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[wdwmagic]

Re: Thabo?

Originally posted by Ryan
Thabo is at the Animal Kingdom? I did not know that. WOW! I guess I'm going to have to make it down there and see him. He was on the Fellowship program and it's good to know that he is doing a great job. He was always a nice guy and always willing to help someone out. Where was he working at? Which department? BTW: How is the AK lodge? Is it all they made it up to be? Similar to the Wilderness Lodge? Food?

Ryan

Thabo is the main man at Animal Kingdom Lodge. He hangs around the lobby as a cultural rep of Africa. He also greets you as you arrive at the Resort. He worked some bizarre hours, I would see him in the morning at aropund 9am, then when we got back from the parks at midnight or so, he woulds till be there!
AK Lodge is pretty awesome, WDI did a great job on it. It is the closest resort yet to being a themepark in itself!
The check in CMs could do with learning the Disney way, but the african CMs were fantastic.

 

[wdwmagic]

Originally posted by Maria
Wow! It´s a small world after all!!
Yeah... I know him! He was in our group! I knew he was in Orlando but wasn´t sure where exactly. Thanks for the update Steve! Yeah...he is in a pic with us at the Wall in Washington, in our "final" trip. (the whole group went to NY and DC after the graduation.... aaaawww great memories...!)

WOw. What did he do at WDW when he was in your group?

 

[wdwmagic]

Re: Thabo?

Originally posted by Ryan
Thabo is at the Animal Kingdom? I did not know that. WOW! I guess I'm going to have to make it down there and see him. He was on the Fellowship program and it's good to know that he is doing a great job. He was always a nice guy and always willing to help someone out. Where was he working at? Which department? BTW: How is the AK lodge? Is it all they made it up to be? Similar to the Wilderness Lodge? Food?

Ryan

PS. Ryan - did you ever work Great Movie Ride? (just looking at your signature)

 

[jazcatsnh]

Maria

They cancelled it? Why? We had met many people before from that program (I think) or the one associated with each countries pavilion. Seemed like a win win for them and the CM's?

 

[Maria]

They cancelled the fellowship program -as far as I know- because of budget cut offs. It was an expensive program for Disney. The ambassadors wouldn´t only work inside the pavillions but also outside the park for school visits, special events, conventions, etc.

The people you see in the pavillions are called "cultural representatives" and they work in merchandise/attractions or food and beverage in their pavillions.

The fellowship Ambassadors were in a rotation of positions; for instance, I worked "Holidays around the world" escorting the Three kings on each presentation, special events like Koffi Annan´s visit, Food and Wine Festival, as a greeter around the park, giving "guided tours" of our pavillions, etc. for the first three months of my contract. Then the next three months, I learned merchandising and the boat ride at the mexican pavillion, and the rest of the contract I went outside the pavillion again to work in special events in and out of the park. Then I extended my contract 3 more months and worked in Guest Relations until december 99 when I had to come back home because the working visa expired.

If you ask me, it was a very interesting program. We had to make presentations of our country to students, to fellow castmembers, and in order to finish the program, each country had to make a whole seminar and show your country and costumes for 6 hours. We learned so much from each other! I will always remember the Croatian, African, Japanese presentations, just to name a few...

The castmembers chosen for that program had to be very outgoing and proud of their heritage, and willing to show the world about their homeland. There were only from 2-4 castmembers per country (average) doing the fellowship program. It was a very competitive one. At the end of the program, Disney would sponsor a big amount of a trip to DC. We extended it to NY too, and it was a great experience.

To answer your question Steve, Thabo did the same as me, worked in the African Outpost, did "special events" rotation, (we both shook hands with Koffi Annan when he visited Epcot!) and some other stuff... we were always needed!

Ok... I already wrote a lot! Sorry.... but this was the best time of my life!

 

[Ryan]

Re: Re: Thabo?

Originally posted by wdwmagic


PS. Ryan - did you ever work Great Movie Ride? (just looking at your signature)

Who me???? Would I ever do anything like that? heheheh "Someone blew up the bank? Just a moment folks...I have to go see what's going on." "Why, we're over the rainbow. One of the greatest movies of all time." "You have no power here. Be gone less someone drops a house on you too."

I can put the whole script on this forum if you would like me to. Most people get bored after the bugsy berkly scene. Did you ever wonder how we met the vehicle again in the Anubus scene? Ancient Chinese Secret! Ask Maria if I ever worked at GMR. lol

 

[Maria]

He was the best one!