Today was excellent. Pure and simple. The hair came naturally and quickly and all of my princesses looked beautiful. I even completed them all in a timely fashion! I felt confident and happy and I really loved being my character today and I guess it showed because I earned not one, but two Great Service Fanatic Cards!
Great Service Fanatic cards are given to cast members for doing an especially good job or modeling the service basics. It's a really great honor to be recognized just for doing your job well and it helps motivate the cast to be committed to their character and great service.
I had finished with a princess (and her Fairytale bun looked excellent) and walked her to the front for her parents to cash out. "Princess, will you sign my autograph book?" I crouched down with the journal we use for our princesses to sign and talked to my princess about the rest of her day and how beautiful she looked and then sent her on her way. This is my typical post-makeover ritual but today one of my leaders stopped me backstage and told me she really loved how I'd come down to my princess's level and made her feel special. She gave me a GSF card and told me to keep up the good work.
Well! How about that!
I continued on with my day and my hair continued to be truly awesome. I even finished the dreaded Pop style in a reasonable amount of time. Later, I went Pixie Dusting around the front of the store and I met a family with two little princesses and two little princes. I pixie dusted them all and explained that it would turn them in to beautiful princesses and handsome princes and started talking to them about their trip. We discussed the rides they had ridden and the snacks they had eaten and as many magical things as I could think of when mommy said to one of the princesses, "Did you tell her about your prince?"
"You have a prince?"
"No, I just know what he's going to be like."
I plopped dramatically to the floor and fluffed my skirt around me. "Let's talk about him." They all gathered around me and she explained how her prince would be very tall and dark haired with blue eyes. I said "He sounds very handsome!" Then she added that he would be a doctor and they would have six or seven kids, she hadn't decided how many yet. "Well he sounds like a wonderful prince! I hope you find him soon. When you do will you give him a big kiss for me?" She blushed and nodded and her brothers made matching "ew..." faces. We talked a little more about Fairy Godmother training and I explained that I couldn't fly yet since I hadn't earned my wings so I had to take the coach to work. This seemed to satisfy them and they said their goodbyes, hugged me tightly, had me sign their autograph books and were on their way.
"Goodbye! Have a magical day!"
"Morgan? Can I talk to you?"
I turned to see a well dressed man with a cast name tag. "That was awesome!" I smiled and thanked him curtsying out of habit and immediately feeling slightly silly. "I'm sorry but I'm going to be using you as an example in our basics training class and I'm using your name." I laughed and told him that was more than fine. He complimented how well I stayed in character and how I made a special memory for my little princes and princesses. I told him how much I loved my job and that my favorite thing is to make my little guests happy. He headed off and I turned to my next princess.
Several minutes later as I was persuading a little princess to let me see her Rapunzel doll when I noticed the well dressed man and my leader from this morning had returned. "Hello! Were you just jonesing for some pixie dust?" The well dressed man explained that he had told my leader about me and she told him about my earlier GSF card. They agreed that I was totally on fire today. I got my second GSF card and had the biggest grin ever.
My goal for my college program was to earn one GSF card and I'd already gotten two! But that wasn't why I was grinning. I was smiling even bigger than usual because I really did give my guests a magical experience and it made me proud.
I make magic for a living and I am proud of what I do.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
An Honest Assessment
Not every day in the life of a Fairy Godmother is magical. Some days you will have princesses who absolutely are not interested in having a makeover even if mommy wants them too. There will be princesses with hair so matted and mangled that you can't figure out how mommy expects you to do anything with it. And, of course, some times you will take twice as long as you should to do a hair style right. Sometimes being magic is really hard but what makes being a Fairy Godmother different than any other job (at least those of the non-magic variety) is that no matter how much they fussed, no matter how big of a rat's nest you started with, and no matter how impossibly long it took you to finish, when you turn your princess around and say the magic words you get to watch her sparkle as she realizes how beautiful she is and that makes everything worthwhile.
Yesterday was my first day as a non-trainee Fairy Godmother in Training and I was more than a little nervous. The boutique offers three hairstyles, two that I love and one that I despise with the fiery passion of a thousand circles of Hades, and throughout my training I had only had to do the first two on actual girls. I had done all three, of course, on mannequin heads earlier in my training but mannequin hair pretty much has nothing to do with people hair. My very first princess sat down in the chair and I asked "Which style would you like, Princess?" She pointed to the dreaded style 3. Crap. Crap crap crap. Crapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrappitycrap.
"Ok, Princess. Let's get started!"
It took me absolutely forever. At least twice as long as it was supposed to take. I suppose I could have totally botched it to make time but the perfectionist in me wouldn't let this princess walk out without the exact style she asked for. After all, she may only be my first princess of the day but for her this is her one special princess makeover and I was not about to let her be disappointed with the results. When I turned my princess around, after making an hour's worth of cheery conversation, I could feel the tears burning behind my eyes, my chest reddening, and the back of my head pounding as I silently read myself the riot act, but my princess opened her eyes and her mouth bloomed in to a radiant smile and I smiled too.
"Do you like it, Princess?
"I look awesome!"
Oh thank God.
As if to prove that for every time you screw up so badly you make yourself cry internally (despite the fact that absolutely no one is mad at you but you) there is an opportunity to do something so good you make yourself cry internally (despite the fact that you are very happy) there was Princess Emma. Princess Emma is four (she "used to be three but [she's] done with that now,") and chatted away with me the entire time I did her hair, (style 1!) nails, and makeup telling me everything from what she planned to do after her appointment to all the pets she would like to have and what she would name them. Her hair turned out beautifully and was done in a timely fashion and when I turned her around (after a very sincere pinky promise that she wouldn't peek until I said "boo") her face lit up so bright she could have joined the Electric Light Parade. She clapped her hands and laughed and bounced in her seat and when I asked her if she liked it she nodded so hard I worried for the bun's safety.
Princess Emma bounded off to join her parents and equally made over sister and I headed to the back to wash up. When I returned I spotted Princess Emma holding her mom's hand and looking around worriedly. Her mom pointed to me and my princess came running, arms outstretched, and when I knelt to her height she threw her arms around my neck and squeezed for all she was worth. I hugged her back and had to look toward the ceiling to keep the little tears from sliding, tellingly, down my heavily glittered cheeks.
"Thank you, Fairy Godmother Morgan!"
"You're welcome, Princess!"
Thank you, Princess.
Yesterday was my first day as a non-trainee Fairy Godmother in Training and I was more than a little nervous. The boutique offers three hairstyles, two that I love and one that I despise with the fiery passion of a thousand circles of Hades, and throughout my training I had only had to do the first two on actual girls. I had done all three, of course, on mannequin heads earlier in my training but mannequin hair pretty much has nothing to do with people hair. My very first princess sat down in the chair and I asked "Which style would you like, Princess?" She pointed to the dreaded style 3. Crap. Crap crap crap. Crapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrappitycrap.
"Ok, Princess. Let's get started!"
It took me absolutely forever. At least twice as long as it was supposed to take. I suppose I could have totally botched it to make time but the perfectionist in me wouldn't let this princess walk out without the exact style she asked for. After all, she may only be my first princess of the day but for her this is her one special princess makeover and I was not about to let her be disappointed with the results. When I turned my princess around, after making an hour's worth of cheery conversation, I could feel the tears burning behind my eyes, my chest reddening, and the back of my head pounding as I silently read myself the riot act, but my princess opened her eyes and her mouth bloomed in to a radiant smile and I smiled too.
"Do you like it, Princess?
"I look awesome!"
Oh thank God.
As if to prove that for every time you screw up so badly you make yourself cry internally (despite the fact that absolutely no one is mad at you but you) there is an opportunity to do something so good you make yourself cry internally (despite the fact that you are very happy) there was Princess Emma. Princess Emma is four (she "used to be three but [she's] done with that now,") and chatted away with me the entire time I did her hair, (style 1!) nails, and makeup telling me everything from what she planned to do after her appointment to all the pets she would like to have and what she would name them. Her hair turned out beautifully and was done in a timely fashion and when I turned her around (after a very sincere pinky promise that she wouldn't peek until I said "boo") her face lit up so bright she could have joined the Electric Light Parade. She clapped her hands and laughed and bounced in her seat and when I asked her if she liked it she nodded so hard I worried for the bun's safety.
Princess Emma bounded off to join her parents and equally made over sister and I headed to the back to wash up. When I returned I spotted Princess Emma holding her mom's hand and looking around worriedly. Her mom pointed to me and my princess came running, arms outstretched, and when I knelt to her height she threw her arms around my neck and squeezed for all she was worth. I hugged her back and had to look toward the ceiling to keep the little tears from sliding, tellingly, down my heavily glittered cheeks.
"Thank you, Fairy Godmother Morgan!"
"You're welcome, Princess!"
Thank you, Princess.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Fairy's Night Out
One of the many joys of being a Disney Cast Member is the plethora of discounts offered to you simply for having a company ID. One of the best of these (apart from free park admission) is free admission to many of the Downtown Disney restaurants/clubs. Last night my roommates and I took advantage of this and coupled it with free drink night at the House of Blues in Downtown Disney's West Side. This seemed like the perfect free night out (as transportation is also provided for cast) and it proved to be one of the most fun nights out I have ever had but this certainly doesn't mean everything went as smoothly as a princess's bun.
How does everyone know the moves? "Does it seem like everyone can dance, like, really well?"
We looked around the club as couples swung on to the dance floor and began moving rhythmically to the salsa beat. Every woman's hips swayed and swished in a manner that caused me to repeat my oft uttered phrase, "Their hips must be attached differently than mine..." and the men stepped in complicated patterns, guiding their ladies around the floor beautifully. We gathered our free drinks and took our appropriate position along the walls. I searched around for some indication as to how we'd stumbled in to a perfectly choreographed salsa musical when I spotted the cards scattered about.
Bienvenidos a Latin Service Industry Night!
We hovered along the railing observing the stunning dance moves when an older gentleman approached us and began making conversation. When I say older I'm talking AARP card is already getting dusty in his pocket old and he is still working a Greg Norman hat and a vest louder than the music. He inquired as to what brought us to Florida and where in Disney we worked but primarily focused on me. "Can you dance?" He asked. "Not well!" He smiled and said "I'll come ask you for a dance later." Ok, old dude, you do that...
For the majority of the night we floated around watching the dancers and enjoying our free Sour Apple Martinis but, just as promised, my old man appeared hours later and requested his dance. I made eyes at the girls and decided Why not make the guy happy? and took off for the floor.
I'm not 100% sure what dance style he was going for but it involved a lot of spinning and waving his arms around and it certainly gathered a considerable amount of attention. I was considering which turn would offer me the best chance of slipping away unnoticed when Jessica appeared. Jessica was a beautiful girl with a mass of curly hair, tan skin, and truly friendly eyes. She joined our little dance troop and as our old man spun freely she and I discovered that she lives in the apartment next door to mine. Jessica took over dancing with our dizzy friend and as I turned to find my roomies they appeared through the crowd of shaking hips.
We clustered in a circle in the style most familiar to me from junior high dances and had a grand time awkwardly shuffling and shaking our hips ridiculously (the Chicken Dance was my primary artistic inspiration) until we were too warm to stay any longer. We made for the exit in the most elegant way possible (read: made a daisy chain and scuttled toward the door) but as I brought up the rear I attempted to pass a tall African American man who looked like Taye Diggs. Seriously. He thrust his arm in front of me but was wise enough not to actually touch me. I get all kinds of crazy if they touch me.
"Hey, girl, I was gonna come dance with you but you was so busy with your girls I didn't want to interrupt."
"Oh...sorry!" I smiled my best Fairy Godmother smile and made toward the door.
"You come her every week?"
"I'm kind of loosely scheduled. Bye!"
I spun as smoothly as my Toms wedges would permit and caught up with the roomies and we giggled our way out the door. By the time the bus brought us home it was 2:00 in the morning and, though exhausted, I felt like a cool college aged person for the first time and I was happy. Really happy.
I was less happy when I had to pop out a Fairy Tale Princess smooth bun 6.5 hours later but with a little Pixie Dust I perked right up.
How does everyone know the moves? "Does it seem like everyone can dance, like, really well?"
We looked around the club as couples swung on to the dance floor and began moving rhythmically to the salsa beat. Every woman's hips swayed and swished in a manner that caused me to repeat my oft uttered phrase, "Their hips must be attached differently than mine..." and the men stepped in complicated patterns, guiding their ladies around the floor beautifully. We gathered our free drinks and took our appropriate position along the walls. I searched around for some indication as to how we'd stumbled in to a perfectly choreographed salsa musical when I spotted the cards scattered about.
Bienvenidos a Latin Service Industry Night!
 |
| "Everyone will notice how pale and small bottomed I am..." |
For the majority of the night we floated around watching the dancers and enjoying our free Sour Apple Martinis but, just as promised, my old man appeared hours later and requested his dance. I made eyes at the girls and decided Why not make the guy happy? and took off for the floor.
I'm not 100% sure what dance style he was going for but it involved a lot of spinning and waving his arms around and it certainly gathered a considerable amount of attention. I was considering which turn would offer me the best chance of slipping away unnoticed when Jessica appeared. Jessica was a beautiful girl with a mass of curly hair, tan skin, and truly friendly eyes. She joined our little dance troop and as our old man spun freely she and I discovered that she lives in the apartment next door to mine. Jessica took over dancing with our dizzy friend and as I turned to find my roomies they appeared through the crowd of shaking hips.
We clustered in a circle in the style most familiar to me from junior high dances and had a grand time awkwardly shuffling and shaking our hips ridiculously (the Chicken Dance was my primary artistic inspiration) until we were too warm to stay any longer. We made for the exit in the most elegant way possible (read: made a daisy chain and scuttled toward the door) but as I brought up the rear I attempted to pass a tall African American man who looked like Taye Diggs. Seriously. He thrust his arm in front of me but was wise enough not to actually touch me. I get all kinds of crazy if they touch me.
"Hey, girl, I was gonna come dance with you but you was so busy with your girls I didn't want to interrupt."
"Oh...sorry!" I smiled my best Fairy Godmother smile and made toward the door.
"You come her every week?"
"I'm kind of loosely scheduled. Bye!"
I spun as smoothly as my Toms wedges would permit and caught up with the roomies and we giggled our way out the door. By the time the bus brought us home it was 2:00 in the morning and, though exhausted, I felt like a cool college aged person for the first time and I was happy. Really happy.
I was less happy when I had to pop out a Fairy Tale Princess smooth bun 6.5 hours later but with a little Pixie Dust I perked right up.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
A Semi-Solo Flight
After a sun-soaked two day break I returned to the Boutique fresh and eager (read: super nervous and excited.) I spent Sunday and Monday almost entirely poolside and am now a pleasant beige color that is considered winter white for most people but is considered a fairly savage tan for me. Today I was on the floor with my trainer observing how to do the hair while making pleasant, Fairy Godmother conversation with the princesses and their families. At first this struck me as ridiculously difficult. It takes all of my focus to get that hair smooth (however smooth you are picturing it's smoother than that) and the witty banter portion of my brain is temporarily relegated to hairspray application.
Wait, you need the proper themeing for this post. All day today our speakers pumped the soundtrack to the Lizzie McGuire Movie and the Princess Diaries so to give you the effect play this video while reading:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgAIwP5vpPQ
Anyway, fairly early on Michelle told me to take over. My very first princess came and took her seat. "And which hairstyle would you like, Princess?" She pointed to the Disney Diva. Crap. The Diva requires a hair piece and a ton of teasing and teasing is not my best skill. Was not my best skill, rather. But I pressed on as all brave FGITs must do. I worked as quickly at the smooth pony tail as I possibly could, desperately putting off the inevitable. Ok, let's do this. I attached the hair piece and began my terrifying teasing campaign. Remarkably, it was going off without a hitch. No less, I was making charming and funny conversation with my princess and she was laughing and smiling. It makes me nervous that teasing results as a bit of a rats nest even though that's what is supposed to happen. It goes against the smooth mentality I get in to with the pony tail. I teased and arranged the hair and asked my princess if she had a prince. Often they wrinkle their noses at the thought of a prince. Boys are frogs until about 7th grade, apparently, but this princess smiled and said "Yeeeesss..." and wiggled in the embarrassed way girls do when cute boys are around (trust me, I know this pose.)
"You do?! Who's your prince?"
"He is." She said pointing to a little blonde boy I hadn't noticed yet. There he stood in full prince garb looking every inch His Majesty Charming. Her mother smiled and told me that my princess and little Charming had been friends since they were born and the families always traveled together and that he had specifically requested to wear his prince outfit today so that he could be her prince. I am instantly in love with this four year old.
The moment of truth had finally arrived. I applied the Pixie Dust liberally and summoned the Royal Photographer. "Now, Princess, close your eyes and promise not to peek until I say boo. Do you promise?" She nods. "Do you really promise?" She nods harder. "Really really promise?" She nods so hard I am concerned about the hair so I decide she means it. I turn the chair slowly and say the magic words, "Bibbidi Bobbidi... Boo!" She opens her eyes and her mouth and eyes stretch to their widest extent. She is all teeth and glitter and I cannot imagine a happier expression ever. Until I see her prince. That boy is in love. Hooked at four. I've seen that face before. That prince is a goner.
Wait, you need the proper themeing for this post. All day today our speakers pumped the soundtrack to the Lizzie McGuire Movie and the Princess Diaries so to give you the effect play this video while reading:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgAIwP5vpPQ
Anyway, fairly early on Michelle told me to take over. My very first princess came and took her seat. "And which hairstyle would you like, Princess?" She pointed to the Disney Diva. Crap. The Diva requires a hair piece and a ton of teasing and teasing is not my best skill. Was not my best skill, rather. But I pressed on as all brave FGITs must do. I worked as quickly at the smooth pony tail as I possibly could, desperately putting off the inevitable. Ok, let's do this. I attached the hair piece and began my terrifying teasing campaign. Remarkably, it was going off without a hitch. No less, I was making charming and funny conversation with my princess and she was laughing and smiling. It makes me nervous that teasing results as a bit of a rats nest even though that's what is supposed to happen. It goes against the smooth mentality I get in to with the pony tail. I teased and arranged the hair and asked my princess if she had a prince. Often they wrinkle their noses at the thought of a prince. Boys are frogs until about 7th grade, apparently, but this princess smiled and said "Yeeeesss..." and wiggled in the embarrassed way girls do when cute boys are around (trust me, I know this pose.)
"You do?! Who's your prince?"
"He is." She said pointing to a little blonde boy I hadn't noticed yet. There he stood in full prince garb looking every inch His Majesty Charming. Her mother smiled and told me that my princess and little Charming had been friends since they were born and the families always traveled together and that he had specifically requested to wear his prince outfit today so that he could be her prince. I am instantly in love with this four year old.
The moment of truth had finally arrived. I applied the Pixie Dust liberally and summoned the Royal Photographer. "Now, Princess, close your eyes and promise not to peek until I say boo. Do you promise?" She nods. "Do you really promise?" She nods harder. "Really really promise?" She nods so hard I am concerned about the hair so I decide she means it. I turn the chair slowly and say the magic words, "Bibbidi Bobbidi... Boo!" She opens her eyes and her mouth and eyes stretch to their widest extent. She is all teeth and glitter and I cannot imagine a happier expression ever. Until I see her prince. That boy is in love. Hooked at four. I've seen that face before. That prince is a goner.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
The Bibbidi Bobbidi Beginning
I must apologize for my stony silence these past few days but training to be a Fairy Godmother has left me exhausted, and glitter coated but I'm not complaining there. Let's begin at the beginning despite my penchant to start in the middle and then bounce from point to point like a startled lizard.
Welcome to the Neighborhood (or how I learned to stop worrying and love Downtown Disney)
Downtown Disney is the only part of the Walt Disney World complex that I can not navigate with my eyes closed, even during parade times, and initially this bothered me. I like to know everything about my surroundings and Downtown Disney might as well have been Downtown Cairo for all the better I know it. Our first day of training served to help reduce some of my concern as we spent it walking around the area and talking about our neighbors. Downtown is divided fairly nicely into three districts (Marketplace, Pleasure Island, and West Side) which each serve a particular purpose (retail, dining, and entertainment) although there is some crossover. While Downtown Disney doesn't have that fairy tale magic feeling there is a magic all its own in the way it buzzes with excitement.
Earning My Ears (or how I learned to stop worrying and make a bun)
The most important thing to remember throughout this story is that I am wearing the most beautiful costume in the world the entire time. My skirt is swishy and purple.
Our training began as every day as the boutique begins, with a team meeting. All of the Fairy Godmothers in Training (here after referred to as FGITs, pronounced fidgets) gather in the boutique to talk about our day and to share any Magical Moments stories. Magical Moments are what we live for; those special moments where we really get to make something wonderful happen for our guests, especially our little guests. It is at this part of the meeting that we are reminded that we are not in the beauty business, we are in the magic business, and it is our job to make our princesses feel beautiful inside and out. With the meeting concluded all the FGITs gather in the center of the boutique for our morning spell, "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo! The magic starts with YOU!"
Even Fairy Godmothers have to cover a few technical things and so much of the first day was devoted to computerized safety lessons which caused me to go cross eyed and forget to blink (surprisingly easy to forget) and my fellow FGIT in training, Aimee, to nod off repeatedly. As 2:00 approached, however, FGITs began flitting about more excitedly than normal and our trainers appeared and informed us it was "time for the parade!" Aimee and I engaged in a quick eyebrow raising contest and then followed our trainers through the boutique and out onto the streets of Downtown Disney where the most adorable sight in the world awaited us. There stood several FGITs with Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique banners and a large sign similar to those marching bands hold in front during the Macy's parade and a collection of little princesses. Each day at 2:00 we host the Princess Parade during which we lead any princess who wants to join on a parade from the boutique to the carousel. I moved around the princesses and scanned the gathering crowd for any more who might want to join our merry band when I spotted a little girl who reminded me of myself. She would take a few steps forward, lose her nerve, and scuttle back to her parents. Wash, rinse, repeat. Unfortunately for this princess, she didn't have a little sister to pull along with her and check it out first. This princess needed a Fairy Godmother.
"Hello there Princess! What is your name?"
I bent down on one knee and extended my hand a few feet from her and she shuffled slowly forward. "Alexa." She said as she put her hand on mine.
"Well Princess Alexa, my name is Morgan and I'm your Fairy Godmother."
Her eyes got wide and she nearly broke my heart the way she said "Really?!" scooting forward and gripping my fingers tightly.
"Yes, really. Would you like to join our Princess Parade?"
At this point she was already on her way and I stood up more to avoid being tugged over than anything else. I smiled to her mom and mouthed "I got this," and we joined her fellow princesses. The parade was too precious for words as the princesses marched along waving and blowing kisses to the crowd. One little princess was attempting a quantity over quality air kiss technique that caused her to appear to be mimicking an Indian. Some princesses really got in to the parade waving while others were deathly serious, considering the parade their solemn duty as princesses. We reached the carousel and helped our princesses board their horses. As the carousel spun Alexa and I discussed snacks and why it was important to have a full stomach if one was to successfully run a kingdom. She agreed that a hot fudge sundae was the best royal fuel. With the ride over we let the princesses run back to their waiting moms and dads and I started gathering up our flags. Then I noticed my princess, parents dragging along behind her, hustling back toward me.
"Hello Princess Alexa! I thought you were getting a snack!"
She pulled her mom and dad forward and said to them "This is Morgan. She's my Fairy Godmother. For real!"
I curtsied and made a few pleasantries to the royal family and headed back for the boutique. I have never felt more important in my entire life.
I was nervous to learn the styles for a number of reasons not the least of which being my hair goes one way all the time and has for six years. As Michelle and Ines demonstrated the first of the three styles I marveled at how effortless they made it look. A perfectly smooth bun (and when I say perfectly smooth I mean the entire head is smooth. No, seriously.) was simply not in my skill set. But then, I surprise myself everyday. After a few tries I was picking it up pretty well. In fact, by the end of the day I felt pretty confident about all three styles, smoothness and all. Teasing hair pieces proved difficult for me at first, being a totally foreign technique to me but with time I came to accept "ratty is more" and things got easier. I'm actually finding myself wanting to keep practicing. I realize keeping a mannequin head in your room is a sure fire way to get your roommate to move out but I actually like mine so I'll have to work on my own hair as best I can. Maybe I should get a Rapunzel doll. Considerably less "put the lotion on the skin."
I went on Pixie Dust Patrol to end my day which meant I got to smile and sprinkle pixie dust on any princess who passed by. This is a really fun job because princesses of ALL ages love to be dusted. Even a few handsome knights stop by. Pixie Dust is appealing to all ages and genders. Pixie Dust has clearly seen the Diversity Training video. Toward the end of the day I saw a princess passing with her mom and dad who looked exactly like you would if you couldn't find the exact toy you wanted on the last day of vacation.
"Hello there, Princess! Would you like some Pixie Dust?"
She nodded sullenly, wiped her nose, and tottled my way. Dad whipped out the camera, a habit I am still getting used to, and mom looked slightly behind me and smiled. She mouthed "the pink Minnie" and I noticed I was standing in front of, and effectively concealing thanks to my skirt, a display of pink Minnie Mouse dolls, the only ones in the store of that type.
"Close your eyes and make a wish! Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo! May all your dreams and wishes come true!" As I shook my wand over her head I reached behind me and grabbed the Minnie and held it in front of her at eye level. "Open your eyes, Princess!" She squeaked, grabbed Minnie and bolted back to mom. As she walked toward the front of the store she kept looking back over her shoulder with an expression that said "I'm not sure what you did but I accept that it was awesome."
It kind of is.
Welcome to the Neighborhood (or how I learned to stop worrying and love Downtown Disney)
Downtown Disney is the only part of the Walt Disney World complex that I can not navigate with my eyes closed, even during parade times, and initially this bothered me. I like to know everything about my surroundings and Downtown Disney might as well have been Downtown Cairo for all the better I know it. Our first day of training served to help reduce some of my concern as we spent it walking around the area and talking about our neighbors. Downtown is divided fairly nicely into three districts (Marketplace, Pleasure Island, and West Side) which each serve a particular purpose (retail, dining, and entertainment) although there is some crossover. While Downtown Disney doesn't have that fairy tale magic feeling there is a magic all its own in the way it buzzes with excitement.
Earning My Ears (or how I learned to stop worrying and make a bun)
The most important thing to remember throughout this story is that I am wearing the most beautiful costume in the world the entire time. My skirt is swishy and purple.
Our training began as every day as the boutique begins, with a team meeting. All of the Fairy Godmothers in Training (here after referred to as FGITs, pronounced fidgets) gather in the boutique to talk about our day and to share any Magical Moments stories. Magical Moments are what we live for; those special moments where we really get to make something wonderful happen for our guests, especially our little guests. It is at this part of the meeting that we are reminded that we are not in the beauty business, we are in the magic business, and it is our job to make our princesses feel beautiful inside and out. With the meeting concluded all the FGITs gather in the center of the boutique for our morning spell, "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo! The magic starts with YOU!"
Even Fairy Godmothers have to cover a few technical things and so much of the first day was devoted to computerized safety lessons which caused me to go cross eyed and forget to blink (surprisingly easy to forget) and my fellow FGIT in training, Aimee, to nod off repeatedly. As 2:00 approached, however, FGITs began flitting about more excitedly than normal and our trainers appeared and informed us it was "time for the parade!" Aimee and I engaged in a quick eyebrow raising contest and then followed our trainers through the boutique and out onto the streets of Downtown Disney where the most adorable sight in the world awaited us. There stood several FGITs with Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique banners and a large sign similar to those marching bands hold in front during the Macy's parade and a collection of little princesses. Each day at 2:00 we host the Princess Parade during which we lead any princess who wants to join on a parade from the boutique to the carousel. I moved around the princesses and scanned the gathering crowd for any more who might want to join our merry band when I spotted a little girl who reminded me of myself. She would take a few steps forward, lose her nerve, and scuttle back to her parents. Wash, rinse, repeat. Unfortunately for this princess, she didn't have a little sister to pull along with her and check it out first. This princess needed a Fairy Godmother.
"Hello there Princess! What is your name?"
I bent down on one knee and extended my hand a few feet from her and she shuffled slowly forward. "Alexa." She said as she put her hand on mine.
"Well Princess Alexa, my name is Morgan and I'm your Fairy Godmother."
Her eyes got wide and she nearly broke my heart the way she said "Really?!" scooting forward and gripping my fingers tightly.
"Yes, really. Would you like to join our Princess Parade?"
At this point she was already on her way and I stood up more to avoid being tugged over than anything else. I smiled to her mom and mouthed "I got this," and we joined her fellow princesses. The parade was too precious for words as the princesses marched along waving and blowing kisses to the crowd. One little princess was attempting a quantity over quality air kiss technique that caused her to appear to be mimicking an Indian. Some princesses really got in to the parade waving while others were deathly serious, considering the parade their solemn duty as princesses. We reached the carousel and helped our princesses board their horses. As the carousel spun Alexa and I discussed snacks and why it was important to have a full stomach if one was to successfully run a kingdom. She agreed that a hot fudge sundae was the best royal fuel. With the ride over we let the princesses run back to their waiting moms and dads and I started gathering up our flags. Then I noticed my princess, parents dragging along behind her, hustling back toward me.
"Hello Princess Alexa! I thought you were getting a snack!"
She pulled her mom and dad forward and said to them "This is Morgan. She's my Fairy Godmother. For real!"
I curtsied and made a few pleasantries to the royal family and headed back for the boutique. I have never felt more important in my entire life.
I was nervous to learn the styles for a number of reasons not the least of which being my hair goes one way all the time and has for six years. As Michelle and Ines demonstrated the first of the three styles I marveled at how effortless they made it look. A perfectly smooth bun (and when I say perfectly smooth I mean the entire head is smooth. No, seriously.) was simply not in my skill set. But then, I surprise myself everyday. After a few tries I was picking it up pretty well. In fact, by the end of the day I felt pretty confident about all three styles, smoothness and all. Teasing hair pieces proved difficult for me at first, being a totally foreign technique to me but with time I came to accept "ratty is more" and things got easier. I'm actually finding myself wanting to keep practicing. I realize keeping a mannequin head in your room is a sure fire way to get your roommate to move out but I actually like mine so I'll have to work on my own hair as best I can. Maybe I should get a Rapunzel doll. Considerably less "put the lotion on the skin."
I went on Pixie Dust Patrol to end my day which meant I got to smile and sprinkle pixie dust on any princess who passed by. This is a really fun job because princesses of ALL ages love to be dusted. Even a few handsome knights stop by. Pixie Dust is appealing to all ages and genders. Pixie Dust has clearly seen the Diversity Training video. Toward the end of the day I saw a princess passing with her mom and dad who looked exactly like you would if you couldn't find the exact toy you wanted on the last day of vacation.
"Hello there, Princess! Would you like some Pixie Dust?"
She nodded sullenly, wiped her nose, and tottled my way. Dad whipped out the camera, a habit I am still getting used to, and mom looked slightly behind me and smiled. She mouthed "the pink Minnie" and I noticed I was standing in front of, and effectively concealing thanks to my skirt, a display of pink Minnie Mouse dolls, the only ones in the store of that type.
"Close your eyes and make a wish! Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo! May all your dreams and wishes come true!" As I shook my wand over her head I reached behind me and grabbed the Minnie and held it in front of her at eye level. "Open your eyes, Princess!" She squeaked, grabbed Minnie and bolted back to mom. As she walked toward the front of the store she kept looking back over her shoulder with an expression that said "I'm not sure what you did but I accept that it was awesome."
It kind of is.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
A Company Woman
It's 5:15. My alarm isn't supposed to go off for another fifteen minutes. Go back to sleep? No, probably should get up. Go for the bus early. Is that good? Don't want to seem uppity... but they appreciate initiative. 10 minutes early? 20? 15.
Sam and I board the bus before the sun comes up and talk about swimming and Jane Austen (she is pro and I am con but we don't let this come between us.) There is a general buzz on the bus despite the early hour and the fact that the sun has yet to come out. This is the day. Today we become official cast members. The sun makes its way up and illuminates the dream factory.
Move all the way through to the other side of the lobby. Ok, I seem dressed appropriately. That's good. There are so many of us and we're so close in here. She's calling out numbers. There's Aimee (another Fairy Godmother) but she's off with another group. Group 7. That's me. It's starting. This is real life? No, think it with confidence. This is real life.
Sam and I board the bus before the sun comes up and talk about swimming and Jane Austen (she is pro and I am con but we don't let this come between us.) There is a general buzz on the bus despite the early hour and the fact that the sun has yet to come out. This is the day. Today we become official cast members. The sun makes its way up and illuminates the dream factory.
 |
| Aforementioned factory. |
We move through the university to our check in area and are promptly handed our Walt Disney Company ID cards. "The most powerful card in Central Florida," we're told shortly after. Thus begins our Traditions training. It begins fairly typically, basic job safety and common sense stuff that every company has to tell new employees to avoid a call from Edgar Snyder (or appropriate TV attorney for your area.) But then we are introduced to the four keys to the Disney way of doing things and, because it's Disney, the only way to really learn them is to head to the show to see them in action.
 |
| The most powerful piece of plastic in the entire Central Florida region. No, really. |
We're in the Utilidor, under the Magic Kingdom. That's Cinderella. THAT. IS. FREAKING. CINDERELLA! She also likes Coach bags. I knew I had princess taste. Is this where I think it is? We have to be under the castle. Yes, there's the stairs to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. That's how we do it.
There are three people in our group that have never been to the Magic Kingdom. They are Disneyland people and they are so completely not prepared for how the Florida Project has turned out. Our trainer pulls them to the front of the group as we round the corner and move from Backstage to On Stage. They are already blown away by the recent Main Street USA remodel. (To be fair, so am I and I am an old Disney veteran.) I focus on them as we turn the corner and the Castle comes in to view and their reaction is perfect. Jaws drop, eyes widen, and one of the boys sums it up perfectly, "This is awesome..." He means it in the original sense of the word.
I'm never going to remember all this history. We probably won't be tested. Still... This is going really fast. I'm not going to remember all of these guidelines. No, you don't have to. The rules for Disney conduct are how you have always lived your life. You are Disney. Right? No, confident. Right.
There's a knock and we all immediately turn to see who's at the door. We are primarily concerned that it is someone coming to quiz us on all the information we've just been bombarded with (in the most pleasant way possible, of course.) Then the door opens and it is the boss. THE boss. Mickey Mouse bounds in the door with a present in hand and the room erupts in the kind of cheering that would imply we hadn't spent the whole morning talking about how several people in the room were "Mouse Height" character performers. We all hug the boss (the company's sexual harassment policy doesn't extend to mice) and then comes the moment I have been waiting for since I was nine years old. We form a line and receive the badge of honor, the sign that we have arrived, the name tag. My hand is actually sweating as I reach for it. My hands never sweat. They never even get above freezing temperature.
Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't you cry in front of Mickey. This is happening. This is real life. That name tag says my name. Morgan, University of Pittsburgh. That's me. That's me! Be cool.
...Or giggle audibly. Yeah, that works too...
 |
| They certainly do. |
Monday, January 16, 2012
Welcome to the Magic
By 7:45 AM I was already heading through the gate be assigned an apartment. I found two of my roommates, Courtney and Danielle, who I had gotten to know online (thanks, Facebook, for giving college kids everywhere the ability to know perfect strangers better than their own neighbors!) and we proceeded to the first of seemingly endless stations.
We started by being assigned a place to live, a major concern of mine. Lucky for us, we got our first choice, a 3 bedroom apartment in Patterson Court (the newest and nicest apartments by far.) After we got our keys and our photo housing IDs (and you know I look fantastic in that extreme close up...) we proceeded to board the bus to head to Casting. On the bus we met another of our roommates, (there are six of us in total) Samantha. I decided I liked her because she was sporting a bright red bow and Hello Kitty sunglasses. Bow wearers are almost universally good people.
We arrived at casting (see picture of "adoorable" knobs somewhere attached to this post. I'm coming to you live from iPhone tonight because I have yet to learn how to connect to our Internet. Baby steps...) and entered in to a perfectly coordinated whirlwind. I was promptly, if unceremoniously, assigned my work location. Drum roll, please! I will be flitting about and making dreams come true at the Downtown Disney Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, the original location. This made me clap happily in a manner not unlike a trained seal.
The rest is a bit technical so I'll spare the detail. I worked out my pay, got my background check cleared, verified that I do, indeed, fit the Disney Look (a look I have apparently been following since birth,) got my schedule for Traditions (our orientation with the Disney Company,) and my training schedule for the week. And just like that, I'm a Disney Cast Member. (Again, somewhere attached to this is a picture of the cute statues inside Casting. Roll with me.)
I finally got to move in to my apartment and I cannot stop saying "ohmygoshitissoooonice!" when asked to describe my new home. See picture.
For those of you trapped in the frozen north, now may be the time to skip ahead to the next paragraph because this description may cause snow induced jealousy to flare. Go on ahead. We'll all meet up at the end. I live in a beautiful sunshine colored apartment complex in a gorgeous tree lined neighborhood and my apartment is feet from both laundry and the pool and gym. And palm trees. Palm trees everywhere.
I suspect I may have died on the way here and this is Heaven. It's hard to be certain with this much sunshine.
Tomorrow I have the day off so I am hitting the parks with Dad and Gram since I will be training all this week (yeee!) I know you can't judge an experience by the first day but I'm judging and it is magical.
We started by being assigned a place to live, a major concern of mine. Lucky for us, we got our first choice, a 3 bedroom apartment in Patterson Court (the newest and nicest apartments by far.) After we got our keys and our photo housing IDs (and you know I look fantastic in that extreme close up...) we proceeded to board the bus to head to Casting. On the bus we met another of our roommates, (there are six of us in total) Samantha. I decided I liked her because she was sporting a bright red bow and Hello Kitty sunglasses. Bow wearers are almost universally good people.
We arrived at casting (see picture of "adoorable" knobs somewhere attached to this post. I'm coming to you live from iPhone tonight because I have yet to learn how to connect to our Internet. Baby steps...) and entered in to a perfectly coordinated whirlwind. I was promptly, if unceremoniously, assigned my work location. Drum roll, please! I will be flitting about and making dreams come true at the Downtown Disney Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, the original location. This made me clap happily in a manner not unlike a trained seal.
The rest is a bit technical so I'll spare the detail. I worked out my pay, got my background check cleared, verified that I do, indeed, fit the Disney Look (a look I have apparently been following since birth,) got my schedule for Traditions (our orientation with the Disney Company,) and my training schedule for the week. And just like that, I'm a Disney Cast Member. (Again, somewhere attached to this is a picture of the cute statues inside Casting. Roll with me.)
I finally got to move in to my apartment and I cannot stop saying "ohmygoshitissoooonice!" when asked to describe my new home. See picture.
For those of you trapped in the frozen north, now may be the time to skip ahead to the next paragraph because this description may cause snow induced jealousy to flare. Go on ahead. We'll all meet up at the end. I live in a beautiful sunshine colored apartment complex in a gorgeous tree lined neighborhood and my apartment is feet from both laundry and the pool and gym. And palm trees. Palm trees everywhere.
I suspect I may have died on the way here and this is Heaven. It's hard to be certain with this much sunshine.
Tomorrow I have the day off so I am hitting the parks with Dad and Gram since I will be training all this week (yeee!) I know you can't judge an experience by the first day but I'm judging and it is magical.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
"Can we stop at Biscuit World?!"
As a general rule I don't stay in hotels with room doors on the outside. This is not a snobbish thing but, statistically, more episodes of Law and Order: SVU take place at Motel 6 than at the Hilton. That being said, this place on the outskirts of Savannah (home of one of America's more terrifyingly large bridges) is pretty nice. There were cookies in the lobby and I'm only slightly concerned someone in going to break in to my car and steal all of my very best stuff.
Dad and I's trip was altogether a fun adventure. Had we not the backs of two octogenarians it would have been entirely a breeze. We battled fierce blizzards and resisted the very real temptation to investigate roadside wonders "Biscuit World" (is it a world made of biscuits or simply a world in which biscuits can finally frolic and play without the constant threat of consumption? We'll never know. Our road warrior spirit prevented investigation,) and a bright yellow building simply labeled "Fireworks" that featured two large, realistic elephant statues starring down passers-by in a manner that insisted entering the establishment offended them on a deep, personal level.
We leave for Orlando tomorrow morning after our complimentary breakfast, a meal that reenforces my point that this place is totally not Law and Order material.
I better check my car one more time.
Just in case.
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| Certainly less concerned than I was about the blizzard that greeted me this morning. |
Dad and I's trip was altogether a fun adventure. Had we not the backs of two octogenarians it would have been entirely a breeze. We battled fierce blizzards and resisted the very real temptation to investigate roadside wonders "Biscuit World" (is it a world made of biscuits or simply a world in which biscuits can finally frolic and play without the constant threat of consumption? We'll never know. Our road warrior spirit prevented investigation,) and a bright yellow building simply labeled "Fireworks" that featured two large, realistic elephant statues starring down passers-by in a manner that insisted entering the establishment offended them on a deep, personal level.
We leave for Orlando tomorrow morning after our complimentary breakfast, a meal that reenforces my point that this place is totally not Law and Order material.
I better check my car one more time.
Just in case.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Once Upon a Time
"Whatever you do, don't open the trunk." This ominous advice came from my sister as she slammed the ice covered trunk closed. "If those bags open... Poof!" She gestured an impression of clothes leaping from the trunk like confetti from a prank peanut can. Space bags are what results from practical storage solutions mixing with a bit of magic but they tend to encourage over packing.
Fitting all my things into the trunk of my tiny Volkswagen is just the beginning of the magic in store for me, though. I am a Fairy Godmother... in training... to be. Tomorrow I move to the Sunshine State to begin my dream job, the most important job in the world, making princesses. I will be entrusted with the power of Pixie Dust (not something to be taken lightly despite assumptions to the contrary)and with it I get to make little girls see the Princess Potential inside. Every girl is a princess, after all. It just takes a Fairy Godmother, and a bit of magic, to help them dress the part.
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