My Disney ICP Adventures: Pre-summerofalifetime report! SINGLE DIGITS!

[Chilly]

Glad you had a good time at your meet.

 

[BethEJo]

Emails!!! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee

I don’t normally get this excited when I check my inbox, but I make the exception when I receive two emails regarding the ICP in the same week!

The first email was to remind us of what our role would be over the summer. I don’t know how somebody would forget that though – it’s all I’ve been thinking about since I found out that I was accepted onto the program in December!

Anyway, as I’ve mentioned in the first posts, I'll be working on attractions! According to the email, we could be working on an attraction and also on main entrance operations. Here's the full list of possible “duties”:

Operations
Working in one of the following areas:
Attractions
• Working at one or more of the "rides" or theater shows
• Loading and unloading Guests from an attraction
• Operating sophisticated ride systems
• Memorizing and delivering lengthy narrations to large groups
• Working with FASTPASS ®, the ticketing system that distributes attraction ride times

Main Entrance Operations
• Greeting all Guests who enter the park, operating turnstile areas
• Selling various ticket media at our water parks, Downtown Disney® or Disney’s Wide World of Sports® Complex
• Strong knowledge of Walt Disney World Resort ticket media
• Using computerized ticketing systems

Above role also includes:
• Monitoring Guest flow and providing a safe Guest experience
• Retrieving and arranging strollers
• Assisting with audience control, including during parades

All very exciting!! This role will guarantee lots of guest interaction and I cannot wait for that!! Apart from working for Walt Disney World, it was the guest interaction experience that drew me to the program!

The email also stated that while it couldn’t be guaranteed, Yummy Jobs would be happy to pass on any work location requests we had, onto WDW. This was great to hear; the American college program participants have an email address to which they can email a work location request, but there is no such thing for the international CPers. Of course, I knew I’d have the best summer ever no matter where in WDW I was placed, but it wouldn’t hurt to submit a request right?! You’ve gotta be in it to win it and all that....

So this was now the difficult part . I sat down and made a list of attractions that I would love to work on, but obviously it was too long! It’s impossible to pick just one attraction *sigh* - I was going to have to think about this... Anyhow, here’s the list that I started out with:

Animal Kingdom
- Pangani Forest/Discovery Island Trails
- The Boneyard
- Expedition Everest
- Kali River Rapids

Magic Kingdom
- BTMR
- Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
- Haunted Mansion
- Jungle Cruise
- Monsters Inc Laugh Floor
- POTC
- Splash Mountain
- Tom Sawyer Island

Epcot
- Imageworks
- Innoventions
- Soarin'

Hollywood Studios
- Honey I Shrunk The Kids Movie Set Adventure
- Light, Motors, Action! stunt Show
- Muppet Vision 3D
- ToT

See? Waaaaaaaay too many! But thanks to some of the lovely UK Community DISers, I’ve managed to whittle it down a bit . Here’s the final list that I finally decided on and submitted, with a couple of reasons why I chose these attractions:

1. Pangani Forest/Discovery Island trails (AK). I would love to just walk the trails and chat to guests, answering and asking questions! You would get a lot of guest interaction here, perhaps spending a little more time with guests here than you would on some other attractions.
2. Innoventions (Epcot). Another role similar to that of the AK trails, and again one that offers lots of guest interaction. I think it would be great to wander around innoventions playing on the exhibits!
3. Jungle Cruise (MK). Who wouldn’t want to be a Jungle Cruise skipper?!? However, I think this would be a very popular choice amongst my fellow CPs too.
4. POTC (MK). I love the movies, and especially the music from the movies! We also talked a lot about this in my interview, so fingers crossed Would be great to be a pirate for 10 weeks!
5. (Last but not least) Honey I shrunk the kids movie set adventure (HS). I love this play area, and I would love it if I could play in it all day with the kids!

So that’s the work location requests submitted

The second email I received came today, and it was to tell us that our Disney information packs are on the way!! Woooo – finally ! These contain information about the program, the job offer letter )), CM policies and Disney look guidelines and the documents needed to get our visa application underway. Getting the visa is the only part of the whole ICP thing that I am not looking forward to, but at least it’s a step closer! Some of the other ICPers have had their appointments this week and have told us that they have waited up to 5 hours for a 30 second interview ! Ah well, it’s got be done! I’m planning to book my embassy appointment with another ICPer who I met at the interview and who’s also on my flight, so this should make the whole ordeal more bearable 

Anyway...92 DAYS!!!!

 

[BethEJo]

I forgot to post this in the last entry, but seeing as I've just gotten a random burst of Disney excitement, I thought I'd post it now...

My criminal record check arrived back recently, and I was so excited to see this:

Check out the name of the employer

Definitely the most exciting CRB check I have ever had

 

[strawberry blonde]

I forgot to post this in the last entry, but seeing as I've just gotten a random burst of Disney excitement, I thought I'd post it now...

My criminal record check arrived back recently, and I was so excited to see this:

Check out the name of the employer

Definitely the most exciting CRB check I have ever had

We could swap Beth. You could have mine and be a Doctor's Receptionist I would love mine to say Disney. You are one lucky lady

 

[torsie24]

Ooooh Beth it's all so exciting!!!

Love your location choices!!

 

[BethEJo]

We could swap Beth. You could have mine and be a Doctor's Receptionist

Ummmmm...no deal!

Ooooh Beth it's all so exciting!!!

Love your location choices!!

My first choice (the trails), was actually inspired by something that you posted earlier on in this thread:

I think I'd like to work in AK on the trails (does that count as attractions?) who talk to the guests about the animals they're looking at. We spoke for ages with one of the CMs in one of the aviaries, when most other guests were rushing through, and he was able to show us the birds that had little hidey holes that no one else saw, and he told us all about each bird and it was really great.

I just loved the sound of that!

 

[torsie24]

My first choice (the trails), was actually inspired by something that you posted earlier on in this thread:



I just loved the sound of that!

I feel a little bit famous!

 

[Jets fan]

I feel a little bit famous!

Wow, I just noticed that you get married in a week's time. Good luck and hope you have lots of fun.

Tina

 

[PoppyAnna]

Cool

 

[TanzUnited99]

Hi Beth have just come across your PTR and am sooo excited for you!!! How cool to be doing the ICP over the summer!!!

Am glad you managed to get a CRB for Christmas! on the price!! Love the name of the employer on it

The logo for the hoodie looks great - think the t shirt will def be better for Florida weather! You will be guaranteed sunshine for three months!!

Am glad the meet went ok - sounds like you all had a blast! Hope you get the welcome pack soon and one of the attractions in your shortlist. Am looking forward to reading all about your adventure

 

[torsie24]

Wow, I just noticed that you get married in a week's time. Good luck and hope you have lots of fun.

Tina

Thank you!!

 

[VailaTigger]

Oh so exciting!!

I love chatting to CM's, whether it's in WDW, or even in our local Disney store, it's so obvious when people have a passion for Disney, and it's great to share!

Looking forward to hearing where you will be working!

 

[Chilly]

I can't wait to find out what you get.

 

[BethEJo]

Finally, my Disney information pack has arrived! I’ve been waiting for this for aaaaaaaaages

I was so excited to get my job offer letter! To receive a document from “Disney Worldwide Services, Inc.” congratulating me on accepting an offer of employment at Walt Disney World.....well, it’s just mind blowing ! I think the prospect of spending the entire summer working at the happiest place on earth is finally beginning to sink in!!

Oh, and I am definitely framing that letter

I’m now also in possession of the visa paperwork that everyone seems to love organising and filling in (NOT!!!!!! ), so I can finally get this part of the journey done and dusted! This is quite an exciting moment for me, as this is literally the last thing i have to “sort out” before heading out in June! Once I’ve received my passport back with the visa looking all pretty inside, it’s pretty much a clear road from there on in!! This is just unbelievable and a point that seemed too far away when I applied for the ICP all the way back on June 21st 2010 when the applications opened....

The pack also contained the “overall”, “living” and “learning and earning” flyers which we received by email a couple of weeks back when told that the packs were going to be delayed. They give a brief outline of what to expect and reading that stuff makes me just want to be there NOW!!! Just 84 days mind you...

And last but not least, the pack also contained the “Disney Look” book – and man...there are soooo many rules! But I’m fine with that; it’s not that they’re unreasonable or anything, I just didn’t realise that it could be possible to have so many! Some of the stuff I was quite surprised at, like nail varnish and rings being allowed but it’s all good! And it did give me a chuckle at times, like being told what underwear is acceptable...

Oh, and apparently, artificial hair is permitted! Phew, I thought they were going to have a problem with my toupee...

 

[irongirlof12]

thats it now...I am going to be checkin out for CM's VPL when I am in the park an reporting offenders

love the toupee

How exciting, i don't know how you can think of anything else or concentrate at uni.

 

[darthtatty]

thats it now...I am going to be checkin out for CM's VPL when I am in the park an reporting offenders .

great news
Its always great to get the official documents. you must be over the moon
fingers crossed you get one of your choices.xx

 

[Muscateer]

All very exciting Beth a chance of a lifetime, enjoy every minute of it which I am sure you will

 

[kirstinemma]

hi Beth,
I've just read through all your plans and everything sounds so amazing!
All I can say is that I wish my summer is going to be as good as yours! But I highly doubt that!
I'm really excited for you! Can't wait to hear about your adventures at Disney World!

 

[tashybea]

Hi Beth
Just caught up with all your plans. How exciting!
Have to admit I am very jealous.
I'm off to catch up with your blog now.
Look foward to reading more

 

[loobzuk]

having only recently found the UK section and then linked through to this, I've only just caught up in your excitement, what a brilliant opportunity for you. I shall be there on holiday in August so I might even get to see you. A friends son has been working there for a couple of years now - he started off on Space Mountain and then they transferred him to the cruise ships (went from Space Boy to Sailor Boy). Can't wait to find out where you'll be working.