YOU Create The Magic

I resisted for too long. It is time to tell my adventures and lessons learned here while participating in the Disney College Program, and then some.

This blog isn't to "reveal the magic" or uncover "hidden" secrets of working at Disneyland, that wouldn't be fun anyways. What this is going to be, is a public written record of what I think is most important, RIGHT NOW.

Lesson 1: We create the magic. On the first day of being a Cast Member at the Disneyland Resort, I walked through my first "Cast Member Only" door to walk on stage IN Disneyland. Out of about 6 people in the group I was the one who opened it. From this moment on, Disneyland would never be the same. People always ask me if the magic is gone. No, it's still there...but thank you for wondering about my well being. 

The magic hasn't left me, in fact...the magic has only grown stronger because of the guests I interact with. Every day I go into work, I get to make people's dreams come true. The other day, there was no wait to meet Anna and Elsa, so I had the opportunity to pull some families to meet them without a wait. Although it didn't seem like a big deal to me, I had two families track me down WAY later in the day telling me how grateful they were for me. One mom said I made her daughter's dreams come true. The other mom was confused and kept saying "Well, why are you being so nice to us? Why us? How did we get so lucky? Thank you so much!" I had never had a more grateful guest in the park, and this made me want to go even more above and beyond for this family. On the other hand, there was another family who wasn't so nice to a Cast Member before we opened up the line, so we didn't make the magic for that family. 

So here are my challenges for you:

I have two major points here that I want to address. One: You can create magic for people in your day to day life. I'm challenging you to go out of your path to help someone. This can be a small task, or a grand task. Even if you just hold the door open for someone, DO IT. Second note: You can get SO MUCH FURTHER by being nice to someone, even if you are frustrated. Your iPhone is broken? Okay. It is not the Apple Store worker's problem that it happened, it just happened. If you are nice, things will go a lot smoother. If you are rude, then someone will be a lot more reluctant to help you out. 

Try this out, and let me know how it goes.

Xo, Brooke

Disneyland College Program: Check In Day for Housing

It's almost time for you to check in for your new adventure! You're probably wondering "What should I expect on check-in day?" Look no further.

Before moving to California, finding any information on the college program here was so hard. I had so many questions, and I only had contact with one friend that had previously been here. So, here is what you can expect from the first day: check-in day. I am in the housing program. 

My mom and I stayed at a place near Disneyland, because Carnegie Plaza (the DCP apartments) are super close.

Schedule from start to finish:

They said it never rains in California...

You will check in in a tent outside Carnegie Plaza, then head upstairs to wait inline to turn in your forms. Once you turn in your forms, they will give you more forms that tell you where you will be parking, what room you are in, and they will also give you your keys. Immediately after that, you will take your ID photo. After that, you will get a drug test done if you are in attractions, lifeguarding, or parking in transportation.

Tip #1: Check the weather: Check in is outside. For the first time ever during check ins, there was a huge rainstorm. Luckily, my mom and I had our ponchos from Disneyland in the car. Others were not so fortunate. You will be standing outside, for at least 10-15 minutes minimum. So, check the whether. Carnegie doesn't really have a "waiting area."

Tip #2: Get there early. It's simple. You want to get there a little bit before your check in time, so you can have dibs on your bed, shelves, etc. I got super lucky because I knew who my roommates were going to be before I moved out here, and for the most part, we had everything figured out. You will be parking in the parking structure located on West Center Street Promenade. They are safe.

Tip #3: Fill out your forms and bring your necessary documents. Make sure you have all of the forms filled out that are emailed to you. Yes, you need to fill out the union form. Yes, you need to fill out the form that states who you are, etc. If you fail to complete the forms, you will be pushed to the side and your registration process will take a little longer. Also, know your car information, if you brought a car. Know your license plate number, make, model, and color. Bring the documents listed. Bring your passport, bring your social security card, and bring your ID. You WILL need them.

I had to get my roots done ASAP, or I couldn't
get my ID picture taken. #DisneyLook

Tip #4: Disney look. So, in a nutshell, don't look bad. I will have a whole new blog post on Disney Look. Basically, don't have tattoos, a beard, different colored roots, spiky hair, extreme makeup, etc. On the first day, I couldn't get my ID picture taken because I had tiny roots showing. Now, when you work for the company, depending on your department, roots aren't as monitored. For your ID picture, you MUST be the epitome of Disney Look. You are now a walking billboard for the Walt Disney Company.

Tip #5: Be prepared to take a drug test if you are in attractions, lifeguarding, or parking and transportation. This isn't me telling you not to do drugs, because if you have already been accepted to the Disney College Program, you know that you are supposed to be clean. What this section is about is that you should allow up to 45 extra minutes in your registration time to take the drug test. Some people got in and out really fast. The line I was in took FOREVER, and my mom and I had reservations so it was a little stressful because I didn't allow for the time.

Tip #6: Go to your room! No, you aren't in trouble. But, you should go to your room as soon as you get your key to claim a bed. Some rooms house up to 4 people! Mine is only a four person apartment, but still. Also, this is where you will meet your new roommates, so just do it.

Tip #7: Talk to people in line. I still remember everyone I met in line on the very first day. These may be your new coworkers, or they could be your boss someday. Pass the time by talking to these amazing new friends you just made. If you're socially awkward, do your best to talk to them. This is a good warm up for working for Disney because no matter what your role is, you WILL be talking to people all day.

Tip #8: Be yourself. This is the opportunity to meet everyone and make new first impressions. Unless you are an alumni, you usually won't really know anyone that is there. This is your chance to be yourself and let people make their own judgements of who you REALLY are.

Tip #9: Pick up an event calendar: They should automatically give you one in a packet, but make sure you get it so you know which events to sign up for.

Tip #10: Smile. This is Disney folks, and you never know who is going to be in your life down the road. It turns out that the woman who checked me in happened to be my new teacher for my Disney class. Be nice to everyone around you. If you aren't nice it may haunt you down the road.

Let me know if you have any questions! Good luck to all future participants.