No matter who I talk to at home I get the same question... "What do you actually do all day?!" Before I left all anyone knew was that I was working at an attraction, which seems self explanatory. You would think that saying "I work at The Seas with Nemo and Friends would be a sufficient answer, that someone would piece together that there is a ride there and that I help to operate the ride all day long. But, it isn't that simple. Bear with me here, all my "Nemo terms" are going to have to be explained so this post could end up being rather lengthy, which is not my intention.
Here we go, a day in the life.... (my first official day, on my own)
Woke up at 7am to be ready for a 7:40 bus. Should I have been up earlier? Yes. Did the previous days 5:15am wake up call keep me in bed longer than I wanted? Yes. But, made the bus. Take the bus to Epcot Cast Center (backstage Epcot - anything that guests can see is considered on stage, so everything you cant see/get to is back stage. Which brings me to my next point. If you work for Disney you are considered a cast member NOT an employee, Disney is one great big show and we are all apart of the show, therefor we are part of the cast.)
Finally get to Epcot and walk to The Seas. Clock in to CDS and get assignment. CDS is a computer that does rotation and keeps track of breaks and such. First assignment - Unload 2. Unload 2 is when you are getting off the ride and the person is telling you to watch your step as you exit the shell. They are also in control of the console and unloading the ADA shell (ADA shell is for wheelchairs). So pretty much I walk on the belt, going nowhere like a treadmill, telling people to watch their step and if needed unloading the shell, and controlling ride speed when it is slowed for whatever reason. 45 minutes later I was released from that position and CDS told me to go to Stroller.
Stroller is as boring as it gets. You literally watch the strollers and make sure they are parked the right way, that people don't try to take strollers in to the building, and that all the strollers are actually parked in stroller parking. Its a real pain when people leave them somewhere and we have to go move them. So, word to the wise... park your damn stroller where it goes. It makes my life that much easier. We also, unfortunately, scare away the squirrels that try to get into strollers. So, another tip.. take all your personal stuff with you. I'm not about to chase down a squirrel because he took something out of the stroller.
BREAK TIME! woohoo!
After my break I pulled tasking for CDS. Tasking is just making sure everyone is rotation is good any no one needs to make their way to a bathroom or water fountain. It's only a 15min spot. Back to CDS I went and I pulled Load 1.
Load 1 is probably as easy as it gets. You stand right where the belt to get on the ride starts and tell people to watch their step. You also load the ADA shell if needed. Aside from the occasional crabby guest who is mad because the ride slowed, I have to clear the belt and his family didn't get passed my into the belt, its really not that awful. Roto (rotation) found me and sent me back outside but this time to Greeter.
Greeter is exactly what you think it is. We tell you welcome and to just keep swimming through the line. We also are the mean people who make you eat you ice cream before going inside. No food and drinks aloud, sorry friends :) Not too difficult there either. Roto finds me again and im off to the break room.
After my break CDS sends me to Turtle Talk! What is turtle talk? Its an interactive show with Crush from Nemo. He comes and talks to the guests and lets them ask questions about the turtle world. Its quite fun, took a lot of memorizing on my part to do introductions and safety spiels but its my favorite part of the day. Today, one of the wonderful children who Crush picked to talk to asked him, and I quote... "where do you poop?" A room full of laughter and probably muted Crush for some time lead to Crush excusing himself to behind a rock (to go to the bathroom) where uncontrollable laughter of 210 people filled the room. Just one of many reasons why I love my job, you never know what kids are going to say.
After Turtle Talk I worked Turtle Talk preshow, which is the person who loads wheelchairs into the show and makes the announcement on how long until the show. That is also the annoying person at the beginning who tells you to move ALLLLLLL the way to the end of the row making room for ALLLLL of our guests. And then I come back at the end and tell you to use BOTH double doors while exiting the theater. After that I headed back out to Stroller for 15 minutes and then it was time for my bump out (basically someone comes and takes your position so you can go sit in the break room for the last ten minutes of your shift that way you clock out on time).
And that's it. That sums up a day in the life. I covered maybe half of the positions today. Which means next time I SHOULD hopefully have something new to share.
I really love it down here and if working a ride was considered a "real job" even though they will hire you full time, I would work here forever in a heart beat. The Disney atmosphere is just as cool as when you are a guest. Some people were worried about the magic going away because I would see the ops side of things, but if anything it just makes me appreciate Disney more knowing what cast members do so you feel the magic while you are here. And being apart of that magic is an experience I wouldn't trade for anything. The look you get from a guest when you wish them a happy birthday or anniversary because you noticed their pin, or when you call a little girl "princess" is indescribable. Its just awesome.
Until next time... make someone smile. That's all I'm asking this time. And when you do...#doitforCJ
Here we go, a day in the life.... (my first official day, on my own)
Woke up at 7am to be ready for a 7:40 bus. Should I have been up earlier? Yes. Did the previous days 5:15am wake up call keep me in bed longer than I wanted? Yes. But, made the bus. Take the bus to Epcot Cast Center (backstage Epcot - anything that guests can see is considered on stage, so everything you cant see/get to is back stage. Which brings me to my next point. If you work for Disney you are considered a cast member NOT an employee, Disney is one great big show and we are all apart of the show, therefor we are part of the cast.)
Finally get to Epcot and walk to The Seas. Clock in to CDS and get assignment. CDS is a computer that does rotation and keeps track of breaks and such. First assignment - Unload 2. Unload 2 is when you are getting off the ride and the person is telling you to watch your step as you exit the shell. They are also in control of the console and unloading the ADA shell (ADA shell is for wheelchairs). So pretty much I walk on the belt, going nowhere like a treadmill, telling people to watch their step and if needed unloading the shell, and controlling ride speed when it is slowed for whatever reason. 45 minutes later I was released from that position and CDS told me to go to Stroller.
Stroller is as boring as it gets. You literally watch the strollers and make sure they are parked the right way, that people don't try to take strollers in to the building, and that all the strollers are actually parked in stroller parking. Its a real pain when people leave them somewhere and we have to go move them. So, word to the wise... park your damn stroller where it goes. It makes my life that much easier. We also, unfortunately, scare away the squirrels that try to get into strollers. So, another tip.. take all your personal stuff with you. I'm not about to chase down a squirrel because he took something out of the stroller.
BREAK TIME! woohoo!
After my break I pulled tasking for CDS. Tasking is just making sure everyone is rotation is good any no one needs to make their way to a bathroom or water fountain. It's only a 15min spot. Back to CDS I went and I pulled Load 1.
Load 1 is probably as easy as it gets. You stand right where the belt to get on the ride starts and tell people to watch their step. You also load the ADA shell if needed. Aside from the occasional crabby guest who is mad because the ride slowed, I have to clear the belt and his family didn't get passed my into the belt, its really not that awful. Roto (rotation) found me and sent me back outside but this time to Greeter.
Greeter is exactly what you think it is. We tell you welcome and to just keep swimming through the line. We also are the mean people who make you eat you ice cream before going inside. No food and drinks aloud, sorry friends :) Not too difficult there either. Roto finds me again and im off to the break room.
After my break CDS sends me to Turtle Talk! What is turtle talk? Its an interactive show with Crush from Nemo. He comes and talks to the guests and lets them ask questions about the turtle world. Its quite fun, took a lot of memorizing on my part to do introductions and safety spiels but its my favorite part of the day. Today, one of the wonderful children who Crush picked to talk to asked him, and I quote... "where do you poop?" A room full of laughter and probably muted Crush for some time lead to Crush excusing himself to behind a rock (to go to the bathroom) where uncontrollable laughter of 210 people filled the room. Just one of many reasons why I love my job, you never know what kids are going to say.
After Turtle Talk I worked Turtle Talk preshow, which is the person who loads wheelchairs into the show and makes the announcement on how long until the show. That is also the annoying person at the beginning who tells you to move ALLLLLLL the way to the end of the row making room for ALLLLL of our guests. And then I come back at the end and tell you to use BOTH double doors while exiting the theater. After that I headed back out to Stroller for 15 minutes and then it was time for my bump out (basically someone comes and takes your position so you can go sit in the break room for the last ten minutes of your shift that way you clock out on time).
And that's it. That sums up a day in the life. I covered maybe half of the positions today. Which means next time I SHOULD hopefully have something new to share.
I really love it down here and if working a ride was considered a "real job" even though they will hire you full time, I would work here forever in a heart beat. The Disney atmosphere is just as cool as when you are a guest. Some people were worried about the magic going away because I would see the ops side of things, but if anything it just makes me appreciate Disney more knowing what cast members do so you feel the magic while you are here. And being apart of that magic is an experience I wouldn't trade for anything. The look you get from a guest when you wish them a happy birthday or anniversary because you noticed their pin, or when you call a little girl "princess" is indescribable. Its just awesome.
Until next time... make someone smile. That's all I'm asking this time. And when you do...#doitforCJ
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