UK Pavilion Jobs

Hi,

I'm thinking of doing the Cultural Representative Program. I'm not sure as I had wanted to do the new year-long International College Program but my university isn't affiliated so I can't.

What are the actual roles in the UK pavilion? I know they're either Merchandise or F&B, but what are the roles within those areas? It's ages since i went to Epcot and I can't remember what was in the UK pavilion.

Does it get boring doing the same job for a whole year? The experience sounds amazing, but I'm just not sure if the jobs do.

Thanks,

Richard

 

F&B jobs include Seating, Greeting, Beer Cart, Chip Shop, Food running, Serving and/or bar.....some people can become General Tellers (money counting) but only a couple of people get that job and it's infrequent that you do it i think!!

Merchandise is basically one job.....Merchandise!!! Just imagine working in a shop over here and it's pretty much the same thing....you do rotate around the shops, so you get some variety and it also includes working on Kidcot (helping kids make masks), but that's about it!! If you want, there is the option to become a Floorstocker.....that makes you the "every-man"....you cover people, stock every location, cash everyone out at the end of the night.....

Personally I would say Merch is better...but that's only cos I worked there!! F&B is more hectic but eventually you make more money, Merch is less hectic but you make less money!! Judgement call.....

The jobs can become quite lame but eventually you realise that the working part of being there is such a small part of the WHOLE experience that you can easily put up with it, even if you hate it immensly!!

Hope this helps!!

Ellen x x x

 

Are the wages higher in F&B, or is it just tips?

Also, what sorts of shops do the Merchies work in? Is it just one big shop will lots of "British" goodies?

 

I'd have to disagree with Ellen and say food and bev is best!!!!! Funny that seeing as i was food and bev!!!

Wages in food and bev start off the same as in merch when youre in non-tipped which is either working on podium seating greeting or assigning, on the beer cart or in the chippy as Ellen said.

When you move into a tipped role your wages go down but you earn a lot more money as you get tips. You can either go into service or the bar. The bar gets paid more and usually make more money in tips!!

The money really does come in handy once youre in service but like ellen said the work is very hectic and can be very stressful. You can work your ass off for a table and give them the best service ever and then they leave you little or no tip which sucks beyond belief!!!

Id have to agree with Ellen too that in the end whatever job youre doing you will become bored with it. I guess in food you have the advantage of doing a variety of jobs but in merch theres less people so theyre a tighter unit and are a lot closer - i think ellen would agree on that? Not to say you wont make good friends in foods, its just cos theres so many of you there are more little groups rather than one big group if that makes sense?!!?

Like the lovely ellen said it really is down to personal preference. Whatever job you do you'll meet some of the most amazing people and will make friends for life, the work is only one tiny aspect of your time out there!!

Will let ellen or another merchie answer your question about merch shops ...

Hope that helped and wasnt too confusing!!!

Michelle xx

Oh, one more thing, theres more people in food and bev so youre more likely to get that than merch!!!

 

aargh. dilemma

 

Can be a bit confusing!!! Whatever job you choose though youll have a blast!!

I reckon you should apply to yummy now and start thinking about your preference as from what I remember theyll ask your preference at the end of your phone interview and then at your face to face you have to fill out a form officially stating your preference.

Youre not always guaranteed your first choice though - a lot of people choose merch but get foods just cos theres more positions available!

Good luck with your application, Im jealous that youre just starting out and my experience is now over!!!

Cant really stress enough how many great friends youll make out there - people like Ellen (love and miss you!!!) - whatever area you work in!!

Michelle xx

 

Awww, shucks Michelle!! I miss you too!!! The F&B/Merch divide never happened between us did it!?!? hehe!!

The Merch shops do sell British stuff, but it's all split up....Toy Shop, Perfume Shop, Sports Shop, Tea/Chocolate shop, China Shop, and Crown and Crest...which is hard to describe....kinda books and small trinkets....

then there's HRC...but don't let me get started on that place!

MERCH IS BETTER!

x x x

 

Chocolate and Tea is such a strange combination

Welcome back to the Online World Ellen

Colin

 

If you're lucky, you might even find Chocolate flavoured tea.....the amount of different flavours they have in there I wouldn't put it past them having some tucked away somewhere.....

ooh, and you can also meet Mr Twining at Food and Wine Festival if you go to the right tea seminar that they do!!

Thanks Colin.....I can't believe I survived 5 days with no internet!!! x

 

Food and bev food and bev!!!!

Just like a throwin all over again!!!

Thats true about the f&b/merch divide - was never really an issue for us was it!!!

 

MERCHANDISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think we avoided the divide cos we were different arrival groups and we already knew each other....most of the F&Bs I got on with were your group, or the december lot Michelle!

By the way....Melissa told me something about you and Timmy! x x x

 

Youre right though we were the best arrival group - I wasnt too keen on a lot of your arrival group - you were definitely an honorary Marchie!!!!

Def helped knowing each other before we went out there!!!

Hmmmmmm, I wonder what it was Melissa told you!!!!News sure dooes travel fast around ex and current UK CMs!!! ;D

 

Not cliquey at all, LOL.

Anyway, I'm really excited as I sent in my application last week. Here's hoping.

 

Lol!!! Its not really that cliquey I promise!!!

Its just that there were some people i didnt get on with and they just all happened to arrive around the same time as Ellen!!!! Plus, us lot that arrived out there in March 2005 were the best - just ask any of us!!!!!

Good luck with your application - let us know how it goes!! So the big question is are you gonna go for food and bev or merch!?!?!

 

Definitely going for Merchandise, as among other things, I spill drinks - all the time!

And if I can be, I like the idea of being part of a smaller team, although I guess I'll make loads of friends either way.

If I get the job, I only hope that the September 2007 (wow that's a long way away) arrival group can be almost as good as yours - only almost, I wouldn't want to aim for something impossible.

 

The fact that merch is smaller is really good....we had so many nights out where ALL of us were there.....if you tried doing that in F&B it would be a disaster....it really was tight knit, and for the most part we all got on with each other!!

....I must agree with Michelle, her arrival group was far better than mine!! I got on with more people who arrived before and/or after me than what I did from my own group!! besides, its good to branch out and get to know everyone!!! There was a point where I could have told you EVERYONE'S name in the WHOLE pavilion!!

x

 

LOL I too spill everything all the time and I still did F&B. It gives you a lot of funny moments most of which should have been really embarressing but actually weren't. The best one was being the first person to Christen our new manager Rob with a tray of beer as for some reason I dropped 4 pints of beer all over him and Chef Chris as I was walking passed them. It was a complete accident but did get me an ER 20 mins in to my shift. Also had some lovely incidents like falling down the steps between the resturant and lower deck with 3 grilled prawns in my hand and managing to drop all the food, miss the tables of guests and catch all three plates. All I remember is being shaken by Rab who thought I'd gone mad cause I was laughing so much and then having to explain to the table right next to the steps that their starter would be another 20 mins as they would have to cook them by scratch. I did get a round of applause when I then managed to carry the three replacements down to them without slipping!

So as you can see you don't really need to be accident free to do F&B you just have to remember to always smile when you do things wrong(aka throwing a glass of water over a guest).

I didn't actually choose which I wanted to work in F&B or merch I just said I had no preference and then after the phone interview and London interview they asked if I would be OK with F&B. I think both have benefits and the year is what you make it so as long as you enjoy yourself then the year will be fab.

 

We had so many incidents of people dropping things on guests and all over the floor!!! The kitchen was always filled with people shouting 'I need a bangers and mash on the fly' cos theyd just dropped one in the middle of the restaurant!!

Noone ever managed to spill anything on manager Rob though!!!! That would have been amusing!!! Wish I was there to see that!!!

One of my fellow cast members was delivering the last meals of the evening to a table on lower deck - three well done steaks - and managed to drop every single one of them. By this point the kitchen had started shutting down cos as far as they were concerned we were all in and all the food had gone out. BUt they had to restart the grill and cook the meals from scratch delaying them leaving by quite a while!!!

There were so many incidents like yours with people slipping down the steps to lower deck especially during the fireworks when you couldnt see a thing and guests were all over the place trying to watch the show!!! When I was leaving there was talk of getting some lighting on those stairs but I dont know if thatll ever happen!!!

Like its been said before, dropping things isnt a big deal at all - as long as you can take it all in good humour and lauigh at yourself then the guests will laugh along with you!!

Ellen - it would have been totally impossible to have nights out with the whole of food and bev!!! Would never ever happen!! Used to be jealous of your merchie gatherings - especially when youd all go to a character breakfast!!

Thats very wise of you - dont set your expectations too high now, my group set the standard for arrival groups!!!! There is no bettering us!!! We were two groups arriving two weeks apart and when you put us together we were by far and away the best!!!

Think Im getting a bit carried away now arnt I!!! Lol!!!

Delusions of grandeur methinks!!!!

Michelle xx

 

Well I wouldn't say your arrival group was the best, but (apart from the 5 of us in Merch) you were much better than my 2-weeks worth of an arrival group!!

You were so nice, you met me on my first day....remember that?? when I nearly had a panic attack about my apartment, and hid from my throw-in (thanks for not forcing me!), and wanted to go home!?! Imagine what woulda happened if I had...I'm so glad my panic and homesickness only lasted 2 days!

x x x

 

I remember!!! Cant believe that day was over a year ago now!!!

Am so glad you never went home at that point!!! Dont blame you hiding from the throwin people!!! Was a bunch of total crazy freaks!!! Lol!!!

I dont think we were really the best group either!!! There were a couple in my group I could have done without!!! Thats a bit mean of me isnt it!! Oh well, you cant get on with everyone!!! Lol!!

Michelle xx