This post is a little late as the event happened a week ago, but oh well. Last Sunday, I worked until 11. Under normal circumstances I would go home and hang out a little bit, then head to bed. But not Sunday. Sunday was a special event. You see, Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party (known as MNSSHP for short) started this week. It runs on Tuesday and Friday nights now until Nov 1. It requires a special ticket to get in. But it's a great time. There are special Halloween fireworks called HalloWishes (the normal night show is called Wishes). There are special Halloween shows. There are special Halloween meet in greets with characters that aren't out every day (like Jack and Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas, and other Villains). There is also a special parade called Boo to You.
Now, most of these special events can be rehearsed back stage because they don't require a lot of space. But a parade? Kinda hard to rehearse backstage. So, on Sunday night, they had a cast exclusive preview of the parade. At 1:15 AM!! Anybody who wanted to go had to be at the parking lot/bus stop by 12:30am to be bused over to the magic kingdom. They bussed us to the utilidors and we had to walk underneath and stay (crammed) into one small section of the park until all the guests were gone. Once the guests were up front, they allowed us to move to the parade route. Then we waited a little longer until the park was completely free of all guests. So around 1:15 AM, the parade started. First the headless horseman ran through the parade route. Then the parade followed.
I love love love Halloween, so this parade was right up my alley! It was so much fun. They had a lot of characters that you don't normally see. And they incorporated floats that you don't normally see. A section of the parade was devoted to Haunted Mansion! This, I think, was my favorite part. This section started off with one of the live characters you see in the ride, the grounds-keeper and his dog (played by a real dog!). The section also included gravediggers, that danced with shovels. And waltzing ghosts. As well as a couple floats. It had the hitchhiking ghosts as well!
The entire parade as a blast. And the atmosphere was a lot of fun! There were thousands of cast members there to see the parade. Getting out was crowded. They put us back on buses and took us back to the parking lot. Nick and I randomly ran into some girls, who we became good friends with! I'm definitely glad I went!
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Friday, September 9, 2011
MLID: closing shifts
As I stated yesterday, I only work nights (as of now). I'm assuming once more interns come, my seniority will go up and I'll start getting some days. But for now, closing shifts it is. Which is fine. I enjoy them.
Yesterday, I stated that I enjoy working closing shifts. For the most part, this is true. But there are a few things that I don't enjoy about it. The first thing is because I work late, I don't get social time. Not that I want a lot of social time, but most of my friends work days. Or, by the time I'm done with my shift, I'm too tired to go out. Not to mention all the parks are closed. I don't get to watch the nightly shows unless it's my day off. But at the same time, this may be a blessing in disguise. I don't want to get burnt out going to the parks all the time. So perhaps this helps that cause. On the opposite side of the shift, I start in the early afternoon normally. That means, I don't have much time before my shifts to hang out with people. A lot of the college students sleep in late so by the time everybody is up and ready to do something, I have an hour or two is all before I have to get ready for work. So again, the social aspect goes out the window. I mean, I make time to for social activities, and I try to fit things in where I can. I just miss not having some nights off.
The other part I don't like about closing shifts is that I rarely get to work my entire shift. We are scheduled until two hours after the park closes. About thirty to forty-five minutes after the park closes, we are sent to clear the park. Sometimes it takes the entire time. But, more times than not, the park is cleared early. Once the park is cleared, we are normally sent home early. Sometimes this is only fifteen minutes early, sometimes thirty minutes. Rarely it is forty-five minutes early. This week alone, I am down almost two hours for the week from being sent home early. On one hand, I don't mind being sent home early, but on the other hand, I want to work as much as possible! I need the money to pay back school loans!
Yesterday, I stated that I enjoy working closing shifts. For the most part, this is true. But there are a few things that I don't enjoy about it. The first thing is because I work late, I don't get social time. Not that I want a lot of social time, but most of my friends work days. Or, by the time I'm done with my shift, I'm too tired to go out. Not to mention all the parks are closed. I don't get to watch the nightly shows unless it's my day off. But at the same time, this may be a blessing in disguise. I don't want to get burnt out going to the parks all the time. So perhaps this helps that cause. On the opposite side of the shift, I start in the early afternoon normally. That means, I don't have much time before my shifts to hang out with people. A lot of the college students sleep in late so by the time everybody is up and ready to do something, I have an hour or two is all before I have to get ready for work. So again, the social aspect goes out the window. I mean, I make time to for social activities, and I try to fit things in where I can. I just miss not having some nights off.
The other part I don't like about closing shifts is that I rarely get to work my entire shift. We are scheduled until two hours after the park closes. About thirty to forty-five minutes after the park closes, we are sent to clear the park. Sometimes it takes the entire time. But, more times than not, the park is cleared early. Once the park is cleared, we are normally sent home early. Sometimes this is only fifteen minutes early, sometimes thirty minutes. Rarely it is forty-five minutes early. This week alone, I am down almost two hours for the week from being sent home early. On one hand, I don't mind being sent home early, but on the other hand, I want to work as much as possible! I need the money to pay back school loans!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
MLID: work
Most people have now heard of the website called MLIA or My Life Is Average. Well, I've started using the term MLID or My Life Is Disney. I seriously love working for Disney. I love living in Florida. I love the perks. It's absolutely fantastic.
Don't get me wrong, I miss IL. And I miss my family a great deal. But this is the experience of a life time. Being so far away is hard, but I (usually) don't let it get me down. I've had some moments of complete vulnerability. Every once in a while, I just get really down and feel partially unsafe. At those times, I feel like I don't have anybody to lean on. My family and close friends are all over a thousand miles away (except Jordan, but she's still too far away!). And I don't have a significant other to provide the comfort I desire. But these times have been few.
I stay busy with work. I work around 40 hours a week. I work five to six days each week. I usually have Tuesday and/or Wednesday off. I believe that will change once October comes and I start my Disney Heritage Class. Then, I will probably have Mondays off. During training, I worked in the morning and afternoon. But now that I'm on my own, I have only worked afternoon and night shifts. More times than not, I am closing. Which is fine. I enjoy closing. Park Greeters who work a closing shift stay till the park is completely cleared of all guests. This is approximately an hour and a half to two hours after the designated park closing time. So right now, that means I work till 11pm most nights.
It's super fun to work late. There is a definite lull in the middle of the shift where things kind of get monotonous. But if you're closing, it's interesting to see everybody leave and say good bye and interact with them all. We have a nightly show called Fantasmic. When the amphitheater is full, it holds over 8,000 people. And when Fantasmic is over, most of these people head for the exit. It's a slightly awe-inspiring moment to see this many people come straight at you!
The other fun part about working late is what we call the Finales. Normally, park greeters are stationed at the front of the park, working entrances and exits. This is what they do all day long. But if you close, four people are assigned Finales. We are the only park out of all the Disney parks where Park Greeters (and not Security) do this. The four people each are assigned a main road in the park. We walk to the back of the park, and then usher all the guests to the front. It doesn't sound that exciting, but it's a lot of fun. And after spending 6-8 hours up front, it's nice to move about the park.
I work with a lot of fun people! There are a handful of college interns, and then quite a few more part- and full-time workers. But all of them are really nice and fun to be around. I really lucked out with my placement.
I don't want to make this too long, but I have a lot more to say so (hopefully) look for more entries coming your way!
Don't get me wrong, I miss IL. And I miss my family a great deal. But this is the experience of a life time. Being so far away is hard, but I (usually) don't let it get me down. I've had some moments of complete vulnerability. Every once in a while, I just get really down and feel partially unsafe. At those times, I feel like I don't have anybody to lean on. My family and close friends are all over a thousand miles away (except Jordan, but she's still too far away!). And I don't have a significant other to provide the comfort I desire. But these times have been few.
I stay busy with work. I work around 40 hours a week. I work five to six days each week. I usually have Tuesday and/or Wednesday off. I believe that will change once October comes and I start my Disney Heritage Class. Then, I will probably have Mondays off. During training, I worked in the morning and afternoon. But now that I'm on my own, I have only worked afternoon and night shifts. More times than not, I am closing. Which is fine. I enjoy closing. Park Greeters who work a closing shift stay till the park is completely cleared of all guests. This is approximately an hour and a half to two hours after the designated park closing time. So right now, that means I work till 11pm most nights.
It's super fun to work late. There is a definite lull in the middle of the shift where things kind of get monotonous. But if you're closing, it's interesting to see everybody leave and say good bye and interact with them all. We have a nightly show called Fantasmic. When the amphitheater is full, it holds over 8,000 people. And when Fantasmic is over, most of these people head for the exit. It's a slightly awe-inspiring moment to see this many people come straight at you!
The other fun part about working late is what we call the Finales. Normally, park greeters are stationed at the front of the park, working entrances and exits. This is what they do all day long. But if you close, four people are assigned Finales. We are the only park out of all the Disney parks where Park Greeters (and not Security) do this. The four people each are assigned a main road in the park. We walk to the back of the park, and then usher all the guests to the front. It doesn't sound that exciting, but it's a lot of fun. And after spending 6-8 hours up front, it's nice to move about the park.
I work with a lot of fun people! There are a handful of college interns, and then quite a few more part- and full-time workers. But all of them are really nice and fun to be around. I really lucked out with my placement.
I don't want to make this too long, but I have a lot more to say so (hopefully) look for more entries coming your way!
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