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!
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