Epcot & Training Day 4

Saturday, June 7

Today I had plans to hang out with my cousin Anthony and his girlfriend Kayla. They were doing four parks in one day! I told them that I would meet them at any park. They started at Animal Kingdom and then headed over to Hollywood Studios. By that time I had gotten ready and started to head over, until I realized that this weekend there is a blackout for all cast members for DHS. This is the first year Mark Hamill, the actor who played Luke Skywalker, was going to be at Star Wars Weekend. So, I am sure that is why we were blocked out from Hollywood Studios this weekend.

I headed over to Epcot from the Beach Club. Anthony and Kayla were going to that park next, so I figured I would just hang out until they got there. When I first walked in there was a Joffreys stand and I just had to get that frozen strawberry drink again! So delicious! I then headed over to The Land to grab lunch at Sunshine Seasons. I ordered a Turkey Sandwich on focaccia bread with potato salad. So yummy!

Fresh Turkey with Lettuce, and Chipotle Mayo on Focaccia Bread

The Land 

After I ate, I talked to my Dad on the phone and then FaceTimed my Mom and Katie. It was very nice talking to them and it was just what I needed. I miss them and everyone else back home so much. It is very hard being away from my family.

I then went over to MouseGear to torture myself with all of the Disney merchandise. haha! I wanted to buy everything! I then headed over to Spaceship Earth, because Anthony and Kayla were starting to head over to Epcot. I rode Spaceship Earth and then waited outside for them.

Spaceship Earth and Palm Trees

It was so great seeing them! We headed over to Test Track. It was a 40 minute wait, but it was good because it gave us time to talk! After the ride, we started to head over to the UK pavilion. I had to walk back to the Beach Club to get ready for my fourth day of training.

For my fourth day of training I worked the entire time on the register in To-Go. I like this position the most, because of the guest interaction. Towards the beginning of my shift Anthony and Kayla came to visit me! After they left, the line was out the door until 10:15 pm! I was scheduled until 12:30 am, which is considered the closing shift. After we close at 11:00 pm, we need to clean everything! Heather taught me how to clean the To-Go station. Once we cleaned everything we got to go home. I clocked out at 12:45.

As soon as I got home I went right to sleep! I have the next two days off! Woo!

First Day of Training

Wednesday, June 4

Earning My Ears

Today I had my first day of training at Beaches and Cream. I was scheduled 11:00 am - 5:30 pm. My first day of training was all about Culinary. I trained with one of the chefs, Julie. She was so awesome! Coming in today I was soooo nervous! My boyfriend has spent majority of his professional career in the kitchen, so I know how tough it can be.

Julie calmed my nerves from the beginning of my shift. She cooked on the flat top and she had me prep the sandwiches, burgers, and kids meals. It was tough work, but I really enjoyed it. I love working in a fast paced environment. My shift flew by!

Before the end of my shift, Julie went over what I need to know for my assessment, which is next Wednesday. Once I pass this assessment I will have officially earned my ears!

After work, I cooked myself dinner and prepared for my second day of training tomorrow. For the rest of the night I plan on taking it easy and then going to bed. I have in-house house training tomorrow, which includes learning how to make the sundaes and the famous kitchen sink!

Welcome Aboard! & MK with Kat

Tuesday, June 3 

What I wore to "Welcome Aboard" 

Today I had orientation at the Yacht and Beach Club. The class was called "Welcome Aboard!". It started at 8:30 am and I was done around 4:00 pm. 

The first part of class was all about the resort. Yacht and Beach Club resort is a Deluxe resort on property located across from the Boardwalk and in walking distance from Epcot. 

The resort has a nautical theme that is inspired by the summertime seashore hotels of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Island in the year 1880. 

The Lighthouse at Yacht and Beach Club

I get to use themed language such as "Welcome Aboard" and "Ahoy". This resort is such a great fit for me, because I am in love with all things nautical and beachy. 

After learning all about the resort we took a tour around both the Yacht and Beach Club. This resort is a classic example of the immersive experiences that Disney offers. The theming throughout the entire resort is flawless. They also pointed out some hidden things, such as nautical flags in the Yacht Club that spell out Disney. 

My location, Beaches and Cream, is set on the Beach Club side in front of the Stormalong Bay pool. This pool is absolutely gorgeous! Resort guests come back year after year just to swim in the beautiful pool. 

When we came back from our tour we got a visit from the General Manager, Mim. This is a real treat as most general managers do not take the time to welcome the new cast members. Mim talked about the culture of the onstage and backstage areas of the resort. Every time we pass a resort guest we are to greet them and the same goes if we see a fellow cast member backstage. She has created such an amazing work atmosphere. 

Once Mim left our facilitators wrapped up the class. We were then told individually what we needed to do the rest of the day. On my schedule was to take a 30 minute lunch break, do some e-learning and then take a tour of my work location.

My e-learning was about the guidelines of serving alcohol and working the cash register. 

I then went on a brief tour of my location and saw where my manager's office is. After that it was off to costuming to get my costumes. I got four of my Beaches and Cream costumes and one culinary costume. I have culinary training tomorrow, so I needed the costume for that role. I will not be doing the culinary role, but I still need to be trained for it. 

After costuming I clocked out and called my Mom and Dad. It is their 25th Anniversary today. Love you, Mom and Dad! 

When I got home I talked to my sister and then Kat got home from her training. We decided to go somewhere on property to grab dinner. We couldn't decide so we freshened up and got on the next bus to the Polynesian. 

Once we were at the Poly we hopped on the monorail and decided to eat somewhere in the Magic Kingdom. All of the table service restaurants were reservation only, so we decided to go to a quick service location.  

Kat has never been to Pecos Bills! I had to take her there, so she could experience the amazing toppings bar. I ordered the Deluxe Cheeseburger and Kat ordered the Taco Salas. We both ordered frozen Strawberry Lemonades. Yum!

My Deluxe Cheeseburger 

Frozen Strawberry Lemonade 

Kat's Taco Salad 

From there we went on Pirates of the Caribbean, which was only a 15 minute wait! We walked around a little and made our way to New Fantasyland.  We checked out the gift shop next to Gastons Tavern. They have beautiful and unique Beauty and the Beast merchandise. 

We then went on the Little Mermaid ride and Dumbo. I haven't been on Dumbo since I was a small child. I felt like I was reliving my childhood!

Dumbo the Flying Elephant 

We headed for the monorail to take us back to the Poly right before wishes. While we were on the monorail we could see the fireworks! We waited for the bus to take us back to Chatham. I am home now FaceTiming Pete before I fall asleep. I have culinary training at 11:00 am tomorrow morning. 

Traditions!

Friday, May 30 

Today I had Traditions! I was scheduled for the second group at 2:30 pm. Kat and Marysa also had this time so we all went together. We caught the bus in front of Chatham at 1:30 pm. Once we got there we got separated. They divide the group into smaller groups depending on a number on the back of your program guide. 

I do not want to give too much away on what exactly happens at Traditions. I read A LOT of blogs about it, so every surprise was pretty much ruined for me. 

Traditions is an introduction to the Walt Disney World Company. It takes place at Disney University. You learn about how the Disney company started and how it turned into the amazing company it is today. You also learn about the companies rules and regulations. These are taught by the facilitators and various videos. One of the videos is of parents surprising their children with trips to Disney World. I cried the entire video! haha If you are an emotional person like me I suggest you bring your tissues! 

During one of the breaks I went into the cast member only store. I bought a new lanyard for my Disney ID, that I had received in the beginning of Traditions, and a college program pin. 

After the break the facilitators talked about the four keys; courtesy, show, efficiency, and safety. Then we headed over to the Magic Kingdom to spot some examples of the four keys in the park. We took a bus over and entered through the Utilidors. The Utililors are tunnels underneath the park for Cast Members to get to each land. That is why you will never see a Tomorrowland Cast Member in Fantasyland. 

When we got back from the park we talked about the examples we saw of the four keys in the park. I gave an example for efficiency, so I received a cute Daisy Duck figure. Then we got a special surprise  that included receiving our name tags. I have been waiting for this moment forever and it was amazing. I couldn't stop looking at it! Then I took the bus back to Chatham. 

Traditions is exactly what I needed to reassure me that I made the right decision and why I love this company so much. I am so happy that I am now apart the Disney family and I can't wait to start creating the happiness for guests from all around the world.

Chip and Dale 

My new ears

My outfit for Traditions

Housing Meeting and Moving In

Wednesday, May 28

Today I woke up early to get ready for my scheduled Housing Meeting at 8 am in the Commons Clubhouse. Two of my roommates Marysa and Merecia were scheduled for this meeting time also. We walked over to the Commons Clubhouse, which is about a 10 minute walk from our apartment in Chatham. When we got there it was about 7:50 and the line was wrapped around the building. They didn't let us into the building until about 8:20.

When we walked in they had loud music playing and gave out Disney Internship luggage tags. The meeting was about an hour and thirty minutes long. They started out with some trivia and then went over housing rules and precautions. The woman who were running the meeting tried to make it as fun and interesting as possible.

After the housing meeting I headed home to go run errand with my Dad. He picked me up in the rental car and we headed to Wal-Mart. I got a bakers rack for extra storage for my room and a couple other essentials I needed. We went back to the apartment and he put it together for me. We also cleaned the baseboards really good and vacuumed. The room did not smell good at all. I bought heavy duty febreeze and a plug in. It made the room smell SO much better. We worked on setting up my room for a couple of hours until it was finally complete minus my cork board.

We then went to pick my car up from the AAA Care Center in front of the Magic Kingdom. I was so relived and happy to have my car back. I was so scared that it wouldn't be able to be fixed. We then headed back to the apartment to get my parking permit. There was a delay because my insurance card did not have my name on it only my parents. We called the company and they were able to fax a declaration to them saying I am on the policy.

Then we headed over to the Yacht and Beach Club to check out where I am working for the next seven months. I immediately fell in love with this resort. Beaches and Cream is directly in front of there beautiful pool. We had about a ten minute wait to be seated at the counter for dinner. When I walked in I loved the decor but noticed that it is a lot smaller than I thought it would be. I ordered the turkey meatloaf sandwich and my Dad ordered the cuban sandwich. We decided to split them so we could both try them. They were so delicious. The turkey meatloaf sandwich was so different in a good way! We both were way too full to try the ice cream.

We then decided to walk around the resort and the boardwalk. The great thing about my location is that Epcot is literally a walk away. The boardwalk is also so close! After we walked all the way around we decided to go home and get some rest. 

My Dad dropped my off at my apartment, but before I went to bed I wanted to get my bulletin board done. Once I completed that I was officially set! I was so relieved! I felt so uneasy not having my room how I wanted it. I am so happy with how it turned out.

1,000 Page Views

My blog has hit 1,000 page views! I hope that everyone who reads my blog is enjoying the content. I am committed to keeping up with it throughout the duration of my program. I am so excited to start blogging while on the program.

I have three goals for this blog.

1. To document my experience, so I can have something to look back on later.

2. To share what I am up to for my family, boyfriend, and friends in New Jersey.

3. To share useful information about the Disney College Program for potential participants. I waited many years to apply for the College Program and during that time I looked to blogs and vlogs to give me insight and information on the program.

One More Month!

I have one more month left until I check-in and start my Disney Adventure! I am beyond excited! I have already started packing up the things for my apartment in rubbermaid containers. So, look forward to a packing blog soon!

The other day my Mom, sister, and I spent time shopping for professional outfits for traditions and training. We found three outfits including my traditions outfit at Dress Barn. I absolutely love all of the outfits! They are all so cute and are perfect professional attire for sunny Florida. Here is a small preview of my traditions outfit:

A big shoutout to my Mom and Dad for providing me with everything I need for my program. I truly have no clue what I would do with out their support.

As this semester comes to an end I have also been very busy with tests, assignments, and final projects. But, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! My graduation ceremony is on May 21st! I am so excited to end this chapter of my life and start the next one at Disney.

Roommates!

I am happy to announce that I have found my roommates! We all met through the Facebook group. There are six of us total. We are hoping to live in a three bedroom apartment in Chatham Square. Ten days before check-in we will be able to choose our living preferences through DORMS.

One exciting thing we all have in common is that we are all graduating!

I will be sharing a bedroom with Kat. She is an education major graduating from Central Connecticut State University. Her role for the DCP is Custodial. We both love country music, especially Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley. We also both love the beach and cannot wait to go when we get settled in Florida.

Merecia and Cati are sharing the second bedroom. Merecia is majoring in Spanish Linguistics and is graduating from the University of Texas. She loves dance and works as a coach at Jump! Gymnastics. Merecia has previously done the DCP working in QSFB, which is her role this time also. So, we could potentially be working together!
Cati is majoring in Business Economics and Political Science and minoring in Financial Accounting. She is graduating from Edgewood College in Wisconsin. Right now she is working as a personal banker. Her DCP role is Main Gate Operations.

Marysa and Melissa are sharing the third bedroom. Marysa is studying English at Saint Joseph's University in Pennsylvania. She loves the Jonas Brothers.
Melissa is majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurship. She is graduating from High Point University in North Carolina. She is a founder of a chapter in Alpha Chi Omega. Her role is QSFB, so we also might be working together!

I am so excited to meet them all!

Course Registration

Course Registration just opened for the summer semester, which is specifically for Fall Advantage participants. I was able to register for the course that I have been dreaming of taking, EXPLORING DISNEY HERITAGE! 

The course description is as follows: 
"Take a journey back in time to discover the roots of the Walt Disney Company. Learn about Walt Disney the man and his vision by exploring historical milestones."
-Syllabus 

I am so happy that I checked the site before going to bed. Everyone on the Facebook page was saying that course registration would open at midnight pacific time, but it turned out to be midnight eastern time! 

To register you go to the course registration, which is located on the on-boarding site. You will need to enter your last name, e-mail, and telephone number to gain access to the site. Then you will see a list of all the course offerings, both collegiate and seminar. I was then prompted to fill out a survey about my interest in potential alumni speaker series and career development workshops.

After this survey you are able to choose which courses you would like to register for. Exploring Disney Heritage was only available during one time slot, Wednesdays 1:30 - 3:30. I chose register and clicked continue. The next page is either confirming your registration or alerting you that you were put onto the wait list. I am happy to say that I am registered for Exploring Disney Heritage! My classroom is in Chatham Square. The course starts June 28 and ends August 13. 

Immediately after enrolling, I received an e-mail confirming my registration, notifying me about course expectations, and explaining how they will be communicating with me. 

I will have one more opportunity to enroll in classes, which is the Fall semester. Exploring Marketing is the class I plan on registering for during that time. I am so excited to start learning from the company that I hope to have a long term career with.

I Received My Postcard!

Today I received my "Congratulations Nicole" postcard! I have been anxiously waiting since my acceptance. After work I came right home to find it sitting on the kitchen counter. I have never been so excited for a piece of mail in my life. I have waited so long to have my own postcard with my name on it! 

I told myself and my family during the application process that if I would be accepted for this opportunity I would not take it for granted and that I would make the most out of it, and that is exactly what I am planning on doing. I am very passionate about making this the start of a long term career with Disney. I truly believe that Disney is were I belong. 

My Dream Come True

March 1st, I was ACCEPTED into the DCP 2014 Fall Advantage! My role is QSFB. I received my acceptance e-mail at work. As soon as I saw it I started balling my eyes out! I checked my offer letter to see my role and called my family immediately after. I could hear my Mom crying and and screaming “YAY”!

I wanted to leave work so bad, but I waited until my lunch break and my parents and sister came to take me out to Pei Wei for lunch. We paid my fees and chose my check-in date, Tuesday, May 27th.

After work I came home to beautiful pink roses, which are my favorite, and an L&M (our local bakery) cake decorated with Minnie and Mickey silhouettes. That wasn’t the end of the surprises, then my Mom and Dad surprised me with new Minnie Mouse bedding for my future apartment.

I am so excited and grateful for this life changing experience!