INTERN SPOTLIGHT

Name: Ashley Adams

Major: Theatre

Internship Position: Costuming Hostess for Disney’s Electrical Light Parade at Walt Disney World/The Magic Kingdom

Dates of Internship: May 2011-January 2012

Why did you decide to pursue an internship?

“I have always wanted to travel to New York and Chicago to get theatre jobs away from home. However, I have never lived away from home and I still live with my parents. I decided to pursue this internship to experience life away from home which would help me get a feel for what life would be like working in theatre/costuming as a full-time job! You need to have an internship under your belt to really get a feel for what your life will be like in the field of your choosing. A teacher gets to student teach before becoming a teacher. You test drive a car before buying it. It would only seem right that you experience life in your field to be certain that it is the life you want.”

How did you find your internship?

“I heard about the internship through a close friend of mine that previously did an internship at Disney as a Character Attendant. She chose to remain at Disney, has taken a job there, and a permanent residence.” 

Who did you report to and who did you work with?

“The costuming team for the parade had one manager and one coordinator every night. The coordinator had a team of seven individuals (costuming host/hostess) that prepared the parade. The manager came an hour before the parade started and went out into Magic Kingdom and helped make sure everything was in order and running smoothly. I reported to either person. However, what was fun and interesting was getting to work hand-in-hand, not only with other costuming hostesses, but with several character performers in their various roles!” 

What were your major responsibilities?

“I spent three hours every night prepping costumes. This means setting them all up, making sure they are in working order, and being sure every piece was there. Every costume had several pieces. For example, one outfit for Mickey Mouse had 10-15 pieces. These costumes were very intricate because they also had lights in them in which I had to put a fireproof liner in for safety of the characters. Next, I had to dress the performers, plug everyone’s batteries in, and test the lights. Then, if there were no light complications they went out on the parade route and as they came back, I rushed to get them out of their costumes, disassembled the costumes properly, and sent them to the proper laundry facility. They have to be thoroughly checked because if a costume was sent to the wrong place, it would mean all the wires could get destroyed in the wash! One costume could easily cost $16,000.00.” 

What specific skills did you need in this internship?

“They provide you with all the training necessary, but it helps if you have a background in theatre wardrobe where you are accustomed to people in various levels of dress. Many people quit the job because they were uncomfortable assisting the characters changing costumes. Another skill that was needed was speed. You have to be willing to run and think quickly on your feet to solve emergency problems with wires and lights.” 

What did you like best about your experience?

“Of course I loved getting to experience life on my own - paying my own rent and working a full- time job - but the best part about my experience is all the amazing people from all around the world that I had the pleasure of meeting and working with. They taught me about their language, culture, and food. This internship was really an invaluable experience. The things I learned and the people I met, I will always carry with me.” 

What did you learn from your internship?

“Interestingly enough, I learned so much about life and responsibility. It takes responsibility to a new level. You are responsible for your costumes and if something happens, you will get reprimanded. If you get three reprimands, you lose your job. It is shattering to see how the smallest mistake can make a large impact.  

It also taught me about teamwork. You must rely on your team to help you get the job done and if it is not done correct, the team fails, not just you individually. If you have a good team, the mistakes will get fixed but it takes trust and hard work from everyone involved.  

Having a job with the parade made me feel that I had a purpose. My purpose was to prepare these costumes and send out the characters in the parade with no flaws. This is because it doesn’t just affect me; it affects the thousands of people that paid to come to Disney to see the famous electrical parade. You never know it could be that little girl or boys last wish through the Make a Wish Foundation to come to Disney and experience the ‘magic.’ I am a small part of something BIG. It’s all about making Magic. Dreams Do Come True!” 

How did you juggle school, work, life, etc.?

“I worked 40-60 hours a week and usually 8-12 hour shifts that started around 2:00 or 3:00 p.m. and went till 2:00 a.m. At first, I was exhausted and it took a lot of time to adjust to my new schedule. I was taking one class through Disney University. It wasn’t easy, but I found a way to juggle everything. On my days off, I spent all day in the Magic Kingdom theme park. I knew it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, so honestly I slept very little and played a lot!” 

What advice/tips would you give other students regarding internships?

“I recommend that everyone tries an internship during their college career. Even if it isn’t exactly what you’re going to school for, you may find it is worth your time! Costuming isn’t exactly performance theatre, but I enjoyed it and gathered so much hands-on experience and knowledge that I never could have gotten in a class room. The interesting thing is that the things I learned from my experience applied to all areas of my life not just theatre.” 

Congratulations to Ashley Adams for being selected to be in the Intern Spotlight!