New lessons are inevitable wherever you go. That being said, I knew that a lot of lessons would be learned over my 5 months of working at Walt Disney World. Here's the 25 most honest lessons I learned during my experience and don't be afraid to laugh along with me.
1. Don't be afraid to ask Cast Members for help.
You probably look silly staring at your map circling around Liberty Square but by admitting you need a little help, you will get where you need to go (without wasting all that time)! And time is of the essence here, people!
2. I can give awesome directions to anywhere in Magic Kingdom (and the other parks while I'm at it)!
Go ahead. Try me!
Go ahead. Try me!
3. Don't wait until the last minute to find something to eat.
You will be grumpy and no one wants to deal with you at that point. Don't be shocked when you have to wait in a line for food as well. Remember, this is Disney World and what's Disney without another line to wait in?!
4. Please don't take your frustrations out on the innocent Cast Members.
Chances are if they look like they are miserable, they are!! Dealing with unhappy tourists for 10+ hours a day gets old really fast! Just because you're a Guest doesn't give you permission to yell at, harass, or ridicule Cast Members who try to help you!
5. You'll never meet harder workers than Disney's Cast Members.
They work harder than you could imagine and they try to keep a smile just to please you! Weekends don't exists and hard work is the only option.
5. You'll never meet harder workers than Disney's Cast Members.
They work harder than you could imagine and they try to keep a smile just to please you! Weekends don't exists and hard work is the only option.
6. I never want to see another tourist again.
I can only handle Aussies, Brits, and Canadians because they were never mean to me!!
7. People love taking pictures with Colonial Women!
It doesn't matter if I'm outside as Bell Ringer or if I'm sweating while bussing tables, at least once a week (if not once a day) I've been asked to take pictures with Guests!
8. Please don't ever take more than you need from the condiment bar.
As much as you think the people who sit at your table next wants your leftover napkins and already-been-touched ketchup, they don't! And I'll throw away the stuff you leave on the table anyways.
9. If you're in a quick service restaurant, please throw your trash away!
Don't you throw your own trash away at Zaxby's and Chick-Fil-A? If you don't have a waitress, you're expected to throw your own trash away.
10. Don't forget your brain at the gate.
It happens to the best of people.
11. Living with five people is hard.
No matter how old you are or how much schooling you've had, there will always be drama. Always. I promise you I will never live with five people again unless they happen to be my husband and four children.
12. People always need to know where the bathroom is.
Under the bridge on the left at Rapunzel's tower.
13. Magic Kingdom isn't magical enough to not need a beer (for some people).
You can buy alcohol everywhere else, but the only way you'll get any alcohol at Magic Kingdom is if you have a dinner reservation for Be Our Guest. Remember this 180 days before you plan to be at Magic Kingdom in desperate need of a beer or you won't get a reservation meaning you have to suffer with all the other people who feel the need to get some alcohol at the Happiest Place on Earth.
14. I can guess just by looking at a group of people where they're from, what language they speak, and just how large their group size is.
Its a skill...mad skills.
15. Hearing a "thank you" is more magical than anything else at work.
Nothing makes a 12 hour day better than hearing that a Guest appreciated what you did for them. Making magic is all in a day's work but actually hearing a "thank you" for it is hard to come by! Use those manners your Mama taught you!
16. I'm awesome at guessing children's ages!
9 times out of 10, I guessed children's ages right! It sure did impress them and their parents too. Other than that, I didn't use my major at all for the past 5 months!
17. The 13 years of Spanish I took in school didn't amount to anything.
Sorry Señorita Alvarez!
18. Cleaning up after other people's messes is humbling and absolutely disgusting at the same time.
Please don't make me do it again. Bussing still haunts my dreams.
19. I can change seven 30-pound ketchup bags in 20 minutes or less.
I consider that a personal record and I'd like to go down in the Columbia Harbour House record books.
20. Smiling is really hard when you hate your job.
And y'all know how much I love to smile.
21. Don't EVER come to Disney World between Christmas and New Year's.
You will regret it. You won't ride rides unless you wait at least an hour for each one. You won't be able to walk through the parks without being told to keep to the right and keep moving. As much as you might want to be at Disney World for New Year's Eve, I personally don't think its worth it! Come another time of year when you can get the most bang for your buck.
22. Being an underpaid teacher has never sounded so amazing!
I've always known being a teacher, I will easily not be someone who is loaded! However, I've never been as broke as I have working at Disney! Between the fact that I was making just above minimum wage and living in Orlando where everything is so expensive, a salary of $30,000/year sounds pretty glamorous to me! (Something I never thought I'd say!)
13. Magic Kingdom isn't magical enough to not need a beer (for some people).
You can buy alcohol everywhere else, but the only way you'll get any alcohol at Magic Kingdom is if you have a dinner reservation for Be Our Guest. Remember this 180 days before you plan to be at Magic Kingdom in desperate need of a beer or you won't get a reservation meaning you have to suffer with all the other people who feel the need to get some alcohol at the Happiest Place on Earth.
14. I can guess just by looking at a group of people where they're from, what language they speak, and just how large their group size is.
Its a skill...mad skills.
15. Hearing a "thank you" is more magical than anything else at work.
Nothing makes a 12 hour day better than hearing that a Guest appreciated what you did for them. Making magic is all in a day's work but actually hearing a "thank you" for it is hard to come by! Use those manners your Mama taught you!
16. I'm awesome at guessing children's ages!
9 times out of 10, I guessed children's ages right! It sure did impress them and their parents too. Other than that, I didn't use my major at all for the past 5 months!
17. The 13 years of Spanish I took in school didn't amount to anything.
Sorry Señorita Alvarez!
18. Cleaning up after other people's messes is humbling and absolutely disgusting at the same time.
Please don't make me do it again. Bussing still haunts my dreams.
19. I can change seven 30-pound ketchup bags in 20 minutes or less.
I consider that a personal record and I'd like to go down in the Columbia Harbour House record books.
20. Smiling is really hard when you hate your job.
And y'all know how much I love to smile.
21. Don't EVER come to Disney World between Christmas and New Year's.
You will regret it. You won't ride rides unless you wait at least an hour for each one. You won't be able to walk through the parks without being told to keep to the right and keep moving. As much as you might want to be at Disney World for New Year's Eve, I personally don't think its worth it! Come another time of year when you can get the most bang for your buck.
22. Being an underpaid teacher has never sounded so amazing!
I've always known being a teacher, I will easily not be someone who is loaded! However, I've never been as broke as I have working at Disney! Between the fact that I was making just above minimum wage and living in Orlando where everything is so expensive, a salary of $30,000/year sounds pretty glamorous to me! (Something I never thought I'd say!)
23. People are mean.
I realize I didn't have to work at Disney World to learn this sad truth, but I've never known so many people to be downright mean. I'm from South Carolina where people not only tell you hello but follow that with a "How are you?" (and they genuinely care about how you're doing!) Maybe this isn't something the rest of the world does, but that's exactly what I'm used to. Unfortunately Disney is pretty much the exact opposite. I'm expected to care about all 50,000+ guests at Magic Kingdom and guess how many care about me? When I'm trying to be nice to Guests by giving them free water, maybe throwing in a free dessert if they waited too long, or just trying to make conversation while they are waiting in line, you'd be shocked as to how they act. I've been spit at, yelled at, and of course complained about. I made a man cry because his french fries weren't hot enough...so he complained to my manager about me!
24. Life is better without expectations.
A lot of expectations form over 10 years of hoping and preparing for something (like this program). Its extremely easy for all of those expectations to be crushed (like they were). My new goal in life is to not build up high expectations, just let life happen!
And finally...
25. God is good. All the time.
I can tell you a million times just how crazy and unexpected this experience was but God's love for me never waivered. I fell more and more in love with Jesus daily and I couldn't be more thankful for that! I wouldn't have made it through this if it weren't for the friendships God gave me along the way and the hope I have in Jesus! Realizing that God has even bigger plans for me than to stay at Disney World was such an amazing lesson to learn! He will never leave me nor forsake me, and that's the best lesson of all!
Thanks for following this experience and keep following what's next in this adventure we call life!!
24. Life is better without expectations.
A lot of expectations form over 10 years of hoping and preparing for something (like this program). Its extremely easy for all of those expectations to be crushed (like they were). My new goal in life is to not build up high expectations, just let life happen!
And finally...
25. God is good. All the time.
I can tell you a million times just how crazy and unexpected this experience was but God's love for me never waivered. I fell more and more in love with Jesus daily and I couldn't be more thankful for that! I wouldn't have made it through this if it weren't for the friendships God gave me along the way and the hope I have in Jesus! Realizing that God has even bigger plans for me than to stay at Disney World was such an amazing lesson to learn! He will never leave me nor forsake me, and that's the best lesson of all!
Thanks for following this experience and keep following what's next in this adventure we call life!!
