Check- In Day!!!

Blog Entry August 17, 2011:


(FYI: For this blog post I uploaded a good amount of videos - so that it didn't take up a lot of space on the page they are all linked to certain words or phrases. The words you need to click on are in grey writing instead of black. Just click on the words and the video will pop up in another screen! Enjoy!)

This morning Victoria and I woke up at 6:30 am to get ready and wait in line at Disney's 'Vista Way' apartments. Disney has four different apartment complexes, but Vista Way are the ones that everyone checks in at. The check in starts at 9 am, but housing is first come first serve, and since we wanted to make sure we would get a one bedroom apartment for just the two of us, we wanted to be the first few in line.

When we pulled up to the line two hours early, there were already over 50 people ahead of us!!!! It was crazy! I wish I knew what time the person in the front got there, it had to have been around 6 am. It definitely made me a little nervous that so many people were ahead of us, but I kept my hopes high.

We ended up talking to the couple standing behind us. The boy started his college program in May and his girlfriend was starting with us. It was really good to be able to talk to him about what to expect for the first few weeks of work. It was also nice to see another person who was really enjoying their time on the program.

At around 7:45/8 am they opened the doors and starting letting people in. This was VERY exciting because it meant we would have extra down time later.

Everything was VERY organized. We stayed in a line that looped through different stations. We turned in paper work and were given times for the rest of the day. When we got to the table for housing a Cast Member came up to us and asked if we had requested a specific roommate. We told him we were roommates and sisters, and he informed us that one of us would talk with the person who would assign us to our apartment while the other waited. When he asked who would be the negotiator, I raised my hand at the same time that Victoria pointed to me, and he immediately chuckled and said “I'm guessing you're the older sister.” It was nice to share a laugh with him, because I was so nervous about getting a one bedroom.

The moment of truth arrived and I approached the booth where a nice woman was going to find an apartment for me. I immediately started small chatting and asking how her day had been so far before telling her that Victoria and I would REALLY like a one bedroom. She smiled and nodded and began typing and searching her computer. It felt like it took her FOREVER. I was getting nervous because I didn't know if the length of time meant there weren't any left, but just as my heart started really racing, she looked up and said “You have a one bedroom in Chatham!”

I was SO excited. I looked at Victoria who was waiting in the designated area across the room and mouthed “We got it!!” She immediately ran over and we started hugging each other and jumping up and down as we approached the next booth. The cast members there were smiling but were definitely wondering what we were so happy about. We told them and they handed us our key to our new apartment!!!

Then we received our housing ID and winded around to a man who told us we were on the 10 AM bus to casting! While we waited a Cast Member went over our “on-boarding paperwork,” which is all our I-9/W-4 type paper work we would need at the casting building. We of course had ours, and all the documents we needed since I compulsively checked the computer to make sure we had everything.

We soon got on our bus and were so so so excited to see the casting building and to find out where we would be working!! I really wanted either Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom (MK because it's so magical and AK because they have the best hours) and Victoria wanted either the Great Movie Ride or Tower of Terror in Hollywood Studios, or the Haunted Mansion in Magic Kingdom. When we pulled up to the casting building (which is located right across from Downtown Disney) it was so beautiful!!! It was very whimsical with big golden columns with a diamond pattern. Legend has it that the pattern was made to look like the design on Walt Disney's argyle socks. Inside the building is even a painting of him wearing socks in the same colors as the outside of the building. There are Mickey Mouse shaped cut outs along the top of the building and the best part – the doorknobs from Alice and Wonderland!! They are so cute (they do NOT talk but they are very fun none-the-less).

When we walked through the oversized doors and into the rotunda we were “greeted” by our favorite Disney characters. Minnie, Mickey, Daisy, and of course, Tinker Bell were perched at the top of the columns circling the room. Once we recovered from the excitement we realized a Cast Member was walking around giving us our locations. My stomach flopped in anticipation and when he finally came to us he playfully stalled, knowing how badly we wanted to know, and asked where we would like to be. Both of us said we would be happy anywhere (which of course made us no fun) so he handed us our assignments. I would be working at Restaurantosaurus at Animal Kingdom and Victoria would be at the Haunted Mansion!!! We were SO SO SO excited. We both were placed somewhere we wanted and I could NOT wait to find out what my costume would look like.

We moved through casting looking at all the fun pictures of Walt, his brother Roy, and famous imagineers. We saw pictures of our beloved characters, as well as preliminary drawings of certain rides and movies. I often forget, by Disney was truly a pioneer in the film industry. Quick fun facts: he was the first ever to use story-boards when creating a film, he was the first to combine animation and audio in his cartoon, Steamboat Willie, and he was the first to combine animation with live action in Mary Poppins. In all areas he was told these things were impossible and couldn't be done, but he found a way.

When handing in our I-9's we met one-on-one with a Cast Member so they could see our official documents and write them in on our form. While I was talking to the woman who helped me she asked if I was interested in pursuing a career with Disney. I, of course, told her I was, and she launched into giving me advice about networking, the Professional Internship program, and what I should make sure I do on the College Program. She was the first of many CM's who helped give advice on a future with the company. It was also fun to talk to a College Program Alum who worked her way up to Casting. Very cool.

After we got back from the casting building, we met my parents and drove over to Chatham Square. One thing that is AWESOME about Disney is their security. There is only one entrance that you can access our apartment complex through as a car or as a pedestrian and they literally check each and every person's ID before they can get through. If I am going to have visitors, I have to notify security that they are coming and those people then have to present a valid state ID to get in, and are only allowed to stay until 1 AM. After 1 AM, even other CM's that live in other buildings must leave. It's very comforting knowing how strict they are.

We walked into our apartment and we love it! It's so nice (although there is green carpet – weird). But all the cabinets/ counters are nice and even the furniture isn't bad. I was expecting dorm style furniture but it's nicer than that so that's good. (As soon as we're really done unpacking I'll put up pictures!).

After we walked in, we started bring our stuff up and we quickly learned that at some point between 4 and 7 pm there is a crazy rainstorm. It doesn't last very long at all, but it POURS. Like no rainstorm I've ever seen in MA. It is CRAZY. Luckily, my stuff was almost in when it started. Still, I was SOAKED. So we loaded in our stuff and then my parents helped us unpack before we had our Housing Meeting.

The meeting was about as fun as a meeting can be. They were blasting Disney music when we walked in and they basically went over the safety regulations and protocall as well as where we go to do laundry, who to contact if our dishwasher breaks and all fun stuff like that. At the end of the presentation they played a slide show that had pictures and information about the program. It was really moving the way they put it together and it ended with “get ready to have the time of your life.” Of course, both of our eyes were filling with tears, and Victoria looked over to see that the girl next to us was crying. It was so cute, but also very comforting that we are not the only ones so so excited to be Disney Cast Members. I'm learning more and more how truly amazing the company is, I can't wait to share some of the fun and wonderful things they do with you all.

By the time Victoria and I got out we were so so hungry. Luckily, we had reservations at the Flying Fish – one of our favorite restaurants. We met my parents at their hotel and drove over to the Boardwalk Hotel together. When we got there it started to really sink it that we are Disney Cast Members. This is the hotel that we have been staying at the past few times and so I literally was walking down memory lane remembering all the times I set foot on that boardwalk wishing it was as a Cast Member, but never sure if it would actually happen.

As many of you know, college was difficult for me. Not so much scholastically, as I have always done well in school (fortunately and unfortunately, even when I didn't try), but never felt truly happy there. I had isolated moments of feeling like I belonged, but mostly either onstage, or with select friends and family. I've always felt like I could do great things and really help people while working for this company and it is so so incredible to see all the possibilities right in front of me.

At the Flying Fish we had a wonderful dinner, but it was sad again for me that Nate wasn't there. He LOVES the Flying Fish and the last two times I had been there was with him. The hardest part is just wishing he could experience this all with me. It's so incredible, and I know he would love it just as much as I do.

After dinner, we walked around the boardwalk some more, going into the stores and talking to Cast Members. It's so fun to talk to them because so many of them are so excited when they learned we have joined their Disney family. They want to give advice, tell their Disney stories, or just reassure us of how great our decision was. Everyone has been so kind to us and I hope that we continue to have good experiences with fellow Cast Members, from what I heard, the courtesy will continue.

Here is my schedule for the next few days: tomorrow I have off, Friday I have “Traditions” (which I will talk more about then), and Saturday and Sunday I have more orientation type stuff for the company and my specific job. Training at location starts Tuesday!! I'm so excited :)

Tomorrow we are getting up and going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios!!!!! I am so so so excited, but sad that Nate isn't here. I really wanted to be able to go with him, but it's expensive so when we were down here we couldn't afford it. I'm sure we'll have so much fun. I'm so lost in the world of Disney that it will be weird to switch over to the Harry Potter world, but it'll happen and I know we will have so much fun. My whole family is excited and it will be so fun to spend more time together as a family. I'll update about it soon! As well as the rest of my crazy weekend!

Ttfn!