So I'm going to apologize in advance for the length of this entry but it was a very busy, very fun day that has lots and lots to tell. Today was my first official day at Disney!!! So far it has been incredible although I'm still adjusting which is taking a little time. Just a lot of information to digest and think about but it's all amazing! (I'm going to try and remember everything...there's a lot)
So that day began at 7AM when Mom woke me up at the hotel to get dressed for check-in. We went down to the first floor of the hotel for breakfast and when we finished breakfast we went up and got my stuff and it was off to Vista Way to begin check-in!! Once we got there we were directed to the first of many tents and tables for the week. I then called my roommate Meghan (who I had met on facebook) and we met up to go through the whole process together since you have to if you want to room together. I met up with her and we got our "program guides" (pretty much our DCP bible for the next few days) and nametags. Then we waited on a line to go to a table where we filled in some paperwork. Then we went inside a picked where we were going to live. Meghan and I got a 3 bedroom (6 roommates) in Chatham Square which is where we wanted to live so that was really cool. Then we went to a table where they gave us our keys and explained the bus schedule to us. Next was a table where we got our pictures taken for our housing IDs (not the fun ones that get us into the parks just yet). Once we left that building we made our way outside to another line where we met with a guy who told us where we would have to be for the rest of the day. It's also where we ran into 2 of our other roommates Jen and Amanda (more on them later). We all parted ways and I met up with Mom and Dad who were at a parents holding area of sorts to go to Chatham to quick claim my room and bed and stuff before we had to take the 10:40 bus to Chatham.
So we drove over to Chatham and to my apartment 19303 and since I was the first one there I claimed our room and bed and stuff. At around 10:20, we walked over to the bus stop to take to Casting. After asking many bus drivers if that was our bus and being denied, we finally found our bus which did in fact take us to the casting center. We were then greeted by doorknobs that were in the shape of Alice and Wonderland Handles and we knew we were in Disney. We were then led to a line which would tell us where we were going to work. I got ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE working front desk!!! I was soooooo excited. I really wanted to work at one of the upper class hotels here so that was really exciting. I also got a window decal for my car which I’m very excited to be able to put on when I go home. I then moved to another table where they talked to us about the Disney Look and we got the inspection to make sure we didn’t have to change anything before we go to Traditions class because you’re not allowed to enter traditions unless you’re in the Disney Look. Disney Look is huge list of rules about your appearance that you must be in every time you’re “on stage”. It’s pretty intense but luckily I passed. :) Next we moved to a room where they took all of our work verification forms and gave us our pay cards. Next was a room where we got our training schedules and times for traditions class. The next room was on to be fingerprinted and then with a quick explanation of photopass and a first day picture, I was on my way out of casting. I met up with Mom and Dad and we went to lunch at Fridays. After lunch, they helped me unpack more of my stuff until 2:30 when they drove me over to the commons for the housing meeting. There Meg and I met up with Amanda and Jen and met one of our new roommates Laura. We went into the housing meeting which was 2 hours long. Now I know that that may sound like the most boring thing on the planet. Think first day of moving into a dorm meetings at college. But this is Disney, so it was actually really, really funny. The first girl was super boring but the guy who was there from Disney kept us entertained the whole time. When the meeting was over I walked back to my room and started unpacking my stuff. I (naturally) brought wayyyy to much stuff with me. But somehow I managed to get it all to fit. We spent most of the rest of the night getting our rooms in order and getting to know everyone in the apartment. So far everyone seems really cool and it looks like we’re going to get along. I’m still trying to get everyone straight but I’ll see if I can give you a quick rundown of everyone.
Meghan: My roommate. Meg and I live in room 1 of the apartment. She’s originally from Towson, Maryland and is a sophomore at Virginia Tech as Hospitality and Marketing Major. She’s working as a lifeguard in both Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon.
Amanda: Amanda lives in room 2 and is from somewhere in the middle of nowhere Illinois. She’s also an interior design major and a junior. She’s working in Merchandise in EPCOT.
Laura: Laura lives in room 2 with Amanda. She’s a freshman from Texas majoring in Psychology, Biology and minoring in Anthropology. She’s working in I believe Quick Service Food and Beverage and the Animal Kingdom.
Lauren (aka Ren): Ren lives in room 3. She’s a cinema major originally from England although she’s lived in Reading, PA since she was 8. She goes to school in Tennessee (I think) and is working Merchandise at Hollywood Studios.
Jen: Jen is Ren’s roommate and like Amanda is from Illinois although more of the city part of the state. She’s working Full Service Food and Beverage at the Liberty Tree in the Magic Kingdom and is super excited about having to wear a bonnet (not!). =P
So that’s our room…We manage to cover every single theme park and the water parks plus a hotel so we’ve really got the entire property covered. I’m excited to get our costumes (Disney’s word for uniforms) and see how different they are. We’ve already vowed to take an apartment picture in full uniform no matter how awful they may be.
That’s pretty much day 1. It was a ton of information to take in (I told you the post would be long) but I don’t want to forget it. Today (day 2) we have off and then we start full force tomorrow with Traditions Class! With all the excitement is coming so nerves but I just can’t wait to really get started. More later…
Have a Magical Day.
Jess
P.S. I decided that at the end of each post I’m going to post a Disney fact. Hopefully it’ll make you all a little more Disney knowledgeable the next time you talk to me. Disney Fact #1: The Magic Kingdom Tunnels under the park are called Utilidors which is short for Utility Corridors.
