Day One Check In!

May 20th, 2013 --

Woke up this morning at 5AM in hopes of making it to Vista Way by 6AM, which is across the street from our Holiday Inn at Lake Buena Vista hotel. After I was ready, I walked down S. Apopka Vineland Road where Vista Way was located, and made it to exterior security gates of the complex. Since I didn't see anyone lining up for check-in at 6AM when I arrived, I decided to continue walking down Meadow Creek Drive since it was a through street. After a bit of a walk, I decided that I was there too early before 7AM (quiet hours) and went to go get some breakfast at Chik-Fil-A.


Around quarter until seven, I walked back towards Vista Way for housing check-in. I made it right in time, as many were lining up ahead of time. During my waiting, I introduced myself to the gal in front of me and her father that was with her. She introduced herself as Kelsey and we had a nice conversation throughout our time doing check-in as I we stood together for a good while. At one point while waiting in line at the security exterior, another gentleman came up and lead everyone through the Vista Way complex, letting the parents go at the clubhouse, and then heading to the Welcome Centre. From there we stood in another queue, where the moved everyone as forward as possible as to get them under the tent queue. We waited for a bit while we were given temporary nametags, then the line started where they collected our DORMS information sheets that we had printed out. The DORMS forms were previously completed online, but they wanted copies for one reason or another.

From there we were sent into a lobby, where we were given a 2013 Program Guide. The housing station took our new program guides, filling out the housing complex information including properties and apartment allocations. Since everyone thought I was previously an alumni given my past Cast Member experience, I was handed a button at some point. As my roommates were behind me, I showed Ryan and Caleb what we had been assigned and both were thoroughly excited. We then had our Housing ID photograph taken, which we received two tables after at a stand that looked like a bunch of coffee machines but turned out to be ID printers.

The housing fun continued with the handing out of apartment keys, and detailing of vehicle information which required License, Registration, and Proof of Insurance in the driver's name. Funnily enough, I received the incorrect key which went to a different apartment in the company housing as we unfortunately later found out when I was locked out. Just a note to compare key numbers indented on the keys with your roommates.

The next stop on the train to funville was to receive a sticker detailing roles, locations, traditions, PERNR numbers, and arrival/departure dates. They then handed us another I-9 form which was previously filled out and completed with the original paperwork prior to arrival. After completing the I-9 form, they informed us to hold onto it indefinitely, which I would change to be filled out at casting or printed out a later time.

We were then grouped into six people as they went through the schedule for the next few days. With these changes the program runs as follows:
Monday - Check-In Process and Casting
Tuesday - Free Day
Wednesday - Morning/Afternoon Housing Meeting
Thursday - Morning/Afternoon Traditions
Friday - First possible day of training

The program changes add an extra day (Tuesday) for one reason or another, which no explanation was provided. The stop after that was providing information regarding the Disney College Program courses during the Summer and Fall semesters provided by Disney, which the gentleman said he'd be assisting with my class. We were then handed a bag with a bunch of random materials including our bus schedule and were sent off on our way to Casting. Before we left, I found Kelsey and handed her my number while all of my roommates yelled at me to hurry up.

We ended up piling into Ryan's Van, and he drove over to casting. Since we had to arrive by 8:30 at the Welcome Center bus stop, we decided it would be simpler to just drive to Casting. There ended up being enough time to go to the apartment because we arrived very early before the rest College Programmers on the bus. While we waited in the meantime, I showed the guys the Alice in Wonderland doorknobs into casting, then the atrium with all of the gold statues. There were several Professional Internship gals that arrived, and we conversed with them for quite a while. While we were waiting I asked a gentleman walking by about his blue nametag and pin, and had a very nice conversation about how less than 1% of the company receives the nametags in addition to him having just achieved his 20th year. He then wished us the best, and hoped to see us in 20 years! At one point I asked for the nearest lavatory, which one of the nicer gentleman, Randy, opened up a door and pointed down the hall all the way. I said "Thank you, sir" as the door was closing, and he replied with "you call me Sir again and I'll kill you!".

Finally after waiting for the bus to arrive and the rest of the process at Casting to commence, which it did quite shortly enough. They walked us down the hall opposite and stood us near the elevators.Randy introduced himself, and told us about the casting process. At one point he said, "And Josh is so excited here, he's looks just about to jump out of his skin!".

As the process commenced at Casting, we were handed a packet of application forms that we had previously filled out. My packet came with my nametag attached, which I found unusual. I later found out that the reasoning behind me receiving my nametag earlier is because I have been previously trained within the past 6 months and have the Traditions bypass. After I signed my application paperwork to confirm it, I was sent to the security area. A nice lady asked me how I was doing, and took my driver's license from me to confirm everything, including my social on my piece of paper I had received. From there I was sent farther down the room, where fingerprinting was done. The gentleman doing my fingerprints had a bit of difficulty since the machine was malfunctioning, but eventually figured it out manually. He began the process, and while talking in the meantime I learned that he works in the Grand Floridian.

From there, we were sent to a smaller room, and redirected back to the main hall where we had began the process, but waiting opposite the line. I stood next to one of the other guys I knew, until Ryan showed up and we talked for a bit until Kelsey then showed up. I moved to the back of the line since I found out it was positioned in reverse, and helped Kelsey look for her housing ID which thankfully was replaced when we returned. We talked for a while, then a lady came out to take us into another hallway of rooms. She brought one extra person since she refused to "break up wonderful friendships" as she saw Kelsey and I chatting. At this point in time, Traditions times and information was given out detailing the Morning (6:45AM departure) or Afternoon (12:30PM departure) times, handing out a sheet. Since I was labeled as bypass, I wasn't given any form, and beyond anything was looking forward to Traditions. I did inquire about how Traditions groups were selected, which we later found out was divided into two Traditions groups by last names of A-M and N-Z.

They then sent us farther down the hall where we handed paperwork in for someone to file, then went to a hall with numbered rooms. A lady at the beginning of the hall directed everyone to the next available room, and had a nice conversation after joking a bit. I was assigned to room number 9, which I entered after the previous Cast Member had finished up. I sat down and the gentleman to my left complimented me on my name as his name was Josh as well. During this time Josh took the time to inform me of my specific training schedule for my park, while the lady completed my I-9 form to be turned in at the next station. Josh also answered quite a few questions that I had, and advised that I "sneak" in to Traditions. After we were done conversing and informing me of everything that I needed to know then, I went to the next queue.

Ryan ended up right behind me, so we talked for quite a bit until his "wife" showed up from behind us later in line. I then took the opportunity to speak with one of the Mechanical Engineers who was doing a Professional Internship, and was really quite nice. I wish I had more of an opportunity to speak with her. From there, we turned in our completed I-9 forms from earlier in the day which had been completed online during the final processes prior to arriving.

We then found Caleb and headed to our apartment, which Alex had already arrived at since he skipped out on Casting until later. We unloaded everyone's cars and began unpacking. Since Caleb was staying at a resort hotel, he had to go back and pick up the remainder of his items, which is when Alex went to Casting finally, then Ryan and I went to Buffalo Wild Wings for Lunch as we had to wait for both of them. When we arrived back, we unpacked more while Ryan showered, and then went off to purchase everything we needed for the apartment. We purchased perishables at Sam's Club, then it began raining while walking into Walmart. I ended up purchasing the remainder of the items I needed, and then went back to the apartment unpack everything. Caleb ended up figuring out the router since it was different from most I had seen, and finally got the wireless network setup. We spent the rest of our day unpacking everything that we had brought/purchased, then Ryan invited some friends over. Two of the girls, who are my friends, decided to both give me their Tumblrs, then rapidly closing them. I sat with the lot for a while, playing music, but then decided it was time to go to bed as it was around midnight.

Have a Magical Day!

(I'll edit this post grammatically and professionally later, it's 3AM, apologies)