The Dream Begins Part 1: Bloom Where You're Planted

 “There's really no secret about our approach. We keep moving forward - opening up new doors and doing new things - because we're curious. And curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. We're always exploring and experimenting.” –Walt Disney

Nothing really hit me until the week before Check-In. Suddenly all of the anxiety hit me. My excitement was suppressed by a blanket of fear. Suddenly I felt the pressure of living away from any family, starting fresh with practically nothing, and working hard for seven months straight with little to no contact with the outside world. I became rather acquainted with my tears. I began to wonder what I had gotten myself into. All of the “what ifs” flew at me constantly like darts to a dartboard. To put it shortly: I was terrified.

There was, however, no way that I would let myself turn back!! Although I was afraid, I knew that the happiness I would receive from this assignment would be more than worth any moments of doubt or fear. As I boarded my two connecting flights to Orlando, I listened to music to keep myself calm. That is when the magic began.

As my flight to Orlando prepared for landing, “I See the Light” from Disney’s Tangled started playing on my iPhone. I have, throughout this whole experience, been comparing myself to Rapunzel, feeling as if I have watched “the floating lights” from a distance and now finally get to experience seeing them in person. I looked out the window of the airplane at the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen, letting the beautiful music and lyrics of the song take me on an unforgettable journey. Thousands of twinkling lights sparkled below me as streetlamps and other lights were turned on. I knew, without a doubt, “I’m where I’m meant to be.” My eyes brimmed with tears as I felt, for the first time, like I belonged here at the Program.

As “I See the Light” ended, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to listen to my favorite movie score of all time, “Waiting for the Lights,” also from Disney’s tangled.

As the musical lift at 2:10 came, I could no longer hold in the tears. It suddenly hit me. Hard.

I AM IN ORLANDO.

Goosebumps overcame my entire body as I looked at the beautiful masses below, which now appeared fuzzy because of the fluid that distorted my vision.

However, these weren’t the only magical experiences that I witnessed while on the flight. I wanted my final song while on the flight to be the finale from Fantasmic! (which is my favorite Disney Parks show of ALL TIME—but don’t even get me STARTED on Wishes. I keep that one in a completely different category because I love it every bit as much as I love Fantasmic!).

“Dreams are make believe until they all come true.” The plane’s wheels landed on the ground below exactly where the music picks up at 1:35. As the plane drove along before coming to a halt, I imagined all of the magic that I would witness and create at Walt Disney World. Mickey seemed to speak directly to me when he said “Some imagination, huh?” which once again brought me to tears, knowing now that this wonderful mouse is my boss. The plane stopped EXACTLY when the music of Fantasmic! had ended. I felt as if I had just had the most magical experience of my life. It’s incredible how music speaks to us, isn’t it?

At the airport, I met up with my roommate Kira. We had planned with our other two roommates, Amanda and Allison, to stay the night at a Disney resort—the Port Orleans Resort. This was a WONDERFUL idea because we didn’t have to worry about paying for transportation or traveling alone thanks to the Magical Express, not to mention not having to worry about our luggage. PLUS, we each got a free MagicBand out of the experience (mine is pink and says “Princess” on it, of course)!

We arrived at the beautiful Port Orleans French Quarter and met up with our other two roommates. I had met everyone before, but this was the first time that all four of us had been able to be together! Let’s just say we immediately became best friends. (I’m going to make a note here that no, we did not OFFICIALLY know our roommates yet, but we had been told multiple times that Disney makes it a priority to put people with those that they request to be their roommates. So although these girls weren’t OFFICIALLY my roommates yet, I just refer to them here as such to simplify things.)

After a very fun and exhausting day, we finally went to sleep only to awake very early the next morning. We had a taxi Subaru take ourselves and our luggage to Vista Way, where Allison had a check-in time of 8-9 a.m. The rest of us didn’t have check-in until 11 a.m., but we didn’t want to split up and make Allison travel on her own! We were afraid, however, that we would get in trouble for being on the property so early. We had gotten several emails from Disney requesting that we arrive no earlier than one hour before our scheduled check-in time. We were planning on going for a walk or something, however, when we saw how many bags we had, that was out of the question.

I helped Allison take her things to the luggage area thanks to a friendly CM traffic assistant, and sent her off to check-in like a proud mother. Not that I’m her mother or anything, I just felt like yelling “Make good choices!” as I watched her walk away to start the incredible adventure that we would all soon be embarking on. I walked to the friends and family sitting area, where the traffic assistant had told me to go to wait for Allison. I don’t think he realized that I didn’t have check-in until 11.

I wanted to get permission for Amanda and Kira to join me at the sitting area as well, which would mean that we would have to put our things in the luggage area. I wasn’t sure if we were allowed to fill the luggage area with our things since we weren’t technically allowed to put them there yet. I was afraid that the traffic assistant would get upset with me if he found out how early we were for check-in, but Amanda and Kira helped me to face my fears and just talk to him. “The worst that can happen is that he will say no.” she reminded me. How right she was! I wish to strive to overcome many fears during my program and expand my comfort zone.

Boy was I glad that I talked to that traffic assistant. I forgot that I was at Disney World and that Cast Members are generally the happiest and most helpful people on earth. He directed me to tell a check-in person about our situation to see if she would be okay with our sitting in the friends and family area for a few hours. She walked with me to another CM and explained my roommates and my situation to him. He turned to me with a smile and said “If you’re ready, we can check you in right now if you want.” I was appalled. “Let’s get some magic going for you this morning,” he continued. I rushed to my roommates, we put our things in the luggage area (we had said a prayer together earlier to plead that none of our things be stolen or lost), and began the check-in process! I already felt as if the CMs that helped me were my friends. They joked sarcastically with me when I returned, teasing me for checking in early.

I was already walking on a cloud. I couldn’t believe how fortunate I was not only being where I was, but to have all the help that I had! Here it was, 8:45 in the morning, and we were already checking in! I was so glad that we could get everything out of the way early and have more free time for the rest of the day! A woman put an information sticker on the back of my Program Guide and said “Alright, Casey, you’ll be working as a Character Attendant in the Magic Kingdom, okay?” “Perfect, thank you!” I responded and walked away, smiling, my head still in the clouds from everything that had just happened. Then I realized that she had just told me that I would be working in my favorite park. I WAS OVER THE MOON. How on earth could I be so lucky???? The Lord just keeps blessing me so much!!!!

Amanda, Allison, Kira and I are all roommates! We are placed in a six person Patterson apartment, and we are thrilled! We were very anxious to meet our other two roommates (who didn’t arrive until the next day but are from Holland and are extremely polite and all-around-wonderful), and we hoped that we wouldn’t make them feel left out since the four of us were already best friends. Amanda and Kira were very kind and took my luggage to our apartment for me since I was going to Casting and wouldn’t be able to pick up my luggage for a very long time.

The rest of the process was a lot of showing and filling out paperwork. I got my housing ID and met a lot of wonderful CMs that called me by name (I was wearing a sticker nametag), which made me feel so special and important. It was a feeling that I can’t quite describe with one or two words. We each received our first gift from Disney: laundry detergent! Yay! Our first load of laundry is on the Mouse! We also received a blue Disney Internships and Programs tote bag, and for those of us that were going to Casting, our choice of a banana, orange, and/or granola bar for each of us, to keep our energy up during the long process.

The Casting building is BEAUTIFUL. This is because, a CM named Randy later explained, although it is technically a backstage area, it is still an onstage area. Disney decorations, statuettes, beautiful artwork and photographs line the walls everywhere you look. Inside rooms, cubicles and office spaces are decorated in stuffed animals, photographs, quotes and banners. I walked inside the lobby, through the double-doors that feature the Doorknob from Disney’s Alice in Wonderland. I was surrounded by other excited College Programmers. After I took a few photos, Randy spoke to me as he pulled the guide rope up. “Casey, why don’t you come with me.” I could have sworn that a Professional Intern had just told us on the bus that we could take photos in the lobby! Did I hear her wrong? I couldn’t be getting myself into trouble this early!! I suppose I showed my embarrassment on my face, because he said “Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble!” I was relieved to hear this, but I still didn’t know where he was guiding me. He took me to the center of the room and told me that it was the perfect place to get a panoramic picture. He was helping me! Have I mentioned how much I love Cast Members??? My picture was far from perfect, however, because I wanted to get out of the way as he started to introduce himself to the group.

He encouraged us to network as much as possible during our program, because you never know what doors it might open for you. I have come to the DCP with such an open mind. My ideas of what I want to do for my career have changed so much over the past year that I am really open to all possibilities right now. Keep moving forward. I know that my DCP could open up MANY possibilities for me, so I’m hoping to keep the relationships that I make here strong. Keep moving forward. I also hope to do a Disney Professional Internship in the future, hopefully in the Entertainment, Communications, or Casting department! Keep moving forward!

Randy introduced us to the Disney Ambassadors, Caitlin Busscher and Nathaniel Palma! These two Cast Members represent nearly 70,000 other CMs and the Walt Disney Company itself. What an incredible responsibility! I was starstruck. I am so fortunate to have met them! None of my roommates got to meet them when they attended their Casting sessions! Caitlin gave my group some fabulous advice:

“Bloom where you’re planted,”

she said. She told us that she originally wanted to be a performer, but when she got a Professional Internship in Research, she decided to be the best research person she possibly could be. This opened up so many opportunities for her, and eventually led her to a role in Disney Entertainment. Although she wasn’t performing, she found that it was very fulfilling for her to put other people onstage. All of her plans changed because she decided to bloom where she was planted! I must do the same in my role. I must keep moving forward, always doing the very best that I can do! I know that the Lord has placed me in my role for a reason, and I am so excited to see what doors this experience will open for me! I was fortunate enough to have a rather lengthy conversation with both of the ambassadors. Nathaniel was quite happy to learn that I am working in Entertainment. They both strongly stressed the importance of networking and keeping an open mind—being willing to accept what opportunities come your way.

I have already met so many College Programmers who are practically ashamed of their roles. That absolutely breaks my heart. I truly believe that every single one of us brings more magic to this company than we realize. Custodians are the root of the magic- without a clean environment, no one would be able to feel the magic within the parks! Quick Service Food and Beverage workers provide some of the magic of Disney Dining- which is often a favorite among park-goers! Every single Cast Member has the potential to find some way of creating a magical experience for a guest, whether it is through excellent customer service, an act of kindness, or a pleasant, thoughtful surprise! Every single role is CRUCIAL in maintaining the magic of the atmosphere. I truly wish that each Cast Member will bloom where he or she is planted, even if it is the last place where he or she ever wanted to be.

Randy later passed me as I waited to go into another station of Casting. He said, “Casey, you haven’t stopped smiling since you got here. Keep it up.” This made me feel AMAZING. Someone high up in Disney Casting remembered me and noticed something specific about me!! Hopefully I can leave a lasting impression on many CMs during my Program.

The Casting CMs also called me by name, and kept congratulating all of us. I could finally put into words how that made me feel.

It made me feel like I belong here.

That was an incredible feeling. My eyes brimmed with tears as I waited in line to get my I-9 form checked.

I finally walked into a room with an older woman and a man named Andrew at a computer. They were both incredibly friendly. Andrew took my I-9 form and did some work on the computer while the woman explained my training schedule to me. They both were constantly saying how much I’m going to love my role and that they can tell that I am perfect for working in the Magic Kingdom. They made me feel like I was on top of the world.

After this, I went to one last station to have my I-9 checked one final time. A woman named Megan was at a computer, and a couple of other women were in and out of the room. There wasn’t much of a line there, so we all kind of started chatting lightly, which soon turned into sarcastic joking. I don’t remember what we joked about, but suddenly Megan, laughing, said semi-sarcastically, “Casey, you’d fit in perfectly. Do you want to work here?” “Sure.” I responded, actually meaning it deep down. Although one of my dreams is to be a Casting Director in Entertainment, I’ve got to start somewhere! And honestly, any role in any department of Casting would be absolutely amazing, getting to place excited new recruits where we think they’d fit best! “We like sarcastic people.” Megan said. I strongly feel that I should keep my relationships with the women at Casting strong, because who knows if and when they will be looking for a Professional Intern or will have need of some other Casting role being filled! I felt that I was off to a great start in establishing a reputation here at Walt Disney World! First Randy, now these women!

The next day, I went to a DCP Housing meeting. There was a big movie-theater-like marquee that read, “Congratulations Disney College Program Fall 2014 Interns.” “How cool!” I thought. It wasn’t until someone else pointed out that it said “Fall 2014 Interns” that I saw those words. I laughed, wondering how that slipped unnoticed by Disney Recruitment.

The meeting took place in the Commons Clubroom. We were surrounded by big, blue walls, and at the front of the room, a projector screen displayed various depictions of Walt Disney quotes, Disney Internships and Programs photos, and a stunning photo of the Partners statue along with the words “Your journey begins here.” I shifted in my seat, filled with excitement and sentimentality, as I realized that my journey really did begin here. Different colored lights danced around all of us in the room. Above the projection screen, the big, blue wall came forward a bit with the “Disney Internships and Programs” logo spread across it.

Two Communications Cast Members started off the meeting by having us do the wave. Sarah Smiles, as she is so nicknamed, was possibly the most energetic and happy girl I have ever seen in my entire life. The meeting was very entertaining thanks to Sarah’s energy and her partner’s funny comments.

As I begin this incredible journey, I wish again to thank my Father in Heaven, without whom none of this would be possible. How grateful I am that He inspired a man many years ago with the simple idea of a cartoon mouse. Now, here I am, about to make my own dreams come true, as well as helping hundreds of other dreams to come true.

I truly hope that this is a dream from which I will not soon awake.

Join the Party! Part 2: The Interview Process

“Why worry? If you’ve done the very best you can, worrying won’t make it any better.” –Walt Disney

          I knew very little about the Web-Based Interview and what I should expect from it. I was terrified because I felt so under-prepared. Now that I have taken it, I don’t know how much I am allowed to say about it other than that Disney basically wants to see if you have the right personality to be a Cast Member. I have always been confident that I have what Disney is looking for, but after taking the WBI, all of my confidence was replaced with fear. After all, I have had plenty of friends that I thought would make great CMs fail the WBI to my utter unbelief. I continued to hold my breath as I waited to see my results, certain that I was about to turn blue after not breathing for the entire online interview. After a brief moment, the screen flashed white. With bulged eyes and a pale face, I read:

“Congratulations! You have been identified as a strong candidate for the Disney College Program.”

          I could barely focus on the words that came after, telling me the steps that I should take to move on to the final step in the DCP application process—the Phone Interview!! I couldn’t keep still—I was too excited! I scheduled my phone interview immediately, afraid that I was moving too quickly for my own good. I quadruple-checked my interview information and set plenty of alarms and a calendar event on my phone, as if I could forget my interview date or time.

          I devoted plenty of late nights (more like early mornings) over the weekend to study anything and everything about DCP phone interviews. I watched nearly every vlog out there and read every article I could find that listed any advice for interviewing with DCP recruiters or any possible question that I should prepare for.
          Getting the idea from a vlog, I made an interview worksheet for myself and left room at the top of the page for my interviewer’s name. Within the lines of the paper, I listed my top three roles and listed any personal experiences that would relate to each one. I wrote down why I want to do the program as well as my future career and education goals. I analyzed both how the roles that I wanted most and how the DCP itself would help me to achieve those goals. I wrote down questions that I wanted to ask my interviewer and any other thing that I may have wanted to mention during the phone call. In addition to all of this, I wrote down other things that I thought might help me in my interview.

          Regardless of all of this preparation, I was still terrified when the interview day arrived. I’ve always felt that if Disney would just interview me for the DCP, they would see that I was born to work for the Mouse. However, that didn’t help me to shake the feeling that I could still blow it. I had no idea if all of my preparation would even matter once I started my interview. But I had to try. I spent the morning alone in my bedroom once again reviewing DCP interview tips and how I wanted to answer certain questions if asked (don’t worry, they didn’t sound scripted or rehearsed), as well as anything and everything else that I thought might help me in my interview. Wanting to isolate myself from any possible distraction, I locked myself in my car about 30 minutes prior to my interview time. This gave me at least 15 minutes of chill time before the possibility of my DCP recruiter calling early. I played some soft music and turned the air conditioner on to help me to feel at peace and as comfortable as possible before my interview. I turned everything off, however, as it got dangerously closer to my interview time. I had said a million prayers, and figured one more wouldn’t hurt.
          After what seemed an eternity of waiting, my phone rang. The screen was lit with the words “No Caller ID.” Disney. A little too energetically, I answered, “Hello! This is Casey.”

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          My recruiter’s name was Ginger. I wrote it down immediately. I had dreamt the previous night that I hadn’t written my interviewer’s name down soon enough and had forgotten it, calling her the wrong name later on in the interview. Thank goodness that I could learn that mistake from a dream and avoid it in reality.

          The paper that I had prepared did come in handy, although I didn’t look at it for the entire interview. Although I had it in my lap, I knew in my heart what I wanted and needed to say. I definitely felt confident in what I had prepared. However, I hadn’t prepared for most of the questions that Ginger asked me. I tried my best to be as honest as possible, even when it wasn’t necessarily an answer that Ginger wanted to hear. Without a lot of work experience, some questions were quite difficult for me to answer. I tried my best to think of similar situations that I had experienced, which Ginger always accepted with open arms.

          In my aforementioned dream, my interview only lasted a short amount of time. Generally in DCP culture, the longer the interview, the better. I wanted to ensure that my interview wasn’t strictly business, but that it was a good experience for Ginger as well. Near the end of the interview, I made an effort at getting to know Ginger. She told me that she wishes that she had done the College Program. After a few moments of Q&A and expressing our thanks, the interview came to an end. If I remember correctly, my interview had lasted somewhere between 15 and 20 minutes.
          As much as I wanted to believe that my interview was stellar, I couldn’t stop feeling that I could have done better. I hadn’t had as fun of an interaction with Ginger as others often have with their recruiters, and I had answered some questions rather awkwardly or somewhat redundantly. After calling my father and telling him all that I had said, he was severely impressed. Was I being too critical of myself? Although I felt all right about it overall, I had no idea how my interview compared with others—especially other interviews that Ginger herself had conducted. I had no idea if my interview was memorable or completely ordinary.
          The words of Walt Disney came into my mind. I had done the best that I could, and there was no point in worrying. Whether I would be accepted into the program or not, it was up to the Lord to decide. He has perfect timing, and wants my happiness even more than I do. Whatever was going to happen next would be for the best, even if it meant that I had to apply for the DCP for a fourth time.

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          Waiting wasn’t so bad when I wasn’t thinking about it. I was working hard to focus on my classes at BYU and had been doing pretty well! I had been keeping Disney far from my mind to avoid getting my hopes up and losing focus on school. Sometimes the waiting was a little frustrating, but I had told myself that I would probably find out whether or not I had been accepted towards the end of October. There was no point in fussing about it now.

          One quiet Friday night in my apartment, I was sitting on the couch, listening to the sounds of one roommate making her dinner in the kitchen. Another roommate was in her bedroom down the hall. After looking at various school-related things on the Internet, I realized that I hadn’t checked my email in awhile. I didn’t think much of it when I saw that I had received an email from WDW DCP Recruiting, assuming that it was just another newsletter. However, at a glance, I read the subject line on my iPhone screen: “Disney College Program: Congratulations!” Congratulations? For what?

          It wasn’t until I read the subject line a second time that I realized that this could be what I had been waiting for. But a whole month earlier than I had anticipated? I doubted my vision. I impatiently waited for the email to open, trying not to get my hopes up. It could just be some random thing that wasn’t actually me getting accepted into the DCP. To my astonishment, however, the email looked something like this:

          I could find no words other than “NO WAY” and “THIS IS NOT REAL LIFE.” My roommates that were present at the time entered the living room where I stood, thinking that something bad had happened. My jaw had dropped to the floor, my hand was pressed against my forehead, and I could no longer blink nor breathe. I read the first few lines of the email out loud, practically squealing, my hands and voice shaking like a leaf being manipulated by the wind. I made a beeline straight to my bedroom to pull out my laptop—I had to check my email from a larger, more reliable source, to ensure that I wasn’t seeing things.

          My stomach sank. The email wasn’t there. Had I just been imagining it? How could I have seen it so clearly on my phone, but not on my laptop? Thanks to my roommate, I found a separate tab in my email inbox, and there the email was, more clearly than before. This was real. I had waited for this day since the first time that I ever learned about the College Program—probably in about 4^th grade or so.

          I simply could not believe it. I had received my top choice role (besides Character Performer, which is pretty much a completely separate process and requires an audition)—Character Attendant! After about 10 minutes of being utterly speechless, I screamed, rolled around on the floor, and buried my face in the couch (scraping my forehead in the process). One of my sweet roommates started crying because she was so happy for me! She knew how much I had wanted this and how hard I have been working to get there.

          I couldn’t cry. I simply couldn’t cry. I felt like sobbing uncontrollably, but I just couldn’t produce tears. It just did not seem like real life. It couldn’t be. After trying for so long (and not even THAT long compared to some others), I just could not accept that my dream was actually coming true.

          Telling my family was very exciting. My mother was arriving at the airport the next day to visit for the weekend, so naturally, it was the perfect opportunity to tell her in person. This meant that I couldn’t tell my family until she had left home, because there was no way that my father (whom I promised would be the first person that I told if I were to get accepted) could keep this a secret. I bought a pair of Minnie Mouse ears (my first!!) from the Disney Store and met up with my brother and sister-in-law. No one questioned why I was wearing mouse ears, but then again, this is me we are talking about. I FaceTimed with my father and siblings from inside my brother and sister-in-law’s home, where I announced the big news. After a brief moment, my father yelled “NO WAY!!” Various other cheers were exclaimed, and I got teary-eyed. Although my head still felt fuzzy as if I were in a dream, things were slowly starting to hit home, at least a little bit.

          My sister-in-law made sure that my niece wore her Minnie Mouse ears (which happened to match mine) to the airport as well, so that we could really look the part when I surprised my mother with the news! My mother, upon seeing them, thought that we had worn them just for fun, simply because they matched. Boy, was she surprised.
          To this day, part of me still doesn't believe that this is actually happening. How on earth can I be so fortunate? Sometimes I feel that I don't deserve it, at least not as much as some others may. I have been watching people get accepted into the Disney College Program for a long, long time, and I know what it feels like to be among those that doubt if their dream will ever come true. I still have a lot of work to do on mine, but to be a Character Attendant is in itself an absolutely incredible dream come true. I've imagined what it would be like to assist my favorite characters since I was about 12 years old. I am incredibly blessed to have been offered a role that so many envy and that I know I will adore. I’m really hoping that I can get a seasonal job with Disney once my program is complete!

          The best feeling in the world is when I receive emails from Disney, saying how excited they are to have me as a member of the team. I am now officially invited to "join the party"!! I’m going to be a CAST MEMBER. I know that I was born to make magic, and I plan on being one unforgettable CM.

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          As my check-in day draws closer, I wish to give credit where credit is due. I owe everything to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He knows how badly I have wanted this, and he has heard my millions of prayers throughout each time that I've applied. I now know that I need to trust Him and his timing. He helped me in the application and interview processes. He inspired me and led me to this passion of making magic in the first place. I know that now is the time that I need to do the program. Of all the other times that I've applied, this is the program that the Lord intended me to do. I am beyond excited to figure out why.
          I am so grateful for the times that the Lord told me "Not right now." Because of my time outside of the DCP, I was able to have incredible opportunities and experiences at both WSU and BYU, to which I owe so much of who I have become. I will carry the lessons that I learned in my time away from Disney with me throughout my program.
          I keep comparing my program to a mission, and although they are very different, they are also very much the same. I will work my best to serve the Lord in Florida and bring happiness to others. I want to change people’s lives through what I can do for them. I want to find opportunities to serve others. I want to use this time to strengthen my own testimony of the gospel and improve my relationships with both my Savior and Heavenly Father. I wish to also use my time wisely to overcome my many bad habits and weaknesses. I hope that I can be an example to others, and a beacon of light to the nonbelievers. I know that my time in Florida won’t always be easy, in fact I expect it to be really difficult at times, but I know that with the Lord’s help, I can do anything.

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).

          Everything that I experience during my program can make me a better, stronger person—if I let it. I am so overwhelmingly grateful for this opportunity that the Lord has blessed me with. I can’t wait to make magic and to have a hand in making dreams come true.

          Walt Disney World,

See ya real soon!