Ema Earns Her Ears: My Secret Walt Disney World Cast Member Diary (Earning Your Ears Book 2) (2 page)

As I sat there, in front of all the other candidates, I answered the questions posed to me with structured and detailed responses. I began to convince myself that the recruiters liked what I was telling them; I read into their tight smiles what I imagined was their excitement at finding me such a perfect candidate. I forgot that the girl next to me, poised and confident, was wearing her best suit in stark comparison to my hoodie and jeans. I was sure that I was doing well enough to be called back for the all-important second interview.

The next question sent around the horse-shoe shaped table for everyone to answer was, “Which character best describes you, and why?”

The other students were offering carefully rehearsed, falsely profound, and often just plain pretentious answers, and clearly none of what they were saying was true. One girl, for example, said: “I’m like Ariel—you know, from
The Little Mermaid
.” (Stupid, really, as if anyone in that room didn’t know what film Ariel was from, and if they didn’t know, they should have gotten up and left then.) The girl continued: “I think she best describes me because I’ve always felt like I don’t fit in anywhere, and I don’t belong, and I really feel like I want to be part of Disney’s world as much as Ariel wanted to walk on land.” I was hoping that the recruiters would ask her if she was willing to give up her rather annoying voice to be part of that world, but of course in real life such perfect replies never happen.

But now it’s coming up to my turn. I haven’t decided yet what to say. Should I try the profound approach, or should I just go with “I’m like Belle because I’ve grown up watching
Beauty and the Beast
and feel I have a real connection to her.” That might not win me the prize, but it wouldn’t disqualify me, either. Then I think,, I’m nothing like Belle, I’m strange, but not her kind of strange, my dad is kind of crazy, but again not that crazy, and I really don’t like reading that much, at least not read the same book over and over.

When it came turn, I panicked. Belle flew from my mind. I said: “I think Russell from
Up
best describes me”. Despite the funny looks and titters, I pressed on. “It’s not because my elbow and knees hurt, or because I’m secretly a Boy Scout in a hunt to find someone elderly I can assist, but it’s because I love adventures, and all things new, people and places.” The titters had stopped, and I saw from the corner of my eye some guy nodding his head in agreement. The recruiters were jotting down notes. It was a great answer, and I really should have stopped there. But I didn’t.

“Also, I do the best Russell impression.”

The guy stopped nodding his head, and the recruiters stopped taking notes. I should have noticed that and smiled sweetly. Instead, with every ounce of confidence and energy I could muster, I yelled:

“The wilderness must be explored, ka ka, RARRRRRR!”

If this wasn’t embarrassing enough, there were physical movements that went along with the words, and if you’ve seen the film you’ll understand why I laugh so much now about what I did. If you haven’t seen the film, I won’t spoil it for you—just search on YouTube for “the wilderness must be explored”.

Whether it was my amazing, yet embarrassing, impression of Russell, or that I actually gave some good answers, or maybe because they just liked me, despite the missing paperwork and all the other things I’d done wrong, I got the second interview. I swore that I wouldn’t go into that interview as unprepared as I’d gone into the first.

This is the really fun part of the process, because you’re able to let your personality shine through and not have to suffer through generic questions. Disney wants to get to know you, and they genuinely do, and they will remember you. Don’t think that they see so many people that no matter what you say you’ll just be a number, because that is not true at all. Disney wants to hire the right people, the best people, and so they spend enough time with candidates to ensure that they don’t make any mistakes.

It was November 11, 2011, the day of my second interview for my first Disney College Program. Two Disney casting recruiters came to my university from Walt Disney World. The UK recruiters introduced them to us as Jill and Mike. I had never seen people before with so much energy and who smiled as much as they did. It intimidated me, in a way, but it also motivated me to do my absolute best.

Jill and Mike were in love with England and our accents; they even did a little bit where they tried out their own English accent (which wasn’t too bad, except that it was the same stereotypical British accent that all Americans think we have). We watched the usual upbeat presentations and played a quiz game with Disney trivia questions about the parks, TV shows, films, and characters. We were then given an interview slot and sent on our way until it was our turn to come back to see the Disney recruiters. I lived just down the road from the university, so I used this time to go home, calm my nerves, and have some lunch, which I remember was a cheese and ham toasty, though I only nibbled at the edges before it made me feel sick. I ended up watching some TV to take my mind off the interview, and then, feeling that I should be doing even more to prepare, I went online to some of the Disney College Program forum and looked up answers to the common questions that candidates were asked. They hadn’t changed since the last time I looked them up.

Finally, the time came. I checked through my paperwork my last time, checked my appearance in the mirror, and off I went back to university.

I had a lovely partner who also studied events management but was a year below me, and while we were going over our paperwork the recruiters encouraged us to chat and get to know each other beforehand. This came in handy, because we could discuss answers between ourselves rather than the recruiter directing the same question to each of us in turn.

Although we each got to answer every question, it still felt like a competition. We were asked about our previous work experience; I had helped out in my parent’s tearoom, while my interview partner had run events at a pub, taken a full course load at university, and maintained a 100% attendance record. I began to feel like I might have to pull out another Russell impression.

We were also asked about our role preferences. I had ticked every role possible in the hope that I would be accepted for something, anything, although I did express my passion for drama and had made performer my number one choice. When the recruiter saw that, he asked for my height. I told him, and he immediately told me that it put me in the “dead height” category and then moved on to extol the virtues of quick service food and beverage roles, and would I enjoy working at an insanely busy location during the hot, crowded summer months. I brought up my previous experience as a waitress, and of course my interview partner then brought up hers, which was far superior to mine. The positive vibes I had felt from the recruiter at the start of the interview had now completely vanished.

Even before I walked out the door, I was forcing myself to accept that I’d be staying in England.

Ever since the disastrous (at least that’s how I saw it) second interview, I’d been downplaying the college program and soon people knew not to discuss it with me.

It was November 29, the day after my dad’s birthday and the start of my “reading week”, so I was able to go home and spend time with my family. Although I was still depressed, I was enjoying doing the usual “bits and bobs” shopping with my parents. My mum had darted across the road in front of busy traffic, leaving my dad and myself on the other side waiting for a safe opportunity to cross. As we stood there, my phone vibrated in my pocket. One vibration, and that means email. I was waiting for Disney’s decision, which they’d send me by email, but after so many days had passed, my heart no longer raced quite as much when I got new email.

But this time was different: email from Disney International Recruitment! I read it once, then read it a second time. I looked up to see my mum waiting across the road. I shouted to her—and to everyone else within earshot:

I HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED TO WORK AT DISNEY WORLD!

I didn’t even care that I had gotten Housekeeping, a role at the bottom of my priority list. I was going to be a Disney Cast Member. From that moment on, it was all about booking, planning, and excitement.

Months pass. It’s March 4, 2012 (you are probably thinking, “wow, she is really good with dates,” but honestly there are only a few dates that stick in my head, and all the rest are logged online in one of my many notebooks and diaries, and in the journal that I kept at Disney and which became the basis for this book). Also, since I’d be getting credit for my work experience at Disney World, I had to keep notes while I was there and then write a briefing paper to submit to the university upon my return. So documenting every little thing was already second nature.

Now that it had finally sunk in that I was going to work at Disney World, I began searching the internet for hours on end looking for information about what to expect. There was plenty of material for the regular college program, but not so much for the
international
college program. I decided to set up my own blog to write about it. On April 6, I posted an update creatively entitled “Update”. So many of the other Disney college program blogs I’d read were titling each post with Disney movie quotes that fitted what they were about to say, but for some reason, my creative side was holding back. I would have laughed at anyone who told me back then that in two years I’d be writing a book on my experience.

In addition to the blog, I decided to also keep a handwritten journal with the intent to submit it as an appendix to my university assessment. I found that I preferred it over the blog. My first entry, dated April 18, 2012, began in plain black ink with, “The start to my Disney journey…18 days to go.” I continued to write in the notebook, keeping track of my preparations and expectations, and even including multiple quotes from
Finding Nemo
—each in a different colored felt-tip pen, of course.

The first week after being accepted, I started googling “cute summer clothes” and pricing denim shorts and sunglasses. I wanted to buy everything straight away and begin to pack. I wrote my first to-do list before I even knew precisely what I’d have to do, but I took my best shot at it, and came up with the obvious:

• Book flights
  
• Make friends with people on my flight
  
• Research Disney housing and surrounding area
  
• Look at more Disney College Program blogs
  
• Buy shorts and sunglasses
  
• Search for vlogs on “Housekeeping”
  
• Make a bucket list
  

Looking back, I see how naïve it was of me to think that all I had to do was book a flight and show up at the gates to Disney World, where all would be taken care of. There were many, many more elements to pre-Disney preparations that never crossed my mind. Someone had told me about getting a student work visa during one of the presentations, but the excitement of being accepted by Disney made me forget such practical matters, and so I focused on making friends and making bucket lists instead of researching the visa interview process.

Reading blogs written by former Disney College Program participants was my biggest weakness; all I wanted to do was read new posts, watch YouTube videos, and learn everything I could about what to expect. My friends were growing sick of me talking about it. Soon, however, they wouldn’t have to worry, as the day of my departure was rapidly approaching, and I was already thinking of the new friends I’d be making in Orlando, all of whom would no doubt want to talk as much as I did about this grand adventure.

May 5, 2012. In just 24 hours my flight would leave England. I had already pre-booked my seat and checked in on-line. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t be able to sit next to the three other girls also bound for Disney who were on the same flight as me. One of them also attended University of Chester (not my superior interview partner, however!) and the other two went to college elsewhere, though they had come to Chester briefly for a day trip. I managed to get a seat on the same row as them, but we were separated by the aisle. Nevertheless, I was happy with this seating arrangement, because it meant I’d be close enough to them so that I could participate in the inevitable (and probably never-ending) Disney conversations as we crossed the Atlantic, but I’d also be able to relax and maybe even get in a nap. The four of us had been texting all evening before the flight, even as I tried to spend time with my mum before heading to bed early so I’d be awake and alert for the 5am flight. My dreams were of pixie dust, castles, and Mickey (no Russell, fortunately). The excitement was unbearable. I just wanted to be there already.

I had said goodbye to my brother the day before, and it was now time to say goodbye to my mum. I was a little bit sad, but mainly because I wanted to take them with me so they could enjoy America, too. I put my backpack down in the car and ran back to my mum for a second massive hug. It had to be massive, because it needed to last for three months, the duration of my program. I waved to her as I drove off.

Once on the road, I plugged in my iPod and listened to my generic Disney playlist, which meant only one thing when I had woken up a bit, and that a duet with my dad of “Under the Sea” as we drove two hours to Manchester airport. My dad unloaded my two suitcases from the car and stayed with me until the other girls arrived. We mingled for a while, as the parents discussed their Disney-crazed daughters and we laughed and squealed in excitement. When we heard the boarding announcement, there were tears all around, or almost all around, because I surprised myself by remaining composed and dry-eyed. I’m sure I looked heartless, but I knew that I’d be feeling much worse homesickness soon, and it wouldn’t do my dad any good to see me in tears right before he left me at the airport. Finally, we broke away from our parents and took the escalators upstairs, in complete silence broken only by a few final sobs.