Day 4

My first day of official training...

There are no words.

I was bombarded with all this information about the store and how to interact with guests and where everything is... I am so scared I'm going to mess something up!

First, we had to do some e-learning. I love sitting in front of a computer at 9:30 in the morning...

When that was done we went over to the store. They showed us where all the stock rooms were and fire extinguishers and offices and lifts and EVERYTHING in the backstage area. Then we went to the floor. Out in the store it was relatively calm compared to when I was there over New Year's! Some kids traded pins with us. That was fun!

Our store has 13 rooms. It is the largest character store in the WORLD. It's HUGE. We see more customers that Animal Kingdom does! Wow! So our trainers were telling us what was in every room and then there was a different name that cast members refer to it as. They told us we would probably get lost in the store at some point.

They may not have meant to, but they kind of scared me with all of this information. It was very intimidating. I don't want to mess up and get terminated.

Today was really long though. I went in at 9:30 and got done at 6. At the beginning of the day I thought "Ok so I can do this. I can work these hours." HOWEVER, at one point during the day a shift at 2am came up. The trainers then proceeded to tell my group that our store may close, but cast members work at this store 24/7. What does this mean for me? I will be working some ridiculous hours. When everyone else who works in a park gets to go home, I will be working. Yeah. Crazy.

After training, my first actual day of work starts at 3:30 in the afternoon and goes until midnight. One girl that was training with me goes until 1:30 that morning! So much for my teacher sleep schedule. That's out the window!

So after being completely overwhelmed, I made it home. My roommates were going to Epcot. I really wanted to eat and then sleep, but it was 7:00! I couldn't waste that precious time! Nor could I give up a chance to go to the park! 5 of us went to Epcot. We walked right on and rode Soarin' and then Test Track! Here are the the girls heading to Soarin'! I was SO pumped that we didn't have to wait!

It was such a great stress reliever at the end of my day. I think that's why they let us in for free to the parks. They work us like dogs, but justify it by letting us play in the parks for free... ok, I can deal with that! :)

Tomorrow I have to report back to Disney University for a class in "merchantainment" so that should be interesting. I'm so tired and my brain can't handle anymore so I'm going to bed.

Overwhelmed,
Katelyn