Training is how long?!

After getting settled into WDW Housing (Vista WAAAAAY) the training began!

I spent almost an entire MONTH in various forms of training. At the time I thought this was overkill seeing as how I would only be there for 4 months total. Looking back on it now, there was still plenty of time to work and play after I finished my training. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! Training never really ends in this role. With each new Special Event comes new training. Some training takes a day or two, some takes 30 minute before your shift starts, but you're always being given new things to learn.

After Traditions, F&B training, online training for Alcohol and Food handling, there is Conventions training. I did this mostly alone with  single trainer but it can be done in small groups as well. We walked all over Epcot, learning all the special event spaces on stage and off stage. Wear comfy shoes!!! This was actually 2-3 days total. You do the World Showcase and Future World separately. You also get to do a "van tour," which was awesome! Your trainer drives you around to the other parks, waterparks, and resorts to show you how to get in/out and where events might be held. During Conventions training I got to watch IllumiNations (A LOT) and I got to ride Soarin' after park hours with some VIP guests.

After I completed Conventions training, I figured I would get some Conventions shifts but nope! I was immediately thrown into Special Events/Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party training. This ended up being very hectic and stressful but it came in handy when I got a few more MNSSHP/Magic Kingdom shifts down the line.

Right after that training was Special Events Food and Wine training! We learned about all the different positions we could be thrown into over the course of the festival, which was a lot.

Finally! The best training day of all was our CP Welcome Day with two of our leaders who had been CP's themselves back in the day. After meeting in a Conventions boardroom and going through introductions we got in a van and went to Magic Kingdom! We were given a scavenger hunt and broken into teams. We spent the next half of the day running around Magic Kingdom doing silly things. Luckily, I had done my previous program in attractions at MK (Pirates life for me) and I was able to lead my team to victory (humble brag, humble brag)!


*Special side note: while I was completing all of this training I met Kevin, another CP Convention Guide for the Fall. He was pretty darn cute. Now he is my husband! Gotta love that Disney Magic!

 

What Even Is a Convention Guide?

What does a Convention Guide actually DO?

The description for convention guide from Disney Casting's website:
" Convention Guide
Responsibilities may include:

• Working in one or more of our theme parks, water parks, or Disney Springs™ assisting with events such as:
• Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival
• Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival
• Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party
• Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
• Other events across property
• Guest crowd control
• Escorting large groups of Guests through a park from one venue to another
• Food handling
• Securing roped off areas while keeping Convention Guests inside their venue
• Maintaining safety standards
• Standing for extended periods of time
• Walking long distances
• Working outdoors in a variety of weather conditions
• Heavy lifting "

I actually just pulled this from their website in February 2017 (almost two years after I was offered the role!). This description is shorter, yet more precise than the one I was originally given via my New Role Offer email. The original description I received was very vague and was basically along the lines of "You'll assist with special events around all parks and resorts." I also struggled with finding any other information about the role online. I went into my program not having any idea what to expect when it came to my role. Since I had done the program in attractions beforehand I was pretty prepared for housing, Casting, Traditions, costuming, etc.

Getting through housing, casting, and Traditions turned out to be more complicated than I expected. This was because Convention Guide was such a new role that no one seemed to know where I belonged. Technically, Conventions and Special Events Guides fall under Food an Beverage because Park Event Operations falls under Catering aka Food and Beverage. So I ended up tagging along with F&B through the first several days. I was the only Convention Guide for my arrival date so I felt pretty isolated and everyone looked at me funny when I told them what my role was.

Convention Guide Role! As a convention guide, you will actually be cross-trained between Conventions and Special Events (two very different departments, believe it or not). I only worked 2 or 3 Conventions shifts my entire program! So let's just say I was actually a Special Events Guide. I loved my Special Events department. This department was full of older retired couples that worked for Disney seasonally. Most of them hated us youngin's at first, but they grew to love us.

Out of the 10 CP's selected to participate in the Convention Guide role for Fall 2015, only 9 of us came and completed the program. We were a weird, but close little family.

Convention Guide and Special Event Guide costumes vary depending on what event you're working but the standard costume is the "blue stripes." Those khaki pants are NOT flattering.

To put it simply, Convention Guides are rope keepers. They set up "private" areas around the parks and resorts and guard the ropes with a special light up wand. They keep guests out of areas while events are being set up, while events are in full swing, and while events are being broken down. This role can be incredibly boring but it can also be an incredible way to meet some very special people and do some very special things.

Special Events Guides, on the other hand, are thrown into more "fast-paced" situations. Special Events are basically events that the park is putting on for guests at an additional cost to park admission, like those listed above in Disney's role description. I'll get into those in another post.

As a convention guide, you are whatever your leaders tell you are for that day! Ha! But the leaders are fabulous and they make everything brighter!

Applying and Interviewing with Walt Disney Company

Welcome!

During my last semester at University of Texas, I decided to apply for some Professional and Management Internships with the Walt Disney Company. I had previously completed a College Program at Walt Disney World in the Fall of 2012 in attractions, so I figured it would be fun to go back after graduation. Initially, I was picky and only wanted to apply to the Professional and Management internships. I got through multiple rounds of interviews, making it to the last video interview for a Management Internship in Park Operations. I began to get pretty nervous about my chances, so I decided to apply for the Disney College Program as well. In the end, I didn't get that Management Internship but I DID get accepted to the Disney College Program.

I was accepted in Main Entrance Operations for Fall 2015. I was actually very on the fence about accepting this position because it was not a role I had very much interest in and I wasn't sure it would be worth the time and effort to move to Florida (again) for it. BUT who can resist Disney?! Not me. I accepted my role, paid my fees, selected my arrival date, and picked out my future roommates. All of this was done by mid-February so I had plenty of time before my August 31 arrival date.

A couple months later I got a HUGE surprise call from Disney. They were calling to offer me, and 9 other individuals, a position as a Convention Guide for the Fall College Program. They gave me a brief description of the role and asked if I would like to accept it. I'll be honest, I had a hard time keeping my cool. This role sounded so much more up my alley. I accepted their offer on the spot. There had been one very small group of CP's to join the Park Event Operations team before my group of 10. We were the second group of CP's to get to participate in this role. We were the first group to be able to participate in this role for the Fall season.