Traditions
Wow, traditions. I guess there is so much more to Disney than I have ever though possible. Traditions is a new cast member class that every single cast member has to go through before even beginning training at their position. I found out this week that I am going to be working at the Kim Possible Show Case Adventure in Epcot. My mom was surprised to find out that Disney had not one park, but four. She asked what part of "Disney" Epcot was in, and I had to explain to her that Epcot was it's own park completely. It's so wonderful how expansive this place is. I never imagined something as spectacular. But I'm so overwhelmed still. I have no idea how to get myself through Epcot, never mind the other three parks and all of the resorts and water parks and golf courses, and everything that is Disney. During Traditions we get this little booklet to help guide us through the class so that we still have the information handy when we go home. It's just like a class at school (even though it's seminar-style). I feel like I'm going home with a lot of studying and homework to do before my first day of actual work. Let me describe some of Traditions just because it was so wonderful. We have a bus that takes us there, of course. So I got on the bus and rode through Orlando in "style" but I'm sure the Traditions bus is the best bus that the College Program offers so that the parents get the right impression of course. As I got off the bus I was greeted by a very large building called our Casting Center. The Casting Center is perfect. It's for new Cast Members and for existing Cast Members to learn about their jobs and new positions and everything you could think of that leads to a job. The front of the building has two doors that look like they jumped out of Alice in Wonderland. The door knobs were huge with a face on them. I think Disney is trying to let the newbies know that we're entering a world that will flip our lives all around and we have absolutely no idea what we're in for. And I completely agree. I'm so scared to be here still, and after Traditions I really want to live up to Disney's standards. I want to jump into this new world, acclimate myself, and just be comfortable. I also want to keep a good reputation with the Walt Disney Company, and I can already tell that that is going to take so much work. There are so many guest-service techniques that I need to learn and use. And there are so many rules to this whole thing. We have a point system for attendance, a Service Basics lesson to learn, and a whole lot more on the agenda. I'll make sure to soak up all of the information that I can like a sponge. Traditions also teaches us about the company in general, not just our jobs. We learned when each park opened (I can't remember off the top of my head), and a lot about Walt and Roy Disney. We learned how Mickey Mouse came to be, and how Walt lived his life before Mickey. We also learned what all Disney is involved in. It's not just Disney. Disney owns many other things like ABC, ESPN, and a bunch of other stuff that I can't remember off the top of my head. And I'm not positive if we OWN those things, but I know that we have something to do with them. I know that Disney is involved in a whole lot more than I expected. I'm genuinely surprised that Disney does not rule the world by now, or at least the U.S. But do they? That might be a good paper topic. Disney Rules The World. How does that sound? I'll keep it on the back burner for now and see what else I can come up with.
Training
I have no idea what I'm doing. Let's be completely honest here. There are so many rules and regulations that I have to stick with. I've got two ID's. One for work and one for my housing complex and I need both to do anything. I need both to get on a bus, to get into a building, to clock in, anything. I had my first day of training today. My trainer's name is Blake and he makes me feel super uncomfortable. I had to get my costume today and he just sort of assumed that I knew what I was doing. I had no idea what to look for, what size to get, how many of what I needed... nothing. I had no clue what I was doing. And then he kept forgetting that I'd never been to the park before and tried to let me answer guest questions. I went through what is called "Discovery Day" which is sort of an extension of Traditions, and you go with a group of people and a guide through the park where you work. Traditions is for everyone, Discover Day is just for Epcot. It's called something different for each park. But anyway, it was...weird? We got to ride Spaceship Earth which is a ride INSIDE of the Epcot ball! INSIDE THE BALL! That's so exciting, I didn't know there was anything in there, let alone a ride! It was a very slow moving ride all about the evolution of technology and it was so interesting and pretty awesome. So after a long walk through the park (both Future World and the World Showcase - which is 1.2 miles around) we learned a little here and there about it all. I learned that one must be a particular nationality to work in the World Showcase. For example, if you wanted to work in the German pavilion in the Showcase, you must be a German citizen or born in Germany. Disney is so authentic, I had no idea. I also learned that there are only three ATM's -THREE- in all of Epcot, and one of them isn't even in the park. There is one outside of the park, one in Future World and one in the American pavilion in the World Showcase. Only three. I don't really understand why there aren't more, but I'm sort of glad that there aren't because I feel like that says that Disney isn't completely about money. They are okay without, and are more interested in being authentic and making magic for the guests rather than being worried about making the sales that they may need to make. I really like that about Disney. Of course their prices are high - it's a theme park - but you don't need money for absolutely every little thing. There are these things called Kit Cots in Epcot and children get this little mask and a cut out from each country and they can decorate it however they'd like. And it's free. It's fun, crafty, free, and it helps children learn a little about each of the pavilions. It also helps the kids to want to be in those countries so they aren't so boring and the parents can look around. Disney may not flaunt their shops, but man are there tons of them. And with a shop in every direction, people are sure to end up spending some kind of money. I like their approach. They are there but they are not pushy. And they also carry items that guests are interested in and probably can't get anywhere else. Disney is special and original in many ways and this is just one that I have recognized so far.
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