Cristiana, What Are You Doing at Disney World?
Let's start at the beginning. If you don't know, I am currently down in Florida, working at the Walt Disney World Resort, in Magic Kingdom costuming. I've always wanted to work for Disney, so when I got an email in my inbox last fall, inviting me to apply for the Disney College Program, I figured, why not. And what do you know, I got accepted, and in March, I packed up my bags and bopped right down to one of my least favorite the states, Florida. It was a big move and a hard one. (I've never lived this far from home for so long!) But one I'm glad I made.
Now, since I haven't been blogging the entire time I've been here, I thought I would take a moment to answer some of the most common questions I get asked while working down here.
1. What exactly, are you doing down there, at Disney World, Cristiana?
Ahhh, good question. Much like my life up in Minnesota, I don't know what I'm doing half the time down here either. Mostly trying to keep myself propped up on some combination of caffeine and impetuous optimism. But if you're wondering what my actual job is down here, I can shed a wee bit of light on the subject.
Like I mentioned above, I am working as a costumer at Magic Kingdom. My official title is "Costuming Host/Hostess", which sounds very fancy. We mostly call ourselves "hohos", which sounds less fancy, but always makes me giggle.
2. What is a Costuming Hostess?
Okay, my position is really hard to understand without having worked at a large-scale operation like Disney World. To be honest, there probably isn't another job quite like mine in the world. My actual job description, taken from the Disney Careers page, is as follows:
"As a Costuming Cast Member you will issue costumes at multiple locations in warehouse environments across the Walt Disney World property. The Costuming Cast Member will have knowledge of proper wear of over 200 types of costumes across property. The Costuming Cast Member will check and ensure that the quality of the costumes are maintained and load and unload costumes. As the Costuming Cast Member you will also have the opportunity to assist performers in our shows and parades."
There are so many cast members in and out of our costuming departments all the time, and we're responsible for any of the clothing that goes out "on stage". We make sure everything looks in tip-top shape. It's a lot of organizing and quality assurance. A lot of my work isn't that different than working in a library, only we're the lenders and caretakers of clothes, instead of books.
A costuming h/h can end up doing a lot of different roles across the four parks, gazillion resorts, and various special events. So in addition to all of that, I help put out the Festival of Fantasy Parade and Adventure Friends' Cavalcade every day. And while I've been here, I also got to help with various pop-ups at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, and right now, I'm working on Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade!
3. What is not part of my job?
Nobody asks this, but people do often think I'm down here doing entirely different things. I am not a Seamstress or a Creative Costumer. Meaning I don't sew, and I don't design the various costumes seen out and about, but I have gotten to meet some of the amazing cast members who do these roles! I am also not a performer, so you probably won't see me out dancing down Main Street (on the clock, anyway!) And I am not an attendant, whose job it is to organize the meet and greets with our fantastical friends.
4. What is the College Program, and how is it different than just getting a full-time or part-time role at Disney?
The Disney College Program (DCP, or CP), is a way for college students or recent graduates to come down and work Disney World for a few months. You are assigned a random role in park operations. You could be a Photopass Photographer, a bell hop, a costudian, a ride operator, a performer, a driver, an attendant, a costumer, a waitress, a greeter... There are so many roles that go into making such a big operation work at the level Disney does, and most of those roles are open to college program participants.
CPs (college program participants) mostly work the same roles as a full-time or part-time CMs (cast members). The CP though, has a time limit of under a year, after which you can either head back to school, or go full-time, part-time, or seasonal with the company (depending on what options are available). CPs also have access to a number of learning options, like leadership panels, info sessions, networking opportunities, classes, and behind the scenes tours. You also have the option to live at Flamingo Crossings Village, on property.
It's a good way to get yourself on property, familiar with the company, and start networking. You get access to a lot of interesting experiences and information. It is a lot of work, because you don't have as much say about your hours, or the roles you take on. It definitely requires an open mind, and a lot of flexibility.
As a guest, probably can't pick out a CP from traditional CM. Afterall, you can be a full-time CM at 18 in most roles, and the same goes for CP. However, some CPs have their school listed on their name tags instead of their hometown. A traditional CM only has the option of their hometown, and can't put their school. Although, a lot of CMs were CPs first, so they might still have their CP school name badge that they wear from time to time, and some CPs opt to have their hometown instead. So it's not a tried and true method. Your best bet for picking out a CP among CMs is to go to the park as a guest with another CP, because I swear we have a 6th sense for each other.
5. What are some of the coolest things you've gotten to do as a CP?
I have gotten to do some VERY cool things, being down here. But shhhh I'll tell you in the next post. Because I'm ready to hit publish, I have enough to say on the subject to write another post, and I'm too sleepy to write it right now. So check back soon!
I know this isn't the MOST inspired post, but it had to be laid out because I'm pretty sure some of you still thought I was either a performer, or just moved down to Florida for giggles and happen to go to Disney a lot haha.
Until next time,
Cristiana
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