My first week of work has been filled with many pleasant interactions and a flexible work schedule. In terms of work hours, the first three days consisted of a total of 15 hours spent at Disney University. Here I learned about the overall atmosphere and culture the company wants each individual to create. Depending on your role in the company, you were assigned to a group and trained online. Being in Quick Food and Beverage Management, my group trained in food and beverage safety. This part seemed to take the longest simply because I had spent my entire summer studying for my food handlers license which made this session a bit redundant. On my 4th day of work, I finally began my on sight training where we were in full uniform and were given a tour of French Quarters both Front and Back of the house. I started training during the night shift; while it was something completely new to me, I was able to adjust to the hours nicely. In the mornings would wake up later in the day and I had time to prepare my lunch, and clean and organize myself for the day ahead of me which was convenient.
On my first day of onsight training I experienced about three magical moments. A magical moment when a cast member gives a complementary dessert to boost an experience from great to extraordinary. The first and most heart warming magical moment I witnessed was within the first 15 minutes of my training. My trainer was teaching us about the maintenance of beverage Island, located in the center of the guest seating area, when we saw a confused woman trying to make herself some tea. One of the things we were taught during traditions was about the importance of anticipating a guests needs. Rather than having a guest come to us for help, we are encouraged to pay close to guests and analyze their behavior to see if they are in need of help and offer assistance. It is part of taking responsibility for the inconvenience of the guest and resolving the problem. My trainer spotted the guest having a confused facial expression and asked if she was in need of assistance. She looked pleased to have someone come to her rescue. She told him that she was from london, and had just arrived to the resort after a long and tiresome flight; all she wanted was some milk for her tea. He listened intently, apologize for the inconvenience and went into the storage side of beverage island to get her milk. While Ricky fetched the milk, my partner in training and I made conversation with the guest. She had told us that she was spending her vacation with her family who were celebrating her daughters 21st birthday by taking her on a surprise trip to Orlando. When Ricky gave her the milk, she prepped her tea and looked so content. We spoke to her a bit more and gave her options that would make her visit better, especially because this was their first time visiting the parks. We asked them if they had tried the Beignets and they said no, to which we said they must try them. Beignets are the Port Orleans French Quarter Staple. When they sat down to enjoy their teas, they thanked us and we got back to the tour. A minute or two later Ricky asked us to order a tray of Beignets and once they were ready, we brought them to the table. When the woman and her daughter saw the tray, their faces lit up instantly. She was so touched by this that she gave Ricky a hug. It was the sweetest thing to witness. It made a long night shift not so long. It was definitely the best way to start a long night shift.
