A Shining New Era is Tiptoeing Nearer for the TCD Gang

[fowlandfishmommy 10]

Sorry- I got Spirit and Silver mixed up.  They flew Silver- and hated it.  Read the reviews on Yelp and Trip Advisor.  This company has a lot of problems.

 

 

 

 

The whole airline industry has gone down the tubes as far as I'm concerned.

 

 

That's a very good guess.

 

 

Really?  So would I get paid 40% of the rack rate to stay there?

 

That sounds too good to be true, but you're the accountant.

 

 

Glad to hear you're booked!  If we don't get a trip report on here with the wizard stuff before then, then that's going to be your job.

 

 

Are you taking your boys camping there, too?  Make your reservations well in advance- we couldn't go the day we wanted to because we waited too late.

 

And I think you're right- if something happens, there will be help around.  This is a National Park, after all.

 

 

Good to see a post from you, Heidi.

 

I hope all is well with you and your family.

 

TCD

 

Yes we plan to take all 3 in a few years on that big trip.  I'd say when the youngest is 3 or 4.  (So at least 2 more years)  They'll do fine.  We'll do a few primitive tent camps before just to prepare them.  The oldest and daddy have already done it.  And we tent camped at the beach last year with a 1 year old.  :)  It was great!  

[Heidi-meetsTCD@TSM 5]

 

 

Good to see a post from you, Heidi.

 

I hope all is well with you and your family.

 

TCD

Thanks TCD!  Yes, we are all well and looking forward to our upcoming Disney trip. I keep wondering if we will bump into your cast member daughter!!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Yes we plan to take all 3 in a few years on that big trip.  I'd say when the youngest is 3 or 4.  (So at least 2 more years)  They'll do fine.  We'll do a few primitive tent camps before just to prepare them.  The oldest and daddy have already done it.  And we tent camped at the beach last year with a 1 year old.   :)  It was great!  

 

Awesome.  I hope there's a trip report!

 

Thanks TCD!  Yes, we are all well and looking forward to our upcoming Disney trip. I keep wondering if we will bump into your cast member daughter!!

 

Great to hear.  Keep your eyes open, you never know where you might find her.  In all likelihood, it will behind a cash register.

 

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

It's that time of year where the TCD girls had a little bit of time between college semesters, so it was time to pay a visit to Twin #2 over this past weekend.

 

We found her working at Mickey's of Hollywood in Hollywood Studios on Saturday night:

 

 

As a part of this new era, I am now learning the official names of the retail locations in WDW.  I never knew the name of the big gift shop in Hollywood Studios.  Now I do.

 

Oh, and here's another news flash- the Olafs on a stick are now fans!

 

On Sunday (yesterday), we found Twin #2 hard at work renting ice skates at Wandering Oaken's Trading Post in Hollywood Studios.  This is an assignment that she volunteered for, and is her favorite assignment so far:

 

 

For the record, it was about 95 degrees outside when I took that photo.  Look at her costume.  She loves it.  Going to work in a hat and sweater in August. The skate rental is just one location in the area that she works.  She also worked on the main bank of registers in the insane gift shop next door.  She's going to be at the Wandering Oaken's location for the next week, at least.

 

TCD

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

I'm surprised at the number of places they have her working.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I'm surprised at the number of places they have her working.

I am too.

 

I think it means she's doing a good job.  When they move a CM to a new place they call it being deployed.  She's been deployed to some really busy places.  I don't think they'd put her there if she wasn't doing a good job.

 

She volunteered for the Wandering Oaken's position because she thought it would be fun. So far, it has been.  She says she likes it best of any of the places she's worked up to this point.  She's already heard rumors from the managers that they may not end this at the end of the month.

 

I really enjoy watching her work.  She always has a smile on her face.  I know I wouldn't.  I am so glad that she is enjoying it.

 

TCD

 

 

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Wow.  Wandering Oaken's!  This is the first I've heard of it.  Had to Google it.  Sounds like a fun place to work.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Wow.  Wandering Oaken's!  This is the first I've heard of it.  Had to Google it.  Sounds like a fun place to work.

 

Sorry, I thought everyone would have heard about it now.

 

Wandering Oaken's Trading Post is the name of the new merchandise and interactive play area Disney opened in a soundstage next to the Toy Story Midway Mania ride in Hollywood Studios.  It just opened in July, and is supposed to only be open for the summer, with a September 1 close date.

 

You can read more about it on the Disney Parks Blog:

 

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2014/07/first-look-inside-wandering-oakens-trading-post-frozen-funland-at-disneys-hollywood-studios/

 

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/galleries/2014/07/a-journey-through-wandering-oakens-trading-post-at-disneys-hollywood-studios/#photo-3

 

TCD

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Thanks for the links!

[jjbescher 17]

It's that time of year where the TCD girls had a little bit of time between college semesters, so it was time to pay a visit to Twin #2 over this past weekend.

 

We found her working at Mickey's of Hollywood in Hollywood Studios on Saturday night:

 

 

As a part of this new era, I am now learning the official names of the retail locations in WDW.  I never knew the name of the big gift shop in Hollywood Studios.  Now I do.

 

Oh, and here's another news flash- the Olafs on a stick are now fans!

 

On Sunday (yesterday), we found Twin #2 hard at work renting ice skates at Wandering Oaken's Trading Post in Hollywood Studios.  This is an assignment that she volunteered for, and is her favorite assignment so far:

 

 

For the record, it was about 95 degrees outside when I took that photo.  Look at her costume.  She loves it.  Going to work in a hat and sweater in August. The skate rental is just one location in the area that she works.  She also worked on the main bank of registers in the insane gift shop next door.  She's going to be at the Wandering Oaken's location for the next week, at least.

 

TCD

 

Cool, I will look for her on Friday.  Hopefully she is working.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Cool, I will look for her on Friday.  Hopefully she is working.

 

If you see her, please don't distract her from work.  That is a busy place, and there are a lot of college program CM's there. She knows other DCP CM's who applied and were not accepted to work there, so she doesn't want to lose her gig. They are supposed to have fun with the guests, but no goofing off with each other, or interacting with guests unless they are selling them something. 

 

TCD

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

http://youtu.be/XJvzeNbeY44

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

http://youtu.be/XJvzeNbeY44

 

I like this one better:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpzvS0ATxB4

 

TCD

[DaveInTN 3,247]

http://youtu.be/XJvzeNbeY44

 

That is the notification tone on my phone.  One of my kids put it there.  I really need to change it. 

[alexwyattmommy 181]

So that is the first time I've seen anything from the actual movie.  Maybe I will get around to watching it all.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Looks like #2 is having a blast.

I hope my DD does the CP just so I can live vicariously thru her and get the CM discount.

And remember no stalking the FF.net kids. They are off limits.

[Lou... 3,118]

If you see her, please don't distract her from work. 

 

And remember no stalking the FF.net kids.

 

I'll be learning and touring the DHS event venues this Friday night, can I at least wave at her as I walk by. I'll be in costume.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

That is the notification tone on my phone.  One of my kids put it there.  I really need to change it. 

 

Your kids are geniuses.  I hope you don't know how to change it.

 

So that is the first time I've seen anything from the actual movie.  Maybe I will get around to watching it all.

 

I still have only seen the movie once. I keep meaning to watch it again, as I don't really know the songs, and I don't get some of the jokes they tell at the sing-a-long.

 

If you're going to WDW any time soon, you should watch it before you go.

 

Looks like #2 is having a blast.

I hope my DD does the CP just so I can live vicariously thru her and get the CM discount.

And remember no stalking the FF.net kids. They are off limits.

 

Thanks, Ray.

 

Your daughter has a ways to go, but I don't have anything but good to say about the program so far. 

 

Thanks for the no-stalking warning.

 

I'll be learning and touring the DHS event venues this Friday night, can I at least wave at her as I walk by. I'll be in costume.

 

Have we seen your new costume yet?

 

Feel free to wave at Twin #2, you are exempt from the no-stalking rule.

 

TCD

[Lou... 3,118]

Have we seen your new costume yet?

 

Yes you have.

The thread about the Luckow party at the Fort had a photo of a bunch of CMs in Kaki pants standing around doing nothing. That's what I do most of the tme and that's what I wear to do it.

 

[Momof6....aka Marty 769]

 I hate to say it, but it's good to be TCD.

 

 

I bet you don't really hate to say it that much.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I absolutely adore the sweater and hat.  If there is nothing like them for sale, they are the biggest motivation to learn to knit I have ever seen.

[Seals 111]

I'm curious about the CM outfits with her working in so many locations. Does she get them when she's assigned a working location and then return them? Or does she get to keep them? How does all that work?

Also, we were staying at a hotel in Bangor, Maine last month and the young woman working at the desk had just finished the Disney College Program. While I was sitting in the lobby she was going on and on to someone checking in about how wonderful it was and how she wished she could go back. She said she had mostly worked at Wilderness Lodge. She also said that she'd heard that as long as she worked 2 weeks out of the year she could keep all her CM benefits/discounts and that she was really going to try to do that if she couldn't go back and work there permanently. When we checked in I had been impressed with her efficient attitude and enthusiasm. Not what I was expecting at a basic Comfort Inn off the highway in Bangor, Maine. So I thought it was interesting when I later heard her talking about the DCP.

[Lou... 3,118]

She also said that she'd heard that as long as she worked 2 weeks out of the year she could keep all her CM benefits/discounts.

 

Really, even seasonal CMs have to work a lot more than that to maintain their status.

[lklasing 16]

Love the pic of your girls all together.  Also love that sweater!  Congrats on your DD doing so well!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Yes you have.

The thread about the Luckow party at the Fort had a photo of a bunch of CMs in Kaki pants standing around doing nothing. That's what I do most of the tme and that's what I wear to do it.

 

 

 

Hey-that's a really good photo.  I wonder who took it?

 

I spoke to quite a few of those special events CM's on the evening of July 5th.  Our personal favorite was a kid who lived locally and had just graduated high school.  He and his twin brother had just been hired a seasonal CM's, and this was their first assignment.  When we first met him, Twin #1 was wearing a UF shirt, and the kid told her that he would be heading up to Gainesville in August to start school there.  That led to a long conversation between them about dorms, majors, and other stuff that college kids talk about.   And, of course, the topic of having a twin had to be discussed. After that, the topic turned to this kid's role at Disney and what it entailed, and how he liked it.  Then, we discussed the specifics of what he had been instructed to do that night.  It was all very enlightening.  We ended up talking to that kid several times, including when he was guarding the wood fence on the beach to keep the riff-raff out of the private area reserved for the rich folks. This is a pretty cool role to have, and fits well with those who prefer to work as seasonal employees.

 

I bet you don't really hate to say it that much.

True.

 

I absolutely adore the sweater and hat.  If there is nothing like them for sale, they are the biggest motivation to learn to knit I have ever seen.

I think those items are pretty cool, too. I haven't seen a lot of sweaters for sale around WDW. I'll bet these end up in the CM store whenever the Wandering Oaken's Trading Post is finally shut down.

 

I may have heard this wrong, but Mrs. TCD told me that Twin #2 told her that there was a tag in the sweater indicating that it was made by Land's End.

 

 

I'm curious about the CM outfits with her working in so many locations. Does she get them when she's assigned a working location and then return them? Or does she get to keep them? How does all that work?

That's a good question, and I can provide you with a bit of an answer, but I don't know all the details. What I do know is that there is a big warehouse behind the MK where CM's go to pick up their uniforms. As far as I know, there's just this one location, and they all have to go there to get them. Can you imagine the logistics of operating a place that has to provide thousands of different uniforms for people of all shapes and sizes every single day?

From what I understand, CM's have the option of cleaning and pressing their own uniforms, or they can visit the warehouse had exchange a couple of uniforms at a time for clean and pressed ones. Some of the College Program apartments have washers and dryers in the units, but Twin #2 is not in one of those. So, she visits the warehouse several times a week to get the uniforms she needs. I guess they are checked out with the CM ID, and the CM's can be charged for not returning them.

 

Also, we were staying at a hotel in Bangor, Maine last month and the young woman working at the desk had just finished the Disney College Program. While I was sitting in the lobby she was going on and on to someone checking in about how wonderful it was and how she wished she could go back. She said she had mostly worked at Wilderness Lodge. She also said that she'd heard that as long as she worked 2 weeks out of the year she could keep all her CM benefits/discounts and that she was really going to try to do that if she couldn't go back and work there permanently. When we checked in I had been impressed with her efficient attitude and enthusiasm. Not what I was expecting at a basic Comfort Inn off the highway in Bangor, Maine. So I thought it was interesting when I later heard her talking about the DCP.

That's a cool story. Like Lou says below, it sounds like that young lady was talking about becoming a seasonal employee. I believe that the number of work hours required to maintain this status used to be lower than it is now. It's definitely more than two weeks. I think now, a seasonal employee has to work something like 160 hours a year to maintain seasonal employee status. The problem for college kids is that housing is not provided for seasonal employees.

 

 

Really, even seasonal CMs have to work a lot more than that to maintain their status.

Right. I don't think there's anything below Seasonal status.

 

 

Love the pic of your girls all together.  Also love that sweater!  Congrats on your DD doing so well!

Thanks. Unfortunately, they are only together at the same time a few times a year now. But, it's really nice when they do get together. Like all siblings, there were times when they used to get on each other's nerves. That doesn't happen anymore.  Well, most of the time it doesn't.

TCD

[Seals 111]

 

 That's a good question, and I can provide you with a bit of an answer, but I don't know all the details. What I do know is that there is a big warehouse behind the MK where CM's go to pick up their uniforms. As far as I know, there's just this one location, and they all have to go there to get them. Can you imagine the logistics of operating a place that has to provide thousands of different uniforms for people of all shapes and sizes every single day?

From what I understand, CM's have the option of cleaning and pressing their own uniforms, or they can visit the warehouse had exchange a couple of uniforms at a time for clean and pressed ones. Some of the College Program apartments have washers and dryers in the units, but Twin #2 is not in one of those. So, she visits the warehouse several times a week to get the uniforms she needs. I guess they are checked out with the CM ID, and the CM's can be charged for not returning them.

 

That's a cool story. Like Lou says below, it sounds like that young lady was talking about becoming a seasonal employee. I believe that the number of work hours required to maintain this status used to be lower than it is now. It's definitely more than two weeks. I think now, a seasonal employee has to work something like 160 hours a year to maintain seasonal employee status. The problem for college kids is that housing is not provided for seasonal employees.

 

 

Even if I had a washer and dryer I think I'd just check out a clean and pressed uniform. Who wants to have to do more laundry than necessary at any time and particularly at Disney.

 

Yeah, I remembered the part about the 2 weeks because it seemed so unlikely. She was really excited about it. I feel sorry for her when she finds out the truth. But I hope she does get to go back.