End of the Line

As y'all may or may not know, I finished the program. Or rather, I quit. Mine is an odd story, not often found. It is not something I particularly want to share, but I will say that most people do finish out the program and many even go on to extend. Great! Wonderful! I know they're having a wonderful time and I wish them luck in all they do.

I had a great experience and I learned a lot, but I cannot work for such a large company. It's not necessarily the scale. That's too simple. It's the fact that everything is automated and nothing is done a personal scale at all. I couldn't even get a reference because any manager who could be contacted for a reference would be representing the Disney company, etc. etc. etc. Basically, you may have been awesome, but we can't give you a recommendation because it's against our policy. Kind of... crap. I get it, but I think they could figure something out.

So now I'm home, working for a local bakery and I am a lot happier, despite having to live at home til I have the money for my own place. But I'm working on it. Sounds like a step down, but I really think it's better.

That's all for now. This blog is over and done. Peace out! Oh and keep dreaming!

I'm SORRY!

I realize how long it's been since I've posted, but in my defense, my life is quite a bit... redundant. I get up some time between six and seven in the morning, head to work, usually get stuck (though I actually don't hate it) on the cash registers and, 8 hours later, I go home. Usually, I fall asleep, sometimes on the couch, for a few hours. Then I might wake up in time to make a late dinner and watch TV while surfing the net pointlessly for a few hours before hopping in the shower and going to bed.

I have to say that my job is a bit monotonous, but there are some entertaining parts... like having to explain the Disney Dining Plan to guests. Some of the questions asked are very entertaining. In a good way, don't worry. It's the little things that keep you going, you know? And I really like the people I work with, for the most part. Having that Disney image expected of me is something that makes me strive to achieve it. Sounds kind of cheesy, I know, but it's true.

I know I do my job the way I'm supposed to. I do it well and I do it efficiently and, most importantly, I do my job with a smile. Multiple guests have joked that they came to my register because I was actually smiling. Sometimes, it's obviously not a joke. They like that I'm smiling. But joking or not, I continue to do so.

I even had a guest comment in their survey as they were checking out that I was "Excellent". Earned me points with my managers, as if I needed more. ;)

Being able to say that I worked for Disney is going to be fantastic, but being able to say that they liked what I did while there? Well that's even better, isn't it?

Once again, I do enjoy working for Disney, but I have to admit that extending my program is not my first choice right now. I'm applying and I would happily stay, but I'm also applying for other jobs. I would love to work for the cruise line or possibly do Adventures by Disney. I think both would be fantastic and might give me a leg up in the company because I have to admit that I kind of want to stay with Disney. I'd much rather go back to being a server in one of their restaurants, though. I don't care for quick service, not that I'm picky. It's a job and in this economy it's definitely better than many can get. I'm sounding like a bit of a complainer, aren't I? Sorry.

Just wanted y'all to know that I do enjoy what I'm doing and hope to continue with the Walt Disney Company for years to come.

On a different note, Epcot's International Food and Wine Festival is going on RIGHT NOW! Tomorrow, Hanson will be performing at the American Pavilion for Eat to the Beat. Guess who's got two thumbs and plans to go! THIS GIRL! Oh and I'm making a shirt for it. I'll post pics later on.

Secondly, with F&W, I'll be posting food reviews since I've tried a few of the dishes. I'm not going to be too adventurous considering the prices and lack of cast member discount for these food items. But I will review what I've tried in the coming weeks and let you know what you can look forward to for next year!

Oh and one more thing. If you visit Animal Kingdom and do the Kilimanjaro Safari ride... watch out for stinging insects. Not sure if it was a wasp or a hornet or a bee or what, but man, I got stung! It was yesterday afternoon and it swelled pretty well before I could get to a First Aid station. They gave me some stuff to make it stop stinging (which really didn't work), some ice to stop the swelling (which helped, thank goodness), and some benedryl, which made me so tired. But luckily, if I am allergic, I didn't die. So we're good. This time. That's all.

Later, Dreamers!

Run Away!

OK, don't really run away. But sometimes you might find that you're going crazy staying in the apartment. Try getting away for a weekend or just one night if you've got the chance. I have friends and relatives not far away so I can go visit them whenever I have time, so long as they're available too.

Whether your get along with your roommates or not, getting away is something everyone needs to do. It's just a tip, but please take my suggestion.

Keep on dreamin', dreamers!

Spicy Pico de Gallo Chicken Pasta

Ready for my first recipe post? Y'all didn't know I could cook, huh? Yeah, I didn't think so. Well, I can!

First off, let me just say that I bought the ingredients at Wal-Mart yesterday and didn't know what I was going to do with it all. A handful of parsley, a yellow onion, some tomatoes and frozen chicken. How does that turn into a fantabulous, spicy pasta? Like this!

Ingredients:
2 frozen chicken breasts
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1-1 1/2 TBSP fresh, chopped cilantro
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1-2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP olive oil
Crushed red pepper
Salt
Black pepper
Dried parsley
Garlic powder
1-1 1/2 cups pasta (any type, though spaghetti and fettuccine are not recommended)
Shredded cheese for garnish (mozzarella is what I used, but you can choose)

Directions:

Thaw frozen chicken breasts.

Heat water for pasta on the stove.

In skillet on medium high heat, melt butter. Add onion and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Try not to caramelize, though it's certainly an option if you like. When onions are softened, add olive oil and thawed chicken breasts. While chicken breasts are cooking, add a few shakes of salt, pepper, and garlic powder to uncooked side. Add a pinch of dried parsley, pinch (or more if you like) of crushed red pepper and all of the chopped cilantro. You can leave a bit of the cilantro for a garnish or simply chop a little extra. Add the diced tomatoes at this stage. Cook chicken for about 5 minutes and then turn. Add the same seasoning to the other side. Cook for about 2-3 minutes.

THIS STEP OPTIONAL
BEFORE the chicken is thoroughly cooked, take both pieces out and cut them on the cutting board. Place back in the skillet to continue cooking.

When chicken is cooked, throw in the pasta and tossed thoroughly. Garnish with cheese, possibly cilantro and any other Mexican-style flavors you can think of!

Serves 2-3 people


BEFORE
















AFTER

















I've got to say that my taste buds were very happy with this dish. It was spicy and flavorful and filling. Mmm... Well, that's all for now!

Dare to dream!

Water: The Stuff of Life

Important tip here. Probably the most important tip I can give you. But, of course, I have to start with a bit of a story.

Here's the thing. I work inside. Not out in the sun and 105-degree heat. It's not always that hot, but you get the idea. So you wouldn't assume that it'd be easy for me to get dehydrated. Well, obviously it is.

I'm not one of those people who avoids water or liquids in general like the plague. I like water. Love it. I love Diet Coke too, but that's different. I'm working on cutting back on soda in general. Which is a good thing.

Recently I've had headaches that are so bad, I can't be my usual chipper self at work. I had to leave early on Saturday because it got so bad. You know how, if you're dehydrated at all, your fingers may get an odd feeling? Almost like being oversensitive to touch? That's not the right way to describe it, but it's the only way I can think of.

Not really a story there. I'm just saying, I've never had it so bad that it takes three days to get back to normal. Just do me a favor and drink lots of water. Fluids in general, but definitely water. Soda isn't a great idea, but gatorade, powerade, and things like that are definitely something to drink when you can.

So, for me, please drink water!!!!!

And that's all for now, so keep dreaming!

Too Long!

It's been way too long since I posted and I really am sorry for that. All in all, the experience is still going well. It's still raining practically every day at some point, but I work inside so I'm staying dry. Yay!

I'm trying to think of more tips during my absences, but I haven't got anything new at the moment. I would like to know, though, if you've got questions for me. I'd be happy to answer them!

I'm still working at Port Orleans and I'm trying to figure out what my next move will be when my program ends in January. Will I extend into May? Will I apply for a professional internship? I will if I can. What about working on the Disney Cruise Line?

At the moment, I'm looking for someone to whom I can speak about all of these options so that I can get a better idea of what I want to do.

Again, comments and questions are greatly appreciated. For now, that's all I've got. I'll try to have more next time!

Keep dreaming!

Back to the Basics

I realize, with some regret, that not all of my posts have been about my experiences on the Disney College Program exclusively. Sorry about that. I was trying to keep with the normal updates for friends and family. However, I originally intended this blog to be there to answer questions that incoming CPs might have.

So here goes. Back to the basics, as the title obviously implies. I want to answer questions and provide tips to current and future CPs. Ready? Set? GO!

Tip #1: Learn enough Portuguese, Spanish and French to be able to explain anything vital to your job. Trust me. If you don't learn Portuguese, you're in for a great time with the Brazilian tour groups. If you do learn, you can explain what they need to do, how they need to do it, and how many of them can go at once. You'll not only survive their visits, but you'll relish the challenge. Spanish, I feel, is a given. French is surprisingly popular as well. I've had to use my rudimentary French a few times already. Let me explain though... I took two years of French in high school... That was freshman and sophomore year which, by this time, was more than six years ago. The facts that I A) remembered any French and B) was able to get my point across each time... well I'm highly impressed with myself.

Tip #2: If you do not know any of the three aforementioned languages, Disney University provides the use of Rosetta Stone through the DU Library. Sign up for it as soon as you arrive. I signed up about two weeks in, checked back about a month later and was told I would still have about 3-4 months on the wait list. Just to clarify, I'm still waiting. A tip for Disney would be to buy more licenses or at least inform the CPs about the wait list. I'm not complaining. It's a great opportunity and it will help me to better my knowledge of the three aforementioned languages.

Tip #3: If you haven't had the opportunity to live outside of your own home, your college dorm or your fraternity/sorority house, then you'll want to pay special attention to this one. Let me clarify first. I have awesome roommates. Surprisingly, we all get along well and, besides the personal pet peeves of each, we don't have any major problems. But I have heard from many of my friends that they've had problems with roommates. Make sure to establish ground rules and even discuss things like allergies or what have you. By ground rules, I mean those dealing with visits by the opposite gender, who's going to buy the dish soap and when, etc. Things of that nature. It's not tough, so just do it.

Tip #4: Take advantage of your free admission into the parks, but try to bring your lunch/dinner/snacks/drinks as much as possible. You'll save yourself money and that, my friends, is all I need to really say on the subject.

Tip #5: Don't be negative. Disney accepted you because you showed personality and positive attitude on the phone. They don't want Wendy Whiners, OK? I work with a lot of them and it's no fun for me and it brings me down a little. But then I remind myself who I'm working for. Dude... my boss is Mickey Mouse. 'Nuff said.

Tip #6: Learn how to ask off. I obviously did the wrong thing when I asked off my first time because it put 8 hours on my schedule, but when I showed up for work... well I wasn't supposed to work. Just make sure you understand. I obviously didn't, but I do now.

Tip #7: Buy a lunchbox and decide what you're going to eat for lunch/dinner at work. It may become monotonous, so make sure you can switch it up. I have a problem, personally. I work in a food court... around delicious Disney food all day... I can't resist the Magic Cookie Bars. They're amazing. If I were to actually bring my lunch every day, I wouldn't have a problem. But I don't. I'm going to start though. I know this is a lot, but stick with me. I'm almost done.

Tip #8: Find a doctor locally. A lot of CPs get sick in the beginning of the program; new environment and all. I have had this insane cough for a month now and I'm finally on the right antibiotics to get rid of it. Go to the Take Care Clinic at Walgreens for all your medical needs. Well, not really. But go there first. And they gave me a list of local doctors in case I need to go back.

That's all the tips I have for now. If you have questions about any of them, comment below. If you want more tips on certain issues you've heard about... well... you know what to do.

Until next time, keep on dreaming!