DAY 1 (PART 2) : Casting

So, during check-in I was given the 2:30 bus time to go to Casting. When going to casting, make sure you have the following:

• Program Guide
• I-9 form that was filled out during check-in
• Forms of I.D. (Social security card, driver's license, passport, birth certificate, etc.)

I arrived at Vista around 2:00 and parked across the street since there were spaces available now. Then I walked up to the gate and the guy told me that I could have parked inside. Then I pull my car up and a different guy looks at me like I've lost my mind or that I was trying to break the rules and he shouldn't be letting me in. Boy, living offsite and trying to park at the apartments for classes and events should be a blast.

Anyway.. I found a parking space near the welcome center and walked to where we were supposed to get on the casting busses. There were some benches to sit on and I ended up meeting a few people there. I met someone doing Epcot Attractions East (Mission: Space, Test Track, Ellen's Energy Adventure), someone who was going to be a character performer (likely friends with Pluto), and someone who told me they had Asperger's and that they trained dogs for a living and once buried a cow.

So, a wide range of people.

The bus left from Vista promptly at 2:30. Our bus guide, I'm pretty sure, was likely a drag performer by night. But that's just a guess.

He told us some pretty cool facts. Like, Disney has an agreement with Hess gas stations to make the three on Disney property cheaper than any gas off Disney property. We drove by one Shell station that was selling regular gas for $5.99. And, no. That's not a typo.

He also told us about some of the discounts and perks we get at Downtown Disney, such as 50% off Cirque tickets and showing our cast I.D.'s to get the next table available at Planet Hollywood.

Then we picked up the people waiting at Chatham, so the bus was pretty full at that point. Then we were off to casting!

I've been wanting to go in here for so long!

The doorknobs at the entrance of the Casting building.

The lobby inside casting is so beautiful. First you walk down a short hallway into a large atrium with golden Disney character statues around the top (they even had Roger Rabbit!). This is the first of many, many lines! There are two hallways with photographs of cast members from all over Disney property that you'll walk through. And there's a main hallway that has some amazing murals painted on the walls to make it look like you're looking through windows. I took a few photos inside, but we really weren't supposed to so I'm not going to post them. But it's a really awesome building and something really special to see for the first time.

The backstage areas are a bit less magical, even though there are still some really awesome things on the walls (like attraction posters, shadow boxes with historical stuff in them, and just general Disney decor throughout).

It's so hard to remember everything that happens once you get inside. We did SO much stuff. The first thing, I think, was going over your address and making sure some things on some forms were correct. Then I think we went to fingerprinting. Then we were put in a small group to discuss Main Entrance Passes for ourselves and our friends and family. We were also given information about accessing the Hub so we can update our mailing address while on the program.

For new Disney College Program participants, we will be using our Blue I.D.'s that we get at Traditions to gain access to the parks for the first three weeks of our program. Our actual Main Entrance Pass is supposed to be mailed to us within 2-3 weeks, and from that point on, that's what we will use to enter the parks. We also get to allow up to three people into the parks six times throughout our program. And these are park hopper passes, so they can enter more than one park on whatever day you choose to use them.

Then we waited in the big hallway with all the murals for a while. I spoke with another Concierge who would be working at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge (jealous!). He was maybe in his 30s and also living offsite, so it was good to have someone to talk to about that.

Then we were taken into a small room and given a schedule for our first day of training at Disney University and our first day of training at our actual location. We were also given a sheet of paper with information about Traditions, which I will have on Saturday.

Thennn we had to wait in another line to go into a room and talk with someone about our training schedule. Then we waited in another line to give someone our I-9's and show them our I.D.'s for a final time. THEN WE GOT TO LEAVE!

... Or at least sit on the bus for a little while.

Buses are nice and comfortable. They even have electrical outlets to charge your phone!

The entire casting process took a full three hours for me. Got there at 3:00, left at 6:00. Lots and lots of standing, lots and lots of waiting. No bathroom breaks and no food/water breaks. Again, be sure you have your program guide and I.D.'s available at all times because they ask for them quite a few times throughout the process.

I have the next two days off. Tomorrow is the mandatory housing meeting for those staying with Disney, but I had it confirmed multiple times that I wasn't required to go since I'm offsite. Friday is an off day for everyone. Saturday is Traditions, which will be our first paid day of work. Sunday I start my four days of cashier training at Disney University, followed by my resort orientation at Pop Century on Thursday!

Sure hope I have a day off after that to visit the parks!