Once I told my family and friends I was doing this thing called the Disney College Program in Walt Disney World, they wanted to know how things where going. I realized I would be telling the same stories over and over on the phone, in text messages, emails, and etc. So I was talking to my Mom one day on my first program in 2010, about how I would deliver all these fun stories that would be coming along in my program, and she offered up a blog idea. It was actually a good idea, but there where some of my relatives, like my Grandpa who does not want anything to do with computers and technology. So with relatives like those, I just saved the stories for phone calls. I ended up doing a blog for both programs. I still have the link to the first one, that can be read, where as the second one, that is a dead link. Not sure what exactly happened there, but the second one got deleted by the website. I am gutted. Utterly, gutted.
I am however not the only one who has done this. There has been people who done the Disney College Program, Disney Cultural Representative Program, and other programs offered before me who have done blogs. When I was doing both of my programs, I was not the only one writing a blog, there where others too. Also people are still blogging about their programs I believe. Well, maybe not as much now, because the new thing is to vlog your program. Yes, that right I wrote vlog, it's not a typo. A vlog is a video blog, this is where one can take their audience with them on their adventure. They can show you as much as they can on their adventure. The issue with Disney is that you cannot take any photos or videos back in the employee or Cast Members' area, why? Disney wants to keep the magic alive.
I had made a friend in 2010 who was kind of "vlogging" his adventure, but not really. He has a YouTube channel, and is still a YouTuber. He mainly did fun little Q&A videos with his friends on the program, and would tell his family and friends back at home in England how life was like in Orlando. The YouTuber thing was a new thing, and was not really quite popular as it is now.
But this is where I learned more about the vlogging being a big part of people who are now doing Disney Internships/Programs really becoming popular, is from a girl who was on her first Disney Cultural Representative Program when I was doing my second Disney College Program in 2012. Somewhere between July 2013 and February 2017 when she started her second program vlogging became the thing to do show everyone what you where up to when you are working in Walt Disney World (no vlogging on the clock though). Maybe the fact with social media being at it's height (who knows if we are at the peak), with everyone who wants everyone to know what they are doing 24/7. That is probably why vlogging became popular, plus the Instagram, tweets, Facebook posts, Snapchats, and other forms of social media are helping tell the stories about interns adventures too.
Meet Claire. She is from England, United Kingdom. In her 2012 Disney program she worked in Epcot, in the United Kingdom Pavilion in the Rose and Crown restaurant (doing waitressing, bartending, and hosting roles). As of now, Clarie is doing the February 2017 - February 2018 Disney Cultural Representative Program, and she returned to work at Epcot in the United Kingdom Pavilion in the Rose and Crown doing the same roles.
I enjoy watching these videos. It makes my day better if I am having a crappy one, Claire is a very cheerful happy hostess that loves doing the program and sharing it with people. She also is a big Disney fan like I am, well anyone who has done a Disney program of sorts, will admit to that... But Claire has not only worked in Walt Disney World, she worked in Disneyland Paris for a bit. So with that experience of working in two Disney Parks in United States and Europe, she knows her stuff.
When one gets done with their Disney internship program they are on, they get into a depression (Post Disney Disorder, it is our version of PSD (has nothing to do with the real one, that is a lot more serious topic)). Working at the Happiest Place on Earth is an amazing experience, a one in a lifetime experience. Knowing that you only get to do it once (but some lucky ones do programs more than once), and knowing that you are going to be leaving or already left your Disney o'hana, makes you quite sad. Knowing that you will never wake up again to go work in a fun workplace with amazing people, who are from all over the world, and plus working with the guests who are also from all over the world, will make you feel very blue.
So every year when it hits the end of January through the middle of August for me, I get to miss Walt Disney World very much. As a college student and being a young adult, I can't really afford to jump on a plane to go to Walt Disney World every year. I am saving up for another trip one day, but right now looking at photos, and watching videos on YouTube will have to do. I know it is not the same thing, but a little bit of Disney helps. There is nothing wrong with having a Disney Movie marathon, highly recommended to everyone!
But this year, I was in for a big surprise when I was on Facebook. I was scrolling threw my feed, and I saw a post from Claire announcing that she was doing another Disney Program, and it was the same one as last time. It made my day! Fast forward a few weeks or months later, I discovered that she had a YouTube channel and would be vlogging her trip. I needed a break from working on a paper I was working on to check out her channel. I found out that she was literally in my old stomping grounds! Claire is living in my old apartment complex: Vista Way. Apparently, the apartment complex called the Commons are open to everyone now (it was originally for international Cast Members who where working in the World Showcase in Epcot). Also she is now working in Epcot, like I used to in 2010. Learning that just made me smile. Claire thank you for making these videos, having me live through them with you, with everyone else. You are making an old Disney Cast Member smile, and relive memories. Also thank you Clarie for being the amazing, beautiful, and cheerful human bean, that you truly are. Everyone needs a Claire in their life!
If you are thinking about doing the College Program, or any Disney Internship and are reading this: do a blog and/or a vlog! It is highly recommended! Something you can come back to one day, to look back at. Also for another important thing: for those who will do the programs after you. Those who are trying to figure out if they want to do one, or those who have already signed up so they can see what they got themselves into. I am sure if you a big fan of Disney, you already know what you gotten yourself into. But there is nothing like actually being there and experiencing it. So capture those memories anyway you can! Share them with your friends and family, also the world! There is always a great story that comes out of an adventure...
I am however not the only one who has done this. There has been people who done the Disney College Program, Disney Cultural Representative Program, and other programs offered before me who have done blogs. When I was doing both of my programs, I was not the only one writing a blog, there where others too. Also people are still blogging about their programs I believe. Well, maybe not as much now, because the new thing is to vlog your program. Yes, that right I wrote vlog, it's not a typo. A vlog is a video blog, this is where one can take their audience with them on their adventure. They can show you as much as they can on their adventure. The issue with Disney is that you cannot take any photos or videos back in the employee or Cast Members' area, why? Disney wants to keep the magic alive.
I had made a friend in 2010 who was kind of "vlogging" his adventure, but not really. He has a YouTube channel, and is still a YouTuber. He mainly did fun little Q&A videos with his friends on the program, and would tell his family and friends back at home in England how life was like in Orlando. The YouTuber thing was a new thing, and was not really quite popular as it is now.
But this is where I learned more about the vlogging being a big part of people who are now doing Disney Internships/Programs really becoming popular, is from a girl who was on her first Disney Cultural Representative Program when I was doing my second Disney College Program in 2012. Somewhere between July 2013 and February 2017 when she started her second program vlogging became the thing to do show everyone what you where up to when you are working in Walt Disney World (no vlogging on the clock though). Maybe the fact with social media being at it's height (who knows if we are at the peak), with everyone who wants everyone to know what they are doing 24/7. That is probably why vlogging became popular, plus the Instagram, tweets, Facebook posts, Snapchats, and other forms of social media are helping tell the stories about interns adventures too.
Meet Claire. She is from England, United Kingdom. In her 2012 Disney program she worked in Epcot, in the United Kingdom Pavilion in the Rose and Crown restaurant (doing waitressing, bartending, and hosting roles). As of now, Clarie is doing the February 2017 - February 2018 Disney Cultural Representative Program, and she returned to work at Epcot in the United Kingdom Pavilion in the Rose and Crown doing the same roles.
I enjoy watching these videos. It makes my day better if I am having a crappy one, Claire is a very cheerful happy hostess that loves doing the program and sharing it with people. She also is a big Disney fan like I am, well anyone who has done a Disney program of sorts, will admit to that... But Claire has not only worked in Walt Disney World, she worked in Disneyland Paris for a bit. So with that experience of working in two Disney Parks in United States and Europe, she knows her stuff.
When one gets done with their Disney internship program they are on, they get into a depression (Post Disney Disorder, it is our version of PSD (has nothing to do with the real one, that is a lot more serious topic)). Working at the Happiest Place on Earth is an amazing experience, a one in a lifetime experience. Knowing that you only get to do it once (but some lucky ones do programs more than once), and knowing that you are going to be leaving or already left your Disney o'hana, makes you quite sad. Knowing that you will never wake up again to go work in a fun workplace with amazing people, who are from all over the world, and plus working with the guests who are also from all over the world, will make you feel very blue.
But this year, I was in for a big surprise when I was on Facebook. I was scrolling threw my feed, and I saw a post from Claire announcing that she was doing another Disney Program, and it was the same one as last time. It made my day! Fast forward a few weeks or months later, I discovered that she had a YouTube channel and would be vlogging her trip. I needed a break from working on a paper I was working on to check out her channel. I found out that she was literally in my old stomping grounds! Claire is living in my old apartment complex: Vista Way. Apparently, the apartment complex called the Commons are open to everyone now (it was originally for international Cast Members who where working in the World Showcase in Epcot). Also she is now working in Epcot, like I used to in 2010. Learning that just made me smile. Claire thank you for making these videos, having me live through them with you, with everyone else. You are making an old Disney Cast Member smile, and relive memories. Also thank you Clarie for being the amazing, beautiful, and cheerful human bean, that you truly are. Everyone needs a Claire in their life!
If you are thinking about doing the College Program, or any Disney Internship and are reading this: do a blog and/or a vlog! It is highly recommended! Something you can come back to one day, to look back at. Also for another important thing: for those who will do the programs after you. Those who are trying to figure out if they want to do one, or those who have already signed up so they can see what they got themselves into. I am sure if you a big fan of Disney, you already know what you gotten yourself into. But there is nothing like actually being there and experiencing it. So capture those memories anyway you can! Share them with your friends and family, also the world! There is always a great story that comes out of an adventure...
Want more of Clare?
Feel free to watch her videos, and check her out on social media!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aclaireytale
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aclaireytale/
Tumblr: https://aclaireytale.tumblr.com/
YouTube: Watch her videos here!
** Also a BIG thank you for Claire for letting me do this! These photos used in this post
are hers, and only hers... can be found on her Twitter & Instagram. **
