</li>
<li>Avoid choosing roommates simply because you share similar interests in things like TV, food or anything of that nature. Those make good friends, but not necessarily roommates. It's far more important to find roommates who are responsible, will pull their weight in maintaining a clean apartment for inspections and understand how important the program is to you.</li>
<li>Once you've chosen roommates, <b>COMMUNICATE! </b>Figure out house rules, work out a list of who needs to bring what and make sure you know what everyone's travel plans for the days leading up to move-in day will be.</li>
<li>Don't be afraid to say "no" to rooming with someone. If you don't feel you'll be a good fit with them it's not worth it to force it.</li>
</ol>
<h3>
Important Items to Ask About</h3>
Depending on how many roommates you want to live with, there may be many people all trying to bring the same thing. This can get both expensive and inconvenient as you don't have unlimited space to store items that aren't needed. This is especially important if a majority of you are arriving alone and can't send extra things back home with your travel companions that easily. In my opinion, roommates should always coordinate over who will bring what for these items:<br />
<ol>
<li>TV for the living room (since these are usually larger than TVs in bedrooms) - and don't forget the cable to hook into the cable outlet on the wall!</li>
<li>DVD/Blu-Ray player</li>
<li>Kitchen appliances</li>
<li>Router</li>
<li>Video game consoles (if most of you want to game)</li>
<li>Large furniture pieces not intended for the bedroom or bathroom</li>
</ol>
<h3>
Warnings</h3>
<ol>
<li>Always, always, <b>always </b>be careful about what you post online. Only give contact information to someone once you've established they're a real person and honest about their identity. If someone is being too pushy to get private info out of you stop responding immediately and block them if necessary. You might think I'm being paranoid but I'm not - I've actually seen things like this happen before.</li>
<li>Avoid harassing a potential roommate - if you've contacted them and they haven't responded give them time to read your message. It's fine to remind them to let you know when they have reached a decision, but don't force them to decide more quickly than is comfortable for them.</li>
<li>While on your program, if at any time a roommate becomes aggressive or dangerous in any sense of the word report them to housing <b>immediately.</b> Don't wait until something happens to make your concerns known.</li>
</ol>
That about wraps it up for this post! If you're still looking for roommates or are just about to begin your search I hope it helps you in some way. If you have any questions or want to suggest a topic for me tackle next I'm always listening on this blog and on Twitter. Have a great evening!MsFrazzledFrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17231762456113199209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744792558676684810.post-86182610552202478912014-04-06T18:00:00.000-05:002014-04-06T19:08:28.049-05:00History time: the Disney College Program<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://disneyadventureblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/960121_142006435983560_364020581_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://disneyadventureblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/960121_142006435983560_364020581_n.jpg" height="400" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: disneyadventureblog.wordpress.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Hey all! So this post will be a slight departure from my usual posts - instead of giving advice today, I'm going to be giving a bit of a history lesson over the Disney College Program! I find that many CPs don't know much about how the program came to be or how long it's been around, and even though this information isn't vital to your program it's always interesting to know. However, if this doesn't interest you then never fear - I'll go back to posting advice over the program of today soon. :)<br />
<br />
Anyway, let's go back! Back to... would you believe it... 1981! Yes, the program was started with just 200 college students in 1981 as <b>The Magic Kingdom College Program</b>, or MKCP. Since the Magic Kingdom was the only park open at the time (Epcot, or EPCOT Center, wouldn't open until the following year), this name makes sense. Rather than having the housing we know today, however, participants stayed in a mobile home park called the <b>Snow White Village Campground</b>, located about a 15 minute drive from the Magic Kingdom on a road fittingly called Seven Dwarfs Lane. Here are a few images of what the park looked like:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://disneyadventureblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/253273_142006259316911_481172993_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://disneyadventureblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/253273_142006259316911_481172993_n.jpg" height="400" width="233" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: disneyadventureblog.wordpress.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://static.panoramio.com/photos/large/32229727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://static.panoramio.com/photos/large/32229727.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: panoramio.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://25.media.tumblr.com/d368b5650a8baa2ce1c72d491b07902a/tumblr_mm7cmpzWCn1s9wbxpo1_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/d368b5650a8baa2ce1c72d491b07902a/tumblr_mm7cmpzWCn1s9wbxpo1_1280.jpg" height="325" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: thedcpblog.tumblr.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Just like today CPs were transported to work, although the buses looked quite different from the ones we're used to:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://disneyadventureblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/945345_142006399316897_620856757_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://disneyadventureblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/945345_142006399316897_620856757_n.jpg" height="317" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: disneyadventureblog.wordpress.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Although graduation for CPs nowadays is a very simple (and optional) affair that usually includes food, getting free stuff and saying goodbye to Mickey and the gang, it used to be a more formal affair that included a dance (Fall participants still have a sort of formal, however):<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://disneyadventureblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/936515_142006312650239_299886928_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://disneyadventureblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/936515_142006312650239_299886928_n.jpg" height="253" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: disneyadventureblog.wordpress.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Many thanks to the Disney Adventure Blog, who had <a href="http://disneyadventureblog.wordpress.com/2013/07/23/the-disney-college-program-and-its-history/" target="_blank">a fantastic post</a> over the early days of the College Program (and most of the images I used for this lesson). If you want to read more information, head right on over there! As for whatever happened to the Snow White Village, well, I'm not in Florida to visit the site myself yet but I had manage to snag this Google Maps image of what became of the entrance to the campground circa 2011:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5dCEI14tlX-yqp-3-IkPqXVzQzulWYo3haQ5FSxkRYUyEZNe8eD8BUxfwaZKP_CJ1saDy3gJp7e2fXbaAl58YCLj_RekQrNi7R1gGeQqrHcAYE6y4Rivd46Fm2Ip1AtQAhfU8fWUZQ/s1600/snowwhite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5dCEI14tlX-yqp-3-IkPqXVzQzulWYo3haQ5FSxkRYUyEZNe8eD8BUxfwaZKP_CJ1saDy3gJp7e2fXbaAl58YCLj_RekQrNi7R1gGeQqrHcAYE6y4Rivd46Fm2Ip1AtQAhfU8fWUZQ/s1600/snowwhite.jpg" height="260" width="640" /></a> </div>
From this image, it looks as though the land was eventually used as another place for tourists to stay during their vacation but it has long since been abandoned. However, since this is so far out-of-date it's possible that something has been constructed here since then - I hope to visit and see for myself when my program starts.<br />
<br />
Now, the program was rapidly expanding at this point as CPs were also working at Epcot (and the program, by the way, was renamed <b>The Walt Disney World College Program </b>in 1982 after it opened). So, in 1987 all CPs were moved much closer to property into more permanent housing called Vista Way Apartments... though I'm sure you've never heard of them, right?<br />
<br />
The 1990s brought further expansion as this is when The Walt Disney World Resort hit its major growth spurt (hey, that was how the economy was then). The Commons was the first additional complex to built in 1998 and was originally reserved for international students (though it has recently opened up to everyone). Chatham Square soon followed in 2002, and Patterson Court in 2008. (Thanks are due for Lauren, who has <a href="http://disneydays2012.tumblr.com/post/47490582847/disney-housing" target="_blank">a post</a> on her Tumblr about the opening years for each complex.)<br />
<br />
Over at Disneyland, offerings for college students may or may not have also been around as long as those at WDW (I haven't managed to find any good information over it). However, what I do know is that in 2004 Disney World and Disneyland both had a College Program that was promoted under the same umbrella as the. <b>Disney Theme Parks and Resorts College Program</b>. Nowadays we simply call it the <b>Disney College Program</b>. <br />
<br />
As of today no definite numbers for how many apply and how many participate are available, despite what a lot of people will tell you. However, it's estimated that at least 8,000 students are involved each year, which comes out to about 4,000 for each cycle (Fall/FA or Spring/SA). That's where we all come in! We are part of that now-massive number participating in a program that is about 33 years old as of this post.<br />
<br />
Well, if you ever wanted to know more about the DCP from a historical standpoint I hope this was fun for you! If not... well, I hope you at least enjoyed reading it over. I'll be sure to post a follow-up when I get to Florida and visit the old campground, but until then... have a great day!MsFrazzledFrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17231762456113199209noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744792558676684810.post-36476843162594083642014-04-04T11:13:00.000-05:002014-04-04T11:13:01.523-05:00The DCP bucket list (and how to make yours too!)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy6-3j8dQlQqZ0vkmObeBT101uJhK-qww6hCqU__lenj9xBEPuSl8jIXJyY9gkeDq47KZYv3BzEo-7Ulk2GgQ9h6AilK7uUStGQPJUtvBamX9_qsHNnTSA0G7sxWZjky9iR4lTWvnQfw/s1600/1005592_10151715712117158_171381990_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy6-3j8dQlQqZ0vkmObeBT101uJhK-qww6hCqU__lenj9xBEPuSl8jIXJyY9gkeDq47KZYv3BzEo-7Ulk2GgQ9h6AilK7uUStGQPJUtvBamX9_qsHNnTSA0G7sxWZjky9iR4lTWvnQfw/s1600/1005592_10151715712117158_171381990_n.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mission Get in a Parade was a success!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Every CP's favorite pastime before actually starting their program is to make a bucket list (for those of you who somehow don't know what that is, it's essentially a list of things that someone wants to do or experience on his or her program). These bucket lists can range from very short and simple to very long and full of different things to do and are completely unique to the person that wrote it. However, some people may not be sure where to start in making one, especially if they've never been to Disney World before. Never fear! Today I'll help you figure out how to build the perfect list for you, from finding things to do to prioritizing them on your list.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Where do I start?</h3>
If you've never been to Disney World you're likely only found out about different Disney-related stuff through friends, other blogs, CPs, etc. This is a good way to learn about some things, but there are some that you might want to put on our own bucket list that no one you know has done before - for example, you love fishing but never knew that Disney has fishing excursions because no one has ever said anything about that to you. Take time to do research! Read guidebooks (your local library will likely have at least one, and you can always purchase copies as well), check Disney's official site, do Google searches... you'll find all sorts of things you never knew you could do before!<br />
<br />
<h3>
Too many things on the list, not enough time!</h3>
If you feel that your list is too long, take a closer look at what you've included. Are you sure you can do some of the things you put down? Maybe some of them aren't really possible (for example, you probably aren't going to convince Disney to let you and a bunch of your CM friends perform a flash mob routine in the middle of Magic Kingdom) or will be too expensive for you to complete. There are plenty of fun things to do that are within your grasp - don't get upset if you have to give up on some of them!<br />
<br />
<h3>
Tips for building your list</h3>
<ol>
<li><b>Check to make sure that there aren't any laws or rules that will prevent you from doing something.</b> For example, having a beach party with alcohol may sound like fun but Florida likely has a law about consuming it in public (not to mention that most beaches have a ban on glass bottles and the like anyway).</li>
<li><b>Don't let others make you feel that you "have" to add something to a list.</b> Dole Whip and giant turkey legs are pretty iconic Disney snacks but if you're not interested in trying them, don't be forced into changing your mind because you feel your list will be "incomplete" otherwise.</li>
<li><b>This list is about you!</b> Your apartment may also want to put together a list of things to do together but your bucket list is about what you personally want to do. Who cares if your roommates don't want to do some of the things on your list? You can find other people who will!</li>
<li><b>Make sure that whatever you want to do is still being offered. </b>On my last program I had <a href="https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/epcot/leave-a-legacy/" target="_blank">Leave a Legacy</a> on my bucket list... but little did I know that it hasn't been offered since 2007 (only one year after my first visit to WDW!). You don't want disappointments like that!</li>
<li><b>Only put things down that you're willing to commit to doing. </b>Yes, we only do bucket lists for fun and it's not a necessary part of our program - but why have a long list of things you don't really want to do?</li>
</ol>
<h3>
My bucket list</h3>
I am not one for making bucket lists. I tried on my last program then realized that I had done pretty much everything that I wanted to do already (or, as in the case with Leave a Legacy, the things I wanted to do were no longer possible). However, for this program I have a better knowledge of what Disney and the central Florida area have to offer so I feel I can make a good one this time. I'll also add this as a separate page on my blog that you can access from the menu above, so I can tick things off as I do them!<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Meet a rare Disney character at least once and take a photo with him or her. Autograph is optional as some characters can't sign their names.</li>
<li>Eat in every pavilion in Epcot, not including The American Adventure.</li>
<li>Buy something from every pavilion in Epcot, not including The American Adventure. </li>
<li>Try to "Drink Around the World".</li>
<li>Go to the beach. This beach must be somewhere other than Cocoa Beach (I love Cocoa Beach but I want to see what other beaches and beach towns look like!)</li>
<li>Volunteer for Give Kids the World.</li>
<li>Visit the Asian Market at least once.</li>
<li>Visit every resort that the CP bus goes to, and either eat something or buy something unique to each resort.</li>
<li>Visit Blizzard Beach. (I went to a CP pool party last spring at Typhoon Lagoon so I have technically been there!)</li>
<li>Go back to DisneyQuest.</li>
<li>See a show at the House of Blues. This does not include cast member nights on Sunday.</li>
<li>Go to Jellyrolls at the Boardwalk Resort.</li>
<li>Go bowling at Splitsville again. Food must be bought while there.</li>
<li>Walk out on the balconies on the upper floors of the Contemporary Resort. This can be at any time of day or night.</li>
<li>Ride the Magic Kingdom monorail and the Epcot monorail around for entire circuit without getting off.</li>
<li>Ride the new Mine Train coaster at Magic Kingdom when it opens (assuming that it will open between now and January)</li>
<li>Visit the new expansion to the Wizarding World at Universal when it opens.</li>
<li>Tackle the Kitchen Sink once again.</li>
<li>Ride a surrey bike with either my roommates or my friends.</li>
<li>Take a selfie with a character. Any character will count as long as they fit in the frame with me.</li>
<li>Attend Dapper Day if possible.</li>
<li>Visit Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Costume required.</li>
<li>Meet an ICP or CRP from another country (preferably from another continent) while they're not at work.</li>
<li>Go on a backstage tour. Since I've already been on Behind the Seeds before, that tour will not count towards this.</li>
<li>Become the Rebel Spy on Star Tours once again (I was chosen once, which was awesome!)</li>
<li>Walk to Publix for groceries at least once (assuming that I end up living in either Patterson or Chatham, otherwise this entry doesn't count).</li>
<li>Visit two of the non-Disney restaurants near housing - <a href="http://www.souplantation.com/locations/restaurant.aspx?store_id=116&store_name=Lake_Buena_Vista" target="_blank">Sweet Tomatoes</a> is at the top of my list!</li>
<li>Go to a mall at least three times. Something substantial like a dress, jacket, pair of shorts, swimsuit, etc. must be bought each time. The three visits don't have to all be at the same place.</li>
<li>Hit all four parks in one day. In each park, at least three rides (no shows allowed) must be gone on. Something must also be bought in each park - either some merchandise or food - that is unique to each one.</li>
<li>Take every transportation method offered to leave Magic Kingdom - the resort boats, the buses, the monorail and the ferry. These don't all need to be done the same day.</li>
<li>Take a photo of me and anyone else I am with at the time while visiting every resort. If the resort has a main building the photo must be taken in there.</li>
<li>See at least five live entertainment shows (meaning the street performers) at Epcot.</li>
<li>See the dancers and DJ in Asia (Animal Kingdom).</li>
<li>Use the Photopass-enabled photo booth in the Space Mountain arcade at least three times. (Remember that you must pay for the photos in order to get them on your card.)</li>
<li>Eat at California Grill and every other restaurant on my list of places I want to visit from an earlier post.</li>
<li>See La Nouba again, or at least purchase something from the gift shop.</li>
<li>Eat every sandwich on Earl of Sandwich's menu, except for sandwiches containing ingredients I can't eat.</li>
<li>See the Voices of Liberty and record their entire performance.</li>
<li>Give advice to a family of strangers while waiting in line for something. This may also go along with line babysitting (if you don't know what that is, read my "CP etiquette" post).</li>
<li>Send a present home for my mother, father and sister on their respective birthdays. These do not have to be Disney-related nor do they have to be bought on Disney property.</li>
<li>See the Candlelight Processional. Alternatively, get into the cast member choir and perform in the Candlelight Processional!</li>
<li>Get a video of a face character speaking to one of my friends back home. This can be for a birthday, other life event, just to say hi, etc.</li>
<li>Manage to see or meet a celebrity while on the program. This can be done while working or not working, but I must not be actively seeking them out because that's like stalking and its creepy.</li>
<li>Have at least two family dinners with my roommates. They can either be at restaurants or at home, but all roommates must be present for this to count.</li>
<li>Visit a park or parks one day with a strict $20 budget. This budget is for any expense like food, souvenirs, etc. This does not include gas charges.</li>
<li>Buy a replacement PS3 for my dead unit. This unit must be bought new.</li>
<li>Buy a birthday gift for each of my roommates who has a birthday during the program.</li>
<li>If someone I know well comes to visit while I'm on my program, I must see them at least once. If possible, I must take an entire day off.</li>
<li>I must take a photo with the Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom at night. Since it closes early, the only times this is possible is during the winter months when the sun goes down early.</li>
<li>I must drink every soda at Club Cool whenever I visit Epcot. No exceptions. This includes Beverly.</li>
</ol>
MsFrazzledFrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17231762456113199209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744792558676684810.post-53180454938663320542014-04-03T11:00:00.000-05:002014-04-03T11:00:01.007-05:00When your money goes to Wonderland - how to make and keep a budget (sort of)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI64zqoEMZFuwSRheX-HJvKZQDOGSud0-GrTBZgddAkY4x16n_yFFRxsZI8W9aiW0xgOCAQf8NYpcXt4vzylHT4aEILf7I_2XTKeSIqZG_4EFsc7XvTOWT6OKG93hdcwmxwVNb6sG2_Q/s1600/424079_10151349980887158_479876429_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI64zqoEMZFuwSRheX-HJvKZQDOGSud0-GrTBZgddAkY4x16n_yFFRxsZI8W9aiW0xgOCAQf8NYpcXt4vzylHT4aEILf7I_2XTKeSIqZG_4EFsc7XvTOWT6OKG93hdcwmxwVNb6sG2_Q/s1600/424079_10151349980887158_479876429_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Must not buy... must not buy...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This will not be your traditional budget talk. Why? Well, first of all I'm not a very big budget person myself. I'll make plans to save money for larger purchases, but from month to month I usually just follow a general philosophy of purchasing things I need at the moment and reminding myself that I can buy things I want later. So how will this post work? Well, consider this post a bit of a way to coach yourself through grocery shopping, playing in the parks and mall trips without breaking your bank.<br />
<br />
<h3>
The Steps to Happiness</h3>
<ol>
<li>Identify what is most important to you - whether it be food, clothing, services like concerts or shows, your car, etc. This does not include basics like groceries. If it's not important to you, don't get pressured into paying for it later.</li>
<li>Figure out how much money you need to <b>live </b>each month. This includes groceries, toiletries, gas for your car (if you have one) and any bills you may pay. You'll need to make sure you have this put aside by the time you need to pay each week/month.</li>
<li>If you also want to give part of each paycheck to savings, work that out with your bank right now. I'm not a banker and am really stupid when it comes to bank-related stuff so I can't help you there.</li>
<li>Make a plan on how often you might go out to eat, go clubbing, take road trips, see shows, go to the mall,etc. Most of you probably already have bucket lists - identify how much certain things will cost you and save that money. Don't let it cut into your living expenses, ever.</li>
<li>If you find yourself coming up short each month, look at your spending again and cut back on spending for things that aren't essential.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<h3>
The Tips of Happiness </h3>
I also have some tips for you:<br />
<ol>
<li> It takes money to go home, whether you're driving or flying. Get that
money on hand right away, don't wait until the last minute to save it
all up.</li>
<li>When going shopping in the Disney stores, always keep that parenting
advice for children in mind: if you feel you want something, leave it
behind and only come back to get it later on or the next day if you
still think about it. This will keep you from buying things on impulse
that you don't need or don't want.</li>
<li>Don't let the cast member discounts lure you into a false sense of security - our discounts are great, especially around the holiday season, but Disney merch is still incredibly expensive at times and you need to stay aware of that.</li>
<li>No one should ever pressure you into buying something you don't want or taking you someplace you don't want to go if it costs too much money. We are all poor - even those who make good money as CPs can't afford to spend recklessly and no one should ever put you down for being responsible. </li>
<li>Don't go crazy with cooking for your roommates unless they're willing to return the favor - cooking for many people can get more expensive instead of cooking for one, and you shouldn't spend extra just to feed those who won't compensate you whether it be in cash or their own cooking. Sounds selfish, but you need to make sure you have enough money for yourself first.</li>
<li>If you go down to the program saying "I'm going to save money to take home"... stick to that plan! A lot of people will pull the "this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" card on you and they're right, there are a lot of things you can do in central Florida that you probably won't get the chance to do again. However, if you want or need to save for something actually do it. Consistently.</li>
<li>Don't drink or gamble away your money. Duh, right? Well, depending on the context you're in you might not even notice you're doing it - so be careful!</li>
<li>Save for special events! Fall CPs are in WDW for events like the Food and Wine Festival, Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween party and Christmas/New Year's festivities among others. Spring doesn't get quite as much but if Disney really does make a habit of having an annual 24-hour day there's that. Some of these events are hard-ticket, meaning that you have to buy a special ticket and CANNOT use your ID or main gate to get in! And don't even try and sneak in because that's grounds for termination if your manager sees fit or you cause problems.</li>
<li>Utilize the Trading Post on Facebook (the link is on the bar to the right), Cast Connection and the Disney outlet store in the outdoor mall near the Commons for good deals on merch. But once again, don't go crazy buying things you don't need. Go in with a game plan.</li>
<li>Pin trading is fun, but pins are pricy. My roommates usually bought pins in bulk off of eBay and traded them with each other's work lanyards and guests in order to get the collection they wanted.</li>
</ol>
Most of all, always check up on your bank account. If you have a bank that isn't easily found in the WDW area use online banking to read up on your statements and ensure that everything adds up. You don't want to start spending money you don't have.<br />
<br />
So that's it for budgeting - for now! If you have any questions, want more information or want me to discuss something else I'm always willing to take your suggestions on Twitter and on this blog itself. Have a great day!MsFrazzledFrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17231762456113199209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744792558676684810.post-39319726986843074642014-04-02T11:19:00.000-05:002014-04-02T11:19:19.056-05:00CP etiquette (AKA how to not annoy people while out and about)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEU8MzjEJOZxkfowUwj_TXLAbkt3UXmAS5WulLxxDYMmhzcpjSfu31YwCFPyx_u27XbhlAOl5MhbSZzKf8xXsy39deojL1ekqujr5Raa3HLNmtlCi4vCO9qzmgeftzWs0jks9MYyYiA/s1600/270239_10151345312952158_1054150922_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEU8MzjEJOZxkfowUwj_TXLAbkt3UXmAS5WulLxxDYMmhzcpjSfu31YwCFPyx_u27XbhlAOl5MhbSZzKf8xXsy39deojL1ekqujr5Raa3HLNmtlCi4vCO9qzmgeftzWs0jks9MYyYiA/s1600/270239_10151345312952158_1054150922_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Empty seats on a CP bus? Never happens!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Being a CP is fun. Being a CP is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Being a CP also comes with quite a few stigmas, and any alum will agree that there will be those in WDW - your workplace, your favorite park, etc. - who won't want you around. Don't take it personally, there are many reasons why they won't and there's not much you can do to change their minds.<br />
<br />
However, trying to break the CP stereotype - mainly that CPs are lazy, overly wild and indulgent, and cause problems for guests - is always a good thing to do. We want to ensure that we can have fun while ensuring that future programs will be treated fairly and respectfully. And isn't it somewhat fun to break someone's misconception of you anyway?<br />
<br />
This post will be a bit large, as I'm writing down some unofficial "CP etiquette" that might be useful for you to know no matter where you are, so if there's any particular section you want to read more closely just scroll (or CRTL+F to find) until you come across it. And if any alumni would like to add their own etiquette tips feel free to contact me and I'll add them!<br />
<br />
<h3>
While At Home</h3>
<ol>
<li>You don't have to be a mouse, no one is making you stay silent at night and being quiet doesn't mean you can't have fun. However, remember that you're in an apartment with very little soundproofing and everyone else has a different schedule from you. If you need to be noisy at night, consider going to a common area like the pool or out to a club or other public place.</li>
<li>Respect your neighbors' complaints if something you've been doing is bothering them. You don't have to dumbly go along with whatever they say but at least try to see the situation from their eyes.</li>
<li>When doing laundry in a public laundromat, be prompt when it comes to removing laundry. Not everyone has time to wait for you to come and remove it themselves is they need laundry done right away. If someone else moves your laundry for you, it's nothing personal.</li>
<li>That being said, try to treat others' laundry with respect if you must remove them. Don't put them anywhere dirty. If you have a dollar to spare maybe even consider putting their clothes in the dryer if they still need drying as well - just make sure to tell them where their clothes went!</li>
<li>Be nice to the security guards. If they need to see your ID up close don't get fussy with them - they are only doing their job.</li>
<li>Be nice to the maintenance workers even if they aren't nice to you - treat them as you would any guest at work. It doesn't help you to be snippy if they're being rude.</li>
<li>Drive slowly around the complexes' parking lots. There's a lot of foot traffic from CPs going to and from work, their car, friends' apartments, etc.</li>
<li>If you see someone struggling with groceries (especially if they obviously don't have a car), offer to help them! I had a few CPs help me with groceries on my program and it was so nice that they offered.</li>
<li>Respect your roommates. I've already written a more in-depth post about living with them so check there if you want to learn more :)</li>
<li>When family comes to visit any of your roommates or neighbors, be courteous and give them their space.</li>
<li>The pools can be small, so make sure that anyone who wants to use it gets the chance to. Same for the lounge chairs.</li>
<li>If you know your neighbors and one of them gets a package left outside their door, it might be nice of you to keep it safely inside your own apartment and give it to them when they get home. Just make sure they, well, know you :P</li>
</ol>
<h3>
While On the Bus</h3>
<ol>
<li>If it's late or very early, please respect those CPs who want to nap or ride the bus in peace. And never ever talk loudly on purpose just because you see someone sleeping. I've seen it happen before and it's extremely rude, not to mention annoying for everyone else on the bus.</li>
<li>Stretching out across a few chairs is fine if you're on an uncrowded bus, but if not let someone sit in the seats with you. And don't pretend to sleep just so you don't have to move.</li>
<li>If you haven't worked that day and you're riding a full bus, do the respectful thing and offer your seat to someone who's worked. You may be tired but I can tell you that working CP is probably even more tired.</li>
<li>On that same token, don't try to vilify other CPs because you think they didn't work that day and are sitting down. Character performers go to and from work in street clothes, and anyone can change out of their costume after their shift if they desire. If they really didn't work, sure, they might be being rude - but they're not worth wasting your energy on.</li>
<li>If it's closing time at the park you're visiting for the day, try escaping to a resort that has a CP bus route without parks on it. Not only will they be less crowded with CPs, but you'll also be allowing those who have worked a better chance of getting on a bus faster back at the park.</li>
<li>Be respectful to the driver. Don't impair their ability to focus or drive. If the bus breaks down, don't harass them when they're calling for help. Be understanding and flexible if the bus doesn't have air conditioning, windows that can be opened, etc. The driver didn't choose to drive that bus.</li>
<li>Feel free to engage fellow bus riders in conversation, but if they don't want to talk don't force them into it.</li>
<li>When getting off of a bus, don't push past people who are also trying to get off. You'll all be out eventually and being impatient doesn't help you get off faster.</li>
<li>Don't mess with a sleeping CP on a bus unless you feel they may be missing their stop. Even then, wake them gently.</li>
<li>Be considerate about how much you bring on a bus with you - there are very few situations where you'd need something as large as a suitcase, for example.</li>
<li>Don't chase the buses. Not only will the bus driver probably not stop for you but even if he does, you're not being fair to those who were able to be there on time.</li>
<li>Never tell a bus driver to wait for you at a stop while you get off and go do something. This happens relatively often on the J bus (DAK) route because it stops at costuming. The driver needs to stick to a schedule and everyone else on that bus has somewhere to be. Accept that you will simply have to catch the next bus and let it go on its way.</li>
</ol>
<h3>
While At Work</h3>
<ol>
<li>If you get an assignment you don't like, don't complain. You are needed to go and do something that your manager has deemed important, and it's not very adult to throw a fit about it.</li>
<li>Don't take extra time on your break unless you absolutely need to. And there are very few cases where you'll need to do it.</li>
<li>Work hard. You don't have to be a goody-two-shoes, a brown-noser or an overachiever but you didn't travel all the way to Florida to not work when you agreed to do just that.</li>
<li>Accept that some of your coworkers may not want to get too friendly with CPs - or even openly dislike them - and that there may be nothing you can do to convince them otherwise. However, don't take this as an excuse to treat them rudely.</li>
<li> On the other hand, some of your coworkers (especially the ones closer to your age) may really want to be your friend. However, remember that you must act professional around them while at work.</li>
<li>Thank your coordinators, character captains, managers and whoever else for their hard work. They sometimes have to run themselves ragged keeping everything in their area in check even if they don't seem to be.</li>
<li>Take criticism in a mature manner if you get it. Even if you think it's undeserved, taking it too personally doesn't help you prove anyone wrong at all.</li>
<li>If you don't get recognized for working hard, whether through Four Keys Cards or otherwise, don't throw a fit. Your work is appreciated even it's not formally acknowledged.</li>
<li>On your last day of work, be sure to thank everyone for working with you on your program. Bringing food is nice if your work location allows it, but it's not necessary.</li>
</ol>
<h3>
While Playing in the Parks</h3>
<ol>
<li>Being a CM doesn't net you any special favors. No worker is required to let you through Fastpass lines without a pass, access to VIP seating for shows, free food or merchandise or magical moments. Insisting that someone do this will just make them very annoyed with you!</li>
<li>Be courteous of other guests. They may not have that much time to explore the parks before they have to go home and should be given the chance to do just that.</li>
<li>Don't announce to anyone listening that you work for Disney. This can make some guests veeeeery uncomfortable as they might feel that you are detracting from their vacation or get resentful because they know that you got into the park for free when they had to pay. You don't have to keep it a secret either, just don't make a show of it.</li>
<li>Don't visibly wear your IDs, CM or housing, while in the parks. First of all, it's not allowed. Second of all, it makes it obvious that you are a cast member and a CP. If a worker tells you to put it away, do so politely.</li>
<li>You can't go backstage as a guest. Don't even try - it disrespectful to those that are working, disruptive, against the rules and confusing to guests who see who they think is another guest going into a cast member-only area.</li>
<li>Watch your language. You're around a lot of small children whose parents may or may not want them hearing swearing, derogatory language or dirty humor and they will not appreciate you doing it at all.</li>
<li>Don't get in the way of another cast member doing their job. If the CM is helping a family of guests find a bathroom, for instance, it's inappropriate to jump in the conversation and offer to help them out - unless the CM doesn't know, that is.</li>
<li>Leave the park when it closes. Just because you're a cast member doesn't mean you'll be allowed to stay someplace as long as you want.</li>
<li>Cast members can't do Extra Magic Hours. Period. Don't try to make a cast member overlook this fact.</li>
<li>Discounts do not apply to all things you can purchase in a park. If a cast member says you can't use your discount, respect that and move on. If asking if a place offers a discount, be polite. </li>
</ol>
<h3>
When Meeting a Character</h3>
<ol>
<li>Sometimes, characters will need to go away for a short while even if you've just gotten to the front of the line. The attendants will not make an exception for you no matter how hard you beg.</li>
<li>NEVER HIT A CHARACTER! Even if you think you're just playing around, the character might not appreciate it.</li>
<li>Even if you don't want Photopass some photographers will give you a card anyway. Don't freak out on them. Just throw the card away when you leave if you really don't want it.</li>
<li>Don't insist on the characters performing "magical moments" for you. If you don't know what I'm talking about this probably doesn't apply to you, but if you do... just remember that the characters are not robots. If they don't feel like performing a particular action for you you need to respect that.</li>
<li>If you know a friend the character is hanging out with at that particular moment, don't harass them or break character integrity. EVER. They'll probably have talked to you before about what they and their character friend find acceptable and unacceptable things to say, but even if they don't be reasonable.</li>
<li>Don't insist on taking too much time with a character. We're all adults, even when we're meeting one of our favorite characters we know that there is probably a child somewhere in line who will get even more fulfillment out of seeing them than we will. Five minutes is quite enough time for several photos, a bit of play with the character and autographs. Most of the time you won't even get to stay for five minutes.</li>
<li>When it's time to leave the meet-and-greet area, LEAVE. Don't dawdle. The character has said goodbye to you and is ready to meet the next family in line.</li>
<li>It's okay to have fun with a character! Kisses, hugs, dances and other games are all common things to do. However, if a character doesn't want to play they just don't. Come back another day and they may be in a better mood!</li>
<li>One of my favorite things to do while waiting for characters is play "line babysitter" - where I talk to a family with small children and get to talk to the kids about their day. Sometimes the parents appreciate having the kids occupied by something else and enjoy the fact that their children are being social. However, there are also those parents who might not like them talking to a complete stranger, even if you don't look threatening, and don't want to be bothered. Always gauge the parents' reactions before you start chatting with the kids.</li>
<li>Men (and women), you can't kiss face characters on the cheek. They may kiss you, but you can't do it yourself. And don't insist that they do it for you because they may not want to.</li>
</ol>
<h3>
While Traveling Around Florida</h3>
<ol>
<li>Not everyone is young or a tourist. Be kind to the older locals, especially if you go to the beach (why beach? Because a lot of them are located near small towns that likely have a lot of older folks out and about during the day).</li>
<li>Share the road. Be considerate of your fellow drivers. Drive safely.</li>
<li>When visiting the grocery store/Walmart/Target, don't pull stunts like putting people into your cart, running or messing up store shelves. Act like an adult - you're there for food and other necessities, not to blow off steam.</li>
<li>Respect the workers on toll roads. If you didn't want to pay tolls, you would've found ways around the plaza. (Meaning other roads, not blasting through without paying.)</li>
<li>Beaches have many rules - make sure you know them all. Don't litter. Don't break glass. If you bring food with you clean it up. Don't throw things in the water.</li>
</ol>
<br />
Well, there is my super-long list of all things politeness. Again, if any alums out there have any tips to add I'd love to hear them! It's always good to hear different perspectives on an issue. MsFrazzledFrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17231762456113199209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744792558676684810.post-17893076609344948642014-04-01T12:47:00.000-05:002014-04-01T12:47:04.577-05:00How to succeed at your job by really trying - the point system and Disney Look<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://a.abcnews.com/images/Travel/abc_disney_costumes_130411_wg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://a.abcnews.com/images/Travel/abc_disney_costumes_130411_wg.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: abcnews.go.com</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One thing that scares new CPs more than anything is by worrying about how their new workplace will be - especially since Disney is known for its strict rules both in personal appearance and behavior. Aside from housing and roommate selection, people ask about what work will be like for them the most often. Today I'll try my best to explain how things such as the point system and the Disney Look work.<br />
<br />
<b>Note: </b>Since every role is different (and even every location is different as they are headed by different managers), these are only general guidelines. My word is not to be taken as official advice on your particular role or job location.<br />
<br />
<h3>
The Point System</h3>
From what I've heard a lot of large companies have some sort of disciplinary point system in place - if you've dealt with one before, you know something about how Disney's will work. Though I don't want to get into the particulars of the system as I don't remember how everything works right off hand (and you can find it both on the Hub once you gain access and on certain blogs such as <a href="http://realdcp.blogspot.com/2014/03/point-system-reprimands.html" target="_blank">here</a>), I can give a general overview of how everything works.<br />
<br />
Essentially, there are about three categories you can get points in - attendance, Disney Look and safety. Attendance will probably be your biggest trouble unless you work in attractions and have more of a focus on safety. You can receive points on your record in attendance for clocking in or out late, showing up to work late, calling in sick, being absent without calling in (commonly referred to as "no-call no-show") or getting an ROS (release of shift - you're getting off work early by your own request though your managers may not be able to spare you). You can receive points on your record in Disney Look for showing up to work with your costume worn wrong, incompletely dressed, with visible and uncovered tattoos or banned piercings or with unkempt/brightly dyed hair. Lastly, you can receive points on your record in safety for behaving in a way that is seen to endanger yourself of those around you (or failing to perform required tasks on an attraction if that's your role).<br />
<br />
Depending on the nature of the offense, you'll receive anywhere from half a point to a full reprimand. (Some particularly bad violations can get you fired on the spot as well.) Three points on any particular category in three months also equal a reprimand, as do six points in six months. If you get three reprimands, then upon getting your fourth reprimand you will be terminated from the program and sent home immediately. You will also be kicked out of your apartment if you live in CP housing. In my experience, getting to this point would require a lot of either outright disregard for the rules on your part or a lack of self-control so don't let this whole thing worry you. Just follow the rules, and if you have a question over something speak to your managers. They're there to help.<br />
<br />
Here are a few tips I've come up with from my last program, though again these should be taken with a grain of salt as all work locations are different:<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Never stay home from work without calling in.</b> You get a point either way, but your record card reflects whether you bothered to call in or not. If you are somehow unable to speak, get someone to call Deployment for you (though you should really call yourself). If you "no-call no-show" often enough you may get even bigger penalties on your record card, so be wary.</li>
<li><b>Even if you feel a little under the weather, try to go to work anyway.</b> We like to fool ourselves into feeling sicker than we are if we know that we can stay home when we're sick. Don't psych yourself out like that - if you're only feeling a bit sick you should be fine at work. Just don't push yourself too hard. That being said...</li>
<li><b>If you feel that you can't possibly make it through an entire shift, call in - don't go and then ROS.</b> Even if you don't get points on your record, think of this - if you call in your managers can find someone to cover your entire shift a few hours ahead of time, but if you come to work and then abruptly leave early they have to scramble to find someone to cover what's left of your shift within minutes. This isn't so much of a problem for larger roles like merchandise, but if you're in a small role (ex. anything in Entertainment) you could really cause problems.</li>
<li><b>You agreed to the Disney Look guidelines during the interview process - don't blame management if you violate them.</b> Yes, some managers are much stricter than others - but all follow the same Disney Look guidelines and have to enforce it in the people they oversee. If you're told to change something or are penalized for violating it, it's nothing personal.</li>
<li><b>Always be conscious of your behavior while on stage. </b>Avoid swearing, slouching, talking excessively to your coworkers (though little conversations when you're not busy are fine - cast members are social after all), yawning (if you can help it), being irritable with guests, being rude or unhelpful or engaging in unsafe behavior. You'll be given clear instruction on what your managers find unacceptable behavior - and if you have a question, ask!</li>
<li><b>Be wary on social media. </b>Whether you agree that businesses should be able to monitor social media sites and punish workers accordingly, that's reality and though you may not realize it you are speaking on a public level - everything you say can be seen by anyone, even if you think it's "private". Avoid trash talking guests or coworkers, complaining about work or discussing private company information. Of course, no one expects you to be a robot but you represent something much greater than yourself now - act like it.</li>
</ol>
<h3>
The Disney Look</h3>
When you read "Disney Look", you probably either shuddered or laughed that I would even think that someone would shudder at it. I've heard these appearance guidelines described as anything from "fair" to "overly restrictive" to "making everyone into little clones" (hmm). Let's be real here - Disney's not the only company to have such a vocal say in how you can and cannot look. In fact, many corporate offices and other large chains require workers to dress and look a certain way as well. However, people like to pick on Disney because, well... it's Disney! I suppose it's fun to try and expose some sort of ugly underbelly to the whole company or something, and the greatest way to do that is point out how they treat their workers.<br />
<br />
In my experience, the Disney Look is reasonable and I never felt that I was being oppressed into maintaining some ideal that I couldn't meet. I missed being able to paint my fingernails wacky colors, but then again I was too busy to maintain well-painted nails anyway. In a more general sense, I also felt that I was valued and respected by my coworkers and managers and never felt like a slave or drone (as people like to describe CMs, especially CPs).<br />
<br />
So what do the guidelines mean for you? Well, you can find the exact rules on the Onboarding site so I won't post them all here, but here are a few things I wanted to highlight:<br />
<ol>
<li>If you have visible tattoos, prepare to cover them up every day. No exceptions. Some cultures view tattoos as gang-related or offensive and that is why Disney doesn't allow you to have them out.</li>
<li>You're going to have to let your body piercings grow back in, unless you can keep them while not being able to wear spacers at work.</li>
<li>If you feel your hair color isn't natural, dye it NOW. Don't wait until you're barred from training or work.</li>
<li>If you have an extreme or unusual hairstyle, figure out how to make it more conservative before you arrive in Orlando.</li>
<li>Prepare to shave, men. Only certain facial hair is allowed and only if you can grow it fully without patchiness.</li>
<li>If you usually wear heavy or brightly colored makeup, change it to something more natural. Even wearing a little bit of colored eyeshadow can get you in trouble depending on your managers.</li>
<li>Shower. Shower. Shower. You don't have to do it every day, but if you smell or your hair gets greasy you've waited too long.</li>
<li>Performers and lifeguards: you have stricter rules than most roles. Remember to look them over if you haven't already.</li>
<li>Assume that you won't be able to wear any jewelry and leave it all in your apartment. This doesn't usually include wedding/engagement rings or watches, but there are rules for those too. Look them over.</li>
<li>You can't clock in for work until you are fully dressed in costume. Some managers will even require you to be fully dressed before you even set foot on Disney property.</li>
<li>Never, never EVER wear your costume (or any part of it) anywhere if you're not working! This includes off-property places like Walmart, fast-food places, etc. If a manager catches you, or if someone reports you, you're in trouble.</li>
</ol>
So there we are for work-related stuff! I'll do a follow-up post for those of you looking for more of a "day in the life" description of work (where I'll also explain the Hub), but until then have a great day! MsFrazzledFrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17231762456113199209noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744792558676684810.post-36233612283278580612014-03-31T22:25:00.000-05:002014-03-31T22:25:40.126-05:00All about that home life - homesickness, cooking and decorating<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXujSqjpaVviTVJMocIAmnGn4bO40e158N4QXEw8OUetyj2TzUchu9_3HmNqms_0qnIdBMQ4Kzdq9JSvW6MDSTvK1OJVnVUL1dgQwS2agdRrYWE1pLkxb8NHV9Fn4Nbs4blb6jSvl-Mw/s1600/307501_10151345312912158_1453827095_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXujSqjpaVviTVJMocIAmnGn4bO40e158N4QXEw8OUetyj2TzUchu9_3HmNqms_0qnIdBMQ4Kzdq9JSvW6MDSTvK1OJVnVUL1dgQwS2agdRrYWE1pLkxb8NHV9Fn4Nbs4blb6jSvl-Mw/s1600/307501_10151345312912158_1453827095_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Note that stuff is not allowed to be tacked onto your walls... I did this before I knew it was against the rules.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A few people have asked me to discuss apartment-related topics such as homesickness, how to learn to cook and how to learn to decorate the apartment while sticking to the housing rules. These aren't of vital importance like the last few posts have been, but for many people they are an important part of adjusting to a new home. Not only that but since a lot of people have little or no experience living away from home this adjustment may be made even harder. It's my goal to try and help you all to make the adjustment as smooth as possible.<br />
<br />
<h3>
How to curb homesickness</h3>
Homesickness can hit like a truck at times. Even when you feel that you are completely happy where you are you may still have some subconscious apprehensions and these can completely trip you up. I've lived away from home for school for the past four years (plus my last program) and have gone through all shades of pining for home and my family. Here are some tips I've found help me personally (though everyone is different, so don't stress if you don't feel better after doing these - you'll find a way to get comfort in your own way!):<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Bring along photos or mementos of people close to you.</b> This is especially important if they are already sources of comfort for you - for example, things that remind you of a deceased loved one. They may not be their real, living counterparts but they still lend a sense of familiarity to your apartment or bedroom.</li>
<li><b>Don't forget to keep contact with your friends and family at home.</b> You will work a ton on your program and probably won't have much free time to devote to lengthy phone calls or such. However, you won't always know when you're really hurting on the inside and sometimes contact with home can help you in ways you can't imagine. This doesn't mean that you have to set a schedule for calling people unless you want one - just check in every now and then.</li>
<li><b>Keep yourself busy - but don't push yourself in the name of fun.</b> We've all heard it before - keeping yourself busy can keep feelings of grief, loneliness, depression, etc etc etc at bay. However, you won't always be able to do this - and you'll wear yourself out really quickly. If it's your day off and you don't really feel like you have the energy to go out - don't! Watch TV, clean (cleaning is a stress reliever for me), talk to your roommates, play video games, whatever helps you. Burning out won't help you settle in any faster.</li>
<li><b>Don't change your routine from back home.</b> Shower in the evenings normally? Keep doing so. Go to sleep at midnight? Unless you have to work insanely early, keep doing so. Brush your teeth twice a day? Keep doing so. It's important for you to internalize the sense that you are "home", even if it's not your regular house - and keeping a routine can do wonders by helping your body feel that it is in a normal environment.</li>
<li><b>Be understanding of your roommates. </b>We're all living away from home, and no matter how much experience we have doing so we all still have our moments. Be patient with one another. Some will take to their new lives right away, some may take some time, some will never quite get into the swing of things. <b>Never </b>pressure a roommate into adjusting quicker than they are ready to or upset them by looking down on them.</li>
<li><b>Let your emotions out. </b>If you feel like crying, cry. If you feel frustrated or stressed, let it out in a (positive) way. Yes, guys, this even applies to you. Keeping emotions pent up will do you more harm than good in the long run - and you and the people around you will end up suffering for it.</li>
<li><b>If your homesickness comes from a deeper condition, don't be afraid to seek help.</b> I've been there, guys - I suffer from depressive tendencies and anxiety myself. If you feel in any way that the program will aggravate anything you're currently dealing with, reach out to the person you usually talk to about them. Don't be ashamed - there are tons of people out there who deal with exactly what you're dealing with every day and you will be just fine. No one will judge you, and spare no time for those who will. Lastly, don't let it get in the way of you doing your program - it may do you more good than you think to be placed in a new environment where you can start fresh.</li>
</ol>
I hope these tips will do you some good, and if you have any tips of your own don't hesitate to share them with me!<br />
<br />
<h3>
Cooking</h3>
So you're on the program, in your apartment with your fabulous full kitchen. One problem, though - you don't know how to cook. At all. Never fear! Many people don't learn how to do household chores like cooking, cleaning or laundry until they start college and it's nothing to be ashamed of. Heck, I barely knew how to boil eggs when I started my last program! That being said, here are a few tips for beginner chefs:<br />
<ol>
<li><b>There are beginner's cookbooks out there - buy them.</b> These are not the same as children's cookbooks - they focus on teaching simple techniques such as the various ways of cooking an egg, boiling pasta, cooking meat, etc. For a personal recommendation, my aunt gave me <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Crocker-Cooking-Basics-Confidence/dp/0470111356/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396317525&sr=8-1&keywords=beginner%27s+cookbook+betty+crocker" target="_blank">Betty Crocker Cooking Basics</a> as a Christmas present before my last program and it helped my skills immensely. The instructions are very clear and the author takes time to walk you through more difficult steps. Plus, the photos are excellent.</li>
<li><b>Start out with meatless dishes until you can cook safely. </b>Undercooked meat happens - you've probably had an experience at home or at a restaurant where a meat dish has been served to you at an improper temperature. Same goes for overcooked meat. Meat can be expensive - don't start on dishes including it until you're sure that you won't waste it with a failed dish.</li>
<li><b>If you have roommates with cooking experience, USE THEM! </b>They'll be able to make sure you know what you're doing and that you understand the instructions. There were a few times when I was starting out where I needed help even on simple cooking terms, and I had two roommates there to help with everything. Don't have roommates around? Try Youtube - there are plenty of great tutorials on there you can pause and repeat at your leisure.</li>
<li><b>Never, never, ever, ever, EVER leave cooking unattended</b> <b>if you're new to it! </b>As if I even need to discuss fire hazards with you on this! In addition, the fire alarms in the apartments can be very sensitive and will go off at the slightest wisp of smoke - watch carefully for it.</li>
<li><b>Don't cook things you're not ready to tackle. </b>So you've made your first dish without burning it - congrats. However, there are some dishes out there that are complicated, time-consuming or expensive. Give yourself lots of practice before trying these - you have time on your program!</li>
</ol>
So what are some good starter dishes, you ask? Well, here are some suggestions I have:<br />
<ol>
<li>Egg dishes</li>
<li>Chili</li>
<li>Stew</li>
<li>Simple pasta dishes</li>
<li>Hot dips</li>
<li>Salads</li>
<li>Simple breads/brownies</li>
<li>Grilled cheese (with actual cheese, not American)</li>
<li>Pancakes</li>
<li>Quesadillas</li>
</ol>
In addition, there are some great online resources for recipes though they don't always give you difficulty ratings for them. My favorite website is <a href="http://allrecipes.com/">allrecipes.com</a>, which has tons of excellent member-submitted dishes for whatever you could ever want to cook. Have fun!<br />
<br />
<h3>
Decorating the apartment</h3>
Our final topic today will be over how to decorate your apartment - or rather, how to decorate your apartment without breaking any housing rules. This can be tricky, though anyone who has ever lived in an apartment or dorm is probably familiar with at least some of these anyway! Even though *cough cough* people will put things up on the walls and take them down for inspections, you technically aren't allowed to do it so if you do, I am in no way encouraging nor discouraging it. With that being said, here are some decorating ideas you might want to utilize for your apartment:<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Use your corkboard - every inch of it! </b>It's supposedly the only accepted place to hang stuff so stick as much stuff on it as you can! You can have stuff hang below it and even prop stuff up on top of it! If you haven't secured it to the wall you should be fine (though if the inspectors tell you to take it down for the inspection, abide by their wishes)!</li>
<li><b>Christmas lights, lanterns and lamps are fun! </b>Okay, these are cliched decorating ideas and some of you are probably rolling your eyes at me right now. However, if you're into dimmer lighting than what the provided ceiling lights give you they might just be the way to go.</li>
<li><b>You have surfaces you can put decorative stuff on! </b>Jury's still out on potted plants - I can't quite remember if they're banned or not - but statues, figurines, silk flowers, table runners, etc. are all fair game. If you're putting them in common areas, though, get permission from your roommates.</li>
<li><b>You may be able to bring larger decorative items into the apartment.</b> This is not a guarantee (so check with housing's rules to make sure) but you might be able to bring things like shelves or end tables into your apartment. If I'm right, just make sure you aren't taking up too much room in the apartment. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong and please don't blame me if you aren't allowed to have it!</li>
<li><b>Get stuff to organize your closet now. </b>Men and women with small wardrobes, this may not bother you as much. If you're bringing a lot of clothing, though, make sure you have space for it all. Hanging shoe organizers, multi-article hangers and stuff of that ilk will help immensely.</li>
<li><b>You'll accumulate stuff in your apartment as time goes by - just make sure you have a place for it! </b>Much like making sure you can easily ship everything home as discussed in my post over packing for solo flights, you always want to make sure you buy only what can fit comfortably in your living space. Don't get too much stuff - you'll regret it.</li>
</ol>
In addition, here are a few items that are not only decorative but may also be necessary for your apartment anyway:<br />
<ol>
<li>Shower curtains</li>
<li>Bath rugs/rugs for the kitchen</li>
<li>Dishtowels</li>
<li>Drying racks</li>
<li>Bedding</li>
<li>Hooks for bath towels (if your bathroom doesn't have enough room to hang two towels)</li>
<li>Hand towels for the bathroom</li>
<li>Calendars</li>
</ol>
Well, that about wraps it up for this post. If you have any other questions over this or have comments you'd like to add, I'm always open to hearing them! Twitter and the comments sections on this blog are always open. Until then... have a great night! MsFrazzledFrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17231762456113199209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744792558676684810.post-80725110235346060472014-03-31T14:50:00.000-05:002014-03-31T14:50:51.154-05:00Cars, buses and tourists - oh my!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPv2YBKDhffybQ-zfm-l0cte9LPMyQiEOhTowLku0vz9cv0qanMcmOa3AQJJDvVBEjq_rZybddjvukDmj7z6NGcyXEGLdMYoH57ttoebbYYO5zu7v-5he33GKnp9TRnu0W7KKV0rrNMA/s1600/bus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPv2YBKDhffybQ-zfm-l0cte9LPMyQiEOhTowLku0vz9cv0qanMcmOa3AQJJDvVBEjq_rZybddjvukDmj7z6NGcyXEGLdMYoH57ttoebbYYO5zu7v-5he33GKnp9TRnu0W7KKV0rrNMA/s1600/bus.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: dcp2014.files.wordpress.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Previously I wrote a post about housing, which is a very important thing to think about when entering the Disney College Program for many reasons. One such reason is transportation - whether you drive, use the provided buses or carpool with someone, deciding how you're going to get around can be vitally important to how your program experience goes. Don't let the stories people tell you about any one method scare you, though. In the end, making the decision that's best for you is what matters. With that being said, I'll start off the great "car vs. bus" debate by outlining pros and cons of each!<br />
<br />
<h3>
The bus system</h3>
If you are a DCP alum and saw the photo above, you probably had a very strong reaction to it. Yes, folks, that is a photo of the kind of buses that are offered by Disney and housing to transport you between complexes, parks, Disney hotels and even places like the mall and Walmart/Publix. They're essentially re-purposed city buses, so anyone who's ridden one before pretty much knows what to expect from these.<br />
<br />
<b>The good:</b> First of all, the buses are <b>free.</b> Well, either that or you pay for them with your rent. Either way, you have guaranteed free transportation to pretty much anywhere on Disney property and a few locations off-property whenever you want it (provided the bus route there is running). Some bus routes have frequent pickup times, so you can have a bit more flexibility on when you catch the bus to work. You also don't have to struggle to find parking when you get to work (some cast member parking lots are very small or have to share space with guest parking).<br />
<br />
<b>The bad: </b>Everyone's who ever followed a DCP blog knows this one fact - the bus system can be <b>horrendous.</b> Drivers aren't the best disciplined and some will give themselves unauthorized breaks while in the middle of a route, try to drive the bus places it can't go, drive recklessly (even when driving a bus packed full of CPs) and get themselves in trouble with Disney's own bus drivers and security guards. Buses will sometimes show up extremely early, extremely late or not at all - and dispatch rarely if ever cares if you call them to report the bus off its route. Now, this isn't an everyday occurrence especially on routes that pick up often (and note that the coach buses, the big fancy ones, are perfectly fine because they're driven by better employees), but it's common enough that you should be wary if you ever use them as your way to work.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Your car</h3>
<b>The good: </b>The flexibility, man! Rather than have to stick to someone else's schedule for getting to and from work, you can pick and choose when you go. You also get more flexibility in where you want to go - beach trips whenever you want, being able to go to Target or any other store besides Walmart, taking yourself to the doctor if you feel sick... it's fantastic. You also seem to make faster friends with everyone else since everyone loves a CP who has a car and can drive them home :P<br />
<br />
<b>The bad: </b>Gas can be expensive in central Florida. Repeat with me. Gas. Can. Be. Expensive. Remember that you're traveling to a place with a lot of drivers with a lot of cars that need a lot of gas, so unless you're from a big city or one that has a bunch of tourists you'll pay more for it than at home. And I'll point out the obvious too - you're also responsible for paying to get it down there and for maintenance if it breaks down or needs routine stuff. However, the biggest problem is with the other drivers... because they're absolutely awful. Out of all of my friends and fellow CPs who had cars, only about four of them got through the program without getting into an accident or completely totalling their car. If you're a passive or nervous driver bringing your own car is <b>not </b>a good idea. At all. Again, the drivers in your area are likely not as bad as they are here.<br />
<br />
<h3>
So what did I do?</h3>
I'm from a city thousands of miles away from Orlando and on my last program couldn't get anyone to drive with me down. I wasn't about to drive for three days halfway across the country by myself and wasn't looking forward to having to pay for gas and such when I already dropped a load of cash each week on rent. Though I ran into many frustrations with the bus system that led to me being late to work a few times, I never regretted my decision. In fact, I'm planning on doing the same this time around. Once again, the decision on how you'll handle transportation is yours alone, but I found that the buses worked for me better overall.<br />
<br />
<h3>
General tips</h3>
No matter if you choose you drive or ride the buses, here are a few tips to keep in mind:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Always start out for work early. Bus people, you'll want to get on the bus before the one the schedule says will get you to work on time. Car people, you'll want to give yourself about 20 minutes at least (30 minutes if you want to be safe) to drive to work. Give yourself more time during holiday seasons. This is all to account for traffic, construction, accidents, breakdowns, etc.</li>
<li>Be responsible on the road. Don't be noisy on the buses or try to distract your driver from his or her job. If driving, don't drive like an idiot, speed or do things that you know are unsafe. I've seen too many accidents (and even a death) in the WDW area and I don't want to see anyone on this program getting themselves into the hospital.</li>
<li>If your bus or car breaks down, have the number of Deployment (where you call to call in sick) AND your manager on your phone. Call right away and let them know you'll be late or absent from work depending on the situation. You might still get points on your record but calling ahead of time makes you look more responsible.</li>
<li>Be careful about who you give rides to or accept rides from. If it's another cast member or CP you'll at least know their name and where they work, but if they're a stranger you don't know for sure how they drive. And always make sure to offer gas money even if you're going to the same place!</li>
<li>If you bring your car, on check in day you'll have to register your car in order to park it in the complexes. If you decide later you want to bring your car with you, check with security or the front desk on how to register it.</li>
</ol>
So there you have it! If you have any further questions about the buses or driving your car let me know! I may do a follow-up post in the future on the bus system in depth in the near future, but until then... have a great day! MsFrazzledFrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17231762456113199209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744792558676684810.post-51889674707409439172014-03-29T00:56:00.000-05:002014-03-29T00:56:12.004-05:00Your roommate survival guide<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUCqsF2r8auhjT2Ml_9JYLtKYGqUzZ1cu6TMF2DB0p8D7CeExasnp7Rh8KbMJ8_Y_58s_aPGpRMYY4gQFPf1j1fTlyB8p6j_2eOqvkIt0NBced8GW0fYG0_JYFtNDAcXQW4APxWAYrg/s1600/545224_10151349981932158_605784764_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUCqsF2r8auhjT2Ml_9JYLtKYGqUzZ1cu6TMF2DB0p8D7CeExasnp7Rh8KbMJ8_Y_58s_aPGpRMYY4gQFPf1j1fTlyB8p6j_2eOqvkIt0NBced8GW0fYG0_JYFtNDAcXQW4APxWAYrg/s1600/545224_10151349981932158_605784764_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trust me, we love each other. No really.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So you've never lived with other people besides your family in your life. Not only that, but you also don't have to share your room with your siblings (assuming you have them). The College Program will be the first time you live with other people your own age (relatively) and you're probably freaking out. That's cool, everyone does it to some extent. Personally, I've shared a room at home all my life and have been living in a dorm at school for the past three years... and I've learned that there are certain guidelines one must abide by in order to survive. Are you ready? Here they are:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Post-Its are never a good idea. Unless they're the inspiring kind. Or the stupid kind. Or the funny kind. Or the inspiring stupidly funny kind. Just no angry ones, please.</li>
<li>Do your chores. If you make a mess, clean it up. Much as you like when your roommate cooks for you he/she's not your mama. And don't think you can sneak a mess in there - they'll <b>know.</b></li>
<li>Sometimes it's best to let your roommate drag you away on an adventure even if you don't wanna go.</li>
<li><b> </b>Quoting Honey Boo Boo can resolve conflicts automatically. Unless not all of your roommates are in on the whole thing and wonder why you keep talking in a weird Southern drawl.</li>
<li>Sneaking through your room like a ninja at night (mostly in the dark) is essential if you want to get changed and into bed without your roommate(s) waking like the great evil dragon of lore.</li>
<li>Never turn down a ride from one of your car-wielding roommates. Especially if it's to Target and you are too sophisticated for Walmart.</li>
<li>Roommates will only do laundry for each other once in a blue moon. Be that person - offer to wash everyone's towels because we all know that it takes one person ages to make it through a load's worth of towels.</li>
<li>Eat only food that you've bought. Sneaking your roommates' other stuff might work sometimes, but young people pay more attention to their pantry than anything else in life.</li>
<li>If you walk in on your roommate changing, the worst thing you can do is stand there apologizing and stammering while averting your eyes as if you've just witnessed the most shocking thing in the world. Seriously. It makes it awkward...er.</li>
<li>Share the couch. If you choose to nap on it, prepare to wake up when four people try to sit on you at once.</li>
<li>Attempt to drag a roommate on a ride they don't like and prepare to suffer a horrific fate as they desperately attempt to fight back against you with all of the power of a championship boxer.</li>
<li>Friends don't let friends eat instant ramen for more than a day.</li>
<li>Bringing family into the apartment always makes things awkward because it is your and your roommates' super secret man/lady cave and you should've known that already.</li>
<li>What happens in the apartment stays in the apartment. Unless it's hilarious and embarrassing, in which case you should record the whole thing and promptly post it online for all the world to see. Don't worry, your roommate is sure to forgive you someday.</li>
<li>Don't sweat the small stuff. In the end it doesn't really matter if your roommate forgot to replace the toilet paper in the bathroom or left her large collection of blankets and stuffed animals strewn all over the living room.</li>
<li>If you bring a fellow CP to the apartment and they instantly make a joke along the lines of "did a bomb just go off in here or what?", congratulations. You have a mess so large that even another messy, absentminded college student has taken notice. Continue with the mess making until next inspection.</li>
<li>Never sleep in on a day when you've got an adventure with your roommates planned. Just... don't.</li>
<li>Walking into the apartment after work and calling out "honey, I'm home!" is tacky and weird. Unless one of your roommates just so happens to be called Honey. (<a href="http://ouran.wikia.com/wiki/Mitsukuni_%22Honey%22_Haninozuka" target="_blank">Wait...</a>)</li>
<li>If you or at least one of your roommates is a gamer, prepare for nights of endless entertainment and/or heartbreak and stress.</li>
<li>Mail runs will become the bane of your existence if you live far away from the mailbox. Always drag at least one roommate along to suffer with you.</li>
<li>Never enter another roommate's room without their permission, because they probably don't want you to see the half-eaten plates of food they've been accumulating for the past three days.</li>
<li>Beach trips are a must in summer. Not getting work off for these wonderful, wonderful days is simply unacceptable.</li>
<li>Skyping with your pets is a valid way to spend your free time and don't you ever let anyone tell you otherwise.</li>
<li>If it's the night before inspections and you're sleeping rather than helping to clean, prepare to not be sleeping very soon. Because you will be awoken very, very abruptly.</li>
<li>Housing meetings are uncomfortable and unhelpful - only do them as a last resort because you will feel very strongly like you are in marriage counseling.</li>
<li>Snuggling with your roommates is perfectly acceptable and not weird at all. Unless one of you makes it weird.</li>
<li>Prepare to have a book's worth of inside jokes by the end of the program.</li>
<li>You will probably have that roommate who constantly forgets things like their keys or their housing ID. If they do and get stuck trying to verify their identity at the security gate, it's okay to point and laugh at least once. Just make sure that they don't forget it next time.</li>
<li>Not spoiling your roommates on their birthday is unacceptable. After all, they're probably hundreds of miles away from their family and this is your opportunity to load them up with junk they don't need ;)</li>
<li>Your roommates will become like family if you play your cards right, and you will be very upset when you get scattered to the four corners of the country if not farther. Constant contact and Facebook spam is a must.</li>
</ol>
Sad this list wasn't as serious as you thought it would be? Well, that's my point! Living with strangers may seem daunting at first but if you have ever made a friend in your life (and I'm assuming you have) you already have most of the skills needed to handle a roommate. Be patient. Be understanding. Be honest and forthright about your feelings when something upsets you. Don't take things too seriously if they're not major problems. And always be willing to compromise in order to make sure you and the people you live with both get treated fairly while in your home away from home. MsFrazzledFrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17231762456113199209noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744792558676684810.post-51863751423655270732014-03-27T21:33:00.000-05:002014-04-03T14:46:13.777-05:00An introduction to Disney housing (and housing myths debunked)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5peJOMDdP7CMr0dpbcMg059UeintQsPF-4J8pl5uUIlAtOFFRwutR5TZQU8mSXLlMjpH0bkyXSTTEYDbkIY8qEf1kKNkEQodevwFnuu4rhgLBmMqkMXgABHiy8EfwUo-GcCTv8JC8A/s1600/603352_10151345312627158_87440826_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5peJOMDdP7CMr0dpbcMg059UeintQsPF-4J8pl5uUIlAtOFFRwutR5TZQU8mSXLlMjpH0bkyXSTTEYDbkIY8qEf1kKNkEQodevwFnuu4rhgLBmMqkMXgABHiy8EfwUo-GcCTv8JC8A/s1600/603352_10151345312627158_87440826_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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(<b>Note: </b>Several days after I originally wrote this post, housing announced that they were bringing bunk beds into some of the rooms, therefore making some of them triple-occupancy rather than double-occupancy. I have no experience with this new arrangement as it just happened, but this information is still accurate for any rooms not affected.) <br />
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Housing is always a big topic for any person living away from their family for school, work or whatever - and the Disney College Program is no exception. Even more so, since the complexes are gated and there are no orientations or anything to help you understand the different complexes better most go into their first CP totally blind or with limited/false information about the differences between them. I know I definitely did on my last program, and though it didn't cause any trouble with me I wished I had been told more about it going in. So here we go - for those of you who are new to the whole Disney housing thing I will try my best to give you as much information as possible (and avoid giving opinions, bias or hearsay). I'll also write down a few myths that I've heard from other CPs, people on the internet and even cast members.<br />
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<h3>
Vista Way</h3>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0eKR2isF9eSaJHR4fDdadFGPzPOS-cQpwu6vznxeX-Etm1sCpkBgh0OkhJHBfySaFs8msewdAIlwvjyFlxqRbCRKrrFem8jJxqO8qKOKY5Kv3oSrQRXWBnNvptOBiMNCSy7OEd5oknY-/s1600/scan0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0eKR2isF9eSaJHR4fDdadFGPzPOS-cQpwu6vznxeX-Etm1sCpkBgh0OkhJHBfySaFs8msewdAIlwvjyFlxqRbCRKrrFem8jJxqO8qKOKY5Kv3oSrQRXWBnNvptOBiMNCSy7OEd5oknY-/s1600/scan0001.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: ageeksaga.blogspot.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h4 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Pros</h4>
<ol>
<li>Easy access to main DCP offices, tennis courts, pools, restaurants and Walgreens</li>
<li>Bus stop is right inside the complex and is the stop that bus drivers switch at, so you won't be stuck waiting to get to work/your apartment</li>
<li>Closest complex to WDW property</li>
<li>Cheapest rent of all four complexes </li>
</ol>
<h4>
Cons</h4>
<ol>
<li>Complex borders a loud, heavily tourist-y area and two major roads</li>
<li>Being the oldest of the four complexes means that the apartments can look somewhat dated</li>
<li>Its reputation can be somewhat uncomfortable to deal with</li>
</ol>
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Vista Way is the oldest Disney housing complex, and as a result has most of the main offices for College Program functions. It's also the largest, and walking in without knowing where you're going or a map can be disastrous. Thankfully, other people can always be found around to show you the way. Check in for each new program date is always held at Vista Way, which is why your dash will always show the address once you've sorted out your acceptance. No, it does <b>not </b>mean that you will have to stay at Vista!</div>
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Besides that, anyone who has read anything about Disney housing knows that Vista has a rather... colorful reputation. Is it deserved? Well, that'll be discussed in the myths section below. Until then...</div>
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Chatham Square</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz5ezijyxOIdQIgkjNTciEzsMD-epHS-jwF7QKJD52s87X2TZsLjjxZW1qIfnBUBnLPaHRGHe3rg1-90JseIGScLs9L0YnDAA0zU26QKdYmR3R42yhF25uaTWvcwOGdqqFX7TFyHnjcA/s1600/734916_10151345312917158_1555083348_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz5ezijyxOIdQIgkjNTciEzsMD-epHS-jwF7QKJD52s87X2TZsLjjxZW1qIfnBUBnLPaHRGHe3rg1-90JseIGScLs9L0YnDAA0zU26QKdYmR3R42yhF25uaTWvcwOGdqqFX7TFyHnjcA/s1600/734916_10151345312917158_1555083348_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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<h4 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Pros</h4>
<ol>
<li>Beautiful complex with some nice landscaping</li>
<li>Most housing events are hosted in Chatham</li>
<li>Little Lake Bryan is a nice area to live in</li>
<li>Has a bus stop close by and is right across the street from Mickey's Retreat</li>
</ol>
<h4>
Cons</h4>
<ol>
<li>Difficult to get an apartment in sometimes since it is so highly requested</li>
<li>Housing events may make the area noisy</li>
<li>Complex is large and somewhat confusing </li>
</ol>
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Chatham Square is probably the most-sought after housing complex for CPs. It's considered to be the middle-of-the-road complex in terms of price (though in recent years the complexes have become more or less equal) and hosts a majority of the housing events. It is also a bit smaller than Vista, though certainly not a small complex by any means. Probably the best things about this complex is that the bus stop is just outside the security gate and the complex is right across the street from Mickey's Retreat, an outdoor recreational area for cast members.</div>
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However, all these benefits also make it difficult to successfully get an apartment in Chatham. In addition, rent is slightly more expensive than at Vista, so if you're on a super strict budget this (and the other complexes) may not be for you.</div>
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Patterson Court</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vInYj4WtomLnC5TvYbsUSmtbZZLphuNSLNrNw85jnveUx2RzZHr1QWy7zGkzT9AXRcHTZCEhhUCA6qxx3Uh4DnsvLZv943dm4MOUNSNyFn3Z9AoP1YW5a0SA85gNUsT8im5QULmSlg/s1600/71545_10151345312717158_2013008315_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vInYj4WtomLnC5TvYbsUSmtbZZLphuNSLNrNw85jnveUx2RzZHr1QWy7zGkzT9AXRcHTZCEhhUCA6qxx3Uh4DnsvLZv943dm4MOUNSNyFn3Z9AoP1YW5a0SA85gNUsT8im5QULmSlg/s1600/71545_10151345312717158_2013008315_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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Pros</h4>
<ol>
<li>Newest of the four complexes with very lovely buildings inside and out</li>
<li>Within walking distance of a strip mall including a Publix (grocery store) and a UPS Store</li>
<li>Relatively small complex means short exit to leave the complex</li>
</ol>
<h4>
Cons</h4>
<ol>
<li>No bus stop of its own so you'll have to walk to Chatham's (about ten minutes away)</li>
<li>Has a reputation of being "too quiet"</li>
</ol>
Patterson Court, as I said in an earlier blog post, is where I stayed on my last program. (This photo, in fact, is the building that my apartment was in - you can see it on the first floor.) It's a lovely place if you like peace and quiet while trying to sleep, and is now just about the same price as Chatham to stay in. Not only that, but the pool is my favorite of the complexes' pools.<br />
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However, it also comes with some downsides. Patterson has no bus stop of its own, and the closest one is ten minutes away at Chatham. Though this isn't a huge walk, it does add time to an already long commuting time if you're taking the buses. In addition, though the people who live here can be lively the complex tends to be quieter than the others - most likely because of the lack of housing events or anything else that would attract anyone outside of Patterson residents.<br />
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<h3>
The Commons</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAv3rfmL2r8zrjsJuYM0suCxCQ_oAgLKU5Kb8kj7DBMjomBJgEG6h7PcaUt9lZsnOG3XgJPfymYJIH-L4VlLkiJAx0dIsPjfl4Bot-p4BA9FYQ2yXhZytwxAoUUFL0f8QOWpFGv3Pb4yY/s1600/thecommons1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAv3rfmL2r8zrjsJuYM0suCxCQ_oAgLKU5Kb8kj7DBMjomBJgEG6h7PcaUt9lZsnOG3XgJPfymYJIH-L4VlLkiJAx0dIsPjfl4Bot-p4BA9FYQ2yXhZytwxAoUUFL0f8QOWpFGv3Pb4yY/s1600/thecommons1.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: 365daysatdisneyworld.blogspot.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h4>
<span style="color: blue;">Pros</span></h4>
<ol>
<li><span style="color: blue;"> </span>Washers and dryers are included in the apartments - no paying for laundry</li>
<li>Bus stop is located right inside the gates</li>
<li>The Premium Outlets are located right across the street, about a five minute walk away</li>
<li>A lot of ICPs and Cultural Representatives live here, which allows for a lot of interesting cultural exchanges</li>
</ol>
<h4>
Cons</h4>
<ol>
<li> Not all buses pick up at the bus stop - including the bus for Magic Kingdom</li>
<li>The complex can sometimes be noisy</li>
<li>Highest rent out of all four complexes</li>
</ol>
Up until a short while ago the Commons was only open to those coming from different countries to be International College Program students or Cultural Representatives. However, it's now been opened up to any CP regardless of country of origin, provided there's enough space. This complex is special because it's the only one that has washers and dryers in every unit - anywhere else you have to go to a common laundry room and pay to wash your stuff.<br />
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This big perk comes with one big downside - rent at the Commons is higher than anywhere else by least a few bucks a week. This doesn't sound like a lot, but if you're not making much a week it can eat into the money you have to buy groceries and anything else you might need or want. Then again, laundry fees can eat away at that cash too.<br />
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All right, so there's the facts. But what about those little rumors you keep hearing around? Some are just silly little stories, but I've seen some get blown way out of proportion and even cause someone to choose/not choose a complex based on them alone. So here are some of the most common ones I've heard, with the truth (or at least as close to the truth as I know):<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Vista is for partiers, Patterson is a retirement home.</b> Anyone who has ever lived in a college dorm knows that these types of labels are silly - any place where large groups of young people live together is bound to be noisy no matter what the individuals are like. Not only that, but any building can get a loud person no matter what it's "supposed" to be like. Does Vista attract people who like to party? Maybe, especially people who live by those labels. But then again, you're just as likely to find quiet people at Vista as you are noisy people in Patterson.</li>
<li><b>If you have items that are banned in housing, just put them in your car. </b>Whether it's weapons or unauthorized guests or booze (for Wellness CPs), you can't have it on housing's property at all. Security can and will search your car if they see a need to (and supposedly they randomly search cars too, though I've never seen it happen personally). If you're caught with any of that stuff, consider yourself and your program in deep trouble. Yes, some rules don't make sense and some are far too strict - but you agree to follow them when you enter housing, and it's not worth getting sent home over something so silly.</li>
<li><b>Housing is owned by Disney. </b>As far as I've been told, Disney doesn't even own the land the complexes are on - instead it's a partnership with another company (it was called Lincoln as of my last program there, though on yours it may well be different) and <b>they </b>own everything. Disney cast members do work in the DCP-related offices, though, so they are around.</li>
<li><b>It's possible to get a white-glove award by schmoozing/baking for the inspectors/etc. </b>For those of you who don't know what a white glove award is, it's essentially the highest rating you can get on a housing inspection (which happens every month) and usually involves a prize of some sort, like cookies. However, there's really no rhyme or reason to getting white glove over simply passing, and it's completely up to the inspectors which one they give you.</li>
<li><b>The older the complex, the nastier the rooms are. </b>Again, anyone who's ever lived in some form of temporary housing such as a college dorm knows this isn't always true. The condition of the apartment depends solely on how well the CPs before you have treated it, and you can find a nice, well-kept apartment in Vista just as easily as you can find a disgusting one in Patterson.</li>
<li><b>People have wild parties/sexual escapades/[insert other crazy story here] all over Disney housing. </b>This one's a bit harder to discuss accurately. Naturally, I don't know everything that ever went on in every housing complex during my program. However, for those of you thinking that the wild stories you've heard are common occurrences - they're not. They're not any more than they are on most college campuses, where the crazy stories often get circulated for far longer than they need to be. Is it very possible that they have happened before? Possibly. But don't let the stories make you think that they happen on an average day.</li>
<li><b>Some CPs steal laundry.</b> Unfortunately, this does happen - though I can't say how often. Sometimes it's an honest mistake, where someone will mistake your laundry for theirs (and with all the costumes that go through laundry, it makes sense) but others... yeah. Should you be freaking out every time you put a load in? No, but keeping a close eye on it is always a good thing. In fact, that's something you should always be doing when doing laundry in a shared space.</li>
<li><b>The apartments come equipped with wireless internet. </b>Close but not quite - your apartment has internet access but in order to have a wireless network you'll need to purchase a router of your own for the apartment.</li>
</ol>
These are all the main ones I've heard, but if you know any others you'd like me to address let me know and I'll add them to the list! Until then, I hope this helps with the great housing debate. MsFrazzledFrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17231762456113199209noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744792558676684810.post-73375937594150575262014-03-25T14:37:00.002-05:002014-03-25T15:39:01.779-05:00DCP packing tips (for solo flyers)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1lA00ptCs2F0e4ww9C54oXI0oSbGMprnk_mSWGj_tk-sk8a7hyqugAYyZAhs3sAtkiri8aVjDwaJDO5I9MW_dTIKNSXQxcTY1otq-Wdoq1P19orUuyWggD0RexE0KLDOeooNXAIs15w/s1600/543770_10151345312882158_2121347874_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1lA00ptCs2F0e4ww9C54oXI0oSbGMprnk_mSWGj_tk-sk8a7hyqugAYyZAhs3sAtkiri8aVjDwaJDO5I9MW_dTIKNSXQxcTY1otq-Wdoq1P19orUuyWggD0RexE0KLDOeooNXAIs15w/s1600/543770_10151345312882158_2121347874_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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All right, so there's quite literally dozens of packing lists and tips out there for the DCP, but I've noticed that a lot seem to assume that you're either driving, coming to Florida with your entire family helping you by bringing stuff or both. This is all well and good, but what if you're traveling by yourself AND flying - therefore having to deal with restrictive airline rules for luggage? That was exactly the same situation I found myself in on my last program and so I have written up a nice little set of packing tips/advice for those of you who are in the same boat. Since everyone has different priorities on what they want or need to take with them, this won't be a straight-up list of things in particular (though I will point out certain things that I think are important to have in your luggage). With that being said...<br />
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<b>Packing Tips (start of DCP)</b><br />
<ol>
<li><b>Know your airline's baggage fees, size restrictions on carry-ons and weight limits ahead of time.</b> No brainer, right? Well, you know you're not packing for just a vacation and therefore you might feel the need to bring everything you own with you immediately. Let me just tell you that no matter what airline you fly, if you exceed their weight limit and get assessed a heavy fee you'll probably pay more than you would to simply have the stuff shipped to you once you get settled in in Orlando.</li>
<li><b>Bring bedding with you if possible! </b>Everyone knows that we have to supply our own bedding for our apartment, but if you're coming down on a tight budget (like I did) you might not want to shell out at least $50 for a bedding set once you get there when there are so many other things you'll need to buy right away. This is especially good to remember if you like the bedding you have at home/school or the bedding you have is of high-quality, too. Decent pillows can be easily bought once moved in but carrying sheets and blankets with you is a must if money is tight. Note that if bringing a full-size comforter with you is too much for your suitcase(s), you can always bring a light blanket and have the comforter shipped to you later.</li>
<li><b>If you need it in your first week or two of the program and can't buy it easily in Orlando, pack it. </b>This includes: medications, alarm clocks (if you don't use your phone), appropriate-weather clothing (cool-weather for Spring participants, warm-weather for Fall participants), business wear, underclothes, a pair of shoes or two, laptops, your paperwork for your Casting stuff, and any other pressing needs you might have. This does <b>not </b>include stuff like soap, most toiletries or things of that nature unless it's something you can't get once moved in.</li>
<li><b>Don't pack clothing that is heavy or space-consuming.</b> Florida winters can be surprisingly cold, even to a Northerner like me who's used to it back home. However, if you're coming down in the warmer months you do <b>not </b>need to bring cool-weather clothing with you right away! You'll waste space in your luggage and make your bags even heavier (see tip #1), which isn't something you want to do. Same goes for formal wear (if you're doing the Fall program and will be around for the formal) and denim jeans in general. Just have it shipped unless you need it right away.</li>
<li><b>PACK LIGHT! PACK LIGHT!</b> <b>PACK LIGHT!</b> Ladies (and some gentlemen as well), I know that we like to have variety in what we wear and don't want to wear the same few outfits day after day. However, if you're flying and won't have help carrying stuff you really don't want to over-pack. Also, once work starts it's likely you won't have much need for street clothes anyway (you get two days off a week - remember that) and will most likely have a closet full of clothes you almost never wear. Bring down one week's worth of clothes, have another week's worth shipped to you and you'll be fine. Not only that, but if and when the shopping bug bites there are plenty of places you can shop at to expand your wardrobe. </li>
</ol>
<b>Packing Tips (end of program)</b><br />
<ol>
<li><b> Remember throughout your program that whatever stuff you buy, you have to pay to ship home. </b>This caught me <b>bad </b>on my last program - even being careful with what I bought, I still spent over $100 just to get all of my stuff home in addition to nearly being charged with a heavy bag at the airport (which would've put me out another $90).<b> </b>This doesn't mean that you can't buy souvenirs at all, just keep in mind that impulse buying will get you into a lot of trouble later on. Don't believe me? Just check the trading post Facebook page - it's amazing how many offers are for things like stuffed animals and other things that were bought while in WDW and can't be taken home by their owners. I myself had to toss out two perfectly good pillows and a comforter (non-Disney, so at least they weren't expensive) because no one else would take them and I couldn't drop them off to be donated somewhere.</li>
<li><b>Don't wait until</b> <b>your last week to start shipping things home.</b> If it's stuff you won't need for your last week of the program, it can go right away. If you don't have a car, there's a UPS Store near the Publix the Walmart bus drops off at (which you can walk to from Chatham and Patterson). If that doesn't appeal to you the UPS people come for a few days at the end of your program - but it can be a hassle to pack and ship everything at that point because so many other CPs are doing the same thing.</li>
<li><b>Again, pack light.</b> Since you're going home this time and most likely have shipped some things ahead of you this isn't as difficult to do, but remember that your suitcase can only hold and weigh so much.</li>
<li><b>Pack fragile items VERY carefully.</b> When I got my UPS boxes at home, I was very upset to see that a mug a roommate had gotten me for my birthday had completely shattered. I thought I had pulled out all the stops to ensure its safety - wrapping it in bubble wrap, placing it in a box of soft towels, etc - but no luck. Remember that the people who handle your packages (and luggage at the airport) can be rough to them and indicating that something fragile is inside doesn't always help. Take any precaution you can to keep them safe.</li>
<li><b>If you end up with items you don't need, the trading post is a good place to sell your stuff. </b>I have it linked on the sidebar to the right (note that it's a closed group on FB, so you'll need an account and have your request to join approved so don't wait until the last minute). Here you can sell anything from hangers to electronics to food to kitchenware, and everything else in between. It's also a good place to check for good deals on stuff you might need at any point.</li>
</ol>
<b>Additional Tips (for CPs in general)</b><br />
<ol>
<li><b>If you are shipping something to an address out of the country, make sure it abides by the other country's import laws.</b> This won't apply<b> </b> for most CPs but if you're an ICP, Cultural Representative or have a friend who lives overseas it's crucial.</li>
<li><b>As mentioned before, the trading post is a good place to go for deals. </b>Departing or soon-to-be-departing CPs will be willing to sell <b>anything </b>and often for a good price. The other day I saw someone selling a Wii, complete with two nunchucks, for $35! When arriving in Florida this is <b>the </b>place to go for good deals. The only downside is that you and the seller will have to coordinate a meeting time and place to exchange the stuff and money.</li>
<li><b>Buy groceries right away!</b> Unless you live very close by or your family is just weird (and awesome) like that, you probably won't arrive with too much food in hand. Grocery shopping may sound really tiresome while you're going through the stress of moving into a new place, but you'll be glad you have something to eat when you wake up the next day. And having toilet paper, soap and other things like that will be nice too.</li>
<li><b>Familiarize yourself with the list of banned items in housing right away (if you haven't already done so).</b> Disney housing bans some weird items that even some universities don't, and you don't want to get caught with something you're not supposed to have. You can find the list on the Onboarding website, and I'll also write a post about housing stuff sometime in the near future.</li>
<li><b>Coordinate with your roommates ahead of time so you know who will be bringing what or what you will need to chip in for.</b> Even with random roommates (roommates assigned to you by Disney and the DORMS system), you should know who they are before you move in. If not, take some time to sit down with them on move in day, see what needs to be supplied for the apartment and make a plan to get it.</li>
</ol>
Hopefully these tips help a little with those of you facing the daunting challenge of tackling the airports alone! Even if you've flown by yourself before the DCP is a whole different ballgame and packing for it can be a pain. If there's anything you'd like to add or additional help you might need, my ears are always open here and on Twitter so ask away :)MsFrazzledFrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17231762456113199209noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744792558676684810.post-53069176367017039752014-03-24T15:05:00.000-05:002014-03-24T15:07:17.722-05:00Eating around the World - AKA my favorite restaurants and snacks<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjHZBFjBan74nQDfK3UYhRO_GB75CcO4j6u_bOl2bZqM92HXVbAZsnPyNahTYAfipvYy3x8AIVcloW45TQWPl1_vl1QnIy7xTMQQdB36V4gprkol8MGC1YeQ7AiUbbZpdkmy-EantPA/s1600/535960_10151417092157158_718987034_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjHZBFjBan74nQDfK3UYhRO_GB75CcO4j6u_bOl2bZqM92HXVbAZsnPyNahTYAfipvYy3x8AIVcloW45TQWPl1_vl1QnIy7xTMQQdB36V4gprkol8MGC1YeQ7AiUbbZpdkmy-EantPA/s1600/535960_10151417092157158_718987034_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look, nachos. Delicious nachos. I won't judge you if you drool.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Since I have nothing better to do at this moment than sit and be
hungry while I wait for dinner I've decided to write up a list of
restaurants, foods and anything related to your stomach that I enjoyed
on my last CP. Food was my one vice while in Florida (especially since there are so many interesting and different restaurants within easy reach in WDW) and I could easily talk about it all day! These recommendations can be from the parks, the resorts
or Downtown Disney. I'll also include a list of places I wish to visit
on this program so consider this a gastronomical bucket list of sorts :)<br />
<br />
<b>Full Service Restaurants:</b><br />
<ol>
<li><b>Teppan Edo</b> (Epcot, Japan pavilion): A bit on the pricy side but definitely worth the money<b> - </b>the
food is delicious, the portions are reasonable (never left hungry) and
the staff is extremely polite and attentive. I always get the
nihonbashi (steak and chicken) and if I'm feeling boozy I also have a
Tokyo Sunset (a fruity alcoholic drink that's hard to describe).</li>
<li><b>Crystal Palace</b>
(Magic Kingdom, Main Street): If you grew up with Pooh and his friends
(which I did), this place is heaven on earth. Not only that, but the
food is amazing (they served a chipotle pasta on the dinner bar when I
visited and I got so mad when I couldn't find the recipe afterwards) and
it's a buffet! This is one character dining spot I'm definitely
planning to go back to, so I urge you all to join me!</li>
<li><b>Liberty Tree Tavern</b>
(Magic Kingdom, Liberty Square): If Thanksgiving is one of your
favorite times of year because of all the delicious food, you're in
luck! Liberty Tree serves some super delicious turkey and stuffing
which I get every time I visit. My roommate also had some sort of pasta
dish one time we went that she loved as well (I had a bit - it was
pretty tasty).</li>
<li><b>Kouzzina by Cat Cora</b> (Boardwalk
Resort): Like Greek food? Never had it but want to try it? Kouzzina is
a tasty place that serves all my favorites like spanakopita (pronounced
span-ih-COPE-it-ah, and it's a spinach and feta cheese pie) and
pastitsio (pronounced pah-STEE-she-oh, and it's essentially lasagna with
cloves and cinnamon instead of tomatoes). It's only open for dinner as
a Greek restaurant, but that's when the Boardwalk is at its best. (<b>NOTE: </b>This restaurant is slated to close this fall. And yes, I'm depressed about it.)</li>
<li><b>San Angel Inn </b>(Epcot,
Mexico Pavilion): I love Mexican food but don't get to eat it much at
home - so this restaurant is a novelty for me.
Not only that, but it is the only place I have ever visited with
guacamole that I actually like! The time I visited I had the carne
asada (steak) and it was very tasty. I come from a state known for its
steak so I'm really picky about it, and this did not disappoint. Also,
if you like strong drinks the margaritas are pretty delicious.</li>
<li><b>50's Prime Time Cafe</b>
(Hollywood Studios, Echo Lake): This restaurants is pretty famous among
WDW nuts for its concept - having your waiters and waitresses be
"babysitters" or "cousins" and scold you for doing things like putting
your elbows on the table. However, no one talks about the food that
much - it's pretty good! I enjoy the pot pie whenever I go, and various
other people I've eaten with like the friend chicken. It's got some
delicious desserts and adult drinks as well.</li>
<li><b>Garden Grill</b>
(Epcot, The Land pavilion): If you've ever wanted to meet Mickey at a
character dining spot but don't want to eat at Chef Mickey's, this place
is a good alternative. The food is served family-style in small
portions so it can get frustrating if you and your fellow diners at your
table are hungry but the food is pretty delicious. Best part: the
produce is grown in the greenhouses that you ride through during Living
with the Land!</li>
<li><b>Boma </b>(Animal Kingdom Lodge):
Definitely not a place for picky eaters, as I found when I went there with
my roommates there for my birthday, but if you're willing to branch out
a bit there's plenty of amazing foods to be tried. My favorite parts
of the buffet are the hummus (the sun-dried tomato hummus is AMAZING)
and the desserts (especially the famous Zebra Domes).</li>
<li><b>Yak and Yeti Restaurant</b>
(Animal Kingdom, Asia): This food isn't really authentic for any
culture or group in Asia, at least as far as I know. However, it IS
pretty tasty and some dishes are nice and light. The rice is especially
delicious, and the rice bowls are enough to fill me up on a day when
I'm not very hungry.</li>
<li><b>Coral Reef Restaurant</b>
(Epcot, The Seas pavilion): Seafood restaurants aren't the best place
for people who don't like fish (like me), but they've got a pretty good
and well-rounded menu that usually features at least one chicken or
steak dish. The lobster bisque almost converted me into a
lobster-lover! Also, it's got one of the most beautiful and relaxing
dining rooms ever.</li>
</ol>
<b>Quick-Service (Fast Food) Restaurants:</b><br />
<ol>
<li><b>Sunshine Seasons </b>(Epcot,
The Land pavilion): This is hands-down my favorite place to eat when
I'm out in the parks! There's a wide variety of food so pretty much
anyone could find something they like, and everything tastes fresh and
delicious. I had corn chowder with hot chili oil once and it was
amazing!</li>
<li><b>Earl of Sandwich</b> (Downtown Disney):
Think of the most delicious hot sandwich you've ever had. Now times
that by ten. Congratulations, you now know what Earl's sandwiches taste
like!</li>
<li><b>Boulangerie Patisserie les Halles </b>(Epcot,
France pavilion): France just got a quick-service restaurant a couple
of years ago and the news made me so excited! I love French food but
the restaurants are expensive AND always crowded. This place can also
get very busy, but the food more than makes up for it - I love the
quiche (pronounced like "keyshh" - egg pie with vegetables and other meats added) and the croque
monsieur (toasted ham and cheese sandwich). The desserts are amazing
too!</li>
<li><b>Be Our Guest </b>(Magic Kingdom, Fantasyland):
The lines for this place are INSANE, but if you really want to see the
interior you'll wait patiently for it. The food is actually really
decently priced and delicious as well - this place has quiche too! (If
you can't tell I kinda love quiche :P)</li>
<li><b>Flame Tree BBQ </b>(Animal
Kingdom, Discovery Island): I go to school near Kansas City, which is a
pretty famous place for barbeque, so I know when it's good. It's
delicious here! Everything is a bit on the pricy side but it's worth it
if you're looking for a good place to eat quick-service without having
to eat burgers.</li>
<li><b> Pecos Bill's Tall Tale Inn and Cafe </b>(Magic
Kingdom, Frontierland): The cool thing about the food on this menu is
the build-your-own taco salad - they sell you the meat and shell but you
get to decide how much lettuce and such you put on at the toppings bar
so this is almost like an all-you-can-eat thing. It can be a really
good deal!<b></b></li>
<li><b>Starring Rolls Cafe </b>(Hollywood
Studios, Hollywood Boulevard): No one knows this place exists. No
one! I'm so shocked because it's got some really great sandwiches
(which are put together by the chefs at the Brown Derby - fun fact!) and
it's hardly ever so busy that you'll have to wait a long time for your
lunch.</li>
<li><b> La Cantina de San Angel </b>(Epcot, Mexico
pavilion): This outdoor restaurant serves some pretty simple dishes like
tacos and nachos, everything tastes good and it's fun to be able to
look over the World Showcase Lagoon while eating (though watch out for
those ibises, they can get pretty scary at times).<b></b></li>
<li><b>Electric Umbrella</b>
(Epcot, Future World West): It serves a lot of pretty standard
quick-service items but also has a few unique things on the menu.
Also... I'm addicted to listening to the Future World area loop and it
plays in the seating area nonstop.</li>
<li><b>Casey's Corner</b>
(Magic Kingdom, Main Street): Delicious hot dogs! That's about all
I've got to say about this place. The hot dogs are good, and they fit
in well with the small-town American feel of Main Street.</li>
</ol>
<b>Snacks:</b><br />
<ol>
<li><b>Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bar: </b>These
aren't your typical ice cream bars... the ice cream tastes almost
homemade and the chocolate is rich. They're four dollars apiece but
totally worth the money!</li>
<li><b>Baklava</b> (Epcot,
Morocco Pavilion): Baklava (pronounced BOCK-lah-vah) is a pastry-like
dish with nuts, cloves cinnamon and honey. Think of a sticky brownie
without the chocolate and that's sort of what baklava is. It's one of
my favorite desserts and I was so happy to see that Morocco sells it!</li>
<li><b>Gelato </b>(Epcot,
Italy pavilion): As if I even need to explain how delicious gelato is
;) The gelato in Italy is expensive for what you get, but it is also
very rich and satisfying.</li>
<li><b>Minnie's Bake Shop Cookies</b>:
These are prepackaged and can be found in pretty much any shop that
sells food, but I can't get enough of them! They're like cakes!</li>
<li><b>Dole Whip: </b>I'm
not really THAT fond of Dole Whip, but it's kind of a famous treat so I
thought I'd include it here. I like the Dole Whip-vanilla swirl you
can get at the Polynesian!</li>
</ol>
<b>Places I Want To Go On This Program</b>:<br />
<ol>
<li><b>California Grill </b>(Contemporary Resort)<b></b></li>
<li><b>Hollywood Brown Derby </b>(Hollywood Studios)<b></b></li>
<li><b>Raglan Road </b>(Downtown Disney)<b></b></li>
<li><b>Le Cellier</b> (Epcot, Canada pavilion)</li>
<li><b>Biergarten </b>(Epcot, Germany pavilion)<b></b></li>
<li><b>Restaurant Marrakesh </b>(Epcot, Morocco pavilion)<b></b></li>
<li><b>Rose and Crown </b>(Epcot, UK pavilion)<b></b></li>
<li><b>Sanaa </b>(Animal Kingdom Lodge)<b></b></li>
<li><b>Wave of American Flavors </b>(Contemporary Resort)<b></b></li>
<li><b>Artist Point or Whispering Point Cafe </b>(Wilderness Lodge)<b></b></li>
</ol>
<b>Honorable Mention Restaurant:</b><br />
<b>Splitsville</b> (Downtown Disney)<b>: </b>It's
technically a bowling alley but the restaurant attached to it is pretty
good! Strangely, it has a pretty sizable sushi menu and everything
else is pretty upscale.MsFrazzledFrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17231762456113199209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744792558676684810.post-30607619456117838092014-03-22T23:24:00.000-05:002014-03-23T00:11:42.540-05:00100 things I learned on the DCP<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IwpephRYzL4TTn3PmZbJoNpZuiEQEcJOqY29f0-NJnlMkWZz0sMWWf11BVU5sMEHddp4oTd7-mguJObGKSheBkodzEfu-Z32ImdVXzotJXGTjM_ti-eMIVDlshNHNmu9jmv6SvTW4w/s1600/555347_10151349981867158_546435886_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IwpephRYzL4TTn3PmZbJoNpZuiEQEcJOqY29f0-NJnlMkWZz0sMWWf11BVU5sMEHddp4oTd7-mguJObGKSheBkodzEfu-Z32ImdVXzotJXGTjM_ti-eMIVDlshNHNmu9jmv6SvTW4w/s1600/555347_10151349981867158_546435886_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite park, Epcot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Hey all! For this post I'm going to write about some of the things I
learned while on my program that no blog
or Disney post ever taught me about. They might be helpful to you, they
might be funny and they might just be useless little factoids. Also mixed
in may or may not be stupid/funny guest questions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">1) You will constantly be that
awkward/obnoxious person who asks "can I use my discount here?" at
every single quick-service location you go to because their discount rules are
the weirdest I've ever encountered.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">2) Sometimes, when guests ask you how to get
someplace you will try to direct them backstage by accident because that's how
YOU get around the park. Oops.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">3) The party buses are either fun or creepy
depending on who you ask (personally, I never liked the looks the drivers gave
me), but there's no denying the fact that a school bus spray painted black blends
into the background at night FAR too well. Should start calling it
"ninja bus".</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">4) You don't get your employee ID (and
therefore your ability to enter the parks for free) until about three days
after you arrive in Orlando. Expect these first few days to be filled
with Downtown Disney, spending way too much money on food and stuff for your
apartment and potentially visiting the Disney resorts.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">5) Casting is essentially a series of
lines. If the DMV at home wigs you out prepare to take some very deep
breaths. (Everyone who works there is wonderful, though, and the building is
beautiful inside. Plus side!)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">6) Don't come to Traditions deprived of sleep
because you will be tempted to nap through any segment of the presentation that
doesn't appeal to you and ALL of it is important. Also, it's embarrassing
to nod off (I know from first-hand experience).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">7) If you see a DCP bus that has a white
sheet of paper taped to its front and/or side window, ALWAYS pay attention to
this sheet rather than look at the marquee to figure out what bus route it is.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">8) In case you're from Mars and have never
eaten at Earl of Sandwich while in WDW, doitdoitdoitDOIT. The sandwiches
are pretty reasonably priced for the high quality they are and you can easily
make one sandwich stretch to two meals if you're a light eater. Downside,
though: at dinnertime they are super super busy!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">9) If you're not bringing a car with you and
are therefore relying on DCP transportation, never EVER try to take a bus that
stops at a park while that park is closing. The bus will be completely
full of other CPs who worked that day and most likely want their space and
quiet. Find a way to get to a DCP bus that only stops at resorts -
they're much quieter and usually almost empty (so you won't have to stand)!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">10) As a postscript to the note above,
sometimes there will be vans that stop at the resorts instead of buses.
These vans are really awkward to climb in and out of, especially if you're
wearing a skirt.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">11) Guests will constantly ask you if you're
"happy" while at work, almost as though they're expecting you to
share a long and harrowing story of abuse or something. It's strange but
then again, I never had any problem saying "of course I am!". :)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">12) Another guest thing: for some odd reason
no one seems to know that the icon of Animal Kingdom is called the Tree of
Life. It's not from Avatar, The Lion King or Tarzan and it's DEFINITELY
not Pixie Hollow! (I even asked Tink herself - it's really not!)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">13) For those of you who are over 21 or
turning 21 on the program - alcohol in Disney is VERY expensive! Be
prepared to pay at least ten bucks on a single drink. (Upside: the drinks
are delicious! The Tokyo Sunset that's served in the restaurants in Japan
- in Epcot - is my absolute favorite!)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">14) Cast Members are not allowed to partake
in Extra Magic Hours - sorry! (Unless you happen to be staying at a resort at
the time, that is!) The same goes for any separately ticketed events
unless you purchase a ticket.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">15) Yes, you may use guest buses! The
transportation system is open to EVERYONE, not just resort guests. (Okay,
I knew this one already but a lot of my friends didn't!)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">16) Best times to visit characters - right
after the park or their individual character spot opens for the day! No
lines and more time to spend hanging out. Alternatively, for some spots
visiting right before closing is also rewarding - Camp Minnie Mickey was one of
my favorite spots to hit up in late afternoon because it's really quiet there
after Festival of the Lion King finishes their shows for the day.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">17) Disney Look and Character Integrity are
everything - even if some of the rules don't make sense, they are there for a
very good reason!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">18) It's extremely hard to find Kingdom
Hearts merchandise if you're a fan - ONE PIN is all I ever found. Of
course, this may change since Kingdom Hearts III has been announced but I doubt
it. Lots of good stuff to be found on the Internet though!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">19) Don't worry about sometimes feeling too
tired to go to the parks on your days off! Some of my favorite moments
hanging out with my roommates happened right in my apartment - and besides,
you'll burn out on the parks a lot faster than you think you will!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">20) The laundry rooms (at least in Patterson)
have card readers so you don't have to lug around a bunch of quarters.
Awesome, right? Well, these readers also break down a lot - so have some
coinage ready just in case!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">21) Depending on your role and work location,
your managers may put together behind-the-scenes tours or special rides on
popular attractions (like riding Space Mountain with the lights on).
Don't pass these opportunities up!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">22) Cast Members get really good discounts on
tours! Although you'll have really good access to the Utilidors if you
work in Magic Kingdom (and even if you don't), there are some tours that let
you go places you can NEVER go other than on the tour. My roommate and I
went on the Behind the Seeds tour and it was amazing to see all the plants and
experiments up close!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">23) Wanna have a character breakfast with
Mickey but can't get reservations for Chef Mickey's? Try 'Ohana - you'll
get Mickey PLUS Lilo (who is hard to meet otherwise), Stitch and Pluto!
Don't care so much about dining with the Mouse? 1900 Park Fare was my
favorite character breakfast - Alice, Mad Hatter, Mary Poppins, Winnie the Pooh
and Tigger were all wonderful! And the food was de-LISH.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">24) There are some things that are best left
unsaid to an Entertainment cast member, even as a joke - "Andy's
coming!" is definitely one of them. (For those that are wondering, the Toy
Story characters DO NOT drop to the ground if you shout this and you will most
likely upset or anger them and their attendants.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">25) You will have to answer questions about
the characters quite frequently, even if you don't have a role that works with
them - when in doubt about how to answer a question about a character, make up
a bit of information that fits with their story! (Example: "Why does
Donald have to go inside so often?" "Well, he sees all of the other
ducks getting to swim and he gets jealous. He IS the number one duck
after all! So, sometimes he insists on going to take a swim in his little
pond to cool off!") Children love this information - especially when
they get to make up some information of their own as well. Imaginations
ahoy!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">26) Though this may change by the time Fall
2014 rolls around, when I was on my program your Maingate (AKA your card that
gave you six days' worth of free admission for a few of your friends or family
members) doubled as a PhotoPass card (and PS - PhotoPass is free to use!
If you don't like the photos you aren't forced to buy them!).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">27) Need some Disney merchandise but the
shops don't sell them anymore? Cast Members get to shop in their own
exclusive place called Cast Connection that offers outdated, damaged or
overstocked stuff - I bought a Star Tours t-shirt for only EIGHT dollars!
(Bonus: you can bring your family to Cast Connection too - just not the part
that has the damaged goods.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">28) Want Cast Member-exclusive merch?
There are a few shops called Company D that sell exactly this - as I write this
I'm wearing a cast-exclusive EPCOT Center shirt from its 30th anniversary that
I bought.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">29) Entering a park from backstage is a HUGE
no-no if you're not working for the day. Don't listen to what other CPs
tell you! It's not allowed and if you get caught you will most definitely
be in huge trouble. Same goes for leaving a park, unless you absolutely
must go backstage (example: Epcot's CP bus stop is backstage). Remember -
other guests don't know you're a cast member if you're dressed like a guest and
it's our responsibility to set a good example for guest behavior!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">30) Don't be afraid to talk to guests about
the DCP if they ask you about it! I met so many young students who were
planning on applying when they get some time to or get old enough and it was
amazing to think I could be helping them make the decision to apply for the
greatest experience in the world.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">31) Want to have a character dinner but
aren't sure where to reserve a spot? My recommendations are Crystal
Palace in Magic Kingdom (try the chipotle pasta - yum!) and 1900 Park Fare in
the Grand Floridian. Both are reasonably quiet and have wonderful food
and characters.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">32) Don't want to hit a park for the entire
day on your days off? No problem! Sometimes it's fun just to pop in
during the evening for a quick meal and a ride or two.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">33) Universal Orlando gives Florida Resident
discounts to CPs! All you have to do is get the front desk of your
apartment complex to issue you a letter explaining that you are a CP.
Sometimes the ticket seller at Universal will give you the discount if you just
show them your housing ID too, it just depends on who you get.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">34) When in the parks as a guest, you receive
all the privileges of a regular guest and nothing more. Please remember
this and don't attempt to use your status to get better seats for shows, access
to the Fastpass queue without a FP or longer interactions with the characters.
Remember all of the other guests around you who deserve all that just as much
as you do! (Again, something I knew already... but a lot of my fellow CPs did
not!)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">35) Housing security can be a huge pain,
especially if you have non-CP guests coming to visit you. You need to
personally sign them and potentially even give the security officers an idea of
how long they will be visiting for. Expect to be asked a TON of questions
depending on the guard.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">36) If you ever lose your housing ID, get it
replaced right away! It's hard to get into your complex otherwise.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">37) If you ever lose your cast member ID,
that's even worse! You'll have to go to a specific place to get it
replaced and until then can't enter the parks for free or go to work that
easily (you'll most likely have to go through a security gate that requires
your ID, which means you'll have to call your manager and get them to explain
the situation to security so they'll let you in).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">38) Dole Whip is delicious. The
rum-soaked Dole Whip that's offered during the Flower and Garden Festival is
way overpriced.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">39) Your apartments come with an Ethernet
port but aren't wired for WiFi - be sure to bring a router!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">40) When making a maintenance request, make
sure that someone will be in the apartment when the workers are supposed to
come. Otherwise, they tend to not do their jobs very well (or sometimes
don't show up at all). If this happens, call the front desk right away
and they'll send someone else to fix the problem. My roommates definitely
had problems with maintenance during our program.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">41) A note on alcohol: if you are underage
and are caught in an apartment with others who are drinking you will be termed
even if you yourself are not drinking. Also, cooking wine counts as
alcohol. I know it doesn't make sense but that's the rule.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">42) Another note on alcohol: leaving your
apartment to drink underage does not keep you from potentially getting
fired. If you are caught and arrested, Disney can term you if they deem
necessary. (It doesn't always happen but still.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">43) Taking photos backstage is absolutely
forbidden unless you get permission from a manager or a coordinator. They
are very strict about this rule, especially if you are trying to take pictures
near a character's green room.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">44) Don't be afraid to wear the celebration
buttons when in the park as a guest! They can be a funny conversation
starter and they're free to have! You can't wear them while working as a
cast member though, unless you work in certain roles.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">45) When in doubt, ask a manager! Every
role and work location differs on the specifics and it's better to ask the
person directly responsible rather than a bunch of people on the Internet who
will give you misleading advice about what is and is not allowed.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">46) Visiting the beach is an awesome thing to
do on your day off if you're tired of Disney! Cocoa Beach, among other
places, isn't incredibly too far away by car and there are trips to the beach
all of the time (mostly with the afore-mentioned party buses).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">47) Want to volunteer for Give Kids the
World? Be prepared to make adjustments to your schedule! The
volunteer programs only occur on certain days of the week.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">48) Twice a month, there is a bus trip to the
Asian Market, which is - you guessed it - a supermarket selling Chinese,
Japanese and Korean food among other things. Not a good place to go for
those who are picky eaters, but if you're used to the cuisine or want to expand
your horizons the trips are a great experience - and though some things are
also sold in Epcot, they're much cheaper here! (PS I bought a nice plastic
ladle for only a couple of bucks!)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">49) If you live in a dorm like me, be
prepared to fully take advantage of the fact that your apartment will have a
full kitchen! I learned a lot about cooking and am now addicted :)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">50) Save some money before you start your
program, and also save some money for the end of your program when you'll be
buying those last-minute souvenirs, plane tickets, baggage fees and shipping
costs to send everything else home.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">51) We get half off tickets to DisneyQuest in
Downtown Disney - which is great because you'll either love or hate the
place. Personally (as a gamer who grew up going to arcades all the time)
I feel it could use a major makeover. Plus side is it's not ever busy
unless it's raining.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">52) Do try to go to Splitsville at least
once! The food and bowling are both expensive but you won't find a better
alley or grub anywhere nearby. Plus, they have Cast Member specials every
week!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">53) Speaking of Cast Member specials, if
going to House of Blues on one of their cast member nights be prepared for
loud, rowdy crowds. If this isn't your kind of scene be warned.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">54) And again with Cast Member specials...
there are a lot of restaurants and bars in the area around Disney property that
offer some really great deals for CMs if you can get there. Just ask any
full time or part time cast member in your work location and chances are
they'll know at least a couple!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">55) If you happen to own a car, prepare to be
begged for rides all of the time. I didn't realize quite how many CPs
showed up for the program without a car and was very surprised.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">56) Getting days off of work is both easier
and harder than you think. On one hand, especially if you work in a large
role, finding someone to take a shift for you and putting the request in online
is sometimes very easy. On the other hand, there are a lot of rules for
giving away shifts that you need to pay attention to. Also, there are
always "those" shifts that no one ever wants!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">57) The CP housing events can be very fun,
and they can also be very underwhelming and boring. If you come from a
university like I do you will most likely lean towards boring side of things,
as they're mostly giant pizza parties with little else to do besides eat
pizza. (However, Grocery Bingo is tons of fun and very rewarding if you
win!)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">58) Don't ever be afraid to voice your
concerns about your apartment or your roommates if you must - keeping quiet is
far more damaging than letting it all out as problems arise (and they will
arise, much as problems sometimes arise even in the best of friendships).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">59) Another thing about roommates - if you
can pick them ahead of time, be sure to do that! Not only will you be
able to build up better trust with them ahead of time, you'll also be able to
discuss important things (like "who's bringing the PS3?" okay,
KIDDING) more easily.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">60) If you're lucky to know any departing CPs
when you start your program (which isn't likely but you never know), see if
they have anything they'd be willing to sell to you! And when you're
leaving your program, selling little things like pillows and food is a lot
easier than trying to ship it all home with you.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">61) Learning basic Spanish is definitely a
plus - a lot of guests, especially in the summer, are from Spanish-speaking
countries and most likely don't speak much English. It's a lot easier to
answer guest questions if you know what they're saying!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">62) If you're a water-lover (as in, you love
to drink water) here's a great way to save money - the folks at any
quick-service location will give you a cup of ice water if you ask for it and
it's free! Not as convenient as a water bottle but much more affordable.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">63) Since you're going to be Disney for a
while, take the time to enjoy the little things - the gardens and performers in
Epcot, the many different foods and eateries, the Citizens of Hollywood in the
Studios and the Citizens of Main Street in Magic Kingdom, and the many
beautiful resorts and their grounds.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">64) Also, try every ride there is even if you
don't think it'll appeal to you (as in: NO WAHHH THIS RIDE IS BORING). I
got one of my roommates hooked on Living with the Land (which is a majorly
underrated attraction, by the way) and I'd take riding the Winnie the Pooh ride
any day over waiting in line for hours just to ride Space Mountain!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">65) If you want good seats for Illuminations,
you have to be willing to camp out by the lagoon's rails very early. Yes,
even in off-season. I suggest bringing dinner with you and perhaps
something to do while you wait for the show - I've done this before and it
works out so well!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">66) The same goes for Wishes and the Main
Street Electrical Parade, although camping out here is a lot harder - if you're
not sitting at a table, prepare to stand to watch the shows.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">67) Love the mall? There's a CP bus
that goes to the Florida Mall once every week (the day of the week depends on
what month it is), and this mall is fantastic. If you don't want to wait
that long, the Premium Outlets are a short-ish walk from the Commons (although
the shops here tend to be a bit more pricey).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">68) If you choose to take Disney classes,
figuring out if you can get credit for them can be difficult. If you feel
you should be able to get credit for a Disney class you are taking, I recommend
talking to your academic advisor AND the head of your major's department.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">69) Orlando International Airport can be a
bit tricky to find your way around. It's not a difficult layout per se,
but there's an awful lot of stuff in your way and it gets really distracting.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">70) Mears has a super cheap group shuttle
service from the airport, but it's a complete mess and not worth it (at least,
in my experience). I had to wait almost two hours for a shuttle to pick
me up and the driver tried to drop me off in the wrong place twice!
Definitely shell out the extra cash for a taxi if you'd like to get to your
destination in a timely manner.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">71) You haven't truly met Mickey until you've
hit your head really hard on some part of his face. (Poor Mickey! I
hope I didn't hurt him too badly.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">72) Your apartment comes with cable!
Yippee! However, you need to supply the TV and cords that go with it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">73) You also have to supply bedding, though
if you've lived in a dorm before this shouldn't be a surprise. What WAS a
surprise to me was that in my apartment (in Patterson), my roommate and I got a
decent-sized vanity and dresser!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">74) You'll have inspections about every month
on your program. Don't wait until the night before to clean the entire
apartment, it is wayyyy too stressful. Focus on cleaning up after
yourself consistently and you'll have a lot less to do when inspections come
around!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">75) It IS possible and not very difficult to
take online classes from your university while on the program, as long as you
have good time management. Definitely be prepared to sacrifice some time
that could be spent having fun, but also be prepared to feel very accomplished
:)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">76) Celebrities are people too! They
visit quite often (I was lucky enough to attend a showing of Festival of the
Lion King with Joey Fatone and his entourage in attendance) but they deserve
their space and privacy. Don't spread rumors about where they might be
and definitely don't harass them if you see them! And if you're lucky
enough to have them as one of the guests while at work, remember to stay
professional... and squee in private! :P</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">77) This might not come as a shock to anyone
who lives in the South, but I was amazed to see just how many lizards there are
in central Florida. And how few squirrels there are. I guess it's
just a Midwestern thing.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">78) All female cast members at the Haunted
Mansion are told to name the bat on their hairpiece during training.
Don't be afraid to ask them what they've named theirs! (I've heard males name
something as well but since they don't have visible bats... I dunno. Any
HM CMs want to clear this up for me?)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">79) Don't be fooled by the tropical climate -
winters in Florida can be very cold. Sometimes, there will even be nights
where the temperature will drop under freezing (though this isn't
common)! Come prepared with warm clothing if your program is partially in
the winter months (which everyone's is!).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">80) Homesick? Skype and care packages
can go a long way. Watch a movie or TV show that reminds you of home (or
distracts you, whichever is your preferred method of dealing with
homesickness). Remember, everyone on the program is currently away from
home and they understand how you feel!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">81) There are a lot of resources for CPs
dealing with any sort of issues - school, personal, roommate-related - and
they're definitely useful if you need someone to talk to. (This may or
may not still exist, but I heard when I started the program that it did).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">82) You may Disney Bound any day of the
year! However, Disney is very strict on adults wearing anything that
could be mistaken for a costume in the parks. I've heard about them
freaking out about some very silly things so... if in doubt, don't wear
it! This doesn't include Halloween, by the way - you are definitely
allowed to wear a costume no matter what your age on this day!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">83) Though you probably won't be able to see
it until late fall/early winter, Animal Kingdom in the evening and at night is
super beautiful... though dark!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">84) Can't make it to Magic Kingdom to see the
fireworks? Try hanging out on the Polynesian Resort's beach! You
won't get the beautiful music and the fireworks are a bit small but there are
no crowds, comfy lounge chairs and sand to play with!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">85) Mix up your food selection in your pantry
every now and then - you'll get bored of eating the same thing every day!
And make sure you eat as healthily as possible... working for Disney can be
very taxing on the body!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">86) Want a lunch that's delicious and not
fried? More and more quick-service restaurants are trying to help you out
there but my personal favorite is Sunshine Seasons in The Land Pavilion
(Epcot). There's a great selection of delicious food that's relatively
healthy (not fried, at least), and you get to sit in what I believe is the most
pretty of the pavilions in Future World!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">87) On the topic of delicious food, here's a
dinner deal that I don't think a lot of people know about - Nine Dragons
Restaurant in China (again, Epcot) has a selection of entrees that you can
order for only about $13 - and the portions are pretty filling!
Especially for the World Showcase (where a tiny cheese plate will run you about
$10 in France) this is pretty affordable.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">88) And on the topic of World Showcase food,
do you need a couple of suggestions for dessert? My favorites are the
gelato (in Italy) and baklava (in Morocco). In case you don't know what
either of these are, gelato is a type of frozen dessert like ice cream and
baklava is a sort of layered pastry-like thing with nuts, cloves, cinnamon and
lots and lots of honey! Yum!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">89) Are you religious and want to stay in
touch with other members of your faith? There are a variety of groups for
CPs that want to worship together among other things - I'm not religious myself
but a few of my friends were parts of those groups and they seemed very nice!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">90) Pets are not allowed in the apartments,
not even fish. And inspections happen WAY too often for a pet to be
hidden that easily. However, there seem to be a lot of stray cats who
hang around Patterson and Chatham, so if you live in either of those complexes
get ready for some kitty sightings! (Note: the cats are feral so the chances of
you actually getting to pet said kitties is near zero. Still, they're cute
to watch.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">91) Bring your cameras, camera phones and
whatever else you use to take pictures! Trust me when I say you will
never feel like you've taken enough photos and will constantly be finding some
new memory to photograph.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">92) Kids' Activities? As if! Any
activity in the park can be participated in no matter what your age, and
they're just as fun! My personal favorite is the new Wilderness Explorers
activity in Animal Kingdom - it's highly informative and fun!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">93) Be wary of the taxis that wander around
Little Lake Bryan (AKA the area where all of the apartment complexes besides
Vista are) - the drivers have been known to be pretty aggressive about getting
business and they will stare you down at the bus stop. Creepy?
Yes. Dangerous? Not that I've heard of.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">94) If you don't know how Fastpass works yet,
definitely get well acquainted with it before you start your program.
Most people are, but if you've never been to WDW before it can get kind of
crazy. By the way, your cast member ID doubles as a park ticket so you
can use it to get FPs!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">95) If you have a role that has a pin lanyard
(AKA pretty much every role besides Photopass and some food workers), be
prepared to be asked to trade pins once every five seconds. If you've
never pin traded before and don't know how it works educate yourself on it now!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">96) Every large group of guests has the
potential to be awful and rude. Yes, we've all heard the stories about
Brazilian tour groups and they sometimes are really that awful. However,
there are other types of large groups - cheer groups, student tours from other
countries besides Brazil, large families, etc. - and all require special
handling to ensure that they and everyone around them are behaving and having
fun!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">97) Make sure that you want the role you have
been offered before you pay your fees. You can't change your role once
it's been offered (unless you have health problems or other very strong reasons
for not being able to take on the responsibilities of a role) and unfortunately,
what you get is what you get.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">98) If you get injured while on the job,
Disney is supposed to let you go on "modified duty" (essentially, you
get assigned to something that won't aggravate your injury while it
heals). However, if you get injured too badly to work while not on the
job they will have to let you go. However, don't worry about this
counting against your record if you want to work for Disney again - it's not
considered a termination and won't change your rehire status!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">99) Single rider queues are few and far
between, but they can drastically cut down your wait time - I don't ride
Expedition Everest but my best friend wanted to, so she got to ride it twice in
about half an hour thanks to being a single rider!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">100) Post-Disney Depression is a bitch and
you will feel like an alien in your own home. No kidding.</span>MsFrazzledFrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17231762456113199209noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744792558676684810.post-54125920248416378272014-03-22T22:15:00.000-05:002014-03-22T22:15:45.628-05:00And here we go...Hello everyone, and welcome to my Disney College Program blog for Fall Advantage 2014! I am excited to begin this journey with my fellow participants and experience as many exciting things as possible while there. Until my program starts on June 9th my blogs will be pretty infrequent, but I'll be sure to update regularly once in Florida.<br />
<br />
Some quick facts you might want to know about me (you can also check my 'About Me' page):<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>I am an alum of the DCP (Spring Advantage 2013)</li>
<li>My previous role was Photopass. My role on this program is Attractions.</li>
<li>I stayed in Patterson last time and loved it!</li>
<li>I was based in Animal Kingdom on my last program and never picked up shifts in any other parks. I would've missed my jungle home too much!</li>
<li>I will be 22 on this program and staying in non-wellness with five other girls that will most likely be making an appearance here at some point :) </li>
<li>I will be vlogging on this program (I have a few videos from my last program's attempt at a vlog but might be taking them down when I start my new series) but most likely not until summer starts.</li>
</ol>
I'll be posting a few other things about things I learned on my last program and advice I'd like to give to first-time CPs entering this program. If there's anything in particular you'd like answered in the meantime, ask away! Until then, enjoy this lovely photo:<br />
<br />
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