The Disney College Program

Hey! So I wanted to talk a little bit about my interview and application process for the Disney College Program.

As some of you know, The Disney College Program application process is going on right now for the Spring and Spring Advantage Programs for both Florida and California Programs. I just wanted to talk a little bit about how my application process went.

One day when I was at work at Eureka College, I looked up information about the Disney College Program. I went to the website and read all about lodging, job roles, fees and living expenses, etc. I decided to fill out an application for the 2014 Fall Advantage Program which was from May until January. Once I filled out the online application, I waited patiently by my computer to see if I would hear back about anything regarding my status. A few hours later I received and email saying they would like me to set up my Web-based Interview. What the Web-based interview is an interview that has the questions listed online for you like you were taking an online quiz. You talked about why you wanted to work for the Walt Disney Company, your past job experience, your schooling experience and pretty much everything else that gets asked in a normal interview. I got asked to rate myself on my skills and everything in between.

A few hours after my web-based interview, I got an email saying they would like me to schedule a Phone Interview. The Phone Interview is like the second part of an interview process where you talk to usually a district manager or someone higher up than the store manager. At least in my past work experience those were the second types of interviews I have had in the past. I scheduled my Phone interview for a few days after my Web-based interview.

I got told to be in a quiet area and to be able to have time before and after the scheduled phone call incase my interview were to be early or late due to other people being interviewed. The call came from an Unknown Number Caller ID. I answered and talked to the nicest Cast Member. She asked me all kinds of questions from "What are your favorite hobbies?" to "What do you like most about the Walt Disney Company?" These questions might be kind of generic and some people probably wondered, "If I'm being interviewed for a job, why are they asking me my favorite place to vacation and where would you recommend to bring someone for their first time to Disney World' if I've never even been to Disney World before?"

When I found out how many of my fellow CP's had never been to a Walt Disney Park, it had actually baffled me. I went into my program thinking everyone was here because they loved the Parks and the Atmosphere that Disney provided as much as I did. But I was sadly mistaken. Don't get me wrong, ALOT of people were here because they felt the same way I did but unfortunately too many people were there just because it looked good on a resumé.

I was hurt by that only because I felt that someone that loved Disney as much as me and others were probably heart broken that they couldn't be there making magic for others because someone who just wanted this job as a resumé place holder was in their place and not giving the same attitude as someone else could have. Although everyone I met that shared the same mindset as me quickly made me forget all those that didn't appreciate it.

Anyways, haha! After my web-based interview I was told that I could hear back anywhere from a day to three weeks. After hearing that I did not give my hopes up when it came to the torturous hours of checking my email and not seeing Disney Campus Recruiting pop up in my feed.

Yet a mere two days after my interview, I got an email saying "Congratulations, we are happy to say you have been accepted for the Disney College Program Fall Advantage 2014!" I immediately broke down in tears. I could not believe that my childhood dream was finally coming true at 19 years old. I had applied at the end of March and my Departure Date was May 27, the day after my older brother's wedding. I had gotten hired as a Food & Beverage Representative. I did not find out I would be working at the Wilderness Lodge until my Disney Traditions class or my first day at work on June 2.

In order to prepare during my application process I took every measure possible and did as much research I could. I read so many threads on Reddit from former and current Cast Members and what to prepare during the hire process.

I was given a link on the DisneyCareers.Com I had an account created where I could see the process of my application and when to schedule interviews. I put my Resumé and even a CV or Curriculum Vitae on the website so they could look at anything they might need. I even changed my ringback tone on my phone to When You Wish Upon A Star.

When I first arrived in Florida, I was told to go to Vista Way which is one of the residents complexes for the Program. I was told that out of 22,000 applicants for my program alone, only 5,000 were accepted. I felt truly blessed. More than I could put into words. The first friend I made down there was a girl named Maggie. She even ended up living in the apartment underneath me! Maggie was lucky enough to advance in Princess Auditions as a candidate for Elsa! She was a merchandise representative at the World of Disney, otherwise known as the busiest shop in Disney World besides the Emporium inside the Magic Kingdom.

The point of this is too tell you guys to chase your dreams. It sounds cliché but if you truly believe you are set out to do something than there's nothing that can hold you back from chasing what you dream of even when trials are thrown your way.

Walt Disney said, "You can design, create and build the most wonderful place in the world, but it takes people to make that dream a reality." If you realize that you are that person making that dream a reality it is the most rewarding thing to experience. You are just as important in making your dream real as you are in having the dream in the first place. You have to have courage.

For those of you wanting to do the College Program, I wish you the best of luck and all the happiness in the world. For those that have been accepted I wish for you to realize that you are part of that dream. People are coming to visit the world you are helping to create. You made your own dream come true and you are helping others dreams come true. There is no better feeling than seeing parents tear up because their four year old daughter is meeting Cinderella for the first time. There is no better feeling than realizing you're the reason those people's dreams are coming true.

You are creating magic!

Good luck future CP's!

See ya real soon.

What Is Your Happy Place?

I know this might seem super cliché but bare with me.

I'm speculating that most people have a "happy place" that they go to when they're feeling upset, alone, depressed or angry and etc. My place is and was and always will be Disney. I grew up in a family of boys besides my mom, so that fact that I didn't have to share my happy place with anyone was a bonus.
My mom taught me to love Disney, not just the values that Disney teaches but the hope that Disney provides for those visiting the theme parks or just watching the movies. Just by watching Disney movies or going into the parks relieves me of so much stress and anxiety thats its the most rewarding thing I've ever been blessed with in my life.
Why I admire Disney so much is because no matter what happens there is always someone who loves you and things always work out in the end. Whether you're battling a giant octopus sea witch or fighting off the Mistress of All Evil as she turns herself into a dragon. It's the hope that these characters bring to life and it's all through the story telling done by the creators. Walt Disney was a master story teller and he had dreams that make all other dreams come true to those who are witnessing magic before their eyes.
I know some of you would say, "magics not real, it's all illusion", and I would agree, but when I say I believe in the magic of Disney I believe in the stories being brought to life. This winter I watched Elsa change the castle over to her ice castle this year and after the show was done and the castle was lit up with thousands of lights made to look like ice, I was in tears. When you're a kid and you see your favorite princess or you see Darth Vader or Mickey Mouse and your parents start crying? It's cause your parents were watching your dreams come true whether you knew what was happening or not. I met Belle who is my favorite princess when I went to lunch with some friends during my College Program and I couldn't talk when I met her because I was crying haha! She told me, "Is your adventure in the great wide somewhere going as you planned?" then she gave me a hug. I still can't describe how those feelings keep building up but it's not just the one time I meet them. I cry when I meet them every single time.

These characters and collections of stories got me through the hardest times of my life and are still helping get through now. In five months I will moving down to Orlando to permanently stay in the Walt Disney World area and I will cry from joy when I walk through the tunnels inside the Magic Kingdom for the first time again.

I always felt I couldn't make myself happy. Disney made me happy by watching others be happy in a way I used to be because they believe in what they are seeing. They are not tied down by politics, bills, broken relationships. They are in a world that is meant to make you forget about the real world. You are to forget about today.

Walt Disney's opening speech of Disneyland says,

       "For all who come to this happy place, welcome, Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America, with the hope that it will be source of joy and inspiration to all the world."

If you watch of video of Walt giving this speech, if you're not completely hard hearted, it just might bring a tear to your eye. This speech alone gives me courage in a way I never got by playing sports or facing a car accident or something, but it gave me courage that I can get through the day. You could say that I'm exaggerating what Walt had said but read the Dedication of Fantasyland speech,

     "Here is a land of imagination, hope and dreams. In this timeless land of chivalry, magic and make-believe are reborn and fairy tales come true. Fantasyland is dedicated to the young and the young at heart, to those who believe that when you wish upon a star, your dreams do come true."

I've never been more moved by a speech in my entire life. I grew up watching the recording of Walt Disney saying this speech and this is what made me want to work for the Walt Disney Company. I almost wasn't able to go because of issues with my dad but I was able to get the money together right before the deadline to make my employment with the Walt Disney Company a reality. When You Wish Upon A Star has been encouragement to me. My mom always told me that I can do anything I wanted when I grew up and she would support me all the way and this is always what I've wanted to do.

I told my mom in July, "Hey me and Heidi are going to move to Florida in January." All she said was "Okay. We'll figure everything out along the way, and we'll get you down there." She didn't ask questions, she still doesn't she just helps me plan for these next five months. She trusts me to handle everything but she also knows I'm doing what I've been wanting to do since I was five years old. She's happy for me for following my dreams.

By working on my College Program last summer I was experiencing family issues that affected me across the country. My parents were divorcing, my car got sold and there wasn't anything I could do about it. I realized what made me happy was being part of the Cast that made dreams come true everyday. When kids were excited to be at Disney for the first time, I would actually be able to CALL MICKEY MOUSE FOR THEM!!! They'd put my phone to their ears and just scream "MOM, DAD!! MICKEY'S TALKING TO ME!!" their parents would come up to me after and say thank you for making my son/daughter's trip.

When you're the one responsible for making a kid or an adult happy and realizing you just created magic for them that is the most rewarding this I've ever experienced and I couldn't ask for anything better.

The last speech by Walt I'd like to share with you guys is what is posted above the tunnel that leads you to Main Street U.S.A., it reads,

       "here you leave today and enter a world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy."

I know I've said a bunch of things get me through the day but that is definitely the one that takes the cake. A bunch of people say they live in their own fantasy world at times. But i definitely do.

Thanks guys,
see ya real soon!

Wish Me Luck!

Hi everyone,

I know it has been a while since I've posted but it has been a crazy time. I just wanted to share with you all that I am waiting to hear back from Disney for a full-time position as a Food and Beverage Drink Specialist! My old bosses have been helping me with my resumé and a few old coworkers of mine have offered to be references for me! It means a lot for your support and I'm thankful to have the opportunity to go back down to where I truly belong! Thank you guys and have a magical day! I will keep you updated on how my application process is going!

Throughout the Years..

I wanted to give you guys some pictures of my life with Disney throughout the years! I know a lot of people are annual guests and stuff like that, but with Disney being so personal for me I wanted to share some before and after pictures of me throughout the years! Just to show how some characters have changed and how I can see myself grow up through theses pictures. It's really a blessing knowing how lucky I am to have been able to spend my life growing up in the place!

These photos were taking in 2000. This is the year I stayed at The Wilderness Lodge and the first time I had eaten at Liberty Tree Tavern inside the Magic Kingdom. The costumes have changed over time but the magic stays the same! I was 6 in these pictures!

Who doesn't remember Doug when it was on TV! Meeting these characters was definitely a great time! Bring back One Saturday Mornings on ABC!

The lady posing in this picture is my cousin Tina. She was my inspiration to do the Program. Here she is in the old Tower of Terror merchandise costumes! She's wearing her Earning My Ears ribbon that I also have for when I was in training! Now Merchandise workers in Disney's Hollywood Studios, except those working in Wandering Oaken's Trading Post, Writer's Block and a few others where the costume that is located at Keystone Clothiers, Mickeys of Hollywood, and the shops located on Sunset Boulevard.

Here is a picture of the Wilderness Lodge from Bay Lake. Before the finishing of the Villas here.

The year of the Millennium, is when Epcot adorned the famous wand and 2000 on top of the ball. It was later changed to Epcot after the year 2000 but was taken down a few years later, now just the original Epcot Ball, home to Spaceship Earth, without and decoration is the centerpiece of Epcot. 

I'm standing outside the famous Princess Couture shop that currently is located behind the Castle. I'm not sure what the name of the store was before Princess Couture or if the name had even changed but I should probably look that up(:

The lovely Minnie Mouse in the Liberty Tree Tavern.

My older brother Zak on a fishing excursion in the Seven Seas Lagoon from the Grand Floridian.

One thing I can say that hasn't changed in the Tower Gift Shop was the layout of the check out counter and the decorations behind it! Somethings are better left untouched(:

The Festival of the Lion King before the refurbishment. Around 2000. Timon still unsuccessfully leads the monkeys! 

Still my favorite part of the show, the bird ballet to Can You Feel The Love Tonight? Elton John wrote some of the most memorable songs in history and these songs are brought to life and bring tears to my eyes thinking of this beautiful show!

Epcot ball from the American Adventure Pavilion in World Showcase.

Back to the days when you could meet the dwarfs in the Germany Pavilion!

Being able to meet my future boss by Mouse Gear in the Future World Central Hub.

What's funny is I just found this umbrella a few days ago when I was moving stuff into storage! I definitely tried to get my horse to hop off the track and float through the Magic Kingdom like Mary Poppins did on the race course.

The days before splash mountain had the safety bar!

Zak's fishing excursion!

I remember seeing Fantasmic! for the first time. This was in 2000 and the show was still new to what was then Disney's MGM Studios! I remember clearly being awed at Mickey defeating Maleficent and Sorcerer Mickey leading the fireworks in an amazing show!  

It used to be so hard to take a serious picture. But gotta embrace your inner pirate on this amazing attraction! This was taken before Jack and Barbossa were added to the famed ride!

Now this trip was in 2004. This was my little brother Sam's first trip and he was in awe the whole time! Like I still am!

Meeting Piglet at the Crystal Palace in 2004!

This display was when It's Tough To Be A Bug made it's debut in the Animal Kingdom!

In 2004 we stayed at the Polynesian Resort. Before it was changed back to Disney's Polynesian Village. This was taken at Ohana's, the family restaurant. 

Sam's first time eating at The Liberty Tree Tavern.

"Remember you're the one who can fill the world with sunshine"

Snow White at Germany

Miko even came to visit at the Liberty Tree. The girl on the right is my cousin Adison that we ran into when we were down there! 

Like I said, Epcot ball has had many designs throughout the years! (:

Kermit and Miss Piggy outside Muppet Vision 3D in Disney's Hollywood Studios, what was then Disney's MGM Studios.

I had to get a picture with Sam inside Pete's Garage. I had had one taken of me when I was his age with my dad. Sadly, Pete's Garage is no longer there. Mickey's Toon Town Fair has had many changes throughout the years, now it's called Storybook Circus in the Magic Kingdom.

Pocahontas inside Rafiki's Planet Watch in 2004 up top and then Pocahontas with my roommate Holley in the forests of the Animal Kingdom in 2014. Ten years later!

When Stanley was on TV. Rafiki's Planet Watch.

Just to show the difference in Minnie's Costume in just a matter of four years!

Tigger at the Crystal Palace in 2004 and 2014!

Who doesn't love a friendly CHIPmunk!

A ten year difference meeting Eeyore!

Oo-de-lally oo-del-lally, golly what a day (:

The Polynesian lobby before the renovation!

My mom and I, after 10 years of having fun in Epcot.

My first trip in September of 1996, we stayed at the Yacht Club.

I know most of the older generation remembers this eyesore. I'm sorry to ever say this about the castle but it was the worst decoration its ever had! 

Pluto lovin 19 years and counting!

This restaurant no longer exists in Disney's Hollywood Studios but we were able to meet characters like Aladdin, the Genie, Quasi Modo and others!

Many still ride this train! It's located in the marketplace at Downtown Disney and is right down the street from World of Disney!

Pooh kisses!

Even Donald's outfits will change!

The pool at the Yacht Club is still like it was 19 years ago! 

When DHS had parades!

My first time meeting my boss! (:

I hope you guys enjoyed the photos! Just a glimpse of what my life started out like with the mouse! (: