I love working at Disneyland.

I don't necessarily love my specific role at the park, but I love working here.  I love seeing little kids meet their favorite character for the first time.  I love hearing stories from families from the different parts of the world who have saved up for years just to come here for a day.  I love the look on kids' faces when they ask if I know Mickey and I tell them that he's my boss.  I LOVE answering questions and hearing people say to each other as they walk away "wow, the employees are just so nice here!"  

When we clock out every day there's a little Mickey icon that tells us "thanks for helping make the magic!" That's what I love.

Photopass... I love a little less.  Our department is new so it's kind of disorganized.  Photopass just switched from being part of the Merchandise section to being part of Entertainment, so the details are still being ironed out and it makes some things confusing.  It's not bad at all, I just see how much better it could be.  I kind of want to stay here and work my way up to management because I feel like I have so many ideas about things to do to make it better.  But, you know... school.

First day of work!

Well, I've spent the last week doing OJT (on the job training) and today was my first official day at work on my own!  I worked at Big Thunder Mountain today, taking pictures both of people in front of Big Thunder and of Woody and Jessie every half hour.


It was a lot of fun and went pretty fast.  I had tons of equipment problems, but from what people have told me, that's to be expected.  I had to get two new PDAs and a new camera.  That doesn't sound like a big deal but when the people who have your PDAs and cameras are halfway across the park and you have to hike a ways to call them it means you miss a lot of pictures.  We're getting a bunch of new equipment in October so hopefully this won't happen any more after that!  


I've decided I don't like working Big Thunder.  There aren't that many people who want their pictures taken in front of the mountain, and I really hate accosting people and trying to get them to take photopass cards from me.  Everyone thinks I'm trying to sell them something!  


I did run into a few cool people today, though, and had some good conversations.  A little girl, probably four years old, told me she liked the bow headband I was wearing.  Cuuuute!  I ate my lunch with Ariel, Tiana, and Belle.  How awesome is that?


I got my schedule for the week and I'm working at the View on main street twice next week!  I'm excited to wear a cute costume for once.  I looove those blouses to death!  And I get a bow tie!  I can't wait :)


Tomorrow I'm working the main entrance of DCA.  Should be interesting!

traditions

I am now officially a disney cast member!  I have my nametag and Disneyland ID and everything.  I feel so legit!

Today we had Traditions which is basically our official welcome/talk about Disney values/tour the park day.  

While we were touring the park we stopped near main street for a little while.  I'll admit, I paid very little attention to what was being said by our group's leader, but it's because I was watching a little girl (probably six) conducting the main street marching band.  Mickey pulled her up in the middle of everyone and in front of the band, handed her the baton, and had her start moving her hands.  I don't think she really realized that the band was following her and that she was actually conducting the music until she started to speed up her hands faster and faster until the band was playing so quickly you could hardly figure out what the song was.  Once she realized they were actually following her she perked up and you could see the excitement take over her face and she started varying it; faster, slower.  Faster, slower.  She was laughing and having a ton of fun with it.  It was such a fun moment to see, and it was especially cool since it was during traditions!

Well, now that I have my ID I will be heading to the park to go see world of color tomorrow night!  Also some of my roommates and I are going to dinner at my house.  Pot roast, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn on the cob, and angel food cake for dessert!  Ahhh I am so ready for a home-cooked meal!

Move-in and Orientation

If you're planning on doing the college program, you should plan on being very, VERY tired your first few days.  Between moving in, unpacking and meetings there's not a lot of time to relax... I'm so exhausted!

Move-in

Yesterday I got to Carnegie Plaza at 7:15 for my 8:00 check in.  I was 45 minutes early and still pretty far back in line.  And it was a very slow-moving line.  They started to check people in about 15 minutes early but I still didn't get through the line and finished checking in until about 9:30 or 10:00.  

I actually got moved in relatively quickly.  I think I made only two or three trips to the car with my parents and that was it.  I was a little frustrated to see I got a ticket for parking in the 90-minute spaces across the street.  They said check-in would take less than 90 minutes and that it would be okay to park in those spaces... LIES!  I now owe the city of Anaheim $46.  

Here's a quick cell phone snap of our apartment... I love it!

I'm on the bottom of the bunk bed in the room with three people.  It sounds like it would be bad to end up with the three-person room, however we have a pretty big walk-in closet and a much larger bathroom!  

I also found these cute wall decals from Target and we had fun putting them up last night

Orientation

Today at 9AM I had orientation.  We got our ID photos taken (and of course mine is awful) then we sat in the auditorium at TDA (team Disney Anaheim) and watched the Lion King while we waited for everyone to get their photos taken.  Around 10 we started orientation which was the basic boring "welcome to Disney" kind of thing we've heard a few times already.  We did, however, get to pick our scheduling preferences and classes.  I asked for Wednesday/Thursday off and for my class I want Marketing You on Fridays (that way I can go to class in costume.)

I also found out that I have Traditions tomorrow!  This is awesome because you get your employee ID at Traditions and your employee ID allows you to get into the park for free.  Therefore, since I have Traditions on Friday instead of Saturday, Saturday is my day off and I'll already have my ID which means I can go to Disneyland and FINALLY see World of Color!  I'm so mad that I missed it in June because of Grad Night.  Boooo.  I haven't watched any Youtube videos or seen any pictures of it because I want to see it in real life first!  

I got back from orientation around 1pm today and now I'm just sitting bored in our apartment.  It's so nice to get a little relaxation time!

0 Days

My stuff is all packed up in my car and in under two hours I'll be checking in!  I'm SO excited to move in.  I have the earliest check-in time so hopefully I will have my pick of rooms/beds.  I can't wait to meet my roommates (I really hope I like them) and get all of my things unpacked and put away.  

This was just a quickie post because I'm off to breakfast and then to the apartments, so adios!

-Kallie

It's time!

My cousin pointed out to me that I have been remiss in updating my blog.  So thanks, Rachel.  And I'm sorry!  


Well, I'm finally starting the college program on Wednesday.  This is so surreal!  I remember my countdown starting somewhere around 134 days left before disney.  I remember getting excited when it was finally down to double digits, and now it says three.  THREE!  


Everybody I've talked to with August 18 move-in dates (like me) is in town and ready to get started.  I'm hanging out with a couple girls I met on Facebook who are doing the program and staying in housing also.  We're staying at a hotel, going to Universal Studios tomorrow and Knott's on Tuesday.  


They've given us a tentative schedule for our first week.  Mine goes something like this:


Day 1 (wednesday) :  Arrival and Check in.  I'm checking in, moving in, and attending what I'm sure will be a very boring mandatory housing meeting.  


Day 2 (thursday) :  Orientation and a Disneyland Resort Resource Info Fair where we will "have the opportunity to meet and learn about many of the different organizations and resources available to you as a Disneyland Resort Cast Member"


Day 3 or 4 (friday or saturday) :  Traditions.  The first paid day of work, and the day I'll get my training schedule and work information.  




And that's all they've told us so far.  I'm anxious to move in and meet my roommates (hopefully I actually like them... fingers crossed) and to start working.  I'm telling myself that having to use a Nikon every day won't be so bad.  


Okay.  bedtime.  USH tomorrow.  KBF tuesday.  Move-in wednesday.


My life is craaaazyyyyy.


-Kallie

Roommate Notification

Ah!  I can't believe it's almost a month until I start at Disney!

I'm having a crazy summer.  Working at Universal is ridiculously fun, I love the studio tour.  This is the view from the tram loading plaza, and what I get to look at all day:

My summer is so busy!  I'm currently sitting in the Phoenix airport charging my computer on my way to Omaha, NE for some senior photo shoots.  

I haven't had many blog updates because, obviously, my college program hasn't started yet and I haven't had any significant Disney updates to talk about.  However, I recently got my roommate notification email!    Her name is Samantha and she's from Washington state.  I haven't had a chance to talk to her much but I do know she's working at the front desk of one of the resorts.   I think it's cool that everyone in our apartment will have different roles, it'll give us a lot to talk about when we meet each other!   I don't know if Samantha and I will be actual roommates or just apartment-mates, but I'm going to assume roommates since we only heard about each other. 

But anyway... that was my news.  Thrilling, I know!

Well, I'm about to board my flight so I'm out!

adios guys!