I've been busy but I made it to Orlando alright.

[Whazzup]

Hi Shorty,
Thanks for all the details - I bet you're still pinching yourself to make sure it's all real, that you're actually there at WDW and already making magic for guests.

I was wondering if you were going to have any trouble finding a costume to fit you, but it sounds like they are very well stocked for all sizes and shapes.

Keep us posted on your training and experiences. We're lovin' it! :)

[lady ulrike]

As I'm changing I notice my suspenders was missing 2 of the 3 little leather straps that attach to the buttons in the pants so I had to bus out to Costuming to get another pair.

This is a very valuable lesson for you to learn early, always check your costume for all buttons, any stains, etc, etc, etc before you check it out from Costuming.

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Its funnyt you mentione the costume department. When we took the behind the magic tour last year, that was one of the more impressive places they took us. Especially since DW is really into sewing! They took us to the area that has all the sewing and cutting tables etc. I must admit that it IS hugh!!
Something that a normal guest wouldn't think about, then realize that those costumes have to come from somewhere (Pixiedust?)

[Sarah Magdalene]

Now which wardrobe are you talking about? General MK near the bus terminal or the Entertainment wardrobe?

You want impressive? You gotta see all the Princesses dresses all lined up. Dang, those gals stay well dressed and well stocked! That had to be one of my first moments where I was blown away. Having a fetish for princess dresses, I so longed to snatch those things off the rack and try one on. But as a Mickey friend, those lovely gowns would be dragging on the floor if I ever had gotten a chance to put them on.

I always try to be extra nice to those still Earning their Ears. I was in their shoes not so long ago and I like giving them a little encouragement.

It's cool to read the experiences of other CM's and how they go about their training. There are so many different jobs at WDW that I sometime forget that we don't go though the same training. It's nice you get to share yours. "Friends" training is under lock and key.

[Shorty82]

Good luck with the rest of your training. From your posts, you seem to have the right work ethic. Just remember that our aim as CMs is to, within reason, do all we can to satisfy our guests and try to make their visit with us as special as possible (yes, even the SGs :p :) , and you'll be fine :) .

Yep, I know that. I'm that kind of person anyway.

If you find yourself too busy to work on your server and need a place to host some stuff let me know, I have space :) I can even host a domain name for you, just pay for the domain name (I can get them for $8.95/yr, my cost) and I'll host it for you.

The server is sitting in the back of my van right now. I don't have the room for it here even if I had a way to hook it up which I don't. I'm to busy right now learning to do things the Disney way and all to worry about trying to put a site together anyway. Thanks though.

I was wondering if you were going to have any trouble finding a costume to fit you, but it sounds like they are very well stocked for all sizes and shapes.

I was lucky. I'm hoping I won't have any trouble when it comes time to turn these in and get clean ones, which will be very soon. Probably tomorrow for my MS costume.

This is a very valuable lesson for you to learn early, always check your costume for all buttons, any stains, etc, etc, etc before you check it out from Costuming.

I'll remember that.

Now which wardrobe are you talking about? General MK near the bus terminal or the Entertainment wardrobe?

The general one at the bus stop. I can't technically go into the Entertainment Wardrobe in the tunnel though I have looked through the doors when going by and was impressed by what little I saw through there.

You want impressive? You gotta see all the Princesses dresses all lined up. Dang, those gals stay well dressed and well stocked! That had to be one of my first moments where I was blown away. Having a fetish for princess dresses, I so longed to snatch those things off the rack and try one on. But as a Mickey friend, those lovely gowns would be dragging on the floor if I ever had gotten a chance to put them on.

I bet! Not only does there have to be a bunch of the regular dresses there are also all the special ones they own, like Belle's gold ball dress.

I always try to be extra nice to those still Earning their Ears. I was in their shoes not so long ago and I like giving them a little encouragement.

Thanks! I am getting pretty good though. I'll be earning my ears really soon.

It's cool to read the experiences of other CM's and how they go about their training. There are so many different jobs at WDW that I sometime forget that we don't go though the same training. It's nice you get to share yours. "Friends" training is under lock and key.

I can understand why their training is so secret. What with the work you do and all. All the different roles are so different the training has to be different. Once you get past Traditions everybody's training becomes different.

Today went quite well. I worked in the Confectionery and that was interesting. Learned about the different fudges and what not though it'll take me a while to remember it all. Got a lot of practice in counting back change the Disney Way, which is something I've never done before. The trainer took me and the guy I'm training with downstairs and we practiced for a bit using some fake money she has for that reason. I can see why counting it back that way is good as it helps make sure you give the right amount. I even had a few guests thank me for doing it like that.

For our first break we went to the Mouseketeria to eat so we could also get our paychecks. It's Thursday and as all you WDW CMs should know EPCOT really means Every Paycheck Comes On Thursday. :)

After I got off I changed clothes and headed back upstairs to play a bit. I rode the Barnstormer then walked through Mickey's House. I sat to watch a train come into the Toontown station and I saw that a little kid had a protein spill onboard right on the step and the floor by the bench he was on.

To be continued...

[Whazzup]

Wow - your first paycheck from WDW. Congratulations!! :D:

[Shorty82]

As soon as I could I grabbed the attention of one of the conductors on the platform and quietly told her "A kid had a protein spill over there" and pointed her to it (I'm not going to announce that kind of thing to the whole station, of course). She got another conductor and they reached over the fence to open a trash can to get to the Voban (?). As they couldn't reach it as it was in the back and they were on the inside of the fence I grabbed it for them. Though I haven't been trained on it at all I knew from here that all the cans have Voban stored in them. Looks sorta like sawdust, at least from a distance. As the other conductor was putting the stuff on the spill I chatted with the first one a minute and mentioned I'm a new CM and we both had a laugh when she said she should have known as I knew the term for vomit and used the Disney Point. I don't know what happened next as I moved on except I saw the family leave and overheard them say they were going to the restroom. I assume they closed that row and called ahead to have a custodial CM waiting on the Main Street platform when they arrived. I do know they moved on as they started to let people board and the fact they can't wait to long or they'll back up all three trains.

I'll try to remember to ask my trainer tomorrow about that stuff in case a guest gets sick nearby when I'm on a cart and what to do in that case or if one gets sick in a store when I'm there.

Talking about the Disney Point, I'm such in the habit of using it now my pointer doesn't want to extend by itself anymore. Getting on the Barnstormer when I was asked how many I did my habit of saying "one" and using my finger to indicate it but the middle finger also went up and I had to pull it back down. I see why even people who haven't been a CM in years still use the Disney Point, I'm already in the habit of it and I've only been a CM for a short time. I wandered through Tomorrowland and I think Space was down as both the standby and FP lines were really backed up but I didn't hang around to find out. I wandered through some of the shops I'll be working in and looked at the fudge in the Confectionery for a minute to try to learn it better. I wandered on out and was headed backstage to maybe grab a bit to eat or something when I saw the Dapper Dans head onstage. I head back on and saw them go to the flag pole and saw security out there with special accessories to their costumes talking to two men (turns out to be the MK Security Colorguard talking to the honorary veterans on the day). I then remembered that it was almost 5:00 so they were getting ready for the Flag Retreat. I hung out and watched that. The Magic Kingdom band played, as they marched into the square from the train station, three girls led the Pledge, the band then played the National Anthem as a member of the Guard lowered the flag. The other Colorguard members folded the flag and presented it to the two veterans. Though they were both introduced as Navy men the band played the Army's song, I guess that's what they know. The north PAC CM cleared the north path and then a few of the PAC CMs and some managers started clearing the center of Main Street. The band marched out to the center of the street followed by the veterans then the PAC CMs. They paraded down the street and turned down Center Street. The band and the PAC CMs went through the gate there while the Colorguard and the veterans stopped and had a bunch of pictures taken by the Photopass photographer who also photographed the retreat ceremony.

I've heard of the ceremony but I had never seen the Flag Retreat and I'm glad I did. It was moving.

It takes 9 or 10 PAC CMs to control the crowd though, 1 at each of the north, west, and two east entrances of Town Square to block guests from going through there and 6 more to totally block the south street so the band can march up from the station. After the band reached the Square those CMs moved into a line across the south entrance.

One would think that a CM with their arms stretched out across a path would be a sign to people that they can't go through there but I saw a few guests try anyway, only to be told to go around.

Tomorrow I go in at 8:00. Originally I was scheduled to go in at 9:15 but when coming back from our second break a manager gave us (me and another guy that's new that I've been training with the past few days) new schedules for tomorrow, apparently the MIL of the trainer we were supposed to have passed away so we had to be rescheduled to work with another trainer. We'll be in Uptown Jewelers tomorrow learning all about that I guess, or at least the pin area.

[Shorty82]

Wow - your first paycheck from WDW. Congratulations!! :D:

:shrug: It wasn't for much, only paying me for Traditions. The next check will be a little better though still not wonderful. Once I'm FT I'll be a bit happier about the check.


I did submit a request to Casting to be made FT on MSE ASAP, hopefully it'll go through soon. I heard that since I was hired a few FTers were hired onto MSE so hopefully another position will open up.

[glendalais]

I just had to deal with this recently, so if I could just add it in...

I'll try to remember to ask my trainer tomorrow about that stuff in case a guest gets sick nearby when I'm on a cart and what to do in that case or if one gets sick in a store when I'm there.

It's actually really easy (if not less disgusting).

You just put out a caution sign or have another CM stand around the Protein Spill, so that guests don't walk through it.

You get the Sani-Bits (or Voban, as it's apparently called over there), sprinkle it on the ground, wait for it to absorb said protein spill, and then sweep it up into a broompan, which you then have to go backstage and empty and wash out.

You then get the de-odorizing spray (I forget the exact name), and spray it on the ground. You then mop and plop the wet floor sign on it.

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

:shrug: It wasn't for much, only paying me for Traditions. The next check will be a little better though still not wonderful. Once I'm FT I'll be a bit happier about the check.


I did submit a request to Casting to be made FT on MSE ASAP, hopefully it'll go through soon. I heard that since I was hired a few FTers were hired onto MSE so hopefully another position will open up.

Do yourself a favor and make a color print of the check! That way you can frame it! And years from now you will be able to show everyone how much you earned on the first check!!