Interview a CP: Christie (EPCOT Photopass)

Christie was kind enough to share her experience as a Photopass cast member during her college program last year! Here's her story:

What role did you have during the DCP, and where did you work?

I was a PhotoPass photographer in Spring 2015, and while my home park was Epcot I had the chance to work in all of them!

What was a typical day like at work?

PhotoPass training occurs in a few different stages, so my typical day actually changed about about a month into my program. Usually I worked in seven or eight hour shifts, and I tried to get to base about half an hour before my shift started just in case there were problems with traffic or finding a parking spot (I think they’re trying to work on it, but when I was there parking at the Epcot cast lot was a hot mess). Once it was time to clock in, I would grab my camera and other assorted pieces of equipment and get everything set up, and then I would check the computer for my first location. I would shoot in that spot for two or three hours, then someone would come take over my spot and I would go on break. After break, you check the computer for your next location and repeat the same process over again. It works pretty much the same way no matter how long your shift is, with different amounts of time in a location before going on break for however long. The only time this routine changed was when you were with a character who was going or their lunch or returning home for the day, or if you were in a location that was closing at a certain time. Then, you would just call base and have them figure out what you should do next! Depending on how long your shift was you’d get a certain number of breaks, and the length also varied based on how long your shift was. The shortest break is 15 minutes, and the longest is 45 minutes. Your breaks are your time to eat, check over your equipment, reapply sunscreen (a huge must for PhotoPass, since we spend so much time outside!) and relax before heading back on stage.

As I said, although the timeline of each shift was pretty consistent, there were some aspects of my typical day that really changed depending on what stage of training I was in. For PhotoPass, training takes and entire month! Most of that time is spent working, with daylong training sessions partway through to teach new skills. Basically, they want everyone to get the hang of one kind of shooting situation before moving on to the next. You start with general Icon [Landmark] training, and then you move into park specific training where you learn about all of the different photo locations, break rooms, etc. After that, you get to hop in and start working (while still 'earning your ears'!). During this time, you’ll do day shifts only and solely shoot families in front of Icons.  After a few weeks of that, you get Night and View training, so that you can shoot Icons at night and help families figure out which photos they wanted to keep and if they’d like to add any extra magic to them!  Once you have Night training down, you start getting the typical CP closing shifts, which I actually really enjoyed since I’m not exactly a morning person. One of the nice things with Epcot is that since park hours are shorter, even if you  generally shoot in daytime conditions. Daytime shooting is more fun and creative. My favorite was always shooting a family hug.  Besides this, daytime shots can also have a little extra splash of magic, as sometimes characters may show up in your pictures afterwards! Olaf was a guest favorite during my program, although sometimes Stitch, Tink, or some others popped up as well. Different parks have different magic shots, so it was always fun getting to learn some new ones when I picked up in different parks! 

After Night training, my typical scheduled shift started around 2:00 pm and ended around 10:00 or 11:00. Finally, after a few weeks, the most anticipated training shows up on your schedule: Character! Character training for everyone involved in Entertainment happens in Epcot, and involves quite a mix of them! My group trained with Pluto in Future World, and then we moved over to World Showcase where we worked with Donald in Mexico and Mulan in, of course, China. After this training session, you are officially a fully-fledged PhotoPass Photographer! Your abilities now include ability to shoot at almost every location, and pick up shifts in any of the four main parks! I took advantage of this at least once a week.

Is this the role you originally wanted? If not, are you happy you got it?

PhotoPass was one of my top choices, and I am still amazed at the fact that I got the chance to do it! This was my first and only CP, whereas most of the other people I knew who were PhotoPass were on their second program. I also didn’t have any real photography experience going in, as I always loved taking pictures on vacations and things and had a decently nice point and shoot, but I had never used a DSLR or taken any photography classes. Of the thousands of people doing the College Program, only around 70 are chosen for PhotoPass, and I am still so surprised and happy I was among that number.

What are your favorite and least favorite parts about your job?

My most favorite part of this role was being able to capture so many happy memories for our guests! I treasure all of the photos I have from vacations I’ve been on with my family, and it was always such an honor to be able to give people pictures they could hold onto forever. I also loved the fact that, with our help, the entire family could be a part of the photo. I learned some pretty useful skills as well to get children to give me genuine smiles, most of them involving stickers, so it was always pretty wonderful when I could turn a child’s day around and give their parents a happy memory.

Another favorite part for me was working with Characters, as there’s some extra sort of magic that floats around a Character meet and greet! I loved seeing kid’s faces light up when they finally got to meet their favorite character, especially if they came dressed like them. I also enjoyed the opportunity to take candid photos, since we’re trained to keep shooting throughout the interaction. Some of my best shots were candid shots, especially hugs! Although I thought I would enjoy working with the Princesses the most, my favorite characters were the fluffier ones. I loved helping to interpret what they were saying. Getting to help be the voice of the character was such an honor, and it made my day whenever they told me later that I’d done a good job doing so!

Another thing I really, really enjoyed with PhotoPass was the chance to pick up shifts at different parks. Although I spent most of my time at Epcot, once I had finished training I tried to pick up at least one shift a week in a different park, usually Magic Kingdom. I loved getting that variety in shooting locations, as Epcot is a wonderful place but can get a little monotonous after a while. It’s also a fun challenge, as instead of having a full day of training devoted to learning where the shooting locations and break rooms are, you get a map and about 15 minutes’ worth of description from the Coordinators. I found Hollywood Studios to be the most difficult to navigate, although most of the other parks weren’t too hard. Besides getting to shoot different Icons, working at other parks also gives you the chance to work with different characters. Mickey and his buddies tend to pop by every park throughout the day, but besides that there’s a lot of variation in who meets where. By picking up at other parks, I got the chance to work with Rapunzel (!!!), Stitch (!!!), Anna, Elsa, Peter Pan, Gaston, Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Jessie, the Tremaines, Fairy Godmother, and Jake the Neverland Pirate, among others. 

My least favorite part of my role was working with guests to add borders and things to photos in The View. It was always difficult for me to add some of the bigger borders to pictures when I felt like they were better in their original condition, especially because I knew how hard my fellow photographers worked to set up just the right shot. Besides that, I was not a fan of shooting the Anna and Elsa topiary during Flower and Garden Festival, because guests just went a little crazy when they got within a 10-foot radius of the display. However, these were fairly minor annoyances, and overall my program was wonderful!

Any specific magical moment you want to share?

Oh gosh, it’s hard to narrow it down! I actually had quite a few, but I’ll try to limit it to my top three:

During my in-park training, I was shooting guests off to the side at the front entrance to Epcot, and I had this adorable family with a special little girl come up to me and ask for a photo. I said of course, and after doing the usual family pictures, I knelt down to the girl’s level and asked if she might want to do some special pictures, with just her. She loved that idea, and I managed to catch some pictures of her with just an absolutely beautiful smile on her face! She clearly had difficulties with muscle control, and I managed to catch a shot right at the exact moment she gave me a big, wide smile. Her family was there through the Make-A-Wish program as well, which made the whole moment that much more intense. When we looked over the pictures we’d taken that day, the ones of her were the only ones I wanted to see, and they turned out fantastic! I almost cried on the spot, and this is probably my most meaningful memory from the entirety of my program.

My next magical moment was during one of the first shifts I picked up outside of Epcot. I was working in Magic Kingdom, and specifically in Tomorrowland. After my break, I checked the computer, and found out the next part of my shift would be with Buzz Lightyear! I was beyond excited, and headed over there eagerly anticipating how much fun I was going to have working with him. One of the guests who came up to meet Buzz was this adorable little boy who was dressed to the 9’s in his Buzz Lightyear outfit, and he was so excited that his mom had to hold him back while the guest before him had their interaction. The second it was his turn, he ran straight over and gave Buzz the biggest hug, and he spent the next few minutes just talking to him and having the time of his life with his hero. It was so neat to see him so jazzed to meet Buzz, and I think he was the most excited I’ve ever seen anyone during a meet and greet. 

My last top magical moment happened during one of my last shifts, which probably made it that much more meaningful for me. I was at the backside of Spaceship Earth, which isn’t the most exciting spot but can be fun, and it wasn’t a very crowded day. I had a family come up to me who had a little girl, and once I’d finished taking pictures for her family I took some pictures of just her, since we weren’t busy. Afterwards, I asked her who her favorite princess was, and she said Belle because both she and Belle love books. I told her I loved Belle too, because she was so smart, strong, and brave, and I asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up. She told me that she loved math, and that she wanted to be a rocket scientist someday! Her parents chimed in as well, and we talked about how much she loved school, and they also asked me about medical school. Right before they left, I pulled out my Sharpie and a PhotoPass card, and I asked if she might be willing to sign it for me, since I could tell she was incredibly smart and would be a very successful rocket scientist someday, and her eyes got all big and excited and she gave me the biggest smile ever! I do think that was a very inspiring moment for her, and it was so neat to be such a big part of that! I still have the PhotoPass card with her autograph on it, and I fully expect to see her in the news someday working with NASA.

What made you want to do the DCP?

I grew up in Northern California, and my family went to Disneyland many times during my childhood. We moved to Texas when I was in middle school, and after that we started going to Walt Disney World more. My parents are pretty big Disney fans as well (obviously!), and I’d actually known about the DCP for a long time. As a Biology major, I didn’t think I would have enough time to do the program without having to take an extra year or semester, which I really didn’t want to do. However, between AP credits and summer classes, I figured out I could graduate a semester early. I started medical school in July of 2015, and I needed something to do between then and graduation! The DCP ended up working out perfectly!

Is there something you wish you would have known before doing your program?

I actually did a lot of research before my program, and pretty much every moment not spent studying involved me Googling to find different blogs and information. I can’t really think of anything DCP-specific I wish I had known beforehand. I would suggest looking up if any rides and such are or will be under refurbishment or going away during your program, as that does happen and it can be really frustrating to not know in advance, especially if it’s a favorite and you only have a week to ride or watch it before it goes away.

What advice would you give to those who want to participate in your role?

Even if you don’t have photography experience, this is still a role that’s open to you! Disney will train you, so while it’s good to have at least a bit of a passion for it, you don’t need a Photography major, your very own DSLR, or anything like that because Disney will give you the training and the equipment they want you to use. PhotoPass is all about guest interaction, so make sure you show that off in your phone interview! If you enjoy talking to people, show off your enthusiasm for it and do your best to sound as approachable as possible over the phone (Believe me, I know how hard it is! It is beyond awkward to try and make a joke and hear…nothing. Not even a chuckle. Just keep smiling and being friendly, as weird as it is). 

What advice would you give to people who are interested in doing the DCP?

For application purposes, I think they do like to see if you have previous employment experience, as that shows them that you can handle having a job. Be consistent and honest with the web-based application as well! 

Also, try to spend some time before or during your program thinking of a specific and unique way to remember your program. Whether that’s through pictures, a blog, a scrapbook, etc...find something. Although I’m very glad to be in medical school now and wouldn’t trade this for the world, I do really miss Disney. Having all of the pictures I took while I was there is one of my favorite ways to remember the wonderful times I had, and I don’t know what I would do without them! One of the things I did was make a character board, which I had signed by every character I was a Photographer for. I kept a list going throughout, and on my days off I would go into the parks and do meet and greets, so that I could have both a signature and a picture with that character. It’s one of my most treasured mementos!

Finally, take advantage of all of the time you have there! Yes, Netflix is fun, but having free access to the parks is way more special than that. Take the time to go with friends, and if everyone is busy or if you just feel like it, go alone. I had a ton of fun just wandering around on my own, especially when I had my camera in tow.

If you're a current or past college program cast member and would like to share your experience, email your name and role to thedisneyden@yahoo.com to participate!

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Interview a CP: Ashley (Animal Kingdom Photopass)

Selfie with Tigger!

Photopass has the unique opportunity to help guests capture memories through pictures that they can keep for the rest of their lives. Ashley was able to experience this opportunity through her college program in Animal Kingdom. Here's what she had to say!

What role did you have during the DCP, and where did you work?

I was lucky enough to be a PhotoPass Photographer at Animal Kingdom! I did Spring Advantage 2014!

What was a typical day like at work?

I usually got to work a little bit early. I usually worked morning to night shifts. I would park, and make my way backstage. I always got myself a sub from Subway for my break later on and would go sit in Base until it was time to clock in. Base was usually a busy place and I would catch up with any cast members that were in there. I was lucky enough to work with an amazing group of people. By the end of my program these people felt like family to me. 

After we clocked in we would pick up a blue bin from our coordinator that had all of our gear. We would have to set it all up and put it all one. This took me a while to get used to but everyone is always willing to help! 

We were deployed to one of these zones: South, North, or East. Each one of these had multiple locations and characters. The locations were: 

South- Entrance of the park, The View station, and multiple locations on the bridge and plaza in front of the Tree of Life.

North- Mickey and Minnie, King Louie and Baloo, Pocahontas, Everest Corner, Everest Bridge, Africa Drums, Tree back-side. 

East- Daisy, Donald, Goofy and Pluto, Dug and Russell. 

Once we ready with our gear we would hit CDS (cast deployment system) . Which deployment we assigned to depended on what location CDS gave you. I spent most of my program working in the North. When I was in the North, I always loved working with the characters instead of shooting one of the icons. Mickey and Minnie we amazing to work with, specially because they were in the AC. 

I was the most excited when I got East shifts because the day was filled with just characters. Getting to work with the character attendants and characters made the shift go by much  faster, which made it more enjoyable. Goofy and Pluto were amazing to work with! They all messed around and could make anyone smile! Goofy loved to throw autograph books and pens at me all day. 

Working icons was a nice break from the busyness of characters, but was unfortunately usually in the sun. This made it hard because it go so hot in the summer. Being from Boston, I wasn't used to the heat! I loved being able to have guests do magic shots and create poses. This gave guests unique photos to remember their time in Disney. 

No matter where you working, Photopass is a very social job! We engage with so many guests all day long on a one to one level. We have to be outgoing, confident and excited for our job! The more outgoing and excited you were, your photos showed it!

Once our shift was over, we headed back to base to turn in our equipment and to clock out. Since I usually closed the park, a whole group of us would all take the bus to the parking lot together, those bus rides were always interesting! Everyone I worked with was amazing!!!

Ashley and the boss!

Is this the role you originally wanted? If not, are you happy you got it?

When I first learned about the college program, I wanted to be a photographer before I even knew it was possible. During my phone interview I expressed my interest in Photopass and talked about all of my experience with photography. Getting this role was beyond exciting for me and I couldn't have been happier! 

I am an Art Education major, and love children.  Photography is a passion of mine. This role brought photography and working with children together for me! 

What are your favorite and least favorite parts about your job?

As every job at Disney there were many ups and downs! My favorite part was being able to capture families memories in the park. Years down the road families will look at my photos and remember certain moments of their vacation because of me. My other favorite was getting to work with all the amazing characters! Spending a few hours with Mickey and Minnie was truly amazing. Seeing them interact with guest of all ages was magical! From them seeing new born babies, recently married couples, children to people who were meeting them for the first time. The amount of times I cried while working with them can’t be counted… happy crying of course. 

My least favorite parts of my job is what every other Disney cast member hates.. the heat and the thickness of our costumes. But that is something we are unable to change!

Any specific magical moment you want to share?

I was told before I went to Disney that I would be part of many magical moments. Little did I know that many of these would be life changing for me. I got to meet a little girl was very very sick. She was at Disney as a Make a Wish child. She was visiting Donald and Daisy with her parents. She was lucky enough to come when there was no one else at all in the area. She interacted with Daisy and did many cute poses with her. She came over to Donald and I instantly went picture crazy. Her parents approached me already crying and I soon realized the little girl was crying too. We brought Daisy over and let interact with both together. I can’t tell you the amount of pictures I took. There was not a dry eye around. The family thanked us so many times and gave us so many hugs. After they left we spent a good amount of time getting ourselves together for the next family. Once we all finally did the mom came back in crying again. She thanked us all again, and gave out another round of hugs. She gave each of us a little card thanking us for everything. All me and my fellow cast members did was do our job and let her take pictures with both of them together yet we made this little girl's vacation. She got to meet her two favorite characters regardless of how sick she was. I remember this day like it was yesterday and I don’t think I will ever forget it. Cast members can do truly amazing things for the guests. 

This isn’t the only magical moment from my program. Sometimes simply getting a guest a new Mickey Ice cream sandwich made their day, or taking the extra 5 minutes to show a guest where to go. Magical Moments happen all the time while you are working!

What made you want to do the DCP?

I told my parents when I was about seven that I was either going to move to Disney World or Australia. Of course, my parents laughed at me. I learned about the college program but was unable to do it at that time. I waited a year and decided to just go for it. What made me wants to do it from such a young age was just simply enjoying my vacations at the parks. I wanted to be part of it! As I did research about the program I learned more about how much people learned and appreciated their time at Disney. I wanted to experience everything I was reading!!

Is there something you wish you would have known before doing your program?

I wish before my program I understood how hard the program would honestly be. I knew we worked long tough days in the heat, but you truly don’t understand this until you worked a 13 hour shift, in the direct sunlight, with a heavy costume on, carrying your camera gear and dealing with hot angry guests. But as these days happened they were something to learn from. Each day is what you make it! For ever five rude guests, there's one guest who couldn't appreciate your hard work any more. Those long days become worth it! 

Ashley with Pluto and Goofy!

What advice would you give to those who want to participate in your role?

Having some prior knowledge about photography is helpful but a few people I trained with had none! It is helpful but Disney teaches you everything you need to know! I feel as though to be a Photopass Photographer, you need to have lots of energy, create, be social and love your job! If you are able to do all of this, you will love Photopass!! (And of course be able to smile all day.)

What advice would you give to people who are interested in doing the DCP?

There's a lot of advice I would give to people interested in the DCP. Do all of your research before hand and talk to people who have down it before. That gives your a first hand experience of the DCP. Don’t just talk to one person but talk to many different people from many different roles! Its helps you be prepared and to know more about your future at the company!

When you get the awesome email saying congratulations on being accepted, that is when your new adventure starts. When you finally get to move in, from day one take NOTHING for granted. Meet as many people as you can. Pick up shifts anywhere you can. Instead of going to bed early, go see Wishes for the 50th time. Go meet Mickey for the 20th time. Just eat ice scream on Main Street. Ride Space Mountain 10 times in a row. Because at some point your gonna have a week left in your program and you don’t want to leave with any regrets. Your last week, enjoy it with your roommates and your best friends. Say good bye to your fellow cast remembers and of course Mickey. This could be a once in a life time opportunity and take advantage of it!! 

If you're a current or past college program cast member and would like to share your experience, email your name and role to thedisneyden@yahoo.com to participate!

I hope everyone has a magical day!

Interview a CP: Jeffrey (Epcot PhotoPass)

Jeff hangin' with Mickey & the gang!

Jeff runs a beautiful Disney photography blog on Tumblr, and he's also a really sweet and nice guy! I'm so happy he was able to take the time and share with you about his experience as a PhotoPass Photographer in Epcot the semester before my college program!

What role did you have during the DCP, and where did you work?

During Fall Advantage 2012, I was a PhotoPass Photographer at EPCOT!

What was a typical day like at work?

I would start each day by setting up all of my camera equipment. After getting my first assignment, I would go onstage! One of the benefits to PhotoPass is having the chance to take pictures in a few locations during each shift (unless you’re scheduled for something otherwise). I was able to work with Characters and take pictures with Icons (like Spaceship Earth in EPCOT) during a single shift! At the end of the shift, I would head back to base, check my work schedule, and talk to my coordinators and managers at base. It wasn’t very complicated really - I was always put in areas with lots of guests so I had the chance to interact with people from all over the world constantly!

Is this the role you originally wanted? If not, are you happy you got it?

It was my second choice behind being a Character Attendant. I’m very happy that I got the chance to be in PhotoPass ‘cuz it’s a mixture of everything in Entertainment!

What are your favorite and least favorite parts about your job?

Being a part of the Disney Entertainment family was the best! There’s nothing better than getting to capture magical moments for all of the guests in the Parks & getting to hang out with the characters at work! Taking pictures of proposals is one of the most memorable experiences as well and I was lucky to capture four of them! 

It’s very hard physically and emotionally to be a Cast Member sometimes. Carrying 10 lbs. of electronics can be tiring after awhile if you don’t exercise and stay healthy. Closing shifts and longer shifts can be rough at times.

Any specific magical moment you want to share?

One of the most magical moments of my time in the DCP happened at the entrance of EPCOT. I was taking pictures of the guests with Spaceship Earth in the background. I watched a large family with “Make A Wish” shirts come through the turnstiles and smiled and waved to them. They approached me with their PhotoPass card out and assembled near the flowers. There was a young princess in a wheelchair whose wish had come true to go to Walt Disney World with her entire family (who were the most kind, funny, courteous and gracious people I’ve met). She couldn’t speak due to her condition but it was impossible not to see the sun shine through her ear-to-ear smile!

I took a ton of pictures with the whole family! I took the normal family pictures then asked if we could have some fun with it. We took ones with hugs, funny faces, superhero poses, princess poses and so much more. They were laughing and having the best time and that made my heart soar.

I turned to the young princess in the wheelchair and asked if she wanted to take some very special magical pictures, to which she smiled even bigger and nodded. I told her Tinkerbell was flying around and she would join us for some pictures. We took some pictures with her and the young princess couldn’t stop smiling.

Jeff and the Great Goofini!

When we were done and ready to part ways, the mother came up to me and thanked me by name for making the beginning of their day magical. She also pointed out to me that her daughter, the young princess, was saying that she loved me in Sign Language. It broke my heart in the best way ‘cuz I was able to help that family and that young princess start the day on a good note that would only get better. They left smiling and waving to me and the young princess smiled at me until they passed out of sight.

That moment in time will always have a special place in my heart.

What made you want to do the DCP?

I’ve always wanted to work for Disney. One of my best friends had applied for the DCP before and that got me interested! I was tired of being in school so I wanted to try working in my dream job while taking some time off of classes!

Is there something you wish you would have known before doing your program?

I wish I had known not to bring so many things for downtime in my apartment. I brought quite a few things with me from California to Florida and barely used them! I was out in the parks and hanging out with people most of the time!

What advice would you give to those who are going to be participating in your role?

You have the chance to help people capture the magic of their time in the parks! You get to hang out with characters like Mickey! You can work in a lot of different places in the resorts! Make the most of your time in this role. It is very rewarding on every level. You’ll be able to incorporate your skills in the Arts and many other areas. Have fun and make every moment magical for those around you!

What advice would you give to people who are interested in doing the DCP?

Be honest with yourself! If you’re trying to be a part of the DCP, you should be very honest with yourself and the Disney CM’s who interview you about your strengths, weaknesses, abilities, experience and desires for the program. If you go into the program with weak or false intentions, you will be crushed by the pressure of working in the Disney Parks. If you’re honest (while trying to make a good impression), they’ll recognize that and you’ll enjoy your time in the DCP so much more! Just stay open to the countless opportunities to grow while you’re going through the entire experience ‘cuz it’s something you will never forget!

If you want to get in touch with me to talk about the DCP or being a part of PhotoPass/Entertainment, you can reach me at any of these places:

Tumblr: http://heartmadeofdisney.tumblr.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/heartmadeofdisney

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/battlestudies90

If you're a current or past college program cast member and would like to share your experience, email your name and role to thedisneyden@yahoo.com to participate!

Interview a CP: Jesi (Photopass)

Jesi hangin' with Micky and Pluto at C-Spot!

What role did you have during the DCP, and where did you work?I worked as a PhotoPass Photographer at Epcot for the Spring 2013 term.

What was a typical day like at work?

I had to take the bus about an hour and fifteen minutes before work. I was NEVER late to work during my program, despite how unreliable the bus system allegedly is. If I played in the parks before work, I would take the monorail or walk to my locker to change into my costume!

Work was so much fun! I would cheerily say hello to all my coworkers, managers, and coordinators once I came in and put together my camera gear. Normally I worked afternoon to closing hours, I liked it that way. Each day I picked up CDS silently praying to the deployment gods that I would get to work with a character. I would mentally happy-dance when I got to spend a few hours with Minnie, Mickey, or Pluto at Character Spot or cringe when I had to spend a few hours at the backside of Spaceship Earth (my least favorite position).

PhotoPass is the best role--hands down. I got to capture and add magic to families' memories by doing what I love: photography. Disney was paying me to capture guests' reactions to meeting Mickey Mouse and their other favorite characters for the first time. Who else could say that? It was something I never grew tired of.

Shooting icons is fun, too! I loved giving guests' magic shots, making couples take cute kissing photos, and coming up with creative poses rather than the standard "stand and smile awkwardly" pose that is done over and over again. Shooting icons is when I got to have real conversations with guests and learn about how much fun they were having on vacation or where they were from. I met people from all over the world. It was great having so much guest interaction. I also gave out tons of Mickey stickers and compliments. You don't get that kind of interaction in a fast-paced character setting.

One little-spoken aspect of PhotoPass is that you get LOTS of guest interaction, but you do not get much contact with your fellow coworkers unless you are in the view station where there are 2 to 6 of you in one room. While shooting, photographers are pretty much alone. They are spread apart so that they do not see each other or cannot really speak to each other without shouting. Consequently, you end up talking to guests to pass the time. 

I loved my job and I felt like the luckiest Cast Member in the world to be in PhotoPass!

Is this the role you originally wanted? If not, are you happy you got it?

PhotoPass was my top choice, and I got it! I heard that there were only 70 College Program Photographers total for Spring/Spring Advantage (there are several THOUSAND students in the DCP), but I don't know the validity of this statement. I definitely felt lucky!

What are your favorite and least favorite parts about your job?

My favorite part was being able to combine my passion for photography and Disney into a job that I sincerely loved. I won Photo of the Week twice at Epcot, and it made me so happy! I would say my favorite part is giving fun families giant photo shoots and capturing those crying/big smiles/hugging photos with characters. 

My least favorite was working in Backside. It was the hottest and coldest part of the park, and it gets slow at some points. In the beginning, I didn't like having so much weight from the spare batteries, PDA, baracoda, rain gear pack, water bottle, and camera all hanging off my body, but I got used to it. It doesn't faze me now.

Any specific magical moment you want to share?

One night, I was having some personal problems that escalated to me crying on the phone at 2 in the morning. That day, coming into work was the last thing I wanted to do and I was on the verge of tears all day.  To make matters worse, I was put in my least favorite World Showcase location for the whole day.

I faked happiness pretty well. A little Princess dressed in an Aurora gown and sporting a pink parasol from the China pavilion and her family came up to me for a photo. I told the girl how beautiful she looked and how she needed to have her own photo shoot. She gave me her sassiest and most elegant poses, and afterwards, came running over to me to give me a big squishy hug. She truly felt like a Princess. Then, she gave me a sticker another Cast Member had given her, saying that was her gift to me for being so kind to her. Her family loved that I took the time to give them a personal photo shoot. If only that family knew what I had been going through before work; that hug did more for me than they know.

I go in for my break, and my manager had told me that a manager from the Character department had walked into the base JUST to tell them that they wanted to recognize me for being a great Cast Member, having a great outlook on my career, and that there should be more Cast Members like me out in the field. Suddenly, my terrible day had turned into one of my best days at work. 

That evening, a family of Annual Passholders stopped by--not to take a photo--but to say hello. They told me that they have seen me work on a few separate occasions, and started to look for me every time they visited Epcot because I was their favorite photographer. You have NO idea how happy that made me. I thanked them a million times over and gave them a few tips on some other good photo locations and characters to check out in return.

That day was magical not just for the guests, but for me as well! It was almost like a dream and the best day I had at work during my entire program. A week later, one of the photos I took of the little Princess won me Photo of the Week for Epcot. 

I was told this, and trust me, it is true! "The day you don't want to come in to work is the day you make the most magic!"

What made you want to do the DCP?

I am obsessed with Disney Parks. I was a Passholder and grew up going to Disneyland, so it was on my bucket list to work for Disney Parks at some point in my life. I loved Disney, but I figured working for the company was just a "one and done" thing, but the program would be a testing ground to see if I would want to make a life-long career with The Walt Disney Company. Well, I fell in love with Disney in a way that I did not before. I fell in love with the company, what it stood for, and the whole business and management side of it. You can bet I plan on working for WDP&R as a life-long career, now. I hope to combine all my passions (Disney, photography, and communications) into a career with Parks and Resorts. :)

Is there something you wish you would have known before doing your program?

How to cook. Blah. I was tired of eating out, frozen food, and making quick fixes like pancakes, pasta, and chicken.

What advice would you give to those who are going to be participating in your role?

Have some kind of photography knowledge. It isn't necessarily required to get the role, but you can tell who has some know-how. By having some basic knowledge, you'll know how to compose a good photograph (COMPOSITION IS EVERYTHING), why the exposure settings are what they are, and have more fun coming up with creative shots. 

Also, be outgoing and engage guests! I asked during my phone interview what qualities they look for in PhotoPass Photographer, and Disney looks for outgoing and talkative people. Us photographers can be invisible sometimes, so we have to initiate guest contact (without hawking photos) and not be afraid to greet or start conversations with guests just so they have a good time and at least are aware of what the service is.

What advice would you give to people who are interested in doing the DCP?

Take a lesson from Splash Mountain: "You can't run away from trouble--ain't no place that far." You may be at Disney, but not everything will always be perfect. It has its highs and lows.

Also, don't come into the program with too many expectations. People come into the program expecting to complete their 50-item bucket lists, find true love, and have fun every day. These kinds of unattainable expectations only lead to disappointment. 

Stalking the DCP tag on tumblr can help build your excitement, which is great, but it also has a downside of making you compare your experience to others'. Try not to compare yourself to other people. It never ends well, and the program is different for everyone. Also, reading up TOO MUCH on the program ruined some surprises for me. I didn't like that, but it is a personal choice.

Finally, if you are planning on blogging your DCP experience, best of luck to you! It is crazy to see how many people make DCP blogs and vow to vlog and write every day or every week. Yes, a handful of people do it (mad respect, because it is hard!), but from what I've seen, 80% of those blogs end up being abandoned within a few weeks or a month.

If you have any more further questions about Photopass or Jesi's experience, you can contact her on her blog right here!

If you're a current or past college program cast member and would like to share your experience, email your name and role to thedisneyden@yahoo.com to participate!

Have a magical day!