Creating Magic!
Being a Walt Disney World Cast Member is a lot more than just a name tag and a smile. So many people rely on you and magic is constantly expected from you.
I have had my fair share of the good the bad and the ugly moments, but mostly I have had some of the most amazing memories I will take with me throughout my whole life.
When I say that magic is always expected of you, it's true. Disney represents hope and magic which is something a cast member has to keep the integrity of. As a cast member, we are asked an array of questions from "Where's the nearest bathroom?" to "Is Walt Disney's head really buried under the Magic Kingdom?" (No. No. This question was asked. The answer will always and forever be, NO.)
People see a lot of 'Confessions of a retired Disney Cast Member' and the articles are usually riddled with bad experiences and crazy stories. I won't lie to you, there are lots of crazy stories! But people forget about the things we do and the smiles we create.
Every day I walk into the parks and I drive past the sign that reads 'Where dreams come true' I thank the stars for where I am. I make sure that I remember that people here are a little insane but ultimately everyone wants to have fun and feel the magic. No one wants to worry about a stroller being moved or a toy breaking, but those things happen. It's my job to make sure you don't worry or have a single care. That is a very hard and stressful thing to do, keeping a level head in the 90 degrees Florida heat. We do and we do it with a smile.
Now enough with the explaining and on to the stories. Once upon a time, a little girl had a dream!
Every story starts like that right!
I will tell my favorite story first since it is my favorite. It was Christmas day, and it was COLD! I know Orlando and cold...what!! Anyway, I was cold and sad because I was missing my family but I was smiling and dancing to the Christmas music trying to keep in high spirits before the Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM Holiday Fireworks! (That should give you a clue to where I work.) I look around at all the happy families and all the excited smiles then see a little girl with her mom and brother. I overhear the mom say "We have one more." The little girl looks over at me and I smile at her. Quickly she jumps from her stroller and runs toward me with a blue envelope. She says "Thank you for working on Christmas!" Gives me a hug then runs back to her mom! The mom yells the same sentiment then they walk away. I look down at the envelope that reads "For you on Christmas" and gets a little teary-eyed and put it in my coat. Later that night I go home to my lonely little apartment with my little tree and open the envelope to see a thank you note. Inside it says thank you for working on Christmas and signed by the whole family.
It's the little things like those that make the job so amazing. The thank-yous we receive and the hugs, because it's not just the princesses who can get hugs! *hair flip*
My dream and the reason I am here to work for Disney has not yet been achieved, but I've got my foot in the door. More like my leg in the door and I am never going to give up. My fight to get to where I am today was a hard one when you say you don't want to go to college and you want to work for Disney the reaction isn't loud applause. My fight isn't over, but now I have allies and more support that I could have dreamed of.
Thank you to anyone reading this who has supported me, or even doubted me. It got me to where I am today and I wouldn't change a thing. Well, maybe one little thing...my upstairs neighbors are loud. Other than them, I am content with where I am and I am so extremely excited for what the future holds for me.
Contact me if any of you have questions about working for Disney or if you want to hear more stories. Trust me when I say I have so many stories!
xoxo
Daphnebelle
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