This week I want to talk about Disney's attendance policy. Employees don't get a set number of sick days to use throughout the year like many other companies use. Instead, if you call in, sick or otherwise, you get a point on your record card. If you have 3 points in 30 days, or 6 points in 60 days, or 9 points in 90 days you get a reprimand. Five reprimands in a year and you can be terminated. Other ways to earn points, full point or half a point, is to clock in late, forget to clock out, or have a no call/no show.
Even if you are legitimately sick, with a doctor's note, you still get a point on your record card. The only exception is that if you miss 3 days in a row due to being ill if you bring in a doctor's note to health services they will merge the 3points into a single point on your record card. You can only do this once every six months.
When I first heard of this policy I didn't agree with it. I felt that it penalized you even if you really were sick. I thought that it encouraged people to come into work even if they were ill and that just helps spread germs and sickness. However, after taking a harder look at it and seeing just how many days/time you need to miss in order to actually be in danger of losing your job, it doesn't seem like too bad of a policy. It just tends to gnaw at those, like me, who are a little OCD about points on their record cards.
I can see why Disney uses this policy though. With 60,000 employees there needs to be a system in place to keep tabs on employees' attendance. This points system is easy for anyone to look up, employer and employee, and easy to see where the employee stands and their attendance history. The only other system I could come up with that would work would be to give each employee X amount of sick days for the year for the employee to use as they see fit. From an employee stand point this would be good because we would not have to worry about our record being affected by us calling in sick. However, looking at it from Disney's point of view, they might see a problem with this because it may give people incentive to just call in sick to use up their days even if they are not actually sick. This could present a problem for Disney on the busy holidays such as Christmas, New Years, Easter, and Thanksgiving, where employees might just call in so they can spend the day with their families.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Week 14
This week I finally got my Discovery Day, which is the orientation for Ecpot. My day was pushed back because of the mishap in my training and being assessed. So I have been working at Epcot for a few weeks already before I had my orientation. This presented me with the unique opportunity to take a step back and assess the orientation as a leader because I knew all the information being presented.
The class was led by two facilitators and we were split into two groups. We rode the backstage bus system and toured the front of the park. However, instead of just letting us in the back through a backstage gate we were forced to go through the turnstiles which I thought was needless. We then picked up a park map and took a ride on Spaceship earth which was something fun to do. After that we toured the entire front part of the park which is called Future World. The facilitator talked about each attraction and what it was all about. He asked question to the group to see if anyone knew anything about each attraction. Since I had already been working at Epcot for a bit I kept quiet and let the others try to answer because I knew all of the information. We then walked towards World Showcase but we could not walk through all the countries because that part of the park is not open till 11 and it was only 10 in the morning. Again, this seemed a little strange. Why weren't we allowed to walk back there when there was no one around?
Instead we took up a spot in front of the lagoon and just pointed to each country and talked about what was found there. Again, the facilitator was asking questions like, "What ride is there? What restaurants are there?" Everyone had to look at their maps to answer these questions. Then the facilitator got very specific asking us what bands play at each countries. I didn't even know the answers to all these questions because they are such a minute detail about each country.
We then met up with the other group and talked about first aide and creating magical moments. We were also asked throughout the tour about The Disney Basics which I am well versed in by now. After that we walked back to the Cast Services Building and got a mini tour of it. Then we made our way back to the room where we learned a little about the history of Epcot which I found fascinating but then things got a little cheesy in my mind. We had about a 45 minute discussion on how important diversity is. I thought this time would have been better served giving more information about getting your costume, or taking the bus to the backstage areas in World Showcase which is very confusing the first time you have to use it. I thought I got a much more comprehensive orientation at Blizzard Beach than at Epoct. With Epcot being such a huge theme park things are on a much bigger scale and yet I felt like the orientation didn't tell the new cast members the really important things that would make their first few days easier.
The class was led by two facilitators and we were split into two groups. We rode the backstage bus system and toured the front of the park. However, instead of just letting us in the back through a backstage gate we were forced to go through the turnstiles which I thought was needless. We then picked up a park map and took a ride on Spaceship earth which was something fun to do. After that we toured the entire front part of the park which is called Future World. The facilitator talked about each attraction and what it was all about. He asked question to the group to see if anyone knew anything about each attraction. Since I had already been working at Epcot for a bit I kept quiet and let the others try to answer because I knew all of the information. We then walked towards World Showcase but we could not walk through all the countries because that part of the park is not open till 11 and it was only 10 in the morning. Again, this seemed a little strange. Why weren't we allowed to walk back there when there was no one around?
Instead we took up a spot in front of the lagoon and just pointed to each country and talked about what was found there. Again, the facilitator was asking questions like, "What ride is there? What restaurants are there?" Everyone had to look at their maps to answer these questions. Then the facilitator got very specific asking us what bands play at each countries. I didn't even know the answers to all these questions because they are such a minute detail about each country.
We then met up with the other group and talked about first aide and creating magical moments. We were also asked throughout the tour about The Disney Basics which I am well versed in by now. After that we walked back to the Cast Services Building and got a mini tour of it. Then we made our way back to the room where we learned a little about the history of Epcot which I found fascinating but then things got a little cheesy in my mind. We had about a 45 minute discussion on how important diversity is. I thought this time would have been better served giving more information about getting your costume, or taking the bus to the backstage areas in World Showcase which is very confusing the first time you have to use it. I thought I got a much more comprehensive orientation at Blizzard Beach than at Epoct. With Epcot being such a huge theme park things are on a much bigger scale and yet I felt like the orientation didn't tell the new cast members the really important things that would make their first few days easier.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Week 13
This was my second to last Leadership class and we met at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
We broke into groups and were given a hand out. We were to look at three areas: operations, merchandise, and food and beverage. We were to write down examples that we saw in the park when it came to services we provide guests, products we make available, innovations we use, and storytelling.
We found services like our FastPass system which allows guests to wait in a shorter line, rider swap passes, tram service to the parking, Disney's dinning plan, package pick up, and package delivery. We found products that were ride and theme park specific as well as products that you can buy property wide for the convenience of our guests. We also provide wheelchair and stroller rentals. We have both sit down restaurants and quick service ones that provide a variety of choices including vegetarian.
Innovation was our FastPass system as Disney was the first to come up with the idea, the Disney dinning plan which allows guests to pay a fee up front and get a number of meals throughout their stay, the ability to build your own ticket to meet your wants and needs, and the new automated ordering system at some of our quick service restaurants where you order off a touch menu.
This was a great activity to get us out of the class room and looking for the things that we have been learning during our class. It is one thing to sit in a classroom and be told about things but it is another to actually see what we have been learning in action. It really reinforces the learning and shows that Disney is committed to practicing what they preach.
We broke into groups and were given a hand out. We were to look at three areas: operations, merchandise, and food and beverage. We were to write down examples that we saw in the park when it came to services we provide guests, products we make available, innovations we use, and storytelling.
We found services like our FastPass system which allows guests to wait in a shorter line, rider swap passes, tram service to the parking, Disney's dinning plan, package pick up, and package delivery. We found products that were ride and theme park specific as well as products that you can buy property wide for the convenience of our guests. We also provide wheelchair and stroller rentals. We have both sit down restaurants and quick service ones that provide a variety of choices including vegetarian.
Innovation was our FastPass system as Disney was the first to come up with the idea, the Disney dinning plan which allows guests to pay a fee up front and get a number of meals throughout their stay, the ability to build your own ticket to meet your wants and needs, and the new automated ordering system at some of our quick service restaurants where you order off a touch menu.
This was a great activity to get us out of the class room and looking for the things that we have been learning during our class. It is one thing to sit in a classroom and be told about things but it is another to actually see what we have been learning in action. It really reinforces the learning and shows that Disney is committed to practicing what they preach.
week 12
This was Thanksgiving week and because of that we did not have a leadership class. I thought I would take the time this week to write about how the company treated us during one of our busier times.
No one wants to work on holidays but Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of our most busy days. The company provided our work area with a little Thanksgiving dinner in our break area. The company provided turkey, ham, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. There was plenty of food for the entire day as I went into work at 5 and I was still able to have two plate fulls during my breaks.
This is another example of a small thing that the company does for us to let us know how much they appreciate all we do and for thanking us for coming in to work on a holiday. I was told that the company will do the same thing on Christmas day.
Again, not a big thing, but it does go a long way to making us want to work for the company and making us feel like the company cares about us.
No one wants to work on holidays but Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of our most busy days. The company provided our work area with a little Thanksgiving dinner in our break area. The company provided turkey, ham, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. There was plenty of food for the entire day as I went into work at 5 and I was still able to have two plate fulls during my breaks.
This is another example of a small thing that the company does for us to let us know how much they appreciate all we do and for thanking us for coming in to work on a holiday. I was told that the company will do the same thing on Christmas day.
Again, not a big thing, but it does go a long way to making us want to work for the company and making us feel like the company cares about us.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Week 7
This week I experienced a unique guest situation. Every morning a life guard comes down and selects one family to be the first family and they get to open the park to by being the first to go down Summit Plummet, which is our tallest water slide.
One morning we had a father and a daughter at the gate an hour before we opened, which is unusual for this time of the year. One of our cast members started talking to them and they said they were from Georgia and were leaving latter that day and just wanted to get a few rides in before leaving for the airport. That was the end of it, or so we thought. Later, the lifeguard comes down and selects a different family to be the first family. The guest who was from Georgia threw a fit that he and his daughter were not selected. It turns out this family was not from Georgia but from Florida and are Disney Annual Pass Holders. They obviously knew that we do this magical moment every day and they wanted it to be them so they created this story in hopes of being selected. The man became very angry and we had to call security in just in case because we were worried about what the man might do. Later he yelled at the lifeguard who made the selection, demanded that his daughter gets the medal we hand out and then demanded to talk to the park's GM.
He told the GM that he told us he wanted to be the first family, which wasn't true, and that we had broken his daughter's heart for not being selected, and that we at the turnstiles had told him that we will make sure that he will never be the first family, again, not true.
So what happens to this crazy guest who threw a temper tantrum and cried in front of everyone? The GM set up a day for them to return to be the first family. The first day he picked out didn't work for the family so they had to pick another day. I found it absolutely ridiculous that this man was getting what he wanted after the way he had acted. The magical moment is suppose to be a surprise to an unsuspecting family, not a reservation system.
Two weeks later he was back and he got to be the first family and everything that goes with it. He was all smiles as the crowd applauded for him and his daughter, shaking the hand of the GM who was also there. This came on the heels of yesterday's first family taking time to stop on their way out to ask for a pen and paper to write a thank you note to everyone who made their day magical and special. Those are the ones who deserve to be first family, not this guy who acted like a three year old until he got what he wanted.
However, even though I didn't agree with the decision I can see why it was done. Disney is all about making every guest feel special and going above and beyond. For the most part deserving guests get the special things but every once and awhile you are going to get the type of people who will try to take advantage of Disney being Disney. You just have to understand that the deserving guests far out weigh the ones who aren't.
One morning we had a father and a daughter at the gate an hour before we opened, which is unusual for this time of the year. One of our cast members started talking to them and they said they were from Georgia and were leaving latter that day and just wanted to get a few rides in before leaving for the airport. That was the end of it, or so we thought. Later, the lifeguard comes down and selects a different family to be the first family. The guest who was from Georgia threw a fit that he and his daughter were not selected. It turns out this family was not from Georgia but from Florida and are Disney Annual Pass Holders. They obviously knew that we do this magical moment every day and they wanted it to be them so they created this story in hopes of being selected. The man became very angry and we had to call security in just in case because we were worried about what the man might do. Later he yelled at the lifeguard who made the selection, demanded that his daughter gets the medal we hand out and then demanded to talk to the park's GM.
He told the GM that he told us he wanted to be the first family, which wasn't true, and that we had broken his daughter's heart for not being selected, and that we at the turnstiles had told him that we will make sure that he will never be the first family, again, not true.
So what happens to this crazy guest who threw a temper tantrum and cried in front of everyone? The GM set up a day for them to return to be the first family. The first day he picked out didn't work for the family so they had to pick another day. I found it absolutely ridiculous that this man was getting what he wanted after the way he had acted. The magical moment is suppose to be a surprise to an unsuspecting family, not a reservation system.
Two weeks later he was back and he got to be the first family and everything that goes with it. He was all smiles as the crowd applauded for him and his daughter, shaking the hand of the GM who was also there. This came on the heels of yesterday's first family taking time to stop on their way out to ask for a pen and paper to write a thank you note to everyone who made their day magical and special. Those are the ones who deserve to be first family, not this guy who acted like a three year old until he got what he wanted.
However, even though I didn't agree with the decision I can see why it was done. Disney is all about making every guest feel special and going above and beyond. For the most part deserving guests get the special things but every once and awhile you are going to get the type of people who will try to take advantage of Disney being Disney. You just have to understand that the deserving guests far out weigh the ones who aren't.
Week 6
This week during one of my shifts I was pulled off the turnstiles to take part in a Feedback and Action Planning meeting. It was myself and five other cast members who also work turnstiles and three managers. The whole meeting was based off an employee survey that the entire resort took over the summer. The survey was area specific so your work location determined what survey you took over the summer. Since I was not with the company during the summer I did not take the survey but I was still invited to the discussion meeting.
The managers went over the results of the survey and they had listed on poster boards the top 10 things Disney does well (according to the cast members) and the top 10 things Disney can improve on (according to the cast members). The managers then left the room and we were instructed to put a check mark by three of results on the list that Disney can improve on that were most important to us. This was done completely anonymous.
The managers then reentered the room and we discussed what had been checked. The managers were taking notes on our ideas and our feelings. I generally felt like Disney was interested in hearing from me, a bottom of the barrel front line cast member who will only be with the company for five months. The managers led with questions and really were interested in hearing what we had to say. They made a point to ask every cast member int he room what they were feeling or thinking. If a cast member wasn't partaking the in the discussion they were asked direct questions. The managers wanted to hear from everyone and wanted to make everyone feel included in the discussion. No one was going to be left out or silenced in the room.
The meeting lasted about two hours and I came away impressed. The whole meeting was set up for the sole reason of hearing back from their cast members and generating ideas that can make the job better. I don't know how many companies the size of Disney do this but I thought it was impressive for such a large company like Disney. I sort of have this picture in my head of large companies making decisions and creating procedures by having the top executives sitting in a room far away from everything. Disney seems to genuinely care and what to know what their front line cast members think and have to say.
The managers went over the results of the survey and they had listed on poster boards the top 10 things Disney does well (according to the cast members) and the top 10 things Disney can improve on (according to the cast members). The managers then left the room and we were instructed to put a check mark by three of results on the list that Disney can improve on that were most important to us. This was done completely anonymous.
The managers then reentered the room and we discussed what had been checked. The managers were taking notes on our ideas and our feelings. I generally felt like Disney was interested in hearing from me, a bottom of the barrel front line cast member who will only be with the company for five months. The managers led with questions and really were interested in hearing what we had to say. They made a point to ask every cast member int he room what they were feeling or thinking. If a cast member wasn't partaking the in the discussion they were asked direct questions. The managers wanted to hear from everyone and wanted to make everyone feel included in the discussion. No one was going to be left out or silenced in the room.
The meeting lasted about two hours and I came away impressed. The whole meeting was set up for the sole reason of hearing back from their cast members and generating ideas that can make the job better. I don't know how many companies the size of Disney do this but I thought it was impressive for such a large company like Disney. I sort of have this picture in my head of large companies making decisions and creating procedures by having the top executives sitting in a room far away from everything. Disney seems to genuinely care and what to know what their front line cast members think and have to say.
Week 5
This week my manager pulled me off of my turnstile to talk. What we ended up doing was The Basics Walk. First I was asked what the four Disney Basics are, then we walked around Blizzard Beach and we observed cast members performing their jobs. We would watch for about five minutes and then I explained what the cast members were doing well in keeping with the basics and what they were doing that was not in keeping with the basics.
We observed life guards, quick service food and beverage, and the turnstile cast members. At the end of the walk I was asked what I think I do well and what areas I could improve on. I explained that I felt that I could do a better job in engaging in conversation with the guests as they went through my turnstile. The first two weeks or so I was focused on working the turnstile and understanding how it worked and knowing what procedures to follow in each situation. This meant that I wasn't as talkative as I could have been during this time. However, now that working the turnstile is second nature I am much more engaging with guests and talk to every guest that comes through my line and I try to personalize each conversation based on what the guest is wearing.
This was the third time that I have been taught the Basics. First at my Traditions class, second at my Forecast Blizzard class, and the third on my Basics Walk. This is just reaffirming that The Basics really do matter to the company and they want their cast members to follow through on them. Many companies will say they want their employees to do certain things but only tell them the one time. In my 5 weeks at Disney I have been reminded of the Basics every day. Whether it be in the classes or the signs that are posted in the bask stage areas with the Basics listed.
We observed life guards, quick service food and beverage, and the turnstile cast members. At the end of the walk I was asked what I think I do well and what areas I could improve on. I explained that I felt that I could do a better job in engaging in conversation with the guests as they went through my turnstile. The first two weeks or so I was focused on working the turnstile and understanding how it worked and knowing what procedures to follow in each situation. This meant that I wasn't as talkative as I could have been during this time. However, now that working the turnstile is second nature I am much more engaging with guests and talk to every guest that comes through my line and I try to personalize each conversation based on what the guest is wearing.
This was the third time that I have been taught the Basics. First at my Traditions class, second at my Forecast Blizzard class, and the third on my Basics Walk. This is just reaffirming that The Basics really do matter to the company and they want their cast members to follow through on them. Many companies will say they want their employees to do certain things but only tell them the one time. In my 5 weeks at Disney I have been reminded of the Basics every day. Whether it be in the classes or the signs that are posted in the bask stage areas with the Basics listed.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Week 11
The topic of discussion this week in class this week was storytelling and how we can use story telling to be better leaders. Class met at the Magic Kingdom and we examined the turnstile area, Main Street USA, the hub, and Liberty Square. At each location we looked at how the imagineers told a story to our guests in each different location. Most of this was done through the little details that a majority of our guests will never pick out individually, but when you combine them all together they deliver the story.
What does this have to do with becoming a better leader? Not all of us are going to become an imagineer and design Disney theme parks. However, there is something to being able to tell your employees the story that they are to deliver to the customers.
By being a good storyteller you do four things with your workers: 1. You establish a rapport 2. You establish credibility 3. You build trust and 4. You communicate your vision.
By being able to communicate well and tell your "story" to your workers you are going to create a tighter and closer group of workers. They trust you, they are going to be more open with you, they are going to be more willing to come discuss improvement ideas that they may have. It's not so much about being able to tell this wonderful "story" to your workers, but rather it is about being able to communicate to them well and establish an open line of communication. Workers want to trust their leaders and know that what they are hearing from their leaders is credible and the truth. You have to present yourself and your vision in such a way that people want to follow you. Make them want to take this journey with you.
Our imagineers realized that not every single little detail is going to be noticed by every guest. However, they also realized that those small details add up to deliver an overall atmosphere that every guest can identify and describe to their family and friends. The same can be said about being a leader. Do the small things. Not every worker is going to notice every little thing you do, however, it will all add up to a great work environment.
The topic of discussion this week in class this week was storytelling and how we can use story telling to be better leaders. Class met at the Magic Kingdom and we examined the turnstile area, Main Street USA, the hub, and Liberty Square. At each location we looked at how the imagineers told a story to our guests in each different location. Most of this was done through the little details that a majority of our guests will never pick out individually, but when you combine them all together they deliver the story.
What does this have to do with becoming a better leader? Not all of us are going to become an imagineer and design Disney theme parks. However, there is something to being able to tell your employees the story that they are to deliver to the customers.
By being a good storyteller you do four things with your workers: 1. You establish a rapport 2. You establish credibility 3. You build trust and 4. You communicate your vision.
By being able to communicate well and tell your "story" to your workers you are going to create a tighter and closer group of workers. They trust you, they are going to be more open with you, they are going to be more willing to come discuss improvement ideas that they may have. It's not so much about being able to tell this wonderful "story" to your workers, but rather it is about being able to communicate to them well and establish an open line of communication. Workers want to trust their leaders and know that what they are hearing from their leaders is credible and the truth. You have to present yourself and your vision in such a way that people want to follow you. Make them want to take this journey with you.
Our imagineers realized that not every single little detail is going to be noticed by every guest. However, they also realized that those small details add up to deliver an overall atmosphere that every guest can identify and describe to their family and friends. The same can be said about being a leader. Do the small things. Not every worker is going to notice every little thing you do, however, it will all add up to a great work environment.
Week 10
Typhoon Lagoon, our other Disney water park closed down this week for its winter rehab. With this Disney had to merge the two water park staffs and because I am on the College Program I was one of the many cast members who were "deployed" or moved to another job in the resort. This is all done based on senority and also based on what type of worker you are-College Program, Part-Time, Full-Time, or seasonal. One Typhoon Lagoon reopens then Blizzard Beach will go for its winter rehab. The workers will return to their normal work locations in about five months.
I was moved to Epcot doing the same job as park greeter. However, because I was new to the location I once again had to go through the entire training process even though I had been doing the same job for about two months. Instead of two days of training there were four days at Epcot which I thought was a bit much. Now, for a brand new cast member totally new to being a park greeter then I think a four day training process is wonderful for them instead of the two I got at Blizzard Beach. However, for a cast member who has already been performing the same job, just at a different work location, it was a bit much.
The only thing new I had to learn was working the cast member turnstile which prints out the tickets. Each cast member is giving a number of tickets that they can use to bring friends into the park. They have to go to these certain turnstiles that will print off their tickets. Once I had mastered that I pretty much knew everything else when it came to working the turnstiles. The other thing I had to learn was just the overall operation of Epcot and how some things are done differently than at Blizzard Beach such as when to bring out the covers, where to get my assignment, and what to do with demagnetized tickets.
On my fourth day of training I was to receive my assessment but the cast member who was to perform this task called in sick. There was no other person working that day who could have assessed me so they put me on exit gate for eight hours. Exit gate is standing there telling our guests good bye and opening the gate for wheelchairs and strollers. Not the most exciting job. The next day was to be my first day of regular working. However, again, there was no one there to assess me so I again worked exit gate for another six hours. The following day I was finally assessed and was able to work the turnstiles.
This was the first time that I really looked at Disney and thought they had failed from a managing stand point. I understand that people are going to call in sick. It happens. However, the managers had zero back up plan. They had no idea what to do except put me on a position that doesn't require any training. Why didn't they call in someone who could quickly perform the assessment? I think they didn't do that because that would mean they would have to pay someone who wasn't suppose to be working that day. I just found it a bit ridiculous that for two days I was basically forgotten about and thrown on exit gate. It is really the first time I felt like Disney didn't care about me while at the work place.
There are two parts to an assessment. You performing your job and taking the written test. The test I took at Epcot was the same exact test that I took at Blizzard Beach and it is a global test for park greeters. I just found it a bit of an overkill that I had to take the same test twice even though I had been performing this job for two months straight just because I was at a new work location.
Typhoon Lagoon, our other Disney water park closed down this week for its winter rehab. With this Disney had to merge the two water park staffs and because I am on the College Program I was one of the many cast members who were "deployed" or moved to another job in the resort. This is all done based on senority and also based on what type of worker you are-College Program, Part-Time, Full-Time, or seasonal. One Typhoon Lagoon reopens then Blizzard Beach will go for its winter rehab. The workers will return to their normal work locations in about five months.
I was moved to Epcot doing the same job as park greeter. However, because I was new to the location I once again had to go through the entire training process even though I had been doing the same job for about two months. Instead of two days of training there were four days at Epcot which I thought was a bit much. Now, for a brand new cast member totally new to being a park greeter then I think a four day training process is wonderful for them instead of the two I got at Blizzard Beach. However, for a cast member who has already been performing the same job, just at a different work location, it was a bit much.
The only thing new I had to learn was working the cast member turnstile which prints out the tickets. Each cast member is giving a number of tickets that they can use to bring friends into the park. They have to go to these certain turnstiles that will print off their tickets. Once I had mastered that I pretty much knew everything else when it came to working the turnstiles. The other thing I had to learn was just the overall operation of Epcot and how some things are done differently than at Blizzard Beach such as when to bring out the covers, where to get my assignment, and what to do with demagnetized tickets.
On my fourth day of training I was to receive my assessment but the cast member who was to perform this task called in sick. There was no other person working that day who could have assessed me so they put me on exit gate for eight hours. Exit gate is standing there telling our guests good bye and opening the gate for wheelchairs and strollers. Not the most exciting job. The next day was to be my first day of regular working. However, again, there was no one there to assess me so I again worked exit gate for another six hours. The following day I was finally assessed and was able to work the turnstiles.
This was the first time that I really looked at Disney and thought they had failed from a managing stand point. I understand that people are going to call in sick. It happens. However, the managers had zero back up plan. They had no idea what to do except put me on a position that doesn't require any training. Why didn't they call in someone who could quickly perform the assessment? I think they didn't do that because that would mean they would have to pay someone who wasn't suppose to be working that day. I just found it a bit ridiculous that for two days I was basically forgotten about and thrown on exit gate. It is really the first time I felt like Disney didn't care about me while at the work place.
There are two parts to an assessment. You performing your job and taking the written test. The test I took at Epcot was the same exact test that I took at Blizzard Beach and it is a global test for park greeters. I just found it a bit of an overkill that I had to take the same test twice even though I had been performing this job for two months straight just because I was at a new work location.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Week 4
For this week's journal entry I thought I would go over a typical day at Blizzard Beach. Every morning there is a pre-opening and pre-closing checklist of tasks that the cast must complete. You are assigned the tasks by the coordinators and they tend to rotate you throughout the week so you do something different each day. We get about 45 minutes to complete our morning tasks, an hour for some of the longer ones.
Each morning we needed to open umbrellas, clean the turnstiles, rake the sand by the photo sled, wipe down the benches and trash cans, pick up litter at the bus stops, pick up litter in the parking lot, restock the park maps and pens, and clean and sweep the backstage cast area. Yes, even the trash cans get cleaned every morning at Disney World.
Cleanliness, or show as we call it, is one of our service basics. The idea is simple enough, if you provide a clean play for people to play they are going to feel welcome and are likely to return. I can't even tell you how many comments I get from guests saying how clean everything is.
I have also learned guest service, how can you not at Disney? That is what we are known for, not good guest service, not great guest service, but exceptional guest service. I feel a responsibility to the company, and those who have worked before me and those who will work after me, to keep up these high standards. We have a saying at Disney, "Our guests may not always be right, but they will always be our guests." No matter how angry or upset a guest may be it is our responsibility to make it right for the guest. Why do we feel this way? Why don't we just meet our breaking point and yell back? I really do feel it is because of the connection/ownership we all feel for the company. Why do we feel this connection? I think it is a combination of fond memories we have of visiting Disney World in the past and of the history we learned in our Tradition class and park orientation. We really do feel a part of this gigantic company.
The closing tasks are closing the umbrellas, saying goodbye to all guests, zeroing out the turnstiles, putting the covers on the turnstiles, and shutting them all down after the last guest has left.
We have two coordinators and one manager always on duty. Our two coordinators tend to stay in the ticket booth while our manager, Heather, is always very visible. Every other job I have had when I saw the manager I got nervous and it was a sign of bad things. Heather is always there and I like having the manager right there if the need arises.
For this week's journal entry I thought I would go over a typical day at Blizzard Beach. Every morning there is a pre-opening and pre-closing checklist of tasks that the cast must complete. You are assigned the tasks by the coordinators and they tend to rotate you throughout the week so you do something different each day. We get about 45 minutes to complete our morning tasks, an hour for some of the longer ones.
Each morning we needed to open umbrellas, clean the turnstiles, rake the sand by the photo sled, wipe down the benches and trash cans, pick up litter at the bus stops, pick up litter in the parking lot, restock the park maps and pens, and clean and sweep the backstage cast area. Yes, even the trash cans get cleaned every morning at Disney World.
Cleanliness, or show as we call it, is one of our service basics. The idea is simple enough, if you provide a clean play for people to play they are going to feel welcome and are likely to return. I can't even tell you how many comments I get from guests saying how clean everything is.
I have also learned guest service, how can you not at Disney? That is what we are known for, not good guest service, not great guest service, but exceptional guest service. I feel a responsibility to the company, and those who have worked before me and those who will work after me, to keep up these high standards. We have a saying at Disney, "Our guests may not always be right, but they will always be our guests." No matter how angry or upset a guest may be it is our responsibility to make it right for the guest. Why do we feel this way? Why don't we just meet our breaking point and yell back? I really do feel it is because of the connection/ownership we all feel for the company. Why do we feel this connection? I think it is a combination of fond memories we have of visiting Disney World in the past and of the history we learned in our Tradition class and park orientation. We really do feel a part of this gigantic company.
The closing tasks are closing the umbrellas, saying goodbye to all guests, zeroing out the turnstiles, putting the covers on the turnstiles, and shutting them all down after the last guest has left.
We have two coordinators and one manager always on duty. Our two coordinators tend to stay in the ticket booth while our manager, Heather, is always very visible. Every other job I have had when I saw the manager I got nervous and it was a sign of bad things. Heather is always there and I like having the manager right there if the need arises.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Even more journal entries!
Week 8
This week at Blizzard Beach I did my training in ticket selling. Before I could do my OJT I needed to take a class at Disney University called "Ticket Talk." This was an 8 hour class, which I was paid for, and it went over the basics of how to operate the ticketing program. It was only meant to give us a bird's eye view of tickets knowing that most of our learning would be done during OJT. This class to get us familiar with everything.
When I started my OJT I was again given the "Earning My Ears" ribbon to attach to my name tag. This was solely done to "protect" me from guests so they wouldn't yell or scream at me. I was given 3 days of OJT with ticket which wasn't nearly enough. While I felt the two days of OJT training was enough for working a turnstile there are just so many different tickets and different situations that arise when working a ticket booth for 3 days to be enough. Some things I learned how to perform: selling a ticket with cash or credit card, redeeming a voucher, reissuing a ticket, upgrading a ticket, cast tickets, annual passes, looking up lost ticket, and explaining all the different Disney tickets to our guests. Each one of these involves at least 5 steps and you have to know where to go and what to click in each situation. It was very confusing but at the end of the 3rd day I felt like I wouldn't be totally lost working on my own but knowing full well I didn't know everything that could come up.
I also got to experience something that rarely happens at the turnstiles, guests yelling at you. It is understandable when you consider just how much money a family will spend on tickets that they will be angry when they don't have an option they thought they did. Also, trying to explain the complexity of Disney tickets to the public is quite a challenge, and that increases 10 fold when the guest doesn't speak English. It was important to remember that the guest may be yelling at you but they aren't really yelling AT you, they are just needing someone to vent to and unfortunately that is Guest Relations.
I feel that the training and time spent inside the ticket booth will serve me well in the future. Not only do now have ticket selling experience at one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world, but I also learned more valuable guest service techniques. We are instructed to let a guest vent a bit and then respond with, "I am going to help you." This shows the guest that you were listening and that you care about their situation and are going to do your best to help them out.
I also learned about Disney Magic. It is a database that Disney has created for guests that receive any sort of comp from the company. Every guest who has had a comp issued for anything, tickets, room, dinning, or anything else is in the database. We can pull up the individual and see all of the comps the guest has received their entire lives and why they were given what they were. This is used to keep track of any guests that may be trying to take advantage of the Disney guest service and are just out to get free things from the company. The more comps a guest has received the less likely they are to receive one in the future.
My second Disney Leadership class was this week as well. We learned about how a successful business starts with making sure that the employees are happy. We then turned our attention to the Disney Leader Basics: I demonstrate a commitment to cast members, I know and manage my operation and teach it to cast members, I lead and monitor cast performance and operational improvements.
What we saw in this class was the very first thing that a new leader will learn when they are being trained by Disney. I was instantly able to see these basics in action when thinking of my manager Heather at Blizzard Beach. Heather is always visible and she knows the tickets and turnstiles inside out. She told me early on that if I ever had any questions on how she handled a guest situation the way she did to just ask. She has always been very open when it comes to dealing with difficult guests and why she did what she did.
I like the fact that my manager is always visible. I have worked many jobs where if a manager was seen coming it was a sure fire sign that something was wrong. At Disney though the managers are always present and sometimes they are just there to talk with cast members. They are always close by if you ever need them for something and I feel totally comfortable around my manager to the point where I don't even notice that she is there any more, that's how often she is around the turnstiles. This is something that I would like to do when I am in a manager position. I want to always be visible to my workers and not have it be a sign of bad things if they see me around.
This week at Blizzard Beach I did my training in ticket selling. Before I could do my OJT I needed to take a class at Disney University called "Ticket Talk." This was an 8 hour class, which I was paid for, and it went over the basics of how to operate the ticketing program. It was only meant to give us a bird's eye view of tickets knowing that most of our learning would be done during OJT. This class to get us familiar with everything.
When I started my OJT I was again given the "Earning My Ears" ribbon to attach to my name tag. This was solely done to "protect" me from guests so they wouldn't yell or scream at me. I was given 3 days of OJT with ticket which wasn't nearly enough. While I felt the two days of OJT training was enough for working a turnstile there are just so many different tickets and different situations that arise when working a ticket booth for 3 days to be enough. Some things I learned how to perform: selling a ticket with cash or credit card, redeeming a voucher, reissuing a ticket, upgrading a ticket, cast tickets, annual passes, looking up lost ticket, and explaining all the different Disney tickets to our guests. Each one of these involves at least 5 steps and you have to know where to go and what to click in each situation. It was very confusing but at the end of the 3rd day I felt like I wouldn't be totally lost working on my own but knowing full well I didn't know everything that could come up.
I also got to experience something that rarely happens at the turnstiles, guests yelling at you. It is understandable when you consider just how much money a family will spend on tickets that they will be angry when they don't have an option they thought they did. Also, trying to explain the complexity of Disney tickets to the public is quite a challenge, and that increases 10 fold when the guest doesn't speak English. It was important to remember that the guest may be yelling at you but they aren't really yelling AT you, they are just needing someone to vent to and unfortunately that is Guest Relations.
I feel that the training and time spent inside the ticket booth will serve me well in the future. Not only do now have ticket selling experience at one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world, but I also learned more valuable guest service techniques. We are instructed to let a guest vent a bit and then respond with, "I am going to help you." This shows the guest that you were listening and that you care about their situation and are going to do your best to help them out.
I also learned about Disney Magic. It is a database that Disney has created for guests that receive any sort of comp from the company. Every guest who has had a comp issued for anything, tickets, room, dinning, or anything else is in the database. We can pull up the individual and see all of the comps the guest has received their entire lives and why they were given what they were. This is used to keep track of any guests that may be trying to take advantage of the Disney guest service and are just out to get free things from the company. The more comps a guest has received the less likely they are to receive one in the future.
My second Disney Leadership class was this week as well. We learned about how a successful business starts with making sure that the employees are happy. We then turned our attention to the Disney Leader Basics: I demonstrate a commitment to cast members, I know and manage my operation and teach it to cast members, I lead and monitor cast performance and operational improvements.
What we saw in this class was the very first thing that a new leader will learn when they are being trained by Disney. I was instantly able to see these basics in action when thinking of my manager Heather at Blizzard Beach. Heather is always visible and she knows the tickets and turnstiles inside out. She told me early on that if I ever had any questions on how she handled a guest situation the way she did to just ask. She has always been very open when it comes to dealing with difficult guests and why she did what she did.
I like the fact that my manager is always visible. I have worked many jobs where if a manager was seen coming it was a sure fire sign that something was wrong. At Disney though the managers are always present and sometimes they are just there to talk with cast members. They are always close by if you ever need them for something and I feel totally comfortable around my manager to the point where I don't even notice that she is there any more, that's how often she is around the turnstiles. This is something that I would like to do when I am in a manager position. I want to always be visible to my workers and not have it be a sign of bad things if they see me around.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
More Journal Entries
Back to get more "work" done for that Eastern thing. Totally going out of order at this point, so enjoy a recent update haha.
Week 9
This week in my Disney Leadership class we talked about approaching conflict and recognition. We learned about the five ways to approach a conflict: competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding, and accommodating. Everyone uses these five approaches at some point when they encounter a conflict. They may not use them all for a single conflict but at some time in their lives everyone will use each of these. Disney wants its leaders to use all five of these approaches when dealing with their teams and cast members. We learned about what happens when you overuse and under use each of these approaches. Some lead to a hostile work environment or stunted internal growth while others can lead to anarchy. If a leader dos not balance each of these approaches the end result is that the team is not accomplishing the goals that the company has set out to deliver great guest satisfaction.
Disney has each of its leaders take a test that reveals the leader's "go to" approach when dealing with conflict. It ranks the five approaches and Disney then trains the leader on how to use some of the approaches that the individual is less inclined to use. Disney does this because, as I said earlier, Disney believes that a leader must have a balance of all five approaches in order to run their team of cast members smoothly.
This part of class was very useful to me as it made me think about what approach I tend to use when leading a team. I find that I use collaborating the most. I want to work with everyone on my team, have everyone share their ideas, and then pick the best route. I also remember times when I have avoided conflict simply because if I were to respond at that instance of the conflict I would have said something I would later regret. Sometimes it is best to leave something alone for a while and then reapproach it once emotions have died down.
It also made me think of which approach I need to use more often and I realized that I need to use competing a little bit more. When using the competing approach it is "my way or the high way." There is no room for discussion and it is my decision and mine only and you don't care how your cast responds to it. There are just some instances when a leader has to make a decision and follow through on it regardless of how the cast may feel. Safety is one of these instances. Disney values safety before everything else and has a very specific way that all cast members are to operate in their jobs for safety. There is no room for discussion in this instance.
Below is a chart that ranks the five approaches in terms of assertiveness and comparativeness.
******DRAW IN CHART WHEN BACK IN MICHIGAN******
We also learned about recognizing your employees and why Disney recognizes its cast members. Disney wants its leaders to appreciate, recognize, and encourage their cast members. This leads to the cast doing their best, wanting to grow both personally and professionally, which leads to growth in the organization.
Disney recognizes the individual because it influences the cast member's work experience, affects the cast member's performance, and influences their behavior. Disney recognizes the team because it promotes teamwork, collaboration, camaraderie, improves moral, and makes team goals more attainable.
Disney recognizes through Global Programs, Divisional Programs, and Cast Activities. Global Programs are things such as family holiday celebration (coupons and discounts), guest service fanatic cars (for exceptional guest service), and the partners in excellence award which is the highest award a cast member can earn.
Divisional Programs are done at the team level and are done by the local managers. Examples are: retirement parties, local partners in excellence, followers for a birthday or death in the family, and potluck-lunches.
Disney also has Cast Activities throughout the year such as clubs, sports, special events, and instructional programs.
This made me think of what I could do in my future jobs to recognize the people I work with and work for me. It doesn't need to be something elaborate or expensive. However, it should be personalized to the person and the work location.
This was also my last week at Blizzard Beach. I will start working turnstiles at Epcot next week. I will have four days of training at my new work location and I will have to retake the test that I already passed at Blizzard Beach.
Week 9
This week in my Disney Leadership class we talked about approaching conflict and recognition. We learned about the five ways to approach a conflict: competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding, and accommodating. Everyone uses these five approaches at some point when they encounter a conflict. They may not use them all for a single conflict but at some time in their lives everyone will use each of these. Disney wants its leaders to use all five of these approaches when dealing with their teams and cast members. We learned about what happens when you overuse and under use each of these approaches. Some lead to a hostile work environment or stunted internal growth while others can lead to anarchy. If a leader dos not balance each of these approaches the end result is that the team is not accomplishing the goals that the company has set out to deliver great guest satisfaction.
Disney has each of its leaders take a test that reveals the leader's "go to" approach when dealing with conflict. It ranks the five approaches and Disney then trains the leader on how to use some of the approaches that the individual is less inclined to use. Disney does this because, as I said earlier, Disney believes that a leader must have a balance of all five approaches in order to run their team of cast members smoothly.
This part of class was very useful to me as it made me think about what approach I tend to use when leading a team. I find that I use collaborating the most. I want to work with everyone on my team, have everyone share their ideas, and then pick the best route. I also remember times when I have avoided conflict simply because if I were to respond at that instance of the conflict I would have said something I would later regret. Sometimes it is best to leave something alone for a while and then reapproach it once emotions have died down.
It also made me think of which approach I need to use more often and I realized that I need to use competing a little bit more. When using the competing approach it is "my way or the high way." There is no room for discussion and it is my decision and mine only and you don't care how your cast responds to it. There are just some instances when a leader has to make a decision and follow through on it regardless of how the cast may feel. Safety is one of these instances. Disney values safety before everything else and has a very specific way that all cast members are to operate in their jobs for safety. There is no room for discussion in this instance.
Below is a chart that ranks the five approaches in terms of assertiveness and comparativeness.
******DRAW IN CHART WHEN BACK IN MICHIGAN******
We also learned about recognizing your employees and why Disney recognizes its cast members. Disney wants its leaders to appreciate, recognize, and encourage their cast members. This leads to the cast doing their best, wanting to grow both personally and professionally, which leads to growth in the organization.
Disney recognizes the individual because it influences the cast member's work experience, affects the cast member's performance, and influences their behavior. Disney recognizes the team because it promotes teamwork, collaboration, camaraderie, improves moral, and makes team goals more attainable.
Disney recognizes through Global Programs, Divisional Programs, and Cast Activities. Global Programs are things such as family holiday celebration (coupons and discounts), guest service fanatic cars (for exceptional guest service), and the partners in excellence award which is the highest award a cast member can earn.
Divisional Programs are done at the team level and are done by the local managers. Examples are: retirement parties, local partners in excellence, followers for a birthday or death in the family, and potluck-lunches.
Disney also has Cast Activities throughout the year such as clubs, sports, special events, and instructional programs.
This made me think of what I could do in my future jobs to recognize the people I work with and work for me. It doesn't need to be something elaborate or expensive. However, it should be personalized to the person and the work location.
This was also my last week at Blizzard Beach. I will start working turnstiles at Epcot next week. I will have four days of training at my new work location and I will have to retake the test that I already passed at Blizzard Beach.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Guess Mike was right
So before I left Mike told me that I would update this blog for a few weeks and then totally forget about it once I got down here. He was right. Not that I have totally forgotten about it. It's just that there is always something more exciting to do than to work on my weekly journal entry for Eastern.
I went to Sea World and Islands of Adventure the past weekend, Harry Potter was amazing even though I have never read a book nor seen a movie. I am moving to Epcot on November 3rd. The days of my country club like hours are over. My first day I have to be there at 7am and the second day I work till 10pm. It is going to be a shock to my body to get up at 5:30!
I am also now trained as a Walt Disney World ticket seller. Holy cow that's a complicated job with all the different types of tickets, the upgrades, the reissuing of tickets, and of course, the ticked off people who scream at you because they bought the wrong ticket before and it is now all your fault.
So now I should really move on to BSing my way through a few weeks of journal entries that I am going to be turning in when I get back. Let's see, that last journal entry I did was week one...good...so week 2 I guess?
Week 2
After my Traditions class I had a few down days to settle in and get familiar with the Disney World property. Before I was allowed to start working as a park greeter at Blizzard Beach water park I had to do the park orientation which all properties have. Blizzard's is called Forecast Blizzard. There we learn about the park and its history, sort of a smaller Traditions class. We also were taken on a walking tour of the park so that we were familiar with where things are located inside. History is a big part of the Disney Company. They like to share it and have all their employees know about the company. This helps in creating a since of ownership for every cast member with their work location which leads to more productive workers.
While out in the park we were broken up into groups of four and we were given the task of acting as a guest and interacting with working cast members. We were looking to see how they displayed the four Disney Basics: I project a positive energy, I am courteous to every guest including children, I stay in character and play the part, and I go above and beyond. Afterwards we shared to the group and reviewed these Basics.
Lastly we had to go through a safety course called Safety in Motion. Here we learned about how to move through our work place safely and how to perform certain tasks, such as lifting, in a way that would not put stress on our bodies. This protects Disney in that they can say that they provided training to all of their workers in how to prevent injuries.
Forecast Blizzard lasted about six hours. After which I had to complete some online training. These courses were in power point format and at the end of each course was a mini assessment in which I had to answer a set number of questions correctly in order to pass.
Week 3
I started my training this week as a Park Greeter. Whenever a cast member starts a new job they receive on job training, or OJT. I was provided with a trainer who I was with for two days. Each job has a set training length. I met my trainer at the cast servicing building and he walked me through an entire day. I was shown how to clock in and where to go after. It wasn't long after I was given a brief overview of how to operate a Walt Disney World turnstile that I was put on one. My trainer was there the whole time watching me and helping me out whenever a situation arose. The training process is broken down into very specific requirements, with time guides. Example: 30 minutes observing turnstiles, 1 hour working turnstile, 30 minutes observing wheelchair gate, 1 hour working wheelchair gate.
While I was training I was given a red ribbon to hang off my name tag that read "Earing My Ears." This was so that both cast members and guests knew that I was new and acted as a bit of a safety blanket. I liked the idea of a training ribbon and thought of all my previous jobs and how useful something like this would have been. Instead of having to introduce myself to coworkers and explaining that I am new. Here, if you see the ribbon you instantly know and you instinctively go out of your way to help them out.
I opened my first day of training and I closed my second. OJT is suppose to expose the trainee to all the possible situations that will arise on the job. I was back on the turnstiles and learned about the closing procedures. Now, is two days enough time for you to master all the aspects of the job? Absolutely not. However, I found that my cast members were very helpful since they knew that I was new and were aware that two days is not enough for a person to master the job.
At the end of the second day i had to take a 50 question written test with a certain score that I had to meet in order to pass my training. The questions were designed to again test me in every aspect of the job and to review the tasks that I had been completing the two days of OJT. Once I passed I was able to remove my ribbon and the next day I was on my own. After the test I had to electronically sign a form saying that I received my training and that I feel able to perform all aspects of my job.
I really liked the training that I received at Disney and found it to be better than any job I have had before. I would have liked for the training to be a little longer, but I understand that part of training is also doing the job on your own and learning from your mistakes, and learning from your cast members. This training was very structured and organized with a check list that my trainer had to check off as I experienced the situation on the job.
Alright that's enough for now. Perhaps latter tonight I will write some more, if not that tomorrow for sure. I am trying to figure out how many weeks I have been down here so I have a journal for each week.
I went to Sea World and Islands of Adventure the past weekend, Harry Potter was amazing even though I have never read a book nor seen a movie. I am moving to Epcot on November 3rd. The days of my country club like hours are over. My first day I have to be there at 7am and the second day I work till 10pm. It is going to be a shock to my body to get up at 5:30!
I am also now trained as a Walt Disney World ticket seller. Holy cow that's a complicated job with all the different types of tickets, the upgrades, the reissuing of tickets, and of course, the ticked off people who scream at you because they bought the wrong ticket before and it is now all your fault.
So now I should really move on to BSing my way through a few weeks of journal entries that I am going to be turning in when I get back. Let's see, that last journal entry I did was week one...good...so week 2 I guess?
Week 2
After my Traditions class I had a few down days to settle in and get familiar with the Disney World property. Before I was allowed to start working as a park greeter at Blizzard Beach water park I had to do the park orientation which all properties have. Blizzard's is called Forecast Blizzard. There we learn about the park and its history, sort of a smaller Traditions class. We also were taken on a walking tour of the park so that we were familiar with where things are located inside. History is a big part of the Disney Company. They like to share it and have all their employees know about the company. This helps in creating a since of ownership for every cast member with their work location which leads to more productive workers.
While out in the park we were broken up into groups of four and we were given the task of acting as a guest and interacting with working cast members. We were looking to see how they displayed the four Disney Basics: I project a positive energy, I am courteous to every guest including children, I stay in character and play the part, and I go above and beyond. Afterwards we shared to the group and reviewed these Basics.
Lastly we had to go through a safety course called Safety in Motion. Here we learned about how to move through our work place safely and how to perform certain tasks, such as lifting, in a way that would not put stress on our bodies. This protects Disney in that they can say that they provided training to all of their workers in how to prevent injuries.
Forecast Blizzard lasted about six hours. After which I had to complete some online training. These courses were in power point format and at the end of each course was a mini assessment in which I had to answer a set number of questions correctly in order to pass.
Week 3
I started my training this week as a Park Greeter. Whenever a cast member starts a new job they receive on job training, or OJT. I was provided with a trainer who I was with for two days. Each job has a set training length. I met my trainer at the cast servicing building and he walked me through an entire day. I was shown how to clock in and where to go after. It wasn't long after I was given a brief overview of how to operate a Walt Disney World turnstile that I was put on one. My trainer was there the whole time watching me and helping me out whenever a situation arose. The training process is broken down into very specific requirements, with time guides. Example: 30 minutes observing turnstiles, 1 hour working turnstile, 30 minutes observing wheelchair gate, 1 hour working wheelchair gate.
While I was training I was given a red ribbon to hang off my name tag that read "Earing My Ears." This was so that both cast members and guests knew that I was new and acted as a bit of a safety blanket. I liked the idea of a training ribbon and thought of all my previous jobs and how useful something like this would have been. Instead of having to introduce myself to coworkers and explaining that I am new. Here, if you see the ribbon you instantly know and you instinctively go out of your way to help them out.
I opened my first day of training and I closed my second. OJT is suppose to expose the trainee to all the possible situations that will arise on the job. I was back on the turnstiles and learned about the closing procedures. Now, is two days enough time for you to master all the aspects of the job? Absolutely not. However, I found that my cast members were very helpful since they knew that I was new and were aware that two days is not enough for a person to master the job.
At the end of the second day i had to take a 50 question written test with a certain score that I had to meet in order to pass my training. The questions were designed to again test me in every aspect of the job and to review the tasks that I had been completing the two days of OJT. Once I passed I was able to remove my ribbon and the next day I was on my own. After the test I had to electronically sign a form saying that I received my training and that I feel able to perform all aspects of my job.
I really liked the training that I received at Disney and found it to be better than any job I have had before. I would have liked for the training to be a little longer, but I understand that part of training is also doing the job on your own and learning from your mistakes, and learning from your cast members. This training was very structured and organized with a check list that my trainer had to check off as I experienced the situation on the job.
Alright that's enough for now. Perhaps latter tonight I will write some more, if not that tomorrow for sure. I am trying to figure out how many weeks I have been down here so I have a journal for each week.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Little bit of business
So this update is going to be two parts, one just a fun update for everyone and the second part is going to be more for the journal that I have to turn in to Eastern.
So I am getting over a massive head cold-I think I am the only person who could catch a cold in the summer in Florida. Sudafed and Amoxicilin for me. Finally making the turn for the better, my ears are unplugged and I can breathe out of my nose for the first time in days.
So working with the public is always fun, I learned a little bit of that working at Compuware but Disney takes it to a whole other level. We had to talk to a woman, from Spain, that it is not appropriate to be in the water park topless. I have seen 3 women who are very, very pregnant in a two piece bikini (think of laura flynn boyle at the start of Men In Black 2) and bigger girls who should not be wearing what they are...especially when hair is coming from places that it shouldn't.
Mostly though I have to explain to guests that their ticket package does not include water park access. 99% of the time I get, "Yes it does, it has the park hopper." To which I have to explain that while they do have the park hopper option that only includes the four major theme parks. They argue with me some more, tell me I'm wrong, then I send them to guests services and then I watch them walk back to the parking lot about 5 minutes later. Now, try doing that with a family that doesn't speak English!
The other thing that happens way to often is that I get fake tickets. Well, they aren't fake, but they don't work for the person who buys them. Every time a person uses their ticket they have to have their finger scanned and it links that ticket to that individual person. So if the ticket is lost or stolen and someone tries to use the ticket it will not allow them to enter. So what I get a lot of the time is a person where none of their fingers will match and it will not allow them to enter. I then look at the name on the back and if they have ID that matches then I can let them in. So I ask, "Is this you?" and they look at me and say, "No." I ask them where they got the ticket from and the most popular responses so far are, "From some guy" or, "From a gas station."
What happens is a family who is done with their vacation but still has days left on their tickets sell them to others saying that there are still days on the ticket. However, because of the disney ticket tagging system tickets are only good for that one person. Moral of the story is ONLY buy Disney tickets from Disney! If you buy the discounted tickets on the highways outside property you are probably buying used tickets and they will not work!
I am having a blast playing in the parks on my time off, and from the photos on my facebook you can tell that I pretty much spend all my free time getting pictures with characters. My next goal is to get my picture with Daisy Duck and then move on to the villains, which are hard to find! Mostly I want Jafar.
Ok, onto the more formal writing.
During the first week I attended Traditions. This is the orientation class that all new Disney cast members must take. We learned about the history of the company, the Disney Basics, and the four Disney Standards. By teaching all new cast members about the history of the company it serves to make a connection with the workers. Disney is all about creating magic and the only way that happens is if the cast members go above and beyond and one way to get them to do that is my making them feel a part of this massive company. It serves to create a sense of community and a sense of being a part of something that is bigger than the worker.
The Disney Basics is a list of characteristics that Disney wants all cast members to demonstrate. These characteristics were developed by a mass survey of park guests when asked what they think a Disney cast member should be. The basics are: I go above and beyond, I stay in character and play the part, I am courteous to all guests including children, and I project a positive image and energy. Disney wants all cast member to demonstrate these characteristics because these characteristics are what our guests are looking for and expecting from Disney cast members. The way we treat our guests is a large reason why our guests return year after year.
The four Disney Standards help us provide the best time for our guests. They are: Safety, Show, Efficiency, and Courtesy. Safety is the top standard for both guests and cast members. Show is about being "on stage" or when guests can see you, the cast member. When you are on stage you are playing the part and creating the magic. This means you are projecting a positive image and playing the part. Another example is the theming. Cast members have costumes that match the theme of the ride. Each land has music and it changes subtly as you move form land to land. You are not walking into a land that is not yours and no matter how bad of a day you are having when you are on stage you leave it behind. Efficiency is both on stage and off stage. On stage Disney is efficient by providing fast passes for their guests-allowing a guest to wait in line less. Off stage Disney is efficient in how it moves cast members around out of the public eye. This also includes having evacuation plans ready for all parks and hotels. Courtesy is projecting those Disney Basics and treating all guests like they are our family, and creating a welcoming atmosphere. This goes a long way to bringing guests back for repeat visits.
Once we learned all these standards and basics we were taken into the Magic Kingdom, on stage, and had to look for examples. We were able to talk to on stage cast members, guests, and look at the little details that a park guest may over look but still goes a long way to creating the Disney Difference. This was a fun way to reinforce what we had learned, get us out of the classroom, and give us a truly special experience-using the tunnels at the Magic Kingdom.
When we got back to the classroom we reviewed what we had seen and then there was a knock on the door. Who was it? The boss. Mickey Mouse walked in carrying a package. Mickey stayed for about 10 minutes passed out some prizes to people who answered questions about the Disney Company correctly and then had to move on. Now, the room was full of people 18 years old and up but I everyone had a huge smile on their face when Mickey was in the room. Our teachers made a point to discuss this with us. All the Disney Basics and Standards played a part in our smiles with Mickey. Mickey represents everything about the Disney Company. That warm fuzzy feeling is created by how all the cast members treat our guests, and that we were going to be trusted with continuing that tradition.
So I am getting over a massive head cold-I think I am the only person who could catch a cold in the summer in Florida. Sudafed and Amoxicilin for me. Finally making the turn for the better, my ears are unplugged and I can breathe out of my nose for the first time in days.
So working with the public is always fun, I learned a little bit of that working at Compuware but Disney takes it to a whole other level. We had to talk to a woman, from Spain, that it is not appropriate to be in the water park topless. I have seen 3 women who are very, very pregnant in a two piece bikini (think of laura flynn boyle at the start of Men In Black 2) and bigger girls who should not be wearing what they are...especially when hair is coming from places that it shouldn't.
Mostly though I have to explain to guests that their ticket package does not include water park access. 99% of the time I get, "Yes it does, it has the park hopper." To which I have to explain that while they do have the park hopper option that only includes the four major theme parks. They argue with me some more, tell me I'm wrong, then I send them to guests services and then I watch them walk back to the parking lot about 5 minutes later. Now, try doing that with a family that doesn't speak English!
The other thing that happens way to often is that I get fake tickets. Well, they aren't fake, but they don't work for the person who buys them. Every time a person uses their ticket they have to have their finger scanned and it links that ticket to that individual person. So if the ticket is lost or stolen and someone tries to use the ticket it will not allow them to enter. So what I get a lot of the time is a person where none of their fingers will match and it will not allow them to enter. I then look at the name on the back and if they have ID that matches then I can let them in. So I ask, "Is this you?" and they look at me and say, "No." I ask them where they got the ticket from and the most popular responses so far are, "From some guy" or, "From a gas station."
What happens is a family who is done with their vacation but still has days left on their tickets sell them to others saying that there are still days on the ticket. However, because of the disney ticket tagging system tickets are only good for that one person. Moral of the story is ONLY buy Disney tickets from Disney! If you buy the discounted tickets on the highways outside property you are probably buying used tickets and they will not work!
I am having a blast playing in the parks on my time off, and from the photos on my facebook you can tell that I pretty much spend all my free time getting pictures with characters. My next goal is to get my picture with Daisy Duck and then move on to the villains, which are hard to find! Mostly I want Jafar.
Ok, onto the more formal writing.
During the first week I attended Traditions. This is the orientation class that all new Disney cast members must take. We learned about the history of the company, the Disney Basics, and the four Disney Standards. By teaching all new cast members about the history of the company it serves to make a connection with the workers. Disney is all about creating magic and the only way that happens is if the cast members go above and beyond and one way to get them to do that is my making them feel a part of this massive company. It serves to create a sense of community and a sense of being a part of something that is bigger than the worker.
The Disney Basics is a list of characteristics that Disney wants all cast members to demonstrate. These characteristics were developed by a mass survey of park guests when asked what they think a Disney cast member should be. The basics are: I go above and beyond, I stay in character and play the part, I am courteous to all guests including children, and I project a positive image and energy. Disney wants all cast member to demonstrate these characteristics because these characteristics are what our guests are looking for and expecting from Disney cast members. The way we treat our guests is a large reason why our guests return year after year.
The four Disney Standards help us provide the best time for our guests. They are: Safety, Show, Efficiency, and Courtesy. Safety is the top standard for both guests and cast members. Show is about being "on stage" or when guests can see you, the cast member. When you are on stage you are playing the part and creating the magic. This means you are projecting a positive image and playing the part. Another example is the theming. Cast members have costumes that match the theme of the ride. Each land has music and it changes subtly as you move form land to land. You are not walking into a land that is not yours and no matter how bad of a day you are having when you are on stage you leave it behind. Efficiency is both on stage and off stage. On stage Disney is efficient by providing fast passes for their guests-allowing a guest to wait in line less. Off stage Disney is efficient in how it moves cast members around out of the public eye. This also includes having evacuation plans ready for all parks and hotels. Courtesy is projecting those Disney Basics and treating all guests like they are our family, and creating a welcoming atmosphere. This goes a long way to bringing guests back for repeat visits.
Once we learned all these standards and basics we were taken into the Magic Kingdom, on stage, and had to look for examples. We were able to talk to on stage cast members, guests, and look at the little details that a park guest may over look but still goes a long way to creating the Disney Difference. This was a fun way to reinforce what we had learned, get us out of the classroom, and give us a truly special experience-using the tunnels at the Magic Kingdom.
When we got back to the classroom we reviewed what we had seen and then there was a knock on the door. Who was it? The boss. Mickey Mouse walked in carrying a package. Mickey stayed for about 10 minutes passed out some prizes to people who answered questions about the Disney Company correctly and then had to move on. Now, the room was full of people 18 years old and up but I everyone had a huge smile on their face when Mickey was in the room. Our teachers made a point to discuss this with us. All the Disney Basics and Standards played a part in our smiles with Mickey. Mickey represents everything about the Disney Company. That warm fuzzy feeling is created by how all the cast members treat our guests, and that we were going to be trusted with continuing that tradition.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
My Costume
Well here it is, by popular demand, my costume
You know you love it. Notice my awesome black water bottle huggie on my hip!
You know you love it. Notice my awesome black water bottle huggie on my hip!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Tour of Blizzard
So I have been here over a week and I have worked exactly two days. One was the Traditions class which all cast members must take and it is an orientation for the entire Walt Disney Company. Second was the orientation for Blizzard Beach called Forecast Blizzard. It was basically a little history of the park and a park tour. It was from 8-1 and then I had two hours of online training to complete which ranged from chemical safety to how to catch the pedophile at a water park.
Tomorrow I actually start my on the job training as I will be a park greeter for Blizzard. I get two days of OJT and then I am on my own. The good part about this is that I can easily pick up extra shifts at the theme parks as a park greeter as it is the same exact job, I would only need to go get a different costume. Speaking of which mine isn't too bad-white shorts, red bahama t-shirt with Ice Gator (get it?) all of it, an optional all white hat, and a gold colored belt. I'll post photos of me in my costume soon enough.
Other than that I have just been hitting the parks and riding all the rides I want. There are basically no lines down here right now as we are entering the off-season. It will start picking up as we get closer to Halloween and then die off again, and then pick back up for Thanksgiving, die right back down after and then get crazy busy for Christmas.
Tomorrow I actually start my on the job training as I will be a park greeter for Blizzard. I get two days of OJT and then I am on my own. The good part about this is that I can easily pick up extra shifts at the theme parks as a park greeter as it is the same exact job, I would only need to go get a different costume. Speaking of which mine isn't too bad-white shorts, red bahama t-shirt with Ice Gator (get it?) all of it, an optional all white hat, and a gold colored belt. I'll post photos of me in my costume soon enough.
Other than that I have just been hitting the parks and riding all the rides I want. There are basically no lines down here right now as we are entering the off-season. It will start picking up as we get closer to Halloween and then die off again, and then pick back up for Thanksgiving, die right back down after and then get crazy busy for Christmas.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Settling In
Well I finally made it to Orlando. 1200 miles later and one car break down in Tennessee. My battery died and we had to get towed and by another one. Checked in and I am living in Chatham Square and I have already met a ton of people and made a lot of friends, and it's only been two days. I will be working front entrance at Blizzard Beach-one of Disney's water parks. I was a little disappointed because I really wanted to work in a theme park. However, I have heard it will be easy for me to pick up extra shifts doing the same exact thing at the theme parks so I will be doing that. I am determined to work at the Magic Kingdom before I leave! One of the good things about working the water park is that it is only 10-5 every single day so I will have a nice regular schedule.
Tomorrow is my Traditions class which is the Disney company's orientation class. Once I complete that class I am officially a Walt Disney Cast Member. I will get my name tag, and more importantly I will have all the Disney discounts which means getting into the parks for free. I also signed up for the Disney Leadership class.
Then I don't have anything to do until Sunday which is my Blizzard Beach orientation meeting so I have 3 days to just go and do the parks.
Here are a few photos of my apartment, which I share with three other guys.
PS Thanks Christian
Tomorrow is my Traditions class which is the Disney company's orientation class. Once I complete that class I am officially a Walt Disney Cast Member. I will get my name tag, and more importantly I will have all the Disney discounts which means getting into the parks for free. I also signed up for the Disney Leadership class.
Then I don't have anything to do until Sunday which is my Blizzard Beach orientation meeting so I have 3 days to just go and do the parks.
Here are a few photos of my apartment, which I share with three other guys.
PS Thanks Christian
Thursday, August 26, 2010
See you in January!
I leave for Florida tomorrow at 9 am. Right not I am a mix of excited, nervous, and sad to be going. Once my Mom lands safely back in Detroit I will be a lot more relaxed. A special thank you to Christian and Kat for last night. Great time with stories and laughing and it was really what I needed to calm my nerves a bit.
The plan is to get to Knoxville TN tomorrow, to Valdosta GA Saturday night and then arrive in Orlando around 1 on Sunday. I check in at Disney on Monday morning and my Mom flies back to Detroit Monday night.
So I will post again Monday night from Orlando!
The plan is to get to Knoxville TN tomorrow, to Valdosta GA Saturday night and then arrive in Orlando around 1 on Sunday. I check in at Disney on Monday morning and my Mom flies back to Detroit Monday night.
So I will post again Monday night from Orlando!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Countdown
I am only 17 days away from leaving for Orlando which will be my home for the next 4 months. As all of you know I will be there from Aug 30th-Jan7th and I have been put into Main Entrance Operations. There are 3 main jobs that fall under MEO and I won't know which one I have until I check in. So here is a little overview of what I might be doing:
1.Park Greeter-This is my top choice and what I requested once I found out I was in MEO. Basically I would work at the turnstiles of one of Disney's 4 parks. I would help people enter the park if they are having trouble with their tickets, greet everyone as they enter, and work crowd control on any possible parades that my park would have. I requested the Magic Kingdom so I would be able to work crowd control for the Main Street Electrical Parade.
2. Entrance Plaza-I would rotate my day being in the toll booth taking money when cars park in the lot, directing cars to a parking spot, driving the parking lot tram, and spieling on the tram. This one allows for many different jobs throughout the day so I would always have something new to do, but I am in the parking lot.
3. Ticket Sales. I would either be at a Disney Park or at Downtown Disney and I would sell theme park tickets to guests. Positive is that I would always be inside, but I think I would get a little bored just selling tickets for 4 months. This is the one job I hope I don't get...which probably means I will get it!
So just wanted to get this thing started. This is the first blog I have ever done so I am going to be figuring out all the cool little things I can do with it and hopefully make it look a little bit more exciting. I wanted to do this blog to share my experience with you guys!
1.Park Greeter-This is my top choice and what I requested once I found out I was in MEO. Basically I would work at the turnstiles of one of Disney's 4 parks. I would help people enter the park if they are having trouble with their tickets, greet everyone as they enter, and work crowd control on any possible parades that my park would have. I requested the Magic Kingdom so I would be able to work crowd control for the Main Street Electrical Parade.
2. Entrance Plaza-I would rotate my day being in the toll booth taking money when cars park in the lot, directing cars to a parking spot, driving the parking lot tram, and spieling on the tram. This one allows for many different jobs throughout the day so I would always have something new to do, but I am in the parking lot.
3. Ticket Sales. I would either be at a Disney Park or at Downtown Disney and I would sell theme park tickets to guests. Positive is that I would always be inside, but I think I would get a little bored just selling tickets for 4 months. This is the one job I hope I don't get...which probably means I will get it!
So just wanted to get this thing started. This is the first blog I have ever done so I am going to be figuring out all the cool little things I can do with it and hopefully make it look a little bit more exciting. I wanted to do this blog to share my experience with you guys!
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