So the countdown is now officially in double digits which is super exciting. I'm starting to realize how soon my start date is which has me feeling a bit panicked. I'm definitely worried I won't have as much money as I like saved up but luckily I got a second job last week so hopefully I can save up a lot of money during the next few months.
Not much new to report. I still haven't gone to get my police check (I've been so lazy on my days off) but am definitely going to go on Wednesday since I want it sent in before March Break starts at work. I also found out I need to go talk to someone about my health card and making sure I don't lose any of my lovely Canadian health benefits when I come back from Disney. There are so many little things that I never really thought about doing the ICP that now I need to think about. In more exciting news, I found out some girls I worked with last summer in the Backlands are going to be coming back to do another program at Disney so I will know some familiar faces down there.
Besides that I've just been searching for and reading as many CRP blogs as I can, especially ones that deal with working food and beverage. I went for a job interview with Boston Pizza last week and the manager told me he didn't see me as a server which has made me a bit nervous since that is what I will be doing eventually during my program. I have very little food experience except for the five times I worked Writer's Stop this summer during my ICP and working Cafe at Science North so this is definitely going to be a challenging and new experience for me. At least I start off in the popcorn cart which I have lots of experience doing from working Cafe. Tomorrow the restaurant I will be working in turns into a signature dining experience so I'm really curious to hear about the changes that are going to happen. I will be definitely checking some of my favourite Disney news web sites tomorrow :).
Monday, February 28, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
110 More Days
So the countdown is quickly approaching under 100 days which is super exciting. Nothing much new to report, going to order my criminal background check next week so I can get it sent off to Yummy Jobs in the next two weeks. I thought I would write about the application process tonight for anyone who is reading this and thinking about applying for one of the programs at Disney.
The applications for the start dates I was interested in opened on July 1st so as soon as I got home from celebrating Canada's Day with my friends at Epcot, I applied. I wasn't sure I would be allowed to apply since I was still doing my ICP but it let me. I didn't have much time to think about my application since I was busy enjoying my last month on the program but two weeks after I sent in my application I got the lovely e-mail saying I was being considered for the program and would be contacted with further information in the next few days. So the next step was a phone interview which I scheduled to have the day after I got home from Florida. Even though this was the third time I was doing this, I was still pretty nervous. So my phone interview was a quick 5-10 minute chat about why I want to go back, what I would share with guests about my culture and where I'm from, and some general questions. So then came the awful waiting to see if I would get invited to the final round of interviews. Luckily two weeks later I got the e-mail inviting me to the face to face interview. At that time, there wasn't much information available on the face to face interview except that it was going to be in Toronto around early October.
So a few weeks later I got the e-mail telling me the interviews would be taking place October 3rd at Ryerson which was where my second ICP interview took place. So I quickly worked on booking the 2cd, 3rd, and 4th off from work and booking a hotel. Luckily the month of September went by really quickly and before I knew it, I was heading to Toronto. My mom came along with me on the trip which was great since it's always good to have some moral support for these things. So first thing we did when we got to Toronto was of course go shopping! Then we met up with my aunt Ruth to have dinner at Mr. Greenjeans (one of my favourite restaurants) and then I met up with some of the applicants at the hotel to hang out and talk about Disney of course. It was so great meeting up with them because it always helps to see some familiar faces the next day. So after that was done, I watched some Sex and the City and then went to bed.
So we agreed to meet at 8am the next day to walk over to Ryerson since the interviews started at 8:30 and so that way we could make a pit stop at Starbucks. While we were waiting in line at Starbucks, there was a group of people in line before us very professionally dressed with suitcases. I recognized Kristen right away (the awesome Yummy Jobs recruiter) and knew it was the Yummy Jobs team and the Walt Disney recruiters which was super exciting.
So we arrived at the interview location and waited until they were ready for us to enter the room. The interview starts off by watching a presentation about Disney and the CRP. It was hard not to get teary eyed during the presentation since it made me realize how much I miss the Mouse. After the presentation, we got our interview times. Mine wasn't until the afternoon so myself and two girls who had afternoon interview times decided to go eat some breakfast and wander around the Eaton Centre (and of course we made a pit stop at the Disney Store).
Soon it was time to head back and get ready for the interview. Soon it was my turn to hand in all my paperwork and wait to be called into the room. I interviewed with a girl from Newmarket and it really was just a simple, easy chat. I was worried since my interview for my second ICP was so intense but this interview felt more like chatting with one of my managers at Disney. Most of the questions were personality based or about family traditions. The recruiter seemed to understand that the ICP was different from the CRP, and that doing this program would be a different experience which was good. Before I knew it the interview was over and it was back to the awful waiting game.
So I spent the next two weeks constantly checking my e-mail and finally on October 18th, I got the phone call saying I had a role offer!
For anyone who is interviewing soon or thinking of applying this summer, the Disney interview is so much fun. They really just want to get to know you and see what you can bring to this experience. Good luck!
The applications for the start dates I was interested in opened on July 1st so as soon as I got home from celebrating Canada's Day with my friends at Epcot, I applied. I wasn't sure I would be allowed to apply since I was still doing my ICP but it let me. I didn't have much time to think about my application since I was busy enjoying my last month on the program but two weeks after I sent in my application I got the lovely e-mail saying I was being considered for the program and would be contacted with further information in the next few days. So the next step was a phone interview which I scheduled to have the day after I got home from Florida. Even though this was the third time I was doing this, I was still pretty nervous. So my phone interview was a quick 5-10 minute chat about why I want to go back, what I would share with guests about my culture and where I'm from, and some general questions. So then came the awful waiting to see if I would get invited to the final round of interviews. Luckily two weeks later I got the e-mail inviting me to the face to face interview. At that time, there wasn't much information available on the face to face interview except that it was going to be in Toronto around early October.
So a few weeks later I got the e-mail telling me the interviews would be taking place October 3rd at Ryerson which was where my second ICP interview took place. So I quickly worked on booking the 2cd, 3rd, and 4th off from work and booking a hotel. Luckily the month of September went by really quickly and before I knew it, I was heading to Toronto. My mom came along with me on the trip which was great since it's always good to have some moral support for these things. So first thing we did when we got to Toronto was of course go shopping! Then we met up with my aunt Ruth to have dinner at Mr. Greenjeans (one of my favourite restaurants) and then I met up with some of the applicants at the hotel to hang out and talk about Disney of course. It was so great meeting up with them because it always helps to see some familiar faces the next day. So after that was done, I watched some Sex and the City and then went to bed.
So we agreed to meet at 8am the next day to walk over to Ryerson since the interviews started at 8:30 and so that way we could make a pit stop at Starbucks. While we were waiting in line at Starbucks, there was a group of people in line before us very professionally dressed with suitcases. I recognized Kristen right away (the awesome Yummy Jobs recruiter) and knew it was the Yummy Jobs team and the Walt Disney recruiters which was super exciting.
So we arrived at the interview location and waited until they were ready for us to enter the room. The interview starts off by watching a presentation about Disney and the CRP. It was hard not to get teary eyed during the presentation since it made me realize how much I miss the Mouse. After the presentation, we got our interview times. Mine wasn't until the afternoon so myself and two girls who had afternoon interview times decided to go eat some breakfast and wander around the Eaton Centre (and of course we made a pit stop at the Disney Store).
Soon it was time to head back and get ready for the interview. Soon it was my turn to hand in all my paperwork and wait to be called into the room. I interviewed with a girl from Newmarket and it really was just a simple, easy chat. I was worried since my interview for my second ICP was so intense but this interview felt more like chatting with one of my managers at Disney. Most of the questions were personality based or about family traditions. The recruiter seemed to understand that the ICP was different from the CRP, and that doing this program would be a different experience which was good. Before I knew it the interview was over and it was back to the awful waiting game.
So I spent the next two weeks constantly checking my e-mail and finally on October 18th, I got the phone call saying I had a role offer!
For anyone who is interviewing soon or thinking of applying this summer, the Disney interview is so much fun. They really just want to get to know you and see what you can bring to this experience. Good luck!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
4 Months To Go!
So we are now at the 4 month mark which is super exciting. Time is definitely going to fly by now and before I know it, I will be back on that Mears shuttle heading towards the welcome centre. I am definitely 100% ready for this program to start.
One of the CRP groups I belong to has a discussion going on about things you want to do and see while in Florida, and that got me thinking about stuff that I want to do during my year. So here is my list of things I want to do and see:
1) Do Give Kids The World (I tried to do this during both my ICPs and it just didn't work out since I rarely had a Sunday or Wednesday off, it is definitely #1 on my list this time)
2) Go to Sea World
3) Finally get a chance to go on Soarin'
4) Swim with dolphins at Discovery Cove
5) Do every single character dining experience there is
6) Visit Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure
7) Go to Vegas
8) Go to the Kennedy Space Centre
9) Do a Disney Cruise
10) Do every single tacky tourist thing there is in Orlando (like Gatorland and Holy Land)
11) Go to NYC
12) Drink and eat around the world
13) Go see Cirque du Soleil again
14) Attend Disney's Halloween and Christmas parties
15) Go to New Orleans
16) Do the Haunted Mansion backstage tour
17) Go to the Florida Everglades
18) Try and stay in every single Disney resort
19) Buy myself some shoes at Jimmy Choo
20) Go to Universal's Halloween Horror Nights
21) Visit California (would like to visit San Diego, San Fransisco, Hollywood, the Santa Monica Pier, Beverly Hills, and go to Universal Studios Hollywood)
22) Try and do as many workshops and special Disney courses that are offered at the Disney University
23) Go to Weeki Wachi Springs (one word: mermaids!)
24) Go to Busch Gardens
25) Do the Haunted Orlando Ghost Tour
26) Go to Old Town
27) Eat the Kitchen Sink at Beaches and Cream
28) Go to South Beach as many times as I can
29) Visit Key West
30) Go to Clearwater as much as I can (Clearwater and South Beach are tied for my favourite beaches in Florida)
31) Go to St. Augustine (this is for my mom, she has always wanted to go)
32) Have some great reunions with some of my friends from the ICP
33) Go to one of the midnight showings of Rocky Horror Picture Show at AMC Universal
34) Visit Washington DC
35) Watch Wishes, Illuminations, and Fantasmic as many times as I can
36) Go to the Bahamas
37) Visit Salem (I have always been interested in the history of the witch trials and have always wanted to go here)
38) Go to an Orlando Magic game
39) Visit the Orlando Science Centre
40) Go to Jellyrolls at least three times a month
41) Spend some time at Mickey's Retreat
42) Go to Dinosaur World
43) Spend as much time as I can in the parks
Hopefully I can accomplish everything on my list. Some of this stuff on my list is stuff I tried to get done during both my ICPs but didn't get the chance. Some stuff, like South Beach and Clearwater, are favourites from my past programs that I want to repeat as much as possible.
One of the CRP groups I belong to has a discussion going on about things you want to do and see while in Florida, and that got me thinking about stuff that I want to do during my year. So here is my list of things I want to do and see:
1) Do Give Kids The World (I tried to do this during both my ICPs and it just didn't work out since I rarely had a Sunday or Wednesday off, it is definitely #1 on my list this time)
2) Go to Sea World
3) Finally get a chance to go on Soarin'
4) Swim with dolphins at Discovery Cove
5) Do every single character dining experience there is
6) Visit Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure
7) Go to Vegas
8) Go to the Kennedy Space Centre
9) Do a Disney Cruise
10) Do every single tacky tourist thing there is in Orlando (like Gatorland and Holy Land)
11) Go to NYC
12) Drink and eat around the world
13) Go see Cirque du Soleil again
14) Attend Disney's Halloween and Christmas parties
15) Go to New Orleans
16) Do the Haunted Mansion backstage tour
17) Go to the Florida Everglades
18) Try and stay in every single Disney resort
19) Buy myself some shoes at Jimmy Choo
20) Go to Universal's Halloween Horror Nights
21) Visit California (would like to visit San Diego, San Fransisco, Hollywood, the Santa Monica Pier, Beverly Hills, and go to Universal Studios Hollywood)
22) Try and do as many workshops and special Disney courses that are offered at the Disney University
23) Go to Weeki Wachi Springs (one word: mermaids!)
24) Go to Busch Gardens
25) Do the Haunted Orlando Ghost Tour
26) Go to Old Town
27) Eat the Kitchen Sink at Beaches and Cream
28) Go to South Beach as many times as I can
29) Visit Key West
30) Go to Clearwater as much as I can (Clearwater and South Beach are tied for my favourite beaches in Florida)
31) Go to St. Augustine (this is for my mom, she has always wanted to go)
32) Have some great reunions with some of my friends from the ICP
33) Go to one of the midnight showings of Rocky Horror Picture Show at AMC Universal
34) Visit Washington DC
35) Watch Wishes, Illuminations, and Fantasmic as many times as I can
36) Go to the Bahamas
37) Visit Salem (I have always been interested in the history of the witch trials and have always wanted to go here)
38) Go to an Orlando Magic game
39) Visit the Orlando Science Centre
40) Go to Jellyrolls at least three times a month
41) Spend some time at Mickey's Retreat
42) Go to Dinosaur World
43) Spend as much time as I can in the parks
Hopefully I can accomplish everything on my list. Some of this stuff on my list is stuff I tried to get done during both my ICPs but didn't get the chance. Some stuff, like South Beach and Clearwater, are favourites from my past programs that I want to repeat as much as possible.
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