Tag Archives: DCP Roles

Joe’s Disney College Program – My Role in Quick Service Food and Beverage

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That elation over being accepted into the Disney College Program didn’t last long before being replaced by anticipation over that all important question…what would I be doing?  Would I be in a park?  At a resort?  Wide World of Sports Complex?  Parking lot?  Finally, I was notified that my assigned role would be….QSFB!  That’s DCP-speak for Quick Serve Food and Beverage.  This didn’t sound too bad and when I realized I’d be working in Animal Kingdom, I got really excited.Disney College Program - Quick Service Food and Beverage

Joe’s Disney College Program – My Role in Quick Service Food and Beverage

-by Joseph Green

My prior work experience consisted of strenuous summer farm labor as a child (just kidding, Dad, it was great!), working in a big-box pet super-store doing everything from ordering live fish to ringing up customers to stocking shelves and cleaning up dog “accidents” in the aisles.  My last job before the DCP was as a bank teller…great hours, lots of responsibility, and tons of customer service and cash handling.  I feel like that combination of work experience came in extra-handy when I joined the ranks of the thousands of Disney park employees who cook, serve, and clean up at all those counter service restaurants and kiosks.Disney College Program - Quick Service Food and Beverage

After the general DCP on-boarding training, I was sent to DAKlamation to get acclimated to DAK (Disney’s Animal Kingdom).  This training was interesting and fun.

TIPS for On-the-Job Training:  I highly recommend wearing something comfortable that doesn’t make you too hot. No jackets, if it can be helped. It will need to business attire or close to it at least. You’ll be walking around your location (resort, park, etc.) for a large portion of the day and some people who wore jackets or long sleeves were very obviously uncomfortable from the heat and the amount of walking. And on the first day of actual job training, expect to be sitting in front of a computer for several hours. Computer training comes first and prepares you for what to expect when you go to your actual work location. The computer is where you’ll first be introduced to things like handling currency and proper hold times and temperatures for food.  If your location serves alcohol, you’ll be required to learn about how alcohol affects the body and signs of intoxication.

Photo courtesy of Melissa Pigdon Twitter @Method2TheMagic

When I reported to my work area in Harambe Market, I was trained on some very basic duties (emptying trash, greeting guests and handing out menus) first.  Then as time went on, I learned how to assemble orders, ring up guests, and work at other locations like the Harambe Fruit Market (I roasted a lot of corn there).  I enjoyed the fact that I was able to train in different locations, and given the chance I highly recommend it. I’m not sure how much availability there is for cross-training around the parks and resorts and other areas, but I found it very refreshing. Being able to move to different locations throughout the day gave me a much-needed change of scenery and kept tasks from being too monotonous.

The fact that I had trained in multiple locations also allowed me more opportunities to extend and pick up shifts because I wasn’t limited to just Harambe Market, I could move to the Fruit Market, Kusifiri Bakery, or Tamu Tamu Refreshments when I was needed.

Being familiar with your park (or other location) is also extremely helpful. Not just your work area, but the whole park, resort, complex, etc.. Spend time in it, get to know it. Learn the fastest ways to get to each area and experience all the shows, shops, and attractions. Develop an honest opinion on the shows, rides, and dining options because you will be asked. You will be asked about things outside of your role MUCH more often than you think. I spent many of my breaks walking around Animal Kingdom just enjoying the scenery and people watching.

I always felt like guests really appreciated my honest opinion when they asked for it, and I was able to give that to them because of the time I’d spent in the park. If someone asked me where they could get a beer I wouldn’t just point them to the closest place that sold beer, I’d ask them, “what kind of beer do you like?” If they liked Bud Light I knew just where to send them, if they wanted something a little different I could tell them to check out the Dawa Bar by Tusker House and have Steve hook them up with a Golden Monkey.

Things like that create a really personal experience for you and the guests. It’s really unexpected for them and they honestly appreciate you taking the time to ask about what they want and what they like because it shows that you genuinely care about helping them. I’ve had many guests come back to find me after I sent them somewhere just to thank me for my recommendation because they really enjoyed it.Joe's Disney College Program - My Role in Quick Service Food and Beverage

If you have any questions about DCP roles, ask away and I’ll do my best.  Come back soon for more information about my experience including what to pack, how to stay out of trouble, what to expect day-to-day, and more.  Thanks for reading…Joe.

 

 

 

Disney College Program – Six Weeks In

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Two Weeks of Training

When we last discussed Joseph’s DCP (Disney College Program) experience, he had just gotten settled in at Chatham Square and was in training.  Aside from the well-known and much-anticipated Traditions class, his early training mostly consisted of common new-hire on-boarding information, rules, procedures, safety and security protocol and the like.  After the classroom instruction came on-the-job training.  Since Joseph works in QSFB (Quick Service Food & Beverage), he learned everything from assembling meals to ringing up guests, preparing certain food items, cleaning, and trash disposal.  After the first three weeks, he received training for additional responsibilities.Disney College Program

The Daily Routine

Joseph normally works six days a week and anywhere from 6 to 10+ hours per shift.  When asked to come in early or stay late, Joseph always says yes.  After the housing fees are deducted from his weekly paycheck, he makes enough to eat and pay his car note…with a little extra left over for fun.Disney College Program

Before Joseph applied, he’d done enough research to know that the DCP roles with the highest demand include custodial and QSFB.  He also knew that because this semester was absolutely the best time for him to do the program, it was not the time to be picky.  Applicants are surveyed and allowed to rate available roles from “no interest” to “high interest”.  Joseph was completely fine with any job he’d be assigned as long as it was for the Spring 2018 program.

TIP:  If this is not the case for you, do not indicate interest in anything you won’t be happy doing.

Unfortunately, there are quite a few DCP participants that are unprepared for their assigned role and cannot handle some of the responsibilities involved.  Within the first three weeks, Joseph and I had both heard of several instances where a program participant self-terminated (quit and went home).  Reasons for leaving varied, but most included things like boredom on the job, loneliness, too much time standing/walking, working too many hours, too few days off, and the inability to get along with coworkers or roommates.  Some left for health reasons.  Disney tries very hard to make requested medical accommodations, but many roles are still quite physically demanding.Disney College Program

The good news is that most of the DCP participants are thriving and thoroughly enjoying the role they were given – even if it initially fell short of their Disney “dream job”.  Like most DCP-ers, Joseph has two sets of friends, his housing (Chatham Square) friends and his work (Harambe Market) friends.  On his days off and on the days he’s not too exhausted after work, he spends time with these friends both in the parks and outside the Disney Bubble.  Recently, he joined his Animal Kingdom coworkers for a charity bowling tournament.  He also got to watch our favorite baseball team, the St. Louis Cardinals, beat Atlanta during spring training.  Many days, he’s simply too tired to do anything but work, sleep, and maybe do a load of laundry.Disney College Program

So far, from this mom’s point of view, it seems the Disney College Program is a lot like life – how you deal with what comes your way makes all the difference.  You can choose to be happy and make the most of this special time or you can focus on everything you don’t like.  No two days are exactly the same and after you work hard, you can play hard (if you’re not too tired, that is).  I was worried that once Joseph “saw how the sausage gets made”, some of the Disney magic might wear off for him, but that has not been the case at all.  Even when he’s exhausted, he’s still loving this experience.

That’s what I know so far.  Watch for more Disney College Program from a mom’s perspective and, after Joseph comes home, I’m sure he’ll share all the tips he’s learning right now.  If you have any questions, leave them in the comments and we’ll do our best.