Disney Costuming with Ericka Delisle

I was going to say, well, I got into it by doing the college program, so I can talk about the Disney College Program. As someone who moved here from out of state, because I'm not a Florida native, like Keaton's a Florida native, but I'm from Vermont. So I moved here like four years ago, and like, I was like, wow, there's nothing in Vermont. I'm staying here. And that's how that happened. We went to a wedding in Vermont, and I'm like, there's literally, it's a four-way stop. Like, the big cities are, yes, I'm not kidding. There's only two spots where you can legally do a U-turn, and I kept forgetting that.

So I kept being like, oh, no, can't do that, can't do that. I have to turn and then, like, go back out. Yeah, there's nothing. That's weird. U-turns are illegal. Billboards are illegal. I'm trying to think. Cows have right-of-way. That's a really fun one. In Vermont? Yeah, the cows have the right-of-way. If they're crossing the street, you just got to sit there and wait. I don't even know Vermont had cows. I know. Oh, there's more cows than people per capita. That's a fun fact I had to know when I was a tour guide. We're going to talk about Vermont. I'm excited about it. Yeah, I used to be a tour guide at the Teddy Bear Factory.

Okay. Oh, my gosh. Yeah. When I was 16, I don't know who let me loose in the Teddy Bear Factory to tell people how they're made, but, yeah. That was probably one of the most fun jobs I had, but, yeah. I like to think that I've dabbled in all aspects of theater, and I throw being a tour guide into the performing side of that. Well, that is definitely performance. I just had to talk for 30 minutes about how it's happening. I've never really thought about it that way, though. It is. You've got to keep people to touch her. So, when I first started working at SeaWorld, I worked in education, and they're essentially the same thing, you know.

So, like, when I first arrived, the first week that you're there, they give you all of these books on each animal station, right, in the park. And then you have to come up with, like, a talk track with three points that you're going to give in under two minutes, and that becomes one of your talk tracks for when you actually go out into the park. Oh, wow. So, you're going to make your own based on these books. Oh, that's interesting. Yeah. So, like, the books give you all the information that you need to make however many talk tracks you want to make, honestly, because there's a lot of stuff in the books.

Yeah. Everybody always chooses the same thing, you know? Sure. Yeah. Well, when I was at Teddy Bear, they gave me a script, and then, like, there were points I had to follow, but there were other points where I could kind of, like, change the verbiage myself. We also were supposed to give at least ten bear puns per tour. Bear what? Bear puns. Oh, puns. Yeah, that was our average. I was like, no puns. No, so, like, when people would read the sign that was like, did you know, on average, our, my official title was Bear Ambassador, because I spoke for the bears. Our bear ambassadors give ten bear puns per tour, and people would, like, point it out and be like, what's that mean?

And I was like, oh, yeah, I have to give ten bear puns per tour, so bear with me here. Oh, there you go. You're like, yeah. But at the end of the day, I can barely stand myself. Oh. Yeah. Check. That's bad. It is bad. I think my favorite one was we would talk about, like, how we shipped the bears out to all their friends. And if you ever order a Vermont teddy bear, the boxes have an air hole on the side so they can breathe, and on the inside there's a board game. And we also send them with caramels or chocolates, depending on what time of year it is and where the bear is going to.

But the bear usually leaves the snack for his new friend. Because when he leaves our factory, he's stuffed. Ah, there you go. Check. They also come with a bow tie, so they're not bear naked. Oh, my God. There you go. Racking them up. I still got it. It's been ten years since I've worked there. What's the name of that company? The Vermont Teddy Bear Factory. Oh, okay. So, yeah. You ever heard of Vermont teddy bears? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I have. They're really expensive, but they're very good quality. I remember there used to be commercials, like, when I was a kid. Yeah. Are they, like, you play with them bears, or you stick them on the shelf and look at them bears?

They're kind of both. They're kind of both. I feel like you'd want to get, like, one as a keepsake, and then you get one for your kid to play with. There's, like, three things that make them, like, distinctly Vermont teddy bears. Well, technically four. They have little, like, butt tags, and that's technically their, like, lifetime warranty. So, like, if it breaks, you can send it to the bear hospital, and they'll fix it. Dr. Nancy will fix them. She's still there. Oh, my God. They have moving joints, which is really cool. So, you can move their arms and their legs. And in their eyes, it says born in Vermont, because they're born, not made.

And then the other thing is, if you lay the bear on its back, it has what we call a Ben and Jerry's belly, because it's got a nice, big belly. I have one of those. The bellies. When you lay on your back. Now we know what to call it. It's Ben and Jerry's, right? Yeah. Ben and Jerry's belly. I like it. It's like I'm not teddy bears. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. That's hilarious. Oh, man. We have lots to share. Yeah. All right. So, welcome. I kind of got started with the bears, I think. Yeah. I did. Yeah. It's very interesting. But welcome to the drama mamas. I'm Kristen.

I'm Angela. I'm Kathy. And today we have Erica. Yay. Welcome, Erica. Thank you. We're so excited to have you on today. Finding out so much about you already. Yeah. Working in the bear factory. I know, right? Never met anybody that worked in the bear factory. I know. It's super cool. I've been told that I've had, like, a lot of weird jobs. And I'll, like, I'll tell people, like, off the cuff. I'm like, oh, I also did this at some point. And they're like, what haven't you done? And I'm like, I don't know. Food service? You're kind of like Kristen. She's that way, too. Yeah. All these random jobs.

Very, like, eccentric. Yes. Like, there's a lot about just weird things. I feel like you might be that way, too. I know a lot of weird things about animals. Yeah. And cosplay and photography. Oh, yeah. I guess, yeah, there is that. I guess so for a while. Yeah. Hey, before we start, I've got a true crime for us. Oh, do it. Yeah, yeah. Okay, I'm so in. This is my personal true crime. Oh, no. Don't get too excited. Friday morning, I'm going in my purse to get something out of my wallet. You have a very dramatic stance. I know, because I'm very confused by this. We're going to help you get through it.

Okay. I open up my purse, and there is half a roll of toilet paper in my purse. Oh, that's interesting. And I have no idea where it came from. My kids didn't do it. My husband didn't do it. I don't know where this toilet paper came from. Cats did it. Done, done. Look how they get a toilet paper. And it's like cheap stuff. It's not like Angel Soft or something. So it's not from your house? No. Well, no. Oh. Right. No, it's not our toilet paper. Have you had drinks recently? No. I'm just asking. Did I give you one of my gummies? Are your cats indoor outdoor?

But they couldn't have gotten that. It's like a flat purse. They couldn't have like, shh. I just watched a news story about a cat who like was going into people's houses and like stealing their laundry. Oh, yeah. Like the klepto kitty. I feel like I might be a klepto kitty. Did I like steal that somewhere when I was out Friday? I don't know. Do you sleepwalk? I don't think so. Okay. You may need to set up a camera. I'm very confused by it. And it's just sitting on my counter until I figure out where it came from. You traced your steps. I did. So where were you on Friday?

We were at Arnold Palmer Hospital. No. This was Nemours Hospital in the morning. Okay. In Orlando. And they have the big, huge rolls. You know, they don't have the little individual rolls. Right. Back to school. And then we were at Harrison for the junior or the lesbian induction. They have the big rolls. Yeah. I don't know where I got this toilet paper from. Did I like kleptomaniac it in my sleeve or something? I don't know. Well, I mean, it wasn't something you bought. So it's definitely from outside the home. It's like literally half a roll of toilet paper. Like with a jagged edge. It's not even like a clean edge.

Maybe it was a big one and it's just what was left of the big one. And it fell in. I don't know. This is really far-fetched. But like, did you have your purse open underneath the ones at LCT and it just fell in? Because they have the small rolls. Yeah. The city doesn't have the like big ones. It's not like an opening. I think somebody's fucking with you. I think so too. Yeah, probably. That's why I'm looking at you. Me? I haven't even seen you. I know. Anyway. It's the same person who ate all those snacks. The money buddies. Yeah. I know. There's a ghost in my house.

Yeah. Well, at least she wipes. I'm hoping. The cheap stuff. It's kind of a rip-off. It's like quarter ply. Quarter ply. It's like corporate toilet paper. It's not even half ply. Anyway. Way off topic. Interesting. You guys have any thoughts for me as to where the toilet paper came from? I'd love to know. I don't know. I will noodle on that as they say, but I don't know. This feels like somebody's definitely fucking with you. Okay. Like, no, of course I didn't do that, Mom. You know? No, but I, okay. It's not our toilet paper. That's the thing that's confusing. Oh, wait. Homecoming just happened recently.

Did any of the kids bring toilet paper to Homecoming and just decide to leave? A week ago. It was like a week ago. And you just found it. Like, I've been in my purse all day the day before. Okay, okay. It was when I woke up the next morning. That's my only other thought. Interesting. Yeah. Okay. Anyway, back to you. Do you have a ghost? Who likes toilet paper? That's not in your house. Maybe Francis did it. Oh, yeah. Maybe. I don't know. It's a mystery. Yeah, toilet paper's always a problem at LCT, so it's a little ironic. It is. Yeah. It's always a little short in supply.

Yes. Locked up. Listen, there was definitely, and paper towels, there was definitely a time during LCT where I had to, like, bust into the paper towel roll holder and replace it in the middle of a show. Yes. That was not that long ago. Like, the city handed it to me and was like, all right, you put it in. And I was like, hey. Well, it's because they're guys. They can't go in the girls' bathroom. Yeah. So, like, you know, here you go. Yeah. Erica, can you help me? I tried to get into it, but I couldn't. Oh, yeah, you were like, I don't know how to get into it.

I was like, oh, I worked on a plane at Fitness. I had to do this all the time. Yeah. Apparently, I've never changed one of those. There's instructions on the inside. It's like, feed it through this thing and this thing and then pull it down. Oh, my gosh. So, if you need your paper towels changed at LCT, let me know. We're just going to call Erica. I call myself the volunteer extraordinaire because I do all sorts of weird stuff while I'm there. Yeah, once you start knowing how to do things and everybody calls on you for everything. Yeah. You're always volunteering, too. I am. Like, every show, right?

Yeah. So, I at least try to come to, like, every show once and then any show that Keaton's in, I try to go to as many as I can. Mostly because, like, I never know when he's going to get to do a show again because our work schedules are so busy. So, that's why I was at every Margarineville show, including preview. So, but I try to, like, switch up what tasks I do. I have finally done every single volunteer task. The last one I had to do was parking. Oh. So. God bless you. That's the worst one. Especially in summer. I used to, this is going to sound so, like, egotistical or fall myself, but I used to make the joke that I was too pretty for parking.

So, and then Keaton signed us up for it, and I was like, yeah, that's usually the one I avoid. My kids have been voluntold to do parking, and now they hide whenever Bernadette is doing house because she's the one that sought them out. Oh, jeez. Parking. Where are the parking people? They're like, no, we're not here. I'm like, she knows you're volunteering. I had to tell her. Yeah, so you're here somewhere. I got lucky. These birds are awful loud today. They're really chatty. They are. Maybe they're trying to tell you about the toilet paper. They probably are. Ghost talk. I know. I got lucky during Margarinaville.

Both times I signed up for parking, I got moved off of it. The first time it was downpouring, like thunder and lightning. It was that really, really stormy show, and I was like, nice. So, I just, I think I ushered because, like, none of the ushers showed up. It was weird. And then the second weekend, I was raffle and ushering because the raffle person had to leave, and they were also down and ushered. So, I just did both. There you go. Hop right in. Yeah. Multiple hats. I'm always afraid to usher because I can't see without my glasses. I just don't want to wear my strap on.

That's only a really good way that you're having a hard time with that. The first time I ushered, it was Hounds of Baskerville, and it was back when we had, like, it was during COVID, so we had, like, the list, and you just, like, check them off and then brought them to their seats. And I was like, I'll be taking the clipboard because I don't know how this house is seated. Right. Which, and if you've never ushered at LCT, the house is set up very weird in terms of numbers. So, like. I've never noticed. Yeah, I don't think I have either. So, it's A to Q, and then the center of the house is 101 through 104, and then I'm going to mix this up.

I know I will. If you're standing, like, talking about, like, house seating, not, like, from the stage left and right, but house right is, like, one, three, five, seven, nine, and then house left is two, four, six, eight. People always come up to me, and they're like, why aren't we seated together? I'm like, no, you are. I'm like, the numbering is just really weird. Yeah. Oh, I never noticed. So, um. I don't think I had noticed, noticed it before, but, like, I have. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. But you've not, you've just sat down and not thought. Yeah, no. There was no real processing that happened with it.

Yeah. So, here we go. It becomes a thing, and I was going to say, I remember once, during Rudolph, actually, someone stole mine in Keaton's seats. Oh, my gosh. Oh, man. We had to get moved, because they wouldn't move. Oh, no. I got free concessions out of it. I got free Nemo tickets out of it. It worked out fine. But we had third-row seats to see the Bumble puppet. We got moved from, like, yes. Oh, yeah, Bumble. We literally were so hyped for Rudolph. We were, like, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. Wasn't Bumble awesome? That was a sweet Bumble. Yeah. Yeah. Me too, Bumble. It was killer.

With Chris. Yeah. He was great. He was, like, forever around. Chris wanted to take the Bumble. Oh, I'm sure. I was, like, seriously? And now, here's the train. Hello, train. Yeah. Let's do it. Let's do it. It's a long one. Of course it is. Yeah. Sometimes. Oh, no. Don't break. Why are you waiting on the break? I know, right? Who's going? Don't break. It's not necessary. It's Sunday morning. Oh, the birds are saying, too. Yeah. They just hit the gas. They're like, meh. Maybe I'm talking. This is a mile-long train. I'm sorry. So, it's now 1 p.m. The train is still going. Hey, there it goes.

I had a total Disney, like, flashback for a minute. Didn't something there just sound like something at Disney? Yes. I was thinking that, too. I was like, mine train. The two things I can think of is, oh, well, there's mine train, is the, um. That's what it is. Thunder Mountain. So, the Walt Disney World Railroad just came back after, like, a four, five-year hiatus. I don't remember. It was closed when I moved here. So, I don't know when it originally closed, but it's been closed. Oh, wow. The entire time I've been here until, like, January or February of this year, it reopened. And then, Big Thunder Mountain sounds a lot like that.

Yes, yes. Because they're always, like, hard on the brakes. Yeah. Because, you know, you come into the station shop, and you're, like, banging your head on the mine cart in front of you. Because it's, like, one of the, I mean, there's not that many wooden roller coasters still around, right? I don't think it's wooden. I just think it, like, goes, I think it just goes really fast for the track it's on. When it comes into the station, it just comes in real hot. It does. I don't know. And they slam on the brakes. I don't work in attractions, so I don't really know. But all I know is, like, when I'm riding it, I'm, like, holding on because I don't want to smash my head into anything.

Yeah. I got to Google that because I feel like she's, like, I'm doing research. So, how long have you been at Disney? I have worked at Disney unofficially for four years, but in November it'll be four years. And they, thankfully, bridged my time when I was laid off due to COVID. Technically, I didn't work there for, like, 18 months, but, like, they bridged it all together. And to be honest, the training there is so well done and so just, like, thorough that none of it left me when I came back and did my refresh days. Like, it was in the lake I hadn't left. It was awesome.

Yeah. So, I have worked for the Walt Disney Company, specifically Walt Disney World, for four years. I started on the Disney College program. And I was on the spring 2019 program because they used to do it in seasons at the time. And then I extended two months into July. And then I knew I didn't want to go back home because I'm from Vermont. And Vermont is beautiful, but in the 22 years I lived there, I did everything I needed to do. I recently went back and was like, yep, there's still nothing to do. Yeah. All right. Yeah. Still not regretting that. Yeah. Change. I mean, nice to see family, but I also was like, everything I can do here I can also do at home.

And also there's theme parks there. Right. And beautiful weather. And, yeah. For, like, two weeks out of the year. The one week I was in Vermont, they had a heat wave. I was like, are you kidding me? Oh, my gosh. Are you kidding? I, like, couldn't escape. It was hot there, too. I was like, no. That's crazy. But, yeah, so after my college program, I went seasonal, but I still worked pretty full-time hours. And then got part-time in November. And then COVID things happened. I came back. And I went from part-time to full-time. And I've been full-time at Disney ever since. Nice. And I work in costuming.

So, very theater adjacent. Yeah, definitely. We work with entertainment, technically. We're not a part of Disney Parks Live Entertainment, but we work very closely with them. So, yeah. So, let's start with, let's go back to the college program. Yeah. How does that all work? Because I keep hearing about it, and I don't really know much about it. So, the Disney College Program, the application process, is a little bit different from when I did it. So, I'll describe how I did it, and then I'll tell you the changes I'm aware of. I don't quite know everything, but their website, I think it's DisneyPrograms.com, is super, super informative.

So, I applied for the Disney College Program in August of 2018 for the spring program. And with that, I did the application, they asked for a job experience, and then if they see your application and they want to know more about you, they'll send you a web-based interview. So, it's just one of those, like, it's just, like, almost like a personality test, but in terms of, like, your work ethic. And then, after that, you'll either be asked to schedule a phone interview, or you're no longer in consideration. I thankfully got a phone interview, and then you'll schedule it for a date and time, and then you'll have a phone interview with a recruiter, and they'll ask you about, like, what you're interested in.

They'll ask you about specific roles you put interest in. And what was funny was the recruiter did not even ask me about costuming, but I knew I wanted costuming so badly that when she asked me, she was like, what role do you think you would be great in? I don't think I let the woman talk for, like, seven minutes. Because I was like, costuming, costuming, costuming, costuming, because I was doing costuming in college at the time, and I really, really liked it. So, I was like, I want to do costuming at Disney, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. For seven minutes, she didn't shut up, and the recruiter was like, okay, listen.

I think she wants to do costuming. I need you to take that down a notch for the interview. The roles she asked me about were merchandise, attractions, specifically parking was looped into attractions at the time. Oh, okay. Because she saw I could drive cargo vans, so she's like, you want to drive the trams? And I was like, I would do anything to work for Mickey Mouse, so I don't really care. Put me on a track van. However, comma, yeah. Lifeguarding, but I was immediately, like, disapproved from lifeguarding, because at the time, they had the really strict tattoo policy. And, like, I don't remember which, I think it was my ankle tattoo was the issue.

Like, if my sock fell off while I was saving someone, I was now violating the tattoo policy. Oh, my goodness. I don't remember. Specifically, I... Yeah, I didn't think about it. It's changed? It has changed, yeah. Okay. We can talk a little bit more about that, because it changed during 2020, and it came, like, as a huge surprise to everybody. But it's really, really good changes, in my opinion. So, lifeguarding... I don't remember. She asked me about, like, way more roles than they normally ask you about. They usually pick, like, three. And then I talked about, like, why I wanted to be in costuming. And then you just kind of wait until they either send out an offer letter, or you check your dashboard, and it says NLIC, no longer in consideration.

Okay. And they don't tell you why, but you have the chance to apply for the next season, as well. I got lucky, and I was what's known as one and done. Applied once, got in, and, like, didn't have to go through it again. Oh, perfect. One of my friends who was in costuming with me, I think, applied, like, six times. Oh, my gosh. Wow. Took her multiple times to get in. But she said it was so worth it. And I still talk to her to this day. And this is all in the college experience? This is all in the college program, yeah. It's kind of funny, because I think, like, Disney overall probably operates like that.

I remember when I applied for them, they were like that. Yeah. Like, they're like, oh, I see that you're interested in this, you know, would you be, you know, interested in taking this kind of job or whatever? But I remember that. Yeah. Even in the, like, the regular job, not the summer program stuff. Okay, gotcha. And then at the time when you got your offer letter, it would tell you what role you got. Now it doesn't, now they don't tell them what role they got in their offer letter. They find out when they get their, like, arrival itinerary. Surprise! So you either want to work for the mouse or you don't, right?

Right, yeah. Exactly. Yeah. That's interesting. It's not like I will not take that role. Yeah. But I actually, it's my... I'm not sure I like that. Like, not knowing. Yeah. You just put in their minds. I don't know. I wasn't a part of that. This was 2018. So I got lucky. You knew. Yeah, it's like garbage or, you know, I mean... I mean, look, the people that work at Disney all want to be there. Yeah, they do. Like, I don't think I've ever seen an employee be like, I absolutely hate this place. I mean, I'm sure it happens, but... Yeah, it wouldn't be a great way to another job.

Like, if you get accepted in a certain place, then you can, you know, work in other areas eventually? Or are you kind of streamlined? Um, a lot of people do the college program to get into working at Disney. Um, for example, a lot of the Disney professional internships, which is like, kind of like, I hate calling it like a step up from the college program, but the college program is all like hourly roles, like in the parks and resorts. And then the professional internships are more like, um, closer to like salaried positions almost. So like, there's a show writer one for Imagineering. There's a ton of professional internships for Imagineering.

And a lot of them require that you've done a Disney college program. Okay. Um, cause they want you to have a base knowledge of the, of the operation and how, how like the Disney way works. Yeah. Yep. Yeah. Um, or some people do it cause they're like, I want to be in leadership at Disney. So they slowly work their way up sort of thing. Um, I just knew I didn't want to be in Vermont anymore. Um, sorry to my family. I love you guys. It was just like so boring. And my, my mom told me she knew like, uh, when I drove away from the hotel, cause she came down with me when I moved down.

Like I drove away from the hotel and she called my dad and she was like, yeah, she's not coming back. They're like, they're like, give it a few months. She'll, she'll call us with her plans and not return home. She was right. I called her. Now, were you already done with college or this was in between? No. When did you do this? Um, so it's, it is crazy how fate works out. So, um, at the time I was going to the Massachusetts college of liberal arts, um, tiny, tiny, tiny school in the Berkshires. And, um, I was studying arts management. I had started as like a, a broadcast major.

And then I realized I was like, I am more into like the theater side of things than like the broadcasting side of things. Um, cause I worked at a new station for a little bit at some point. And, um, so I switched into arts management, which I was, if I, I think I'm going to get my own job title wrong. I was the like floor manager for the AM show. So I would set up the like kick monitors and the cameras and I would, they had these screens that flipped around, like it was orange for the morning show and blue for the night show. So I'd flip them around and set up chairs on their like B stage and run the teleprompter.

And then when I wasn't doing like teleprompter stuff, I had to do closed captioning for one of the like local shows. So I just sit there and scroll through and look at the auto captions and be like, yeah, that's really wrong. But it was just, I was pacing it for the show. So like it was a nice four hours every morning. That was the summer. I had like three jobs though. So like, I don't remember a lot of it. Cause I would go straight from there to like working at a summer camp. Oh my gosh. Or like lifeguarding at my local pool. So it was a lot.

I don't know why I did that to myself. I think I worked like 70 hours a week. Probably why she wanted to get out of Vermont. She's like, come out of here. Literally. But, um, You look like you're like 21 and I know it's really 21 considering I'm 26. And I just think about the fact that 30 is only four years away and I crawl under the table. I'm like, Oh no, you're still a baby. Yeah. Oh no. That's awesome. I'm mildly offended when I don't get carded at public. So I'm like, do I look that old to you? I, it's like 50, 50, whether I get carded in a long time, um, but yeah, so, okay.

So you're going to college. Yeah. So I was going to college. Um, sorry. See? It's crazy. I know. I forgot what we were talking about. I was like, someone's got to loop me back in. Um, I was like, I used to have a really, really good memory. Now I have the memory of Dory. So like, we tend to do that to people. We do. We squirrel them out. License to squirrel all you want. Cause I do it too. Listen, I'm a big fan of the podcast. That's all I had to be on. Um, but I, had I not done the college program, I would have graduated college early, which was saying something because, um, I actually took like a gap year after my freshman year.

Cause I really didn't know what I wanted to do. And I didn't want my loans to kick in. So I went to cosmetology school. So I have my cosmetology license in two different states. I actually have to renew them both. Oh my God. Um, I feel so inadequate. I know. I'm just a teacher. I know. That's all I got. You're brave. That's a lot of stuff for 26. I know. It's really weird. I have my license in both Florida. She's putting me to shame. I know. I have my cosmo license in both Florida and Vermont. I don't really use it that much. Like my friends sometimes will be like, I've got my haircut now.

It's really bad. Can you fix it? I'm like, yeah, just come over. Um, I could do cosmetology at Disney if I wanted to, but I really love my costuming family. So I have like, anytime I think about it, I'm like, but I don't want to leave because I love them. Um, so. That'd be cool to do makeup and stuff for them. Like character makeup. Yeah. Yeah. Sorry. Interesting. No. Okay. So, um, had I not done the college program when I did it, I actually would've graduated early, which was really baffling to me as someone who like changed majors and took a gap year. I don't know how, um, but I also have to.

And worked three jobs. Yeah. Well, when I was in college, I would only work like two. I also took. Only two. I only took 18 to 21 credits each semester cause I was bored with 15. I would take like six or seven classes with you, I need to be mentally stimulated. You have a lot of energy. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know how, but here I am. Maybe it's the venti Starbucks sitting next to me. Who's to say? Yeah. Um, I had a caffeine problem since 16, so, um, so, um, um, but had I graduated early, I would've graduated the fall of 2019 and done the college program in spring 2020, which was the class that got sent home six weeks after the program started because of COVID.

How devastating. Yeah. Can you imagine? Um, there's actually, there's, um, someone from LCT who was in the spring 2020 program. Oh really? He got sent home, you know, all 45 minutes back to Lakeland, but, um, he came back and did another program as a character attendant. So, um, but yeah, so I wanted to do it in spring of 2019 and I was like, I'll just graduate on time with my class and originally my class had been like the class of 2019, but then of course I got pushed back here. So I was like, I'll just be in the class of 2020 and halfway through my program.

I was like, I'm not going home. So I need to figure out how I'm going to finish my degree. Cause I was a junior at the time or junior or first semester senior. I can't remember which one. Um, cause my credits were like in between. Um, I was a part-time student while I was on the college program. So I took a six credit internship class through my school. Um, because my school was so small, I could work out a lot of stuff with them. Um, so my school did like at the time, and I don't think they do now, didn't do like online classes because it was so small.

Like they don't have like the instructors to do it. Um, it's not like a UCF where you can do a whole degree online and it's fine. So I had to do research into like what I could do to stay. And the one thing I found that would also transfer my credits, cause that was another thing was like, okay, I went to school in Massachusetts. How am I going to get my credits to transfer equally? Cause at the time I had 96 credits, um, I think is what I was at when I went on the college program. And so I was like, I did so much research when I wasn't working and I found the university of Massachusetts Amherst has a degree completion program.

It's an adult ed program. And you basically create your own major. They also have an arts management program, but I knew I wasn't going to take enough classes in their arts management program to graduate with that degree. So I was like, I will get a degree in interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in arts and culture administration. So that is how I worked around that and I was in their, I was in their adult ed program. And I very much remember I was taking four classes at the time while also working like full time hours at Disney. I was doing, um, like holidays and one of the professors was like, you're taking way too many classes.

You need to drop them. Blah, blah, blah. I was like, respectfully. No, I want to graduate. Thanks for your concern. Been a college student for like five years now. Over it. Yeah. Yeah. Like, she's done now, please. Yeah. Well, and which I don't think she realized, like, so I was in the adult education program, which was basically like, oh, they took some college classes and then they had kids and couldn't finish sort of thing. Like, that's what the program was. I literally was just like trying to get a degree. Like, I was just trying to like finish. Oh, there we go. Start the music. Yeah. She's trying to get you like some work life balance.

It's really loud. Yeah. It's like, I just want to work. I was like, I just want to be done. Can we just hold these? Yeah, we can. Yeah. Make it better. So then. Sorry, Chris. I know he's going to help edit the sound for this. We love you, Chris. You're the best. Yeah. So then I was taking 16 credits and then I had to take a winter semester, like a four week course because I don't know why. But they would only take like 75 of my credits. Like when I transferred, it was weird. So I had to make, I went from being, I think it was a first semester senior back to a junior and had to go back again.

But I was like, I will be graduating. I don't care. And you're not going back to Vermont. Yeah, no. Staying here. And I was working full-time hours at Disney during their holiday season. Mostly I was working on Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas Time Parade. I don't even know the title of the own parade I worked on. Goodness gracious. Um, so it's a lot of like long hours, um, but it is so much fun. Um, so, you know, I'd get home like really, really late at night and like bust down an essay and go to bed and get up like six hours later and do it all again.

Oh my gosh. Um, and then, um, the, the, the, the credits that didn't, the people in the front were probably like, uh, yeah, kill that. Oh yeah. Somebody's up there recording something. Yeah. They're doing a realtor show. We found, we asked them. Oh, you did ask. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. By me, we mean Kathy asked them. Yeah. Of course you did. I was being a nosy body. Imagine that. But yeah. Um, the credits that didn't transfer over were my science credits. Um, which like technically one of my science credits I'd gotten at MCLA was me walking into the like head instructor of chemistry's office and was like, I don't want to take a science with a lab.

Can I write a paper on why perming and coloring hair counts as intro to chem with a lab? And he was like, if you can figure it out. Yeah. And then I used the word ammonium thioglycolate and he was like, yep, you're good. So name drop it for credit. And that's, that's how I got my, that's how I got my four credit science with a lab. Wow. Excused. I didn't get like credits for it, but I got it like, excuse me. Oh, okay. I didn't have to take the class. I was like, yes. Yeah. Um, so I basically had to take science again when I transferred to UMass and, um, my last semester of senior year, I had a 15 credit, um, oh my gosh, what was it?

I keep wanting to say portfolio, but that's not it. Capstone. I had to do plus like the classes on top of it. And, um, thankfully for me, there was a pandemic, so I didn't have to work anymore. I just got to sit at home and do school. Um, and both my roommates who I lived with at the time had like gone home. So I just had the apartment to myself and I would just sit there and do homework. Um, the thing that took the most research was I did, um, one of my arts management classes got like canceled three days before it started. So they were like, if you want to do like a senior thesis with the Dean of continuing ed, you're just going to write like what you want to do for your senior thesis and then it'll get approved or disapproved.

And then you do it and hand it in. So I said, I was going to write a 20 page thesis paper with like a photo page and a work cited and, um, like cover page and all that. And they were like, cool. What are you going to write it on? I was like, Oh, the Muppets. I wrote a 20 page paper about basically the Muppets, believe it was the Jim Henson company, as well as children's television workshops, like Sesame street. Um, and I didn't, I got a, got a 100 on it. I think that's about to read that. Yeah. I have it somewhere. I totally want to read that.

Um, what's really sad. That's the only piece of college work I have. Cause three days after I graduated, my laptop died. So I lost everything I wrote in college except for that paper. Cause in a freak thing, I had sent it to someone to read like through like Facebook messenger. And then that's, that's the only thing I have is my Muppet paper. Oh, that's so sad. You got that degree. Yeah. So all this while doing the intern. How long is the program? The Disney intern. Um, it kind of depends. Um, my program was originally four months. I opted in for the, um, the four month program.

Cause I didn't know if I was going to like it. And that was the first time I'd been like super far away from family. I guess we can clip it back on. Oh yeah. Since they turn the sound off. Sorry, Chris. Um, so I have flipped out. You know what to do about it. You're sagging. There you go. It's just going to flip back out again. Yeah. Strap on for that thing. Maybe that's what we should do. To get like little necklaces for them. And then we just wear the necklaces. Yeah. That's what they do on like the circle or like on big brother. They'll wear the like, they, they clip to their shirts, but they'll wear it around their necks and click it when they're like not wearing a shirt.

Oh. Um, cause they have to be miked anytime they're not like sleeping or showering basically. So, um, that's interesting. Yeah. Big brother's an interesting show. Yeah. You also have to commit to it cause it's three days a week. So yeah. Sunday, Wednesdays, Thursdays. It airs three times a week. Yeah. It's three days a week. Oh my God. Yeah. I didn't know that. Oh wait. Okay. Let's circle back to that. I know. You guys are excited on that. Okay. So yeah, I'm trying to, I'm trying to stay focused here and there's so many things I want to talk about. Okay. Okay. So, and then how does that work?

Do they ship you down here? Like fly you down? Do they provide you a place to stay? Like, do you have spending money? What does that work all? So, um, again, speaking, I'll speak from my old experience and then like compare it back to what I know from the new program. Yeah. Um, not that it's like new, but it's kind of changed. So at the time, um, you would, you would get your acceptance letter and you could preference whether you want to be at the time it was spring or spring advantage. And there was also fall and fall advantage. And then there was summer alumni, but you could only do summer alumni if you had done a college program before.

Sure. Hence alumni. Right. Yes. Okay. Makes sense. So, and you can also extend your program for up to a year. It's just barely under a year. Like they have to end your program life right before there, um, cause you're considered a temporary employee. So if you're there for a full year, it's like all sorts of like jail versus prison. Pick your poison. If it's under a year, you're jail. If it's under a year, you're prison. I had no idea there was that distinction. I did not know that. I just figured it's all orange suits and dropping the soap. I wasn't sure that there's a difference. Well, I can assure you the Disney college program is not like prison or jail.

So don't think that kid. Um, so I opted to do the, um, I opted to do the spring program cause it was the furthest I'd been away from my family ever. Like I'd gone to school in, uh, Massachusetts, but it was two hours away. So if I was ever like really didn't want to pay for laundry, I'd just drive home and make my mom do it and then like come back down or like I could drive home for Thanksgiving and it wasn't like a huge thing. Um, so I did the four month program just in case I like hated it and didn't want to be there any longer cause the advantage program was eight months.

So I was like, if, if I hate it, like at least I'm only there for four months. And of course I didn't hate it cause I never left. Um, surprise. So, um, what happens is you'll get your acceptance letter. Um, and they usually send them out about up until like two months before the program start and you'll, um, you used to pick your arrival date. And now I think they can pick their arrival and their departure date, but you used to pick your arrival date and everyone's departure date like was the same. Um, so if you were spring, I remember our departure date was like May 16th.

So everyone who was on the four month program all left at that time. And if you were advantage, I think theirs was like August 1st. So everyone who had been on the eight month program was going to leave August 1st. Um, again, with the new program, I think they picked their arrival and their departure date, but I'm not entirely sure. Um, again, you're going to want to go onto the Disney programs website and look at that if you are interested in the college program. Um, so then as it got closer, I had to figure out how to get myself down to Florida. So for me, I was like, I've never taken like public transportation in my life.

And they do have buses for you. If you don't want to like bring your car to drive to work. And it's, um, you pay a transportation fee anyway. Um, so you can take the buses, which I did end up doing once I figured out like how to do it. But I was like, I don't want to take the bus to get groceries. So I was like, dad, we're bringing my car down. He was like, no, we're not. And I was like, yeah, we are. So I figured out how to get it down there. Um, which what I did was I took what's called the auto train.

I don't know. Yeah. Auto train is fantastic. Yeah. So I drove from Vermont to Virginia, which that is a whole story in itself. Um, my mom's going to listen to this and be like, Oh, not this story again. Um, something had been wrong with my GPS all night. I think I had it set to no tolls previously and I forgot to turn it off. So it kept trying to like get me off the highway. So I had to have my mom like read the directions to me and we drove overnight. Should, should preface. We drove from like, it was like, uh, 8 PM to like 8 AM.

This was supposed to be an eight hour trip turned into 12. And it was because of this one thing, which was my mom was taking a picture of the moon and didn't give me instructions on which ramp to take to get on the turnpike. Cause like the signs outside New York City, you don't say like Jersey turnpike. That's just like what it's called. Oh, and she was like, follow the GPS. And I got on the wrong ramp. So I added three hours to our trip and I don't let her live it down. Where did you end up at for three hours? And you finally realized we're going the wrong direction.

So we knew we were like, we knew we had missed the turnpike. She was like, you took the wrong ramp. I was like, you were taking a picture of the moon. Like it's not my fault. And I remember I also, I, I'm an Aries, so I'm very stubborn. Um, so I was going to let, once we got on the turnpike, the next, they have gas stations like on the highway. The next gas station we came to, I was going to switch with her. And I was like, Oh, clearly the moon lady can't be trusted. I have to drive the rest of the way, my mom can be a trusted driver, but I was very, very mad at that point.

Cause I knew I was like, Oh, this is going to take so much longer to get there. Oh yeah. Just get up and get like, you have to drive like around the turnpike for a really long time before you can get back on. So we ended up in Pennsylvania instead of like New Jersey. We had to get on the new hope bridge, which I call it the lost hope bridge. Cause I'd lost all hope at that point. You have to pay to get on this bridge too. I was like, what the heck? Oh, it's really pretty though. It's a great little town. It's obviously at two in the morning.

It's not, but in the middle of the night. Yeah. It was great. Three hour detour. Yeah. We finally got back on and I remember we'd been driving all night and at the time, the car I had at the time, like my headlights were really dim. So I had to drive with my high beams the whole night. So sorry to anyone who passed me probably got blinded cause I couldn't see otherwise. And I remember we were like outside of like DC and DC is really close to where the like auto train station is. And I looked at my mom and was like, can I turn my headlights off now?

I think the sun's up, but I can't tell. Cause I've been driving all night and she was like, oh yeah, you can turn your headlights off. And I was like, just turned them off and kept driving. And we didn't book a hotel before we got there just cause we didn't know what day we were going down. Cause there was a, of course I picked the one arrival date that had a snow storm heading that weekend. It was when winter storm Harper like just flew up the East coast. So we didn't know like what weather we were going to get. So we, we're not familiar with winter storms.

Nope. Um, so that was the other issue was at the time I had my winter tires on my car and I had to put my summer tires back on and drive in like the ice and snow to Virginia, which like my winter tires have, there's two types of studs you can have on your tires. There's metal and there's rubber. And I had metal studs cause Vermont, you get wicked, wicked, like black ice. Um, and it doesn't like, doesn't necessarily like prevent you from going off the road, but it helps you grip the road better when there's at least like snow on it. Like if the plows haven't gone out yet, you can at least like get somewhere.

Um, but I had to put my summer tires back on, which they were all season tires anyway. So it had some grip, but I was like, like all the way until I like didn't see snow. And I was like, all right, we're in the clear. I would have been terrified. Yeah. Um, but we got, I mean like driving in the rain, let alone, we like got to this hotel and my mom went in and was like, my daughter just drove for 12 hours. Please give us a room. And they're like, we got continental breakfast. Come on in. And I'm literally sitting in the car, just like staring into the void, like just exhausted.

And my mom came out and was like, they have free breakfast. And I was like, okay. It's like going out of the car. And, um, but yeah, so with the auto train, um, you pay for yourself and however many passengers. I brought my mom down with me. Um, and then you pay for your car and your car counts as your luggage. So like you can have a carry on on the train, like, so you can bring like a backpack or something. Yeah, and then you pack the crap out of your car, shove it in there. I just packed like everything in my car. So everything you needed for your apartment, you had packed in there.

That's cool. Yeah. And also it was anything my mom needed because my mom flew back. Right. Um, yeah. So, um, did you guys stay like in the regular seats or did you get one of those little rooms? We stayed in the regular seats. Okay, gotcha. Just because like it was already like pretty expensive, like to move down there and all that. So, yeah, we just stayed in the regular seats. And what was funny was, um, so I didn't like sleep fully through the night. Is that another train? It's the auto train. Speaking of train, they heard me talking smack. I'll show you a train. She conjured it.

They sound like they're just sneaking up. I know. They might be stopping. I feel like it's that way. It sounded that way to me. Oh, I don't know. But, um, what was funny was I woke up in each state. So I took like a little Instagram story in each state overnight. And then we got there early. So like the ground crew hadn't got there yet. So we had to like sit on the train for like an hour and a half before we could get off because they were switching crews. Um, they do feed you on the train. Like they give you dinner and then you have like a breakfast option.

It's like, you know, pre-wrapped pastries and you can get coffee and stuff. Um, and then when my mom and I got off the train, the thing that stinks is the earlier you load your car, the last your car will come off. So then we sat there for like another 30 minutes waiting for them to like, they give you like a four digit code that's like taped onto your car. Um, so we're just waiting for my car to come off. Where does it come into? Sanford. Oh. So just an hour outside of Orlando. That's not too bad. A lot of people call it the snowbird train because it's, you know, really for like the elderly.

I say it's for the elderly and the Disney college program because when I went, it was literally all the snowbirds and then a bunch of college program kids who wanted to have their car, but didn't want to drive it. Yeah, we were looking into it to do over Thanksgiving to Williamsburg. Oh yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's in, um, I can see the name of the town in my head, but I cannot tell you what it is, where it lands in Virginia, but it's just outside of DC. Yeah. Cause we like drove around DC and then we're like, we were there. It's like an hour from Williamsburg. So did you have to get your own apartment or they have housing or?

So yeah, they have, um, housing for, uh, the college program right now. It's the flamingo crossings village. So they have a set of apartments that's East and a set that's West. They're like across the street from each other. Um, uh, so they have those apartments at the time I was in the old apartments. So it used to be Vista way, Chatham square, Patterson court, and the commons. Um, you can opt out of housing if you want. Like, so there are some kids who like, they live here in Lakeland and they'll do the college program and they'll just commute or some people just, it's their third program and they don't want to live in housing anymore.

So they'll just, you know, like rent a room or something. Yep. Um, me being me, I was like, nope. I was like, yeah. Is it all Disneyfied? Like a hotel? Like Mickey's everywhere? Not quite. Um, at the time they're at least at Lake Vista way, they had what was called the learning center. So like you'd go in and that's where you'd like pick up your packages or you could like borrow a Swiffer. And then in the like learning center, there was like a library and they had like every single Disney movie and board games and they had like computers and stuff. So that's where people would go and do like their schoolwork a lot of times.

Um, but it was always playing Disney movies and they also do housing events. So like the welcome events were always like Disneyfied, if you will. So like my welcome event was, um, a whole new world. So it was Aladdin themed. So we got to meet the genie, Jafar and Abu. And then they also give you like free pizza and there's like dance parties and games and free stuff. That is cool. I went to like, like seven welcome events. Oh jeez. Because it was free. It's free food. So I was like, it was pizza every time, but it was free food. So I wasn't going to say no.

That's the truth. And how many roommates did you have? I had five roommates. I wanted, I wanted cheap rent. So, um, your rent, if you opt into Disney housing comes out of your paycheck. So you don't even have to worry about like paying it and it includes your utilities and everything. Um, so I opted into the second cheapest housing because the first cheapest housing at the time was known as Chatham square two, six, which was two bedrooms, six people. So there were bunk beds. And I was like, no, I did not want bunk beds and you didn't get to necessarily choose your housing. You put in your housing preferences and sometimes they'd let you request roommates.

Sometimes, sometimes you could request up to three. Sometimes it was restricted down to one. Like it just kind of depended on like what the housing was at that time, because there's also like the international college program. So they all have to live right in housing. So it was really like what they had available. Um, so my group of six that had formed, we had to split into two groups and just hope they put us together. And thankfully they did. Um, so I was in Vista way three, six, so three bedrooms, six people. So I had one in room roommate. Um, and then I had four other roommates and the way the Vista way apartments were set up was there was the first bedroom and it had an ensuite bathroom.

And then there was like the living room and the kitchen and then like the dining area. And then there was the next bedroom and then another bedroom and then a bathroom. And then the sinks were, um, they were always on the outside. So you could like get ready. Um, and I had the earliest arrival date like there, cause you were assigned to check-in time. So I was like, I'm getting the room with the ensuite bathroom. Yeah. So I had, I like took my backpack and like threw it down on the bed. Cause I had to go do, um, my casting stuff. They call it casting, but it's like your onboarding.

So I had to go and get like fingerprinted and like photographed and everything. Um, if you'd like a good chuckle, I've had the same blue ID. So our, our IDs are blue. I've had the same blue ID since my college program. Oh my gosh. Look at you. My eyes are closed. They'll let me retake it. I don't think they're closed, closed, but, um, so when you check in for the college program, you have to get your program ID. So that allows you to get into housing, not just your own housing, but the other housing properties to go to a fence village, well, it's like the Olympic village.

Kind of. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It sounds like my college dorm situation to be honest with you, except you don't have ensuite bathrooms. Um, the, the housing IDs also allow you into the other housing developments if you're taking like classes. So they do offer classes with like, you know, like you're doing one-on-ones with like leaders or like, say you want to go into communications, you'll have like a series of like six classes with like different people from the communications and marketing team. I never took those classes because I was busy with my own internship class and with working. Um, I wanted to, but they also filled up like really fast.

Um, so I don't know too much about like the Disney offered classes, but, um. Yeah. So what were you actually, I'm confused. What were you actually learning? Like how to be a good Disney employee? So the college program is like, you basically, you come down and you, you work for Disney for however long, um, and you gain like the knowledge and the experience of like how Disney runs their business. Um, they, like I said, they do offer like classes. If you're looking to get like more one-on-one time with like leaders or different like departments or just learn more about how the operation runs, maybe more in depth.

Um, for me, I was, I just really loved my job and I still do. So I was really focused on like working and making the connections within my area. Um, and like becoming the best cast member I could be. And it very much has worked out for me. Um, because I've become a costuming trainer and now I'm also a sub coordinator or another term for that is like a relief coordinator, um, for Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas Time Parade. So I'm like the backup coordinator, um, for costuming, uh, for that venue specifically. Um, and like, I still love my job as much as I did when I was sprightly at 21.

So, so you do that for four months and then you kind of roll into your costuming job or so on my college program, I was costuming as well. I did operational costuming. So I did costuming for like the people you see, like vending food or, um, like photo pass. They call everything at Disney is a show. So we're all called cast members instead of like employees, instead of uniforms called costuming. Everyone gets a costume because they're all a part of the show. That's why we say like on stage versus backstage and stuff like that as well. And, um, so I did operational costuming. So I helped all of our operational cast members who were serving our in part guests be well dressed, um, for their shift.

Do they have like, that's awesome. I've always wondered this. It's like stupid things. I know I like it. Does everybody have their own or it's just like, okay, today I need to pick out this size of this and this size of this, or do you have your designated? You come in and shop the line. Okay. Um, so it's, it's almost like a Kohl's. You come in and just like pick out what you need. Okay. Um, and, uh, if you're having challenges finding costs, you are allowed to take your costumes home and wash them. Okay. Everyone is allotted like a certain amount. Um, but you can either wash them or you can hand them back in.

I wash my own. Cause I believe it or not, I don't have time to return my stuff to costuming. Um, I'm a little busy. So, um, I wash my own at home and I keep them also. Cause like sometimes I have a hard time finding my pants. Um, cause I wear like black cargo shirts and that's a pretty popular, um, costume worn. So I have a hard time finding them in my size. So I keep them and wash them. And until they like, until something like breaks on it or until they're like too sun faded to be considered like in good show basically. And then I hand them back in same with, same with my shirts and I lose buttons on the shirts a lot.

So like I'll bring them back and there's buttons on them or, um, sometimes they get like stains on them and stuff. So I'll just hand them back in if I can't get it clean myself. Um, so on my college program, I did operational costuming. And then after that, I chose to stay when your college program is over. You just, you go home and you go back to your normal life and whatever. Um, a lot of people get the post Disney blues. They usually come back and at least visit within the year. Um, a lot of my friends did. And, um, for me, I wanted to stay.

So there were a couple of ways of doing that. You can extend your program so you can always try to extend in your role, like same role, same location, same role, different location, or you can do a different role. So like, say I was in costuming and I was like, wow, I don't like being here. I'm going to go do attractions instead. I could preference to move to attractions and it's just really where they have spots open and then like a transfer. Yeah, pretty much. And, um, if you don't want to stay on the college program, but you want to stay with the company, you can apply for full-time, part-time roles.

Um, it's a little bit different now because like we were allowed to apply for like specific roles and locations. Now they just apply for full-time, part-time and they find out what they're getting like two weeks before their program. So it's, it's definitely changed. Um, it's quite the commitment. Yeah, it really is. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So you could come out of the college program being in costumes, go to the part-time position that was open and be, you know, running Thunder Mountain Railroad. Yeah. Yeah. Um, but like once you're in, roll the dice. Yeah. Once you're in full-time, part-time, you can always try to transfer like back in.

So we had a, someone I know recently, like she was in costuming and she got food and beverage and then she put in to come back to costuming and she, it took a couple of months, but she got it. It's really just what has spots open. Um, and costuming is a very, very like small department, um, small, but mighty. I tell you what, some of the hardest workers I've ever worked with in my entire life. Oh, I bet. People who are like dedicated and love their jobs. That heart runs on that. Yeah. How does that work pay scale wise? Like, let's say you're going in, you're like, okay, I need to make this amount of money or dah, dah, dah, dah, and I'm going to go work for the mouse.

Like, and let's say you really want to be in this over here because you think the pay scale is one thing, but then they actually put you over here or is it all pretty much the same type of pay scale? So college program all makes the same. Okay. And it's like $1 less than being like full-time hourly. Okay. Um, and then sometimes there are different pay up premiums depending on like what you're doing. So like if you're working like third shift for whatever reason, college program kids don't typically work third shift, but there's like third shift differentials. Okay. Um, and then there's also like, I'm going to say this.

I don't, I don't know how true it is. I'm pretty sure if you work mini vans, which is like the, have you ever seen like the polka dotted, like Chevy traverses around property? Like they look like mini mouse. Um, those are the mini vans that run through lift, but they're Disney. It's basically like Disney approved, like Uber. Um, so they're the only tipped college program roles. So they're allowed to keep their tips. Um, and I think they make a little bit more cause they're driving guests everywhere. There are also certain roles that like college program kids can't do. Okay. So like you can't be a bus driver on your college program.

Like you cannot do, I don't think you got your CDL or whatever, right? Like, no, um, you can't do, um, like you can do watercraft, but there's certain boats you can't drive. Okay. Basically. Right. Yeah. You can't do, um, cosmetology, even if you like have your license. So like, even though I had my license, I couldn't do cosmetology cause it wasn't a role that was offered. Is that when you say cosmetology, it was like getting the princesses ready or like the Bippity Boppity Boutique? So the Bippity Boppity Boutique is a, um, is a college program role. They usually only accept like 10 to 15 kids each season though.

Um, cause again, they're like, they're smaller than costuming. Um, for cosmetology, it's more like the Harmony Barbershop. Okay. So like that sort of thing, um, trying to think of other roles that they like, they can't do. What about like guest services or working at the hotels or anything like that? Um, so you can work at the resorts, usually the roles that are open for college program kids at the resorts is like bell services, um, housekeeping, um, or some people affectionately call it mouse keeping, the mouse keepers. Yeah. Um, that's adorable. Um, yeah. I mean, there's the water parks, but you can also lifeguard at the resorts, children's activities.

So the people who do like Mickey tie dyeing the campfires, recreation is a role that's available. So that's like, um, they're the ones who like rent out like, I don't know, like the volley balls or like the sports equipment to you. They're allowed to drive like the pontoon boats though. Um, cause that's a part of the recreation role. Um, I don't know if it's still a role technically, but like pool attendant was another one. So like cleaning the pool deck and putting towels out and just making sure like it was orderly. Okay. Um, trying to think what other resort stuff. Sounds like there's lots of opportunities.

Yeah. You know, I don't remember if concierge is a college program role or not, but I know concierge was an option. I don't remember. Maybe it's front desk. I'm thinking of cause I had friends who did like front desk and that is apparently one of the most intense trainings. Like it's like two or three weeks of training. Oh, I bet. Cause that's a customer service. Vacation planning is another one that has a lot of training cause you have to learn every single like ticket package. Mm hmm. So they get to, they just get to sit at the vacation planning booth. So sell tickets all day. Oh, air conditioned gig.

Yeah. Yeah. Air conditioned. Yeah. So I also don't really talk to vacation planning people. So it's okay. I only go there when I need to buy like discounted tickets and I'm like, Hey, here you go. So what does your day look like as a working in the costume shop? So working in costuming, I really just focus on, um, quality checking costumes to make sure they are in good show and they can go out and they're functional. So like if something's missing a button, we'll set it aside to go get fixed or if it's got like a really big, like, um, our housekeeping cast members tend to get like bleach on their shirts a lot.

So, um, we'll set those aside and, um, those will go for, uh, like a stain treatment sort of thing. And then just a lot of laundry, washing and drying a lot of clothes. Can you talk about where it's located? Is this like in a warehouse? Is it? Um, there's different costuming locations across property. Okay. Um, do you get to use the tunnels? I do get to use the tunnels. When I'm in, when I'm in entertainment costuming, I do get to use the tunnels. It kind of depends. Um, technically I'm an entertainment costuming cast member. So entertainment is, do you, uh, do any of the shows? Um, I used to work on Mickey's Royal Friendship Fair, um, pre COVID.

Um, and right now I work on Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas Time Parade. Um, the other people I work somewhat closely with are the Dapper Dance and the Marching Band. Okay. Okay. Um, but that's really about it. I'm trying to think. I used to do the Spirit of Aloha dinner show. Um, that is no longer there because they're building, they're building a DVC resort where it was. Yeah. We were there years ago. Oh, here comes the train again. Choo choo. Choo choo. Take a break. Yes. I looked up at this and I was like, oh my God, what is that? And then I realized it's like gross.

Yeah. It's like a worm. I thought it was a worm. Like a bum. It's going through so slowly. At least it's shorter this one. This one's slower than the last one. I know. But at least it's little. And he's stopping. Perfect. Why is he stopping? At least he shut off. Sort of. A little. He's like idling. Yeah. So how many cast members are in your entertainment costuming section? How, like roughly. Let me be honest. I don't really know. Okay. Um. So there's that many. Yeah. There's, there's a fair amount, but like I, I don't really have a good number. Okay. Um, cause costuming is like so much bigger than it looks.

Yeah. Um, cause there's, there's so many like other aspects that go into it. And like, if honestly, if you are interested in like learning more about costuming, the people who are allowed to talk about it are the like VIP tour guides. Okay. That makes sense. Yeah, that's cool. But the tour guides. They have the approved top track. If you take the keys to the kingdom tour, they'll take you like through costuming. I've wanted to do that. Um, you'll get to see me. Usually I just wave at them. Are you buying like a glass wall? Cause you don't, you don't ever see costuming like in the park.

So usually if I have to walk through the park, I get like a double take. Cause they're like, who's in the teal shirt? It's me. It's me. It's great. When I go into the park also, I have like, they'll come and ask me about genie plus and I'm like, I have no idea how that works. I am in a backstage role. I'm going to direct you to the blue umbrella. Yeah. The guest relations people are, and they'll be able to tell you how that works. That two finger point. Yeah. It's two fingers or one hand. You just can't use one finger. Cause it looks accusatory. I did not.

SeaWorld did the same thing. Oh, did they? Cause they didn't, they didn't teach me that when I worked at SeaWorld. There's another job I've had when I, when I knew I was, um, What'd you do at SeaWorld? Wardrobe technician. Same thing I did at Disney, except I did a lot more, um, like puppet maintenance. Oh, those puppets. Hanging out with the Sesame street characters, dressing Bumble actually. Oh, nice. Nice. Yeah. Helping Bumble get dressed for, uh, meeting our guests. Oh, that's cool. Yeah. That is cool. So I'm totally going off the track, but. Scroll time. Nice. Pun day. Um, Sunday, pun day. It's a Sunday, pun day.

Sunday, pun day, pun day. Yeah. Sorry. Did you need to cost me in college? What were you doing? Yeah. So I, so I wasn't like a theater major. So I didn't necessarily have to take theater practicum, but I would do it like as an extra credit to, um, move my credits along and I would do costuming. So I was in the costume shop. So I would like, I don't have like sewing machine skills very well. Like I can do it, but the straight line is more diagonal than anything. Right. Um, so which to answer a follow question, I know it's coming. No, I don't have to sew in costuming at Disney.

Um, not a required skill to have. Um, because we have a team of alterations folks who fix anytime there's a missing button or a hole or something. Um, I just bring it to them. Right. Sounds a lot like Broadway. I was just about to say that. Yeah. How there's like, um, like dressers versus alterations people. Yeah. It's a, it runs a lot like Broadway. So, um, have you thought I'm going to completely cut you off here? We're just going to go off. I'm totally. We're squirrels. Squirrel section. Yeah. Have you ever thought about make making that switch to Broadway and doing dressing stuff? Cause you have all this experience.

I'm really tired of winter weather. I don't know if I can do it again. No. Oh yeah. I thought that I might go to New York. Oh, excuse me. I thought that I might go to New York at some point in my life. Um, but now I feel like too much of my heart is in Florida. So like, um, my boyfriend and his family live here. So like, I wouldn't want to leave them. And I have my LCT family, but I wouldn't want to leave either. Um, I definitely would go like visit New York and I definitely want to like, um, like I'd love to go backstage.

Um, and I've been, I've been to New York city before. That was one of our like banding course trips we used to take. So I've seen like a couple of shows and whatnot. I actually saw the infamous, um, Spider-Man Broadway show. Oh, did you really? Mm-hmm. You're one of like five people that saw it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We were balconies. So like, Um, they had a lot of safety issues. A lot of safety issues. A lot of safety issues. Oh, you mean Spider-Man? They would fall from the rigging quite a bit. Yeah. Oh, that's a problem. No one ever passed away despite rumors. No one ever passed away, but there were serious injuries.

A lot of dangers. No one got injured at my show. It was, it was a really cool show. Was it? I will give it that. I won't say it was great because it was a Broadway show about Spider-Man. But like, it was really, really cool. Like the way they did stuff in the costuming and that was also really cool. Yeah. Um, like the, like villains costumes. Uh, you can see they were on like the Jimmy Fallon show, I think. Mm-hmm. They were crazy. Like the costumes themselves like spark and spin and like. Wow. It's insane. It's crazy. Anyway. No, I don't think I would go to Broadway.

Um, I don't think I have the technical skills per se because I didn't go to college for theater. Um, if anything, I'd like to move more into the, like the arts administration side. Like, um, I don't know how many listeners will understand this, but like what Bernadette does at LCT. Mm-hmm. That's what I went to college for. Oh, okay. Okay. So like, I've been a performer before I used to perform in like high school. Yeah. You want to run a theater. Pretty much. Yeah. All right. There we go. Um, like if I, if I wasn't working at Disney, that's what I'd want to do. Uh huh.

But I very much see myself staying at Disney. You love it that much. For the rest of my life. Yeah. I, I love my job. Yeah. I love the people I work with. I love all my performers and my costumes. Because if you love your job and you love the people you work with, it's kind of rare. Yeah. It is a rare thing. Yeah. Yeah. You get to go anytime you want, right? To visit the park. Yeah. Yeah. Um, so I get into the parks for free and I get so many like guest passes to let people in for free. I have healthcare, dental, vision, like everyone else.

401k. We just got a 401k. Yeah. Nice. We did have, I think it was a Roth IRA. Now we have a 401k as well. Um, or maybe it wasn't a Roth IRA. It might've been a pension. Um, I don't know. I have to opt into it for next year, but I haven't, I haven't gotten that far yet. They haven't done our open enrollment yet. Um, which is also when I have to renew one of my cosmetology licenses. So there's a lot going on. Um, cause one renews in October and the other one renews in November. So, um, I'm trying to think we also get a lot of like big discounts.

So like, because there's a corporate sponsorship with Chevy, we get a discount on Chevy vehicles, but it's only brand new vehicles though. Like I would have to buy like a brand new, like Chevy Tahoe. Um, so we get a lot of other like discounts. Sometimes we get discounts on like Disney cruise line, but it's only like specific cruises. Um, once they need to fill. Pretty much. Probably. Yeah. Like every other business. That'd be cool to do costumes for them. Yeah. I I've looked into costume technician. Cause when you go on the cruise line, you do costuming and cosmetology. Um, the problem is it's on a contract.

So like you're on the ship for like, I don't know, eight months and then like they'll either renew your contract or they won't. And then you like get off the ship and you either have to like find a job. Right. Or you have to wait for your next contract. Oh yeah. And you have to have so many months not at sea also. Oh. Per like maritime law. Uh huh. So like a lot of people will do like eight or nine months on the ship and then they're off for like two. Hmm. Huh. So yeah, you have to, they have to like give you, cause you work like every single day you're on the ship.

You don't really have to. You gotta get your land legs. Land legs. I don't know. I, I don't know if you love it. Do you need land legs? I don't know. People just live on ships, right? So yeah. I mean, I, that's what I keep telling Chris I want to do. Yeah. Like when we retire, I'm like on a cruise ship. Yeah. Let's just live there. Honestly, my like dream role. If I worked on, we talked about doing nursing on ships too. It's so cool. Um, my, no, you're good. My dream. If I like did work on a cruise ship, I'd want to be one of the people that like hosts trivia.

Oh yeah. Oh, that would be fun. Yeah. I feel like I'd be a good trivia host. Um, and I definitely, they're definitely like, Oh, I know this because I worked this job. I actually, I did. I did Muppet trivia when I was on our last cruise. So, um, Keaton was off like watching a movie. So I was playing trivia cause I had like a hair appointment. So I like, didn't want to like start the movie and I'm like, whatever. So I was doing Muppets trivia and, um, I had done a game of trivia before. I don't remember what it was. And then the girl came off because she saw how hype it was for Muppet trivia.

And she was like, how do you pronounce the names of these Muppets? Oh my gosh. It was like Statler and Waldorf, I think. And then I actually won in no surprise to anyone. I got 18 out of 20 questions, right? Oh my gosh. That's awesome. Yep. Did you win a prize? I won a goofy medal. Um, my favorite thing was, she was one of the questions was like, when did the Muppets debut? And I was like, are you talking about like the Muppets Muppets? Are you talking about Sam and friends? Cause Sam and friends was like the first iteration of the Muppets, but they weren't officially the Muppets.

She was probably like, I don't know. And she was like, I'll let you pick two answers. Cause you know more than me clearly. And I was like, okay. I'm writing a script. Exactly. I cannot hear. Well, it felt like a trick question. The two. Only to you. Yeah. The two, the two questions, the two questions I got wrong were the two movies I haven't seen. Cause believe it or not, I haven't seen all the Muppet movies. So it was the, uh, the Muppets take Manhattan and Muppets in space. I haven't seen those. So. Those are the two I have seen. Yeah. They're not, they're not on like Disney plus.

Really? No, I don't know why. What's up with that? That's weird. Probably some sort of contracting. I don't know. Well, most likely. Cause it was different. Different. Well, it was Jim Henson productions who like did all of them, but it may have been different distribution services once it went to like VHS and DVD. Yeah. Could be. I don't know. I don't know too much about production. So like can't really speak on that, but. I just had like the randomest like thing pop in my head about like, okay. So your little sticker over there costuming that is on your water bottle. Oh yeah. That's so that's, um.

That's from Sea World. Yeah. Yeah. So they have Sesame Street at Sea World. Right. Yes. That's what I used to do. Which has some overlap. Does it not? With characters. It's all very incestuous. In the Muppets. Right. Yeah. Which is. Oh, I can explain that. I can explain that actually. I wrote my paper on this. Okay. Sweet. So the Sesame. I love that it's not off limits. I know. I'm so sorry. Most of my job is proprietary, but I really do enjoy being employed. I get it. So if any of the executives are listening to this, I love my job. And I promise I do not share information that I'm not supposed to share.

Like I said, sign a lot of NDAs. So Sesame Street, those characters were created because it was when like educational children's TV was like really being looked into. So in the late sixties, early seventies and Sesame Street premiered in 1969. And this is funny. This is funny. My dad was in kindergarten when it premiered. And he was like, yeah, they knew I needed some extra help. He says that they made Sesame Street just for him. Cause they used to show it in like elementary school. They would play it in the mornings. I didn't know that. Certain, like they did it for some schools. Like with letters and counting.

Every once in a while they'd like show an episode of Sesame Street sort of thing. And now like, if you ever watch the old episodes, they have like disclaimers on them that are like, don't because they're very, it was a very different time. Yeah. So like it had different messages and like, yeah, different. If you, if you watch the old episodes, there's a disclaimer before them. But, um, I mean, yeah, I guess, I guess it never occurred to me that it wouldn't have aged well. Sesame street. Like you just assumed it was all good. Yeah. It's like an urban setting. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Just some, just some verbiage has changed.

Yes. You know, correct language, if you will. Um, so the Muppets for Sesame street were made in conjunction with at the time, the children's television workshop. I believe they're now referred to as Sesame workshop. I may have misspoke earlier and called them children's television workshop still. Um, but Sesame workshop owns the Sesame street characters. So while they are technically Muppets, they don't technically fully belong to Jim Henson. So yeah, they were made by like Jim Henson and he used to like do cause Kermit used to be like a regular on the show. Right. But now, um, all of those characters belong to the Sesame workshop. And it's really cool.

Like the, the characters they're introducing, like they introduced, um, Julia, who is the, um, Sesame street character with autism. Okay. So like she has like little headphones cause she has noise sensitivity and the puppet itself. Like she has like hand flaps. So she like flaps her hands a lot. And, um, she's, she's verbal, but she doesn't speak in full sentences necessarily. So they did a whole episode on her and they actually have her at, um, SeaWorld. Interesting. Yeah. That's cool. I know she comes out in April for autism awareness month, which is really cool. Um, I don't know if she's out all the time though. Cause I don't work at SeaWorld anymore.

I only worked there for six months and I actually, I quit my job at SeaWorld to stage manage Mamma Mia at LCT. Okay. In case you're wondering how that worked out. Um, so, um, yeah, she's, she's really cool. She's like, I'm just going to quit my paying job to go over here. That just shows your dedication and your passion to the theater. And that was awesome. Love that. Yeah. That was awesome. I mean, at that point too. True, true, true. I don't think it rivals what you would get on a, like a normal nine to five. I really, I really did it for experience. So, um, no, that's awesome.

I had money saved up from when I had been on unemployment during COVID cause they were giving us a lot of money. Um, so I was in a financial spot where I could do that and I knew I was really close to getting called back to Disney. So I knew that once Mamma Mia ended, I only had a few weeks before I would go back to Disney and I did get another job. Like while I was at, um, LCT, I worked at the old Navy at Lakeland park center. Um, didn't pay very well, but you know, it was money was money. It really was like gas and food money basically.

Um, and then I got my, I got my stipend, um, from LCT. Perfect. And then I also, I was supposed to, uh, stage manage kids camp like the week after, but I ended up getting sick, but they, they gave me my stipend anyway. Shout out to LCT for that. You guys rock. Um, so yeah. Um, which by the way, I don't know if you knew this. I stage managed, um, I rehearsal stage manage, I should say. Um, Mamma Mia with no stage managing experience. Did you have somebody you shadowed or? Um, so actually, they just tell you what to do. Like, I need you to go do this.

Who was the director for that? Allen. Allen. Um, so they had done disenchanted in 2020. So it was the next summer musical. And like, it was, we had a lot of people at auditions. I remember it was my first time running auditions. I auditioned for that one. Yeah. I like, I like to think that I ran some pretty good auditions. I felt like I got people in and out pretty fast. Um, also I'd never run auditions before. Um, but I had like a two or three hour sit down with, um, Caitlin Reynolds while they were striking. Um, oh my gosh, Savannah Sipping Society. Oh yeah. This was for, this was 2021.

Mind you. Um, so we like sat down, she gave me all her Intel and know how and like truly could not have done that show without her. Like every, everything I did in Mamma Mia for rehearsal stage managing, like came from her. And anytime I like ran into an issue, I would text her and be like, I don't know what to do. And she would, she'd be like so casual. So, you know, Caitlin was so chill. She was just like, dah, dah, dah, like, oh, this is how you fix this problem. Okay. And it worked. Yeah. Um, and I bet you learned so much. Yeah. I did.

Yeah. Baptism by fire. Is that what they call it? Yeah. So I hosted as the rehearsal stage manager, I hosted auditions and then I just ran rehearsals and then Kat, like Kat Weed was, um, my production stage manager. Nice. So she called it cause I never called a show, um, in my life. Like I said, I'd never stage manage and, um, then I was run crew for the rest of it. So I was in charge of anything on stage, right? Basically. Um, which wasn't much cause we had a pit chorus. So none of the sets could go stage, right? Cause, and I don't know if you remember that set would like flip and spin.

Yeah. Like the stage, right stage piece always had to leave. So we'd always have to push all the way back and move it all the way into the shop. Uh, it was all of those scene changes were like choreographed. I'm sure. It was insane. At one point there was a scene change where like the two set pieces had to cross by each other. And we had these half walls. Um, and I literally had to like kneel on the half walls. Like I was on all fours on the half walls while the like scenes later the, like the, the bigger pieces moved. The bigger pieces moved. And like, I would normally like get off in time to where the audience didn't see me just like sitting on the stage piece so I could move it.

It's funny. I don't think everybody knows that how, how much of a dance that stage stuff is. Yeah. Especially, especially for Mamma Mia. There was one, two, three, four, five. Wait till y'all see Cinderella. There's like, there were five big pieces. They made us like, I think I told you this. They made us a little, um, like a model version of the set for Cinderella and the little pieces are made so we can move them around and figure out how we want like each scene to be set. And Laura and, um, Susie Lambert and I sat down with that last week and tried moving them around to try and figure out how that dance is going to go.

Right. That's Laura's like forte, by the way. Oh, is it? Yeah. She's amazing. She is, but she is that like, she's, she's like, I can see how that will work. And you know, she's like, I just attribute all of the years as a kid playing with dollhouses. Oh my gosh. And I was like, that's interesting. Yeah. So little kids or parents of little kids playing with dolls. If you didn't think there was a practical application in life, there sure is. Yeah. So I had never done run crew. It's like a puzzle. So when I was, we'll just rewind to when I was really, really, really little, I had, I had always been like a performer.

Like when I was three, my mom bought me this Fisher price like stage. I'll send you guys a picture of it. You'll get a laugh out of it. When you open the little curtains, cause it had the little pole, it would activate this little button. It would clap for you. Oh my gosh. So we had it set up and my mom has like home videos of me and my, like, I had all these dress up clothes and I'd be like dancing and singing. Like I was always very much a performer. Um, I broke my leg when I was like three or four and then my options were physical therapy or dance classes.

So I took dance classes and that's how I got into the most expensive hobby my parents could have ever done. So, um, I was a jazz and tap dancer for most of my life. I recently, when I went back home, I took a tap class at my old studio and let me tell you, it doesn't leave you, but like it doesn't connect. Cause I understood everything she was saying, but like my feet wouldn't do it. And I was like, I was like, I don't want to brush flat, flat ball change Maxi Ford is, but I, my feet will not do it for whatever reason. I don't know how anybody tap dances to be honest with you.

My feet don't move that way. I can send you guys a video of me. My senior year of high school. My foot is so stiff. It's on YouTube. I can't get it to like loosen up. I don't know how many people do that. Well, there's, there's technically three parts to a tap shoe. Not two. Okay. There's your toe and your heel tap. And then there's a rubber part that like muffles the sound. So like when you see someone, I don't remember what, of course I can't remember what it's called, but when they throw down their like toe, I think it's called, it's not a scuff. It's got some sort of funky name, but it like stops the tap sound almost immediately.

It's like a, it's almost like a mute and a trumpet basically. It like stops the sound from happening. Yeah. Weird. I call it, I think it's, I think. Yeah. Yeah. I think we referred to it as like, so the toe tap was a, and then the, the middle part was B like B for breaks. Cause it like would stop the noise from happening and then your heel was your seat. Huh? So yeah. I also had a heck of a time doing advanced tap in my tap shoes. Cause I have jazz taps and most tap shoes have a hard sole and a hard toe. So you can do like toe ups and wings.

Jazz taps do not do that. So like the whole front of my tap shoe is just like gone from trying to do, from trying to do toe ups and like wings. Oh. My tap shoes look wretched. I brought them back recently and I was like, ugh. I need to get new ones. These things look awful. I hadn't touched them since high school and I was like, ugh. But anyway, so I grew up being a performer. I was in like every musical in high school. Um, and we ended up doing actually like three tap shows while I was there. So did that a lot. Like we did Millie and white Christmas and, um, we had to do a Broadway review my junior year of high school because her theater was filled with asbestos.

Oh my God. So, uh, believe it or not, um, you know, just. They filled everything with asbestos back in the day. Truly just Erica things. No, the auditorium looked the same as when my parents were in high school. Cause we all went to the same high school. Right. Like it looked exact. The seats are the same. That's when my parents were there in the eighties. Like it's insane. Um, and so we had to do it. There's an opera house in my hometown. It's technically a city. It's like the smallest city in Vermont. No shock to anyone. Um, so we did our Broadway review there and we did a tap number.

I don't remember which one it was. I'm going to be honest. That, that is the one show I like don't remember doing like in high school. I was like, I know some of the numbers I was in, but then I'll see photos from it. I'm like, Oh yeah, that was fun. Um, but then my senior year of high school, I ended up going to, it's called the Hannaford career center and it was a vocational school. So they had like culinary and like early childhood ed and it gave you like technical skills. But I went for technical theater cause that was the morning program. And I just wanted to, I knew I liked like costumes and fashion, hair and makeup.

And I was like, I'm going to learn more. And originally I actually went for sound. Um, but I could not tie the speakers to the pipes to save my life. Um, I almost dropped a speaker. So I was like, I'm going to go up to the costume shop. Cause clearly sound is not for me. Um, uh, we're going to pay you here. Also ironic. I don't like really loud noises. So why I was in sound, I don't know, but I went into costumes and like hand sewed feather boas onto robes and, uh, polished shoes. And I was happy in the little costume shop. Um, we had to sew a messenger bag.

That was one of our homework assignments. Well, we had to do it in class. Cause like we didn't have like sewing machines, but we had to like cut out all the pattern pieces. I still have it somewhere and not here. It's back home. But, um, that's a good skill to have though in life. Yeah. Yeah. I can kind of machine. So that's like a really, really like iffy statement. Yeah. But I can, like I said, it's a straight line, but it might go a little, a little diagonal. Um, and then I really liked the technical side of theater, but I was more interested in the admin side of it.

Cause, um, like the business aspect. Yeah. Um, so like, that's what I ended up going to college for was like, how do I write a grant? How do I get money for a nonprofit? So like the way I boil my degree down now that we're coming all the way back around is it's like nonprofit management, but for the arts. Um, like museums and like cultural, um, not exhibits, but like cultural venues. Um, so like I had to take a class called museum studies and it's like, how do you deal with controversy? Cause museums deal with like a lot of controversies. I had to take performing arts management, which is like, okay, you've now received a writer from the, um, performers.

How do you meet all the needs? Um, how do you like one of my favorite projects we did was like curating a performance in a venue and how you were going to do it and how you were going to get money for it. Um, great writing was one of my strengths and it's a very specific thing to know how to do. Cause not only do you have to write, like you have to be persuasive and be like, here's why we deserve the money. But you also have to provide a exact breakdown down to the scent. Cause you have to break even with the grant. Like you have to spend every single penny on a specific thing.

And you had to prove it in like a graph. Oh gosh. Um, like a graph and a chart and a, there's a whole thing. It's a good essay. It's behind it. Uh huh. And there's more math in it than people think. And I'm not great at math, but it made me better at math. Like you had to be able to read, um, nonprofit tax forms are like form nine nineties. And I had to be able to look at two different years of tax forms and find the increases and the decreases in like revenue and expenses and salaries and like in kind donations versus grants and learning all of that stuff.

Um, so like, if I, if I didn't work at Disney, like I would love to like run a theater. Um, and I do try to like give my knowledge out to people. Like if someone, uh, like starts a nonprofit, I'm like, okay, if you need help writing grants, like, let me know. We've heard that a few times. Yeah. Yeah. I was, I was going to say you guys started your foundation. So if you need help writing grants, let me know. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. I do have a copy of one of my grants. Cause that one I had in the like Google cloud. It wasn't on my computer.

I have that somewhere. That was my sophomore year though. So like not my best grant writing, but. Got better since then. Well, this is like super interesting. Yeah. Yeah. Totally a different aspect than I think that we've kind of had before. I mean, we've had dressers on. Talking to your mic, Kathy. Sorry. I'm so bad about that. I know she does. I do. Here, let me hold it with my left hand. There you go. That way I can talk with my right hand. Yeah. Yeah. Anyway. So, um, but yeah, this has been super cool. Yeah. So we really appreciate you coming on and. This is probably the squirreliest episode you've had.

Yeah. Maybe. I don't know. I don't know. We tend to just kind of get together. Mostly because I, I've done so much for someone who's been in this for 26 years. You really have. Yeah. The next 26. Yeah. Who knows what I'll do in the next 50, 60 years. That's right. I don't even know. Yeah. All right. Well, thank you for coming on. Thank you so much. I really appreciate you. I love you guys. I'm honestly starstruck that I got to be on. Oh, that's funny. Yeah. That's awesome. Selfie. Yeah. Cool. All right. Everybody have a great Sunday pun day. Enjoy this beautiful weather. I know.

That's gorgeous. I'm going to go to the Halloween party at Disney tonight. Oh, yeah. That'll be nice. Keaton and I got costumes planned, so. Nice. Yeah. Yeah. We're on the Halloween party tonight. At Disney. At Disney. Oh. Yeah. Because they've already started up. They run from August to October. Yeah. That's what he dressed us. He has Wade and Ember from Pixar's Elemental. Oh, nice. Yeah. Very nice. One of my infamous Amazon costumes, as I call it, where I find pieces on Amazon and make it look as close to the movie as I can. That sounds nice. Yeah. Well, enjoy. Have a great time. Yeah. You guys have a good weekend.

All right, guys. Bye, everybody. Bye-bye. Bye. Bye.