Great, another guest infiltrator

[fugarwe]

So, I found my way here after posting over on board X questions about how to work for the mouse, and someone PM'd me the site address. I've been lurking for a coupla weeks now. Finally decided to sign up so I can chime in once in awhile.

Thought I'd introduce myself:

I've been a cop in MN for 23 years. Because of it I've seen Stupid Human (Guest?) Tricks up close and personal. I also appreciate the humor here, as in both professions we say "Stop that." alot.

I have worked at the Great Minnesota Get Together (MN State Fair) for the last 23 years. The State Fair has it's own Police Department (the real thing, not just security) and pulls in cops from other departments around the state to fill the ranks during the fair. I've worked Gates, TAC Squads (foot patrols assigned for quick response to problems), Grand Stand, Treasury, Midway Treasury, Squad Cars, and now back to TAC squads. I like that assignment best since it gets me out with the public solving problems, and preventing them. On busy days we can get 200,000 people on the grounds. So I feel a kinship with the people on this board.

So why am I posting? In the next 5-10 years I'm going to be retiring. My goal is to become Casual Seasonal and work peak times at WDW in some sort of job like mine at the Fair. Even when I retire, I am going to keep my license active and continue to work at the Fair, we are like family there. But I'd like to come down and work busy times also. My mother lives in Ft. Myer's Beach in the winters, and will soon be moving there permanently. When we come down we bring the camper and my princesses and stay at Ft. Wilderness, so I think that is what I'd like to do.

I've read Zasu and Mapo's posts and see there are many, many positions that my skills would fit. Jeeze, I sound like I'm interviewing for a job.

Enough about that. Any advice, help, pointers, reality slaps will be read and considered.

[BRWombat]

As a fellow guest who has been permitted to hang out here, let me say that it's always good to have folks like you here who appreciate the CM's and know how to behave!

fugarwe,
:sgthello:
:D: :D: :D:

There should be a dragon and others along soon to continue the welcome.

[Lasolimu]

Hello fugarwe, I am the resident dragon and would like to offer you a very warm* welcome to that slice of the internet we call SGT. This website contains threads with quick twists and turns and I would like to advise you to not try to hard to keep up with them. Please keep your hands, arms, and legs safely inside the website at all times and enjoy your stay.

*this instance of warm is actually hot**... very hot

**this instance of hot means that you are now literally on fire, I would like to take this opportunity to apologize for any inconvenience

[Zazu]

Enough about that. Any advice, help, pointers, reality slaps will be read and considered.

Okay, let me start with a reality slap: Disney rarely hires trained police officers to do Security.

The reason is that the automatic reactions you have developed on the force are not the reactions Disney wants Security to display. I don't mean dodging a punch, either. Not my call, but just so you know.

Disney *does* hire a lot of cops, including retired cops, for undercover security. If you can buy some bad clothes and act like some slob on holiday, this may be right for you. That said, most such are full-time.

To apply, you need a valid Florida address, and it needs to be closer than Ft. Myer's Beach -- they want the address you'll be commuting from, and FMB is a 3-1/2 hour trip. Might work for now though.

Be prepared to be called in for an interview the next day. May not happen, but if it does and you aren't available, you go to the bottom of the pile, Unless it's too tall this week, then you go in the outbox, and it's six months before they'll listen to you again.

You'll need to be available full-time for at least two weeks during training; plan for a month. When Seasonal cast mark up as "available", you'll be subject to call on the same schedule as the regulars, and during peak season that's likely to be 6-days/week, and sometimes 7. Expect start times to vary all over the clock day by day. Seasonal have low seniority, so get leftovers.

All that said, I've trained a number of retired cops, and they tend to make excellent cast members. They can follow procedures, they know when it's right and safe to violate those procedures, they are willing to call for backup when needed, and they can say "no" four hundred times a day and mean it each time.

So come on down and join the party!

[Big Wallaby]

and they can say "no" four hundred times a day and mean it each time.

Is that all you have to say it in a Security setting? I should transfer now!

mapo, I am JUST KIDDING! :D:

[mapo]

Is that all you have to say it in a Security setting? I should transfer now!

mapo, I am JUST KIDDING! :D:

Security does not have CT.

mapo

[fugarwe]

Thanks so much for the reply. THAT'S what I'm looking for. The real way the company operates. This is still at least 5 years away, so I've got lots of time to "refine" my delusions. If this were to work out somehow, I'd be living in my RV hopefully at the Fort, so on call wouldn't be a problem. I'd be down there for the month or so that are the peak season, with nothing to do other than work or goof off.

What got this idea in my head was when I was at DHS last year and made a joke to a security guard about buying his mickey security guard badge. After saying it, I thought, "that a stupid thing to say", so explained that I'm a cop and collect such things. He smiled big and told me he is a retired New Jersey state trooper! We had a pleasant conversation about retirement funds, and then we moved on. In retrospect I should have talked to him ALOT more. Very nice guy, great attitude.

I've worked in Security prior to and during the first part of my career, supervising work shifts and the supervisor in charge of training. It is a completely different skill set, and some aren't built to flip that switch in their head depending on the role they are playing. Disney knows what they are doing in that regard. I am the firearms instructor at my department now, and know that people will revert to automatic reactions when the fit hits the shan.

[chartle]

I see you found your way here from board x.

One thing I wanted to add, I hope you wren't looking for a discount at FW for seasonal workers.

Its my understanding that they ended that years ago.

[fugarwe]

I see you found your way here from board x.

One thing I wanted to add, I hope you wren't looking for a discount at FW for seasonal workers.

Its my understanding that they ended that years ago.

While I'm not one to shy away from discounts, that hadn't played a part in the fantasy yet!

[HappyCamper]

As a fellow CM wannabe, welcome to this wonderfully wacky and enlightening site. My husband was a retired city officer and after he died, I decided to pursue my dream of working at WDW.

I've left home and as soon as the succession is completed, hopefully very soon, will be moving to the area to apply at WDW. Just 2 weeks ago, I went down to home-hunt but could also live in my RV if I need to.

Some of the info I've received here has been invaluable.

Good luck. Keep us posted.