Once Upon A Time...

Alright, so I know this is intended to be a class blog but some people have commented on earlier posts about either being in the program or going to be in the program.  So while this is a class blog, I do hope to be able to update the blog with my adventures that I had last year without it having to be an assignment.  So, naturally, I will begin where all fairy tales begin...

Once Upon A Time... (aka Chapter 1...corny title, ain't it?)

It all started when I stumbled upon the official Disney College Program website back in the Fall of 2008.  I slowly began to get more and more interested into the program the more research I did about it.  Upon further inspection of the roles found on the website I found out about the entertainment department and immediately had a voice say to me, "this is what you want to do."  So, on a whim, I continued research about it.

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Some of the roles from the website:

Attractions, Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Hostess, Concierge, Character Attendant, Custodial, Full Service Food and Beverage (FSFB), Hospitality, Housekeeping, Lifeguard, Main Entrance Operations, Merchandise, Photopass Photographer, Quick-Service Food and Beverage (QSFB), and the backstage role of Costuming.

There is also culinary positions available and of course the entertainment role of Character Performer.

Note: I will be mainly focusing on the performer role for this blog as I do not have any experience in the other mentioned roles.  If you click the links, they will take you to the respective roles pages where you can go over the responsibilities of each role.

Note to anyone interested in entertainment: If you go to an audition, they will have your application on hold.  While waiting for the audition date to actually come up, other roles will begin filling up.  So if you do not pass the audition, there may still be back up roles that you choose when you do the interview.  If none of the back up roles you selected are available or there are no roles left to be filled, you will probably be denied entrance to the program.  So choose wisely.

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I felt rather lost at first in terms of what direction I was supposed to go.  The applications weren't up at the time so I had a while to wait still.  This lost feeling led me to a group on Facebook* dedicated to the specific time period, Fall Advantage 2009, that I hoped to do.  I began to interact with some people on there through AIM chats that happened regularly.  Over time I made some friends (about 12-15 of us) and we bonded through chatting on AIM as well as through skype.

After bonding and getting to know each other, we all waited until the applications and e-presentations came up.  (I'll describe these to those that are unfamiliar in future posts.)  I think they came up sometime shortly after the beginning of the year near the beginning of Spring.  After they came up, we all rushed to view the online presentation and get an interview set up with a recruiter over the phone.

The interviews took place sometime during the Spring semester.  Recruiters basically ask you some questions tailored to each role that you requested during the application process.  It's a pretty laid back interview since it is over the phone, but I was still shaking for mine.  Since I was going for a role in entertainment, the recruiter had me choose a date and location for my audition (listed on this page, these dates get deleted as the audition season comes to a close so the page may not provide any) and I chose the one for Chicago, IL.



So after this, I had a few weeks to prepare for my audition in Chicago, IL...


*I recommend if you are going to apply for the program to find the appropriate group on Facebook.  If one is not created, you should create one.  This is a nice central hub to make some friends that you can stay in touch with and possibly meet up with if you are all accepted into the program.  I will explain the differences between the different groups (ex. Fall Advantage from Fall) in a future post.

Dreams Are Like Stars

People constantly wish upon shooting stars that fly through the night sky.  This is a tradition that many practiced long ago and it is still going strong today.  One could relate stars to a multitude of things.  I choose to compare them to the dreams that sparkle in the hearts of children of all ages.  To me it is something that can grant the strength and hope that I need to attempt to accomplish their dream.

Photo courtesy of dipity.com

In this picture, we see a shooting star streaking across a beautiful night sky with other stars in the sky shining brightly and looking down upon the earth.  These stars could represent the other dreams that have yet to be fulfilled.  Or one could compare them to dreams that have already been fulfilled.  Either way, stars in the sky can and do give people hope on their journey to accomplish their dreams.

As most children do, I used to always be on the lookout for shooting stars in the sky around where I live.  It is quite bright where I live, even at night, so seeing shooting stars is a rare occurrence.  I have only ever seen one but I don’t really remember what I wished for at that time.  Seeing one star was all I needed to give me hope.

I did wish for a dream to come true one day, though not on a shooting star.  Even without the help of one, I have accomplished a dream of mine.  And that dream was to become a cast member in the entertainment department at the Walt Disney World resort.

This job, while being just a job to many that work there, is more than that to me.  It is a "role," as Disney describes it, in which I get to make dreams for others come true.  Whether that dream is to meet a favorite character or just to make a special memory that resonates with that guest that they will always remember.  My dream was fulfilled when I got into entertainment, so now I get to make other dreams come true. 

My dream now is to empower others with the courage to follow their dreams.

About My Pixie Dusted Blog

This blog isn’t the first blog I have done.  I attempted to do one when I was on the college program.  Due to how much time one works at Disney, though, there really isn’t much time to write about your thoughts and about what is going on.  I’ve started this blog not only for my college course but to kind of redeem myself for my lack of updating on my older blog that got a total of one post. 

The Disney College Program did not only provide a Disney fan like me a lot of fun, but experience away from home as well as valuable work experience with a top corporation in the industry.  Plus the money making part of this program wasn’t have bad either.

Growing up, I always liked watching the Disney channel with the actual cartoon shows they used to have on.  I loved everything about the Disney experience.  Unfortunately, I never got to visit the parks as a child but the program offered that first experience for me.  And because of that experience I am now inspired to start this blog.

By posting my memories here of what happened from day 1 until the day I left Disney in January, I hope I can inspire others to see the fun I had and attempt the Disney College Program if they are interested in Disney.  Heck, even if you aren’t interested in Disney, I hope I can inspire you to also attempt the Disney College Program.

To find out more about the program, visit the official Disney College Program webpage and take a look around.  If this seems like something you may want to do, be sure to talk with your advisor about getting credit for it.

Some Of My Favorite Magical Blogs

There are many Disney related blogs on the web today, authored by both official Disney employees and avid Disney fans alike.  Reading Disney blogs is a favorite past time for me but there are some blogs that stick out on top that are must reads for any Disney fan or anyone hoping to get their foot in the door at the Disney company.

#1. Disney Parks Blog - The official blog for Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line

This website is, as the title says, authored by official Disney employees.  The Disney Parks Blog often provides first looks into things such as the new Disney Cruise Line ship, the Disney Dream, or many other upcoming events at the Disney parks.  If you are an avid fan of Disney and want the official word from Disney itself, make sure to frequent this blog.

#2. DIS Unplugged Disney Blog - An Unofficial and Unbiased Blog about Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line

This unofficial but magical blog is authored in a collaboration by several Disney fans.  Their blog covers much of the most recent news about the Disney company and other goings on when it happens.  The blog not only discusses what is happening in the Disney universe but also links to their website which contains much more news.  This is another definite site to visit when you get the opportunity.

#3. Deb's Digest

Deb's Digest is yet another magical blog to read.  It provides several pictures accompanying the posts as well as much information about the parks and stuff happening.  It is just one blog out of several that the site AllEars has.  Each one provides useful information that could be used when preparing your trip to Disney.

Besides the blogs, you should visit the actual AllEars site if you are new to Disney fandom.  It provides a lot of information from rides in the parks to what the menus are for all the restaurants on property.