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I wanted to ask you guys a coupla questions :
Can somebody here tell me what it is really like to work at Disney World ? Cause at the interview they literally flooded us with images of people smiling, playing and all of that bull**** (sorry), but they never actually addressed the actual work conditions.
About Orlando, I'm French and I never have been to the US before, is it easy to rent a car (I'm 21) and go around the city without getting lost ?
Are there any good bars/pub/restaurant in the vincinity of the park ? (I clearly do not want to stay there during my time off ^^)
I wanted to ask you guys a coupla questions :
Can somebody here tell me what it is really like to work at Disney World ? Cause at the interview they literally flooded us with images of people smiling, playing and all of that bull**** (sorry), but they never actually addressed the actual work conditions.
About Orlando, I'm French and I never have been to the US before, is it easy to rent a car (I'm 21) and go around the city without getting lost ?
Are there any good bars/pub/restaurant in the vincinity of the park ? (I clearly do not want to stay there during my time off ^^)
Thanks !
I've never actually worked at any of the theme parks but summer is a busy time of year for most of the theme parks. With the devaluing US greenback, it will be busier than ever this summer as more Europeans would likely visit. Summers in Orlando can be pretty uncomfortable, especially if you work outside. The days can be very hot and humid and if you're not used to that kind of weather, it might affect you physically. Just hydrate and stay in the shade if you can.
Rental car companies have age requirements, so you might want to check on that. If you can get a GPS before going, that would be best. Avoid I-4 at rush hour, if at all possible. Try to find living arrangements close to work.
There are quite a few good bars/pub/restaurant in Orlando, you just have to look for them. Try looking at the Orlando Sentinel website and see some reviews of restaurants. Orlando is mostly made up of chain restaurants but there are a few independent restaurants that are pretty good. Nightlife is not as active as what you may see in New York, but most of it would be centered around the downtown area (not Downtown Disney ).
Anyway, have fun on your visit and make the most out of it. Good Luck!
Actually I'll be staying at Disney to sleep, but for instance let's say I ahve a week-end off and want to spend it in downtown Orlando. Keeping in mind that I am a student (i.e. : not much money AT ALL ) do you think I could rent a car for the weekend, find a crappy motel in Orlando to sleep in, and eat&drink in the city ? And how much money am I looking at (except for the car, I'll take care of that...my way ^^)
Taking I-4 at 6 o'clock is avoiding the rush, right ?!
And THE question that might sound silly to you Americans : are there any diners around ? You know like the ones we see in the movies, with the waitresses wearing this metal badge with their names on it ? I would so love to go in such a diner, just for the sake of it
Many of the disney hotels rent cars so you should be just fine taking one of their shuttles to a hotel on disney property that rents cars. Kissimmee is full of very low cost hotel rooms as is International Drive area too, you won't have any problem getting one on spur of the moment. If you have a chance, maybe you can take a road trip on the Turnpike down to South Beach in Miami on a free weekend, if you want to see a real party scene!
Actually I'll be staying at Disney to sleep, but for instance let's say I ahve a week-end off and want to spend it in downtown Orlando. Keeping in mind that I am a student (i.e. : not much money AT ALL ) do you think I could rent a car for the weekend, find a crappy motel in Orlando to sleep in, and eat&drink in the city ? And how much money am I looking at (except for the car, I'll take care of that...my way ^^)
Taking I-4 at 6 o'clock is avoiding the rush, right ?!
And THE question that might sound silly to you Americans : are there any diners around ? You know like the ones we see in the movies, with the waitresses wearing this metal badge with their names on it ? I would so love to go in such a diner, just for the sake of it
Downtown Orlando is not too far from Disney World. I don't know of many hotels in the downtown area but the ones I do know might cost a pretty penny. The downtown area is close to an undesirable area and getting a low-cost hotel/motel might be asking for trouble. But you can argue that it would be the same for most low cost motels in general. If you have a weekend off, my advice is to venture out of the theme park areas and go to the east or west coast beaches and spend the weekend there. Or, like Guntersville Boomer mentioned, Miami is the place to party. That might be your best option. It is a 4-hour drive to Miami from Orlando, just to give you an idea.
I-4 is a mess at 6PM, most weekdays and some weekends depending on what's happening around town. Try looking at I-4/408 Live Camera to get an idea how bad it gets.
I've only eaten in one dineresque establishment here in Orlando but it wouldn't be what you would consider a classic American diner. I know Denny's and Waffle House have a diner-like format but I don't know if it can be considered classic American diners. Someone else might be able to recommend one for you. Have fun on your upcoming visit.
Actually am not looking for a place to party, but more like an untouched, quiet place. See I am a bit of a photographer, and I'd like to take pictures of the area. The big places of course, but most of all the untouched places of the countryside.
One more question, what is with all this Hooters chain restaurants thing ? Every people I know that have been to the States say that I should go there. Is it just because the waitresses are pretty or is there something more to that place ?
Actually am not looking for a place to party, but more like an untouched, quiet place. See I am a bit of a photographer, and I'd like to take pictures of the area. The big places of course, but most of all the untouched places of the countryside.
One more question, what is with all this Hooters chain restaurants thing ? Every people I know that have been to the States say that I should go there. Is it just because the waitresses are pretty or is there something more to that place ?
The waitresses at Hooters are dressed like this nice young lady:
http://www.hooters.com/images/news/2008-01-09/25thAnnivBg.jpg (broken link)
The chicken wings are not bad, either. But, it's mostly the ladies that are the draw.
For nice photography, the east or west coast areas are nice.
Alright I get it, I wouldn't want to go to hooters for an exquisite meal. Besides I just looked up 'hooters' in the dictionary, explains a lot !
I thought it was the name of the owner, you know like McDonald's or something.
Any french people in Orlando by the way ?
And THE question that might sound silly to you Americans : are there any diners around ? You know like the ones we see in the movies, with the waitresses wearing this metal badge with their names on it ? I would so love to go in such a diner, just for the sake of it
The Orlando area isn't big on diners. "Steak and Shake" looks like a "diner" like you are thinking about, the food is decent and isn't exactly fast food but it is more of a chain than a real diner. There is diner type eating in the Orlando area but mostly it is more Greek/Italian food mixed with American food, like Patsio's in Orlando or Oviedo Diner in Oviedo. Toojay's is a chain of Jewish style delicatessens and serves Jewish/middle eastern food and Northeast type food (open-faced sandwiches, etc.), but it isn't exactly a diner.
If you are 21 getting a rental might be expensive, but not impossible. Orlando is an extremely easy area to get lost. The roads change names often. If you have access to Google Earth you can take a look at the roads and see for yourself. If you can get some sort of cheap GPS, that would help you around alot. I've lived here for 13 years and I still use a GPS alot if I'm driving and don't know exactly how to get there (I do alot of local trips on a motorcycle, usually no more than 4-5 miles).
I'm not an expert on Disney but they have a reputation for being very tough and unless you stay inside the company, not alot of upward mobility. If you are young, you might handle it better, especially if you end up working at something like the France pavillion at Epcot. For the legions of drones... er, "cast members", it can be tough. The people that sweep the walkways, clean the bathrooms, etc. Disney workers do have a union though, but it doesn't do all that much, but the big problem is housing costs in Orlando doesn't follow the wages very well.
I worked at Walt Disney World for 24 years and still regard it as the #1 vacation destination.
Please come with an open mind. Also come knowing that the people you are serving may have saved their money for years to visit WDW and may never be able to afford it again. It's pretty awesome to be a part of something so unique that it's worth dreaming of. Are you coming as part of an internship for college credit? It sounds like it if you are going to be living at Disney - you must mean in one of the student housing apartments for designated that purpose. In that event, your transportation to and from the apartment is arranged with a transportation company so that whatever your shift, you will be able to get to work on time.
Your costume (others think uniform) will be provided, repaired as needed, altered if needed and cleaned by the company. The company provides you with a locker for your street clothes and purse. You will come to work in your street clothes and change into your fresh costume when you get to Disney. There are ample and comfortable dressing rooms for your use and you will be able to take a shower before and/or after work, get back into your street clothes and hop back on the bus to go home.
The apartments all have a pool, recreational center 24-hour security and is served by Disney emergency services including fire department and ambulance. You will not be within walking distance. Some students buy a used car while here. The most common "dream" of many students is to buy what they think is a typical "big American car" so they can see what it's like to drive a gas guzzler.
You will have the opportunity to work overtime if you want it and to participate in what is called "cross-U" which means you may suit the needs of the company in areas other than what you applied for. You may want to try on Goofy's costume. There is a bit more to it than meets the eye. You will have to watch tons of cartoons, studying the movements and body language known to the character by children literally all across the world. In the summer, those costumes get uncomfortably hot. You may also want to join the custodial team at night to see more of Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom or Downtown Disney after it is closed and clear of all guests.
You will smile. After a while, it becomes permanent and you'll be smiling without even realising it. That's a good thing because the first thing you have to learn to do is smile and you are literally being paid to smile.
Yes, it's a fun place to work. If I were still in FL, I would still be there. The work is not hard. The environment is friendly and open. Working for specific pavilions may be a bit different, but I was never there as a student so I can't really help you any further with that particular aspect. You'll find that people care about you just because you are there. You will find that you are accepted into the fold simply because you are wearing a similar costume and have a Disney ID card. You'll make friends fast there. And you'll keep many of those friends no matter where you go.
There are plenty of places to go for a nightlife, including on Disney property. You'll find that much of the night life and "lounges" (what you call a pub) are dotted all around the outskirts of Disney property and all through Kissimmee and Orlando. You'll find that Kissimmee is the closest city to Disney rather than Orlando.
Renting a car would be an expensive way to get around. It would be more economical to buy a car, get insurance, tags and title and use that while you are there. But that's just my opinion.
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). 
) do you think I could rent a car for the weekend, find a crappy motel in Orlando to sleep in, and eat&drink in the city ? And how much money am I looking at (except for the car, I'll take care of that...my way ^^)
