Gondolier crushed when Disney job application rejected

His kind of gondolier on the Skyliner would need a much longer pole.

KISSIMMEE, FL — In preparation for the opening of the new Skyliner gondola system at the Walt Disney World Resort, Spa, and Kosher Deli, Disney’s Casting department has been seeking out applicants to staff the new transportation system. However, one candidate was extremely disappointed to learn he will not be among them.

A gondola is a gondola, right?

After our article yesterday announcing the sale of Skyliner Annual Passes, one reader reached out to us, asking us to share his story. An amazing story, as old as time itself, but still being written. [Ed.: X, we know you’re sad about Illuminations closing, but seriously? Actually, it kinda fits. I’ll leave it in.] Giovannni Albergotti said that he applied but was turned down, despite having years of experience.

Speaking through a translator [Ed.: You know we don’t have a translator on staff, just admit we use Google Translate], Mr. Albergotti expressed his disappointment.

Years of experience

Albergotti: “Ho fatto domanda per il lavoro svolto sulle gondole. Ho sempre amato Disney. Da bambino a crescere a Venezia [Ed .: Ha chiarito che intendeva Venezia Italia, non Venice Beach, FL], guardavo i cartoni della Disney. Poi ho sentito parlare di Walt Disney World e desideravo lavorare lì un giorno. Stavo pensando che forse avrei potuto trovare un lavoro nel Padiglione Italia presso l’EPCOT Center. Ma sembrava sempre un sogno lontano, niente che potesse essere realtà.”

“Quando sono diventato grande abbastanza per avere un lavoro, ho fatto domanda per lavorare sulle gondole. Ho fatto un apprendistato di 2 anni e mi sono fatto strada per diventare un maestro gondoliere! Ero molto abile, potevo navigare intorno ai canali come se fossero affari di nessuno e, naturalmente, posso cantare. Ma quando la mia famiglia si trasferì in Florida, venni con me, e non avevo più opportunità di lavorare sulle gondole.”

“Poi, ho scoperto che Disney porta le gondole in Florida, e il mio cuore si è illuminato. Ho applicato immediatamente. Ho parlato con un reclutatore, che ha fatto alcune domande molto strane. Mi hanno chiesto se avessi paura delle altezze. E ho chiesto perché le altezze erano importanti, la gondola si siede bassa nell’acqua, non vola nell’aria. Hanno fatto un rumore strano e hanno detto che sarebbero stati in contatto. Ma non ho sentito da loro. E poi ricevo una mail che dice che stanno andando avanti con altri candidati.”

“Sono schiacciato Come può essere? Chi in Florida sa come gestire una gondola meglio di me? Sono un maestro gondoliere! Perché non è abbastanza buono per Disney? Cosa dovrei fare dopo?”

The English translation

I applied for the job working on the Gondolas. I’ve always loved Disney. As a child growing up in Venice [Ed.: He clarified that he meant Venice Italy, not Venice Beach, FL], I used to watch Disney cartoons. Then I heard about Walt Disney World, and I longed to work there one day. I was thinking that maybe I could get a job in the Italy Pavilion at EPCOT Centre. But it always seemed like a far off dream, nothing that could be reality.

When I got old enough to have a job, I applied for work on the Gondolas. I went through a 2 year apprenticeship, and worked my way up to become a master gondolier! I was very skilled, I could navigate around the canals like nobody’s business, and of course, I can sing. But when my family moved to Florida, I came with, and I had no more opportunities to work on the gondolas.

Then, I found out that Disney is bringing gondolas to Florida, and my heart lit up. I applied immediately. I spoke with a recruiter, who asked some very strange questions. They asked if I was afraid of heights. And I asked why heights were important, the gondola sits low in the water, it does not fly through the air. They made a funny noise, and said that they’d be in touch. But I have not heard from them. And then I receive an email that says that they are moving forward with other candidates.

I am crushed. How can this be? Who in Florida knows how to run a gondola better than I? I’m a master gondolier! Why is that not good enough for Disney? What should I do next?

[Ed.: In the time after this interview, Mr. Albergotti contacted us to say that he had found employment, working as a bishop in the ‘Little Vatican’ section of the Holy Land Experience. We wish him the best of luck in all his diagonal moves.]

Should Disney have hired him anyway, just to see what happened? Let us know in the comments below!

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Cover photo: Definitely not a Skyliner gondolier. Photo by Peter K Burian [CC BY-SA 4.0] via Wikipedia.