Dan@Disney

Everyone went out on my program with some idea of what the experience was going to be like. I think without fail everyone had a very different experience than they expected. I once again went out and asked ex-CRPs for what they were most surprised about. This time instead of writing it up I am going to give you what they had to say in their own words – I have kept them all anonymous to protect the innocent!

It’s not the job or the place, it’s the people…

“I thought all my memories before I went would all be Disney ones whether it be work or the parks and that’s what would make the programme so good. But I know it sounds corny but it was the people and the friends you make that make the programme so good”

It’s not all pixie dust…

“I thought I was going to get over there and everyone was going to be these saints – bed early every night. But little did I know there was pretty much a night out for every night of the week. There was definitely this whole “work hard, play hard” thing going on. And I feel like I should deffo mention I was surprised how much I enjoyed Happy Mondays, because when I first got there it didn’t sound appealing but once you go it’s amazing. And to save the best for last I was surprised at the fact that not many people went to the legendary Parliament House Resort on a Sunday because it was always an amazing night!!”

 

“I didn’t realize that there would be so many people working there that weren’t really all that into Disney but more into the social/partying aspect of it all.”

It all goes by so fast, try new things, you might like them!

” I didn’t even know what Lasses was before I went and I was terrified all the way through my first one, but once I gave it a chance it became one of the absolute best parts of my program. Being made Head Lass was one of my proudest moments (ever!).

 

I also didn’t expect how quickly your friends turned into your family (super cheesy). I made some of my best friends in that year but I felt like we were already really close just a few weeks in.

 

I definitely didn’t expect certain guests to be so stupid. Asking them what countries made up the UK and getting Belgium and Australia as answers was interesting!

 

But I think the biggest thing I didn’t expect was how bloody quickly the year goes. You think when you are going away for a year that it’s going to feel like ages, but time flies by and before you know it it’s time to go home and the whole thing feels like a dream. So I would definitely have told June 2012 me to make the most of every opportunity that I came across. I’m still annoyed I never went on a cruise”

People become really good friends not just workmates…

“I didn’t go to Lasses for ages when I first got there because I was terrified of standing up in front of everyone and answering personal questions because I was only just coming out. I didn’t realise how accepting everyone actually would turn out to be.”

Sometimes you just have to forget everything you thought it would be…

“I was not expecting to make so many friends, I didn’t know that F&B got tipped hence not knowing I would be making good money.

 

I thought I would miss my family more!

 

I didn’t expect to go out getting smashed most nights like it was Magaluf!

 

I didn’t realise I would be suicidal when I got home!”

Whatever your expectations about your program they will probably be wrong. My advice and I think that of everyone I have spoken to is to go with the flow, you will get the most from your program if you roll with the punches. I know I did lots of things that I never thought I would and I thoroughly enjoyed (most of) them.

Have you done a program? What were your expectations and were they correct? Did you enjoy the fact that it wasn’t what you expected?