I’m a Cast Member Now, Baby! | DCP Spring 2022

Technically, my Disney College Program (DCP) began on Monday, March 14, but this post marks the first documenting my DCP experience. So without further ado, let the magic begin!

On Wednesday, March 16, 2022, I went to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort for breakfast with my friend from the Disney Ohana Club! She did the Spring 2019 program, the Fall 2021 program, and is currently doing the Spring 2022 program. She recently got a job in Florida, so she’ll be staying here for a while, which is nice because I’ll have at least one friend during my program that has a car! The Polynesian resort has a different vibe compared to the Aulani resort back in Hawaii (both are Hawaiian themed). I really love the sceneries of the Polynesian resort, but I’ll have to go back to both resorts in the future to conclude which one I like more. 

We ate at a restaurant called ʻOhana and had a family-style feast with scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, sausage links, pineapple glazed ham, coconut and pineapple sweet rolls, yummy biscuits, potatoes, Mickey and Stitch waffles, and best of all, POG juice! I haven’t had POG juice in so long, so the latter was a pleasant surprise! I also had my first Venmo experience, which was a monumental moment for me because I felt like an “adult.” I’m sure I’ll use that app again in the future. Throughout our time together, my friend showed me around the resort, including the store she worked at during her first DCP. It’s expensive to stay at the Polynesian resort (shocker), but it’s free to visit the place, so I will be back!

After my friend drove me back to the West side of Flamingo Crossings Village (the apartment complex I’m staying at), it was about 10:30 a.m. or something around there, so I pretty much chilled throughout the rest of the day. I think I did laundry too since I had some clothes from the previous week that I needed to wash.

On Thursday, March 17, I went to the gym at Flamingo Crossings Village at about 9:30 a.m. and I used the treadmill (at least I thought it was a treadmill) for about 42-45 minutes. I got a good view of the pools at the apartment complex and it was beautiful seeing the sunny blue sky outside. I kept on thinking, “is this my life now?” It was a weird and amazing experience at the same time. Oh, I also listened to Spotify during my workout; gotta have music to keep the workout exciting. 

After my workout, I went back to the apartment, took a shower, and watched YouTube throughout most of the afternoon. I was in a very good mood that day because when I got back from the gym, I opened an email from the Def Leppard newsletter saying that the band was releasing their first studio album in seven years on Friday, May 27, 2022! I listened to the first single “Kick” and I loved it because of the glam metal/hard rock sound it had. Anyways, in the evening, my roommates and I attended a ‘Just My Luck’ welcome event held on the East side of Flamingo Crossings Village; the event was St. Patrick’s Day themed. It was from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

There was free pizza, a photo booth, and we got to take pictures with Minnie Mouse in her cute St. Patrick’s Day outfit! Meeting Minnie Mouse again was a huge moment for me because it was the first time seeing a Disney character in over three years! There was dancing too, but my roommates and I decided to walk around the East side instead. While walking around, I saw a cast member holding a green Walt Disney World (WDW) balloon, so I told her I loved it, and then she gave me her balloon! That friendly cast member gave me my first ever WDW balloon. 

We left the welcome event early to chill by the pool for a bit and watch the Disney Enchantment fireworks show from the second level of the community center at Flamingo Crossings Village. We couldn’t hear the music or anything from the show because we were far away, but the colors of the fireworks were so pretty! I want to have the full experience of watching Disney Enchantment at least once on my program because I never got to see Happily Ever After, which was the previous fireworks show at Magic Kingdom. I can’t push it off for too long because four months is going to fly by fast!

The next day, Friday, March 18, my roommates and I had Traditions, which is a special event for DCP participants where they become official cast members (Disney employees). Basically, all day we were watching video presentations and given lectures about the history of the Walt Disney Company, the safety rules, how to wear a face mask, the importance of being a cast member, and all that good stuff. Was it the most exciting day of my life? No, it wasn’t, but Mickey Mouse did give us our cast member name tags, so I was happy! Traditions was from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., so we had time to stop by the historical Disney University building to get some cute Instagram pictures showing off our new cast member status.

After that, we ended the evening with a movie night by the pool (the one on the right side); the movie was Pixar’s latest film, Turning Red (2022). By the way, I apologize to my roommates that they had to hear me swear at the movie screen a few times.

Speaking of my roommates, I got lucky because the two roommates I have currently are really nice. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, my roommates were selected randomly. I’m supposed to share a bathroom with another roommate (I live in a four bedroom and two bathroom apartment), but she hasn’t arrived yet. When she does show up though, I hope we’ll get along like the roommates I have at the moment.

On Saturday, March 19, I went to Disney Springs for the day. Disney Springs is a shopping, dining, and entertainment outlet located in WDW. I just got my cast member discount at Traditions, so I wanted to take full advantage of that! Also, I wanted to test out the DCP buses because I have to rely on them for work. I bought a few shirts, including the 50th anniversary WDW shirt I’ve been eyeing for a year now. I also bought a cute princess Minnie Mouse doll because I didn’t have room to bring any of my stuffed animals with me and I was not ok with that! Besides, Minnie was the first character I met on my DCP, which is pretty special. My purchases were from two stores: World of Disney and Uniqlo. 

The bus trip was not bad; it reminded me of my college days pre-COVID when I had to take the bus to the University of Hawaii at Manoa and get home using the bus as well. I left Flamingo Crossings Village at 12:30 p.m. and I arrived at Disney Springs at about 1:14 p.m. I left the outlet at about 4:00 p.m. and I returned to the apartment complex between 4:15-4:30 p.m. The rest of the day, again, was pretty chill. I watched a Backstreet Boys concert through YouTube, ate dinner, chatted with my roommates, got ready for bed, watched more YouTube, and that was it!

I didn’t do much on Sunday, March 20. I did the laundry because I wanted to wash my new shirts and sweatshirt from my trip to Disney Springs the previous day. I also took advantage of the time I had to catch up on my WordPress friend Mike Ladano’s YouTube show titled the LeBrain Train. I watched his most recent episode where he, John, and Harrison showed off their rock collectibles.

I also cooked pasta for the first time using a microwave. I burnt it the first time because I misread the “half a bag” part on the instructions. With my roommate’s help, the second try turned out fine. I’m learning, people! Then, I got ready for bed and watched more YouTube for the rest of the night. By the way, I need to go to bed earlier. I feel bad watching YouTube at like 11:30 p.m. and my roommates are already asleep; it’s a habit I need to break.

Monday, March 21 was a very productive day. I went to the gym and walked on the treadmill, I cleaned the toilet and swiffered the floor, made my lunch for my first day of job training, watched another episode of the LeBrain Train on YouTube, and I made pasta again for dinner and it didn’t get burnt this time! I’m getting the hang of this “adult” life. But the next day, Tuesday, March 22, begins my first day of job training, it’s from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and I’m really excited to learn about everything I need to know for my new job. Oh by the way, I’m doing attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Toy Story Land for Alien Swirling Saucers, which is similar to Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, California.

Tomorrow, my cast member life officially begins!

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Take care and see ya real soon!

Lana