So this summer I'm working at a theme park as a character. I've had orientation, and two training days so far. Today the rest of the characters and I were 'working' from 10am to 6pm. I carpooled with my friend from school, Rebbecca, and we got there around 9:48. We went through Post 4 [security] and made our way over to the break room. When we got there, there were like 15 of the other kids all lounging around. Let me pause the story to say that I love my job. Its just so... chill.
Anyways, we couldn't clock in until 10 so I chatted with Bryant a bit. Yesterday was Fernando's nineteenth birthday and he invited all of the characters out to dinner. Which was surprising considering we had just met him like 5 minutes before the offer. I guess he knew the majority of the people though because this is his fifth season working. Bryant and I were going to go out to dinner to celebrate but my mom didn't want to drive me. Then today I found out that Bryant didn't make it there either. His excuse; on his way home or whatever from work yesterday while he was driving down this hill the lady in front of him started to made this turn (in an area where left turns weren't allowed) but then she suddenly stopped and since they were going down, he couldn't get his car to stop fast enough. I think he said the front left of his car hit the side left of the lady's. The lady tried to blame it on him and stuff. She was old, and from another country. Long story short, neither of us went to dinner.
Soo, then I went over to the couches and watched part of an episode of Dora the Explorer with like 6 other people. Then we clocked in and started 'work'. The first two hours were sooo boring. We sat and read these 'training packets' out loud. Then we got a fifteen minute break [which Rebbecca, Sarah, Nathalie, Bryant, and I spent doing an I SPY book] and got back together to learn how to put a few of the costumes on. We watched Dora, Diego, and I think Patrick and SpongeBob get dressed. Then we took our hour lunch break. Fernando drove _____ and I to this little shopping strip to grab food. [[I forgot who else was in the car with us :( ]]. We met with like seven other people and ate pizza. We then went back to the park, clocked back in, and watched Go Diego Go! while waiting for the group to get organized. A few of us were picked to get dressed in the other costumes for the first time [[I got Jimmy Neutron]] and then we had mock meet&greets. Then we switched out of the costumes and other people got in. We did a walk to the front of the park, did another meet&greet and then came back. We took our second break [[in which we watched Avatar: The Last Airbender]] and then played games until it was six.
I really love everyone in the character department. They're so cool. Everyone's really nice [[and young (15-20?)]]. We basically live in our breakroom. Theres heads all over the place [kinda weird...], a biiiiiigggggg old mirror, the little tv area with couches [we're only allowed to watch Nickelodeon shows], and a row of lockers. I love the lockers. They're painted green with that big orange Nickleodeon Blob going across them. A few people chare lockers & nobody uses locks. People drop notes and stuff in each other's lockers. We're sorta like a big family. Which is surprising because most of us have only known each other for two days. Oh yeah, yesterday we played Nickelodeon scene it for like and hour [and got paid]. We're also the only department that works for 30 minutes, breaks for thirty, works for thirty etc. Its nice.
I'll post pictures from today when I send them from my phone.
Till the tooth brushes,
Jen

Sounds like a fun (easy) job. :P
» randomjunk on 2008-03-02 11:29:33

yeah, we get to just play a lot, but when we're in the characters apparently its really hard. I only wore a costume in the room but the ones who went to the front of the park and back were like drenched in sweat when the got out.
&&its only gonna get hotter this summer.
» D0WNB34T on 2008-03-02 11:33:50

one thing I'd like about being a character: I don't have to talk. one thing I'd not like about being a character: the kids. but I like the idea of being able to take a break every 30 minutes. those costumes get super hot tho, so it's necessary. some places have built in coolers in their outfits.
» LostSoul13 on 2008-03-02 11:46:06

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