Game Plan -- Part One

I received some new information today in regards to the first couple days of checking in and getting started at Disney, and so I thought I'd share it here. I am still waiting on my email from the Recruiting offices that will give me access to the onboarding website and allow me to reserve my housing. I did hear from them, however, and was informed that I should have it by next week. We'll see if that actually happens since we have the holiday, but at least I know I'm not forgotten and should be able to reserve housing soon! :)

I will be starting my journey with Michelle Matuszewski (the Animal Programs Manager responsible for all the Animal Program professional interns) and Jason Martin (the Animal Programs Professional Internship Coordinator) on Thursday, January 12, 2012, after I check in at casting and move into housing. Their role is to do all of my initial training for Animal Programs, and will be spending a lot of time with all of the interns for our first week as they get us all ready for our jobs and helping us prepare for our transition to Walt Disney World. 

They have informed us all that our Disney dashboards will eventually have all the information I will need regarding my hiring process, including my housing information and arrival information. I'm supposed to let either Michelle or Jason know by December 10th if I have not received that information -- I really hope that I receive it before then! I'm too much of a planning freak :)

On January 12, I will be moving in to my apartment assignment, attending casting meetings, and filling out paper work (I-9 form) so that I can legally work for Disney, along with providing my social security card and driver's license. I will be paid for my training time, so I will not be receiving any area specific job training information until my arrival, and a lot of information will be given to me on a daily basis. I will end up receiving a detailed training outline and guides when I meet with Michelle and Jason on January 12th. Once I arrive, I will be given an agenda for the day and will be expected to attend a few meetings later in the afternoon, thus I will not be planning any activities outside of checking in, moving into my apartment and attending those meetings -- it is going to be a very busy day!  

I will meet up with Michelle and Jason later that evening to go over my training outlines for the next week and will receive the invitation to that meeting in my arrival packet when I check in. Dress code for check in is casual, but since I will be meeting Disney Leaders for the first time, I'm planning on looking nice and professional in a casual manner. Going to keep it classy! I will be invited to a social networking event for that evening as well, which is not mandatory but is an opportunity for me to meet other interns in a more social atmosphere. I will have January 13th off to relax -- continue moving in to my apartment and getting situated, getting to know and hang out with my roommates! 

January 14th and 15th will be training days, which will require professional attire. Due to the large amount of walking on the 15th, I will be able to wear tennis shoes as long as they are clean and neat. The rest of my training is depending on the role I have, which in my case, the Vet Hospital Intern wears a cast costume and brown hiking boots. In the context of Disney, the word "costume" refers to my uniform, which is appropriate clothing that is functional for the nature of my job along with providing a neat appearance. Disney will provide the costume, but I will be responsible for my own footwear, which I will have to invest in some really good hiking boots if I'm going to be walking and on my feet all day.

For the rest of my appearance, I will have to follow disney guidelines in order to maintain the Disney Look. This includes buying some opaque stage make-up to cover the tattoo that is on the back of my neck (http://www.mehron.com/ Tattoo_Cover_p/506.htm). Along with that, I will be restraining my hair back away from my face using either bobby-pins or barrettes or headbands while also keeping my hair down so that it helps cover my tattoo. Only bad side to having my hair down is going to be with those hot summer days in Florida, but that is the price I pay for having a tattoo in the professional world, so I will work with it. 

I think what will be harder for me than that is the regulations I will have on makeup -- Don't get me wrong, I barely wear any makeup, but I do wear darker eyeliner and am used to that and comfortable with it, so I will have to take some time to adjust my makeup habits for work so that I can have more of a blended and natural look, in lighter colors of brown and black than I'm used to. I'll have to play around with that one. I am allowed to have one pair of earrings in while working, but I'll probably just keep them out altogether especially considering I'll be working with animals and do not need the distraction. 

Basically, that just leaves me to ponder on what I need to make sure I bring back with me to Orlando. They provide lots of guidelines on clothing that I did not provide here, so I'll be sure to go through all of that to make sure I'm covered. I'll also have to think about what things I'll be wanting for my apartment and what I'll actually have room for not only in the apartment but on the plane in my luggage for my flight back to Florida. My plan is to focus on bringing things that I know I can't get back in Orlando, wont want to find in Orlando or won't be able to afford in Orlando -- all little things I'll just pick up on an as needed basis.