Published on Sunday, December 31, 2006 .
As 2006 comes to an end, I thought I would shar year end update that went out in an e-mail to friends and family:
This year started off with me completing engineer training for the Walt Disney World Railroad. That’s right, for those that remember little Tommy Webster being in the trains as a child, well guess what, he now drives a real turn of the century steam powered locomotive on a “Grand Circle Tour” of the Magic Kingdom. Like people, each of our four trains on the WDW RR have their own personality and I have learned a lot about adjusting my skills to fit the train. Continuing on with work, I became an area trainer on Main Street, USA where I trained Park Greeters, Conductors and also facilitated Guest Service Training for new hires.
It was in August that I left my home for two years at the Magic Kingdom to move to a role that I had been trying so hard for over a year to get, Guest Relations. I moved to Guest Relations at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park where I got the chance to work with an amazing group of people and learned a lot about carrying on the traditions and quality standards set forth by our company’s namesake, Walt Disney. Guest Relations was a great opportunity for me and really gave me the tools I needed to make sure that each and every one of our guests had the most wonderful time of their lives.
Fast forward to November, I have returned back to my home on Main Street, USA now though as an Area Coordinator where I oversee the operation and cast for Turnstiles, Steam Trains, Vehicles, and Parade. On any given day, I am responsible for not only 250 Cast Members but, our many thousand guests who visit our park every day and ensuring that they have a smooth and care-free transition to our world of fantasy. This is my next big step on my path to a full-time leadership role with the Walt Disney Company.
Leaving work aside for now (I know it’s hard considering I work a lot), I did have some great travel experiences this year ranging from quick visits to Naples, FL to see family and even the surprise visit home from Grandpa Don’s Birthday. October also brought along what is beginning to look like an annual trip out the the original theme park, Disneyland and Southern California. There is something about the original that draws me back.
This holiday season will also mark my third year with the Candlelight Processional Cast Choir at Epcot. Candlelight is a tradition started at Disneyland in 1957 that tells the Christmas story with traditional scripture and song with a different celebrity narrator each night. It is truly a moving experience and if you get the chance, come and see the show.
So as we end 2006, Happy New Year and best wishes for 2007!
Published on Monday, October 09, 2006 .
it is with a mixture of emotions that I announce my return to Main Street, USA at the Magic Kingdom. Effective this coming Sunday, I will be leaving my TA in Guest Relations at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and returning back to my home on Main Street, USA at the Magic Kingdom. Why am I giving up the job I have tried so hard to get for the last two years? As hard as it is to give it up, I have to move back to Magic Kingdom for financial reasons.
At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the park hours a far shorter than Magic Kingdom and the average hours per week I was scheduled was about 32. Now, back at Magic Kingdom, I was on average getting 45-50 per week. Even with the pay raise that I received when I went over to Guest Relations, I was ending up making less money than I was before. I could not survive the remaining 4 months of my TA on 32 hours a week.
Aside from financial reasons, my long-term goal with the company is to move in to leadership as an Attractions Guest Service Manager. Moving back to Main Street, I will be a coordinator which I feel gives me more leverage for the Leadership Casting Call coming up in the next few weeks and in the spring. I will be going to the information sessions coming up and deciding if now is the time for me to post or if I should wait.
So that is what has been going on in my little world the last few weeks. Some tough decisions that I had to make. What may look like a step back, seems like it will in reality take me two or three steps forward in the long run. I will miss the Guest Relations role a lot but, Disney’s Animal Kingdom was just not the right park for me. Feel free to shoot me a message or a comment if you have any advice or feedback you wish to leave for me.
Published on Monday, August 21, 2006 .
For those that haven’t checked your e-mail or did not recieve my update, here is my latest quarterly update:
I want to first off apologize for my lack of e-mail messages and updates over the past several of months. I have been working very hard here at the Magic Kingdom and Main Street Operations. Since I last wrote, I became a relief or substitute coordinator (lead staff) for the area. What does this mean? Some days I am up front at turnstiles where I am responsible for not only our Cast but ensuring that all 50 turnstiles at the Magic Kingdom are up and running and that our Guests have a seamless experience while entering the Magic Kingdom. I also do coordinating on Main Street, USA. While on Main Street, USA, I am again responsible for our Cast but also ensuring the safe operation and efficiency for our Steam Trains and the safety of our Guests at parade time.
Along with coordinating, I am also an area trainer for Be Our Guest (new hire Guest Service training, Turnstiles and Steam Trains. As some of you know, I was a lifeguard training instructor for several years and it is nice to get back to training. Main Street Operations has been the most rewarding area I have worked here at the Walt Disney World Resort and has a great team of Cast Members. It is on that note that I move to my next bit of news.
After almost two and a half years, I will be leaving the Magic Kingdom. No, I am not leaving the Walt Disney World Resort. After over a year of hard work, and six-months of waiting, I have accepted a role in Guest Relations at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. My last official day at the Magic Kingdom will be on Saturday, August 26 and moving to Animal Kingdom on Sunday, August 27. This is an exciting time for me and I am looking forward to the change in pace and the role that I have been working so hard to get in to since I started. It will be hard to let go of a great area like Main Street Operations but, I know that I am finally moving on path upwards in the company, no part of which would not of been possible with out the great support my leaders on Main Street have provided.
Aside from the change in location, I am signed up to participate in the Candlelight Processional Cast Choir again at Epcot for the Holidays Around The World, which will begin in late November. This will be my third year in the choir and it will be great to be a part of the exprience again. For those that are coming to visit, try and come for a show that is narrated by Marlee Matlin. She is by-far one of the best speakers I have met and seen. I am also in the process of planning my trip back to Disneyland in October with several of my friends from Epcot.
That’s all the update I have for now. Look for more updates by visiting http://www.webbyaquatics.com . From there, you can access my blog and current photo collections. Please feel free to come down and visit anytime or drop me a line.
