Delays & Mickey Mouse: My Unexpected First Week in Orlando
I landed in Orlando ready to jump straight into my new job at Universal Studios. The plan? Touch down, unpack, start training, and get fully stuck into theme park chaos.
Reality? Slightly different.
Apparently, the universe had other ideas.
✈️ A Soft Launch Into Florida Life
Despite arriving on time and ready to go, a couple of unexpected hiccups in the processing chain, nothing too dramatic, just a short delay, but enough to throw off the nice little “first week at work” vlog I had planned.
I’ve attended my local orientation (tick ✅), settled into my housing (double tick ✅✅ and a whole story on that later), and had a bit of time to explore Orlando before the grind begins. If anything, it’s been a calm before the Universal storm, and honestly, I’m not mad at it.
🎡 A Familiar Detour: Disney Resorts
In a very unexpected turn of events, my first week working for Universal has been spent visiting Disney.
Yep. I’ve now officially been to two Disney resorts this week, purely recreational, of course. And walking through those grounds again brought back so many memories from my Cultural Representative Program days. There’s something very full-circle about arriving for a whole new experience but accidentally starting with a throwback.
I couldn’t help but compare the two, the visuals, the music, the sheer commitment to theming. It felt like catching up with an ex you’re still weirdly fond of. You’re not together anymore, but you still know their favourite song and where they keep the snacks.
🌴 What I’ve Learned So Far (Despite Not Working Yet)
Let’s call it a soft launch into chaos. Here’s what I’ve already discovered in just a few days:
• Florida humidity? Still undefeated.
• Americans really don’t get the obsession with proper tea.
• Orientation is a bit like the first episode of a reality show, you’re just figuring out who’s going to be chill, chaotic, or secretly an icon.
• Ducks are still running the theme parks (see: the mysterious reappearance of Fred, more on that soon).
But more than anything, I’ve remembered that no matter how tightly you plan, life’s going to do its own thing. And sometimes, that ends up being even better.
🎢 What’s Next?
Work officially begins this week and I’m genuinely buzzing. I know things will get intense, sweaty, overwhelming, and brilliant all at once. And I’ll be sharing some of it here: the shifts, the chaos, the team member (not cast member) moments, but NO behind-the-scenes glimpses for you.
This might not have been the week I expected, but it’s definitely the one I needed.
Bring on Universal.