WDWCP: A Current Look Back

You've read all about my experiences, and now it's time to see what you could almost call my artifacts! Some of these things I hold very dear to my heart and I am happy I have been able to preserve them for all of these years!

Let's start first with the journal. I wrote in this religiously. Everything was documented in this book... who I saw, what I ate, how much I spent and where, where did I go, my work schedule, friend's phone numbers and birthdays. My entire College Program is summed up in this journal!

As a Cast Member you don't go anywhere without your ID card. I can't say I'm a fan of my photo really, but I can't do much about that. I really didn't like that pale pink pant suit! It met the Disney Look guidelines, but it just wasn't me. I'm a Converse girl, not a pastel pant suit girl!! This card got me into the parks for free, got me into Vista Way, got me my Cast Member discounts and was how I clocked in and out of work each day. It was the most important thing I had!

Another thing that I still believe very much in, and really emphasized when I was later a trainer at Disney's Animal Kingdom is the card in this next photo. The 7 Guidelines for Guest Service. These become a normal part of your life and you don't even have to think to do them, it happens naturally. I can tell you that to this day when I am a guest in a Disney park or resort, if I notice a Cast Member NOT doing these 7 things it disappoints me and stands out. These are the rules we live by and really, shouldn't we all try to incorporate this into our daily lives - working for the Mouse or not?

I'm sure you remember the Masquerade formal dance.... we got these cups as our little souvenirs!

In the post about the Marketplace I talked about the World of Disney and how it is this massive store of all things Disney... it is so big they even had maps!!

Along with your Cast Member ID card, there is another thing that is very dear to us. Our name tags. I ended up with THREE!! My first one ended up going through the cleaning process on my costume, but was surprisingly returned to me! That is the one that had my school on it. Sadly, I also lost my first name tag when I returned to Disney - but this one went down a huge drain in the Animal Kingdom cast parking lot. It was themed for 100 Years of Magic, and my magical memory was Alice in Wonderland. Why Alice? Well... in the locker room during this first College Program internship I actually got to talk to Alice! I told her I wanted to be her and she gave me advice and the confidence to pursue it ....after I got my braces off, of course!

Halloween Horror Nights is my thing!! I LOVE IT!! I haven't gone in a few years and I truly do miss it. To take its place, I go to the Spirit Halloween store as often as I can, and just try to soak up any little smells that might remind me of one of the mazes at Universal. So finding these coins from the parade during my first visit to Halloween Horror Nights was quite exciting!!

Sunday nights we would occasionally go to Service Industry Night at the House of Blues. I completely forgot we had actual cards that got us in! This was a fun surprise to discover in my WDWCP box!

If you've been to a Disney park in the last decade you probably saw people walking around with big round buttons, maybe you even wore one. I get them for my birthday all the time. Katura got one for her first visit to Disneyland - both when she was still cooking inside and when she was finally there in her Cinderella dress! Well, back in 1997 we had square buttons with stickers on them for the year. Here are my buttons from my first visit, and from attending Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. I'm such a pack rat. It gets worse...

And here is the "worse" I just referred to. A random button for the 25th Anniversary... and the Earful Tower that probably came in my sandwich from the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater I would imagine. BUT I'm glad I saved that little thing because the Earful Tower is now a thing of the past.

As I mentioned before, you don't just show up and get sent on-stage to work. We had a lot of training before ever being sent out to the guests. These are just some of our handouts from training. Specifically, the top things are from Once Upon A Time (the Magic Kingdom class). The bottom left is from Traditions, and the bottom right is from our Safety class. After my stints at Disney I think I have set places to a higher standard that they just cannot achieve. I spent years as a trainer for Disney, so clearly this is something I am passionate about. I feel such disappointment during job interviews upon my return to Oregon when I'd ask about their training and I get back a blank stare. A good foundation makes for a successful work environment!

Remember the start of this blog adventure and I talked about the interview process? Well here is the mail I received in my dorm welcoming me to the Walt Disney World College Program! That book on the left with the blue Mickey heads... I obsessed over it!! That was all we had to look at to prepare and try to anticipate what to expect. There was no website with information. We just had this book and letters. That small book on top is the Disney Look book I have referenced. It might look tiny, but it is multiple pages and full of information!!

Every year at Disney we have our Cast Holiday Celebration. With that we get a gift, a bigger discount for shopping, and a few other perks. In 1997 our gift was this watch that I have never worn. Why would I wear it and damage it? That would not be characteristic of me! I bought an ornament with the same Minnie & Mickey photo on it, and that is surprisingly still in one piece even though I use it every year and it is one of those annoying classic ball ornaments. 

Below is my 25th Anniversary poster that is still on my wall in my private room. I had one on my wall in the apartment, but this one was kept stashed away so it would be framed and not at all ruined. Twenty years this thing has been on display!

Do you remember my first visit to Epcot and we went to Mexico for dinner? This is the souvenir cup I got upon entering the park... and yes, this has been part of my life always on display for 20 years as well.

And finally, it might be silly to everyone else, but this final thing is very important to me. My Mousters Degree from Disney University. I don't even have my Oregon State University diploma framed or on display anywhere. But this is always out!

See ya real soon!  °o°