Working questions

Discussion in 'Accepted/Current ICP Participants' started by kimmiedancer, Oct 21, 2009.

  1. kimmiedancer

    kimmiedancer New Member

    Ok few questions about working to anyone who's done one of the disney jobs before...

    I just wondered -
    do you bring like a backpack to work with your lunch etc in it, or is there not much to take with you so you just carried it?

    do most people make their lunch at their apartment and bring it, or do they buy it there/beforehand?

    is there a place to refill your drinkbottle? - I assume you can bring your own... (though, does it have to be water?)

    does your official first work day start after your training/test?



    Thanks :)
     
  2. neevyweevy

    neevyweevy New Member

    You get given a locker so you can bring a backpack with you if you want, you won't need to carry much though, unless you bring your lunch, the only things you'll have to have are your castmember id, a picture id and money if you want to buy lunch. Some people just use a carrier bag.

    A lot of people do bring lunch with them, the places backstage can get quite expensive and, depending on where you're working, it might be a bit of walk to get somewhere that has good food, for example in MK the main place was the Mouseketeeria, they have hot food and a subway, but i worked on main st, and it's a bit of a walk to get there so it would mean i would lose time in my break, so i would normally go to the main st break room but they didn't have much choice, and the shop closed at 7pm which isn't great when you're working until 3am!!

    There should be somewhere to refill drink bottles, there was a watercooler thing in the stockroom where i worked. I think you get given drink bottles so that guests can't tell what brand of drink you've got, but i'm not sure if it has to be water, there is a cover on it so i would think you can have whatever you want.

    You'll start you're on the job training about 5-7 days after you arrive, the first few days will be filling out paperwork, traditions, your park orientation, and computer training in Disney University, you might get a day off between that and your first day of OTJ training depending on your trainer's regular work days, then you'll have a few days training (i had 3 days in merch but it might vary) and then start work the next day. You'll have to clock in from your first day of training in DU so you'll be getting paid from then.

    I hope i've remembered everything right, and hope it helps! :)
     
  3. kimmiedancer

    kimmiedancer New Member

    Thanks - very helpful! :)

    Did you like merch? I'm doing that for 6months of my program...

    I'm still bewildered at this idea of working like12hours, how in the world do people do that? Must be very tiring!!
     
  4. neevyweevy

    neevyweevy New Member

    I loved merch, i did it for 6 months and it was the best experience! I was on Main St so i worked the halloween parties, the christmas parties, and saw the parades and fireworks everyday!

    You do work ridiculously long shifts, my longest was 14 hours, but most of the time you don't notice! When it's not too busy you have more time to talk to guests or other cast members and when it is busy time flies! It's only during the peak times that you'll have the really long shifts, my average shift was probably about 7-8 hours. You get used to being tired, undereye concealer became my best friend, especially after a woman told me i looked old and asked if i had kids!! :'( But seriously, you don't notice you're tired because (hopefully) you're having fun, it's when you start thinking of it as work that it gets tiring!!

    When do you start?
     
  5. kimmiedancer

    kimmiedancer New Member

    Oh! I hope I get a fun place to work!

    Undereye concealer? Hmm. Ok never used that before! Are those things expensive or should I buy them before I go?

    I start July 2010.
    I just have lots of questions! haha!
     
  6. neevyweevy

    neevyweevy New Member

    I'm very pale so that's why i used it, i look tired all the time, it was just a bit worse there! I wouldn't worry too much about getting any, i'm sure you'll be fine, and if you do want it then get it there, everything is really cheap from walgreens or walmart!

    haha, i had soo many questions before i went too, this forum was so much help!

    Time will fly and it'll be July before you know it!
     
  7. kimmiedancer

    kimmiedancer New Member

    Yeah I'm really pale too! Typical red head who has freckles and burns easy! (sunscreen will be my newest friend haha)

    Yeah this forum is awesome :)

    I hope so!
    All I keep hearing is either amazing things which make me want to go even more (like how it's the best time ever!), or scary things (like people who have had awful room-mates, gotten sick - I swear nearly every disney blog I've read the person hasn't gotten sick!-, or had a horrible time!) which make me freak out more!
     
  8. neevyweevy

    neevyweevy New Member

    I wouldn't worry about the bad stuff, it really doesn't compare to the amazing stuff! You'll probably hardly ever see your roommates, i went for weeks without laying eyes on some of mine! I had opposite hours to the girl i shared a room with so i she was usually asleep when i came home from work or vice versa. If it does get really bad then you do have the option of moving!

    Nobody i knew on the program had terrible roommates or got sick, you've just got to look after yourself. Most people i knew either at work or outside of it, loved it and want to do it again! You just have to remember that you're going out there to work hard, and you won't be getting great pay. I think the people who don't have a great experience are the ones who aren't prepared and don't know what to expect!
     
  9. kimmiedancer

    kimmiedancer New Member

    ok.
    I shall have a super positive attitude then! haha ;)

    lol
    I'm pretty sure I know what I'm getting myself into - I ask far too many questios not to know! ;D
    I also have worked in both merch and QS F&B (though not as long hours however) so I know the ups and dowens of the jobs.
    I kind of wish I was put somewhere that I haven't worked in before, but oh well! Being in florida will be amazing! :D
     
  10. katiej22

    katiej22 New Member

    Something else Kim, if you work in a restaurant for QS, you will get free drinks from the soda machines - so most places that's Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Fanta, Apple Juice, Light Lemonade and water! Make sure you take advantage of that.... saves more money as you don't have to buy drinks on your break!
    But you can't take them home with you.
    xx
     
  11. kimmiedancer

    kimmiedancer New Member

    that's cool! Thanks :)
     
  12. tinkithink

    tinkithink New Member

    I did get sick on my program, but it was sorted out no problem. Got a reprimand for it, but I had a pretty clean slate so there wasn't a huge issue. Basically I had 9 weeks worth of unstoppable energy for a 10 week job!
    I worked 18 hours once, double shift. It was Gay Days, and so my park was open super super late. If you get the opportunity to work it (and don't mind Gay people), do it! It was such a blast.

    Even though I got sick, fought with all my roommates, and had some issues with my boyfriend, I've applied to go back. That's got to tell you something about how awesome my work experience was in order to make up for how awful my living experience was!

    When I did my role checklist last year, I put QS F&B as my last choice, and she asked me about it and I said "I already know how to do QS, I work at McDonalds and have for four years. I'd like to try something new!" And so I got put in custodial and got a killer tan and talked to guests for ten weeks. It was fantastic!

    You get free drinks in the carts too for QS.

    My training began along the same lines as hers, but I only had two days of classes and then one day of OTJ training and then they turned me loose! It was terrifying having to be an "expert" so quickly, but luckily I'm such a geek and when I was bored at home in the years beforehand, I'd look up Disney facts & park maps.

    So I had the BEST time of my life, even though a ton of bad crap happened. It's really all worth it in the end!
     
  13. kimmiedancer

    kimmiedancer New Member

    I'm so glad you enjoyed yourself regardless
    It feels like I have foreverrrr to wait!
    By the way - when you got sick, what did you have to do? (as in, is there a proceedure like calling in sick or something? Howcome you got a reprimand for being sick when it's not your fault?? :( )
    Was it random sickness by the way? (like not food poisoning?)
     
  14. tinkithink

    tinkithink New Member

    It was random sickness. Part exhaustion, part a cold. I had to go to the clinic and get prescriptions filled and stuff.
    Plus, regardless of if you're sick for real or just calling in, you get points and then a reprimand! There will be a # that you call to connect with your supervisor. And its best to give them lots of notice!
     
  15. kimmiedancer

    kimmiedancer New Member

    Was the clinic nearby? ..and was it expensive? I remember when I got sick in Hawaii it was crazily expensive :S

    That seems unfair to take mark off if you're actually sick!!
    ..and what is a reprimand?
     
  16. tinkithink

    tinkithink New Member

    the clinic was super close & had a shuttle that they used to come and get you, so not even a taxi fee.
    didn't cost me a thing, 'cause i had the medical insurance.

    a reprimand is like a black mark on your record (disney wise). if you get either 3 housing reprimands or 3 work reprimands, you get sent home - that's why all the people who say "she was late once and got sent home" are exaggerating!

    you get 3 points per reprimand and 3 reprimands per area. so you could have two housing and two work and you'd be fine.
     
  17. kimmiedancer

    kimmiedancer New Member

    ...what if you came to work but then were too sick and they sent you home, would you get a reprimand then?
    ..and is it one per day you are sick?

    I still think it's unfair that if you're sick you get penalised...
    WIs it within a certain time period or for the whole year?
     
  18. katiej22

    katiej22 New Member

    If they send you home you don't get points or a reprimand. But they don't often send you home... it depends on your managers.
    It is a point per day you are sick. It's because so many people just call-in anyway if they want a day off that they do it - to try and prevent frivolous call-ins.

    And reprimands are amount of points collected in a certain time period - I think it's 3 in 30 days, then 6 in something, and 9 in something - so you can have over 3 points but if they are spread out over a long enough time then you don't get a reprimand.

    I was quie lucky in that I wasn't sick at all over there, there was one time on shift where I kept feeling dizzy and had to sit down, but I think I had been out too long in the sun and not drunk enough, my manager was really nice about it and made sure I was OK - I think if I had wanted to I could have gone home.
    I was really tired once as well - that's what you get for going to Cocoa beach at like 1am and not getting home till 4am - partly because we got lost coming home! Wouldn't change it though - if I could go back to this summer I don't think I'd change a thing... except maybe meeting more people! :)
    xx
     
  19. PK

    PK New Member

    Hey I was just wondering if any one you guys new got sent home and what kind of things they did...

    Thanks PK
     

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