I am New!!!

[alice in wonderland]

Hi everyone,

I am a newby. This is my first post. I am so excited to have found you. A website for Aussie Disney Fans. I am planning my return to disneyworld in Jan 2008. I have booked everything and i am staying at POP for 13 days and then going on the Disney Cruise Line for 4 nights i cant wait. This will be my first trip back since 2000. I was lucky enough to be a cast member when i was at university. I worked in the ANimal Kingdom for about 3 months. I had the time of my life and i can't wait to return.Hope to hear from you all

jess

[MarmiteOnToast]

Hi Alice

Tell me more about being a cast member! Or did you have to sign an official secrets act?

Cheers.

[alice in wonderland]

i dont remember signing anything. Maybe i did? oh well. there is no real deep and dark secrets.

I have so much to tell i dont know where to start. I saw the job advertised in the travel section of the paper in 2000. Requirements were university student 18-35 years, speaks english. As i fit all of those criteria i went to the interview and i got the job. We went to orlando on a J1 visa. We lived on disney property in the international and cast member housing. It was pretty much the truman show. All the building were identical. There were so many of them. I lived with 3 other girls and all up there were 200 australian and new zealanders.
After arriving at our new home we settled in...went to walmart...what an experience. It is like k-mart and coles put together oh and i forgot the guns!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[alice in wonderland]

This is going to be long so i thought i would break it up a bit......
We were assigned our jobs on the 2nd day. I was very lucky and i had a great job in Animal Kingdom at ODF (out door foods). (ice cream crats, hot dog carts, tarzan show popcorn etc). People worked in all different areas of the parks and resorts. Some were mickey mouse, some in the parades, one girlfriend drove the safari trucks in AK, some where burger flippers, some where in merchandise and unfortunately for some it was custodial(toilets). I rarely worked (only ever to just cover the rent) or when i went to work i always requested to be sent home early. We had free admission to all theme parks...i wanted to play!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[alice in wonderland]

There were many great things that CM got to ex[ereinece.
At the end of my time we had a graduation ceremony and our diplomas were presented to us my mickey mouse, the tunnels at MK are a fantastic place. Even though i didnt work there, and wasnt supposed to go there i still was rebellious and went. I wasnt going to miss this experience. It is amazing how easy it is to get back stage.... I am worried when i go back i especially want to go back stage to where i used to work in AK. I think ill ask a cast member, cant hurt to try. We had great discount at the resort but i only had tme to stay at Music. At christime we had 50% off merchandise and i can't forget my most favourite place of all.......Property Control. It is a massive tented area where they sell all old disney stuff from the store s to cast members. There are massive boxes of stuff like big bins of clothes, towns, snow globes, jewllery. It was amazing.I ve probably bored you to death.Sorry. once i get started i cant stop
Jess

[KeithS]

It was amazing.I ve probably bored you to death.Sorry. once i get started i cant stop

On the contrary - more, more, more!

This first-hand stuff is really interesting. It must have been an awesome experience. We are always looking for cast member stories

There are massive boxes of stuff like big bins of clothes, towns, snow globes, jewllery

Oooh...Property Control sounds dangerous - I mean, the shops themselves are already dangerous, but this just sounds REALLY dangerous!!!!! Especially for someone whose wardrobe consists of entirely Disney-branded clothing (including all my business shirts!!!!)