1. attractions
2. merchandise (different location)
3. main entrance operations
4. character attendant
5. merchandise (same location)
If you've read my book, or know me personally, you're probably wondering where vacation planner is on this list. After numerous attempts at getting Disney to hire me as a vacation planner, I finally gave up. During both times that I applied for the college program, vacation planner was my first choice, and both times I got merchandise. At this point, I kind of assumed that Disney would never want me to be a vacation planner, and that putting it as my number one choice again would be a waste of that spot on the list. Instead my previous second choice of attractions was bumped up to number one.
Like I've already mentioned, working in attractions is so dependent on your role. When I found out that I was accepted for attractions, I automatically assumed I'd still be in Animal Kingdom. While I was working in Dinoland, I had to take a training class called "The Story Unfolds," in which we walked around our land only with a trainer to learn more about the details that went into creating Dinoland. Because of this class, and DAKlimation, that was the introductory class to the park that every Animal Kingdom cast member needed to take, I assumed I would get some attraction in Dinoland. Cost-wise that would have made sense-- they would have been paying me to start on the job training right away, rather than to take the intro class for a different park. One of my specific requests on my extension application was Expedition Everest. My best guess for where I would have been placed would have been either there (because I requested it, and it was in Animal Kingdom) or anything in Dinoland (because I already worked there and took "The Story Unfolds" class.)
It's a weird process of learning where exactly you'll be placed. You kind of find out in little pieces at a time where your new location is, and you don't find out where specifically you'll be working until that week's schedule comes out. First I found out I was in Hollywood Studios, where my Dinoland managers for some reason thought I would be placed at Star Tours. Then, I found out that I was in the Backlands. While I did request One Man's Dream, the rest of the Backlands was pretty unappealing to me. Finally, a week before I would start at my new location, I found out that I would be at Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show.
Before working at LMA, I had a love/hate relationship with it. LMA was probably one of my least favorite shows. (I say "one of," because I cannot stand Disney Junior, and the Voyage of the Little Mermaid is up there too.) It's not that I hated LMA before I worked there, I just wouldn't have chosen to see it unless I was with other people who really wanted to see it. I could appreciate the skillfulness of the stunt drivers, and all of the work that goes into putting on a show like that, but it really wasn't my thing. Actually, come to think of it, cars in general really aren't my thing. I'm not really a "car person," in fact, I'm quite the opposite. I don't even know anything about my own cars. My first car was a boat, who was lovingly named Bertha, and she broke down so often that I was on a first name basis with most of the tow truck drivers in my town. I knew some of the AAA drivers in my town so well, that one time before one of them came to look at my car, which was helplessly stuck in the Staples parking lot where I used to work, he actually called my cell phone to ask if I wanted anything from Dunkin Donuts as he was stopping there anyway. Chaz is constantly trying to get me to go to car shows, which usually results in me finding something else to do, or making some excuse to get out of it, because I've always thought it was boring to go to a show and look at cars. So basically, I've lived a life where I've constantly tried to avoid going to car shows, only for Disney to make my new work location a car show.
Now don't get me wrong, I wasn't horribly disappointed. This was not a repeat of Dinoland, which made me question the decisions I've made in life that somehow a higher power wanted to torture me by making me work at the only place I hate at Disney World. If anything I was disappointed that I'd be working at a show. I did however, quickly find the positives in the fact that it was a show I was uninterested in. If it's a show I wasn't crazy about in the first place, seeing it two or three times a day wouldn't ruin it for me. On the other plus side, it wasn't a musical, so I wouldn't go home from work with songs stuck in my head. Just like guests often do though (which actually really annoys me now, after working at LMA) when I hear "attractions," I think 'rides," or at least I did at the time anyway. I was worried that a show would be boring, and nothing but telling people to move all the way down when they didn't want to.
Attractions is so much more than that, and it's so much more than merchandise. It's so much more "Disney" than merchandise. Merchandise, while it was an entirely different experience from any other retail job you could have, was still at its core retail. Even though it was much more magical, and there were so many things I did while working in merchandise that were specific to Disney, I really could to merchandise anywhere. There is nowhere besides Disney that I could have been an attractions hostess at a stunt show with cars, motorcycles, and jet skis. Attractions involved so much more guest interaction than merchandise, and there were so many more responsibilities that came with it. While greeting outside LMA, you're essentially out in the open in the park, where pretty much anything can happen. In merchandise you're more limited to one specific location, and especially if you're at an indoor gift shop the kinds of guest interaction you could have are even more limited.
Before or in between shows at LMA, I was free to wander through the Backlands. During this time I would take photos for guests, photobomb guests, give out stickers, play with kids, listen to and dance with Mulch, Sweat, and Shears, blow bubbles, use hula hoops, and have the freedom to just walk around and people watch. While you could merchantain in merchandise, this was generally an assignment you'd pick up, and if you were on a busy register this wouldn't be possible. And due to the cash handling aspect of that role you really aren't able to leave your position.
Working at LMA gave the perfect balance of structure (as there were times when I had a position and I needed to stay there) and freedom (of being able to walk through the park and just talk to guests.) The general schedule at LMA was that we would all super greet outside the attraction or anywhere really around the Backlands before the first show. During the show load, show, and show dump, we'd have certain positions we would have to stay at. After the show everyone would clean the stadium together, and then we would all go on break together. And the same process would then repeat itself for the second show. I liked this arrangement because I always knew when I would go on break, and all of my coworkers in attractions were so much closer simply because we were always together and we saw each other everyday on break. I also think it's easier to become close friends with your coworkers in attractions because the job requires you to work together in a way that merchandise doesn't. In merchandise, it might be helpful to have a coworker by your side at the register to bag purchases, but it's not necessary. In attractions, each position is necessary and you have to work together to accomplish anything.
Overall, I enjoyed my time working in attractions much more than I did in merchandise. This opinion might be partly due to the fact that my regular work location while I was merchandise was Dinoland, although I would honestly make a divide between the games and regular merchandise locations. On the whole, attractions was way more enjoyable, though one thing I did miss about working in merchandise was the ability to pick up shifts anywhere. With merchandise, I was able to work in all four parks, and at numerous shops, and even at a resort. With attractions, I was pretty much limited to LMA.
That's about all for this post. Don't forget to enter my contest on Instagram to win a free copy of my book. Just follow @brittanyearnsherears and repost the cover of my book that's on my page. Winners will be announced on July 15th.
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