Sunday was my first day of training! I was still training at Disney University. My schedule was from 7:30-16:00. Yes, Disney scheduling is in military time! My first day of training was long. I had two classes. The first class was all about the four keys of Disney, and the second was a Welcome to Food and Beverage class. The first one I was falling asleep in and the second was very fun. Afterwards, I was going to go to Magic Kingdom to see wishes for the first time, but I had a horrible migraine. So I would have to wait to see wishes at another time. Monday my training was on property of the Grand Floridian!! There was about 15 of us working in different locations at the Grand. We went to the training room and learned about the Grand Floridian. Then, we did a property tour and learned the ins and outs of the buildings. We even found out that they have on average 5 weddings a day and at most 8! Wow! After training was over, we went to get our costumes. The directions they gave us were not very good. We had to go in and out Magic Kingdom 3 times and ask 4 cast members before we finally found Chip and Dales. After getting my costume, I was supposed to go to Magic Kingdom with Abby and Hannah, but just like finding Chip and Dales, we circled around Magic Kingdom. So, we finally gave up and decided to go to EPCOT instead. This was a great idea because I've never been to EPCOT and I was dying to go! We went on Soarin', Living on the Land, and Project Tomorrow. My favorite ride at EPCOT was Soarin'. We got to fly over different places all over the world and it was magical to see. My favorite part of EPCOT was the world showcase because I got to eat food from all over the world! :) The best part of traveling is trying all the different foods, and I could do this, save lots of money, and just walk around EPCOT. Abby, Hannah, and I split 3 different foods to make it cheaper for all of us. We got nachos from Mexico, fish and chips from England, and croissant donuts from France. Everything was so good! I can't wait to go back and try more of the food! Tuesday was my second day of training at the Grand. Jessica, Maggie, Alaina, and I all had to work the same shift, so we decided to carpool. All of us in our costumes that our friends said look like a train conductor, golf catty, etc. haha! We got to the Grand and find our trainers. They are the sweetest ladies! Cindy and Cat met living in the same neighborhood in Orlando. Cindy's husband had passed away and Cat reached out to her. Later Cat's husband passed away and Cindy did the same thing. They both decided they wanted to work for Disney. They applied together, had interviews right after each other, and got hired together. They had worked at the Grand for 4 years. Cindy and Cat brought us snacks, gave us soda, and even bought us Girl Scout Cookies! They were the best trainers we could ask for! Wednesday was my first day of on the floor training. Maggie, Jessica, and I were being trained by Cat on Running/Bussing. This was pretty easy considering I use to do this while I worked at Rosa's Pizza in high school. The hardest part was knowing where to get supplies for the condiment bar and where to take the trash, dirty dishes, etc. Since it was slow, they let us watch Wishes outside. It was beautiful as it was my first time watching it! I hoped that I would see it inside of Magic Kingdom soon. After Wishes, the managers let us try some of the food. We had a sausage pizza, 2 different burgers, a chocolate mousse cake, and the coconut pot de creme. They were all amazing! I had Thursday and Friday off. Thursday I went to Animal Kingdom with Hannah, Alaina, and her roommate. This was my first time at Animal Kingdom and it was just as I imagined. We went straight to Expedition Everest because the wait time was shorter than normal. I wasn't prepared when it went backwards!! The picture they take during the ride, I look very frightened. As we were walking to the next ride, a woman stopped us and gave us her fast pass ticket because they were leaving the park and didn't want it to go to waste. Then, we went on the Kilimanjaro Safari, which was what I was looking forward to the most. I've always wanted to go on a safari in Africa, and since I can't go there just yet, this was the next best thing. We saw giraffes, a baby elephant and its family, cheetahs, ostriches, and many more! Next, we stopped at Pizzafari for food. Afterwards we decided to ride Expedition Everest again with the fast pass. Don't worry, I was prepared this time and my face was much better for the picture. Lastly, we met Russell from UP and Pocahontas. Friday I went grocery shopping and relaxed during the day. That night I went to Magic Kingdom for my first time and saw Wishes! It was amazing!!! The fireworks and music were magical. I loved it. After wishes, Hannah and I ran to Space Mountain because the line is alway long. This was by far one of my favorite rides so far. Before the park closed we were able to on in the Haunted Mansion and Under the Sea. Saturday was the first day of working by myself. It was scary! I started out running food. We had more of a rush than I had the previous days on training, so the day went fast. When the busser went on break, I was supposed to cover, but then the runners were on break too. So I had to do both bussing and running at the same time. ALSO we had a huge rush of people. Since it was my first day alone, I was very overwhelmed. I had one manager tell me one thing and another something different. I was very stressed. Once the busser came back from break, it slowed down and the others came back from break as well. So I helped with the mess on the around the restaurant. I got yelled at and praised all by the same people multiple times. Saturday was kind of a mess, but I was going to let that be the last time. I was new, I can't do everything at once. So hopefully the next time I will be better!
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The first week of DCP was stressful and relaxing all at the same time. Going into the program, I didn't know who I'd be living with, how many roommates would I have, which apartment complex I was in, and where I would be working! Since I'm a planner, this was very stressful. I like to plan things out. This year they changed it a little and sent itineraries out to the cast members. It included your arrival date, departure date, where I would be working, and which apartment complex I would be living in. Among these things , it listed the times for our check in, casting, housing meeting, and traditions (orientation). This took off some of the stress. I knew I would be working at the Gasperilla Island Grill, which is located in the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa and living in the Commons apartment complex. I was living and working in the nicest places! I was thrilled! A couple of days before I was set to arrive, my parents and I explored Orlando, FL. We went to Winter Park and checked out where I would be living and working. Here are some pictures of my work: Tuesday finally arrived, which was check in day! My check in was at 8:30A.M., which was the first out of my roommates. I got to pick which room and bed I wanted, which was nice. My roommates checked in at 9:00 and 9:15. I had gotten the roommates that I requested! So, we had a 2 bedroom, 4 person apartment. As soon as getting to know the girls, I had to go to casting at 10:30. Casting is where we filled out our I-9 forms, got background checks, and received information for the next couple of days. The whole process took about an hour and a half. Then my roommates and I got to know each other and went to Disney Springs/Downtown Disney! We eat dinner and got ice cream. Great first night! I had Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday off. The only thing I had Wednesday was the housing meeting, which was like your typical dorm meeting. I spent the rest of the day getting acclimated to my surroundings. Thursday, Hannah and I went to Universal Studios and got our season passes. This was my first time going and I was very excited!! I went to Harry Potter World!! I was in awe; it was amazing. I tried butter beer for the first time and it was amazing. I can't wait to go more in the next 4 months! Friday I spend time relaxing and getting some work done. Traditions finally came on Saturday! Traditions is basically like a job orientation. We learned the basic keys to success while working at Disney, met Mickey Mouse, and received our name tag, ID, and first pair of ears! We were officially cast members (employees) of Walt Disney World!!!
Although there has been a multitude of memorable events in my life, one particular instance stands out in my mind: my vacation to Costa Rica. My parents support my childhood with marvelous experiences. For starters, I have the blessing to live in a three story house with two loving parents that feed and clothe me. Also, I have the opportunity to have a paid education from preschool to a bachelor’s degree at my choice of university. I am very thankful for all that my parents have provided me with and one of the first times I realized how lucky I am, was when I visited Costa Rica. My family and I went on a vacation to Costa Rica when I was 8 years old. We arrived in Jaco Beach at the American owned Marriott Hotel, which caters toward the tourists. Then, we went into a small store to buy a swimsuit for me because I left mine at home. That was my first lesson: do not leave your swimsuit at home if you are visiting a tropical country because you most likely will be swimming. The store was very small and only consisted of four aisles. The grocery store in Costa Rica did not look like the typical supermarkets you would find in America, because our grocery stores are based on product placement, marketing, lighting, and anything to entice the buyer. It was very different experience going into a grocery store in a less fortunate country than America. The resort we stayed in was situated around the Pacific Ocean with a golf course; it was exquisite. There was an enormous pool with a swim-up bar landscaped with beautiful palm trees. The pool had a big section for the people who wanted to swim laps, play volleyball, or other games in the pool. Then, there was a unique design shaped area that seemed like a maze, with a turn at every corner. My brother and I played tag and other games throughout the resort’s pool. After we frolicked in the water for a couple of hours, we swam to the swim-up bar to get a refreshing drink. My family would order four delicious mango drinks. Then, we ventured off the resort into the real Costa Rican lifestyle. On the way to the Cloud Forest, we took a van with vacationers because my father gave up driving on the terrible conditioned roads. I noticed that several of the roads were unpaved. If the streets were paved, they were uneven and contained continuous potholes, which the driver had to drive over or swerve around. Along the way, we passed over a rickety, old bridge. The bridge looked like it was about to fall apart and it didn’t look safe the travel over. Even though it didn’t look safe, we drove over it anyways, hoping the thin boards would hold up the weight of the van. It was a long and bumpy ride, but I learned that American’s are lucky to have to taxes and tolls, along the interstates, to pay for the paving and repaving of the roads and bridges. These are some things that we often take for granted, and we should be thankful for all the things we have that many countries do not have the money to pay for. Along one of the journey’s to the Arenal Volcano, we would see houses beside the road. Many of the houses were very small one-story homes. The houses were equivalent to the size of half of one of the levels in my house. They were very small and worn out. Many of the houses were plain, simple, and lack ornate details. These living spaces would be uncommon in suburbia Atlanta, but in Costa Rica these homes were very common. A substantial amount of the residents in Costa Rica do not have the money to afford the large homes that American’s are used to. They would buy these small homes with all of their money and would not have an abundance of savings left. The money that the Costa Ricans had left would go toward food and clothing for their families. Many of the children did not have televisions, computers, or gaming systems because they could not afford them. Nowadays, some of my acquaintances complain when they do not have the newest apple product, X-box, or a car, as most of my friends are able to drive. They do not realize that some of these kids, in other countries, are lucky enough to have a bed to sleep in and a meal at night. Another thing my family and I noticed was the schoolchildren wore matching uniforms. The country enforced a dress code to allow all the children to feel equal. The school uniforms make the poor and the rich kids feel the same. At Pope High School many of the students wear name brands, such as Ralph Lauren, Abercrombie and Fitch, and that doesn’t even include all the designer purses, such as Gucci, Coach, and Louis Vuitton. The kids that do not wear the newest and most stylish clothing at school are often looked down upon. The Costa Rican schoolchildren that I saw looked just as happy with their matching uniforms and no one was excluded. Even though the most of the citizens have lower living standards compared to the middle class Americans, they are typically happy people and are also the most literate of the Latin American countries. They are a very friendly and considerate population and say “hola” or “buenos dias” when you walk past them. The natives would help us get around the city or town with pleasure. If we were lost and needed directions, they would be very patient with us because we are not fluent in Spanish and we often mess up on simple conjugation mistakes. The locals were very proud to show us their beautiful scenery. Costa Ricans have pride in their beautiful natural surroundings, including the volcanos, thermal hot springs, beaches, tropical rain forests, and their natural wildlife. Their incomparable array of wildlife includes monkeys, more than 60 varieties of hummingbirds, sloths, and has one the most concentrated varieties of flora and fauna, which includes 1,200 species of orchids and 800 types of ferns. My family’s vacation to Costa Rica changed my perspective in life. It made me aware that beauty in not in material items, such as the latest designer clothing or what type of vehicle you drive, it is about natural beauty that surrounds you and the beauty from within one’s self. It also opened my eyes to except a different culture, with their food, religion, and living conditions. I realized that we are more alike than we are different. |
AuthorJust a college girl who loves to travel the world! Archives
April 2018
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