Showing posts with label Disney College Program. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Disney College Program. Show all posts

Friday, January 3, 2014

Goodbye North Carolina, Hello Florida!

Hey guys! Today is the day that I have been waiting for all my life.. TO MOVE TO FLORIDA. Although I didn't know exactly when this was going to happen, I knew it was going to happen sometime. Thankfully the DCP did that for me. I remember the day I got accepted I set my countdown to my arrival and it was over 100 days, which I was not cool with. But, the time sped by, and I am about to leave for Florida in a little less than two hours!

My Car All Packed! 
I literally did so much today. Normally, I would sleep in till at least ten or eleven so the day would go by faster, but I got up at 8 today. I had to finish packing, clean my car and vacuum it, pack up my car, go to the post office, donate my old clothes at good will, so see my grandparents, and go pick up lunch/dinner or as in my family we call it "Linner"!

We are leaving NC around four and we are going to drive to Jacksonville, Florida and crash there for a couple hours, then make our way to Disney! We normally drive the whole way through, but since we are leaving earlier we decided to make this our plan!

My super cute Disney Bags!
We are going to be getting up early tomorrow morning and finishing our drive to Orlando! We check into the Beach Club and I am so excited!

So, I will talk to you guys sometime before check in! But to keep updated with me you can follow me on the sites below!

Instagram: disn3yw0rld
Vine: disn3yw0rld
Twitter: www.twitter.com/disn3yw0rld
Tumblr: www.disn3yw0rld.tumblr.com

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

A Guide To DORMS

Monday night, I got an email from Disney inviting me to pre-register for housing. DORMS is a process that Disney Programs came up with and started using in the Fall 2013 Semester. Before DORMS you had to get to check in at early hours in the morning (hours before check in starts at 7:00 am) with all of your roommates to make sure you got the apartment you wanted! DORMS just makes life easier, and makes the check in process go by faster as well.

There is a short few day period to fill your information out, so don't forget to fill your paperwork out. :)

My roommates and I all live in different time zones, so it was hard to decide the best time to do the DORMS process together, so around 11:00 my time (Eastern) we all got on google chat and started the process. 

But most importantly… What exactly is DORMS?
DORMS stands for Disney Onsite Resident Management System, not actually dorms like in college. This is a site where you can request your roommates, but your apartment size and complex preferences, and put your vehicle information in, if you decide to bring a car!
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You will receive two emails back to back, and the first email you get is your temporary access code, which I am not going to post that email, but this is the official email that they send you.
Be sure to add disney.housing.no-reply@disneyparks.com to your address book to ensure delivery of your invitation to pre-register.

When getting this email, it tells you your temporary access code, and you roommate ID number, which you have to have in order to link your roommates together! One person has to be the leader and start the process first, and then link everyone together, so they need to know your roommate ID. I didn't have to input anyones roommate ID's because one of my roommates went ahead and did it for it, and it automatically synced to my list. 

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First off, we are going to start with the first thing you do in the DORMS Process. The first part of the DORMS process is the Participant Profile Page. 

In the Participant Profile Page you will be asked to put in you permanent address, your cell phone number,  listing an emergency contact, and you will select yes or no to: opting out of Disney housing, If ADA Housing is required to you, Married/Same Gender Domestic Partnership Housing Requested, and if over 21 if you would like to opt into alcohol prohibited housing, and lastly if you are bringing a vehicle. If you are bringing a vehicle, please have all your information with you!

For those bringing a vehicle (like me!) you also had to fill this out!
They ask for this now, so you can have your parking sticker issued to you during check-in. You must bring your car's registration, proof of insurance, and your U.S. Drivers Licence to get your parking sticker.
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The second part of of the DORMS Process is the Forms Pages. This is dedicated to completing all of the housing paperwork. Below is an excerpt from the Disney DORMS site saying what forms are filled out and a description of them.

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Next, the real important stuff. This part of the process is ROOMMATE PREFERENCES. 


You are able to link up to 7 roommates, with my arrival date some people who had a group of 8 people were unable to stick together, I don't know if it is just for my arrival, or all arrivals. 

"If you are choosing to select roommates, please select one person in your group to login and register for housing first. This person will need to know each person(s) roommate number (found in their registration email) as well as the complex and unit size preferences."

"Once the first person logs in and registers for housing, each linked person will receive a confirmation email to login and either complete their own registration by accepting the roommate match and housing preferences or break the match and reset their housing preferences."

The information below is VERY IMPORTANT:
"If someone selects to break the match, they will not be able to link to that same person(s) again. However, they will be able to link to other eligible participants from their arrival date."
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Next, almost just as important as Roommates, is Housing Preferences.

All the prices are listed above, for each complex and unit size. Not all apartments have certain unit sizes.

For example:

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After you have filled everything out, this page will pop up!
This is your on boarding pass, which needs to be printed, along with the other forms as well. To print the other forms you need to exit out of DORMS, and renter the site. On the top right corner there will a tab that says "Print All Forms" and then you print. I had trouble with this because mine kept printing blank pages, so I emailed DORMS Technical Support and they sent my forms to me in a PDF File!

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Now you are officially done with your housing registration! All you have to do is bring your printed paperwork, your I-9 Documents, and your car information (if bringing a car) to check-in and you are good to go!

For more information on DORMS you can visit the Disney Internships & Programs Blog Post on DORMS here.

I hope you have a magical day and I will see ya' real soon! :)

Friday, December 27, 2013

One Week!

Hey guys! Today is officially one week until I am in the car and on my way to Florida to start my amazing journey. It is crazy to think that my countdown was in the hundreds and now it is only seven days away. Although my program is not starting until January 13th, my parents want to take advantage of this opportunity and make a trip out of taking me down. 

We are leaving my house next Friday, January 3rd around five and then stopping late at night somewhere in Florida and then checking into the Beach Club that next morning. We are planning on doing Osborne Spectacle of Dancing Lights and Fantasmic that night! That next morning we are checking into the Polynesian and staying there the rest of my stay.

Then, on the 12th I will be meeting up with my lovely roommates at night for dinner and staying with one of them, so we can be at check in bright and early! If some of you don't know, at check in you get to find out your location of where you will be working, so I will be able to find that out, and let you guys know! We also get to go to casting and move into our apartment that day as well.

I should be getting a email to do my DORMS (Disney Housing) paperwork sometime this week, so I will talk to you guys then! Until then, have a magical day! See Ya' Real Soon!


Tuesday, December 24, 2013

See Ya' Real Soon!

Hey guys! Yesterday I started packing for my move to Florida and as I was packing I received this email and I started squealing inside. I am getting so excited for my move to Florida. Today is officially ten days until I pack my car up and leave for Florida.

Time was going so slow in the first couple months, but now it is going by so fast! I am starting to get everything situated and I will be getting on the road in a little less than two weeks! Who knew that time would go by so fast? I can't wait! See you guys real soon! :)



Monday, December 16, 2013

Disney Bucket List


 Okay so this is my super cool and exciting bucket list that I created I really hope you enjoy it because it was so fun to make! I plan on making a post about each thing I complete, or I might do multiple at once. Some of these might be impossible but it's still fun to try. Enjoy!
  • Be the last one to leave each park
  • Do as many tours as possible
  • Do some of the Limited Time Magic
  • Go to all four parks in one day
  • Go to rope drop at each park
  • Ride every color monorail
  • Ride every ride on property
  • See every parade and show
  • Stay at a park from open to close
  • Take crazy pictures on each ride that takes photos
  • Watch Illuminations, Fantasmic, and Wishes in the same night.
  • Be the first person on the Haunted Mansion
  • Be the first ones in the park
  • Be the last person to leave
  • Become Galactic Hero on Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
  • Befriend the Dapper Dans
  • Dance in Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It
  • Find Push and be his friend
  • Eat at Be Our Guest
  • Eat at Cinderella's Royal Table
  • Eat at the Crystal Palace
  • Eat at Tony's during the Electrical Parade
  • Get my joke read out loud on Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
  • Get my own boat on It's a Small World
  • Make a wish in Cinderella's Wishing Well
  • Meet all the princesses
  • Meet Gaston
  • Meet the Mayor of Main Street USA
  • Play a part in Enchanted Tales With Belle
  • Play Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom
  • Pull the Sword out of the Stone in Fantasyland
  • Ride all three mountains
  • Ride Big Thunder Mountain during Wishes
  • Ride Carousel of Progress and sing really loud
  • Ride Space Mountain with the lights on
  • Ride the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train the day it opens.
  • Ride the PeopleMover multiple times without getting off
  • Say goodnight to George
  • Watch a Kiss Goodnight
  • Watch the Trolley Show
  • Watch Wishes from every land in the park and find the perfect spot
  • Witness a proposal in front of Cinderella Castle.
  • Become groupies for Off Kilter and British Revolution
  • Call all the phone booths in World Showcase
  • Color Duffy and get him stamped in each country
  • Dance in the rain at Epcot
  • Drink every flavor at Club Cool
  • Eat at the French Bakery
  • Eat School Bread and drink Voss in Norway
  • Go on the Behind the Seeds Tour
  • Go to the Eat the Beat Concert Series in the summer
  • Go to the Flower and Garden Festival
  • Sit front and center on Soarin’
  • Take a picture in each country in World Showcase
  • Walk around World Showcase multiple times in one day     

  • Be the Rebel Spy on Star Tours
  • Character Palooza
  • Get the Bank Robber scene on the Great Movie Ride
  • Get the best score in your car on Toy Story Mania
  • Meet Sorcerer Mickey
  • Meet Minnie in her Dressing Room
  • One Man’s Dream
  • Sin in the Front Row with the Tour Guide on the Great Movie Ride
  • Sit in the Directors Chair in Lights, Motors, Action!
  • Sit in VIP in Fantasmic!
  • Star Wars Weekends
  • Volunteer on the Backlot Tour
  • Watch Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage as many times as humanly possible
  • Win the Artist’s drawing at Animation Academy       
  • Be in Animal Kingdom when it gets dark
  • Become a Wilderness Explorer
  • Dance in the Harambe Street Party
  • Find DeVine
  • Rafiki’s Planet Watch
  • Ride Kali River Rapids on a hot summer day
  • Ride Kilomanjaro Safaris as soon as the park opens
  • Ride Kilomanjaro Safaris right before park close
  • Buy and Trade Vinylmation at D-Street
  • DisneyQuest
  • Go Bowling at Splitsville
  • Eat at all the yummy restaurants at least once
  • Eat at TREX and Rainforest Café
  • Eat at Holiday Sandwich from Earl of Sandwich
  • Have a shopping spree in Downtown Disney
  • Have ice cream for breakfast at Ghirardelli
  • Listen to Disney music outside while eating Earl of Sandwich
  • Ride Characters in Flight
  • Pin Trade
  • Dress Duffy at Port Orleans Riverside Gift Shop
  • Own every color Magic Band
  • Get Leis from the Polynesian
  • Go to Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue at Fort Wilderness
  • Just sit and drink tea in the Grand Floridian Lobby
  • Hang out at the Boardwalk at night
  • Take a Hula lesson from Auntie Kau'i at the Polynesian
  • Rent a boat and take it around Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon
  • Roast Marshmallows and Watch a movie on the beach at the Polynesian
  • Eat at Ohana, Kona Café, and see Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show at the Polynesian.
  • Eat at Whispering Canyon Café
  • Eat and create the most beautiful Dole Whip ever
  • Take a carriage ride at Port Orleans Resort
  • Take a nap in a hammock at the Polynesian
  • Take the Friendship Boats around Crescent Lake
  • Visit each Disney Resort
  • Visit the Wedding Pavilion
  • Watch Bob Jackson
  • Watch the Electrical Water Pageant
  • Watch Wishes from Bay Lake Tower
  • Watch Wishes from the Polynesian
  • Ask Flynn Rider what is in his satchel
  • Dance with Goofy
  • DisneyBound as my favorite characters and meet them dressed up
  • Get a kiss from Pluto
  • Fill up an entire autograph book
  • Meet Anna and Elsa
  • Meet every character (even the rare ones!)
  • Meet Mickey
  • Meet Talking Mickey
  • Meet every Prince and Princess
  • Spend a whole day just meeting characters
  • Cinderella’s Royal Table
  • Drink Lefou’s Brew and sit in Gaston’s Chair at Gaston’s Tavern
  • Eat at 50’s Prime Time and get a “Official Member of the Clean Plate Club” and manage to not get in trouble
  • Eat at every character dining restaurant on property
  • Eat at every restaurant on property
  • Eat everything I possibly can
  • Eat at Sci-fi Drive In
  • Eat something from each country at Epcot
  • Finish the Kitchen Sink at Beaches and Cream
  • Frozen Coke
  • Have adventures to Pizza Planet
  • Have breakfast at 1900 Park Fare
  • Have dinner at Be Our Guest
  • Mickey Pretzels
  • Mickey Premium Bars
  • Mickey Waffles, Mickey Waffles, and more Mickey Waffles     
  • Attend Housing Events
  • Celebrate my birthday in the parks
  • Create a magical moment for a guest
  • Disney movie marathons
  • Have park days with my roommates
  • Go to an entertainment audition
  • Grocery Bingo
  • Night of Stars Talent Show
  • Make friends with ICP’s
  • Mickey’s Retreat
  • Receive a GSF Card
  • Shop at Company D, Property Control, and Cast Connection
  • Stay in a Disney Resort with friends/roommates
  • Visit my friends/roommates at work
  • Buy Duffy and his outfits
  • Buy Minnie Mouse Ears
  • Buy Pillow Pets and Stuffed Animals
  • Buy Pins and trade them
  • Cheer someone on doing at RunDisney event
  • Collect Vinylmations
  • Collect all the Buttons Guest Services gives out
  • Collect Paper Fastpasses before they get rid of them
  • Collect Maps/Times Guides from each park
  • Collect Sorcerer of the Magic Kingdom Cards (I want to get them all!)
  • Dress up and attend Dapper Day
  • Flower and Garden Festival
  • Eat the Beat Summer Concert Series
  • Star Wars Weekends
  • Swim with the sharks at Typhoon Lagoon
  • Magic Kingdom Fourth of July Fireworks
  • Meet a Celebrity
  • Watch a Braves Spring Training Game at Wide World of Sports

Thursday, December 12, 2013

It's December!

Which means… it's officially a month until I move to Florida and my Disney College Program starts. I seriously cannot even put in words how excited I am for January!

I got back from school tuesday night and finished all my school work so I am officially free for winter break, but that really means it's time to get ready to move to Florida! All the packing and paperwork and fun stuff are ahead!

It still honestly hasn't hit me that I am moving to Walt Disney World in less than a month, I can't even phantom it right now.. like how is this possible? This has been my dream since I was a little kid, and I always knew I wanted to work in Disney ever since I stepped into the parks for the first time. It's just crazy because I have been dreaming about this since… forever and now it's finally coming true.

I am arriving to Disney on January 4th, and leaving my house January 3rd! We are checking into Beach Club on January 4th, and then we check into The Polynesian January 5th and will be staying there until I check in for my DCP on January 13th!




See you real soon!

Friday, November 15, 2013

Course Registration

Registering for Courses to take during the Disney College Program is very stressful I am not going to lie. I was actually not even sure if I wanted to take any classes till about a week ago. I then thought to myself that I would be stupid not to take advantage of the courses that Disney can offer to me. The Disney College Program Onboarding Website is a great place to decide if you want to take a Disney course. Their website says: "Part of what makes the Disney College Program experience so unique is the education component. While on your Program, you may take part in several educational experiences you won't find anywhere else!"

They have this really neat survey that you can take and they match you with the top courses that are recommended for you to take based on your personality. I knew that I wanted to take Exploring Guest Service and possibly Exploring Disney Heritage. 
After a long night, I was registered for the class that I really wanted to take. I have heard so many good things about this course and I can't wait to take it!

Sunday night at around 11:30 P.M. I logged onto the website to get ready to register for classes, since they opened at midnight. After a couple of minutes of waiting and waiting after it hit 12:00 AM, we came to the conclusion that it wasn't going to open until Pacific Time. With this being said, I live in Eastern Time which means that I would have to wait until 3:00 AM my time, which would take forever. I decided to go to bed and I woke up at about 6:00 AM and I registered for my classes then. Thankfully, I got the class that I want. Unfortunately, Disney Heritage was only offered at 4-6 PM so I decided to not sign up for it.




Exploring Guest Service:  Discover why Hospitality is the hallmark of the Walt Disney World® Resort. Throughout our theme parks and resorts, we strive to satisfy and delight our Guests in the world’s most hospitable vacation destination.

I can't wait for this course to start!

Have a magical day, and feel free to contact me below!
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Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Phone Interview Practice Questions

This is how I prepped for my phone interview. I did not get asked all of these questions, but it is a good way to practice for your interview. Enjoy! 
Disclaimer: This is not my list, I found it on the internet and saved it to a file on my computer.


About the DCP:
•   Why do you want to do the DCP?
•   What are your top role choices?
•   Have you ever been to Disney World/Disneyland? Did you like it and why?
•   How will this help you in your career?

About Florida:
•   Florida is very hot and humid, can you handle that weather?

General Role Questions:
•   Can you stand for hours at a time outside?
•   Do you prefer indoor or outdoor working environments?
•   Do you prefer a slow or fast paced working environment?
•   Have you ever worked with children?
•   Have you ever worked with money?
•   Tell me about a time when you had to handle an emergency.
•   What would you do in a job that is very long and tedious?
•   How do you keep yourself entertained in a repetitive job?
•   Can you handle working over 40 hours per week?

Disney Look Questions:
•   Are you familiar with the Disney look?
•   Do you have tattoos, piercings, body modifications?

Roommate questions:
•   Have you ever roomed with another person?
•   Tell me about a time when you resolved an issue with your roommate.

Below is specific questions for each role. I did not interview for all of these roles. Not all of these questions are accurate, this is simply a tool for you to use to prep for your interview.
PhotoPass:
•   Have you ever worked with a DSLR camera before?
•   What is your experience with cameras and Photoshop?
•   Will you be able to handle carrying the equipment in the heat for up to 8 hours at a time?
•   What would you say to a guest if someone wants their picture taken immediately?

Attractions:
•   Sometimes attractions can get repetitive, how do you stay active and alert?
•   What do you say to a child who is too short to ride a ride but really wants to be on it?
•    Have you ever had to give a speech or spiel to many people that you memorized?

Character Attendant:
•   How do you explain to a child why a character cannot talk?
•   How do you explain to a child why Pooh has to leave?
•   How do you convince a scared child to approach Mickey?
•   Have you ever handled an emergency situation?

BBB:
•   Have you ever worked with children before?
•   How do you convince a scared child to get a makeover?
•   Have you done any hair or makeup before?
•   What do you think you should do to make children feel more like they are a princess?

Parking/Transportation:
•   Have you ever had to deal with large groups of people at one time?
•   Do you have experience working with transporting large groups of people at one time?
•   How do you keep everyone on board safe?
•   Are you able to take charge and be a leader, even if it means being strict?
•   Can you drive, operate a vehicle/boat, or ever worked on a system like the monorails?

Main entrance operations:
•   How do you make a guest feel the Disney magic as soon as they enter the park?
•   Have you ever had to deal with large groups of people before?
•   Have you worked a register/handled cash before?
•   What do you say to families that are at WDW for the first time to help enhance the magic?

Custodial:
•   Have you ever had experience cleaning?
•   Are you allergic to any chemicals, cleaning supplies, or latex?
•   Can you handle talking to multiple people and multi-tasking?
•   Can you carry up to 50 lbs?
•   Can you handle working outside for up to 8 hours a day?

Merchandise:
•   Have you ever worked a cash register before?
•   Can you multi-task?
•   Have you ever had to deal with children and families before?
•   Have you ever had to meet quotas before?
•   You will have to be able to pin trade with customers, will you be comfortable with children touching your lanyard and asking to trade?
•   If your phone is ringing, you are checking a person out, and someone in the store needs help with an item… what do you do first, second, and last?

Front Desk:
•   Have you ever had to take charge of a situation?
•   How do you handle an upset customer?
•   What will you say to enhance the Disney magic for guests at a resort?
•   Are you comfortable with handling money, dealing with computers, making reservations, and talking to customers?
•   If a phone is ringing, a guest is waiting for their room key, and your co-worker needs your help… what do you do first, second, and last?

Bellhop Dispatches:
•   Have you ever worked in hotel services before?
•   Have you ever been in charge of handling other people’s things?
•   How do you enhance the Disney magic while you’re working?
•   Will you be able to lift heavy boxes, suitcases, and luggage - possibly up staircases?

Concierge:
•   Will you be able to take charge of a situation?
•   Do you know all of the areas of the parks and all the rides?
•   Have you ever used telephones before?
•   How do you enhance the magic at WDW if you’re selected?
•   Have you ever worked in a hotel/resort before?
•   If I was with two young children and my husband, where would you suggest we spend the day and night?

Housekeeping:
•   Are you allergic to any chemicals, cleaning supplies, etc.?
•   Can you lift up to 50 lbs?
•   Can you stand on your feet for up to 8 hours?
•   Can you multi-task?

QSFB:
•   Can you handle a fast paced work environment?
•   Have you ever worked in a food service industry, what was your job?
•   Can you work a cash register/handle money?
•   Can you handle working with large amounts of people?
•   How do you think you would enhance the Disney magic for guests?
•   Can you multi-task?

Full Service FB:
•   Have you ever worked in a sit down restaurant before?
•   Can you serve food and alcohol?
•   What qualities should a hostess have in a restaurant?
•   Do you like a fast paced work environment?
•   Can you multi-task?

Vacation Planner:
•   Do you like to talk with customers?
•   Can you help navigate customers with a map and help them understand what is going on in the park?
•   Do you like to work alone or with a team?
•   What is the one thing you would tell a guest about their day in WDW?
•   Have you ever worked with computer systems before? 
•   Have you ever worked or handled cash before?

Lifeguard:
•   Have you ever been a lifeguard before?
•   Are you CPR certified? Can you swim or pass a swim test?
•   Can you be liable in case of emergencies?
•   Can you watch large groups of people at one time?
•   Can you multi-task?
•   Do you like to work as a team or alone?

Recreation:
•   Tell me about a time when you had to be a leader at school, work, or clubs.
•   Can you take charge of an emergency situation?
•   Are you CPR certified? Can you swim or pass a swim test?
•   Can you be liable in case of emergencies?
•   How do you stop a child from getting on a ride who is too short to ride that ride?

Costuming:
•   Have you ever worked in a laundromat or with large amounts of clothing before?
•   Do you know how to iron, steam, sew, wash, or take care of clothing?
•   Will you be able to work large machines and computers?
•   Can you carry up to 50 lbs?
•   Can you multi-task?

Questions you should ask your interviewer:
•   Have you done the DCP before? How did you like it?
•   Are you able to get a career later on at Disney with this internship?
•   How do classes work with the DCP?
•   How do we pick roommates?
•   Where do our parents go for check in?
•   What kind of qualities does Disney look for in future CPs?
•   Can you explain the Disney Look?
•   How many hours would I be working weekly?
•   When do we get to go to the parks?
•   When will I hear back about if I am accepted or not

If you have any questions feel free to contact me on any of the sites listed below.:

Have a magical day!