Part Four: To Guest Control... and beyond!
Wednesday, June 4, 2003
by Shoshana
Lewin, MousePlanet staff writer
While it's difficult to squeeze three months of the best summer
of my life into four articles, I'm going to try. Although
my story is one of hundreds, I don't think anyone has had
an experience quite like it. So close your eyes as we go back
in time to the year of The New Tomorrowland: The Summer of
1998. — Shoshana
Well I had been enjoying my time in Fantasyland, and I thought
I would spend my entire summer there — but my scheduler had
other plans. Previously I mentioned how there was a tendency to
overschedule and how seniority was everything. So for a few days
(which coincidentally happened to be during my 20th birthday)
I was sent to help out in “The New Tomorrowland.”
The costume was nowhere near as cute as the one in Fantasyland,
but I did have the option of wearing a baseball-type cap.
My “guest control” circuit began in front of the Rocket
Rods, where I helped measure people in line and answered questions.
It was a lot of fun, until the ride kept breaking down several
times a day. It eventually got to the point later in the summer
when my job was to stand in front of the Rocket Rods and explain
that they were closed today, “but feel free to enjoy any
of out other wonderful attractions.”
I would then head over to Honey I Shrunk the Audience (HISTA),
where I helped straighten strollers, explained that there was
no height requirement (for some guests who thought they were getting
in line for Space Mountain), and tried to keep kids from running
barefoot around Cosmic Waves (an almost-impossible task).
My next stop was to the upper level of Space Mountain, where I
would answer questions and keep people from crawling on the planters.
I would first be near the top of the ramp and then would move
to the entrance to the ride. A LOT of guest control is just that
— keeping guests from doing thing that could harm them —
or cause them to sue.
Occasionally, I would have to monitor the NASA Experience —
not that exciting, but I did get to wear the radio, although
I could never figure out how to work it.
I would take my breaks where the HISTA cast took theirs, in a room
with two doors — one leading to the attraction's entrance
and the other leading to the exit. One of the coolest things about
that was that I not only got to meet the famous Maynard, I actually
had a couple on conversations with him. One time he was running
late because his car broke down — but you would never know
it because he would put on the lab coat and glasses and become
his “Professor/Mad Scientist” character.
I really enjoyed working in Tomorrowland. In many ways it was less
stressful than Fantasyland, as there were no rides to operate.
But, at the same time, I would have to play “bad guy. ”
I thought once my week in Tomorrowland had ended, I would return
to Fantasyland for the rest of the summer. I did return - but
only for a few weeks — scheduling decided I was such a good
Guest Controller that I would be working Fantasmic!
Now, I know I was the low man on the totem pole, but there were
several people who were hired after I was who remained in Fantasyland.
I don't know if I was moved because they knew I was only there
for a few weeks, or if they wanted me to experience as many different
roles as possible. In any case, for two weeks I was sent to the
Rivers of America and had the opportunity to work 20 Fantasmic!
shows.
My costume was a yellow, blue/black ensemble. The black gym shoes
and socks I had bought at the beginning of the summer were finally
used during my time in guest control. One of the coolest aspects
of working an evening event is the awesome yellow Disneyland flashlight.
I even had a holder to put it in.
There were several guest control groups for Fantasmic! each
assigned to a different area. My group met in a room under the
bridge in front of Pirates of the Caribbean. (Next time you are
in line, notice the secret door on the left.)
Our first job would be to take a raft over to Tom Sawyer's Island.
We were assigned to take down all the fencing around the front
of the island, which first involved unhooking a lot of latches
and then carrying the fences to a shed. I was really good at the
unlatching, but because of my height and lack of upper body strength,
I wasn't a very good carrier. One of my fellow CMs (whose name
I can't remember but boy did she have an attitude) said, in a
very snotty voice, “Are you injured? Because if you aren't
your should be carrying fences like everyone else.”
I looked at her and said, “I am not injured and from the looks
of things, the big, strong hulking guys are doing just fine without
me slowing them down. I should be in Fantasyland right now, but
I am here. If you have a problem with me, you can tell the manager.
Otherwise, please excuse me, I have latches to work on ”
She never said another word.
Once we cleared the fences, we had to clear the island. Some of
the CMs would return to the dock and begin the task of setting
up lights; others would stay on the island and make sure there
were no guests around. Once all the light towers were set up,
we would take turns going on dinner break. Prior to show time,
we would set up the poles and ropes, and explain to people who
were standing or sitting where they shouldn't be that they would
have to move. We would have to tell the people standing in the
front that they would have to sit once the show began, and tell
the people sitting in the back that they would have to stand once
the show started if they wanted to see anything.
Crowds can get really rowdy when it's hot. One night I had to help
break up a fight between two groups of people who were accusing
each other of swearing and calling each other names. Luckily,
there were some big “football player-looking” CMs who
were around to help me out.
Once the show began, our flashlights came on and we made sure the
guests either kept walking or took a spot behind the rope. We
had everything timed so that when Mickey said, “This is my
dream,” we were to start taking the poles and the ropes down
or — as I had to do a couple of times — make sure the
area near the Mark Twain was roped off properly so the new guests
couldn't come in until the old ones had departed. (I know its
annoying, guys, but it's done for a reason. If the rope wasn't
there, it would be chaos and people could get injured.)
After almost two weeks of this, I dreaded going to work. I wanted
to be back in Fantasyland. I missed it and I knew I didn't have
much time left. Luckily my scheduler sympathized and brought me
back for my final two weeks in the Disneyland College Program
(DLCP).
Right around this time, our coordinators told us that they would
be looking for Campus Reps to help recruit. We would have to fill
out an application and write an essay explaining why we wanted
to be reps. I turned mine in and kept my fingers crossed. I figured
my odds were pretty good as I was the only Missourian in the program.
Sure enough, a few days later I got a call that I was selected,
along with a handful of other participants to be a Disneyland
Campus Rep. I was excited, but sad, because it means our time
was coming to an end.
On my last day in Fantasyland I had asked for an early shift so
I could attend our “End of the Year Party” that night
at Aladdin's Oasis. I was put on the Snow White's Scary Adventures/Pinocchio's
Daring Journey/Casey Jr. Circus Train rotation. I wanted to end
my last day on Casey, so I had the other CMs bump around me. I
had one of the CMs take a picture of me driving the train. On
my final trip around the track, I think I cried the entire time.
I loved working at Disneyland, but I felt like I was in a dream
and my alarm was about to go off.
After turning in my costume, I changed into some nice clothes and
headed to the Team Disney Anaheim building to help bring the items
to set up for the party. We took a golf cart there and back to
Adventureland, where we set the check-in area (my department),
the video screen and the section where we'd be taking pictures
with Mickey Mouse.
After we ate and watched the video that some of the participants
had made of our summer adventure, it was time for awards. We were
asked to fill out superlatives: Nicest, funniest, most likely
to hit on a character (for some reason both of my roommates put
me down for that one), and so on.
Award after award was announced, and the winners were all from
Group Two (I was in Group One, Two would be there for another
month). Then they announced that the award for Biggest Disney
Fanatic (Female) was going to Shoshana Lewin. The whole room erupted
in applause! To this day, though, I'm not sure if part of that
wasn't because there were glad someone from Group One won something.
For the second time that day, I cried.
Here I was in a room full of people who loved Disney, and it was
like they had elected me queen. I was given my award: a paper
fan glued to a black base, which I still have on my desk.
After we left the Oasis, we headed to a special area so we could
watch - yup, you guessed it, Fantasmic! We all felt like
VIPs. Then, just before the park was about to close, a group of
us ran over to Toontown for a ride on Gadget's Go Coaster. We
got the last ride of the night. It was the perfect end to an amazing
day.
I had the most incredible summer of my life. I met incredible people,
had the chance to see Walt's apartment above the Firehouse on
Main Street, had a summer fling (more about that in a much later
story), learned the behind-the-scenes secrets of Disneyland, bought
way too much stuff, and challenged myself to do some things I
didn't think I could do.
It was hard to squeeze a whole summer into a four part series,
and there was so much I didn't even get to tell you, but some
things have to just remain a memory — although I do still
have the parking sticker on my car.
I hope you enjoyed learning about the Disneyland College Program
and I do hope they bring it back someday. Who knows? Maybe they'll
ask me to run it. Yeah, and maybe the Mighty Ducks will win the
Stanley Cup.
|
MousePlanet staff writer and former park and Disney Store cast member — and College Program alumna — Shoshana Lewin expands her areas of coverage with the start a new multi-part series for Cast Place.
For more information on opportunities in the current college program, visit the Disney College Program Web site.
Are you a CM or a former CM? I would love to hear and share your stories! E-mail me! Stories and comments you submit become property of and may be published on this site; we normally don't publish last names of current CMs, but if you wish to remain anonymous altogether or do not want me to share your stories, please let me know when you e-mail me. — Shoshana NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in reader-contributed stories do not reflect those of Cast Place or MousePlanet. CM – Cast member; company lingo for “employee.” Empowerment Evolution – The 1995 attempt by newer park management to introduce modern accountability and market forces into the stodgy Disneyland methodology and power hierarchies. The name was meant to “empower” rank and file employees by removing layers of their management, though now there are more managers than ever. TPO – Theme Park Operations; the division of the Disneyland hierarchy that actually works in the theme park itself. TDA – Team Disney Anaheim; the name of the on-site administration building. Area manager – used to be responsible for an entire land, with all business divisions in the area reporting to him. Area supervisor – the immediate boss for location supervisors who divide up a department of intelligently grouped locations. The area supervisors in turn reported to the area manager. Nowadays all supervisors and area supervisors have been replaced by managers and assistant managers — the same idea, but smaller “business units" than a department; usually just one location in fact. RFT – “A” status; a full-time hourly employee. RPT – “B” status; an hourly employee five days a week but just not quite 40 hours usually. CR – “C” status; an hourly employee who works weekends year-round and five days a week during all school holiday periods (including summer and Christmas break). CT – a part-time hourly employee who works five days a week during all school holiday periods (including summer and Christmas break). No seniority, so shifts worked are usually quite short. Locate the employment center to fill out an application, and they will call you for an interview (dress nicely, just shy of an actual suit). Once there, follow these rules, in this order of importance: 1. Smile and be very friendly. They want outgoing people.
2. Do not let the group interview throw you off balance. They want outgoing people who can “perform” a little bit.
3. Do not worry about job (in)experience. They don't care. They want friendly people, not experienced and/or hardened people.
4. Do your best to convince them you already have a Disney attitude: you want to work with people, you're a team player, and you would consider this a dream job (however, don't overdo it on the crazy-Disney-fan side either). Strike a nice balance.
5. Did I mention the importance of a smile? 
|
