Detailing the Disney Experience (so far)

For our fourth Intercultural Communications assignment we were asked to write a story about your experience at Disney that could be shared with a friend or close family member that sums up some significant part of your experience in the U.S. For your reading pleasure I have posted it here, although some alterations have been made due to confidentiality of my other cast members :)

While working backstage there is always something to do; you can help clean pen and marker ink (among other stains) out of characters clothing, accessories & fur. (Stitch, Phineas and Ferb like to go crazy with autograph signing.) Or clean and organize shoes or all the drawers full of accessories, performing tights, leotards or ‘winter wear.’ There is always laundry to do whether you like it or not and you can always ask your coordinator for odd jobs or ask anyone else if they need help.

As with any company, older staff with higher seniority become ‘stuck in their ways;’ they either try to take advantage of the new CPs and ICPs and get them to do their work for them or they get lazy and don’t do any work at all. I try to stay positive, I keep away from the ‘notorious staff’ and I find myself jobs to do.

I strive to keep laundry as efficient as possible and I’m always first to start cleaning. I take it upon myself to keep the drawers and bins of clothing organized and the lines tidy for when characters or performers need help. I check costume material for safety (some accessories or clothing has wires...etc. hidden inside them and it’s our job to continuously check if they start to stick out or get sharp.) I always check if there are any characters that want to ‘take a bath’ or need brushing or re-styling.

I received a Fanatic card for helping one of my coordinators; she rarely had to work a track like an actual costuming host and was feeling “very discouraged by it.” So I offered to help her and she was very appreciative.

Whenever new ICPs come to the character room I try to go out of my way to make them feel welcome and help them out when they have questions or forget any procedures. The day before one of my co-workers started working at Fantasmic I took the time to explain the show and procedures to her, and even introduce her to the friends that perform with Mickey at the show so that she would be less intimidated.

I have taken it upon myself to try to learn from this experience as much as possible; I have made many close friends from Asia and I always treat them with the utmost respect and interest. I have taken these past months to learn how to speak Cantonese, Mandarin and some Korean as well. I’m usually the interpreter when it comes to translating between the Spanish, Chinese and Japanese speaking coordinators/cast members when they need help explaining something into English.

I have made very good friends already from China, South Korea and Japan. I have also made friends from New Zealand, England and Alaska as well as Spanish speaking friends as well. I always ask them to teach me things about their culture and lifestyles and am eager to try to news or help them cook and view their photo albums and customs.

When we were at Florida State University I volunteered to help our Macau students cook dinner for us; we made several dishes and I enjoyed having the girls teach me how to fold dumplings and what everything meant and was used for. I learned about how the cook and the uses for each food product.

During my time on the program I've taken the initiative to document my adventures for family, friends & public. I keep an online blog and YouTube channel which I post to regularly. I talk about our FSU classes, different aspects of Disney’s organizational structure & working environments (all within their code of ethics as to not get terminated.) I've had many friends, co-workers & management view my posts, being very impressed, as well as business professionals seeking me out. I even had a girl from Peru view my video and email me asking me to help explain some of the internship programs more.