Working at Disneyland Paris - Day 8 (23rd Dec) - It's raining, it's pouring.
Today we had a VIP at storybook, I didn't know this one either. Being a late start I had to "bacher les bateaux" with the others at the end of the day.
Guest interaction really is the thing that keeps you going in a job like this. Asking how their day has been, what rides they've done, whether they've seen any princes or princesses, etc. or just waving at the last carriage. It really makes you smile and happy on the inside knowing that guests are enjoying themselves.
This evening me, Andrew and Eilidh went to Disneyland Park (I say that as if we had the option to go to the studios but that closes at 7pm everyday) and rode Phantom Manor, Big thunder mountain and Captain EO (which was much better than I remember - probably because we talked through the shameless Kodak ad and then the "making of" pre-show).
It was now raining LOADS and I mean LOADS. Eilidh very kindly leant me her hat... after I had been whining for a while.
In an effort to stay dry, we went to Space Mountain which looked closed. A nice little cast member moment followed where I went: "Vous etês 101?" and the cast members at the entrance replied "Exactement. Cast members?" and I go "oui. Bonne soirée!". [I'm typing this blog post on my iPhone and exactement just got autocorrected to excrement hahahah]
Moving on. As well as everyone saying bonjour to each other we also say bonsoir. Ain't we all lovely.
We then went to Colonel Haiti's Pizza Outpost and had Penne Bolognese for me and Andrew, and Eilidh went for the more aptly named item on the menu: "pizza." I used my staff discount (25%), the others seemed to have forgotten.
We left there and saw it was raining even more than before. I thought it was very heavy, the others didn't. As its my blog I win - so we will all agree that it was raining very heavily. So much so that when we went to the information board EVERY SINGLE RIDE had a wait of 5 minutes!
Clearly the guests were disappearing and/or taking refuge in restaurants. Looking back maybe we should have used this opportunity to go on rides but instead we went to Cable Car bake shop and had cake and donuts. we all used our discount here and I got a slice of cake for about 2.70ish.
I've now talked to a few more of the French people on breaks who work on other attractions. Theyre all very nice and it helps breaks go faster. I also burnt myself on a burning hot tap today. Ow! Also used the chauffe mains [hand warmers] for the first time which are these little bags which you expose to air and put them in the gloves and they provide 8 hours of warmth. Lovely. They make a world of a difference and are free. Yay!
I'm still meeting people which all already know my name haha. Even worse are the people I work with everyday whose names I forget and then have to stare at their nametag. Bad, I know.
I learnt about the French "roast beef" expression. Essentially we call them "frogs" and they call the Brits "roast beef." Fair enough I guess.
Andrew hands down wins funniest story of the week: he had a scouse customer who said: "je voudrais like two like hot dogs like" and he replies "C'est like twelve euros." Hahahaha the way I was dying at the story when he told it.
I haven't written this yet but one of these days when me and Eilidh were waiting for Andrew (think this might have been today even!) we walked in and Just Like We Dreamed It was playing and we Sang along (not JUST us though, other people too) through the whole song making very emotional expressions along with the lyrics. This is my favourite moment so far and I'm sure one I'll never forget. [I wish I'd had a camera to film it on]
"I've imagined being here like this so many times before...reaching out to take your hand as the butterflies in me soar!!" Never has a song been more apt. I think this will defo be one of those highlights of the trip.
P.S. I find that one of the most common things I am saying when I'm out anywhere is "Vous Avez des reductions pour des cast members?"
P.P.S. Hi Jamie and Jamie's parents who read the blog! Dont worry you didn't mess up my queuing system that day, I was doing the unload position. :)
Read Day 9.
Guest interaction really is the thing that keeps you going in a job like this. Asking how their day has been, what rides they've done, whether they've seen any princes or princesses, etc. or just waving at the last carriage. It really makes you smile and happy on the inside knowing that guests are enjoying themselves.
It was now raining LOADS and I mean LOADS. Eilidh very kindly leant me her hat... after I had been whining for a while.
In an effort to stay dry, we went to Space Mountain which looked closed. A nice little cast member moment followed where I went: "Vous etês 101?" and the cast members at the entrance replied "Exactement. Cast members?" and I go "oui. Bonne soirée!". [I'm typing this blog post on my iPhone and exactement just got autocorrected to excrement hahahah]
Moving on. As well as everyone saying bonjour to each other we also say bonsoir. Ain't we all lovely.
We then went to Colonel Haiti's Pizza Outpost and had Penne Bolognese for me and Andrew, and Eilidh went for the more aptly named item on the menu: "pizza." I used my staff discount (25%), the others seemed to have forgotten.
 |
| Eilidh modelling the wait time board for us - that's right a 5 minute queue for EVERY single ride. |
Clearly the guests were disappearing and/or taking refuge in restaurants. Looking back maybe we should have used this opportunity to go on rides but instead we went to Cable Car bake shop and had cake and donuts. we all used our discount here and I got a slice of cake for about 2.70ish.
I've now talked to a few more of the French people on breaks who work on other attractions. Theyre all very nice and it helps breaks go faster. I also burnt myself on a burning hot tap today. Ow! Also used the chauffe mains [hand warmers] for the first time which are these little bags which you expose to air and put them in the gloves and they provide 8 hours of warmth. Lovely. They make a world of a difference and are free. Yay!
I'm still meeting people which all already know my name haha. Even worse are the people I work with everyday whose names I forget and then have to stare at their nametag. Bad, I know.
I learnt about the French "roast beef" expression. Essentially we call them "frogs" and they call the Brits "roast beef." Fair enough I guess.
Andrew hands down wins funniest story of the week: he had a scouse customer who said: "je voudrais like two like hot dogs like" and he replies "C'est like twelve euros." Hahahaha the way I was dying at the story when he told it.
I haven't written this yet but one of these days when me and Eilidh were waiting for Andrew (think this might have been today even!) we walked in and Just Like We Dreamed It was playing and we Sang along (not JUST us though, other people too) through the whole song making very emotional expressions along with the lyrics. This is my favourite moment so far and I'm sure one I'll never forget. [I wish I'd had a camera to film it on]
"I've imagined being here like this so many times before...reaching out to take your hand as the butterflies in me soar!!" Never has a song been more apt. I think this will defo be one of those highlights of the trip.
P.S. I find that one of the most common things I am saying when I'm out anywhere is "Vous Avez des reductions pour des cast members?"
P.P.S. Hi Jamie and Jamie's parents who read the blog! Dont worry you didn't mess up my queuing system that day, I was doing the unload position. :)
Read Day 9.
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