Ashlie Gorman Interview, October 18, 2020

Hello, my name is Alexis Zilen and today is October 18th 2020. Today, I am interviewing Ashlie Gorman about essentially the new normal for theatre arts performers specifically in Disneyland in this COVID landscape. So, Ashlie, Do I have your permission to record this interview?

Yes, you do.

Okay, so we're going to start just with some biographical questions. What year were you born and where were you raised?

I was born in October of 1997. I was born in Orlando, Florida. However, I was raised in Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania.

Okay, so when did you move up to Gilbertsville?

I moved up to Gilbertsville in around July of 2005. So at the time, I was about seven or eight. So going into second grade.

Why did your family make the move up to Pennsylvania?

My dad had gotten a job off- Sorry, yeah, my dad had gotten a job offer in New Jersey. And we had family actually, who lived in the area who really recommended it. So that's why we moved up here.

Okay, great. So who are your parents? And can you describe them and give their names?

Yeah, so my parents are Tracy and Barrett Gorman. They were both born in Michigan. However, my dad grew up in Michigan and my mom ended up spending her like middle school through teenage years and Florida and then moving back up to Michigan later in life. My mom works from home my dad kind of works out of state but is home most of the time, especially now with COVID.

Okay, so you said you moved in second grade. Do you have a lot of memories growing up down in Florida before the move?

I have, like a fair amount. I have really random ones here and there that'll pop up like we used to spend once a week we'd go to Disney on Wednesdays since our schools got out earlier. I have this really vividly weird memory of me reading a sign at a zoo exhibit specifically saying not to stick your hand in because penguins will bite you and then me sticking my hand in and getting bit by a penguin and no one believes that story, but I promise it happened.

That sounds very intersting. So after you move to Pennsylvania, what school did you attend?

I went to the Boyertown Area School District and I graduated from Boyertown area Senior High School.

Okay, was there anything you were particularly interested in school?

I loved doing, I took a lot of our like telecommunications class. I love filming YouTube videos. I started filming YouTube videos in like 2009 and it just kind of followed me. So I really had a passion for film and definitely like a creative field.

Did your parents kind of influenced that or where did that come from?

Um, I guess you could say my parents kind of influenced it. I was definitely raised in a more creative household. I was brought up to like, help that creativeness. My parents knew from a young age that I was really dramatic really like over the top. And I had always dreamed of being a Disney Channel celebrity. So my mom would get me involved with acting classes. I went into theater when I was like a bit younger and stuck with it throughout high school. So I was raised definitely in a very creative household.

Okay, great. So were there any extracurriculars you were involved in that were specifically based in theater? Or what were you involved in growing up?

So there were not too many, definitely not as many as some of these other kids. I was mainly a sports kid. However, when I was in elementary school, I did take a couple acting classes. And then in middle school and high school, I was very much involved with the music department being in choir, I was in some of the musicals both as a performer and from the backstage aspect of it. But not too I wasn't like crazy once a week at singing lessons that acting classes all the time. I was just kind of like, you're chill theater kid.

So when you say you were doing behind the scenes stuff, what did that entail?

I was a student director, my senior year of high school for our production of Mary Poppins. I basically was in charged with helping the main director with making sure we got hold of props, putting out posters for the show, helping block the show, like make sure actors had their locations and knew their lines, helping the actors with anything that they would have needed. I didn't do too much hands on stuff though, just because I knew I wasn't going to be there for half the performances. So I helped a lot more with the like promotion of the show and the overall like seeing and making sure things were getting done in rehearsals.

So do you think that you enjoyed from even limited experience being a performer more, doing more of the behind the scenes and videography and those types of aspects?

I've always had like a special place in my heart for the behind the scenes stuff. And I think I definitely like to behind the scenes more because I'm a very shy person when it comes to my craft. So I wasn't super out there, because I knew there were people who were more talented than me. And so I was like, I'll let them have the spotlight and I'll just kind of hang back and like, help them be the star that they are.

Did you always know you wanted to be a performer then?

Yeah,

...were involved?

I think I definitely like always knew, if you look at stuff that I created in like elementary school where it was like Ashlie, where do you see yourself in 15 years, I would write stuff like I'm living in Hollywood. I'm a celebrity like, I'm the next Disney Channel, big thing.

You know why you wanted to aspire to be this?

I don't know. That's like a great question. I always like, like I said, I've always really loved to Disney. And I loved the idea of working for the company. And like, I just had a very imaginative mind. And it was just like glamorous seeing these kids who were like 15 on TV, living this lavish lifestyle. And I was like, I want that, like I want to be rich and famous.

So after high school, what did you do? Did you continue on to secondary education?

Yes and no. I, immediately after high school, I plan on taking a gap year. However, a month before classes started, I ended up going to a community college in Pennsylvania, I went to Montgomery County Community College, I stayed there for about a year before I decided to move down to Florida and kind of get my foot in the door with like living in Florida, establish residency for tuition purposes, and hopefully start working for the theme parks in Orlando. But I ended up just taking a very extended gap year. And ever since I've just been taking classes on and off. Nothing too serious.

Why did you want to take a gap here in the beginning?

I liked the idea of it mainly because like it was, I couldn't necessarily afford college straight out of the bat from high school. And I didn't take my grades too seriously in high school. So I knew scholarships were heavily out of the question. So it was kind of just for me to like figure out what I wanted to do in college, which didn't work. I still have no clue. And me kind of save money. So that way I can afford school and not be stressed out. But it was just kind of like a gap yearr seems like a cool idea. And then I panicked. And I was like No, I want to graduate on time.

Okay, so you mentioned that you had moved down to Florida after Pennsylvania. When was this?

This was in May of 2017.

And what inspired you to move down?

I've always wanted to move back to Florida. I just have a very vivid memory from my childhood of when I first moved from Florida to Pennsylvania, a little old me that's when she learned what mental health was it very much took a toll on me moving across the country and it broke my heart that I was away from Disney. So also, I just don't like cold weather. I've always just felt more at home in Florida than I ever did Pennsylvania. So as soon as I was legally allowed to I said goodbye PA and I moved in with my grandparents.

Okay, great. So you mentioned your mental health as child Were you aware always aware of mental health problems?

I definitely would have to say second grade was when it when I did become aware of it. I was very like, I lashed out a lot. I was very like kind of angry child after that moment. And then I actually started seeing a therapist in third grade. So I was very aware of my emotions from a young age.

So your parents were supportive of having you see a therapist?

Oh, yes, almost like too supportive. I wanted nothing to do with anything, therapists wise because in my mind, that meant I was crazy. And so I actually refuse to see this therapist for the longest time I was forced to go, which is funny now because I still see the same therapist and it's been almost 20 years.

Okay, so do you think therapy was important for you to help process some of these emotions?

Oh 100% I'm like a very big mental health advocate now as an adult, so I definitely like having that stepping stone and getting the help that I needed for my problems. I guess you could say, as a kid was a lot of made me who I am today and has helped me with coping as an adult

Okay, so once you moved, backtracking now once you move back to Florida, did you establish residency in Orlando or did you go somewhere else first.

So I established residency actually down in Sarasota County, or Charlotte County, which is right next to Sarasota in this tiny little beach town called Eglewood. And that's actually where I still hold permanent residency is in Englewood just because I have moved throughout the state of the state of Florida a lot over the past few years.

Were you down there by yourself?

Technically, yes. However, I did for the first couple of months that I lived in Florida. I lived with my grandparents on my mom's side.

Okay, so how did you become interested then in working for Disney?

It's always been something that's kind of been engraved in me. My mom's side of the family. Almost everyone, except for my mother, has worked for Disney. She has four brothers and sisters. And at some point in their life, all of them have worked for the Mouse, as we call him. Sorry. So it was just something I always like aspired to do. I looked up to cast members as a kid I like heavily was, I could tell you the story of Walt Disney's life from the time I could speak like, I just knew I wanted to be a part of something that was like that.

Do you know any of the jobs that your family members had done?

So my, one of my aunts worked on the cruise lines when they first were becoming a thing. My other aunt, she actually was a waitress at the resorts. A one of my uncle's did kind of like engineering stuff, if I remember correctly, kind of more like backstage stuff. And then even my dad, he didn't necessarily work for Disney. He wasn't a cast member. But my dad's always worked in the lighting industry. And when he worked in the lighting industry in Orlando, he had a lot to do with attractions and shows down there. So like, he helped with some of the lighting stuff, over at Epcot. He helped build, not built, but he helped do all the lighting for the Harry Potter World and Universal Studios now, so I was just always surrounded by that kind of atmosphere.

Oh, okay, interesting. So what is the process of applying for Disney? How did you get started in this?

My process is a little bit different than like the normal job process application job application process. Just because I actually started out at Disney as an intern. You can obviously just like go online Disney careers and apply. However, I did what's called the Disney College Program. I started applying my freshman year, I didn't get accepted, though, until... the spring of my sophomore year is when I did the college program, I think it was.

And first you like, fill out like basic application. And from there, it's like, automated like, you move on or you don't move on. After that you do an automated web interview. Did that, made it to the next round, which is where you schedule a phone interview with a real by real live human, always did that. And then it was just like a waiting game there. And then if you wanted to, you could audition to be a performer. I had applied about three or four times before actually getting accepted. And each time I made it through all the rounds. Finally I was accepted. And I was actually accepted to be quick service food hostess. So I worked in the Magic Kingdom my first couple of months there.

Okay, so breaking it down a little the first couple additions, what did it feel like to make it through the process and keep advancing?

Definitely, like exhilarating. I was always so stressed out like my mom was always in the room. I'd be like, Mom, is this the right answer? Like, should I say this? Like what would Disney want me to say? It was very over prepared, I would watch YouTube videos that people would make about the process and always post stuff on my Facebook updating people where I was in the process.

Sorry, I have to cough.

So I was very, like, very eager about the whole thing. The hardest part though, was the whole process goes by really quickly. And then you're just stuck waiting for like two months of "will I get an email saying congratulations" or will I get an email saying Better luck next time.

And so how many times did you say you applied?

The first times because I did two of these internships. So the first internship I had applied three or four times before I finally got accepted.

Okay, great. And so why did you To be a part of the Disney College Program and not go straight towards a sort of permanent job?

Since I went to community college, I never got that like college experience of like living with a dorm, living in a dorm and living with roommates. And also, there's a couple roles that you get easier by going through the Disney College Program than say if you apply, as a regular like, person off the streets. So, I really wanted that like dorm experience having roommates living in Disney sponsored housing, and going to these events. And plus, they have a lot of like, special things that just college programmers can do like backstage tours. So I really wanted to be able to experience that side of Disney because it is a very integral part of being a cast member for a lot of people who work there is a lot of people you talk to in Disney started out on a college program.

Okay, great did is anyone you know, like personally, um, before you got involved in were cast, was anyone a part of the Disney College Program that influenced this decision?

Um, really, other than people who I had watched online. Personally, I didn't know anyone. Before applying it was just something I knew of because I was very much in the Disney bubble. And then the year before I got accepted to it, or like the semester before I got accepted to it. A girl I actually had a class with in high school had been accepted. So we had talked about it a little bit, and she helped me with my application that finally got me hired.

Okay, great. So you said when you first got hired, you did quick service. What specifically were you doing?

So when I first got hired, I was working at this restaurant in Magic Kingdom called Columbia harbor House. Quick service is kind of just like they're fast food restaurants in the parks. So I worked on the register, taking people's orders, I was getting people their drinks. I was handing them their food over the counter. Some days I was making, if I was at what they call stands, which are kind of they're not the full restaurants. They're like the walk up counters that you can just grab like pretzels and stuff out. I was making hotdogs and Liberty Square all of this we're wearing a lovely colonial dress and a bonnet in the 90 degree group Florida heat mine. I would make waffles and funnel cakes at one of my locations. And then one of my favorite ones was I would work the dole whip stands, which is like pineapple ice cream. And so I would make the list and we'd always have competitions to see who can make the most dole whips an hour and I was very competitive about that.

How did it feel to work your first shift in Disney knowing that you finally got a position that you wanted for so long?

It was it was stressful, especially because my very first... So you go through Traditions, which is kind of like your orientation. And at the end of traditions, they take you into your separate like roles and locations. And they give you this paper that has what you're doing specifically. Mind you, I went into this college program thinking I was gonna be what's called onstage, so like guest facing, and they handed me this paper and it said, back of house kitchen and it had a chef costume on it. And I saw that I was like I did not come to Disney to be working in a kitchen.

Also, I was stressed out because at the time I thought I was allergic to lobster. So I was going to be working around lobster all the time. So I sobbed. I told my like proctor my concerns. We went and talked to one of the leaders and I somehow finessed my way out of the kitchen. This one girl was not happy with me. She was very jealous, but I've finessed my way out of the kitchen. And I went and I got my little dress and my little bonnet and my first day of work was like, so like, so many emotions were happening. I was like I'm working at Disney. I just almost got something like a role that I did not want at all. But somehow I ended up where I wanted to be. And there's also just so much going on. You're just kind of like, going 100 miles a minute.

So why didn't you want to be back at the house?

I'm kind of one because like when you do the Disney College Program, especially like when you're freshly like still a teenager. You always dream of having your picture taken at work by your friends and like posting it on social media and you're like look at me and my cute like costume, which is what we call our uniforms. And also at Disney there's things called magical moments, which are just like special moments that you make with guests. And you don't really get that working back a house because you don't get guests interaction. Joke's on me though I hung out in the back of house all the time, like the kitchen staff were some of my favorite people, I loved going back there and like messing with everyone. So I think I would have had a good time back there. But I know I definitely would have had a very different college, like, college program experience, if I stick back there.

Okay, so can you describe, this backtracking a bit, but can you describe the traditions? What is that, exactly?

So, it's like your standard, like orientation that you go through with a job, except they make you cry a lot more. You go in. You, there, you're sat at these round tables that have like five notebooks on it with your names on it, and your name tag, which getting your Disney name tag is always so important.

And, um, well, actually, no, we're gonna backtrack, you don't get your name tag yet, because that's a really special experience. And it's on, they basically tell you about the history of the company and what it's like to be a cast member. They teach you the four keys, which is safety, courtesy, show, and efficiency, which are kind of how you run things at Disney. And they show you videos of kids finding out they're going to Disney for the first time and you sob like a baby. And then halfway through, they take you to the parks, they take you into Magic Kingdom, you get to see the tunnel system for the first time. That's like the secret underground World of Disney. And you have to point out like the four keys basics and in action that you see in the parks. '

And then they take you back. And suddenly, this little box is on the table in the middle. And Mickey Mouse walks into the room with your name tags, and you open the box and you have your first pair of Mickey ears as a cast member and then you cry some more. And then they're like, welcome to being a cast member be on your merry way. And it's eight hours long, it's excruciating. I've gone through it twice now. And I'm kind of good. I'm kind of over it. I'm like, y'all can just bypass Traditions, I can tell you the four keys word for word like, their exact definitions. But it's definitely a really special moment when you're a first time cast member.

Why are you over it?

It is eight hours long. It is when, you're not talking about the cutesy stuff of like watching kids get their first Disney experience or like watching like a video of Walt talking about his vision. It's just your standard, like, work orientation, where you fill out a bunch of paperwork, you get told what you can and can't do at work. And it is just gruelingly long, like, it could probably be four hours and I'd be fine. And also usually it's at like six in the morning. And I'm not a morning person.

Okay, and so what is the importance of the name tag, you mentioned that earlier.

Um, so what they tell you in traditions is one it's like a badge of honor. Um, there are people who would kill the work at Disney. You're continuing the legacy of Walt, who never got to see his, like, biggest dream come to fruition with the Florida project as it was called. And it's like, you're a Disney cast member, you wear your name tag with pride when kids get lost. Like, parents tell their, this like one thing, they always are like, parents tell their kids to look for people with the white name tag with like, glitter on it like it's a big deal.

I don't know I cry every time I look at my name tag and I'm like, wow, that's me. I do that like,

Okay. It does seem like it has an important emotional bond then. Um, and so moving forward after you kind of became accustomed to working at Disney. Was there anything else, like did that kind of Disney magic and just culture of working there continue with you in this journey?

Definitely, um, I've worked a couple non-Disney jobs since working at Disney and like since starting my job at Disney, I'm sorry. Um, it's such a vastly different experience. Like even just working at a restaurant and Disney is such a vastly different experience than working at like McDonald's or Chick-fil-a. I've actually worked two other roles at Disney.

So I've worked quick service, which my first one and then during my first college program, I also became a parking attendant, which I never thought I would love. That was one of my favorite jobs. You just run a walk run around all day and then like, scream crazy jokes on a tram to a bunch of really tired people trying to get to their car. And then I did another college program in 2019 and I was actually a performer during that one. And that's how I stayed with the company was through being a performer. I stayed on season only.

Okay, so you said that, um, that it's different from other jobs? Can you elaborate on that? Why is it?

It's definitely more fast paced than any job you will ever work. You are going through thousands of guests an hour, like speaking to. You are working of noxious hours. Nowhere else are you gonna be working 18 hours on New Year's Day. Like, that's unheard of, maybe you'll work like a 12 hour shift somewhere. But you're not working 18 hours only to sleep in your car that night, because you have work again next day, eight hours after that shift, which makes beautiful money because then you're getting turnaround pace, you're getting paid through the whole of your shift. You're also kind of like, while you're put on this pedestal by some guests, you have other guests who treat you like you're like the dirt of the earth like they are owed everything from you, because there's that idea that cast members like cater to your every need. So you kind of get pushed around a lot by guests. And you can kind of be like, undermined and not treated like a human being, which isn't always fun. And that definitely like takes a toll on you. So it's like everything that you know from a standard retail job just becomes amplified. But also you get to for some roles, obviously not all, but where else on the planet. Do you get to watch fireworks every day while you're at work? Or like where else on the planet? Do you get to watch a parade three times a day? Like, I have so many of these shows engraved in my brain because I'd be working 12 hours and I'd see the same parade habit four times.

Do you ever get sick of Disney?

Me personally no. I definitely get my days where I'm kind of like I want a break from my park. There's four parks. So like working Magic Kingdom, there were definitely days where I was like, I don't want to not go to Disney today because it's my day off. But I want a break from Magic Kingdom. There are other people though I know who work with who like are so over the whole idea of Disney like at that point for them. It's just a job. I luckily over my three years that I've been with the company haven't reached that point yet. Um, even with kind of like the craziness that I've endured with this company, I haven't reached that way and I really hope I don't, because it's truly something that I love.

What is your favorite memory from working quick service?

Um... one of my favorite memories from physically working, I would have to say is, well, there's two there's a good one and there's like a kind of like, not so bad one. Not bad one, but like it's funny. Oh, sorry. Um, my first one I'd have to say was there was one night it was the fireworks, and back to like how I mentioned magical moments earlier. There was this little girl sitting on her dad's shoulders and we were getting ready to close up the restaurant that I was in that day, which was called Sleepy Hollow and we sell waffles there. And we're getting ready to close up. And this little girl was on her dad's shoulders watching the fireworks and she was just so in awe.

And I just like I loved watching her like singing and dancing on to the fireworks and I was like that, like reminds me of when I was a kid. And so I asked if I can make a magical moment and after the fireworks ended, I brought her out a Mickey waffle with powdered sugar on it. And I gave it to her and I started talking to her and her little brother and they were talking about Disney and how much they loved it and I was like asking her something because her brother was so excited that I put strawberries on it. And she was like I don't like strawberries, but I only eat real strawberries not like candy strawberries. And I was like oh my goodness, let me fix that for you right now. Mind you, she was dressed as Rapunzel at this moment two. So like I was already obsessed with her. She's my favorite princess.

So I ran back to the restaurant and I got her like a little basket of fresh strawberries. And we talked and the family was so sweet. And they were so sweet. Like I cried. And they went on their merry way after this whole interaction not like stuck with me and I hope it sticks with them too. But another one too. That's like kind of like not so fun. Not so great and kind of shows the wild side. We had a middle school tour group, tour group field trip group. When I was working Columbia Harbor House one day, and me and my best friend were on counter slash register together. We knocked through 115 of these kids and under an hour. It was absolute chaos. These kids were throwing their Drinks over the banister, they were throwing food at people throwing their drinks down the stairs. And I just remember when we hit that last kid, and we had finished all the transactions, I like logged out of register, I ran to the back, I met my friend Emily in the back and I just collapsed to the floor. And there is a picture of me. Even though it's technically illegal in Disney terms, you're not supposed to take pictures backstage, there's a picture of me defeated sitting on the floor with my bonnet thrown across the floor with a soda in my hand caption, "Ashlie just defeated 100 middle schoolers." And I was like, yep, I did. And that's one of my favorite memories is the day we defeated the middle schoolers.

So I should have asked this before, but what is the magical moment?

A magical moment, it's just kind of like, it's hard to describe because it's like a magical moment is a magical moment. There, they can be planned or unplanned. They're just kind of something that cast members do to go out of their way to make a family's trip more special. So say with characters, it could be a magical moments when a character walks with a kid the meet and greet location. In parking are magical moments where we would take our Deluxe gokart and we drive a family straight to the front entrance instead of having them sit on the tram for 10 minutes. Quick service, it was giving a kid a free like lollipop or something. Or even they could just be things like you.

Um, Oh, goodness. Like just having a good interaction with someone. I've made magical moments even as a like, on my days off, where a family like I started talking to a family next to me before parade one day, and they were just like, I helped them with figuring out stuff to do if they had ever been to Disney. They like asked me my recommendations. And like, they came and visited me the next day at work and said how much like that day, that like 15 minutes I spoke to them just changed their whole trip and just like, made it that little bit more magical. Or it even could just be like giving a kid a sticker. Like, there's no true definition to what a magical moment is. It's just you going out of your way to make someone's trip.

Okay, interesting. So moving forward. Now, you mentioned you started working as a tram car driver. What what exactly were you doing? Can you describe your duties?

Yes. So that was I did, I was a parking attendant with the official term. So I was in charge of working in the parking lot.

Oh, sorry. Um,

I would direct cars and traffic, I would park cars in the correct spots. And then one of my other duties that I could do was tram. So I would pull my like assignment and it was your say tram A or tram B. And I would go and I would look for whoever's name that I was supposed to be taking over for. And wherever they were, I would take over for them. So whether it be driving the tram, or spieling on the back. Driving the tram, I thought was going to be the scariest, most stressful thing in the world. It is so much fun. I got to learn how to drive both the old trams and the new they're called JBP trams, don't know what that means. But they're really fancy. And someone allowing me to drive a tram full of what was it like 180 people still blows my mind. But I did really good. I got a lot of cast compliments, like I had a lot of guests give me good reviews.

So you'd either drive the tram around the parking lot and take the people to the main entrance from the cars. Or my favorite was you stood on the back of the tram. You gave the safety spiel. And usually that safety spiel was like 30 seconds and then you had 15 minutes to tell some of your corniest jokes. I'm proud to say that I was hilarious. I always got the best reactions. And especially I worked at Epcot where the Food and Wine Festival happens. So you had a couple of adults who had a couple too many drinks. And this was in the middle of the great Baby Shark infestation of 2018. And I would get a whole tram of drunk adults singing Baby Shark with me as we drove them to the car in the middle of the night and it was fantastic.

So how did you switch from quick service to doing trans?

So, when you're on your college program, a couple weeks before the end of your program, you have the option to extend. I was originally only supposed to do my college program from January to May of 2018. I put in an extension from May to June and I stayed in quick service and then I put an extension from June to January of 2019. And I put in for a role change, and I was actually given attractions. And so I was wholeheartedly convinced I was going to work one of my favorite rides at Animal Kingdom, that didn't come true. I was actually very upset that I was put in Epcot parking, which is funny now because I'd go back in a heartbeat. So you basically just put on that you want an attraction, role change, you put where you went, girl change. And then they'll email you like three weeks out from your end date. And they'll be like, congrats, you're staying longer. Here's what role you're going to be in.

Why did you change roles?

While I loved quick service, I had some not so great experiences with some of the people working there. And also, I just wanted something different. I worked in food when I was in high school. I really wanted to try something else in the company. And I knew if I would have stayed in food, I probably wouldn't have ended my program when it was supposed to end in January, I probably would have gotten home early. Which is funny because I in the end did leave my first college program early, but it had nothing to do with the roll. I always joke that if I would have started in parking, I probably would have stayed in parking the rest of my life.

So if you want to, can you elaborate on the not so great relationship part?

Uh huh. So um, I, I always joke that working in Disney is like working in a large High School. Everyone knows everyone's business and Disney. Word travels fast. I worked with some very catty people. And I also was dealing with a not so glamorous kind of catty roommate situation. And so to avoid all of my problems, I would work astronomical hours. And while my bank account loved it, my mental health and physical health didn't get as much. So I knew I just needed to get out of where I had gotten comfortable and try something else. And so I thought that switching roles would probably be the best for me. Plus, at the time, a lot of my friends that I had made working at Columbia, were going home to go back to school for the semester, so I wasn't going to really have any more friends at Columbia.

Okay, so you mentioned um, just a little bit ago that you ended up leaving your college program early. Why is that?

My like I said, my physical and mental health were taking a really big toll because of things that were going on both in my living situation and at my work. So and I'm very good at just working away my problems which create more problems. I also had a lot going on at home, like home home. I my dad was in the hospital for some health related issues over the summer. And I didn't take that news very well. My anxiety was getting really bad and like not to get really deep. But I was basically like falling into an eating disorder. At one point, I was never sleeping. I was barely like eating. But I was also working out and walking 18 miles a day on top of everything. So my physical health was taking a really massive hit. And so we just decided it was good for me to go home and that Disney would always be there.

Do you think that working at Disney perhaps exacerbated some of the mental health issues you might have had?

Oh, 100%, you're very much working in this giant bubble positivity, whether it be real or fake. And so you want to be you want to appear happy, because that's how everyone around you is like everyone around you, is always having a good time. And they're like social media feeds looks so good. And you want to be like that. And you kind of push your actual problems to the side. And almost everyone I've talked to about this, like we all agree, it does become a problem when you're working in Disney and you're like," Oh, it's so magical and glamorous. My life is so great," but then not reality. You're like, "oh my god I'm pulling apart inside."

So... how does how, can you describe more about the social media aspect of working for Disney? How does that feed into the job and just some of the culture surrounding the Disney dream idea?

Especially with the college program, there was a phase where kids were posting their blogs from their college program on YouTube and kind of gaining a following from it. So everyone wanted to be the next big Disney College Program blogger. And at one point, I was slowly making my way there, like, people would come up to me and the Chick-fil-a in your college program housing and be like, "hey, you make the YouTube videos, right?" And I'd be like, yeah, that is me like, wow, I'm famous. Um, but you go on people's social media feeds on who like live in work at Disney. And they're these perfectly curated, like, super color coordinated, beautiful feeds. And so just like picture perfect doesn't show like, the non positive side of their life at all. And you're like, well, I want that, like I had a miserable day at work. They look like they're thriving at work. And so it's definitely like, everyone wants to have the perfect Disney life.

Okay, can you what is the perfect Disney life, would you say?

In the world of young adult girls, the perfect Disney life is having a following on social media of some form, being a performer being super pretty and skinny and having like falling in love with Prince Charming. Um, well, I got halfway there, not fully, I tried my shot at the whole Disney Instagram thing. But now I'm just kind of like, I post my pictures to post my pictures. Like, I post what I want to post I'm not I mean, my Instagram is super curated. But it's like, I post the good and the bad.

Okay, interesting. So now moving forward a little You said you did a second round of the Disney College Program. What was that like? Why did you apply again?

So I moved back to Florida in January of 2019, after being at home for three months to kind of get my health in track. And I'm sorry, I knew I wanted to go back to the Disney Company. I told myself, I would never do another Disney College Program just because it can get really crazy. And so, but the only way to get into entertainment, currently with Disney, is doing another Disney College Program. So I applied for a part time position back in parking. And just like, out of curiosity, I applied for a performer position and a character attendant position. And lo and behold, I got the character attendant role. And then not even two or three weeks later, got an email saying I had a role transfer and that I was accepted at my audition I had gone to in Orlando, which funny enough, I almost didn't go to my friends forced me to it. And I found out I was going to be a performer on that. So I obviously didn't do the part time position. And I was like, "well, I guess I'm doing another college program."

So why did you not want to do a college program? Can you elaborate?

So you are an intern with Disney. You're getting paid lower than any normal full time or part time cast member first off. Which is not fun, but also you, you don't have really any like, say in your schedule. So college program, kids are always, like you're scheduled to work every holiday. You are scheduled the longest shifts here almost always scheduled closing. You kind of get the like leftover shifts that the part timers and full timers don't want. And then you get worked to the bone. Like you'll get scheduled like 40, 50 hour weeks, and it's just sometimes not a good time. If you're really close with your management. They're super chill. They'll make your schedules really nice. But other than that you have like no, say, and your bottom of the totem pole. Like you're just there, you're an intern.

And when did you go back to the second role?

I started my second role in May of 2019.

So was being a character attendant slash being a character, like your dream role at Disney?

100% I, it was one of those things that I always wanted to, but I never thought I'd ever achieve. So I, the whole fact that I was a performer just blew my mind. I was like I cannot believe this is actually happening like even when I got the character because I never actually ended up being a character attendant. Because I got my role changed. So when I got my character attendant email, I was through the roof. I was so excited because I had friends who were character attendants and I was so jealous. When I got the character performer email. I was like someone's lik,e I'm on pumped like something's up. This is like there's like no way cuz I had been going to auditions for a couple years at that point. And I was just kind of like, Yeah, no, it's never gonna happen.

Do you think that there was anything different that pushed you over the top to get this position?

So one thing I always say and like they were... sorry, the recruiters always say is Disney's always looking for something different, especially holidays are when they're looking more for taller people. In Disney's eyes, I am what's called dead height where I'm too tall for most characters, but I'm too short for everything else. So I have a very short range. However, dead height characters are the dream when it comes to holidays. And most of the time, I had been auditioning for spring. And like, early in the year where my like I'm not necessarily needed. So, it was really just like a right place right time. At that point I had gotten to like, I've gotten my face out there. I knew the casting directors. I had met them both in New York and Orlando for auditions. So my face was out there. And also just, I really just think it was the right place right time. Like I did nothing different. In fact, I felt like it was one of my worst auditions that I've had with Disney. So.

Okay, so what is it, How tall are you?

So, Disney's eyes, I have arranged. My doctor says I'm 5'10" when Disney hired me, they said I was 5"10". But I remember the very first Disney audition I ever went at. They said I was 6'2. One of my auditions, yhey said I was like 5'9". But the one that they hired me at and when I go by is I'm 5'10"..

Okay, interesting. Thank you. So, now moving forward, you're going into the performance roles, how's was this different from your previous roles?

So one is a lot more physically demanding, because you are out in the Florida heat, and not to ruin like Disney magic, but in full fursuits. You are running around, there's a lot of weight on you. And guests can kind of get a little like aggressive with you. And like a nice way they don't mean to but their hugs can be a little aggressive. But also, um, like I said, you are in the Florida heat, and like 100 degrees in fursuits. So you're only, I always describe it as for every 20 minutes of work you do during the summer, you get a 40 minute break. If you're outside, for every 40 minutes of work you do inside you get a 40 minute break. And then sometimes I've had some roles, where for every 40 minutes that I work, I get an hour and a half break. So compared to my like 1-30 and 2-15s in my other roles, like I was living the dream as a performer.

Okay, interesting. So you mentioned that you went, you did two, this is way earlier on but you did to Disney college programs, and then you know, work as a seasonal?

Well, now work as seasonal. I actually unfortunately, Disney laid off 20,000 cast members a couple weeks ago because of the pandemic. And I unfortunately was a part of those 20,000. But I was, I did transfer to become a seasonal cast member at the end of my second college program.

So how did you apply to become a seasonal? Was it easier since you already had your foot in the door as a college program intern?

Yeah, so it was almost the exact same way as applying for an extension. I actually had originally applied for an extension but got denied. And so then the next step was, I think it's two weeks out from the end of your program, you're allowed to go on what we call transfer-genie, which is where you put in all these requests. And you go on, I put in for full time I put in for part time, and I put in for seasonal and then you kind of just wait. I had really good friends who had been with the company for the long time. And they were kind of like here's the person you need to call. Like they will really help you. So I gave a call to scheduling who's in charge of the seasonal people. And I talked to them and then I kid you not the next day, my status changed to seasonal, which was a life changing moment because I was terrified that my job with Disney was coming to an end.

Let's get that, it's, so now that we have kind of mentioned the elephant in the room. What happened when the pandemic first hit?

Um, so when the pandemic first hit, they Disney had announced they were closing and unfortunately that they were laying off all of their college program cast members. While at that point in time I was already seasoned all I had a bunch of friends, including one of my roommates, he was a college program. So that was really hard. And plus just the idea of his inclosing was like a little funky. But we were also all under the, like the idea that we'd be open in two weeks. So I actually got to work a shift, two or three days after the parks closed, when the resorts were still open. So I did a character dining shift with my boy Tigger, who was also my very first character I ever got to work with.

Which by the way, at Disney, we do this thing called character integrity, so you aren't a character. The character is itsel. You are friends with, or you help out? So if I refer to that, that's what I'm talking about. Like, I don't say I am Tigger. I'll be like when I worked with Tigger. So I picked up a shift, one of my friends gave it to me, and I got to be with Tigger that night, for the last night character dining was open. And that was a really interesting experience, to say the least. And little did I know that was going to be the last shift I ever worked at Disney for the current time being. But I was still under the impression at that time that I'd be back at work in two days, two days, two weeks. Two weeks very quickly turned into an email of Just kidding, we will not be opening in the new March. But we will be hopefully opening in April. And then the state of Florida went into full lockdown. And that's when I got furloughed. And also, also at the time, I just started a job. I was the performer at Universal. But there's not much to say on that, because I got one day into training, and have not been called back since. Because the parks closed. So I worked for that company for eight months now. And I've worked a single day. But Disney put me on furlough and they paid us through the end of May. And then the nightmare that was dealing with Florida unemployment kicked in. And then I've just been sitting here waiting to hear back from Disney and the parks reopened. Since I'm seasonal, I'm lower on seniority. And also there's not really any entertainment offerings open right now. So the parks reopen, I sat here and was like, okay, I'll probably get called back by next year. And then I got the dreaded email saying that they were going to be doing layoffs. And then the day after my birthday, I got the email saying that I was part of those layoffs. And that kicks in December 14th.

Okay, so if you don't mind now, we're going to go a little bit into detail about this. So when you say it was an interesting experience for your last shift, what do you mean what happened?

So this was like, so like COVID was really new. Also, the parks were closed. So a lot of people left, like, they're, they left, they weren't staying in their hotels anymore. They're like, well, there's no point I'll go home. Sorry, I'm gonna get a drink.

So normally, on a normal night, working this shift, I would see two to 300 families.This night, I saw a grand total of maybe 15. We weren't advised to hug anyone. However, if they initiated the hug we're allowed to. Because of COVID, we had to immediately like desanatize, not desanatize. And we had to immediately sanitize ourselves when we got back to the break room. And because there were only like three families in the restaurant at a time. But we would quickly go through the restaurant wave and then go out into the lobby, do a loop and then we'd go back. And what was really nice about all of this is because I was working dinner there for once not breakfast, we got fed which this was at the Grand Floridian and the Grand Floridian has really nice food, it's really boushi hotel. So I mean, it was a weird night, but I got to work with some really, really good friends and I got to eat some really good food. So I wasn't too bad about it. But it was just like really strange because COVID was still so new. And like we couldn't we didn't really know how to react to it. They're like, well, this is character dining. The whole idea is to meet characters but like, we don't want to touch someone because of XYZ.

So what was was the atmosphere of the families who were visiting different? How were, How were they reacting to all of this?

Um, it depend. I remember I had one family who was like very hesitant at first they were like, "Is it okay? If we hug you blah, blah, blah." I have another family who, like didn't want us to get near them. They wanted an interaction from a distance, which I totally understood. It was like kind of like anxious to cuz like, you now have this idea in the back of your brain and like it's very easy to get sick as a character performer because you have children slobbering all over you all the time. Um, so you were kind of hesitant to go up to people. Sorry, but also it's just like you especially with dining, you get into such a this like mindset of like fast paced, go, go go. That like you had to kind of take a step back and almost treat it as if it was a meet and greet in the park like normal Meet and Greet, which was like a little weird to get used to.

Interesting. So after, you know, your shifts stopped, what were you doing during quarantine? Were you still able to live in Orlando?

Yeah, so I stayed in Orlando, um, up until the last like month or two. But I stayed in Orlando, I lived with my roommates, we had just gotten a dog a couple of weeks prior to quarantine. We fell into the craze that was Animal Crossing. So we played that all the time. We got no sleep, and we stayed up all night long. Me personally, I would I lived five minutes behind Magic Kingdom. So I would go for drives around property, it was really eerie because everything was closed. But it was nice because there was no one around. So I go through drive through property, I take pictures where I could never take pictures before. So like, I have a picture of me standing on the highway underneath the Walt Disney World arches that you drive through. Wasn't really allowed to take that. But because the parks were closed, no one said anything. And it kind of became a trend among all of us. Um, and that's like a fun little picture I have. I would take my dogs on walks around our property. I would like, there's a McDonald's on property. So I would park in the McDonald's parking lot. And then we'd go on walks around all the sidewalk areas. And then Disney Springs did open fairly quick into quarantine. So I would go to Disney Springs and kind of just walk around and like grab lunch and then go home. I really still spent a lot of my time on Disney property because I lived so close.

Okay, so you mentioned before social media played a large part in curating a Disney culture. How is social media playing a part during the pandemic?

Um, it's definitely showing me um, who knows how to behave and who doesn't. There are a lot of people in Florida who don't realize that we're still in a pandemic. And there's a lot of people in Florida who the entire time have acted like Florida wasn't a hot spot. I have lost friendships over this pandemic, but honestly, it's shown me who is adults and who still act like they're teenagers. So I'm not it's not like losses that I'm like, "Oh, no,." It's like, okay, this was kind of finally my thing that like showed me "Hey, you're not a decent human being." Um, for me personally, it's a lot of posting throwbacks. Got to keep my Disney feed alive. It's also a lot of me posting selfies. I was never one to post selfies. My I will say though, my status on social media has flourished a little bit, because I decided to shave my head. That got me a lot of attention on Twitter. I was getting a lot of attention on the new app tik tok. So I was kind of thriving on social media during quarantine.

Okay, interesting. So why why I'm curious, why did you shave your head?

Um, that's a great question. I've always joked about it. Disney has these very strict guidelines called Disney Looks, where, like, you couldn't have dyed hair. You can't have long colored nails. You can't have facial piercings. Um, I excuse me hiccups. Um, in the beginning quarantine I dip dyed the end of my hair purple. My mom wasn't too excited about that one. But I said YOLO I was like, "Disney's only getting rid of me for so long. I can only have colored hair for so long." And then when I realized that quarantine was going to be going on for probably a whole year. I said, Well, you know, I've always joked about shaving my head and like, I just don't care for taking care of my hair at this moment. So one night when neither my roommates were home, I snuck into their bathroom and I stole their razors, and I shaved my head. And it was honestly one of the most liberating things I've done in a very long time, so I'm not too bad about it.

Okay, great. Well, who's gonna So how has the pandemic and being separated from Disney affected your mental health?I

It definitely took a major toll on it. I used Disney as a way of escaping. For me, I saw Disney not so much as a theme park anymore as like, just a regular park. I had my places on property where I would go and like destress. Like, I would always if I was having a really bad day, I go to this restaurant called Gaspar Lake Grill at the Grand Floridian and I'd get mac and cheese and I would just go sit out on the water and just kind of like have some, like moments, like quietness to myself. I would, there's the resort called Port Orleans Riverside. Which has a bunch of hammocks hidden in like trees and swamp lands. If I was having like an off day, I'd go hang out there and read a book. I would always go do my homework and the Seas Pavilion at Epcot sitting next to the dolphin tank. So definitely, like threw off my, like form of normalcy. And, like destressors, because I'm not good at destressing in my own house. I did hit a really low point with my mental health at one point, so that wasn't fun. But I, it kind of gave me that like, need of I didn't have Disney anymore. And Orlando is that wasn't the best place to be in because everyone was kind of struggling in Orlando. And also, the state wasn't taking the pandemic seriously. So just the, I was so scared of going out all the time, because I was scared of getting sick and dealing with people who don't know how to act. So that's when I decided to actually move back home for a little bit.

So you said, if you care to elaborate, that your mental state hit a low, what do you mean?

So I would find myself waking up almost every night and literal panic attack. I was having really bad stress streams. And I like my anxiety and stress over the years have taken a massive toll on my physical health to like the point where I have like a heart flutter, which is not a good time. And I just knew my physical health was getting really, really affected by my mental health. And so I actually at one point, in August, checked myself into a mental hospital just to kind of like, get things back on track because I used to be on medication, and then I fell off of it during the pandemic because I wasn't seeing my doctor. So I kind of was like, I was in a hospital for about 36 hours. That was a grand time. But it got me back on the track that I needed to be to, like, get better.

Did this stem from the pandemic?

Not entirely. Um, I definitely had like stressors in my life, pre-pandemic that had a lot to do with it. But definitely like the idea of the unknown, and like the financial struggles I was going through because I was one of the unlucky many who I'm still missing unemployment from Florida. So I was like, not knowing how I was going to pay for rent and having no clue how I was going to eat. And then like not wanting to stress my parents out and be like, "Hey, I know I moved out three years ago, but can you still help me financially?" So it was just like a lot of unknowns that were piling on to stress that I already put myself under. So that's definitely led me over the edge. And plus, like I said, people in Florida just like don't really care about other people, especially the governor. So I was just always I'm so scared of getting sick all the time. And I didn't. I knew I couldn't trust the general public around me.

Okay, interesting. Thank you. Um, and so, when you mentioned your roommates briefly, but we're going to move on to them, but were you quarantining with them? Did they also work for Disney?

Yeah, so we were all performers. We all quarantine together. What was really nice is sorry, I lived in an apartment complex with a good chunk of my friends. So I got lucky where me and all my friends basically quarantine together. Obviously we had our two separate apartments, but we never left each other bubbles and like, we never really had anyone come into each other's bubbles. So it wasn't like I was stuck with the same two people all the time. I got really lucky where I knew I could, I had this like tiny group of friends that I could just hang out with, like one person one day, and then like, hang out with their roommate, and not just gets tired of seeing my roommates every day.

Okay, that's nice. So now, you mentioned this a little bit earlier on in our interview, but um, so Disney announced the layoff of 28,000 cast members between in Disney World and Disneyland How is this affected, well, you beyond just the layoff?

I'm not well, just what I thought I was getting out of my depressive episode that I was dealing with, from the pandemic. And like the reason why I moved back home to Pennsylvania. That hit me like a truck. It is one thing to get laid off from your dream job that you, but like I'm scared, I'll never get to experience again, because it's so hard to get into. But I think the most traumatizing part of it all, is the first week it was announced that layoffs are happening. All of the non union roles at Disney got cut. And one that's a part of that is Disney photopass, who are like the photographer's who worked very closely with performers, obviously, to take pictures.

So I went on Facebook, and just one after the other. I was seeing some of my closest work friends who had been with the company for years post that they had gotten the call that they were getting laid off. And I was like, watching it, was everyone describes it as in Avengers Endgame when like Thanos snaps, and everyone just starts disappearing. I've yet to see Avengers Endgame. I don't know full context, I could be explaining that wrong. That's just what I've been told. And that's the memes I'm seeing. But just one Facebook post after another, a friends getting fired. Well not fired, but laid off. And that was like, traumatizing enough, I thought.

And then managers started going and I was like, Oh my god, I'm gonna go back to work and know, no one. I'm out here thinking I'll be fine. Because seasonal costs the company nothing, we're not guaranteed hours, we're not guaranteed pay like blah, blah, blah, blah, I'm like seasonal, it's gonna be fine. And then out of nowhere, I was at work and I get, my phones blowing up. And all my friends are like, I just got an email, I just got an email, check your email. And then they laid off all season all in for about three or four days. And even still, some currently. I've actually seen my entire, every social media feed I was on was just so many of my closest friends just getting laid off. And it like takes a toll out of you. Because like, there's people who have worked for this company longer than I've been alive that I've gotten to know, who've put their heart and soul on this company just to have it like broken by one email.

And it's like, you couldn't catch a break. It was like, every single post was someone being like, well, this is my end with the company like blah, blah and like it's traumatizing. I like would be at my other job up here just like sobbing in the middle of work. And like I still like Sorry, I'm saying like a lot, I still will just be like laying in bed, on my phone at night. And I'll just get a wave of like this actually happened and like I'm, I'm going back to Florida in three weeks to go clean out my locker at work. But I'm, I know that it's just when I go back. That's gonna be my last time going back as a cast member for a very long time, which doesn't sit well with me because next year is Disney's, Disney World's 50th anniversary. And it was a dream of mine since I was since I could remember to work as a cast member for the th and to like have known that there was a chance I would have been doing my dream role while doing it. It's just like it's a lot to deal with.

When did you find out you got laid off?

The day after my 23rd birthday, October 10th which also happens to me Mental Health Awareness Day. So I was really thriving.

Can you describe, the, what happened? How you were informed? What you were doing?

Um, so like I said, I was at my other job which I work a retail job up in Pennsylvania.

I was doing a curbside pickup. And I was walking out. I'm a manager there. So luckily, this is what wasn't during my manager time. But I was walking out to do this curbside pickup and my phone starts blowing up. So I'm walking out and I'm like, Okay, let me check my phone.

My best friend, and my roommate texted me and they're like, we got the email. And I was like email. They're like, we got laid off. And I was like, "You got laid off? Oh, my God." And then he was like, check your email. So I go, I don't see it. And then I see my promotions tab, weirdly enough, worst promotion ever. I see my promotions tab, Walt Disney World Entertainment. And I see notice the separation. I start feeling myself lose it. And I'm like, Oh my god, Ashlie, you're going to take this bag out to a customer, like, keep yourself together. I get up to her car. I'm on the verge of tears. I'm like, I'm like Rachel, or whatever her name is like, "here's your clothes." And I quickly give it to her and I like sprint back and I'm trying to go over the headset and see if they can hear me from that point way. I'm like, "Sophia, Sophia, are you there? Like, can I get a five?"

I roll back up into my store, now in full tears. And I go up to the who was the manager on duty at that moment. I was like, I need a minute. And she was like, "are you okay?" I was like, "I just need a minute." And then I went and I sat and I actually read the email and I read like due to COVID blah, blah, blah. We hope you'll be able to return Sunday notice of separation, yada yada, yada. Call my mom's sobbing. I'm sitting in the back or just losing it. And me being me. I picked myself up. I acted like everything was fine. Cried while I folded some sweaters carried on my merry day. Some of the girls at work, I told them because like there were some girls who knew that the layoffs were happening. It wasn't like an unknown thing to the universe. There were news articles about it. So they had been keeping up with me. And I was like, Yeah, like I got the email today. Um, my store manager like my manager said she, like had a feeling something was off that weekend when I had called her one night closing and she was like "you sounds bad." I was like, "No, I'm just tired."

So I've like had a really good support system around me at work and everything. I've been forced to given days off, even though I keep trying to pick up because I like distraction. My manager is like, no, Ashlie, you need to go home because this weekend. Friday was my first day off since I got laid off. And yesterday was one week since that happened. So I worked every single day since I got laid off. And my manager was like Ashley, you need to go home and take a break. Take a deep breath. And I was like, Okay, fine. So it's been it's been a lot, but I've had some really good people around me.

I'm sorry, you had to go through that, Ahslie. So there's been, we mentioned this earlier, but then there's been much attention paid to the opening of Disney and with Florida not handling the pandemic, well. How do you feel about the opening of the park?

I'll be honest, when the parks were first opening, I was very against it. I thought Florida, just because Universal and SeaWorld opened up almost a month before Disney opened up and they just showed me why the park should not be opening. They were not good in like my eyes and a lot of my friends eyes with how they were handling social distancing, masks enforcing. All that stuff. I was like, there's no way. Disney loves to let guests walk all over them because the guest is always right. I was like this. No, there's no way this is going to go over well. I ate my words. I wholeheartedly believe if there's any theme park that should be open right now in Central Florida. It should only be Disney. They are taking every precaution that they can to like deal with what they're dealing with and still be open. Despite pushback from the Florida government. They refuse to bring up their capacity. They're saying at 25% capacity, whereas Universal and SeaWorld have been at full capacity since August, July, like forever, they are so strict on their mask policy. They're very big on the social distancing thing, Universal and SeaWorld not too great with that.

So it's definitely frustrating when people get mad at me for going to the parks when I'm like if I'm not supporting, like obviously this was before I got laid off but I was like, if I'm not supporting, going to Disney, I'm at a higher risk of losing my job because they're going to continue to do money. And if I feel safe going to Disney more than I feel safe going to a grocery store, then I'm going to go to Disney. So it's like frustrating because like now I wholeheartedly think it's just a mess that California is refusing to let Disneyland open even though they've proven that they're doing a good job, even though California has not even near the cases that Florida was having. But also the fact that Florida is on a downward trend right now. I think Disney is handling it, as well as you can being open in a pandemic, that's a respiratory thing. Um, but they've definitely shown that they're doing better than their competitors.

Okay, great. Um, so you said people, people every said everyone, would be mad at you. What do you what do you mean by that?

Oh, goodness, wait, what do I mean by that? What did I say? Oh, I

Just wouldn't you, would go to the parks. Sorry.

You're okay. Definitely, like my age group. And also, like, a lot of the people who follow me on social media were very anti going to Disney like, and they still are, they're like, "why are you going to Disney in the middle of the pandemic?" I'm like, listen, Stephanie. At this point. I'm like, at this point, I'm going there's no stopping me. But um, excuse me, there was definitely a lot of pushback, especially in the cast member community, of people shaming other people for choosing to go to the parks. When a lot of people also were like, I'm working there during the day, like, what's the point of me working there and not enjoying my benefits? Like by going and like at night?

So yeah, I've definitely I've had some friends cut me off, because of me going to the Disney Parks during this pandemic. But I'm like, well, if you're not, like letting me make that decision for myself, and even like, witnessing the measures Disney's going to, like, I don't want someone who's just gonna, like, be petty. And just unfriend me in my life anyways, so it's whatever.

So what are you currently involved in? You mentioned that you have a job up in Pennsylvania now, is there anything else you're doing?

Not really just like supporting my friends down in Florida from afar. I'm, like I said, I'm a manager at a retail job up here. I am using this time to kind of get my health in track, because that's something I'm not very good at. I have a busted knee that I have to deal with. Like I mentioned earlier, I have a heart flutter, which is not a good time. It's kind of weird. So I'm like getting that like handled. I'm getting my stress and anxiety back under control. And like seeing doctors that I've been putting off seeing for three years. That's my big hobby, right.

So what what would you describe as your new normal admits this pandemic?

I don't know yet. I don't have a new normal because I feel like every day my life's being turned up on its head. Two weeks ago, if you would have asked me that my new normal was moving to Pennsylvania to go to the doctor's to save money by not paying rent, and to get a new car so that way, and like get my finances back and track. So that way I can move back to Florida by next summer when I'll probably be called back to Disney and universal. Now that I'm laid off by Disney, I am kind of just taking one day at a time. I'm still mentally trying to get through the news of being laid off. And I'm just kind of seeing where life takes me whether I do move back to Florida sometime next year, or I get an apartment with some friends up here and stay here for a little bit longer. It's really I feel like every day's a new adventure right now and I don't really I have yet to find my normal.

Okay, and then just one last question. What do you think the legacy of the pandemic will be on Disney cast member and performing arts?

I... that's a loaded question. Um, I feel like it's definitely gonna be different for every person you ask. aA lot of people how this was all handled, especially with the layoffs, has been has put a very bad taste in their mouth. I know a lot of people who will not be returning back to the company when given the chance. That's definitely not me. I don't want to say it's the end for a lot of Disney entertainment. Just because I've seen, I have friends who work in some of the International parks like Tokyo, in Paris and Hong Kong, and countries who are kind of like getting over this whole pandemic, not getting over it, but just like, having dealt with it and like not at the levels of cases we are and know how to handle it, who are doing phenomenal in entertainment is almost back to complete normalcy.

And so like I hope that will be sooner rather than later. But I really just everyday in this country is a crazy new whirlwind. I don't know if Disney entertainment in the ah, what's the word in like the US based parks will ever be the same. Especially in Disneyland just because, Disneyland from what I've talked to from friends who work in Disneyland, their entire entertainment department got laid off. So when Disneyland does reopen, they're not going to have like, Disney World has cavalcades right now. But Disneyland's not gonna have anything like that. So the domestic parks is going to be, it's going to be interesting to see what all goes down over the next couple of months with that.

Thank you. So are there any questions? Do you think I should ask or I should have asked during the course of this interview or anything that you want to say before we end?

Oh, no, I like I really like these. These are like really good questions. I think they really, they're what I like this, they're not questions that people normally ask Disney castmembers. Because people love to assume that they know everything about a cast members job. When in reality, everything that they think they know is far from the truth. So I definitely like this was a really good like, interview. I liked it.

Um, well, actually, I've one more question. What do you think that people think they know about cast members?

My favorite thing in the whole wide world is people think you get fired for everything. Oh, my goodness, you tell someone you sneezed wrong on stage at work. And they're like, and you didn't get fired? Like, I kid you not there's so much I have done at Disney, that if Kimmy Joe from Facebook heard about she be like, "how are you not blacklisted from the company?" I, like people always assume that they know how cast members lives arethat like every rumor they see is true.

Like, if you if someone even knew I was doing this interview and said that I was Tigger earlier. They'd be like, "don't you like sign your life away? You can't say that?" No, I just like to uphold character integrity, because I like to keep the magic alive. But I'm talking about my job right now. Obviously, I'm going to be open and honest and say that I'm the girl on the Tigger costume. So yeah, it's a lot of fun, because it's actually Disney isn't as strict as people make it seem. Disney is actually super chill and like a party every day. And there's a lot that goes on behind the scenes that people would assume we would get fired for. But in all reality, like it's just like working anywhere else.

Oh, thank you. Um, thank you very much for taking the time to do this interview with me today. It was very candid, and I think it will be a valuable contribution to understanding the new normal within performing artists in Disney and beyond. Thank you.

Thank you. I really appreciated this.