DISNEY: THE FIRST FEW DAYS - DAY #1

Greetings from Orlando, FL! After weeks of waiting and preparing, along with more than your normal amount of leaving do's, I am finally here at the Happiest Place on Earth! 

The past 3 days have been jam packed but as I've woken up early today I'm able to sit down and take some time to tell you all what's been going on here. 

Tuesday, 29th April 2014

My start date was a long and stressful one indeed, far more than I had anticipated. I woke up at 6am, got ready and threw my last few bits into my suitcases. Mum drove me to the airport and I was through security and into the departure lounge by around 8.30am. Grabbed a quick bacon, egg and hash brown breakfast then replied to some well-wishing texts until I was able to meet up with two of my fellow April 29thers, Talie and Roisin. 

Our flight was delayed from 11.15am to midday but fortunately we only landed about 20 minutes later than scheduled. It was a very smooth and pleasant flight and if you can get seats upstairs on a Virgin flight I highly recommend it, we were right behind Premium Economy and it felt like we were on a private plane! During the flight I watched About Time, which I absolutely fell in love with, and Dallas Buyers Club, as I'm still trying to get all this year's Oscar noms under my belt. 

When we landed at Orlando International we found another April 29ther, Sam, in the queue for immigration. Once we'd gotten past that and picked up our luggage we began the long pilgrimage to the Mears Shuttle Stop. By 6pm, local time the four of us where on our way to Housing, with our driver Chester at the wheel. 

To our dismay it began POURING with rain after about 15 minutes, which is not ideal when you've been on a flight for 9 hours and have to move three bags weighing a total of over 35kg to a new home! Chester took us to Vista Way to get checked in with Housing. Here we received our Disney Housing ID, which is used to access all of the four Housing Complexes (The Commons, Vista Way, Patterson Court and Chatham Square), as well as to get us on the free buses to the parks/Walmart etc. I also received my apartment key and I am living in The Commons! I didn't know very much at all about the apartments when I filled out my Housing form, but the girls were very excited to be in TC as it was their first choice. It is useful being here because a lot of the meetings are held in The Clubhouse at The Commons which is literally two seconds walk round the corner from my apartment.

Unfortunately, arriving at the apartment didn't mean it was time to rest, even though by this point I'd been awake and travelling for over 17 hours. I dropped my luggage off and met my awesome Canadian roomies, Amanda and Hana, who welcomed me with open arms. Then my roommate Susan, who I'l be sharing with for the next year, came home and the first time she met me I'm afraid to say I was crying - great first impression! Emotions run high on the first day and I think I was a bit overwhelmed. Fortunately she's not easily shaken and before long we'd all bundled into her hench American car and driven to the next stop - Walmart!

Here we bought bedding and towels so we'd be able to sleep comfortably and have a shower in the morning. I should really have bought some food too but my brain was just not functioning properly by this point from tiredness and hunger, so we grabbed a Subway for dinner and just got the basics.

By the time we got back to our apartment, it was 11pm local time, meaning 4am back home in London - I'd been awake for 22 hours! No energy left for making my bed properly, let alone unpacking, I threw my new comforter over me and fell immediately asleep. 

Days #2 and #3 on the way...

Disney Preparations - 5 Weeks To Go!

So yesterday marked 5 weeks until I fly away from London town to the Happiest Place on Earth. It's starting to get very real! I haven't blogged all month so I thought I'd update you on what I've been up to.... 

The answer is not a lot besides working! Paying for all the CRP costs has pretty much killed my social life, but I've finally finished forking out for everything I need. Below is a list of all the things I had to pay for and how much they cost:

• Program Assessment Fee - The first thing you have to pay for when you find out you've got the job. This is paid directly to Disney at a cost of $104.50, which worked out as £63.81 on my credit card bill (plus a Foreign Exchange fee of £1.75). It covers all the fun events and activities that will be arranged for you as a Cast Member, such as Grocery Bingo.

• CRB - Because you'll be around children a lot, you need to have a criminal background check. Yummy Jobs send you a form which you fill out and return to them as well as paying £60 so it can be officially declared that you are not a criminal! Phew, I'm glad they cleared that up for me because I still haven't paid my library fine.

• Flight - First thing I did when I found out I had the job (besides freak out) was book my flight. I used Yummy Travel on Louise's advice and they got me a real bargain - a one-way flight with Virgin for £370.87. I chose one-way because you are given a month after you finish work to travel in the US and as a travel agent I am already aware that flights cannot be picked up more than a year in advance. Plus, Disney give you some dosh for the flight home so best to hold out until nearer the time.

• Travel Insurance - This is one of the most important things you buy before you fly. A lot of people tend to buy 4 months of insurance from Yummy Travel and then get on the Disney Insurance once they're out there, I have a special condition so I had to shop around and I bought the whole year so I knew I was definitely covered. We all know how funny Americans can be about health insurance! I used Essential Travel who were super helpful and pretty reasonable too - £383.18 for over a year and that was with Excess Waiver. They also cover a number of pre-existing conditions at no extra cost which was perfect for me.

• Visa - Sweet Baby Jesus in the Manger, this was the scariest and most stressful part of my CRP prep so far. Fortunately it was also pretty much the last step! Yummy Jobs send you a pack in the post with instructions to log on to the US Visa Application website. You fill in a very lengthy questionnaire which asks you all kinds of stuff. Be sure to have a camera on hand to take numerous selfies, because their photo requirements are seriously strict. It took me 4 hours to get my Visa form sorted and at least one of those hours was dedicated solely to getting an appropriate snap of my face. Once the form is complete, you make your appointment at the Embassy. The Visa itself costs £118.75.

• US Embassy Appointment - At any time from 8am you may find yourself queuing outside the US Embassy, nervously rummaging through your paperwork. They will check your documents and Passport, put your keys and phone in a little plastic bag (yes, they let you take phones in now!) and then you sit and wait until your number is called. You go to a window, they scan your fingerprints (no paper cuts allowed as I learnt from my buddies - they had really researched this much more than me haha) and ask you some questions about why you need a Visa. The lady who interviewed me was super nice, she knew from my application I was going to work at Disney and asked me why I was a good representative for the UK and what I planned to do when I returned home. You're approved on the spot and then your passport is returned to you within a week. You can pay to have it couriered to you which I did, at a cost of $30 or you can pick it up at a designated point for free.

Looking forward to payday on Monday and all the fun that April will bring - 34 days to go!!

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2014

Hello darlings.

The day has finally arrived. The couture has been lovingly, nay, painstakingly constructed, the red carpet has been rolled out and the beautiful people will mostly certainly have already commenced their grooming regime for tonight - it can only be the Academy Awards, colloquially referred to by us mere peasants as the Oscars.

Oscar Bingo - for the interactive version that you can use whilst watching click here.

Naturally I've been joining in the near two-month-long speculation regarding who deserves to carry away one of those gorgeous golden statuettes and in less 12 hours time we will know all. But while we're still held in suspense, here's my two cents on who should win and who will win. Let's see how many I can call...

Best Original Song

Who will win: "Let it Go" from Frozen

Who should win: "Let it Go" from Frozen

This one's a no-brainer. I do love "Happy" by Pharrell Williams too though.

Best Director

Who will win: Alfonso Cuarón

Who should win: Alfonso Cuarón

I haven't seen Gravity yet (I know, slapped wrist for writing this blog post without doing my full research, but hey I'd much rather watch award-nominated films all day and review them than work at Thomas Cook - holla at me if you'd like to pay me to do that shit) but as Cuarón has already scooped up the Golden Globe and the BAFTA for his work, it's pretty much a lock for him tonight. Since he directed two of my favourite films, A Little Princess and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban as well as the striking Y Tu Mama Tambien, I'm a fan and as an actress would love to work with him. 

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Who will win: Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle)

Who should win: Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave)

Sigh. Oh Jen, Jen Jen Jenny Jen Jen. I love you. We all love you. You're cute and whacky and just like us, right? Thought your work in Silver Linings Playbook was off the charts amazing. But as I read on the 'net, "Jennifer Lawrence in American Hustle is a Muppet Babies version of Sharon Stone in Casino." 

Yup, pretty much. If people are comparing your work to Jim Henson creations you probably shouldn't be getting the Golden Globe and the BAFTA over Lupita Nyong'o who knocks it out of the park in 12 Years a Slave. 

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Who will win: Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)

Who should win: Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave)

So Jared won the GG and Barkhad Abdi won the BAFTA (yay) but the poor Fass has so far been unacknowledged for his brutal and sinister Edwin Epps. I can't talk about this category without mention of Jonah Hill, whose performance in Wolf of Wall Street was very strong and obviously a passion project for him as much as it was for Leonardo di Caprio and Martin Scorsese. However the nomination is enough, give him the award and he'll become even more unbearable.

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Who will win: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)

Who should win: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)

It's so hard to choose between Adams, Blanchett, Bullock, Dench and Streep. I've got a lot of love for my girls and I think they're all electric on screen - I've only seen clips of Sandra Bullock in Gravity but that was enough to bring tears to my eyes. Honourable mention to Judi Dench who brought so much sweetness and warmth to a character that refused to be bitter in Philomena, but the ethereal Blanchett is bound to take home the little golden man (despite the Woody Allen scandal). 

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Who will win: Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)

Who should win: Leonardo di Caprio (Wolf of Wall Street)

Just don't touch me, okay? I am willing my bby Leo to win with all my heart and soul, but I can't close my ears to the McConaughey buzz. Maybe I could let this one slide if we're basing it on these single performances. But I cannot ignore the enormous chasm between the two bodies of work. On the one hand we have Titanic, Gangs of New York, Inception and The Great Gatsby. On the other The Wedding Planner, How to Loose a Guy in 10 Days, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and Magic Mike. Forgive me for being a movie snob and good on McConaughey for realising his looks won't last forever and he better turn his career around if he wants to stay in work but come on. These two just aren't in the same league.

As for the weightloss, I'm gonna echo my pals Amy Poehler and Tina Fey and say that's what actresses call doing a movie.

Best Picture

Who will win: 12 Years a Slave

Who should win: 12 Years a Slave

This has got to be one of the toughest picks in years. Looking down the list, they're all great movies - I can't say I disliked any of them, though American Hustle was vastly over-hyped. The two main contenders are 12 Years and Gravity though considering the historical background of Steve McQueen's masterpiece and the fact that Gravity is sci-fi (sorry Alfonso, but it is) clinches it for Solomon Northup's tale of woe.

That's a wrap for this year's Oscar predictions. I'm off for a pre-ceremony nap since the whole thing is live from 11.30pm - 4.30am here in jolly London. While I'm snoozing, feel free to leave a comment below. Who do you think is going to win and why? And can anyone really convince me that McConaughey should win?

PS - Here's a beautiful infographic by Mediarun Digital showing every dress worn by a Best Actress Oscar-winner since it all began in 1929. Dreamy.

WDW CRP: Interview Questions

Here's a list of all the questions I used to prep for my interviews. 

As I've said, I can't really remember which ones were asked in Pre-Screen and which in F2F, but as long as you have an idea of what you'd say for all of them, you'll be solid. 

(If you've got limited time, I've highlight in bold the questions that I think are most important/that I definitely remember being asked)

• Do you have any tattoos or piercings?
• Give me three buzzwords to describe yourself.
• How did you hear about the Program?
• How do you feel about living with people from other countries?
• How will being around people from other countries/cultures help you in the future?
• How will you cope with being away from your family?
• How will you find living away from home?
• How will you use your previous experience in this job?
• How would you describe your hometown to a guest at the park?
• How would you greet a child if you were working in Kidcot?
• If you could take one item from the UK to the States, what would it be?
• Realistically, what job would you like to do and unrealistically, what is your dream job?
• Tell me a bit about yourself.
• Tell me about a time when you've dealt with a difficult customer.
• Tell me about your job as ...?
• What brand, other than Disney, do you admire and why?
• What challenges might you face living and working in Florida?
• What do you like about the Disney brand?
• What do you think the program can offer you?
• What item did you bring to your first interview and why?
• What motivates you?
• What skills and attributes do you think you have?
• What would you hope to gain from the program?
• What would you like to achieve on the program?
• What would you like to do after the program?
• What's one part of American culture that you'll enjoy?
• Which Disney character are you most like/do you most relate to and why?
• Which role (Food & Beverage/Merchandise) would you prefer to go into?
• Why are you better for this job than anyone else out there?
• Why do you want to do the Cultural Representative Program?
• Why do you want to work for Disney?

Walt Disney World CRP: The Pre-Screen Interview

Greetings Mouseketeers and welcome to another Disney CRP related post. 

Being a member of the WDW CRP Applicants Facebook Page means I've been kept in the loop for the next round of applications, which just as well as I will be working with some of these people in the near future! Word on the street is the Pre-Screen Interviews are tomorrow, so here is a record of my experience as well as a few pointers:

When did you find out you were through to the next stage? 
I received an email from Yummy Jobs on Friday 20th September inviting me to the next stage of the application process, the Pre-Screen Interview. On the CRP Application Timeline, this was about a month and a half after applications had opened (August 1st) and a mere 4 days after they'd closed (September 16th).

When is the Pre-Screen Interview?
My interview took place on Sunday 6th October, so two weeks after I received the email. This, to me, was more than enough time to prep especially since I'd been scouring blogs and the International Program message boards since March.

What exactly happens?
The interview is held at the Brasserie Blanc Restaurant, Southbank, London. Mine didn't start until 2pm but they can also start at 9am. The first hour is dedicated to showing you a very exciting video presentation all about life on the CRP; where you work, where you live, what you do for fun. It makes you practically bounce up and down in your seat - and if you didn't want this job badly enough already, you sure as heck do now. 

Once the presentation is over and there's been time for questions you will be split into groups of around 8 people. Group interviews will then commence and they last an hour. 

In addition to general questions, part of my interview included picking a couple of 'typically British' items off the menu from the Rose & Crown Pub (situated in the UK Pavilion, EPCOT) and selling them to my interviewer, who became the 'customer'. So try to do some research into why Bubble and Squeak is so called, or how best to describe a Yorkshire Pudding (two questions I genuinely had to tackle during this process).

Also, you will have been asked to bring an item with you that you feel best represents either your country, your hometown or both. Get up, show it to the group and tell them why you picked it and what it means to you. After that, you're all done! You can go home and breathe.

Tips

• Make a Facebook event for your interview so you can meet up with your fellow applicants beforehand. As our interview was in the afternoon, my batch all grabbed a bite at the Pizza Express next door. This is makes you so much more relaxed, gives you a support system and shows Yummy Jobs you're great with new people. Plus you end up making a load of news friends and everyone is really interesting. I'm still in touch with girls I met at the Pre-Screen who didn't make it through and keeping track of their other adventures via Facebook is inspiring (Disney IP applicants are always going places!)
• When you first enter the room, don't be shy. Say hello, be enthusiastic, converse with those around you. Look happy and comfortable.
• It's a good idea to memorise a few factoids if you wanna be in for winning a little prize. YJ usually do a mini pop-quiz during the presentation to see how well you know your stuff. Questions normally include: when did Walt Disney World Florida open (Magic Kingdom, the first of the parks, opened on October 1st 1971, EPCOT followed on the same date in 1982) and which countries are included in the World Showcase (bonus points if you get them in order).
• Group interview questions will be fired at all of you at once, then you take it in turns to answer. There is no system to this, so I always tried to answer first or second. You want to show enthusiasm and assertiveness without being pushy. When you're not talking, be interested in other people's answers.
• Let your personality shine through. They're interested in finding out about who you are.
• Everyone is really nice so don't panic! Nick, Jason and Louise from Yummy Jobs interviewed us and they were all absolutely lovely people. Remember, interviewers aren't against you or trying to catch you out - they want you to do well.
• Questions! I know you guys are going to want to know about questions. I have a list as long as my arm of the ones I used for my interview prep, which I found on various blogs. I think only about 50% of them came up but I can't remember which were asked in Pre-Screen and which in Face to Face, so I'm just going to follow this with a Questions Master Post. 
• Smile! Smile, smile, smile. You're going to need to be good at that if you wanna work for Disney.
• Remember to thank your interviewers for their time before you leave.
• Finally, display good knowledge of Disney and the Program and show how much you love your country. 

Chinese New Year and Latin Dancing

Kung hei fat choy!

Today marks the Chinese New Year and 2014 is the Year of the Horse. 

Being a Horse myself, as well as a total horoscope fanatic (I was raised on it, like a second religion) I was curious to know more about the meaning behind this mystical celebration...

• There are twelve animals in the Chinese Zodiac: the Rat, the Ox, the Tiger, the Rabbit, the Dragon, the Snake, the Horse, the Ram, the Money, the Rooster, the Dog and the Boar.
• According to legend, Buddha invited all the animals on Earth into his presence, but these were the only twelve to show up. The reason for his invitation varies; from his death, to a race, to a banquet. Whatever the cause, the above order is that in which the animals appeared.
• Chinese New Year can be traced back as early as 2600 BC. 
• It always falls on the second New Moon after the Winter Solstice. 
• Much like the Modern Zodiac, your date of birth aligns you with a symbolic animal, which gives an indication of your personality. The Chinese refer to it as, "The animal that lives inside your heart."

Horses are supposed to be popular, cheerful, wise, talented and real flirts. I'll leave it up to those who know me to decide whether this is an accurate description!

We're also most compatible with Tigers, Dogs and Rams. 

(FYI Eddie Redmayne is a Dog, I'll add that to the PILE of evidence I have already assembled that proves we are meant.to.be.)

Whilst doing my research I also discovered that Benedict Cumberbatch is a Dragon, which seems very fitting after his recent role as Smaug in The Hobbit.

Superstitions: Do's and Don'ts for Chinese New Year

DO

• Wear red - the luckiest colour as far as the Chinese are concerned. If you're really dedicated you're supposed to paint your doorways and window ledges in a bright hue, but I settled for wearing a little red ribbon tied around my wrist, which was a gift from a little girl at work...

• Pay all your debts - it's believed that if you don't pay your debts today you will end the year in debt also. I can't say I really did this one, but I paid my rent and a good portion of my student overdraft and I'm gonna say that counts.
• Clean the house, to wash away any ill-fortune from the previous year. However, make sure not to do any sweeping today as this is apparently bad luck.

DON'T

• To counteract what I've said above, don't be lather-rinse-repeating today as washing hair is said to wash away good luck. In a similar vein, no haircuts or use of sharp implements as they may 'cut off' good fortune.

Being superstitious I've followed all of these, although it's unfortunate that I'm not allowed to wash my hair on the day of my first Zumba class!

I've got to say, I'm already addicted. It felt so good to be dancing again, I haven't busted any proper moves since I graduated from University. Tomorrow I'm booking in for next week's class! Emma Watson and Natalie Portman are both fans, so it goes without saying I was going to love it. It's taken a while for me to act on my resolution to live a more active lifestyle, but I think the impending bikini weather of Florida has been a real motivator for me ;)

Can't wait until next year, when I'll be celebrating the Year of the Ram at the China Pavilion in EPCOT.

Walt Disney World Cultural Representative Program: Application Advice

Hey guys! 

So ever since I announced to the world that I'm going to work for the Mouse at Walt Disney World in Florida, I've been bombarded with questions, one of the most frequent being
"How did you manage that?!" 

For that reason I've decided to do a series of blog posts to help those of you who, like myself, fancy earning and learning at the Happiest Place on Earth.

My Disney journey started when applications for the program opened on August 1st 2013. They were supposed to open a month later on 1st September, so I was freaking out a bit that what I planned to write hadn't been as obsessively drafted and re-drafted as I had envisioned in my head in all the time leading up to the applications. However I'd had plenty of time to stew over what I was going to say and do my research, as I'd decided to apply in March soon after I'd broken up with my boyfriend.

My first BIG tip is - read CRP blogs! They are an invaluable tool and a fountain of knowledge. I must've spent hours scouring the web for information and writing down the important bits. I found it truly strengthened my application and made things so much easier. So if you're reading this, you're already doing one thing right :) I'll link to some other useful blogs at the bottom of the page.

A selection of the notes I made

UK applications are made through a recruitment company called Yummy Jobs, who work on behalf of Disney to select appropriate applicants. First things first, create an account and start filling out your form. 

Most of the stuff they ask is pretty standard; personal and contact information, about your education and previous work experience. Always try to be concise and keep it relevant. Think about which aspects of your previous experience would help you if you were to work at Disney and then make sure to highlight these. 

The jobs available to UK applicants are Merchandise, Food & Beverage or working at the Historical Research Centre. Merch means working in the shops selling things like tea and Beatles memorabilia, Food & Beverage entails serving fish and chips or being a barmaid at the Rose & Crown pub and the HRC is involved in looking at a guest's family tree and providing them with coats of arms, specially made swords and the like (usually you need a degree in History or similar to have a good chance here). 

If you know which of these you want to go for, that can also help with your application. A large percentage of applicants get placed in F&B as this is where they need the most people, plus the wages can be very good once you get into a tipped position (after you're about 3 months into your program) so I geared my application towards an F&B role.

The MOST IMPORTANT part of the online application is the Additional Questions section. "Why do you value cultural exchange and interaction?" and "What is your motivation for this program?" are the two boxes that can make you stand out. Focus especially on love of culture - both your own and other peoples. 

Covering Letters never used to be compulsory though now they are. I would have recommended writing one regardless as I think they give you extra brownie points.

We're almost done. Last but not least you will be required to upload a photograph of yourself. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, get one taken especially. Disney don't want to see a cropped Facebook photo, it looks like you've made no effort. I got all freshened up and went to a photo booth myself. 

So that's all you need to know for Stage 1! 

Applications for dates leaving in Autumn/Winter 2014 and Spring 2015 opened on Friday 24th January so get yours in now - you've got nothing to lose and everything to gain. Even the application stage is a great experience in itself. I met loads of cool people during my interviews and on the Facebook group, some of whom will be joining me in the Sunshine State and while others will be going on to different adventures. Follow Yummy Jobs on Facebook so you know when applications will be opening and closing for their programs - and good luck!

Useful Links

• WDWIP - The International Program forums, where you can talk with other applicants.
• Working the Magic - Harriet has such a gorgeous blog and has done both the ICP and CRP.
• Dan @ Disney - I was lucky enough to meet Dan at my F2F Interview. He is one of the experts and is extremely knowledgable about all things Disney IP.
• Hattan Times Does Disney - "Hello you lovely lot!" Adam was famous amongst applicants at my interviews, such is his standing in the CRP world, plus his vlogs are stellar.
• Catherine's Magical Year - Catherine has done the ICP twice, CRP and just finished working for Disney Cruises.
• Disney IP YouTube Channel - Lots of informative videos about the programs.
• Jen & The Disney CRP - Jen is great because she has kept up her blog well into her time in Florida - I hope to do the same!