Check In and Casting

The Check In for our program was a well oiled machine. We were greeted and then began to sign our lives away in a day long process. We got to pick where we wanted to live and how many bedrooms. We chose a three bedroom apartment at Chatum Square...recommended to us by our friend Sam who did the program a few years ago. It seems to be the center of a lot of action and the bus stop in just down the stairs and across the parking lot...compared to some people who have to walk 10-15 minutes to the bus stop. We supposedly have a fitness center, however I have not found it yet. Across the street is a place called Mickey's retreat which only Disney employees get to use and they can bring their friends and families for free. It has two out door swimming pools, a lake, soccer fields, baseball field, outdoor picnic area, and I am sure more. I only drove through the parking lot.

After checking into our apartment and "moving in" Lisa took us to Publix (a local grocery store chain) where I learned that some things here are much more expensive (pasta) and some things are less expensive (gorgonzola cheese). We had to be at the bus stop at 12:30 PM for our bus trip to casting. Our "leader", I don't really know how to categorize him, met us and told us a few fun facts including: Disney has over 62,000 Cast Members (employees) and is 43,000 acres (I think that is right). He dropped us off at the Casting building where the only Alice in Wonderland door knob exists.

From here on it was signing your name, information overload, background checks, and fingerprinting. The highlight: we got to find out where we are working and what we are doing. I am working in the ANIMAL KINGDOM!!! So are three of my roommates including Katie. After the 3 hour long event we got back on the bus and were ready to take a nap, but when we arrived at our place our roommates were headed out for some CiCi's pizza (a first for me) and a run to Target (my favorite store). Needless to say it was impossible to resist.

Target was quite the adventure. Our roommate with the car had not emptied her trunk yet and she bought storage bins so they had to sit in the laps on the back seaters. The car was ridiculously full and had we got in a wreck the metal would of had no where to collapse into.


This morning we had a housing meeting...I would say at least an hour of it was pointless. Oh well, all part of the process right?

We have a welcome party tonight at 5 where Mickey himself is supposed to make an appearance.

Here is the initial run down on the roommates.

Zoe- 25 turning 26 in a few weeks. Originally from Phillie but goes to school in Miami. She will work at Magic Kingdom.

Taryn-24 from South Hampton, Mass. Working at Animal Kingdom.

Khadijah- 22 From Flint, Michigan. Merchandise at Animal Kingdom.

Erin- 22 from St. Loius. She has already been here a week and it has been really nice having her around to help us with our questions. She is a greeter at Magic Kingdom.

Katie-21 from Portland, OR. My friend from school and actual room roommate. It has been extremely nice to have her here. She will be working at a ride in the Animal Kingdom.

I apologize for any errors...the tiredness is really setting in.