Disney were I made magic

January 10^th of 2007, my mom, uncle roger, and myself packed my 1998 Chevy Malibu of all my belongings and began our 24 hour drive down to Orlando Florida.

Once we arrived in Orlando we found the closes hotel to my new home. We spent the night in the hotel for some very much needed sleep. The next morning was move in day, and I was extremely nervous, this would be my first time away from home and living on my own, and taking on adult responsibilities. On our way down my new street were rows of identical condominiums all behind a tall cast iron fence. Once we reached the entrance of my gated community called Vista Way, there was a huge banner that read ‘’ Welcome Disney College Program Students of 2007”

In September of 2006 I decided to apply for the Disney college program for the spring semester of 2007. The Disney college program was a paid internship with free classes at the University of WDW, yes Walt Disney world has its own university! The internship also included housing. My job at Walt Disney world was determined by my college major restaurant management. I didn’t know where I would be working until I arrived at orientation, but in my acceptance letter that I received in November I was informed that I would be working in the food services industry. I remember praying from November when I received my letter till orientation in January that my job was not working in an ice cream cart selling chocolate covered Mickey Mouse ice cream bars.

Once I began checking in is when I found out who I’d be living with and where I would be working, and what classes I would be signing up for. The first step in the checking in process was where I’d be living. I was living in a three bedroom apartment with five other female roommates that I’d never met before. The second step in checking in was where I’d be working, luckily not in an ice cream cart. I worked in the MGM studios at a fine dining restaurant call the Hollywood Brown Derby. Were I was a hostess, when I wasn’t shadowing a manager. The last part of my checking in process was to pick out my classes. I chose a different route, where most students were taking credit classes I chose to take certificate classes.

After the check in process was over, I was allowed to start moving into my new apartment. I lived in building F which was in the very back of the gated community apartment number 135 on the first floor. Once inside my first look around was that it was fully furnished and with every appliance possible. There was only one of my roommates in the house at that time. Her name is Stacey Lee and with a little chatting we decided to share a room together. Stacey and I bonded quickly, she was from New Jersey, but went to school in Boston. Our other five roommates were each from a different state and from different cultures which was different and interesting at the same time to see how others live. We all surprisingly got along very well and adapted to each other’s ways of living. Stacey and I were the closes with each other and till this day are best of friends and keep in close contact.

I worked in MGM studios at a five star fine dining restaurant as a hostess. The restaurant was called the Hollywood brown derby a replica of the famous one in California. The restaurant I worked at wasn’t very Disney. It was very fancy and crystal everywhere and not much color. Our costumes were probably the most normal costumes in the whole MGM studios. It was a black dress a white tuxedo shirt and a black bow tie with a black vest, very professional looking. At my restaurant I was the only CP, which in Disney lingo meant college program student. I worked a lot there during spring break I remember working 14hour day for seven days straight, but I didn’t mind working crazy hours because I honestly loved my job and the people I worked with. My favorite shift was 3 till close, cause at three is when the parade was ending so I got to watch all the characters come back stage tearing their heads off because they just walked a good mile in 50lb costumes in 100 degree weather. I learned a lot from this job it made me realize that the hospitality industry is where I belong.

At the University of Disney I chose to take certification course, most of my roommates took credit courses to transfer with them when they went back to their college. The certificates actually helped me when I returned home with school and looking for employment. I took a tips certification class, and bartending class, and a sanitation class. All three of these classes I was required to take in my major of restaurant management but since I took them at the University of WDW I didn’t have to take them once I back at school. These three classes also helped finding a job easier. I was looking for a job in a restaurant, so when a restaurant noticed that I could tend bar and waitress from previous experience. Another requirement for most restaurant jobs handling money was to be tip certified. With my sanitation certificate the board of health requires at least one employee to be sanitation certified. I took one of these classes at 7am before the parks even opened, and took my other two at night. Since my park was never open past 11 it made it accessible to take night classes.

I lived in Disney for 6 months everyday was an adventure and every day I played a role as a character of my own and made a little kid feel like they were really in a magical world. I think about going back every now and then, but I’m not sure a round two could top off what I experienced for the first time. I made a true friend while I was down, I learned how to survive on my own without my mom and dad I learned how to keep track of my finances which I think can be a struggle for any 18 year old, I finally got the hang of it. I also learned from this experience that I really do want to work in the wacky world of tourism and hospitality.

On June 12^th of 2007 my mom and Uncle roger flew down to Orlando Florida, helped me pack my 1998 Chevy Malibu of all my belongings and headed out for out 24hr drive up to Tiverton Rhode Island. I took a big step that will last with me forever.