Q&A. In which I both ask and answer the questions.

If you are reading this, chances are you know I was in Disney World all summer.
If you asked me, "How was it?", chances are I said one word: crazy.

There is a simple explanation for that.  And that explanation is that it is not a simple explanation for me to really explain to you what Florida was like.  It is unfair to label an entire summer as either "good" or "bad."  Because there are parts of both.  So, for your benefit, below I have answered all of the common questions I have been getting, the way that I would like to have answered them.  Hopefully, this will give you a better idea of what my summer was like working for the Mouse.

Question 1: Was it so much fun?

When I had time to have fun, yes.  But I didn't have that much time.  I worked six days a week, anywhere between 6pm and 3am.  And the bus system was really terrible; it took me about an hour to get to and from work, or anywhere else. Therefore, it was tricky to go somewhere during the day and make it home in time for work.  And it was hard to find people to do anything with - my roommates (shout out to them - they are fantastical beings) usually worked daytimes, while I worked nights.

On my day off, though, or when my roommates were home and I had a decent shift, we did have a lot of fun.  We went to the Disney parks (yes, this does mean I was there almost every single day), frolicked around Universal Studios (Harry Potter world included, duh - "Harry Potter has come to Florida"), dabbled a bit in the water parks, moseyed on over to Downtown Disney to catch a movie and eat at Earl of Sandwich (a sandwich portal to the heavens), engaged in Bananagrams battles (If anyone has this game and wants to play, I will come.  Like, any day.  At any time.  I am that obsessed.), disguised ourselves as rich pretentious guests of the Grand Floridian Hotel or the Polynesian so we could use their pool, or hung out with our good friend, Netflix.  Yes, we did have fun.

Question 2: Did you get into the parks for free?

Yessir.  I had a pass to let myself into the parks every single solitary day of my program.  I can guarantee I have been on Space Mountain more times than anyone you know.

Question 3: Would you do it again?

No.  Once was enough for me.  A lot of people who go there never want to leave - there was one girl I worked with who had just finished her second 6-month program, and was becoming a full-time employee.  But that is not the life for me.  Especially in that disgusting Florida weather.  It makes me vomit a little in the back of my throat just thinking about it.  In Florida, it feels like you are camping.  All.  The.  Time.  You can't escape the humidity (which, may I add, was often above 100%.  Will someone PLEASE explain to me how the air can be more than 100% water without me actually being submerged in a swimming pool?  How is this even possible?).  I hear Texas is exactly the same.  So for future reference, you can check those two states off your list of places at which I may someday take up residence.  You know, that list that you obviously have.

Question 4: What was your favorite part?

Easily when my family came to visit.  I was looking forward to that from the moment they bought their airline tickets (which, actually, were standby tickets, and they had no idea which flight they were going to get on.  Do you know how difficult it is to be the travel agent for six people who don't know WHEN they will arrive?  Good thing I can handle that).

Consequently, this made the week after they left the hardest part of my program.  I had been telling myself for the month prior to their arrival, that I just had to make it to the week that they were coming, then I would be able to spend the whole week with them, then the program would basically be finished.   It felt like I was stuck in limbo for six days.

Let me tell you - the reason you love Disney World is because of the memories associated with the Disney brand as a whole.  And most of those memories involve your family.  Disney World really was created for families.  It is hard to really enjoy it in the same way when you are by yourself or with people you just met.

Question 5: Would you recommend the program?

It depends on the person.  Some people would absolutely love it.  The main reason I didn't really like it was because of my job hours.  But the only reason I worked so late was because I worked on Main Street.  Main Street is open 40 minutes later than the rest of the Magic Kingdom, which is also the park that is open the latest.  Most people I knew did not have to work that late.  So for a lot of people, it turns out to be a great job.  Especially if you are in entertainment - they treat you like royalty.  If you get accepted for entertainment, GO.

Question 6: What did you actually do?

I worked at the most glamorous of all places on Disney property - Casey's Corner.  What do you mean the name doesn't sound glamorous?  Oh, I suppose now you are going to tell me that the hot dogs we served were mediocre at best and incredibly overpriced?  Okay, you win.  It's true - I worked at the hot dog place.  And yes, I wore a baseball uniform, complete with pinstriped knickers, knee-high socks, and a baseball cap.  Quite the ridiculous getup.  And I sold people hot dogs for the incredibly low price of $5.30 each.  For just a plain ol' hot dog.  Sometimes I felt like a despicable human being.

Question 7: Do you never want to go back to Disney World again?

False.  I would love to go back again.  However, I would need to wait.  It's like when you hear your favorite song on the radio.  Over and over again.  And you want to rip your own ears off.  And you swear to yourself that you will never listen to that song again.  But a month later, you hear it again and happily sing along to all the words.  Even though it isn't the same as before, you still can't help but love it.  Cuz it is the best, that's why.

Now I want to talk about those questions you were probably thinking but didn't want to ask.  You should probably get up and stretch or something, though.  You have got to be tired of reading by now.  I don't know how you made it this far.

Question 1: Wait, you were in Florida all summer?

Uh, yeah, apparently you didn't get the memo.

Question 2: Why did you go?

Because someone called me and said, "Hey, you want to come work in Florida all summer and we will pay you and you get to go to the parks every day and everyone there is so happy all the time and you will just LOVE it!" (in a fake, high-pitched voice, obviously).  What the heck would YOU do in a situation like that?  Gosh!

Question 3: Why do you have such a bad attitude about all this?  Don't you think if you had been more positive, things would have worked out better?

You don't know me!  You weren't there! You don't know my life!  Get off my back!  I'm upset.

Question 4: Why didn't you just come home?

Why is it any of your business anyway???

Now you know why you didn't ask those questions.

Finally, I am going to describe some of the things you wouldn't have known to ask, but I would have liked to talk about.  And this is the good stuff, in my opinion.  So prepare to be rewarded for the time you will never get back from reading the novel of a post that this is.

Question 1: What were the people like?

There were three different groups of people: (1) the people I worked for, (2) the people I worked with, (3) the people who watched me work, AKA the "guests."

         1.  Not the most awesome of all the people I've met in the world.  They weren't super concerned with treating us like real people as much as cheap labor.  Which we were, so I guess that's fair.  But for example, sometimes they would ask us to make some food for them so they could "quality control" it.  In other words, so they could eat dinner.  And the messed up part - we weren't allowed to eat ANYTHING ourselves.  And we didn't even get a discount on the food we spent all day making.  We were expected to pay the same prices as the guests on vacation.  We could get terminated on the spot for being caught.  Which probably wouldn't have been a problem, actually, because the managers had no idea who I was anyway.  During one of my last days working, one of them asked me if I was new.

         2.  The people I worked with were my favorite part of the whole program.  I met people from all over the world.  I had friends from Singapore, Brazil, Thailand, Japan, Puerto Rico, France, Turkey, the Bahamas, Australia, Jamaica, Guatemala, Ecuador, Columbia, Haiti, England, New Zealand, and from everywhere in the United States: from Alaska, to Hawaii, to Florida.  These people were absolutely incredible.  They all had something unique to offer.  It made me really understand and appreciate the individuality of each person.  What amazing friends I made :)

         3. Sometimes the guests were really nice.  They really appreciated the exceptional service we provided.  But some of the guests were not very nice, and thought that all Disney employees were robots, with the lifelong dream of working for Disney (I realize robots don't have dreams - just go with it).  They assumed that we had finally reached our life-long goal, and that really they were doing us a great service by asking us to do things for them.  Then there were the self-entitled guests that were under the impression that they were the only one who paid thousands of dollars to be there, and that we should pay special attention to them only.  And give them free stuff.  Then there were the less-than-intelligent guests who said things like, "do you work here?", when I was clearly an employee (remember the outfit I was wearing? "No sir, I just wear this for fun.")  But I don't blame those people.  As part of admission I am pretty sure Disney charges 10 I.Q. points.  I saw and heard some really dumb things this summer...  There were also the angry guests, who expected me to make food magically appear within one minute of them getting in line, because they didn't want to miss the firework show.  Yeah, lady, because I was the one who forgot to feed your kids before 10 pm.  And I didn't ask you to come here.  YOU got in MY line.  So you can wait.  Finally, there were the international guests.  For some reason, they believe that as part of our Disney brainwashing/training, we are taught the languages of the world.  So they proceed to talk to you in fluent, unbroken Spanish/Portuguese.  Um, I'm from Utah.  What part of me suggests that I will understand you?  Eventually, we compromised with the Brazilians.  They would order a "hotch doggie con una coca," and I would provide them with a hot dog and a coke.

Question 2: Did you have any missionary experiences?

Yes.  Quite a few people were interested in learning about Mormonism.  It was an awesome experience for myself, because my religion is so important to me that it means a lot when other people take a genuine interest in it.  Plus, it makes me so incredibly happy, and I would love nothing more than for my friends that I care so much about to be able to share in that happiness.  If any of you happen to be reading, feel free to ask me questions any time!  I would love to answer them :)

Question 3: What made it all worth it?

I learned so much.  I learned how to appreciate all that I have, especially my relationship with my family.  I learned about myself, about my religion, and about other cultures.  There is so much the world can teach you.  But you have to experience it.  There's only so much that can be taught in a classroom.

I want to apologize to some of you for giving you the wrong impression, that I hated Disney World.  I really didn't.  It was just not the experience you or me would have thought it to be.  It wasn't all pixie dust and fireworks (although, let's be honest, there were a LOT of fireworks), but it was the perfect experience for me.  As for other people interested in the program, I will say this;

If you work in Disney World, chances are you will have fun.  Chances are, you will want to go back.  But there is no chance you will come back home the same person you were when you left.  And maybe that's the real magic.


*Sorry about the lack of pictures.  And the overload of words.  But hey, if you really cared, you wouldn't have read all the way to here.  Honestly, I am impressed by your dedication.  And here is a little secret I am telling just to you - I am going am working on a post about the "Disney Secrets" that will be finished soon :)