Q&A Part 2

Another round of Q&A from the Spring 2015 DCP Facebook page:

Q: Would you suggest finding roommates beforehand, or going random?
A: This is all up to personal preference. I didn't have luck in college going with a random roommate, so I wanted to make sure I was able to choose roommates before my program started. That being said, some CPs go with random roommates and things work out really well, it's all up to you.

Q: Drive down or fly down?
A: They both have their pros and cons, but if I had a choice I would have driven down here. I flew here, which was difficult because you cannot bring as much as you could if you filled up a car. I only brought two suitcases, that both weighed exactly 50 lbs., and a small tote bag that I carried on. It was difficult trying to fit everything I wanted to bring into two suitcases, and there were things that I needed for my apartment that I bought here, that could have been packed into a car if I drove. You could have your parents ship stuff to you here, however I didn't know my address until the day we checked in, and there were plenty of things I needed that day, so they couldn't have been shipped. The day we moved in, I had to go out and buy bedding, pillows, toiletries, some food, and cleaning products, that I could have thrown in my car if I drove. Even if you are not going to be using a car during the program, I would highly recommend driving down. 

Q: Tell us about your engagement!
A: Chaz and I got engaged on September 12, 2014, in front of Spaceship Earth in Epcot. Spaceship Earth is my favorite Disney attraction of all time, and it fits both of our personalities so well because we both love history, and the ride traces the history of human communication. The proposal happened while we were taking a photo with one of the PhotoPass photographers behind Spaceship Earth, and I was so surprised! 

Q: Is working outside in the heat/humidity really terrible?

A: It was at first, but now not so much-- you get used to it. I feel fine when I'm at a cart, but some of the games get really hot. When I'm at a cart, there's usually a fan near me, and somewhere shady to stand, plus I always have water on me. Some of the games have light fixtures that give off heat, so even with the shade, fans, and water, it can be uncomfortable on a hot day. I can't speak for all roles though, when I'm outdoors I pretty much just stand there, so I'm sure it's different for a role like Custodial where they're constantly moving around.

Q: How is your book going?

A: It's going! I have 60 pages (or about 40,000 words) so far, and we're looking to release it in 2015 once my program is over! I have however recently accepted an offer to extend my program into the Attractions role, so I'm not quite sure what this means for my book yet. I'll be contacting my publisher about it, and update you all as soon as I hear back. Writing it is going pretty well, it's just time-consuming, and sometimes, err interesting? Sometimes it's just odd writing a book about your own life, it's kind of like a diary, but then you remember that anyone who wants to can read it, so it's an interesting feeling. If you're thinking about getting my book once it comes out, be sure to follow me on Instagram (@brittanyearnsherears). When I get some copies of the book I'm going to host a contest via Instagram, and one of my followers will be the winner of a free copy of my book!

Q&A from the DCP Spring 2015 Facebook Page

Apologies for neglecting this blog lately! I've been busy working on my book, and working/going to the parks of course! Rather than re-cap my program so far (since all of that will be in my book) I thought I'd do a Q&A with some of the Spring 2015 CPs instead. They asked questions on their Facebook group, and here are my answers:

Q: What is the workload like in Merchandise?
A: The hours are similar to every other role in the DCP. The minimum number of hours we can be scheduled per week is 30, just like any other role, however the actual workload per day really depends on your location and what exactly you're doing. When I work in Dinoland, the amount of physical labor I do depends on where I spent the majority of the work day. If I'm mostly on the register or tasking (merchantaining, cleaning, refilling water bottles), the workload is pretty low key. You're standing for your entire shift, but that's about it, nothing too excessive. If I'm stocking, the physical labor part of it can be a little bit worse depending on where I'm stocking, and the weather. Cart stocking can be a little bit more work, because you're outside pushing a cart filled with stock to all of the other stands and carts in Dinoland, and you spend the entire shift going back and forth doing just that. It really isn't bad at all, but in general I would say that's the most physical labor I do in Merchandise. In Dinoland, unlike other Merchandise areas, we also have a role that is similar to Attractions, in that we run the carnival games in Chester and Hester's Dinorama. While there is no heavy lifting involved, this can be somewhat physically exhausting depending upon the game and how long you're out there for. Some of the games need to be manually reset, and you need to do things like pick up the balls every time a child can't throw it over the barrier. Again, this is really not that difficult, it's just a lot of bending down and putting things back where they belong. The heat and humidity does not help the situation, but it still isn't bad at all. As for mental workload, it can be a lot of multi-tasking, especially if you're at a game, because you're expected to sell tickets and run the games simultaneously. (If you're not placed in Dinoland though you won't need to worry about the games at all.)

Q: Are you able to trade shifts easily?
A: Trading shifts is super easy for Merchandise CPs! You can request days off in advance, however if they do not get approved it is really easy to give them away or trade them. There is a Facebook group for all Merchandise cast members to trade and give away shifts, and there are also park-specific groups and land-specific groups. In most cases if you post a shift on Facebook that you want to trade or give away someone will quickly take it from you. The exception to this is if your shift requires some kind of special training that not every Merch cast member has. If it's a photo shift (as in the photo areas at the end of the ride), resorts (because of alcohol/tobacco sales) or production (food), you would need special training in those areas to pick up shifts. This means that it's generally a bit more difficult to give away shifts if you work in a food production shop or a resort, however it is still easier than in other roles because there are so many people who can pick them up. One of the best things about Merchandise is that I am able to pick up shifts outside my land. So far in my program, I've worked in Dinoland, Adventureland, Frontierland, and Tomorrowland. And next week, I have a shift in Future World!

Some of the costumes I've had so far: Frontierland, Dinoland, Tomorrowland.

Q: How much free time do you have?
A: If I don't go out of my way to switch my schedule around, I usually have two days off per week. During the holidays, I will most likely only have one day off. I feel like I have plenty of free time. I have time to do things before or after work if I want to, in addition to my two days off. I've also been picking up longer shifts in different lands lately (IE Magic Kingdom) in exchange for an extra day off. This way, I have the same amount of hours in less days. It's pretty easy to make your schedule how you want it in Merchandise, so picking up extra shifts or giving shifts away is always an option.

Q: Was Dinoland where you wanted to work?
A: Not at all! To be honest, Dinoland is my least favorite part of Disney World. I love the Dino Institute, but Chester and Hester's Dinorama is honestly the one part of Disney that I don't like, and it was the last possible place I would have wanted to work. Since working there, I've gained a little bit more of an appreciation for the land, but I still would choose to be somewhere else if I could. Before I worked there, I thought that it was extremely tacky, had no real story-line, and absolutely did not belong in a Disney park. While I still don't particularly like the land (from a guest perspective) I understand more of the back story now, and don't dislike it as much as I used to. 
     That being said, if I had the option to work somewhere else for the rest of my program, I would in a heartbeat. Some people LOVE it in Dinoland, so please don't automatically think that it's the worst place to work, because it isn't. Everyone is super friendly, and if you're into the whole carnival thing, it can be really fun. In Dinoland Merchandise, we also run the carnival games, which I am just not a fan of. There are times when it is really fun, but I would more often than not prefer to not be on the games. I really dislike the games, and I'm not a huge fan of having to sell tickets while also trying to spiel and run the games. Talking on the microphone is fun sometimes, and every now and then you can do magical moments, like giving kids extra tries, or playing against someone who has no one to play with (and letting them win of course.) But on the whole, I find that the games make guests go absolutely crazy, and it's something I would rather avoid. I've had guests complain about me because I let another kid play a competition game (that has 10 available spots) and their kid lost. The language barrier with international guests can also be extremely difficult in games. I was spoken to by a leader about a guest's child who would not get off the counter (he was standing on it, and that's a safety issue) however I did everything in my power to get him off. I told him and the parent that he needed to get down (obviously), I motioned getting down off the counter, and I even tried to block their view while shaking my head and motioning "no" so they would get the hint that they couldn't play like that, but with the language barrier, the point was just not getting across, and I had pretty much done everything in my power to stop it. Had that kid fallen off and gotten hurt, I would have been in huge trouble, and honestly that's just not something I was looking to deal with in Merchandise. I also came from a job at a museum where I constantly needed to tell visitors that we charged admission and they could not visit for free, and now I work in Disney World, where I constantly tell guests that they need to purchase tickets for the games, and they can't play for free. 
    On the positive side of the Dinoland games, if the guests are really into it they can be really fun to work. It really all depends on the day. And of course, everyone has games that they like to work more than others, so it depends what game you're on too. My main issue is that I never liked Dinoland to begin with, and I just apparently have terrible luck that I've been placed in the one part of Disney I dislike. I still go into it with a positive attitude, and I'm not letting it ruin my experience by any means, I would just choose somewhere else if I could. (As a sidenote, so far, Frontierland has been my favorite place to work.)

Here I am working at Comet Crasher, one of the games in Dinorama. This little girl desperately wanted to win one of the turtles, but she didn't make her 4 shots and was out of tickets. I gave her an extra shot before she left and she made it, winning the turtle. It was really cool to be able to easily make someone's day like that.

Q: Are the buses as bad as everyone says they are?
A: Absolutely not. They have their issues at times, but they are better than any other public transportation I've ever taken. The people who complain about the buses have probably never taken a bus before in their life. If you've ever been on a city bus, or a subway, you will find nothing wrong with the buses. They're not as convenient as a car would be, but people are very over dramatic about the buses. Sometimes the bus is late, or breaks down, but so do the buses I take at home. It's not the end of the world, people who rely on the bus should be leaving for work early anyway.

Q: Do you have enough money with what you're making there?
A: The short answer is yes, the longer answer is it depends on how well you budget. Even if you're terrible with money, I would have to try really hard to spend my entire paycheck. A small paycheck for me is $150, it would be about $250, but rent is taken out. It does not cost $150 per week for groceries and other necessities for one person, and I'm not spending money on gas since I take the bus everywhere for free. I don't find it particularly difficult to save money here, though it really depends on what you have for bills and whatnot. Assuming you only spend $50/week, which is perfectly doable, you'd still have an extra $350/month for bills, and this is also assuming you have a small paycheck, it would be more for the more hours worked obviously, and some roles are also tipped. As long as you can control your spending you shouldn't worry about it. 

Q: What are the housing events like?
A: To be honest, I haven't been to many of them. I've been to a movie night, which was pretty standard, we all met at one of the complexes and watched a movie. The true perk of housing events is free food-- almost all of them have free food, so even if you don't plan on staying the whole time it's usually worth it to at least go and eat. I planned on going to the welcome event (it was Aladdin themed, there was music, food, and characters) but I spent the day in the park with other Animal Kingdom merchandise CPs instead. I'll definitely be going to the really important events, like formal and graduation, and I'd like to go to grocery bingo sometime in the near future, so I'll let you know once I go to more of them!

The day we skipped the housing event and went to Animal Kingdom

Q: How much of your free time do you spend in the parks?
A: Almost all of it. I probably go to the park at least four times a week. This is partially because I have an obsession, but also because I don't have a car and I get into the parks for free. I can go to the Magic Kingdom without spending a time, so it's cheaper for me to do that on my day off than to do something else. I don't usually spend the entire day in the parks, because I'm here all the time so I don't need to fit everything into one visit. Sometimes I go just to ride Space Mountain and the Peoplemover and leave, and it's no big deal because I'm not paying for it. I would probably spend more time away from the parks if I had a car. I wouldn't spend the money to pay to go outside of Disney, so if I want to do things outside the parks I'd have to wait until someone else wants to drive me. I like going to the parks all the time though. I've been here since August and I still haven't done everything.

Hanging out in one of my favorite countries.

Q: What has your favorite DCP-related moment been?
A: Probably working Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party! It was a process picking up those shifts, because everyone wants to work it, but I managed to get two shifts during parties and they were awesome! I had one treat shift and one regular merchandise shift. My treat shift was in the candy trail at the queue for Pirates of the Caribbean. It went by super fast but was really fun. I was able to greet guests and give out candy. I got to listen to the music from the fireworks, and see all the guests in their costumes. And I had a perfect view of Jack Sparrow the whole night. Treat shifts are so fun, and I highly recommend working them if you have the opportunity too! My other Halloween party shift was a regular merchandise shift I picked up in Frontierland that just happened to be during the party. This shift was really fun because we were right in the middle of the party, as the parade passes through Frontierland and the fireworks can really be seen from anywhere in the park. I was stationed at the Trading Post, and Big Al's, the cart outside. We got to watch both parades (one I was inside the store, but we all went outside to watch because it was empty, and the other I was at the cart, and I had a better view than all of the guests.) It was also really fun interacting with guests that night because the Trading Post is huge for pin traders and we sold Halloween party merchandise, so I got to see everyone's costumes and sell more unique products. There is really nothing like watching parades and fireworks while getting paid! While Hallowishes was playing that night, it really sunk in that I'm having the time of my life here. I was surrounded by all of these people who had paid extra to see those fireworks, and for me this was just a day at work. It was definitely the best shift I've had so far. 

My costume for the treat shift

Q: If you could change one thing about the program what would it be?
A: This might seem kind of weird, and I'm pretty sure this is Dinoland specific, but I would change the training schedule (at least the way that mine was.) I had 4 different trainers, none of which have actually worked in Dinoland, they were all just general Merchandise trainers, and I just feel like some things would have been easier to grasp if I were trained by someone who actually worked in my area. I'm not sure that everywhere is like that though, or if it's a Merchandise thing or a Dinoland thing. Since that might not matter too much to you if you haven't done the program yet, here's some other smaller things I would change: inspections. Our apartments are inspected for cleanliness and damage once a month, and while I'm sure in some cases it's beneficial because it forces people to keep their apartments clean, this isn't a problem for mine. So to me it is kind of a nuisance that once a month someone has to come over and inspect our apartment. I'd also add more variety to the books at the Vista Way learning center. And I'd make it so that people delivering food could come to our door. You know when you don't want to cook or go out so you order pizza to avoid both of those things? That's not the way it works here. If you order takeout here you have to meet the delivery driver at their car towards the front of the complex. If I'm going to meet them out there, I'll just get dressed and go out to eat instead. Sorry if that sounds really lazy, or like it's a first world problem, but that's something I would change!

Q: Do you spend a lot of time with your roommates?
A: I spend a good amount of time with them. Our schedules are all different, so we don't get to hang out on a regular basis, but we usually get together at least once a week, even if it's just hanging out in our apartment watching a movie. I generally get out earlier than my roommates because they work at Magic Kingdom and Epcot, and my park closes earlier, so we have opposite schedules a lot of the time. It's been easy to plan days off together though if there's something we want to do together. 

Have more questions? Feel free to leave them here in the comments or message me on Facebook! The above photos are all from my instagram account, feel free to follow along on there: @brittanyearnsherears . (I'm also planning on having a contest on instagram in 2015 to give away a copy of my book for free, so be sure to follow me for a chance to win!)