As many of you know, I was accepted in Operations for the Fall 2006 college program. For my entire life, particularly the past few years, I've had nothing but tunnel vision about working for Disney. There are no other options. I cannot even begin to fathom what else I'd do, particularly here in activity-lacking Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Notably different from most other CPs is that I am married [to someone NOT participating in the CP]. My wife has been just as, if not more, excited about a move to Orlando as I was.
This weekend we had planned a trip to Orlando to find our own personal apartment for our relocation. In the meantime while we waited to go on the trip, my wife had been applying for dozens of jobs and managed to get an interview out of it. We arrived in Orlando Thursday night and immediately went to her interview scheduled for 10 AM Friday. She got the job or, rather, was offered it. At that point we were on a high and began our Orlando apartment hunt. As time progressed and everything that was beautiful on the outsite turned out to be a rat hole, our morale fell swiftly. We decided late Friday to take a break and refresh ourselves. We drove to the Contemporary and rode the monorail to Epcot and the MK Resort areas so that I could really contemplate if this is where I wanted to be.
Things are so easy to interpret from the comfort of your own home in your own state. You can say "I love Disney so much, I want to work there!" but you forget you'll lose the things that you take for granted back at home. Family, local knowledge, geographical knowledge, the higher cost of living in Orlando, the fact you sacrifice a lot to make this journey, and so on. On that same token, I realize 10,000 people move to Orlando every month and thousands of kids do the CP every semester. For some of you (and other people), the decision is easy. It's NOT a matter of "who likes Disney more," but instead a matter of who can cope with such a drastic life change more than the next guy. I am in awe now of these brave international students that come over and not only experience a new city, but an entirely new culture. My refresher trip to Disney reminded me of why I was here. It goes beyond the "vacation" feel you get for me - it's that unspoken magic you feel.
By Saturday we hadn't found a place so we spent the day looking, meanwhile trying to decide if going home and staying there was a better idea. It's so easy to just say "You know what, this isn't for us" and go home; and much harder to say "I'm going to pick up my ENTIRE life and move it to a place I know nothing about [outside of the Disney area]." For the majority of the CPs, this is a 5 month adventure and then you go home. But for a husband and wife team, you're signing a 7-12 month lease and spending loads of money that you don't have to relocate. This apartment hunting trip alone cost well over $500 and that's flying redeyes and sleeping in a trashy Motel 6. The emotional pain and turmoil we mutually experienced in Orlando this weekend was completely unanticipated. We never thought it'd be this emotionally wracking.
By Sunday we had practically given up looking for a place, and returned to the one place we had liked. The problem was the apartment doesn't open until the 26th and my CP starts only 2 days later on the 28th. On top of that, the job my wife got is in Altamonte Springs, a good 30 mins from the apartments. Despite the drawbacks, we applied. After that we went to Downtown Disney and relaxed, having a meal in the Rainforest Cafe to "celebrate" our somewhat "decision" (although if we get declined, that makes the decision for us). Again, just being "around" Disney was relieving for me. It "feels like home" and I'm just as comfortable being there as being here in Baton Rouge. It's when we're driving up I-4 or breaking out the giant map that I feel strange. Nonetheless, I realize that local knowledge will come with time and that "you'll get used to it" but it's UNTIL THEN that's a pain.
It didn't help that nearly every CM I saw looked bored to tears, uncaring, or told me some negative thing about their job when I asked. I hate that because I'd like to think I'm the CM who is nice to everyone and tries to remember to keep the experience, but I can't help but wonder if everyone eventually deteriorates to this state of "drone-ism" or "robot-like." I'd really hope not. I definently think it depends on where you are and what you're doing. For example, if I get put in a parking lot waving a light all day, I think I'd drone out. But if I was in the Haunted Mansion where I could maintain character all day or if I was somewhere I was passionate about, I would never sink to "robot-ism." Heck, I managed to avoid falling into that when I was in freakin' retail!
Now I'm home from Orlando and miss it. Just driving around here in Baton Rouge makes me want to be back there. I was just getting used to driving around and, seriously, how can having 7 theme parks, 2 water parks, 2 entertainment areas, and tons of restaurants/dinner shows in your back yard ever get old? So now I wait on the response from the one apartment we applied to. While I know the adjustment to a new city will be really hard, the worst thing that could happen is that we could come home in 7 months when the lease is up if we really thought it was that bad. I've heard a zillion negative things about Orlando this weekend (I made it a point to ask people how they liked it) but I guess I'll have to worry about that when I move.
So, what's this thread for? It's a vent and it's a "here's hoping" that other people felt apprehensive about leaving home and how long they took to adjust. I'm interested to see how other people coped with their move and whatnot.
Anywho, wish me luck on my apartment application and hopefully I can see you all in Orlando sooner than later!
This weekend we had planned a trip to Orlando to find our own personal apartment for our relocation. In the meantime while we waited to go on the trip, my wife had been applying for dozens of jobs and managed to get an interview out of it. We arrived in Orlando Thursday night and immediately went to her interview scheduled for 10 AM Friday. She got the job or, rather, was offered it. At that point we were on a high and began our Orlando apartment hunt. As time progressed and everything that was beautiful on the outsite turned out to be a rat hole, our morale fell swiftly. We decided late Friday to take a break and refresh ourselves. We drove to the Contemporary and rode the monorail to Epcot and the MK Resort areas so that I could really contemplate if this is where I wanted to be.
Things are so easy to interpret from the comfort of your own home in your own state. You can say "I love Disney so much, I want to work there!" but you forget you'll lose the things that you take for granted back at home. Family, local knowledge, geographical knowledge, the higher cost of living in Orlando, the fact you sacrifice a lot to make this journey, and so on. On that same token, I realize 10,000 people move to Orlando every month and thousands of kids do the CP every semester. For some of you (and other people), the decision is easy. It's NOT a matter of "who likes Disney more," but instead a matter of who can cope with such a drastic life change more than the next guy. I am in awe now of these brave international students that come over and not only experience a new city, but an entirely new culture. My refresher trip to Disney reminded me of why I was here. It goes beyond the "vacation" feel you get for me - it's that unspoken magic you feel.
By Saturday we hadn't found a place so we spent the day looking, meanwhile trying to decide if going home and staying there was a better idea. It's so easy to just say "You know what, this isn't for us" and go home; and much harder to say "I'm going to pick up my ENTIRE life and move it to a place I know nothing about [outside of the Disney area]." For the majority of the CPs, this is a 5 month adventure and then you go home. But for a husband and wife team, you're signing a 7-12 month lease and spending loads of money that you don't have to relocate. This apartment hunting trip alone cost well over $500 and that's flying redeyes and sleeping in a trashy Motel 6. The emotional pain and turmoil we mutually experienced in Orlando this weekend was completely unanticipated. We never thought it'd be this emotionally wracking.
By Sunday we had practically given up looking for a place, and returned to the one place we had liked. The problem was the apartment doesn't open until the 26th and my CP starts only 2 days later on the 28th. On top of that, the job my wife got is in Altamonte Springs, a good 30 mins from the apartments. Despite the drawbacks, we applied. After that we went to Downtown Disney and relaxed, having a meal in the Rainforest Cafe to "celebrate" our somewhat "decision" (although if we get declined, that makes the decision for us). Again, just being "around" Disney was relieving for me. It "feels like home" and I'm just as comfortable being there as being here in Baton Rouge. It's when we're driving up I-4 or breaking out the giant map that I feel strange. Nonetheless, I realize that local knowledge will come with time and that "you'll get used to it" but it's UNTIL THEN that's a pain.
It didn't help that nearly every CM I saw looked bored to tears, uncaring, or told me some negative thing about their job when I asked. I hate that because I'd like to think I'm the CM who is nice to everyone and tries to remember to keep the experience, but I can't help but wonder if everyone eventually deteriorates to this state of "drone-ism" or "robot-like." I'd really hope not. I definently think it depends on where you are and what you're doing. For example, if I get put in a parking lot waving a light all day, I think I'd drone out. But if I was in the Haunted Mansion where I could maintain character all day or if I was somewhere I was passionate about, I would never sink to "robot-ism." Heck, I managed to avoid falling into that when I was in freakin' retail!
Now I'm home from Orlando and miss it. Just driving around here in Baton Rouge makes me want to be back there. I was just getting used to driving around and, seriously, how can having 7 theme parks, 2 water parks, 2 entertainment areas, and tons of restaurants/dinner shows in your back yard ever get old? So now I wait on the response from the one apartment we applied to. While I know the adjustment to a new city will be really hard, the worst thing that could happen is that we could come home in 7 months when the lease is up if we really thought it was that bad. I've heard a zillion negative things about Orlando this weekend (I made it a point to ask people how they liked it) but I guess I'll have to worry about that when I move.
So, what's this thread for? It's a vent and it's a "here's hoping" that other people felt apprehensive about leaving home and how long they took to adjust. I'm interested to see how other people coped with their move and whatnot.
Anywho, wish me luck on my apartment application and hopefully I can see you all in Orlando sooner than later!
