Since this is my first blog post, I guess I should introduce myself and tell you a little bit about this blog.
Well, my name is Tracie. I graduated from the University of South Alabama in May 2012 with a degree in Communications, a concentration in TV/Film and a minor in English.
In the summer of 2010 I started my internship with the Disney College Program. I worked Merchandise in Toontown (R.I.P.) , lived in Vista Way (NOT my first choice) and made a ton of friends that I still talk to today. I started a blog, but got so wrapped up in work and playing that I didn't update as much as I would have liked. While working at Toontown, a few of my co-workers called me "Tracie with the Ears" because I used to wear a Minnie headband everyday (since it was Toontown and we were allowed to do that.) My last day of work was January 1st, 2011, I turned in my I.D. on the 3rd, and left Orlando on the 4th.
I was sick most of the month of December, and by the time my program ended, I was missing my family and ready to come home, but no sooner did I get back to Alabama was I missing my Disney family even more. My parents made matters worse in the summer of 2011, by deciding to NOT go to Disney World, which is where we went every summer for the past 9 years. In January of 2012, I applied for another CP. A few weeks after taking my WBI, I was informed that I was restricted rehire. At the time I didn't know why, but later learned it was from having too many "late" notations (what sucks is that had my program lasted like 2 weeks longer, it would have been six months since I got a few of the notations, and they would have been erased and it would have been a non-issue). Anyway, I filled out the rehire paperwork that they sent me and several weeks later received a "pending" email. I called the recruiting office and they confirmed that by receiving that email, it meant that my status was lifted and was officially being considered for the program, but a few days before the "you should hear by..." date, I received a "Thanks but No Thanks" email.
By that point, I had sort of lost hope of being accepted into the program, graduation was around the corner, and I was trying to come up with a new plan, (the old one being, do the college program-maybe extend-, save up enough money to rent an apartment when I was through, and go part time or full time and stay there for awhile), so when I got the rejection letter, it didn't hit me that hard. Sure, I was upset, but I kind of expected it. My new goal was to get a job working at a chain, so if/when I decided to move I could be transferred to a store there (wherever 'there' may be). The overall goal was 'get out of Mobile because there's nothing that I want to do here with my major.' I applied locally to some chains, in NYC and LA for some "major-related" jobs, and at theme parks in Orlando- Anything that could potentially get me out of Mobile.
I never got an interview. Some places sent me a "thanks but no thanks" and some just didn't send me anything at all. Finally, the summer of 2012 was upon us and my parents decided that we were going to go to Orlando again. Hallelujah! One problem, we weren't going to go to Disney World. When I found out when we'd be there, I also found out that several of my friends from the program were going to be there then as well, so I made plans with a few of them, and between graduation money and vacation money my grandmother gave me, I was buying my own ticket and going back to the Magic Kingdom. I missed it so bad. It had been 81 weeks and 2 days since I had last set foot on Main Street and I wasn't going to wait any longer. I found two of my old leaders and coordinators and a few other fellow CMs. I had to track one of my leaders down, but it was worth it. To hear both of them tell me to reapply and that I could put their names down as references was a huge spirit lifter, and since my six months were up, I was able to apply again.
I went to casting the next day, but unfortunately was informed that I could ONLY apply online, so I was given a card with the web address on it, and stuffed it in my pocket. When I left, I vowed that the next time I went back to Disney World it would be to work there again. When I got home, I went to the Disney Career website that I always went to, but they didn't have anything that I was interested in. I went back the next day-still nothing. On August 3rd, several days after I had been home, I picked up a pair of jeans and the card they gave me fluttered out. I thought, "Heck...might as well check again." I typed in the address exactly as it was written and the first job listed was for a part time merchandise position. As you can imagine, I immediately hit 'apply' and filled out the application. I received a standard "thanks for Applying" email and it told me I would hear something within 5 days. So, all I had to do was wait, so wait I did... and I waited... and I waited. At the ten day mark, I messaged one of my former leaders, to see if there was anything she could do to get my application looked at. She told me there wasn't anything and suggested I call, but I wasn't sure what number to call and had a feeling that it would just tell me exactly what the email told me, that "any changes to my application would be posted to the dashboard." So, I waited more...finally on August 23rd, 20 days after I submitted the application, I received an email to complete the WBI. The rest transpired fairly quickly. I passed the WBI and was immediately told to schedule an interview...AT the Casting Center.
I scheduled the appointment online, and they only offered a 2 week interval. The week coming up was when Isaac was supposed to make landfall. My parents were concerned about me driving in that kind of weather, so I scheduled the appointment for Sept. 5th. I ended up taking one of my best friends, with me. She had never been to Orlando before, so I planned a few cheap/free things to do, like Downtown Disney and resort hopping (including Dole Whips and Wishes at the Polynesian. She said she had fun and I hope she wasn't lying lol) Anyway, the hotel that we got was less than five minutes away from the DTD/Casting Area so I left at about 10:00 for my 10:30 appointment. I watched most of The Lion King, because it was on in the lobby and I didn't get seen until almost 11.
Finally, my interviewer, Kate, came and got me. We talked and she looked at my record card, and said that based on all of the GSFs, she could tell I was a great CM-just one problem... I had to fill out the rehire paperwork again and get it back to her the following Tuesday along with a few other things from my last place of work and such. She told me that once I sent the paperwork in, it could be a couple of weeks before the committee met to determine whether to lift my status or not, and that I should hear back from her by the end of September. So, I got all of the papers together and sent it in, along with a note asking her to give me a call to answer a question I had about one of my leaders sending in a referral letter.
The next day, I got a call from a 407 number. I figured it was Kate calling to tell me whether it was okay for my leader to send in the letter or not. To my surprise, it was Kate, BUT she wasn't calling to answer my question. She was calling to tell me that my status had been lifted and to offer me a job! During my interview we talking about how much I loved MK, how it was my home, and that I would love to go back there, so she looked and found out that there was a part time position opening on October 14th in Fantasyland! I'm still not sure if it's "old" or "new" though. I assumed it was "old" since "New" wasn't supposed to open until December, but I heard that the shops may open in the October. Either way, I'm excited because either I'll be working with one of my friends and one of my former leaders (both from Toontown) at "Old Fantasyland" or I'll be on the opening team of the "New Fantasyland".
All of that brings me to now. So, why did I decide to write a blog about this? Well, for one, I didn't document my CP adventure as well as I had wanted to, so it's for me to look back on later. Two, I'll be moving away from my friends and family for a lot longer than six months, so this for them too, so they can keep up with my life. Three, I know that I enjoyed reading blogs when I was getting ready to do my CP, and lately I've been looking for people who are Part time who are writing blogs, and I haven't found many, so it's for all of you, who may have questions on how the College Program works, or how it differs from being Part time and/or (hopefully) full time. I'm open to any questions you may have. Just ask!
Tracie (With the Ears)
