Well, I know some of you followed my Myspace journal from the start of my College Program all the way to me becoming a full time Technician at Disney from January of last year. So some of you know what ended up happening ultimately. It's been almost a year now, so I thought I'd type a little summary of what ended up happening with everything to give some people a basic "behind the curtain" sorta viewpoint and also just to inform anyone else who was following my progress on what happened. I know some of you know some of this already, but for the sake of being complete, I'll just put it all down here:
Around October of last year at this time, I was posting about how happy I was to be accepted to the College Program for the Spring 2008 term. I mentioned how I wanted to be an Imagineer ultimately for Disney and this would put my "foot in the door." My plan was to join the College Program, then use my experience as a pyrotechnician to get on the Technician role and work my way from there.
I arrived at Disney on January 7th. It just happened to be the same day that Hollywood Studios changed its name. It was cool since I managed to get the historical "Eyes & Ears" issue that showed that and even the commemorative pin (and later a cast only litho they gave out). I moved into Chatham in a one bedroom with an older roommate from culinary. I ended up getting slotted for Epic/Drew Carey (Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular and Sounds Dangerous: Starring Drew Carey) in operations at Hollywood Studios. Needless to say, as someone who loved Disney and went there every year, this was a dream come true. It was actually happening !!! I was at Disney. Well, of course, the locals don't find Disney nearly as interesting, so you have a lot of jaded full time employees here. But needless to say, I had a lot of fun interacting with guests, entertaining people as best I could with my speil at Sounds Dangerous, and meeting some great friends along the way. Some of them were full timers that I worked with at Epic, some were other College Program students. I met some great friends around the world, and let me say this. Even on the worst days, when it was all said and done, I loved every minute of it. The 5 months on the College Program for me were some of the best times of my life and I wouldn't trade any of it away. It was VERY hard work, a lot hours, but it was ultimately fun. I got to see a lot of the "backstage" areas which of course, at first, are just incredible to be able to wander around, but after awhile, it does just become the "dingy, dirty side" of the park. I got to do and see a lot of things people would kill to do. I got a personal tour of the Epic set from Ray Eddy (the coolest Indy there and he even stars in those Geico commercials with the water craft and "great protection plan"), I got to ride Rock N Roller Coaster with the lights on 4 times in a row, and I even got to wander around Magic Kingdom before the park opened during my Leadership course. I felt things were finally headed the direction I wanted them to. I did great and got several of the "great service" cards from other cast members (I think I ended up with 7 ultimately). My area manager loved me and was willing to help me become a technician. I was networking from the start to do so and after a few interviews, on May 16th, I was hired as a full time Entertainment Technician for the Magic Kingdom.
Here's where things changed. Not right away though. First, I was super exicited that things were still working as I wanted them too. I found an apartment, had my full time job and was working quickly up the ladder. My extensive pyro experience got me put swiftly into the role. I started as a tech for the Dream Along with Mickey show. I learned different roles from running the platform that Mickey rises up on all the way to setting the pyro up on the castle and stage. I got to wander all over the place and different backstage areas at MK. Slowly, I found more and more jaded people. I didn't let that get me down, but then I started seeing things without the "pixie dust." There were a lot of people on power trips that didn't have any real power and those that did were too scared to use it because they were afraid of being "termed" (fired). I saw people who were in the same role as me, barely making more than I was who had been there for almost 10 years. I realized that, when it came down to it, behind the curtain, the magic and everything else, I was a theme park employee. Not to slight Disney, because I still love it, but I was starting to see that the Disney I knew, was not the same Disney there is today. I talked to people who had been there longer and they told me how things were much better several years ago before a lot of "outsourcing" and "cutbacks." A lot of the "Disney magic" that you see put on these days aren't even by Disney cast members. They are outsourced to other companies. A lot of the equipment we used was sub-standard or worn out (like the spots we had to use on Tink's Flight before Wishes) and the whole desire to be "the best" was not to be found. The Disney Standard that is so heavily preached was not even being practiced by Disney itself as a company. I learned and worked a LOT of the shows there (as do all techs), from Dream Along to Storytime with Belle, to Woody's Cowboy Camp and ultimately, I ended up where I wanted to be - on the Wishes crew. As a pyro, I wanted to work on one of the big end of the night fireworks shows. By this time, I was having my doubts about the company and finding that being a technician, wasn't going to help me become an Imagineer. From the ones I met as well as what I saw - I wasn't even sure I'd be happy as an Imagineer because it seems everything was compromised or a victim of budget cuts. I had a feeling I'd just be frustrated. Either way, I still had a decent paying job doing something I loved. Then, on July 27th, I injured myself. I twisted my back weird when lifting a box and hurt myself really bad. I could barely twist or bend my back. I told my crew chief and he suggested I go to Health Services (but wasn't happy about it). I went, and they gave a VERY lame exam (literally, I was sitting, she had me raise my arms, and then said, "you are fine to go back." - she didn't even LOOK or touch my back). I went back (because I had to) and they made me continue to work, which made it worse. I'm not going to go into the details of all this, but needless to say, I had to go back to Health Services and demand a doctor. I finally got to see one and he put me on restriction. This was probably the nail in the coffin for me, even though I didn't realize it at the time. They gave me the next couple of days off. Afterwards, I was supposedly scheduled for "light duty." When I got there, they had me talk to one of the tech managers. He told me I was being separated from the company due to "attendace" issues. He cited a week I took off in July (that was approved vacation that I told them I had to do WHEN I was hired as a tech) and days I missed (which all but one was due to the days they told ME to go to Health Services, the other was a minor car accident I had been in). Because it was one week before my 90 days (they restarted my 90 days when I got hired as a tech, despite the fact my "official hire date" was still January 9th), they could do it under the "at will" stuff. They then provided me with an "outside" doctor and some worker's comp pay. The doctor tricked me into saying there would be "no need to write a restriction for work" down since I wasn't working for anyone anymore, so because of that, I lost the money Disney should've been paying me because of the injury. After talking to an attorney, apparently this is seems to be a common complaint due to certain doctors being the "Disney" outside doctors. Needless to say, I was seeing the "chew you up and spit you out" mentality that a lot of other full timers had been talking about. Ultimately, I come to find out, it happened a lot and I was really a victim of the cutbacks. They just were looking for any excuse.
So, here I am now, about ready to move back to Texas and leave Florida (mainly because there isn't much job opportunity here). But do I regret any of it ? Not really. Ultimately, I still love Disney. If I ever got the opportunity to be an Imagineer so they could really see what I could do, I'd take it under the right circumstances. I got to see and do things that guests would be thousands to do. I've sat under the stage of Dream Along, I've been nearly EVERYWHERE in Cinderalla Castle, even the top tower where Tink launches from (and yes, I've walked around the Cinderalla Suite). I've walked across the rooftops of Tomorrowland setting up lights for the Pirate Princess Party, I've loaded the fireworks for Wishes, I've gotten even more lighting, electrical and pyro training, and I've gotten to spend endless time at the parks. I've got to hang out with Belle, Cinderella, Wendy, Aurora and even Maleficent. It's been a fun year, and, in other news, I met someone very special and am now married and expecting my first child (and yes, we were married first before it happened). So it wasn't a complete waste of time in the least. It was a memorable experience.
But when it's all said and done, for those thinking of going into the College Program that are thinking of going full time. Make sure you realize that when it's all said and done, the pixie dust will wear off to a point and that ultimately, it IS a theme park job. It's a lot of fun, and for any of you wanting to be a CP, I highly suggest doing one of the "advantage" programs where you stay longer. You won't want to leave under the CP program, but for many, it's just enough to give you plenty of magic for a long time without the need to go full time. For others who are full time and enjoy it, it's great and maybe I'll see you when I bring my family with me to Disney once my daughter is old enough.
Around October of last year at this time, I was posting about how happy I was to be accepted to the College Program for the Spring 2008 term. I mentioned how I wanted to be an Imagineer ultimately for Disney and this would put my "foot in the door." My plan was to join the College Program, then use my experience as a pyrotechnician to get on the Technician role and work my way from there.
I arrived at Disney on January 7th. It just happened to be the same day that Hollywood Studios changed its name. It was cool since I managed to get the historical "Eyes & Ears" issue that showed that and even the commemorative pin (and later a cast only litho they gave out). I moved into Chatham in a one bedroom with an older roommate from culinary. I ended up getting slotted for Epic/Drew Carey (Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular and Sounds Dangerous: Starring Drew Carey) in operations at Hollywood Studios. Needless to say, as someone who loved Disney and went there every year, this was a dream come true. It was actually happening !!! I was at Disney. Well, of course, the locals don't find Disney nearly as interesting, so you have a lot of jaded full time employees here. But needless to say, I had a lot of fun interacting with guests, entertaining people as best I could with my speil at Sounds Dangerous, and meeting some great friends along the way. Some of them were full timers that I worked with at Epic, some were other College Program students. I met some great friends around the world, and let me say this. Even on the worst days, when it was all said and done, I loved every minute of it. The 5 months on the College Program for me were some of the best times of my life and I wouldn't trade any of it away. It was VERY hard work, a lot hours, but it was ultimately fun. I got to see a lot of the "backstage" areas which of course, at first, are just incredible to be able to wander around, but after awhile, it does just become the "dingy, dirty side" of the park. I got to do and see a lot of things people would kill to do. I got a personal tour of the Epic set from Ray Eddy (the coolest Indy there and he even stars in those Geico commercials with the water craft and "great protection plan"), I got to ride Rock N Roller Coaster with the lights on 4 times in a row, and I even got to wander around Magic Kingdom before the park opened during my Leadership course. I felt things were finally headed the direction I wanted them to. I did great and got several of the "great service" cards from other cast members (I think I ended up with 7 ultimately). My area manager loved me and was willing to help me become a technician. I was networking from the start to do so and after a few interviews, on May 16th, I was hired as a full time Entertainment Technician for the Magic Kingdom.
Here's where things changed. Not right away though. First, I was super exicited that things were still working as I wanted them too. I found an apartment, had my full time job and was working quickly up the ladder. My extensive pyro experience got me put swiftly into the role. I started as a tech for the Dream Along with Mickey show. I learned different roles from running the platform that Mickey rises up on all the way to setting the pyro up on the castle and stage. I got to wander all over the place and different backstage areas at MK. Slowly, I found more and more jaded people. I didn't let that get me down, but then I started seeing things without the "pixie dust." There were a lot of people on power trips that didn't have any real power and those that did were too scared to use it because they were afraid of being "termed" (fired). I saw people who were in the same role as me, barely making more than I was who had been there for almost 10 years. I realized that, when it came down to it, behind the curtain, the magic and everything else, I was a theme park employee. Not to slight Disney, because I still love it, but I was starting to see that the Disney I knew, was not the same Disney there is today. I talked to people who had been there longer and they told me how things were much better several years ago before a lot of "outsourcing" and "cutbacks." A lot of the "Disney magic" that you see put on these days aren't even by Disney cast members. They are outsourced to other companies. A lot of the equipment we used was sub-standard or worn out (like the spots we had to use on Tink's Flight before Wishes) and the whole desire to be "the best" was not to be found. The Disney Standard that is so heavily preached was not even being practiced by Disney itself as a company. I learned and worked a LOT of the shows there (as do all techs), from Dream Along to Storytime with Belle, to Woody's Cowboy Camp and ultimately, I ended up where I wanted to be - on the Wishes crew. As a pyro, I wanted to work on one of the big end of the night fireworks shows. By this time, I was having my doubts about the company and finding that being a technician, wasn't going to help me become an Imagineer. From the ones I met as well as what I saw - I wasn't even sure I'd be happy as an Imagineer because it seems everything was compromised or a victim of budget cuts. I had a feeling I'd just be frustrated. Either way, I still had a decent paying job doing something I loved. Then, on July 27th, I injured myself. I twisted my back weird when lifting a box and hurt myself really bad. I could barely twist or bend my back. I told my crew chief and he suggested I go to Health Services (but wasn't happy about it). I went, and they gave a VERY lame exam (literally, I was sitting, she had me raise my arms, and then said, "you are fine to go back." - she didn't even LOOK or touch my back). I went back (because I had to) and they made me continue to work, which made it worse. I'm not going to go into the details of all this, but needless to say, I had to go back to Health Services and demand a doctor. I finally got to see one and he put me on restriction. This was probably the nail in the coffin for me, even though I didn't realize it at the time. They gave me the next couple of days off. Afterwards, I was supposedly scheduled for "light duty." When I got there, they had me talk to one of the tech managers. He told me I was being separated from the company due to "attendace" issues. He cited a week I took off in July (that was approved vacation that I told them I had to do WHEN I was hired as a tech) and days I missed (which all but one was due to the days they told ME to go to Health Services, the other was a minor car accident I had been in). Because it was one week before my 90 days (they restarted my 90 days when I got hired as a tech, despite the fact my "official hire date" was still January 9th), they could do it under the "at will" stuff. They then provided me with an "outside" doctor and some worker's comp pay. The doctor tricked me into saying there would be "no need to write a restriction for work" down since I wasn't working for anyone anymore, so because of that, I lost the money Disney should've been paying me because of the injury. After talking to an attorney, apparently this is seems to be a common complaint due to certain doctors being the "Disney" outside doctors. Needless to say, I was seeing the "chew you up and spit you out" mentality that a lot of other full timers had been talking about. Ultimately, I come to find out, it happened a lot and I was really a victim of the cutbacks. They just were looking for any excuse.
So, here I am now, about ready to move back to Texas and leave Florida (mainly because there isn't much job opportunity here). But do I regret any of it ? Not really. Ultimately, I still love Disney. If I ever got the opportunity to be an Imagineer so they could really see what I could do, I'd take it under the right circumstances. I got to see and do things that guests would be thousands to do. I've sat under the stage of Dream Along, I've been nearly EVERYWHERE in Cinderalla Castle, even the top tower where Tink launches from (and yes, I've walked around the Cinderalla Suite). I've walked across the rooftops of Tomorrowland setting up lights for the Pirate Princess Party, I've loaded the fireworks for Wishes, I've gotten even more lighting, electrical and pyro training, and I've gotten to spend endless time at the parks. I've got to hang out with Belle, Cinderella, Wendy, Aurora and even Maleficent. It's been a fun year, and, in other news, I met someone very special and am now married and expecting my first child (and yes, we were married first before it happened). So it wasn't a complete waste of time in the least. It was a memorable experience.
But when it's all said and done, for those thinking of going into the College Program that are thinking of going full time. Make sure you realize that when it's all said and done, the pixie dust will wear off to a point and that ultimately, it IS a theme park job. It's a lot of fun, and for any of you wanting to be a CP, I highly suggest doing one of the "advantage" programs where you stay longer. You won't want to leave under the CP program, but for many, it's just enough to give you plenty of magic for a long time without the need to go full time. For others who are full time and enjoy it, it's great and maybe I'll see you when I bring my family with me to Disney once my daughter is old enough.
