My attempt to become a CM (text heavy)

[kelly]

I too worked 3rd shift custodial at DL. But it was about 12 years ago. We only had 1 week of training. But the interview process you described in your first post is waaay different then how it was done when I was hired. So, who knows about the training process now.

I loved working 3rd shift. I usually slept late afternoon, early evenings (I was going to school in the mornings) I also tried to keep my night schedule even on my nights off. But I was signle at the time and it was failry easy.

The work was fun (mostly, some times not) One thing I liked is that being the "new guy", I moved around alot. One week I would work in TL, then the next, in Critter Country, then a week on the hose crew, ect. But sometimes they would switch me for just one night, then I would be somewhere else the next night.

Chagning areas so often was both a curse and a blessing. I liked in that I was never in a rut, doing the same thing everything night. But for the first while, I felt like it was the "first day on the job" in each of the areas. I didn't know where things were, the fastest way to do things in a given area.

All in all, it was good times.

Congratz!

i loved it too.. i miss it now that i quit and mvoed to vegas

[ExJungleSkipper95]

I just read the story and although I am happy that you got the position it seems a little ridiculous that they had you jump through so many hoops before even finding out if you were hired.

Personaly I would rather they tell me up front if I had the job or not. I would have been pissed off if I would have gone through that whole custodial tour at 2 in the morning and then not get hired.

[kelly]

I just read the story and although I am happy that you got the position it seems a little ridiculous that they had you jump through so many hoops before even finding out if you were hired.

Personaly I would rather they tell me up front if I had the job or not. I would have been pissed off if I would have gone through that whole custodial tour at 2 in the morning and then not get hired.

the reason they do that is to make sure you are wanting the job (they told me this after i worked 3rd shift for 2 years).. when I did the 2 am tour... there was suppose to be 7 of us (3 showed up)... they want to make sure you are committed ...

[XCLIPSE129]

Kelly, What are the hours if you worked at 9pm. I used to work 3rd shift too at DCA but that was back in 2000. I think I know which J your are talking about. but it might be different too. anyways Im thinking about going back to work for DCA or DL but I dont want to work too late in the evening. I remember coming in at 1 am and leaving at 9am from what I rememeber. It was great working there it was the higher level managers I didn't like. Ehhh I always asked to be the person to take sick calls or dispatch. That was cool for awhile. I decided to stay in Cal Screamin for my shift. Loved it there. Too bad i didn't get to meet you Kelly. I was there for 2 years.

[kelly]

Kelly, What are the hours if you worked at 9pm. I used to work 3rd shift too at DCA but that was back in 2000. I think I know which J your are talking about. but it might be different too. anyways Im thinking about going back to work for DCA or DL but I dont want to work too late in the evening. I remember coming in at 1 am and leaving at 9am from what I rememeber. It was great working there it was the higher level managers I didn't like. Ehhh I always asked to be the person to take sick calls or dispatch. That was cool for awhile. I decided to stay in Cal Screamin for my shift. Loved it there. Too bad i didn't get to meet you Kelly. I was there for 2 years.

thye started this 9 pm shift this past year (only at DCA though) I think.,. it is for the kitchen and bathroom crew

you would be working until 5 am.. it is full time 9pm-5 am

but for 3 weeks i think you are at the 1pm shift (training for other areaas) then go to the 9 pm shift..

[XCLIPSE129]

Well I have another job that is from 7am to 5pm
I just want to work part time.. Hmm do they still do the weekend shifts. I remember people working only fri-sun. DId they still have that?

[kelly]

Well I have another job that is from 7am to 5pm
I just want to work part time.. Hmm do they still do the weekend shifts. I remember people working only fri-sun. DId they still have that?

i dont think they have weekends anymore

but you triggered a memory.. some people who started at 9 pm only worked until 3 am.. due to other jobs.. and cut backs.. so you could try that (they started that right before i quit) some people were mad because they wanted to work until 5 but couldnt

[Mr_Chopsticks]

I'm back ladies and gents with a nice little update for you. The day after thanksgiving I got into a car accident and was in the hospital for a few days so I called to the casting center and they were really nice about everything and put my whole job situation on hold. So once I got back home and my car was repaired I followed up with my job at the park and they told me to come in to contiune where I left off. Which was to take my ID picture..which took about an hour or 2 but after that she asked me if I could come back tomorrow at 730am for Traditions. I of course said yes so there I was at the butt crack of dawn and chatted with the few people that was there till our teachers Patrice and Brit came and took us away on our long loooong day.

Ill be honest half of the day was super boring. They tried their best to make the "meat and potatoes" part of our day as fun as they could but all that legal stuff is terrrrible. But after lunch they fun started so that was really fun and at the ended of the day mickey was there with our badges and IDs so that was the highlight of my day. Then we met with our on-boarding specialists and got a little run down of what to expect for our first day on the job and that was it!

It was a long day but it was fun and I had a chance to meet a lot of people so it was neat to me. My first night of OJT is wednesday 1/3/07 at 0015 can't wait to finally get started!

And that's my little update thanks for reading

[audibleatom]

congrats...i always wish i would have worked there when i was your age...i hope its a great time that you will always remember with a smile

[PrincessY]

that was really fun and at the ended of the day mickey was there with our badges and IDs so that was the highlight of my day.

I nearly cried when Mickey handed me my badge!

Congrats on the job and keep us posted. You write very well; I, too, was expecting a rejection during your first post. It kept me reading - well done!

[Mr_Chopsticks]

LAst week was the first few nights of training and one night of working by myself and I have to say its pretty pressured. The first night was a killer. We were stuffed into a small room at the learning center and had to go over power point presentations and Internet tests..point in case it was truly boring. Eventually we had a tour of all the break areas and the places we'd end up clocking in at if we had to work certain lands.

The next night didn't really get any better it was the first of OJT mostly a whole "look but dont touch" kind of thing. We cleaned a shop in Frontierland and that was it really. She just showed us every little thing we had to look out for and what not to forget. Yet at the end when our lead came to evaluate the job we had done she found some items under the movable racks but other than that it was ok.

The next night was alot of fun we worked with an older man in New Orleans. We had to clean 7 shops, The Gallery and the dressing room for some of the preformers in that area. A few of the shops, being so small where a breeze to go through. Empty the trash, sweep, vacuum and mop. Easy right? Well when we got to the Pieces of 8 shop alllllll that "aw man this is easy" stuff was out the window. Our trainer helped us alot and gave us many pointers and more things to remember. The Gallery was a lot of work too..mainly because I found my stuff vacuuming one spot after staring at all the paintings and models they have in there. (Very nice!) I couldn't help thinking "this is a lot of work for just one person" But our trainer was really cool about everything and we ended up finishing a few minutes early.

The next night I was kind of let down we ended up being paired up with another trainer..he wasn't that great. Our detail was critter country and I had one shop to myself and I was told after I got done with that one to head over to the other shop (the one you first see exiting Splash Mountain) My partner cleaned the kitchen and I had the shop to sweep mop and vacuum. But during the middle of whatever I might of been doing our trainer would have us do something else. Like dustng the hanging lights (that look like they haven't been touched in years) And my partner had to clean the lights in the kitchen area..which didn't make too much sense but anyways after the shop was done we headed inside of Winne The Pooh. He showed us the Tag out process then I donned the ghostbuster vacuum and sucked up all the leaves from the 20 cars while my partner shined em up reeeal nice. How significant a role we play.

The next night I was paired up wtih a woman whom only worked adventure land the 4 months she's been working for the park and we were assigned New Orleans shops. Now I've only worked the shops in NOS once and my new partner has never so it..well it sucked. The supervisor came down and gave us a run down of the process in the pieces of 8 shop. Then took my partner up to do the Gallery. Most of my night consisted of figuring out what keys open what. Ugh it was hectic, right when I'd finish one shop the restockers were right behind me. But what could I do? I continued on my pace and didn't rush because I knew if I'd do that I'd end up forgetting to do something or lose the quality. So after etting through alllll the shops I headed to the locker for more trash bags and I met up with my partner that had just finished with the Gallery. We then had to clean the dressing rooms, restrooms and other backstage stuff. I got a little taste of dislike for the job that night. Good thing it was my friday wooohooo!

Tonight is training for NOS attractions..after hearing some of the stories inregards to The Haunted Mansion I'm not really looking forward to this week. I have my fingers crossed for Pirates tonight but we'll see what happens. Most of the time I wake up with a strong dislike for this job but as it gets closer to 11pm I find myself eager to get down to work. So far all my training is taking place in NOS. Does this mean I'll be stuck here forever? They said I wouldn't be able to transfer for 6 months so in the mean time Im trying to suck it up and hold out till then. Im looking forward to moving up or possibly switching to a different position. I like the 3rd shift but not so much custodial..well shops so far I've loved doing the attractions but not so much the shops. Being close to the attractions and seeing all the behind the scene stuff is what I love the most. If I could i'd want to be an Imagineer or involved with WDI some how but thats asking alot but hey I can dream! Anyways thats all for now. If your intrested in seeing the park for the a young 3rd shift custodian's eyes check back next week for attractions!

[Garrett240]

I worked 3rd shift custiodal in about 15 years ago. My first summer I worked mostly in the Small World area. But after that first summer, I was moved around alot. As one on the new guys, I was sent where ever they needed me. So, I would be a week in Critter Country, then a Week in Tomorrowland, a week on Main St, ect. It was only the more senior people who had a pretty regular area. But I don't know how it is now.


Also, when I started, my training class had about 10 people. We spent a week of classroom training before we were sent out into the park "on our own". Turning our week of training, all 10 of us, would have a classroom lesson on "cleaning bathrooms" then go out and the 10 of us would clean a couple of bathrooms. Then the next night, we would have a class on kitchen cleaning, then spend half the shift cleaning a kitchen.

However, working in each area is a little different. It took a long time for that "newbie" feeling to go away. (Because I was always being moved to different areas)

But I got to see almost all of the park, on stage and off. I worked alot in the back stage areas behind toontown too. It was while assigned to the backstage areas that I got to clean and drive the Main St cars.

It was fun for a while. But I did hate kitchens....