Q: What made you want to do the Disney College Program?
A: That's actually a funny question. I had always wanted to do it ever since my sister had done her program back when I was still in high school. I didn't know it was a thing before then but ever since, it has been my dream to work for Disney. I actually applied back in 2007 when I first when to school after I graduated but I had to turn down the offer. I laugh now, because I had actually forgotten about it until I was going back to school and looking for a job in my hometown and coming up empty. So I applied this time because it would be the chance of a lifetime but also because I figured, well I can't get a job at home, why not just try to move sixteen hours away and work for Disney?
Q; What was your role and location? Was it your first choice? If not, what was?
A: Going into it, I knew my role would be custodial, which wasn't my first choice. I actually wanted full service or quick service food to be closer to my major. But I did the research and it turned out that custodial is one of the best positions in the park despite a lot of people not wanted to do it, which after doing it I totally agree with. It probably helps that my location was Magic Kingdom South, so working on Main Street in front of the castle every day was just amazing.
Q: What was your training like?
A: My training was fun. The first day or so was awesome because we sat in a classroom with other custodial cast members who were going to other locations, so you got to meet a lot of people and it was interactive, and the trainers were cool. The introduction to my home park was also awesome. Getting to tour the park and making friends that were going to other areas of the Magic Kingdom was cool. I spent a couple of days with a few other people learning all of the facets of the job and how things worked on Main Street, and then I was assessed and started to work. The training was fun and meeting everyone I was going to be working with was great. Main Street made you feel like you were just joining the family. You trained in both what they call "streets" and "restrooms" shifts. Probably the most fun part of training was learning the radio and all the different codes that are used for everything. The custodial codes became a part of my life with my friends and I. We used them even outside of work, and I still will use them in texting just to fool around with them.
Q: What were the best things about your role?
A: Definitely one of the best things about my role was the freedom it gave me. Even though Main Street is broken up into sections, and you're assigned to a section, you can just traverse the entire area.You're not tied down to just one location like you would if you say, worked specifically in the Emporium or Casey’s Corner. This freedom also allows you a lot of guest interaction. One of the best things was being able to wander around and make a family’s day. Give out magical moments. Going up to a family and talking with their kids while they’re waiting for a parade for twenty minutes, playing with them, giving them stickers, just getting to know people. Yes there were trash runs, and sweeping, and restroom shifts. But that barely scratches the surface of the job. Pin trading was another fun thing we got to do with guests. It was always amazing to see someone’s face light up when you had one that they had been searching for, or just the right one to complete their set, or even if they were collecting all Stitch pins and you actually had one because they were surprisingly rare. Parade and Wishes cleanup was one of the best things, standing there watching the parade and learning Wishes by heart so that you can conduct the fireworks before sweeping up after...probably working right in front of the castle and just being able to be the person to greet someone as they first come in to the park or as they’re leaving ask them what their favorite activity was of the day...seeing girls and boys dressed as their favorite characters and have fun with them. I also actually really liked the costume. I hated it at first because it was so plain but I came to lovingly refer to it as my Baymax Disneybound haha.
Q: The worst?
A: Really the only part that I did not enjoy was the restroom shifts, but that’s to be expected. Who really relishes going to clean up after people and then twenty minutes later seeing all your work undone? But even those shifts I came to enjoy after a while depending on which restrooms I was assigned to.
Q: Would you recommend this role to a friend?
A: Definitely, it was so fun; I made friends there that I still talk with all the time now. Sure you had to clean up a code V or work a restroom shift or do a trash run, but the role is about so much more than that. It’s about creating a safe atmosphere for guests. It’s about interacting with them and making sure they’re having fun and having a good time in your role. Probably my favorite moment was when this family was visiting from France for the first time and they asked if they could leave their stroller next to me while I was working the Tony’s gate back when custodial was still doing the Wishes bypass behind Main Street. I told them no problem because that’s where the stroller parking was and talked to them a little about how they were going to meet Mickey and have dinner. While they were gone I went about my time, talking to guests and fiddling with this Tsum Tsum I carried around back then. When they came back I asked how their meal was and we talked about how you can’t go to Tony’s Restaurant and not get spaghetti. I then asked the little boy if he had fun meeting Mickey and he nodded and kind of hid his face in the stroller. The mom told me that he was kind of shy so I was like that’s alright, I can be shy sometimes too. I asked if he happened to see Minnie while he was in there and he shook his head no. And so I was like really? I wonder where she is...Mickey and I have been looking all over for her...and he smiled and laughed a little. So I asked, him if he liked Minnie and he smiled and nodded; so I pulled out the Minnie Tsum Tsum I had been playing with and handed it to him and said well since you didn’t see her why don’t you hold on to this doll for me then? He looked at me with the widest grin and eyes before he grabbed her excitedly and hugged her to his chest. His mom was dumbfounded and asked if the doll was for him to keep. I told her sure and I hoped they enjoyed the rest of their time here. She smiled and kind of teared up a little and said that it was their first time visiting and she would remember this for the rest of her life and how I just made their vacation. I was like, oh he’s just so adorable and Mickey and I wanted to make sure you guys had the best time here in his kingdom. To be honest it was only after she told me that I noticed they had first visit buttons on but it’s little moments like that that made my program. Knowing that someone appreciates you and you have the ability to just make someone so happy.
Q: What advice would you have for new CPs in this role?
A: I would say to not set yourself up for failure. Like don’t go into it thinking it’s going to be gross all the time and you don’t want to pick up trash and clean a restroom. If you go into it with that mindset you’re going to hate it. But if you go into thinking about how you’re contributing to the park and you’re going to be interacting with guests and helping them you’re going to have fun with it. There’s really two types of CPs I think. You have the first type that takes their role and runs with it. They have a great time and they’re fun to be around. They have the mouse in their heart and it shows. And then you have the second type that came to just basically get free access to the parks and they hate their role, they hate the hours, they always call out, and generally just don’t like being at work whenever they’re there. If you’re a part of the first group then you’ll be just fine in whatever role you wind up getting accepted into.
Q: What have you been up to since your program ended?
A: My program ended and I came home and got back into school. It took me three months being back to find another job which surprised me. But now all I can think about is saving my checks so that I can apply to go back and do another program after I graduate and stay and work for the mouse for the rest of my life. Disney will do that to you. It grows on you... the whole time was amazing and as it got closer to my end date I just couldn’t imagine life outside the Disney bubble. Probably the saddest part of my whole program was going 10 98 for the last time and clocking out for my last shift. It hits you when you know your last assignment is complete and you’re never clocking in again. You’ve watched Wishes for the 200th time but the emotions hit you just as hard as when you saw it your first time because you know it’s your last time, at least for a long time.
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