No, this isn’t a post about some noughties witch programme – if that’s why you’re here you should probably reassess your viewing habits.
All day last Saturday (Stockton Calling) people were banging on about this new band, Hidden Charms. They were on later in the day which usually means they’re a decent band but it also meant I couldn’t stay to see them as I left to get suitably smashed for my mate’s 21st. However, I decided today that I would give their YouTube a little tickle and the hype is real. They’re my new thang. I’ll probably destroy every existing song they have, just like I did when I first listened to Catfish and the Bottlemen, and I’ll probably tell everyone to give them a cheeky listen because they’re actually top.
The four piece from London are reminiscent of bluesy guitars and beats that could be mistaken for something straight outta 1965. With hailing from Zane Lowe and Annie Mac, I can’t be the only one succumbing to the delicious sounds of their latest single Love You Cause You’re There. The band’s influences include Arctic Monkeys, Temples and The Kinks and you can certainly tell. Long Way Down is my new fave jam and it should be yours too. Perfectly comfortable in Carnaby Street and sixties America alike, the band have literally nailed the whole bluesy mod thing and I love it. Seriously hope I get to catch these boys some time soon so when they’re big I can claim “I liked them first”.
Upcoming UK Dates:
Warrington – Viola Beach: A Celebration 2 April 2016
Derby – 2Q Festival 9 April 2016
Leeds – Live at Leeds 30 April 2016
Whitehaven – At The Stadium 13-14th May 2016
Brighton – TGE Festival 19-21st May 2016
London – Bushstock Festival 18 June 2016
So, you’ve successfully managed to worm your way into having the most magical summer of your life (probably), now Disney is going to rinse you of all of your money and reeeeally test how much you want to do this program.
Flights
You want to book these ASAP and you start pooping your pants thinking “omg omg omg everyone is flying out on the same day so the flights gonna fill and get dead expensive dead quick omg” – yes it does get more expensive, but not massively (not right away, anyway).
My flight
Out: Manchester > Orlando direct, 19th June 2016 at 10:30am with Virgin Atlantic
Return: New York (JFK) > Manchester direct, 16th September 2016 at 22:53pm with Delta
I booked this flight on January 9th for £554 through STA. A quick search on my trusty friend SkyScanner tells me that now the flight is available for £619 through Expedia. As much as the price has increased, nearly 3 months later, a £65 increase is really not that bad so don’t stress about booking flights straight away if you don’t have the money there and then! Yummy Jobs also team up with STA to offer flights that you can pay off in instalments after putting down a £49 deposit so if you’re worried about paying a lump sum when you don’t have the money, wait for them to contact you about that.
“Program Fee”
This is a payment to cover your first two weeks of rent and the cost of “parties and other recreational activities in housing”. It is £239.80 this year and I won’t lie, it hurts to pay it. It’s something that needs to be paid within 30 days of confirming your place on the program and has to be paid off as lump so consider that, especially when you will probably be finding out during the festive period!
DBS and SEVIS
This is basically a CRB check and is supremely annoying because even if you have a valid CRB certificate, you still have to pay for this. This is £75. The SEVIS fee is another American background check which costs $35 (at the minute that is about £25).
US Embassy Appointment Fee
This is in relation to your Visa. Yep, another trip to London because that’s the nearest US Embassy to me and so although the appointment fee is $160 (£112), the trip will cost much more.
Passport Courier
After you have paid for that inconvenient trip to London, you then have to pay for your passport to be returned to you (honestly, I’d walk there and pick it up if it meant I could avoid paying more) and that is £30.
Insurance
Again, annoying because you HAVE to book medical insurance through Lloyd’s of London despite it seemingly covering you for absolutely nothing. That’s looking at around £180 though it depends which of the two options you choose. I’m choosing the cheaper option purely because it barely covers me anyway and so I’ll probably have to buy more travel insurance on top of this.
Fun Funds
Of course, when you get there you want to be able to enjoy yourself and I’m pretty sure Disney said we wouldn’t get paid for the first week or so, so extra funds for that time are needed. You’ll probably need to buy bedding and some food for your apartment when you get there (WOOOO WALMART TRIP) and a bit of extra cash, if you can find it, is always nice to have so you can enjoy your program. Obviously it’s up to you how much you take, but Yummy Jobs recommend between $350 and $750. Yes it is expensive but you are being rewarded with two months of unlimited access to Disney World. Remember how much you wanted this, now suck it up and cough that dollar up.
Total costs: £1,215.80 + what ever spendies I decide/can afford to take.
*** Rent***
I’m not really counting this as a cost, to be honest. Your bills are included, you get a gym, pool, laundry room, free buses, a nice flat with some of the best buds you might ever make and you never see the money enter or leave your account. Disney take rent directly from your wages every week. Each complex is priced differently (I’ll be doing a separate post on housing soon – don’t worry your little nugget) and so it’s really up to you what you prioritise – money or luxuries.
As in my previous post, this Easter bank holiday weekend consisted of music, booze and chocolate eggs and it lived up to every expectation and more AND YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO BELIEVE ME.
FRIDAY
So basically, The Last Shadow Puppets played Middlesbrough Town Hall, which for one is incredibly unexpected, like twice Glasto headliner Alex Turner mooching round Boro doesn’t just happen… and the gig was insane like couldn’t have asked for more. Alex has grown his hair and it’s luscious and great, and Miles has shaved it and he looks like badass. They were both rocking some 70s gear that pressed every single one of my buttons, and the show they put on was spot on.
Now all well and good, me and my buds leave buzzing, head for a drink across the road then onto Empire (Boro’s finest establishment). Unknown Pleasures was on – a room dedicated to all things indie, alt, Madchester and just general great tunes. We’re having a top night and then some chick is like “omg Miles and Alex are in Emps”. Like 20 minutes later, there we are, in the same tiny room as Miles Kane and Alex Turner. The area is cordoned off of course so we get right to the front of the velvet rope barrier. The boys (yeah, we’re mates now) needed a wee so security took them and the barrier is dropped, everyone’s free to dance again. This is where I make my move.
Spotted the bassist in the corner so I went to talk to him. He’s from LA and I’m going in the summer so I’m asking him for some names of dece bars and that and then suddenly the boys come back and the barriers back up AND WE’RE INSIDE OMG OMG DIE. Me and my two gorgeous mates Steph and Amy are like “play it cool chicks play it cool” and there we are dancing with Miles Kane and Alex Turner. FULLY LEGIT. Now this is where it gets questioned because I have no selfie evidence – cryyyyyyy. We all agreed not to act like 12 year old girls and so that unfortunately meant we couldn’t whack out Snapchat 😦 To be fair, it must be a nightmare being them. Like you can’t have a dece night without being mobbed or have constant mug shots taken of you when you just want to get seshy with a super hot gal like me lol.
ANYWAYS, best night of my life ever. Miles Kane is the most humble and lovely guy, and Alex, well, he’s quiet, keeps himself to himself but has got some serious snake hips. Stuff of dreams. Thank you for the most wonderful memory, and that can of Red Stripe x
SATURDAY
The rest of my weekend was excellent but is definitely gonna sound like an anti-climax after the Friday of my life haha!
Stockton Calling is a day when bands from all over come to Stockton to play in pubs and bars all day long – sort of like a bar crawl with top live music, essentially the perfect day out.
PROUD GIRLF MOMENT: our lad’s band, TOWZER, opened for KU Bar in the afternoon. It was their first gig together, and with their slot being 1:30pm they didn’t really expect many people to turn up. The room ended up packed with people and they were so bleedin’ good. I’m so stupidly proud and happy for them. They sounded great and the crowd were really behind them. Looking forward to becoming their number one fan.
Hung around for band’s like Social Room, The Tapestry, Kingsley Chapman (from The Chapman Family) and it was great to see such a good turn out of people throughout the day. Live music is special, and the support for local talent and unsigned acts was amazing to see. More days like this please. If you want to know more about it, check out my mate Dave’s blog http://www.moveonupblog.co.uk/2016/03/stockton-calling-2016.html
I had to leave before I got to see Reverend and the Makers, Blossoms and the most talked about band of the day, Hidden Charms. It was my school friend’s 21st so I got home, got changed, topped up my highlight, and headed back out to pres. A million woo woos later, we totted out in our heels for another night on the tiles. First: The Townhouse (formerly The Keys) for some 2 for 1 long island ice teas and motown and soul classics – most underrated pre bar for a Saturday night in Boro. Then back to Empire for the second night in a row. Music was spot on all night, whacking out those songs you thought you had forgotten about. The Kooks Shine On reminding me just how bloody old I am now. Easter bank holiday is always the best for nights out; everyones back from uni and you’re just a social butterfly floating round the room hugging anyone and everyone IT’S THE BEST.
SUNDAY
IYA JESUS, WELCOME BACK. My two day bender had caught up with me and though Jesus had risen, I think I regressed into a state of death like appearance. Luckily, we had a slap up Sunday dinner at the v nice Acklam Hall in their new restaurant The Brierley. We all got a little bag of truffles on arrival, then I had cheese souffle, a lamb dinner and lemon tart with italian meringue. It was so beaut and I definitely had that post Christmas dinner type nap feel after. We went back to my nan’s, I beat the kids at the Easter Egg hunt and then we ate more when my nan put on her one of her ‘nan’s famous buffet’s. Worked it off with a family game of Heads Up and then slumped home where my boyfriend joined us for the finale of The Night Manager (holy poop it was good wasn’t it?!).
All round fantastically great weekend and now I’m off to eat a bacon sarnie. Much love x
HOOOOOOLY POOOOOBALLLLS – the feeling when you wake up on final interview day. Before I got to the interview, I went to the wrong Disney HQ door, make sure you go to the right one (side of the bus station rather than through the shopping centre) because arriving sweaty is never alright.
Once you’ve finally stopped fangirling over the big sparkly Mickey statue and the name badge you don’t get to keep, you go into another presentation. It’s like the Yummy Jobs one but more in depth and hosted by Americans so it’s ridiculously preppy and exciting. Again there are more questions but at this point I was so nervy I couldn’t have even tried to think straight and therefore did not win a Disney luggage tag; it’s ok, only nerds win anyway.
Following the presentation you either have to leave the building and return when it’s your interview slot time, or if, like me, you’re first up then you hang around outside the presentation room.
At this point you meet more people and again I was word vomming everywhere. Jennie the journo came out to play and I ended up knowing where everyone was from, what uni they go to, what they study and probably some other classic babble that no one really cares about. Members of the group were leaving one by one to have their interviews and I don’t think I’d ever been so nervous. Finally, when it was my turn I had to go up a floor into another room – great nosiness opportunity, Disney HQ looks like such a sick place to work!
After a few more minutes wait I was called in. My interview was in the same room as another interview and it was really casual. I think this stage is more to understand your personality, to see if you’d fit in and suit working at Disney.
The questions at this stage are things like:
Why do you want to do the program?
What do you want to gain from doing it?
What work experience do you have?
Why have you chosen your top two roles?
Any further questions?
Literally five minutes later and I was done.
Because I’d chosen one of the first interviewing days out of about 10, I had to wait for what felt like forever to find out if I was successful. They’d told us we could be waiting until the middle of January which would’ve been absolute torture. Luckily, I found out two days before Christmas and what better present could I have asked for!?
Tuesday 6th October 2pm. You don’t get to choose your date and time at this stage so I skipped a lecture – oops don’t tell uni lol.
Other years interviews had been held in different cities like Edinburgh, Newcastle, Manchester etc. but we all had our interview at the Yummy Jobs HQ in Epping, Essex this year. It was a trek for me (Middlesbrough/Manchester based) and it cost me a fortune staying over in a Travelodge, train tickets, lunch out blah blah blah and the whole time I was just wishing for it to be worth it haha!
I joined a Facebook group during the online application stage and we’d organised to meet in Starbucks before our interview so we weren’t so nervous and alone (highly recommended). The Starbucks is literally opposite the YJ office too so no chance of getting lost/being late.
GROUP INTERVIEWS cryyyyyyyyyy
If you like group interviews, well 1.) you’re a weirdo and 2.) you’ll be fine here. You register as you walk in, get handed a sticker with a group name and time on and then you make yourself as comfy as you can be on a plastic chair in a room full of strangers who you’re competing against 🙂 There was then a presentation that got you pure buzzed for a job you might not even get.
At this stage listen – write notes on key points mention and especially on the number of jobs in each role, give yourself the best chance possible and don’t limit yourself to one of the very exclusive roles like Character Attendant (only three people this year got that job). BE FLEXIBLE.
There were then a few questions thrown to us applicants with every right answer winning a chocolate star wars lolly. I GOT ONE, BOW DOWN. Basic Disney knowledge required: when did DisneyWorld open? The four parks? One of the recently announced park extensions? The names of the Disney Cruise ships?
Then it was time to split. If you had the first interview slot (I did) then you stayed, if you didn’t you had to scarper until it was your time slot. Every group gets a Yummy Jobs rep to impress, we had Nicola (the boss, yikes) and two lovely Dutch interns.
Quezzies (this is what y’all are here for right?):
ICE BREAKER: Ok so we all had to choose a Starburst, yep I know, and once we all had one we found out each colour represented a different question. Interesting fact, fave destination or fave food were the questions. I got interesting fact so I said I have performed on two west end stages (I think she liked it, we talked for a while and I was pretty much word vomming throughout). Then the rest of the questions:
What’s your name? – …you better know the answer
What will you bring to the program and what will you gain? – REMEMBER CULTURE
Top 2 roles and why? – choose at least one with large hiring numbers to up your chances (Lifeguard and Quick Service Food & Bevvies are usually good)
Fave Disney film and why? – I said Pocahontas cos she’s a badass (in Disney appropriate wording)
SCENARIO QUESTIONS ARGH – this is where you nip up and it gets all scary as they ask someone who is interested in the role first and then everyone else gets to chip in.
1. What do you do when a guest is looking everywhere for a certain piece of merch and they can’t find it? Be nice, if it exists go find it, if it doesn’t offer them an alternative blah blah.
2. You’re on duty as lifeguard and a guest starts shouting at you because he’s asked you where he can find a specific food item three times and you have ignored him, what do you do? Politely tell them you are a lifeguard on duty and you can’t take your eyes off your patch to help him right now. Your job is to look out for people in danger. If they start to kick off remind them of that, you’re looking out for their children’s safety at the end of the day!
3. What do you do when someone has queued FOREVER and the ride breaks down? MAAAAGIC MOMENT TIME – if they’re super duper upset, give them a cheeky fast pass for another ride, duh.
EXPERIENCE QUESTIONS – they want to know you have faced these problems before and can overcome them, have examples ready.
1. You have a stupidly messy roommate, what do you do?
2. When have you shown time management skills?
Finally, any tattoos or piercings that aren’t the Disney look? – DO NOT LIE. They won’t discount you because you’ve got a tat they will just place you in a role that has a costume to cover it.
At this point we were asked if we had any final comments or questions. Make sure you say everything you went in expecting to say, you don’t want to go home with a whole load of “I-wish-I’d-said-that”s. I brought up the fact I’m a freakin proud Smoggie and that I want to show the people of the world that England goes further than afternoon tea and Prince Harry. And with that comment about the glorious Boro, I was outta there an hour after when we started. Don’t worry, it’s the quickest hour of your life.
Results EEEEEP
I found out I’d gotten through like a million (15) days later and I was buzzzzzzing. I’d heard rumours that this was the major culling stage and if you make it through to the second interview stage then you’re pretty much safely on the program. A girl I had spoken to in Starbucks got rejected, it was her second application, so don’t think just because it’s your first time you don’t stand a chance. The next interview would be held at Disney HQ in Hammersmith (yo that’s cool) and I had a choice of dates. Opted for an early one to get it out of the way and then spent my days counting the hours and choosing my outfit!
BANK HOLIDAAAAAAAAAY HECK YEAH. Everyone loves a four day weekend and after a four day placement I feel like I’ve worked hard enough to deserve all of the fun.
Good Friday: Jesus made Good Friday for a reason and this is it. The Last Shadow Puppets, as in Alex Turner off of Arctic Monkeys and Miles Kane off of Miles Kane, are doing a gig at Middlesbrough Town Hall. It’s going to be insane and I am going to be there, how great? I’ll be sure to make you all jelly as after the gig.
Easter Saturday: As well as that monumental moment, one of our local festivals, Stockton Calling, is on this Saturday with Reverend and the Makers and Blossoms headlining. We’ve got a fab little music scene up North and Saturday should highlight that superbly. Our lad’s band, TOWZER, are opening for one of the soundest bars in Stockton and it’s their first ever gig aw. Demos sound wicked and as much as he doesn’t want me there being his groupie, I’m gonna be, soz fella. If you’re in Stockton on Saturday, get your ass down to KU at 1:30pm.
Saturday night is a long time pal of mine’s 21st so seshy times are ahead. Feel like I haven’t been out in glorious Boro town in so long so I’m buzzbuzzbuzz. Also haven’t seen some of my mates since before I went to Australia, which was like December, so I’m excited for the happiness and joy that will be Saturday night.
Easter Sunday: Catholic life – probably start the day in Church because Jesus, and then I will be recovering over a Sunday dinner out with ma familia at Acklam Hall’s brand new restaurant, The Brierley. Usually we go back to my nan’s house and do an Easter egg hunt which now means, us old grandkids help my three younger cousins find loads of eggs and then they let us have one… being 21 is laaaaaame.
The first stage of the six month process was an online application. You can apply on the Disney International Programs career page but you will be directed to apply with Yummy Jobs anyway so you might as well go straight to http://www.yummyjobs.com instead and find Disney J-1 Cultural Exchange Program Summer. Yummy Jobs are the UK recruiters for Disney – you don’t directly meet with Disney until the second interview. The applications for our intake opened on July 1st and stayed open until mid September, if I remember correctly!
The first thing the application asks for is a picture. I used this piccy right here from when I went to Rome.People will say “don’t use a selfie, it’s not professional, blah blah blah” but look at me now hunniez.
Mandatory things next: education history, personal details and contact info.
Then you get this mingin question: Why do you value cultural exchange and interaction?
For this I spoke a lot about a French exchange I did in college and how it gave me perspective on other cultures, how I like to travel and learn about other people, and how, as a journalism student, I’m motivated to find things out about people and learn what makes them tick and understanding other cultures is key to that etc etc. Baaaasically, as much as this is a Disney summer program and I love DisneyWorld, they want to know you are interested in other people, this is the cultural exchange program, not just a summer job in their eyes and so they want to know you’re there for the right reasons – not just because you like the parks.
What is your motivation for the program?
Amazing opportunity working for an amazing company, learning so much about people and different nationalities in the happiest place on earth, how it will help with my degree, the fact I want to work for Disney in future and this would just be the first step on that career ladder for me… I think that’s pretty much it.
I’m sure Disney think it’s great that you like Cinderella and Toy Story but I’m not sure that’s a good enough reason for them to hire you. They want to know you’re there to learn and work hard, not just to watch the parades for free so make sure you display interest in the work/education side of it too!
Then you have to attach your CV and cover letter. It should go without saying that your cover letter should be one written specifically for this role. Outline things about YOU here. Your CV has all of your skills and work experience, now you should make it a personal experience.
I always hate online applications because I think I come across better in person – how can I be me through a formal application on the internet? The cover letter is where I did this best (I think?!). I focused on my performing arts background; how I feel as a guest there (always refer to customers as guests in Disney); how I want to make guests feel; again talked about my aims of a Disney career and my foreign exchange; and finally talked about how important it is for me to represent my home town internationally, that England is much more than just London, that I am so proud of where I’m from and I want to show the world that.
Being a journalist, I made a feature of it and wrote descriptive, flowery paragraphs and made it like the most poetic cover letter they’ve probably ever read – seems to have worked though doesn’t it haha?!
TIPS:
Talk about the CULTURAL element
Make sure your spelling and grammar is on point
Check out some of the cheesy DCP/ICP videos online (mainly for Macarena – you’ll soon understand)
Be passionate
Include examples of times you’ve displayed whatever you chat about, don’t just chat shit and hope for the best, they’ll see right through you.
Mostly, make yourself look fabulous. Include Disneyisms and make yourself NEEDED, this program will not be right without you and I’m sure you’ll sail on through to the pre-screens!
It doesn’t matter when you submit your application, as long as it is before the closing day of course, however I actually got my confirmation of pre-screen interview email before the applications closed. People who hadn’t yet submitted were stupidly jealous of others finding out, so that might be something to consider when you come to choosing when to press that dreaded button!
Way back in time (July 2015) I applied for the Walt Disney World Cultural Exchange Program. On December 23rd, in a Washington IAD Airport transfer lounge en route back from NYC, I opened the most wonderful email telling me I got through!
I am spending two months as a cast member in Orlando and another month(ish) after that travelling much of the west by car before heading back to where my heart belongs – New York City – just in time for SS17 Fashion Week, Gigi who?
I’m not sure which park I’ll be working in yet but I do know I start on June 20th and I will be working in operations. Operations includes actively working rides, looking after the lines for rides, working on the main gate to the park and working the parking lot.
This post will be the first of many. Before I get out there, 87 days bitcheeees, I will be going through the application process, what happens after receiving that glorious acceptance email, and probably doing some prep blogs i.e. packing, cast member meet ups and a summer clothes haul I imagine. Once I’m over in the land of the free – and insanely good food – I’ll try to blog as much as possible, mainly to make you all super jel ha.
Time to be confusingly ironic: I set this blog up because I hate blogs. What I mean by this is, I’m sick of reading potentially fabulous blogs that are just so GCSE English. I am by no means a Rowling or a good old Lemony Snicket but oway boys and girls there are more words than ‘aesthetic’ and ‘lovely’. If you want some colloquially written wonderful words then you’re at the right place, my love. Who knows what I will write in this not-so-bloggy blog. As the title of the post may suggest, I like basic things like: Topshop, Costa, shoes, Disney, discovering my soul while travelling the world xoxox etc. I also fully love me some Manchester, bangin tunes from bands like The Smiths and Stone Roses and appreciate all thangs 60s/70s. Other than that, I’m 21, from Boro (Google ‘where is heaven?’ if you’re not sure), and I’m a third year broadcast journalism student at the uni of disorganisation (Salford).
The first thing the application asks for is a picture. I used this piccy right here from when I went to Rome. People will say “don’t use a selfie, it’s not professional, blah blah blah” but look at me now hunniez.
not-so-bloggy blog 