Once you have experience the Disney realm, it’s hard to go back into the real world without bringing some pixie dust back with you. Disney truly is an expert of the industry and it’s hard to top their superb guest satisfaction and magic making abilities.
The only problem with Disney is that once you’ve discovered just how amazing it is, you compare everything to it when you leave. After my first trip to Disney World in 2012, coming home to New England was a harsh reality. New Englanders are already known for our less than friendly demeanor, especially before we have had our Dunkin' Donuts fix for the day. I went from pixie dust and bibbidi bobbidi boo to road rage and waitresses that don’t bring you cupcakes because it’s your birthday. I’m even guilty of walking away from a bad customer service situation thinking to myself, “Disney would be appalled if that happened there.”
Working at Disney leaves an even larger lasting impression on your heart because you have fallen in love with the magic. Starting a “normal” job after leaving Disney leads to your co-workers knowing you as the Disney kid, everyone asking if you worked as a princess, or asking to plan their Disney vacation for them. And to be honest, I wouldn’t want to change any of that because I am so proud of my time with Disney.
You have probably heard of the secret language used by Disney cast members that consists of codes and acronyms. What they don’t tell you when you’re learning it is that you will never be able to stop using it. The seasonal status of employment with Disney is called Casual Temporary or abbreviated as CT. While that is also the abbreviation for Connecticut where I live, I will always read CT as seasonal. Whenever someone talks about bands, my mind instantly jumps to the assumption that they are talking about magic bands. My mind is always going to be on Disney time no matter where I go.
As a former character attendant, my anxiety reaches maximum capacity when I go places that have character meet and greets. Disney has very specific guidelines for how meet and greets should be conducted. We were trained to ensure that all guests wait their turn in an organized time and that guests and characters always knew when our opportunity to meet friends was coming to an end. However, it appears that other theme parks do not share the same passion for organization as Disney. For example, my boyfriend works at Six Flags New England, home of the Looney Tunes characters like Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, and Sylvester the Cat. The characters, typically two at a time, come out to have a small dance party with park guests and then stick around to take pictures with friends. While this all sounds fun, there is no way to guarantee that strangers won’t get in your pictures. Without lines, kids run from all directions to talk with their favorite characters. Whenever I am visiting the park, it takes so much energy to not ask parents to have their kids wait their turn.
Regardless of your time away from the mouse, Disney will always hold a special place in your heart. While the real world is no where as amazing and perfect and the Disney universe, we will always find a way to bring the magic with us no matter where we are. I am so appreciative of the standards that Disney has instilled in me and those lessons will not soon be forgotten.
