The Disney Inspiration

I just thought I would share the first Disney article I ever wrote (it actually got me accepted into a few colleges):

Walt Disney is someone who has greatly inspired me with his passion, creativity, and the promotion of family friendly entertainment. His contributions bring smiles to peoples faces and create memories that last for lifetimes; additionally, his parks have become internationally known as a favorite family vacation spot. Walt Disney has also become known for his insistence on perfect work performance for his cast members, which has created a positive guest experience for over fifty years.Since I was young, my parents began taking me on short trips to Walt Disney's theme parks in California and Florida. The most memorable trip I had was when I was fifteen (an obvious age when teenagers and parents do not get along) for a week long trip to Disney world. It was one of the first times in years that my whole family enjoyed themselves after being caught up in the magical experience that Disney has to offer. At every stop we made, the cast members were open, friendly, and more than willing to do whatever it took in adding that special touch to our memories - on the day we left I vowed I would one day work at Disney world.Because of the promise to myself I began researching possible job opportunities and found an internship available to college students. For three years I waited, and when I finally turned eighteen I applied. A few weeks later I was given an invitation to view a special presentation on Disney values and what the internship entailed. Immediately following would be an interview. Thankfully, the presentation confirmed my beliefs that this was an opportunity for excellent life training and, armed with the new information I had received, the interview went well and I was offered a position on the spot: Six months later I was living my dream in Orlando, Florida. Once my training had been completed I found that I had been placed in the costuming department in order to assist characters for parades and shows at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Being able to the families enjoy what I had assembled, and what the Disney team had created are some memories that will always stay with me. On occasion, I was given jobs that dealt directly with guests and learned how to rise to the challenge by making each of them feel special, to make each family wish to return.While there, I began to realize all that Walt Disney had dreamed and created: He had dreamed of building a park where science and the world was brought to main stream families. Unfortunately, Walt Disney would never see the completion of the park, but soon after his death EPCOT (The Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow) was built that featured a hands on science center and the World Showcase (this features eleven different countries presenting their own food, entertainment, and merchandise). From there, Magic Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom were to follow - each with their own educational value from following one's dreams to seeing animals in their own environment. Now that my internship has been completed, I have been inspired to make my own magic for my little family, I have learned how to give every employer I have had the best pieces of myself, I have also learned how to take every situation (whether good or bad) and turn it into an educational experience. Most of all, I have been inspired by the aspirations of a man who has created a legacy that exceeded his expectations by creating a universally known name and symbol, being one of the most popular family travel destinations on three different continents, and by realizing his dream of having a place where families could come together - and, maybe most importantly, a place where everyone remembers the magic of being a child

Overtime

One of the things I enjoyed most in working for Disney is all of the overtime opportunities available. Unlike a normal job, overtime at Disney is not just for extra money, but it is also a chance to try many different park roles.

For example, when I first found the site that listed all of the overtime openings, I was shocked to see I had a chance of working at La Nouba, and accepted it right away. It was one of the most unique Disney experiences I had, and I'll never forget getting lost backstage, and having one of the French clowns redirect me. In working there, I got to spend my evening working concessions, taking tickets, and cleaning up the theater. During showtime we all took turns watching the live performance. One of my favorite things about working there is that each performer came out to thanks us for our help.

One of the other jobs I did was security at Club Motion in PI. Doing security is never something I saw myself doing, so I knew I had to give it a try. Sure enough, it was not a role I was good at, but I will never forget the rush of helping rules be enforced at a club. Also, the cast members there are some of the nicest and most welcoming I have ever worked with.

These are just a few of the several overtime jobs I did - there are too many to give details about! Overall, it is a wonderful Disney given opportunity to learn more about your job skills. And it's a great way to bring home wonderful memories!