Magical Moment

Walt Disney World is known for making dreams come true and creating magical moments. As a cast member it is our job to take part in making these moments happen for our guests. My biggest magical moment I helped create (so far) was one that I didn't realize right away that I was creating. It was a day when I was the closing runner. It was about 9:05pm and I was excited because I was finishing up my paperwork and getting ready to clock out at 9:30pm when I got a phone call from a cast member on club level who wanted me to go to Team Disney (a store in Downtown Disney) to build a remote control car for a guest. Now, at this point I was annoyed, I was getting ready to leave and this guy wanted me to go build a remote control car. This would be adding about an hour to my night, but it sounded important and really, everyone knows I find it extremely difficult to say "no". So anywho, off I go with the car keys to the company vehicle and $100 in my pocket. I drive through about three parking lots until I find the entrance I need, not making the trip any shorter because let's remember one wrong turn in the Downtown Disney parking lot and you're on a one way road out of there...okay so once I find a parking spot, the real mission begins. I find Team Disney and tell a cast member there what I need, which is written down on a little post-it note because lets be serious, I wouldn't remember every little detail that the cast member who sent me on this mission researched and designed what he wanted. So the very nice cast member gathers everything I need, then she asks me if I want to build it, I think you all can guess what I say, "No, that's okay I'll let you do it". (I wasn't ready to play and have fun; I just wanted to get this done).

So with the fancy remote control car in its cool carrying box in hand I make my way back to the Yacht Club. I get up to the club level to find the cast member who requested the car. He has been in touch with the mom and knows that they are still up so it's okay to deliver it (normally we aren't allowed to make deliveries after 9pm) So I ask if I can accompany him for the delivery since I went and had this remote control car made; I wanted to see the little boys reaction. The cast member was fine with this! As we're walking to the room I ask, "So, why did I go make this for this little boy?"

And here is why we created this MAGICAL MOMENT:

He then began to tell me about this guest's story that touched him and then quickly touched me and made every driving, parking, and car building hassle worth it...

The guests that were staying with us were a mother, a ten year old boy, and his younger sister. They were staying with us so that they could go to the Daytona 500 race. Unfortunately, the race got postponed by one day, and that happened to be the day that these guests were leaving. The reason that they were going to the race in the first place was because that was something that the little boy and his father were always going to do. However, the boy's father passed away, he collapsed off his motorcycle and the little boy, who at that time was seven years old, attempted CPR to save his father's life. Unfortunately, his father didn't make it. After hearing about this guest's story, and finding out about the disappointment that they weren't going to be able to go to the race, our cast member wanted to do something that would mean a lot to this little boy and make the fact that he was going to miss the race a little bit better.

After hearing this story it made every extra minute at work worth it that night. It was so wonderful to watch the boy's reaction. You could tell that he was shocked, but really excited. His maturity level was impressive and the way he thanked us, you could tell how much he truly appreciated it. I could see in his mother's eyes how much it meant to her, what we had done for her son. Even the little sister was happy for him.

This was the first big magical moment that I helped create and I don't think I will ever forget it. Every day we create a little bit of magic with stickers, balloons, etc, but this was definitely extra special, and I will remember it forever. Disney can't change things that happen, but I think they have mastered the art of making situations better.

Bragging Rights & A Bit More

I'm so sorry I've left you guys hanging, but here is an update!

I figure it's okay to do a little bragging on here, I've had some exciting things happen lately.
A couple weeks ago I got a "Great Service Fanatic" award. These are little certificates you get for doing something great for a guest that another cast member or manager notices and wants to recognize you for. I got mine for going above and beyond for a guest by setting up their villa with all the baby accessories they had ordered for their arrival the next day. The guest was extremely pleased when they arrived. It felt good to get noticed for working hard.
Also I got moved to a different role. I am now part of the curbside team! I was excited to get asked if I wanted to be trained. They do not usually train cast members in the College Program for this role. So it felt good when my manager said I was at the top of his list to be trained! With being on the curbside, I greet guests when they arrive at the resort and escort them to the front desk or take guests up to the club level if needed. It is a lot of fun and a much more positive experience with the guests for the most part. So now I've been trained in three different roles which has been awesome! It's awesome that I'm learning something new all the time. This new role has helped me start recognizing and learning different kinds of cars (Dad, Brian, Scott, and Nick- you guys should be proud) haha.

Other than that I don't have a whole lot to brag about other than receiving compliments from my managers saying I'm doing a great job. Also, we had a special guest the other day and the head of the secret service told me I was doing a great job =)

Last week I got to see my parents, which was wonderful!! It felt sooo good to have a "mom hug"! Also Nick came to visit! It was his first time to Disney World, so that was lots of fun! He got to meet Mickey Mouse and go to three out of the four parks! I can't wait for them to come back!

Overall, I'm really loving my job. The people I work with are wonderful and really make it easy to be there. Time is really starting to pick up. I can't believe March is almost over. The spring break season has begun, there are sooo many people here! (I hate the traffic) Disney is wonderful, but I find it very refreshing to get away from the Mickey ears sometimes! Being here definitely makes me miss and appreciate Bloomington. I love where I'm from and being on this adventure is a wonderful experience, but I'm glad I have so many good things to go home to!!