This past week has been a ton of fun with all of the characters being dressed up for Christmas.  The guests have been even more interactive and some of the cutest kids have come through the line.  When little kids under the age of three come through the line I have to be very animated with my voice and facial expressions.  I do this especially when taking pictures so that I am able to get their attention to look at the camera.  When I can get a little kid to turn their head and smile at me I know that I was successful in what I was suppose to accomplish.  My theatre experience at Wesleyan has helped tremendously with my ability to get kids attention.  I have been able to use the projection of my voice, exuberant facial expressions, and have been able to communicate nonverbally by using my hands and my body language to get their attention.  Having been in productions prior to this was a huge help and I don't feel I would be as successful in getting kids attention if I didn't have this experience.

As this journey continues there are many experiences that will help me become a more successful person when I graduate from college and venture out into the real world.  I have learned that communication is key in any situation that may occur.  I have to use communication all day, every day when I am at work.  I am constantly communicating with the guests, the characters, and my co workers.  I have to be professional on the job which means that in order to communicate effectively I have to be clear and concise at what I am trying to get across to the guests.  This also means that my words and facial expressions need to be exuberant and over-exaggerated.  This is where my theatre and communication major has helped me tremendously.  Working in the entertainment department at Walt Disney World allows me to be creative when telling stories to the guests about the characters I am working with.  There are always little children that come through the line and all they do is ask questions.  In order for me to make them understand what I am saying I need to be clear and make what I am saying believable.  Everything is magical at Walt Disney World and part of my job is making the magic for the guests come to life.  I do this everyday whether it be putting a smile on my face, telling stories, or playing games with them that make the experience even better.

Halloween

Overview of the Past few weeks

These last few weeks have been a lot of fun but also challenging!  There are a variety of places I work at Animal Kingdom such as Boat Dock (Pooh, Eeyore, and Tigger), Camp Minnie-Mickey (Minnie, Mickey, Baloo/King Loui, Donald, Chip and Dale, and Pocahontas), Dinoland (Pluto and Goofy), and Tree of Life (Doug and Russel from UP).  This past week they decorated Camp Minnie-Mickey for Halloween.  The characters were all dressed up and they were playing creepy music to set the mood.  This was by far one of my favorite weeks to work.  The mood changed instantly with the guests and the meet and greets.  Not only was I working with great characters but dancing along to the music while doing my job was very rewarding.  I had many guests ask me where I was from and what I was doing down here.  Being able to explain my story over and over again is so satisfying.  I love being able to tell people where I come from and why I love the job I'm doing at Disney.

I've had three days that stand out to me.  These three days involved me getting random hugs and thanks from little children after visiting a character.  One little girl came up to me just the other day while working at Boat Dock.  First, she came up to me and gave me a hug, then looked me in the eyes and thanked me for a great time with Pooh, Eeyore, and Tigger, and then handed me a Mickey sticker.  She put it on my uniform and I thanked her and took a sticker out of my bag and in return handed her a Chip/Dale sticker.  She walked away absolutely gleaming with excitement.  Little things like this make me know that I'm doing my job right.  I know one meet and greet can make or break a persons day and I get to be part of this.  I am able to interact with the guests about their experiences or where they came from and how they ended up at Walt Disney World.  I am able to be the eyes and ears for the characters and be their voice throughout their interactions.  Lastly, I am able to make those magical moments and do the job I came here to do.

Make A Wish

Today was a very eye-opening day.  I had one family that had on blue t-shirts with a little boys name on them along with blue ribbons.  They told me that they were a Make A Wish family so I sent them down the exit line so that they would be first in line to meet Pooh, Eeyore, and Tigger.  When they got down to the characters a co-worker of mine asked what the ribbons stood for.  The mom told her that their one-year old son had terminal brain cancer.  I watched as this young boy met all of the characters.  Him and his families faces lit up with joy and it reminded me why I do this job every day.  No matter who the person is, the characters can make a person’s day.  They are able to experience magic and meet the characters that they have seen on tv shows or movies.  This young boy has barely had a life and probably won’t live much longer.  I am so glad I had the opportunity of being a part of a magical moment that he was able to experience at Walt Disney World, that his family will remember for a lifetime.