It's all in the mind set.

It seems like I've been here forever. And I'm surprised at how easy it is to change my mindset when I enter Disney as a cast member versus when I enter Disney as a guest.

As a cast member, I don't think of it as that magical place that everyone talks about. (If you saw what the backstage looks like, you'd understand why. But sorry - I am not allowed to have a camera backstage to document this for you.) When I go onstage (anywhere in the park) in my costume, I don't think about which rides I'd like to go on or which show I'd like to wait for. I'm simply there to do a job.

When I enter the park as a guest, nothing has been ruined. I am able to forget about all the things I've seen backstage and still enjoy the park just like I did before I knew all the ins and outs. I am grateful for that.

Going on week three, I have discovered that I absolutely LOVE doing Guest Interaction shifts for parades. Much more so than I like working Jungle Cruise. When I do parades, I get to wear the coveted red vest and simply interact with guests all day. My job is to make 'magic moments' for people and be there to answer any questions they may have. I love it!

If I am being honest here, there is a whole lot more drama among the cast members than I ever imagined. There are 22,000 cast members working for our park, but yet everyone knows everyone. And people talk. A lot. I want to make sure I get on no one's bad side.

Working parade shifts is an interesting culture, too. Since they pull people from all over the park, no one really knows each other at the beginning of the day. But by the end of the day, after an eight hour shift of guest interacting, you suddenly have a new friend. (And a familiar face to say hi to at different attractions when you are playing in the park later on.)

I've officially changed my scheduling preferences to have parade shifts be my first choice. I love making jokes on Jungle Cruise, but the bruises from the rocking boat, all of the small little rules to remember, and the different breed of people that work there make it...hard.

Fingers crossed I'll be seeing a lot more parade shifts on my schedule!