Sunday, December 21, 2014

Magic Kingdom Vacation Planning HERA Pilot

One of the things I loved the most about my role was all of the opportunities that I had. Near the end of my program, I had the opportunity to be involved in a Vacation Planning pilot test. One of my managers told myself and two other Epcot CPs that we were going to be part of the Magic Kingdom HERA pilot. The three of us, along with 3 CPs from Hollywood Studios, 3 CPs from Animal Kingdom, and the Magic Kingdom CPs were going to be trained on HERA -- which stands for Handheld Entitlement and Recovery Application. This is an app on the iPad which would allow us to sell tickets and redeem will calls.
I loved being able to use the iPad to walk around and help guests!

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Tourist Day

My roommates Stephanie, Tess and I had been talking about dressing up like total tourists and running around Magic Kingdom, so on our last day off all together -- that's exactly what we did! We went all out with our matching shirts, Mickey ears, MagicBands, pin trading lanyards, backpacks, fanny packs, 1st visit buttons, and upside down maps! I dragged them out of bed early in the morning so we could get there at rope drop to see the park opening Welcome Show! We met characters, rode some of our favorite attractions, and just had so much fun! We offered to take pictures of families, and even witnessed a castle proposal! I had my DSLR camera with me and took tons of pictures of this couple, and then emailed the photos to them later! We had SO much fun in the kingdom and it was a perfect way to spend the day together! Here's some of my favorite pictures from our Tourist Day!
Tourist Day in the Magic Kingdom!

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Winter Formal

Every year, the Disney College Program hosts a Winter Formal for all of the internship participants. This year's formal was at the beautiful convention center at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort!  The theme was In the Courtyard of Good vs. Evil.

There was a wonderful buffet dinner, dancing, and it wouldn't be a Disney party without characters!

The character meet and greets were so much fun because the Disney villains were in attendance!  I had never met some of these characters so I loved getting to see them! Mickey and Minnie were also there in their royal attire, which was absolutely adorable!
Maleficent

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Graduation Day Photo Shoot

After the DCP Graduation, some of my friends and I went to Magic Kingdom to celebrate! We had our own little photo shoot in the Rose Garden, which is one of my favorite places to take pictures in the Magic Kingdom. I absolutely love how the pictures turned out and will treasure these photos forever!

DCP Graduation Day

Today was the Disney College Program Service Celebration! The graduation is hosted by the DCP events team at one of the apartment complexes, and celebrates the completion of our program! When we first arrived, we were given our certificates, photo box gift, and our graduation Mickey ears!
I earned my ears!

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Christmas Day Parade Filming

Every year, I've always watched the Disney Parks Christmas Day parade on ABC, and this year, I got to be part of the filming! The filming for the parade and concerts is done over a 3 day period at the Magic Kingdom, and also in Disneyland as well. Cast Members were able to sign up for tickets to the filming.
My roommate Jordan and I at the filming!

Monday, December 8, 2014

Main Street PAC Shift

Tonight, I got to work another Parade Audience Control shift at the Magic Kingdom! This time, my shift was on a regular operating night which meant I got to wear the famous red bow tie!
The Main Street PAC Costume

Friday, December 5, 2014

The End of the Beginning

One more month.

One month from now, I'll be on the road back to Texas, yet I'll be driving farther and farther away from my home. I won't live minutes from the most magical place in the world. I'll be leaving all of the wonderful people I've met and I'll be leaving the happiest months of my life.

And as it gets closer to the end of my Disney College Program, it's extremely bittersweet. This program has been everything I'd ever dreamed of, and so much more. But I know that if I want to get back down here permanently, this program has to end. You can bet that I'll be finishing school as fast as I possibly can, because I'm already looking forward to when I can come back to Disney!

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Thanksgiving Vacation

I was so excited to have my family come join me in Disney for Thanksgiving!  Between my regular days off and giving away shifts, I was able to have the entire time off which I was so glad about! Even living in Disney, I was SO looking forward to a Disney vacation with my family!
Home for the holidays!

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

MVMCP #2

I got to work a Parade Audience Control (PAC) shift at the Magic Kingdom! Since my shift was on a Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party night, I got to wear the special costume too!
My roommate Stephanie also worked at the party, doing a treat shift to pass out the
hot chocolate and cookies, so of course we had to take a picture in our cute costumes!!

Monday, November 24, 2014

MVMCP #1

I went to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party with some of my friends from work and we had a blast! As Vacation Planners, we all got tickets to enjoy the party. We sell the tickets at our booths, so it's nice that we are able to have some fun through product knowledge and experience the wonderful event ourselves!
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party!

Thursday, November 20, 2014

2015-2016 Global Ambassador Panel

I had the opportunity to attend a Q&A Panel presented by the newly announced 2015-2016 Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Global Ambassador Team. This team includes the ambassadors from Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disney Resort, Hong Kong Disney Resort, Aulani, and the soon-to be opened Shanghai Disney Resort.

This is the 50th anniversary of the Ambassador program, an initiative created by Walt Disney himself, to select Cast Members that would represent Disneyland.

The panel was an incredible opportunity to meet and hear from these Cast Members, that would be traveling the world representing our company. It was awesome to hear about what is going on across the world, in our global parks industry. These Cast Members have the high honor of representing the Walt Disney Company over the next two years, and to be a small part of their training experience was amazing.
A great morning at the Global Ambassador Panel!

Friday, November 14, 2014

Exploring Guest Service

My Exploring Guest Service class was an 8 week seminar held on Wednesday mornings from 11:00-1:00! Here is a little recap of what we learned about each week!

Week 1: Introduction

We had an overview of our course and talked about the important of guest service to the entire Disney Company. We learned about guest service soft skills and how to incorporate them in our daily operations.

Week 2: Park Operations

We had managers from Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom that shared the tasks and challenges of incorporating guest service and maintaining operational excellence throughout the entire line of park operations, including Attractions, Main Entrance, Vacation Planning, Parking, Custodial, and many other operational fields.

Exploring Marketing

My Exploring Marketing class was an 8 week seminar held on Wednesday mornings from 8:30-10:30! Here is a little recap of what we learned about each week!

Week 1: Introduction
We had an overview of our course and discussed New Fantasyland, which would be the theme of the class. We would be seeing how the various marketing and sales teams worked together on the challenges of marketing such a huge expansion to the Magic Kingdom. 

Week 2: Strategy
We had guest speakers from this team that discussed the various strategy teams that encompass multiple divisions of the company, and how they effectively strategize their marketing tactics to reach guests.  

Monday, November 10, 2014

Career Development Workshops

One of the professional development opportunities provided by the Disney College Program's education team are the Career Development Workshops. These optional seminars are offered as a way to enhance your future career path. Knowing that The Disney Company is where I want to be, it was important to me that I take advantage of these special opportunities during my program.

I attended two workshops on the subjects of Resume Writing and Acing the Interview. They were led by one of my facilitators from my classes, who has an extensive background in Disney recruiting. Having someone teach these workshops that knows exactly what the company is looking for was extremely helpful.

I highly recommend attending these workshops to anyone doing the college program. It was a great way for me to fine-tune my resume and learn how to effectively add both my Disney and previous experiences in a way that will highlight my skills. The interviewing session was also very beneficial in learning how to stand out during an interview and make a lasting impression.

This program really is what you make of it. To me, it's more than just working here and going to the parks. Being given these opportunities to grow, both personally and professionally, is something for which I'm so grateful.

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Animal Kingdom VP

Today, I had traded one of my Epcot shifts for a Vacation Planning shift at Disney's Animal Kingdom!! Animal Kingdom is the only park with a different costume for Vacation Planners than what I normally wear, so I went to their costuming location yesterday to pick it up!  
The Animal Kingdom Vacation Planner costume!

Friday, October 31, 2014

MNSSHP #4

I worked my 2nd shift at the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and it was just as fun as the first shift! I loved getting to wear the special MNSSHP costume again and work in the Magic Kingdom! I even got to watch the Hallowishes fireworks from backstage before my shift started! Picking up random shifts is so much fun for me because I get to work in a different area and while I love Vacation Planning, it's always nice to switch things up for a change. I got to pass out the Halloween peeps again at the exit and thank all of our guests for coming to the party! It was a super fun night getting to spread some magic to the guests and I hope to pick up a shift at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party too!
I love this fun costume!!

College Program Alumni Speaker Series

The College Program Alumni Speaker Series (CPASS) is a seminar hosted by the Education team for Disney Internships and Programs. Many Walt Disney World Cast Members started on the Disney College Program, so this event is a way of formally networking with Cast Members from throughout the property that started in our shoes. I have loved getting the opportunity to attend these events!

The first CPASS that I went to was called Leaders Across Property, and the panel had managers from different areas of the company. The second CPASS that I went to focused on leaders in the world of Events. Each panel had 6 or 7 speakers, and they first started by answering questions led by the facilitator. Then, the floor was opened up for questions from the program participants in attendance. The event ended with getting to go around the room and ask individual questions.

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Selling Relationship Magic

Something that I love about my role as a Vacation Planner is that there's always new information, and you can never have too much knowledge! We often will have training updates during work to inform us of any new system updates, sales tips, and product information.

One of the continued trainings includes a 6 hour class called Selling Relationship Magic, which was taught at Disney University. I recently had my SRM class and got to dive a little deeper into the SRM processes to learn how to better assist our guests in finding the best-fit ticket for their vacation needs.

MNSSHP #3

Time for my third Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party... but this time I was on the other side! I was lucky enough to pick up a shift to work at the party! I had a 2 hour main entrance support shift, which meant I got to pass out the marshmallow peeps that are given out to guests as their final treat for the night! It was SO much fun! I loved seeing all of the creative costumes and getting to surprise guests with one more sweet treat! It was awesome getting to thank guests for attending the party too! We sell tickets to the party at our booths, but it was so much fun to work at the actual event!  

Happiness

Have you ever dreamed about something for so long, that when it finally does happen, you still can't believe it?  Every single day that I've been here, all I can think about is how happy I am.

I always knew I wanted to do this program because I've always wanted to work for Disney. But what you don't completely realize, until you're here, is just how many opportunities are here for you to take. I've been taking full advantage of the classes, seminars, workshops, and speakers provided by the DCP, and I have registered for a lot of events coming up that I'm extremely excited to attend as well. My time in this program is unfortunately nearing it's end but I'm excited to make the most of the next 2 months.

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Part of the Dream

Yesterday was the busiest day of Food and Wine Festival season so far, bringing us the longest ticket booth lines I have ever seen. We had all 30 windows open, and there were lines back to the gate at every. single. booth. It was insanity. I loved being that busy, because it kept things fun and exciting.

Even in the chaos, it's important to remember why we're doing what we're doing. It's important to keep the Disney spirit in mind, always. In my job, I deal a lot with adults. Even when it's the whole family at the window, the adults are the ones that are deciding what they need to purchase. I love trying to include the kids in the interaction, too. Whether it's asking them what character they want on their card, or just talking to them about something they might be wearing or what they're excited to see and do.

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Family takes on Food and Wine

After MNSSHP, we spent most of our weekend enjoying Epcot's Food and Wine Festival!! The festival spans a two month period, but this is the first time we've ever been here for it, so we were especially excited!
Epcot's 19th International Food and Wine Festival!
There's lots of fun signs and topiaries around the park!

MNSSHP #2

My family and I had such a great time at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party!  We dressed up as the old-school paper fastpasses. Megan made the shirts and I made our tutus. We got SO many compliments from Cast Members and guests on our costumes!
Happy Halloween from the Magic Kingdom!
Tutus to match our fastpasses!

Friday, September 26, 2014

MNSSHP #1

I went to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party with two of my roommates! This is a hard-ticket event at the Magic Kingdom that takes place on select nights throughout September and October. As a Vacation Planner, I got a free ticket from work for product knowledge. Because we sell the MNSSHP tickets, they gave us a free ticket so that we could enjoy the party and be able to better explain it to our guests!

Hannah, Tess, and I dressed up as Nemo, Marlin, and Dory from the movie Finding Nemo! We had fun making our costumes and got lots of compliments on them!
Nemo, Dory, and Marlin are ready for MNSSHP!

Q&A

Answering the questions I received from my readers!

What is a normal day like in your job?
I clock-in, check out my key card, and then (for morning shifts only) go to our daily Genie Chat meeting. After that, we go to the bank out room to get our money and paperwork for the day, and then get our first booth assignment. Then it's time to start helping guests! I'll ask them questions to figure out what type of ticket or annual pass they need. Every single guest interaction is different, whether it's a sale or upgrade, a payment plan contract or a special event ticket, or even if it's just answering questions! On a normal 6 hour shift, I'll be in 3 different booths, and have my breaks after the first and second booth. Once I get bumped from the third booth, I bank out and then go home (or, to a park...!).

How are your hours, job wise?
The hours in my role are wonderful because I have plenty of time to play, too! On the program, we are guaranteed to be scheduled 30 hours a week. I am usually scheduled between 30-32 hours a week as a Vacation Planner. I know a lot of roles get scheduled more hours per week. It also depends on what park you work in, and the time of year. I love my hours because I usually work 6 hour shifts, either in the mornings or afternoon/evenings, giving me the rest of the day and/or night to play in the parks!

Monday, September 22, 2014

Food and Wine Festival is here!

This past weekend was the Opening Weekend of the 19th Annual Epcot International Food and Wine Festival! This festival brings almost 40 booths to the World Showcase, featuring food from the 11 countries represented year-long, and additional countries that can only be enjoy during the festival. In addition, we have culinary demonstrations, seminars, and exhibits for guests to experience. Every evening, we have the Eat to the Beat concert series, featuring artists in the American Gardens Theatre.

The weekend started on Thursday, with a Cast Member Preview. I went with some of my Vacation Planner friends after work to enjoy the wonderful items from the dozens of booths set up throughout the World Showcase. I had the filet mignon from Canada, the braised short ribs and potatoes from France, and the ravioli from Italy! Everything I had was absolutely delicious!
Cast Member Festival Preview!

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Adventures Galore

Wow, time REALLY flies when you're having fun! I am loving everything about my program, my job, and my life here in Disney! It's hard to find any free time to write blog posts when I'm always at work or enjoying the parks. Here's a few pictures from some of my Disney adventures!
The fabulous s'mores dessert at 50's Prime Time Cafe!
To Infinity and Beyond DCP Welcome Event!

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Typhoon Lagoon Ticketing

Today I worked a ticketing shift at Typhoon Lagoon, one of Disney's two water parks! It was a short shift, but I enjoyed the change of scenery and some beachy music! I enjoyed the atmosphere of working at the water park, but I found that I definitely enjoy working at the theme parks more! Everyone was super nice and welcoming, though! It was a great morning shift to have, and I loved the costume! Afterwards, some of my roommates met me at the water park and we enjoyed our afternoon in the sun!
This was my costume for Typhoon Lagoon!

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Professional Internships Panel

This morning, I attended a Professional Internships panel. This event was hosted by the Disney College Program education team. Professional Internships are the next level of internship programs offered here at Disney. They are a great opportunity, and I am planning to apply for the semester after I graduate. The panel was an incredible way to meet the recruiters and find out more about the application process. I'm so glad I was able to attend this session while I'm here on my program, because I know that everything I learned today will be extremely helpful when I apply in the future! I'm extremely excited about what my future with Disney will bring. No matter where the journey leads me, I know that this company is exactly where I'm meant to be!

A front row seat to hear the incredible tips and advice!

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Frozen Fireworks Control

I ended my last post by saying how much I loved working in Vacation Planning at another park, and how I wanted to try out the other parks as well.

Well, in the spirit of spontaneity, I picked up a Frozen Fireworks audience control shift at Hollywood Studios. On our schedule view, you can see open shifts that are available to be picked up by anyone, in various positions across the property. I went to Hollywood Studios to get my control costume!
My new costume for the night!
Cue the anxiety.  Hollywood Studios Fireworks control?? That's worlds away from my comfort zones of Epcot, Magic Your Way tickets, annual passes, cash handling, and our computer systems. But regardless, I was very excited!

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Villains Unleashed

Tonight I was deployed to work at the Vacation Planning booths at Disney's Hollywood Studios for the Villains Unleashed event! This was the first time that I worked during a special event, and I was so excited!

We had to park at Epcot and take a bus over to Studios so that their normal cast parking lot could be used for guests. When we got off the bus, they were giving out villains popcorn to all of the Cast Members working that night!
Villains Unleashed Cast Member popcorn!

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Exploring Disney Heritage

My Exploring Disney Heritage class was an 8 week seminar held on Wednesday afternoons from 1:30-3:30! Here is a little recap of what we learned about each week!

Week 1: Introduction
We had an overview of our course and what we would be learning, and learned about our fabulous instructor, who is the same instructor from my Leadership class too! We started off with a background of Walt's early years. Then, we split into groups and did a trivia game of Disney history and heritage.

Week 2: Walt and Roy: The Original Dream Team
We learned about the impeccable partnership between the brothers, and examples of how Walt ran the creative aspects, while Roy handled the business side of the company.

Exploring Leadership

My Exploring Leadership class was an 8 week seminar held on Wednesday mornings from 9:30-11:30! Here is a little recap of what we learned about each week!

Week 1: Introduction
We had an overview of our course and what we would be learning, and learned about our fabulous instructor. He has been with the company for many years in some wonderful roles, and even did the College Program himself. We also did a group activity related to the responsibilities of our managers.

Week 2: Disney's Chain of Excellence
We discovered the Chain of Excellence, and how to satisfy both guest and Cast Member needs.

Thursday, August 7, 2014

One Leader's Journey by Meg Crofton

Today I had the privilege to attend a Disney College Program seminar with Meg Crofton, the President of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Operations for the United States and France. A limited number of tickets were given out for this special presentation, and I was so excited for the opportunity to attend!
My ticket for One Leader's Journey!

Non-stop Disney Adventures

I never made a typical DCP Bucket List when I began my program, because I didn't want to think of my Disney experience as a checklist. That being said, one of my main goals for my program was to enjoy every day and make the most of every moment! My motto recently has been "I can sleep in January!" I've been spending all of my free time at the parks, and here's some pictures of my latest outings!
Visiting Sleeping Beauty with Hannah!
Fun with my friends in the Magic Kingdom!

Friday, August 1, 2014

Life is Magical

Believe it or not, I have already been here at Disney for a little over 2 months! I can't believe how quickly the time has gone, and I wish I could slow it down!! I know the next 5 months are going to fly by just as fast. I am loving every single aspect of the program and I couldn't be any happier!
I get to drive under this every single day!!
Talk about a dream come true.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Playing in the Parks

Whenever I'm not at work or class, you can find me in the parks!! It's nice to be able to just enjoy the attractions, characters, and restaurants with my friends, without ever feeling like we have to rush. Here's a few pictures from some of my recent adventures!

Hannah and I built a snowman... yes, in Florida!
This is part of the Frozen event that is at Hollywood Studios!
Feeling 'incredible!'

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Unexpected Magic

Whenever we are waiting for a booth assignment to open up, we are sent to the front of the booths to greet the guests and help control the lines. Today, I was greeting for about 30 minutes while I was waiting to get a new booth.

There were 2 little princesses that had walked up, all decked out in Frozen t-shirts, crowns, and bags, much like every other girl at Disney! I went over to them and we started talking about their favorite characters in the movie. They told me all about Elsa and Anna, and how they are going to be Queen Elsa when they grow up.  They were absolutely precious!

Family Vacation

My family was here for our annual summer vacation! We had booked this trip well before I even applied for the program, but because of my wonderful hours, I was able to spend a lot of time with them after my shifts and on my days off! They were here for 2 1/2 weeks, and we had such a great time in our favorite place! Here are a few of my favorite pictures!
We're back in our kingdom!

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Meeting Lou Mongello

Today, I met one of my biggest idols ever, who I consider to be the king of Disney himself, Lou Mongello.

This morning, we were at the Frozen summer event at Hollywood Studios. My mom instagrammed a picture using the special Olaf hashtag. Right after she posted the picture, we clicked on the hashtag and saw that Lou had posted a picture from the ice skating rink where we were, just 1 minute ago. Naturally, I freaked out. We looked around, but didn't see him in the building. It was time for Megan and I to start skating, so we went onto the rink.

After only a couple laps around, I look over at where my mom was standing, and she had found Lou! I went over there and I was completely starstruck!

Friday, July 4, 2014

Happy 4th of July

Today was my first holiday shift during my program! 4th of July is one of the busiest days at Walt Disney World and we were expecting lots of guests!! I was originally just scheduled from 8:45-2:45, but I was extended until 5:30. I was glad to be extended though, because it was right when things were picking up!
They had hotdogs, chips, and Mickey ice cream sandwiches for us today!
Magic Kingdom reached phase closings for capacity at 3:45 PM, so I was pulled from the booths and got to help at the monorail station. At Epcot, the monorail goes to the Ticket and Transportation Center, which then leads to Magic Kingdom. I was one of the Cast Members controlling who we were letting onto the monorail, depending on their type of ticket and/or if they were a resort guest.  

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Epcot Cast Party and Family Visit

Today was the annual Epcot Cast Party! It was held for Cast Members all day long, and we had a longer break today so that we could go over and enjoy the party!

This year's party was World Cup themed, which is appropriate since we have the World Showcase at Epcot! They had a huge buffet for us that was delicious!
I was so excited to see that the buffet had Mickey ice cream bars!
And of course, what's a Disney party without characters! They were dressed in their cute sports attire!

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

On-The-Job Training and Earning My Ears!

Once I finished my Magical Vacation Planning training class, I began my on-the-job training at Epcot! I had 4 days of training, and a 5th day assessment.
My first day of on-the-job training!
During my core class, I learned how to do everything on the systems and interact with the guests. Now, it was time to combine all of that as I was trained in the booths! Being in the booths is SO awesome. I love talking with the guests to figure out what they want to do on their vacation. My role has so much guest interaction, problem solving, and multi-tasking, and I love every part of it!

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Kona Cafe (X 2)

Last week, my roommates and I went to dinner at Kona Cafe at the Polynesian to celebrate my roommate Tess' birthday! Stephanie had to work, but Tess, Hannah, Marra, Jordan and I had a great time walking around the resort and we really enjoyed our dinner!
Walking around the Polynesian with my roommates!
From L to R: me, Jordan, Tess, Marra, and Hannah!
Happy Birthday Tess!!

Magical Vacation Planning

From Friday until today, I've had my Magical Vacation Planning training class at Disney University. This 5 day core class is designed to teach us everything we need to know as Vacation Planners. The core class is taught in a training lab at DU that is set up with the same computer systems that we use in the Vacation Planner booths.
My training book for Magical Vacation Planning!
We learned all about the selling process, the two computer systems that we use, and how to create every kind of ticket package that we sell! There are HUNDREDS! This isn't a normal ticket sales job. We have to figure out how we can find the best options for what the guests are looking for. It was a very long week filled with an enormous amount of information, but I feel very confident and prepared to begin my 5 days of on-the-job training in the booths at Epcot!

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Vacation Greeter

On Wednesday, we had Vacation Greeter training and today, we had a Vacation Greeter shift. In this position, we are responsible for moving guests to open Vacation Planning windows, answering questions and giving directions, and welcoming guests to Epcot! It's a really fun position because we get to interact with every single guest coming in to the park!
The first day that I got to wear my costume!
I've loved doing the greeter position because I get to answer SO many Disney questions -- from questions about what to do or eat in Epcot, where to go in the park, how the monorail system works, ticketing questions, and more! It's been really rewarding to see how appreciative the guests are of my assistance!
As Vacation Planners, we get special buttons to wear that advertise
the different events happening across the property.  The first one
that I get to wear is advertising the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train!

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Discovery Day

Today was Discovery Day, which is my Epcot orientation!  Every Cast Member that works at Epcot has gone through Discovery Day, whether they start here or transfer over from another park! Discovery Day is where we learn about the exploration and discovery that Epcot represents.  
A quick selfie on my way to Discovery Day!
Epcot is a really special park because "The Florida Project" was Walt's last theme park idea and the whole reason that we even have Walt Disney World in Florida. Originally, Epcot wasn't going to be a theme park, but instead a model city, hence the name Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. Walt was a man well ahead of his time, and wanted to create this perfect city in hopes of fixing the many problems in our world.

Unfortunately with his passing, this project changed a little, but Epcot still encompasses many of Walt's ideals and visions. We discussed in our class how Epcot combines innovation with culture in Future World and the World Showcase.

Friday, May 30, 2014

Traditions

Sometimes you just know that your day is going to be one of the days you never, ever forget. Today was one of those days.

Today was my Traditions class at Disney University. Traditions is essentially my welcome and orientation to The Walt Disney Company. EVERY single Cast Member has gone through Traditions, no matter their role, level, or experience. It's a very special class, and it was my first official day as a Cast Member.

I can't say too much about what we actually talk about in the class, but I will write and share what I can!

Traditions classes for the CP arrivals each week are split alphabetically. Four of my roommates had the morning session, and Jordan and I had the afternoon session!
My roommate Jordan and I heading to Traditions!

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Checking Out my Location!

This morning my dad and I decided to go to Epcot to check out the Vacation Planner booths. Of course I've been to Epcot hundreds of times, but it was different knowing that it's where I will be working! I got such a wonderful feeling when I saw the booths today, knowing that it is where I'll be getting my start with Disney!
Say hello to my new home, the Epcot Vacation Planner booths!
I can't wait to start selling tickets and helping people plan their days!

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Mine Train and Kitchen Sink

Today was the official opening of the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Magic Kingdom! This ride marks the completion of the New Fantasyland expansion! My dad and I were lucky enough to get FastPass+ reservations to ride the Mine Train on Opening Day! This was the first attraction we've ever ridden on Opening Day, and we've been watching the Mine Train construction for years so we were really excited!

The attraction sign!
First of many Mine Train selfies!

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Check-In and Casting

I woke up today and couldn't believe it was finally here! I've only been waiting for this day since I was accepted just 3 months ago, but in reality I've been waiting for this day for my entire life. It was finally my time to check in to the Disney College Program.

My roommate Hannah was also staying at Pop Century so we met up and followed each other over to Vista Way, one of the 4 apartment complexes and the place where Check-In is held. 
Seeing these signs made me so excited!
The Welcome Center at Vista Way!