Tag: work

Sep 29 2007

September in a Nutshell

  • Saturday, September 29, 2007

Wow, it really has been over a month since I last updated my blog. There really has been a lot going on though that can explain my absence. As I posted in August, I have started a new role here at the Walt Disney World Resort in Walt Disney World Ticketing. After a month, I can tell you I have not been happier. I love my new role and the new opportunities that it creates. In just the short month, I have been able to do things and meet people that would never have been possible before when I was working in the Magic Kingdom.

I have also been very busy finalizing and starting the production of the Disney’s Family Holiday Celebration tickets for all Florida Site Cast Members so that has taken a bulk of my days at work plus, speaking of holiday time, I have also started going to Candlelight Cast Choir Rehearsals again. Who knew that Christmas came in September! Things are only going to get busy at work though as we go in to the next month. Notice above I said Florida Site Cast Members? Well, part of my role at Walt Disney World Ticketing is that I am responsible for the production of all Cast Member Ticket Media for the entire Walt Disney Company. We are getting ready for two large distributions that involve complimentary tickets and Main Entrance Passes for all 120,000 of my Cast Members. Can we say overtime? Busyness aside, I love the new role and couldn’t be happier.

On another note, I have also learned this week about the importance of going to the doctor when you are sick. A friend of mine hates going to the doctor and put off going till he finally went after being sick for close to 6 weeks and is now sitting in a hospital bed recovering from a severe case of pneumonia. He’s going to be alright but the recovery will take a while.

That’s my last month in a nutshell. Really not much else going on in my life like it was a few years ago when I started Webby Aquatics as a blog. I hope to start getting back in to blogging more now that I have stable hours and time.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.webbyaquatics.com/archives/2007/09/september-in-a-nutshell/

Aug 28 2007

Goodbye Magic Kingdom Update

  • Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Ok, I finally have a free moment that I can update everyone on what has been going on since I got back from France. First off, I have been working non-stop since I got back. Due to me moving a few days off for the trip, I ended up having to work almost two full weeks before my day off. It was ok though. I got some great shifts and even had the opportunity to award a night in the Cinderella Castle Suite.

This past Saturday though marked the end though to my time at the Magic Kingdom. As some of you know, I had interviewed for a position with Walt Disney World Ticketing earlier this summer. I had taken the amazing role with the Dream Squad for a hold over but still was looking forward at My Disney Career. After three years, I will no longer be working in a theme park. This week, I officially moved over to Walt Disney World Ticketing as the Ticket Fulfillment Coordinator and will be based out of an office in Celebration, FL.

After the first two days, I am really excited about the direction my career is going. I am moving to an area that seems very good on cast retention and one that will offer me lots of ways to grow and develop myself more with the company. My exact role is pretty flexible but the basics are that I will be the coordinator for all the production of tickets from physically producing them to designing them at the Walt Disney World Resort and will also help support some of the production for Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland. Like I said, I am really excited.

That’s the update in a nutshell folks. Hope to see updates more often.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.webbyaquatics.com/archives/2007/08/goodbye-magic-kingdom-update/

May 16 2007

Firefighter Tom

  • Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Well folks, it has been a long day. Between helping Frontierland Attractions with moving Big Thunder Trains to fighting fires in the Indian Village. I have had a non-stop day! Bigest excitement for the day was putting out a fire on the train tracks. Now for those of you that don’t know, the fireworks bunker/launch site is just next to the tracks so fires are a normal thing in the evenings and at no time was anyone in danger. Issue is, this one was at 11 am. Looked like it was smoldering all night. I got a call from one of the trains and was hiking out to go check it out. Once on the scene I had to remember which tee-pea the fire extinguisher was located and then attempted to put out the fire.

This is where the humor comes in. My first attempt saw the hardly ever used extinguishers hose being shot off (this is due to where it is stored. The heat and the elements had rotted the base of the hose) and me getting the water all over me. My managers Craig and Chrissi are now laughing at this point and Craig takes over once the hose is reattached while I try and try off and get all the chemicals off me and gets nice and close to get the thing out while trying to keep the hose still on the fire extinguisher. We got the fire out just as Reedy Creek Fire Dept shows up and they proceed to pull out the more manly hose to finish the job I started.

Between the fire and other issues in the day, I didn’t get a break till close to 4 (I came in at 7). So no break time for Firefighter Tom despite being successful in putting out the fire the first try! Despite all the business stuff though, today was a fun day. Not too often I get to say I am a firefighter in my role.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.webbyaquatics.com/archives/2007/05/firefighter-tom/

Apr 09 2007

5am Madness

  • Monday, April 09, 2007

So here I am sitting at work at 4:45 am. I left the Magic Kingdom at 11 last night which surprisingly was not too busy for a holiday. Coming in though reminded me of my long nights in the Emporium three years ago as I saw those Cast still stocking and working from the late night last night. Hope everyone had a great Easter. Things are going well for me with work and I am just plugging away with about 60+ hours this week and last. Here’s to coffee and energy drinks!

Permanent link to this article: https://www.webbyaquatics.com/archives/2007/04/5am-madness/

Mar 24 2007

Life Update

  • Saturday, March 24, 2007

Well, it’s been almost a month since I have moved in to my new place and I couldn’t be happier. Everything is finally all together as far as furniture goes and I am almost done unpacking the remaining boxes. I have been doing a lot more cooking now that I have a nice size kitchen and overall, I am enjoying just relaxing and hanging around my new place. I’ve even hosted a couple of dinner parties with some friends! Since I moved, I am also saving on my gas for my car and can now go almost two full weeks with out a fill up thanks to moving closer. Something to be said about a 12-minute commute to work.

Speaking of work, work is going just fine. I have elected to work some additional hours each week so I can save a few extra dollars for bills so I am averaging 45-50 hour work weeks these days. I still have my two days off of Friday/Saturday to get things done which is a bonus. Things are going to be picking up a lot in the next few weeks with the Easter Holiday arriving and Spring Break in full swing. Possible new roles on the horizon for me but I don’t want to get in to too much details until they are all finalized.

Well, Joe is on his way over and we are just going to relax at the pool or watch a movie so I’ll update everyone later this week on the new roles then.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.webbyaquatics.com/archives/2007/03/life-update/

Dec 24 2006

Waiting for Santa

  • Sunday, December 24, 2006

Ok, so it just took me an hour to get back home. Something that usually takes 15 minutes. I guess I timed my drive home with the same time that Epcot closed. Oh well. So, I am back in Florida after a full yet enjoyable two days in Minnesota. I got a chance to see my friend Anna and then got the chance to see all my family, first at Grandpa and Grandma’s party on Friday night (Thank you again Grandpa and Grandma) and then over at mom and dad’s house before I hit the plane back to Florida. I also got my first chance in three years to celebrate Christmas with my family, even if it was a day or two early.

I think it was waiting at the airport in Minneapolis yesterday that I realized that this is going to be a busy week at work. For those that have never been to Walt Disney World the week of Christmas/New Years, it is busy. We close at capacity at least once each day. So, it was while waiting for my flight to board that I looked around and saw all these families with small kids and realized that they are all going to the same place, Walt Disney World and the Magic Kingdom. My sold out flight was all following me home to Orlando. This is going to be a fun week.

Well, it’s time to head to bed and wait for Santa Claus to come. I’ve gotten most of my gifts so far but I still have a few waiting under the tree till tomorrow morning. Off to go dream of a white christmas

Permanent link to this article: https://www.webbyaquatics.com/archives/2006/12/waiting-for-santa/

Sep 30 2006

Long Time Coming

  • Saturday, September 30, 2006

I know that I have not been as diligent on my updates as I once was. I wish there was more time for me to just sit down and write again. Since I have moved from attractions to Guest Relations, I am still in the process of learning a whole new role and a new park at the same time. I have left my comfort zone of the Magic Kingdom and entered in to the entirely new world of Disney’s Animal Kingdom (DAK).

DAK is a completely new experience. The attitude is so different than MK that I don’t know where to start. Things are so much more laid back in a sense but so much more strict in another. Where the Magic Kingdom is all about the world of Fantasy, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is much more about the real world with the animals taking the leading role in our park. This is evident in several policies in place. We do not allow balloons or stickers in the park and no where can you get a drink with a lid or a straw. It’s just strange to me to not see all those lovely Mickey stickers being given out.

My training though is finally complete. Aside from the training I will be getting just by doing my new role more, I just completed my global property tour. 21 people, 1 fun bus, 3 days and 49 square miles of property to travel and see. Yes folks, we went to every hotel, every park, every restaurant, and more in three days. A lot of review for a Disney Veteran like myself but I will be the first to admit that I did learn a thing or two. Plus, I had never been to Horticulture of Holiday Services before.

Speaking of Holiday Services, this place is crazy. In this hidden warehouse, is all the Christmas decorations for the entire property include Disney Cruise Line. They spend all year just maintaining all the decorations that will begin to show up on November 1. If you ever have a chance to go on Backstage Magic or see this operation, I recommend it.

Aside from tour and work, not much else going on. Candlelight Rehearsals have started again and I am diligently going to get my 10 in before the cut off. The nice part about working DAK is that I can get out of work by 6:30pm at the latest. Nice to reconnect with that social group after almost a year with out seeing some of them. I am also in the process of finalizing my plans to head to Disneyland in a few weeks. I’ll be out there with Joe, Jeff, and Brian October 24-30. I can’t wait to go back out and am looking forward to a much needed vacation considering my last REAL vacation was the same time last year.

Well, that is the last month in a nutshell. Look for more regular updates to return soon.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.webbyaquatics.com/archives/2006/09/long-time-coming/

Aug 08 2006

Goodbye Magic Kingdom

  • Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Effective Saturday, August 26, I will no longer be with Main Street Operations at the Magic Kingdom Park. I have been at Magic Kingdom Park since May 2004 in both merchandise and operations. After nearly two and a half years, I will be leaving the Magic Kingdom to accept a new role in Guest Relations at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It’s going to be hard to say goodbye to my home away from home at Magic Kingdom but for those that know me, this is something I have been waiting for for over a year. Starting Sunday, August 27, I will be at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Stop on in and say hi.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.webbyaquatics.com/archives/2006/08/goodbye-magic-kingdom/

Aug 02 2006

Bed Time

  • Wednesday, August 02, 2006

20 hour work days are not worth the overtime and doubletime pay no matter how much the paycheck is.

This message was sent from my BlackBerry wireless handheld. This message and any reply may be short and may even include some words that are not spelled properly.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.webbyaquatics.com/archives/2006/08/bed-time/

Jun 18 2006

A Year of a Million Dreams – Coming Soon

  • Sunday, June 18, 2006

From an overnight stay inside Cinderella Castle to a Golden FASTPASS, dreams big and small will come true at Disneyland and Walt Disney World resorts during Disney’s “Year of a Million Dreams,” a first-of-its-kind celebration of the individual dreams of Disney Parks Guests.

The year-long celebration, beginning Oct. 1, 2006, at Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, will feature the debut of an incredible lineup of new attractions and entertainment at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World resorts, plus new technologies that allow Guests to customize their Disney park experience.

For more information about the “Year of a Million Dreams” celebration and the “Disney Dreams Giveaway” promotion, visit www.mydisneyparks.com.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.webbyaquatics.com/archives/2006/06/a-year-of-a-million-dreams-coming-soon/