The one about my first week! -Warning all about Disney!

I just finished my first official post-training week as a research specialist at the world's most famous theme park, and wow, do I have some stories for you all! If you're a little fuzzy as to what I do all day, I'll break it down for you. Yesterday, I asked 130 people for their zip code and if I could scan their park ticket. 10% of those people asked me why and looked very concerned-they are the same people who probably wear aluminum foil on their heads to make sure the government isn't reading their thoughts.

After I get zip codes, I collect emails in various ways so people can do a survey at home. 10% of the people ask me if I'm going to sell their email. In this instance, I don't blame them for asking actually but Disney doesn't spam so we're all good.

Then I survey people about every little last detail about their vacation and/or their experience at the Magic Kingdom.

The rest of my time is spent building up courage to approach more people so I can meet my survey quota and not get fired. I have to read the surveys verbatim so I wouldn't be surprised if someday a kid kicks me in the shin thinking I'm an animatronic robot like he saw on the Pirates ride or the Carousel of Progress, or pretty much any other Disney attraction because I do in fact sound robotic from time to time.

Anyways, I just have to say, Americans by and large are probably the most rude guests of all. Every time I talk to a guest from another country, they are so polite and say please and thank you. They reject me less when I ask them to take a survey and if they do they are all "Sorry, I'm in a terrible hurry, or I would" meanwhile Americans go "No!" and give you the "you're a waste of space" look (no lie, they do, it's like the look you give your shoe when you step on a piece of gum). I will give the American population the benefit of the doubt because they make up the majority of people I talk to so chances are greater I'll run into a rude one from time to time. And there are so many more nice ones than rude ones I suppose!

For example, I talked to the sweetest girl the other day whose dream it is to work at Disney World. She's old enough to and even moved here to do so, but is too scared to apply because she's heard some people say it ruins the magic or is not as fun as one would think. We had a great talk about it and I told her that I had the same fear and that if anything, it's just more magical, and it'll only be fun if you have the right attitude. I personally love seeing Cinderella get pop in the cafeteria and Prince Charming checking his email in the learning center, I think it's a cool/weird job perk (yes, I am a nerd, I know). I didn't tell her those example specifically because that wouldn't be keeping the magic for her but she'll see it when she's a cast member, which I'm sure she will be one day.

I had the cutest moment with a little boy riding the train the other day too. Where I do most of my work is the courtyard from the gates into the Magic Kingdom to the train station. When it's pulling into the station, the train overlooks the courtyard and a little boy, about 6, was waving at people in the courtyard but no one was waving back because no one was looking up there! But I saw him so I waved and smiled back and he got the biggest smile on his face and his wave became 10 times more enthusiastic. It honestly could have been a Disney commercial the moment was so precious.

Yesterday, a guest approached me asking for any tips I had because it was his first time to Disney World.   I started by telling him to get a first visit pin at Guest Relations then asked him if there was anything specific he wanted tips on. He then tells me he has a Walt Disney World app on his iPhone. He showed me the app and honestly, fast forward 10 years, everyone has a phone w/apps and Disney World requires 10,000 less cast members because people don't need as much help anymore, that's how good that app was! It knew everything, including wait times on rides, which I can't fathom how it knew! Think of a question you would want to know about the Magic Kingdom- it knows the answer! He even had a Magic Kingdom GPS app that told us exactly where we were standing, so I didn't even need to tell him where Guest Relations was, because he already knew by looking at the MK GPS!

Everyday I run into people that love telling me their Disney stories. I just have to hold onto positive and forget about the rude people who yell at me for my surveys being too long (yeah, that happened!) while in the meantime, never forgetting that this job is only temporary and something else will come along in time!

The One about my Other Blog

Just a quick little FYI - I started a 2nd blog about all things music. Instead of explaining it here, I'll let you read my intro blog there...

 CLICK HERE TO GO TO MY OTHER BLOG

What can I say? I guess I like to write.

And not much else is new from my last post. I got a hair cut that no one will notice. I got a cute new pair of shoes. I'm wearing them tomorrow to the concert, get excited, there will be pictures!!! Talk about a CLIFF HANGER, wow, how do you guys handle the intensity of my blog!??!!? =)

 NIGHT ALL!! Unless you're not reading this at night...then I hope you have a good morning/afternoon/day/evening/dusk/twilight/whatever

The One with the Fairies

I've been in Orlando for a little over a week and I just have to say, I am absolutely LOVING it. I feel like I have a life again! My car is fixed (for now, there may be an A/C issue that I am trying not to think about) and my eye is almost back to the 80% it was at before (I can't say it's back to 100% since it wasn't 100% or I wouldn't have been wearing contacts and wouldn't have gotten an eye infection in the first place, make sense? lol)

My job is interesting to say the least. I survey people ALL DAY LONG.....I haven't done it yet, but I will next week. So far I've only completed training. It might get a little old, but I didn't go to college to be a surveyor so I know it's only a temporary job. Whether I stay in the role for 3 months or 3 years, we'll just have to wait and see. Everyone at my new job seems so nice, I'm excited to get to know them!

Today, I went to the Magic Kingdom with my friend Garrett, who I used to work with at the Emporium. We had a blast meeting Princess Tiana and Naveen from The Princess and The Frog. They were fun characters to meet (I'll add pics later!) They did this really cool show on the Riverboat in Frontierland/Liberty Square. Very fun. We also got to meet the new boy fairy/keeper of the pixie dust, Terence!! He's in the Tinker Bell movie (voiced by Jesse McCartney, just an FYI) and for a fairy, he was pretty masculine if you ask me. It was cute, lol. In case you care, there are 6 fairies you can meet at the Magic Kingdom but only 3 are out at a time. I had met Tinker Bell (who is always there), Rosetta, Iredessa and Silevermist but never Fawn or Terence (because he is BRAND NEW) and you never know who you're gonna get to meet so needless to say I was pretty excited to arrive in Pixie Hollow (via pixie dust obviously) and see Fawn, Tink and Terence =) They were a riot too! Tink noticed Garrett has a tattoo of Peter Pan on his leg and FREAKED OUT saying Peter was trapped on his leg and she didn't want to be trapped there too because she was once trapped in a lantern and she really hated it haha. I have to appreciate a clever quick-witted character when I see one!

This week I also got to go see my favorite band from Florida, Mark & James. I first heard them when they opened for Jon McLaughlin and I've loved them ever since. They were playing an acoustic set at a restaurant in town so we went to check it out. We arrived to catch the tail end of a song, then they took a break. Not long after, a band started playing REALLY LOUD next door, making it impossible to hear Mark & James acoustically. Picture a really sad looking Allie right about here. James comes over (he knew we were there to see them, cuz let's be real, I didn't travel across town for the food that's for sure) and did like the nicest thing ever and offered to play a song of my choice in a quieter part of the place on the other side of the building. Without boring you all with all the details (like I did with the fairies, ha, sorry!), we'll just say it was one of the best times ever, being serenaded with one of my fave songs. =) I've never wanted a band to succeed more than them. If you haven't checked them out yet, what are you waiting for?! www.myspace.com/markandjames

Anyways, I have the next couple of days off, so I'm gonna relax, run some errands and figure out a way to convince myself not to be afraid of approaching people for a survey. Wednesday night is the White Tie Affair concert that I'm BEYOND excited for! I saw them open for Lady Gaga earlier this year, and now they're headlining and we have a meet-n-greet afterwards so that should be interesting!! I wonder if Sean-P will remember meeting me in line for Goofy and Pluto at Animal Kingdom haha. We'll see.


Bonus Features:
1) On my last day of training, I was walking through Tomorrowland and a bird pooped right on my head. It was SO disgusting. Apparently, it's a sign of good luck to come, but somehow I doubt it.
2) I'm SO glad the Vikings beat the Packers today! I scowled at every single person I saw wearing Packer gear today at the Magic Kingdom haha I'm kidding but I certainly didn't high-five them!
3) I'm currently listening to James Morrison
4) Ever since playing Rock Band w/ Charlie in Georgia, I really want to own it and play like ALL THE TIME. Thanks a lot Charlie! lol