Sarah's Birthday!

"Birthdays are horrible things! Why would you want to wish someone a happy birthday?"

- Peter Pan in the Soundsational Parade

Yesterday was my friend Sarah's 20th birthday, and we spent the day in Disneyland along with her roommates. It was such an amazing, spectacular, magical day and I'm so glad I got to spend it with her! Sarah is a twin, and her mission was to take photos of as many characters as possible holding a birthday sign for her sister, or a video of them saying happy birthday. She definitely wins the best sister ever award, and I'm glad I could help her our. First, we ate breakfast at the Plaza Inn. Not only did I eat every penny's worth of the buffet, but the characters made our day. Each character spent extra time at our table than anyone else's. Captain Hook brought me a bouquet of balloons, and I'm pretty sure he stole my heart. He was hanging out with me for a long time, and got all excited when he saw my Cast Member ID. I'm going to try to meet his friend backstage sometime, because I had a creepy connection with him. He even kissed my hand when we left! After breakfast we tried to find as many characters as we possibly could. I have a list, and then a few pictures. Once Sarah sends me the ones on her camera, I'm going to upload them.

Stuck on Astro Blasters! I had 322,000 points :(

Characters we met:

• Mickey Mouse
• Minnie Mouse
• Daisy Duck
• Donald Duck
• Goofy
• Max
• Pluto
• Chip
• Dale
• Rapunzel
• Flynn
• Tiana
• Cinderella
• Fairy Godmother
• Aurora
• White Rabbit
• Penguin (from Mary Poppins)
• Tigger
• Eeyore
• Captain Hook
• Buzz Lightyear
• Woody
• Jessie
• Sulley
• Flick

Day 2 / Welcome to My Crib!

"No matter how many times you save the world, it always manages to get back in jeopardy again. Sometimes I just want it to stay saved! You know, for a little bit? I feel like the maid; I just cleaned up this mess! Can we keep it clean for... for ten minutes!"

- The Incredibles

Last night I had my first utility shift from 19:00-0:30. Since the park closed at 20:00, I expected we'd be doing something cool like dusting lightposts or cleaning inside attractions. Nope! We ended up going out to the parking structure and sweeping the already spotless staircases for four hours. It was frustrating because we didn't see any guests, and I felt useless since it was already so clean. But, my night turned around when we got the opportunity to walk through the entire park from Critter Country to Main Street with absolutely zero guests. It was eerie, because the music was still on, but not all the lights. I tried to get a photo of the Haunted Mansion, because it looked even more spooky, but it was too dark. However, I managed to get this: 

Since we got off at 0:30 and the next bus wasn't until 1:14, my coworker Harrison and I went to the 24-hour IHOP across the street from the park. Nothing like red velvet pancakes at 1AM! Tonight I'll be riding Space Mountain with the lights on! I'm so excited, and can't wait to post about it!

----------

Tomorrow is our inspection day, so we cleaned our already fairly clean apartment. I've been cleaning the sinks/toilet/shower/counters every single day, so there wasn't too much left to do. Hopefully we get a perfect score! And since our apartment is now spotless, here are some much-anticipated photos!

My bed is the top bunk (the only one that's made!)

Grabbed that Dumbo at Company D for like $5! So cute. Eeyore was a xmas gift from my little brother!

I know it looks messy, but everything is put away! This is my corner. I'm slowly realizing I'm going to be in my costume so often that I really don't need to have all this clothing... oh well!

Days Off / Next Week's Schedule

"Oh, to be free. Not to have to go 'Poof, whaddaya need'... to be my own master! Such a thing would be greater than all the magic and all the treasures in al the world!"

- Aladdin

I have Tuesday & Wednesday off this week. Whatever shall I do? I got tickets to watch a taping of 2 Broke Girls tomorrow, but I'm not sure if I want to drive all the way out to Burbank. Perhaps I'll go to California Adventure, since I've spent most of my time in Disneyland since I got here, both working and playing. Wednesday morning I'm having breakfast at the Plaza Inn for my friend Sarah's birthday! It's a character breakfast, so it's going to be a great time, and I have a 50% discount there! I'll likely be hanging out in the park afterwards.  

I'm so thankful for the holiday package we got. I had six free popcorns or sodas, 30%, 40% and 50% dining coupons, an adorable ornament, three park hoppers, one guest parking pass, and discounts at ESPN Zone, LA Zoo, Boomers, LACMA, Knott's, an Aquarium, a free Photopass download, and 60% off at Disney hotels! Most of it expires by Valentine's, but some last until 10/26!

----------

Schedule for 2/3-9:

Sunday 2/3 - 8-16:30 Main Entrance Greeter (apparently they call up people from Custodial to do this)

Monday 2/4 - 16:00-23:30 Additional Training, Day Parade

Tuesday 2/4 - 19:00-0:30 Utility (always a mystery as to what I'll be doing)

Friday 2/8 - 15:00-23:30 Day Parade

Saturday 2/9 - 15:00-23:30 Day Parade

Fun with Sarah, Maggie Visits, & First Day!

"Let me tell you something, little britches: if you act like that bee... Uh-uh. You're working too hard. And don't spend your time lookin' around for something you want that can't be found..."

- The Jungle Book

Yesterday, one of my fellow trainees and I spent the day in the park together. Sarah is from Bremerton, which is only twenty minutes away from my hometown, and she goes to WSU. Out of all the people I've been in the parks with since I got here, she was the most fun! We acted like kids again, and watched the parade twice, dancing and singing along the whole time. We got nearly every character to wave at us, and Peter Pan (aka Sarah's future husband) came over and stole her hat! Definitely a magical moment. The parade has made its way into my heart completely. It's amazing how happy and excited I feel watching it, not only because it's a wonderful parade, but because it reminds me that I'm really here, working at Disneyland. I'm so grateful for every moment I've had here, and I'm also so glad I've made a friend.

----------

Today my friend Maggie, who I've known since middle school, visited me from Cal Poly. With her boyfriend and roommate in tow, she picked me up in front of my apartment and we were off to the happiest place on earth! Being at the park with someone who hasn't been in a long time is a totally different experience, especially since I'm already used to being able to go whenever I want. It was so great to spend time with her, and I hope I get a chance to go visit her and her adorable dog Orcas sometime soon. 

I had to leave them partway through the day because I had my very first non-training shift at 1500!

---------

For my very first "real" day of work, I was with two of my training buddies, which made for a smooth transition. We reported to the parade cage near Small World to start our pre-parade clean up. Our incredibly nice lead showed us the  ropes. I was on pan & broom duty the whole night. As tiring as it was, I enjoyed every second of it. It barely felt like work, just because it was so much fun. We had quite a bit of downtime throughout the shift, and I ended up getting early release because there wasn't anything left to do! I met a lot of other custodial CMs, and got along with my lead really well, but tomorrow I'll be in a new location with new people. That's what I love about this role. Every day is fresh. Different hours, different teams, different location. I really enjoyed the parade shift today though. It was fast pace when we were out on stage, but then we got to chill and have interesting conversations backstage. I even got to see the end of the fireworks! If every day goes this well, I may never come home!

Photo Update!

My new home! Right in downtown Anaheim.

Peter stole my friend Sarah's hat! She's absolutely in love with him, and we watched the parade twice to see him. It was amazing seeing how excited she was!

I see Mary & Bert's friends a lot backstage, but I still got excited to see these two in the parade.

Cars Land is so much better at night! 

I'm "Disneybounding" as Minnie Mouse in this picture. Disneybounding is wearing regular clothes to emulate a Disney character. I think I pulled it off well for my first attempt.

I literally did not understand what all the hype was about. But after having my first Dole Whip, I finally understand.

My gnome cave! I'm on the top bunk, so I got to make my own little room.

Doing the infamous "unimpressed" face with Sarah.

These guys didn't have a line, so I hung out with them for a few. I see the Queen's friend a lot backstage, but I haven't seen the White Rabbit in awhile. You know how he's always getting away...

Buena Vista Street, the new entrance to California Adventure, is so much better than whatever they had before. I haven't ridden the trolley yet but I do intend on trying every single attraction while I'm here.

I got to see the parade staging area the other day, and these ladies are so funny to watch backstage with their long arms. But their dancing is mind-blowing, especially to the fun remixes of Little Mermaid songs.

Training: Complete!

"Make the fire, fix-a breakfast, wash the dishes, do the mopping, 

and the sweeping and the dusting!"

They always keep her hopping!"

- Cinderella

My training is finally complete as of 12:30pm today!

Our second day of training started with us finally getting our shoes, which meant we were show ready! Mary and Miriam took us on an extensive, exhausting tour of the park. Along with seeing the On-Stage areas, we also got to see nearly every inch of the backstage areas. I expected it would ruin a bit of the magic, but it actually amazed me even more. The custodial lockers are so well hidden in the park, I never would have guessed where they are. When we went to see the New Orleans locker, our trainers lead us through a mausoleum door into the control booth for Haunted Mansion. We were just a curtain apart from the ride, as it was powered up. Listening to the guests on the ride distracted me from our lesson on how to conduct a cleaning in a ride. However, I still passed every singe Knowledge Assessment with flying colors. 

We learned sweeping techniques, waste disposal methods, and endless other custodial duties over the next few days, but my favorites were guest interaction and queue sweeping. Queues were practiced in Fantasyland, where the lines are the narrowest. When sweeping queues, you simply stand in line with the guests, and as the line progresses, you sweep. When you get to the loading area, you signal to the attractions cast member and they let you cross to the exit. Basically, it's getting paid to stand in line. If the line is forty-five minutes long, that's how long you're there.

But the thing that actually brought me to tears happened this morning. 

Our last day as trainees, we got to greet guests as they came in to the park first thing in the morning. I smiled the entire time, and my face is still sore. We also were able to pin trade, which was magical in its own right. Being the first beaming face, the first "good morning, princess!" and the first one to wish each guest a magical day was an experience I will never forget. Guest interaction training was so heartwarming, and I found myself still smiling and interacting with guests as I visited the park after work. My first shift is Day Parade, from 3-11:30pm. I get to my locker by magically walking behind a wall near the Fantasyland Theater. 

It's official, I'm really part of this.

First Day of Training... sort of.

"If you let me stay, I'll keep the house for you. I'll wash and sew and sweep and cook..." 

- Snow White

So my first day of training was today. At one thirty, my five fellow trainees and I met our trainers, Mary and Miriam, outside of the Costuming department. When we went in to check out our costumes, we saw that the shoe department was closed for the holiday. Regardless, we went ahead to check out our costumes. It took awhile for me to find a pair of pants that fit. Along with the white shirt and pants, I was also issued a burgundy belt, utility pouch, baseball cap, and a big floppy hat. To our surprise, our trainers had us wear our costumes with our street shoes around backstage. It was pretty embarrassing  as wearing anything outside of the guidelines is very, very taboo. As we took our break, I ran into the Evil Queen, Ariel, Mickey, and Aurora. I was freaking out quite a bit. We also saw one of the rooms where the keep the character heads. It was a bit heartbreaking. At Disneyland, if you know a character performer, you never say "My friend is Ariel." You say, "my friend is 'friends with Ariel.'" It's part of the whole Disney show. It turns out, the Queen of Heart's friend is a boy, and most of the popular characters (Mickey, Minnie, Donald) have female friends.

As we went to go over paperwork, one of the Custodial managers came in and apologized for any embarrassment that came from wearing the improper uniform and let us go four hours early. So now I'll have an additional four hour shift on Friday, rather than having the day off. But I had a migrane all day, so it was nice to go home and get rested. Now that I have my costume, I can leave a little later for work, and just wear my costume there. I've decided to take the bus rather than drive, since it doesn't take as long, and I accrue $1 each day I use it. So I get to look sexy in my all-white uniform on the bus. Ohhh yeah.

I had a rather lonely day yesterday and today. I've made a lot of acquaintances but not many real friends. I mean, I've only been here a week, so I'm not expecting to be best friends with anyone. But it's hard to get a group of people together to hang out. Also, there was one person I hung out with quite a bit last week, but they seem to not be interested in spending time together anymore. So, I'm really hoping to get close to other people, but in all actuality, I'm going to be working so much! 

So, that's my little update for today. It's probably going to be an early night for me, so I can be super rested for my "second" day of training tomorrow. Sending some of this miraculous weather up to Washington!

Quick Update! (SCHEDULE)

I'll be in on-the-job training from 1330-2130, this Monday through Thursday.
After that:
1/27: 1500-2330 - Day Parade
1/28: 1900-0:30 - Sweeping somewhere. I don't know.
1/31: 1830-0:00 - Same
2/1: 1500-2330 - Day Parade
2/2: 1100-1900 - Fantasyland Queues

Week One Update

"To all who come to this happy place: Welcome. Disneyland is your land."

- Walt Disney

This has really been my first opportunity to sit down and tell you all what I've been up to since I moved in to my new home in Anaheim, CA last Sunday. It's been a whirlwind, and I have a feeling it will be this way for the rest of my time here. Just by trying to hash out the details to write this blog, I'm amazed at how much I've done.

SUNDAY

Sunday was the big move-in day for me and some 200 other cast members. My apartment in Carnegie Plaza is right in Downtown Anaheim, a trendy street with a farmers' market, expensive eateries, and 200 college kids hopped up on Disney magic. I'm on the third floor with a view of our lovely courtyard, complete with table tennis and more patio furniture than anyone should ever have. My two roommates, Abbey and Ellen, are both total sweethearts, and pretty quiet like me. Claiming the top bunk has been a good decision so far, but if I ever get tired of it, we have a giant comfy couch. The apartments were built less than five years ago, and are nicer than my house! (Just kidding, parents.) Sunday was full of paperwork, moving in, grocery shopping, and dinner with my family.

MONDAY

After a brief welcome session in the Team Disney Anaheim building, backstage behind the hills of Toontown, it was time to take my family to the airport and say goodbye. As much as they drove me crazy in the month I spent with them in Arizona, I know I'm going to miss joking around with my brother, having strange chats with my sister, and complaining to my mom. After my adventurous drive from the John Wayne airpot back to my apartment, I went to the big Welcome Party in front of our apartment building, sporting an Evergreen t-shirt as instructed. Part way through, I decided to head to Downtown Disney with a friend. I scouted out the things I wanted to buy with my 40% discount after getting my Cast Member ID on...

TUESDAY

Tuesday was the big day: my first paid day as a Walt Disney Company employee. We spent all day in Traditions, a program that introduces all new Cast Members (CMs) to the culture and heritage of DIsney, as well as the four keys: Safety, Courtesy, Show, and Efficiency. This included an amazing tour of both backstage and onstage, where we pointed out the Four Keys in different areas of the park. After we returned to our classroom, MICKEY MOUSE GAVE US OUR CAST MEMBER IDs! I was trying so very hard not to cry. It was the moment I've waited for my entire life. That night, I went to California Adventure with my friends, for free! As we used our IDs to enter, a group of young ladies were whispering among themselves, "oh my god, they're cast members!" I was glowing to say the least.

WEDNESDAY

Because we had finished Traditions, I don't have any responsibilities until my first day of training called "Welcome to Park Operations" this Saturday. What else to do but play at Disneyland? We took the bus to the park and played from 10 am to 9pm! Going in to the parks as a Cast Member makes you feel so special and proud, as well as more courteous to Guests. Since I can go nearly everyday for free, I was putting Guests first, despite also being there to enjoy the park. Every ride had under a twenty minute wait, and most we were able to just walk right on to. I guess it was too cold for Californians. We introduced ourselves as new Cast Members to all the characters we met. Mary Poppins and Bert talked to us for quite a while about it, but managed to stay in character the entire time! Pluto gave me all the hugs when I told him I was in Custodial. We ended the night watching World of Color. That show always manages to give me constant goosebumps, but this time it brought me to tears. When we finally got back to our apartments, we got together and watched Lion King. All in all, a perfect day.

THURSDAY

This morning I finally explored Company D, the employee only store. I bought another Mickey State collegiate-style sweatshirt (I bought a varsity sweater in the parks), a glass for my parents, and an adorable Minnie Mouse purse for my little sister. After that, I went back into the parks, because you can't beat free fun! It was a much more relaxed day, and after the amazing Pixar Play Parade, we headed back to the apartments. As for the rest of the evening, who knows what will happen!

Pre-Move-In Sightseeing

"Where the crowds will cheer 

When they see my face 

And a voice keeps saying 

This is where I'm meant to be"

- Hercules - 

Today I hiked forty-five minutes up to the legendary Hollywood sign, in nothing but my socks. I felt it reflected the uphill, painful struggle to make it in Hollywood...

Just kidding, I wore brand new tennis shoes that ended up being horrendously uncomfortable. Socks ended up being the more comfortable choice, and was easily ignored when I got to a point where I could see Walt Disney Studios from way up above. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a tear or two in my eyes. 

An obvious follow up to seeing the real life Hollywood sign in all its glory was to visit a movie studio! We headed to Sony Pictures Studio, where I found that even I was at a loss to name movies that had been filmed there. In the backlot, we walked by a set that had been used in the classic masterpiece Click, with Adam Sandler. I was less than starstruck until we were told that this lot was used in the filming of one of my favorites, The Wizard of Oz. 

Wheel of Fortune was what brought us to Sony, and we got to watch three episodes being taped! I was overwhelmed. My favorite way to spend my afternoons after class was sitting back on the couch and judging what dress Vanna was wearing. My lucky little sister, who I'm certain has never seen Wheel before, got to be on camera! I'll be holding onto that grudge for awhile.

After a drive through Beverly Hills, and down Hollywood Boulevard, we were some very tired tourists. 

Tomorrow I'll be lunching with extended family in Downtown Disney, and then visiting with my long lost "other brother" in Long Beach. Sunday is the big move in day, and I can't wait to be posting photos of my new apartment and beautiful roommates.

(I'm hoping to add photos to this post once I'm done editing them)

Let 2013 be the year of Disney!

"As a part of the Disney College Program, participants have the incredible opportunity to advance their strengths and interests, meet guests and cast members from around the country and take part in educational opportunities students can't get anywhere else. This truly unique program allows participants to network with leaders, take part in personal and career development classes, and build transferable skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, guest service and effective communication."

Walt Disney famously said, "if you can dream it, you can do it," and that is holding true as I head into the New Year. After two failed applications to the Disney College Program (DCP), I've finally been accepted as a Custodial Cast Member. Rather than standing in one spot pushing a button all day, I will have the opportunity to work across a variety of locations, preserving the magic of Disney and ensuring that it shines through. Okay, those are Disney's words, not mine. Basically, I will be roaming around the park independently, sweeping and interacting with guests. Those that have been in this role say that Custodial provides the most guest interaction, as we're usually the first ones around when a guest has a question.
For those of you that don't know, Disney employees are "cast members," customers are "guests," and our uniforms are "costumes." This is all part of the concept that Disneyland is a "show." And of course, this means we have an endless list of rules regarding appearances. For example, my nails cannot extend past my fingertips more than 6mm, my earrings must be no larger than a quarter, and I my hair, makeup, and accessories must be in neutral/conservative colors. I know how extreme that sounds, but I knew these rules since applying.

Here's a photo of what my costume will look like:

I know what you're thinking, I'm going to look pretty hawt.

While I'm not working hard in the Disneyland park, I'll be living in an apartment complex two miles away. I could have anywhere from two to four roommates, who are all part of the Disney College Program as well. I'm guaranteed enough hours per week to pay rent, which is automatically taken from my pay. And for those wondering, I will be making $9.04 an hour. 

I will also be taking a Disney University course throughout my time in the DCP. The first semester, I will be taking the Leadership Speaker Series on Wednesday from 8:30-11:30am. I already miss my 10am starts at Evergreen! This class is going to be my big opportunity to network and get my name out there. 

I'm looking forward to filling all of you in on my adventures in the Happiest Place on Earth!