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!

Happy Independence Day!

Fourth of July in WDW. The only thing better might be DC. Seriously. We were at Epcot, right across from the America pavilion in the World Showcase and we were so close that if I looked straight up, I saw the fireworks directly above me. They. Were. Awesome. Spectacular... They were spectacu-lacular! Haha. If anyone gets that reference, then kudos.

Now, I didn't end up seeing the MK fireworks last night as I'd planned because I thought they were supposed to be at 10, but they were at 9 instead. By the time I figured that out, I wouldn't have made it. Next year, right?

Anyway, the finale of the Epcot fireworks was the most amazing thing ever. I had to plug my ears and my chest was reverberating with the sound because they were so close and there were so many!!!

So that's it for my Independence Day post. G'night dreamers!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! That was scary!

So, no... I haven't actually been scared. I'm quoting one of my favorite TV shows; one of my favorite episodes of the show.

On a different note, my roommate, codename HS, has the best story of the week. Oh, and it has nothing to do with Disney. At all. Poor thing has a toothache. SAD FACE! One of her fillings is loose. Apparently it has been for years, but it began to hurt in the last few days. And she passed out at work from the pain. Yay pain.

HS's manager let her go home, but they gave her the name and number of a dentist who apparently gives discounts to Disney employees. His name is Fauquad. Say that out loud. Just do it. Now, what does it sound like? Oh, did I mention this dentist (D.D.S. my butt) is 24-hour? Yeah. Sketch. And there's only one chair. And you can see it through the window from outside. And the dentist was sitting in a La-Z-Boy chair drinking a margarita when HS and her boyfriend walked in.

So anyway, this dentist uses one of the metal utensils to knock on HS's sore tooth and asks "Is it this one?" Well of course, HS is cringing and shrinking away going "Yes! Yes, that's it!" "Oh, OK so this one?" *click, click, click* "YES!" And the jerk face is LAUGHING! He's laughing!

D.D.S. gives HS some shots for the pain, took an X-ray, which he printed on a piece of regular printer paper (looking even more sketch in doing so), then offers to do the $600 root canal himself right there. HS is in so much pain that she's about to accept, but luckily Mr. Boyfriend was there to tell D.D.S. no thank you. HS might have woken up to D.D.S. saying "OK, no more baby". Bad joke. Sorry. But it really sounded that... um... sketchy.

Story of the week right there and it's only Wednesday! Excuse me while I throw my head back and laugh at the situation. MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh my, did that sound evil? I'm so sorry. I'll work on that.

On a less ridiculous note, two of my roommates love Supernatural (one of the best shows on TV) as much as I do so we're having a sort of marathon. Can't wait for season 7! But I'm getting sidetracked from Disney stuff. Sorry.

OH! We made something up. So, if you're totally Disney... and I'm talking if you're the shiznit when it comes to all Disney-related things... like yours truly... you are the Diz-nish. HAH! Awesome, right?

That's really all I have. Questions and comments are always appreciated here on the blog. I try not to answer stuff if you ask it on Facebook. What's the point of asking a question about my blog via Facebook where others can't see the answer? Anyway, that's all folks!

Keep on dreamin'!

Somebody call IX-I-I!

Can you name the film from which I took the title?

Oh my gravy, there's so much to say! Prepare for a long post...

The End.

Just kidding. But seriously, so much has happened. Number one, which has absolutely nothing to do with Disney, is that my book, The Rose Legends, Book One: Found, is officially available. Go check it out on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or WHSmith if you're overseas. If you do read it, I'd love for you to review it on the discussion board for The Rose Legends on Facebook and feel free to send me a copy at TheRoseLegends@gmail.com so that I can post it on the official website!

Now that's out of the way, I'm also sick. Been sick for a week now and it's awful. I've got this killer cough and I feel like I'm about to cough up a lung at any second. But I finally went to the walk-in clinic today, got a doctor's note for work, and a prescription for a Z Pack. So I should be right as rain soon. Thank goodness because I was coughing so hard at one point last night that my eyes were tearing up. A lot. Like... A LOT.

On the bright side, I'm still IN DISNEY WORLD! Went into the parks last weekend, thinking I was feeling better. I was wrong. But I was in Hollywood Studios and Epcot for a while. It was fun and my family was there with me at DHS (Disney's Hollywood Studios) until they left. They'd already been in WDW most of the week.

I finally rode Rockin' Roller Coaster for the first time this trip. We got fast passes (5, one for each of us) and since my parents didn't use theirs, my siblings got to go twice. Then a little girl gave my siblings an extra pass so I got to go twice as well! Woohoo! I like nice people at WDW. Anyway, if you're thinking about riding Rockin' Roller Coaster or Disney's Toy Story Mania, you need to get fast passes. Get Toy Story first because they run out faster than RRC. You can get the latter after your TSM ones activate, though sometimes the fast passes will specifically state a time that differs from the activation time.

That's just for DHS. For Epcot, you'll want fast passes for Soarin', Test Track, and probably Mission: Space. I'm not sure about the last one because I've not yet ridden it this trip. But from what I understand, it's quite popular. Test Track and Soarin' lines are always long, but Soarin' is not a thrill ride. You can skip it if you're over the age of ten or under the age of 40. Trust me. It's a nice break, but not what you want to spend a fast pass on if you're seeking thrills.

In the World Showcase at Epcot, I haven't eaten everywhere yet (it's a goal), but I have eaten at the quick service fish and chips place in the UK and it's really good. Actually comparable to the real thing overseas, if you can believe it. Not the same, of course, but close enough for me! And I'm picky. I wouldn't recommend the Cantina in Mexico, though. I've had much better Mexican food. I have not yet eaten at the other two eateries in Mexico, though. Reviews to follow when I do.

I believe that is all for now, though. My birthday is tomorrow so I hope to feel well enough to enjoy it. At least it's not my 21st or something big that I have to celebrate. Just turning 22 on the 22nd.

As always, if you seek tips simply about a visit, please ask in the comments. I won't answer questions via Facebook because I want others to see, especially if it's a general question that more than one person would ask.

Ta ta for now, dreamers!

When in doubt, send the Wookie

Yes. Send the Wookie. When all else fails... Star Wars Weekends at Disney's Hollywood Studios are almost over! And I have to work all three nights. But I think I'm going to go on Sunday morning to try and get a few autographs. Did I tell you? I finally have an official Disney autograph book! WOOHOO!

I still love my job. I don't dread going to work. It's awesome. Granted, I'm still in training, but I like the people I work with too. I had an awesome two days off in which I went to the parks and just had a grand old time. Oh! Try to ride Big Thunder Mountain at night. Epic.

I don't have a lot to say at the moment. This is just a quick blog before I go back to work tonight. I'm working evening shifts a lot now and I'll be done with training on Sunday! Yay! Bye for now, dreamers!

Still With Me?

I'm serious. Are you still with me? Because I think my feet have signed off.

I have to say, though; so far I love my job. I really do. I get to interact with so many different people. It's fantastic. And a lot of them are British. I've found them to be some of the nicest people I've ever met. I mean, I knew the Scots were nice because I was there for 4 months (check out my other blog "What's Under the Kilt" at www.checkunderthekilt.blogspot.com), but I guess I had forgotten after a year and a half. Has it really been that long? Holy crap!

Wondering what my job is? I work at a food court. Fast food, cleaning tables all day, boring? No. Not. At. All. Actually, I do walk a lot which is why my feet are going to fall off at any second, but I also get to talk to so many people and I'm always smiling. I can't help it. My trainer even came up to me within a couple hours of my very first shift and said "I think you're going to do well here." When I asked why he thought that, he simply replied "It's the way you carry yourself. You do a good job and you work hard." He said he had spoken with the manager who agreed. Cool, huh? I feel as if I've made a great impression and I can't wait to continue.

My roommate, known from here on out to you readers as HR, works at the Speedway in Tomorrowland (you know... the go-karts? I mean... race cars). She was telling me about a spontaneous magical moment that happened yesterday. For those of you who don't know, magical moments are just times when a cast member does a little something extra to make a guest feel special or to have that great memory that will last a lifetime. I want to have that experience soon because HR's sounded amazing. Here's the setup, but she tells it better:

There was a middle-aged man wheeling his son, who was in a wheelchair and had a physical disability that seemed to make him unable to have full use of his limbs, through the "handicap" line at the Speedway. HR was working that line at the time and the man comes up with his son, who is a little older, probably our age, and they get in the car and get all set up. HR starts talking to the kid as they're waiting for the father to buckle them both in, and asks "Are you excited?" and of the course the young man says "Yeah", though it's difficult for him to speak. HR continues to talk animatedly (as always) and then gives them the instructions and they set off around the track at a whopping 5 miles an hour. Don't quote me on that. I don't know the real speed.

When the father and son make it back, HR asks if the young man had fun and he nods enthusiastically. The father said his son was smiling the whole time, just beaming. Then the father explains that not only is it his son's first time at Disney World, this ride was his first ride at Disney World. So as the father is beginning to unbuckle himself, HR thinks for a second and then says "You guys had so much fun. Do you want to go around again?" Of course the father is saying things like "Oh, you don't have to", but HR wouldn't have it. So she let the young man and his father go around again.

That is a magical moment.

So, I don't have that ability, per say, but I can still treat guests like an individual. You see so many of the buttons here saying things like "I'm Celebrating!" and "Happy Anniversary" and things like that. Of course, I have to ask or comment on them. It's in my nature to talk.

I met a woman who had a "1st Visit" button on and when I asked her, she informed that her grandchildren had been but they finally got her and her husband to go along. I asked how the trip was and she said it was wonderful; she was being treated like a queen. I told her that's exactly what we're going for and that loved having her here. She was smiling bigger when she walked away than she was when I had first spoken. Possibly because I smile so freaking much. :)

Anyway, I don't have much else to say. The one downside to me job is that I have to wear nylons. Gross. Hate them. Always have. Other than that, I can't really complain. I enjoy it, I get to talk to guests and act like I'm five again when I talk to kids. It's great.

I'm off to bed now because I'm exhausted. G'night! And have magical dreams!

The REAL Post

So, unlike my post yesterday, I thought I'd actually tell you a little bit about what I'm doing. You know... instead of being weird...

My day on Thursday consisted of the parks. Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios to be exact. Did you know they redid Star Tours??? It's the Star Wars ride. I was not happy when I heard they had done it up with 3-D, but it was so. cool. Found out yesterday that you can ride that ride 54 times and get a different story each time. Cool, huh?

Anyway, we rode Tower of Terror and all those awesome rides. Haunted Mansion has a new, interactive queue which is pretty fun. Just a tip: Don't try to pack more than two adults into one of their "Doom Buggies". It's too cramped. Still fun, though. They redid a little of the end of the ride, but don't worry. It's still awesome.

Watched the Main Street Electrical Parade which I hadn't seen in years. Oh! Anyone know about the Fantasyland expansion? The first part is scheduled to be done by spring of 2012, so I definitely want to be here. Cast member perks and all that jazz. There's a TBD date for the official finish in 2013 of the whole thing. They're also taking out the Snow White ride! It's been there since Walt Disney World opened 40 years ago on October 1, 1971. I've heard they're gonna do some awesome stuff on Oct. 1 this year to celebrate.

Also, did you know that December 5 of this year would be Walt's 110th birthday? Yep. I doubt they'll do anything, but it's still kinda cool.

Then, yesterday I went to Port Orleans for some training and to get my costume. The training included walking around to tour the resort. I'd never been. It's absolutely amazing. I haven't been to New Orleans, but I almost felt like I was there. Very cool. I'd recommend staying there. I'll be working in the food court at Riverside, so look me up! I'm so excited!

Other than the too-long bus ride yesterday, this entire experience has been so cool! I also found out that I can check out Rosetta Stone for free! Disney offers it! So on my list are the following languages:
French
Spanish
Italian
German
Japanese
Chinese or Mandarin

I'm really looking forward to starting up again with French and Spanish. You can get additions to your cast member pins if you pass Disney's language tests and the additions say that you speak certain languages. I've seen a lot so far and I really want to be one of them. But I want to be that insane cast member that, in addition to English, knows 6 other languages and everyone just says "Why?" and I can reply "Because I can".

Anyway, today I had a few more hours of training, but now I'm off until Tuesday morning. Disney is doing this new thing where they provide shoes to their cast members! Or at least some of them. I get it though. They want food and beverage cast members to have non-slip shoes and it's safer if they know that's what the cast members were given for sure. I already had my shoes from my last two restaurant jobs, but new ones never hurt!

That's about all I've got for now. With my next two days, I'll probably head back to the parks. My goal is to do all of the rides and attractions in EVERY park by August 1. I'll keep a checklist up starting soon.

Have a magical day!

Disney Secrets

You want to know this silliest question ever? Well... maybe not ever, but definitely in the top five or so...
"Excuse me, what time is the three o'clock parade?"
Dead. Serious. It's a real question that cast members get asked all the time. Well, one of my amazing roommates (I have 5 and yes, they're all awesome. No joke) decided she had the perfect response. Here is the following scenario:
Guest: "Excuse me, but what time is the three o'clock parade?"
Cast Member: "You know, I could tell you right out, but I have this really neat little formula for how to be right on time and get the best seat."
Guest: "Really?"
Cast Member: "Really! And you seem like a pretty cool person, so I'll tell you."
Guest: "Gee thanks! You're swell!"
Cast Member: "You need to listen carefully. Are you ready?"
Guest: "I'm ready."
Cast Member: "Are you sure?"
Guest: (with more anticipation now) "I'm sure."
Cast Member: "OK, here it is. For the three o'clock parade, what you do... is you take that time and double it. Then you add three. With me?" (Guest nods, a little confused) "Then, you take the square root of that number and you've got it! Have a magical day!"

Understand? 3 x 2 = 6 + 3 = 9. The square root of 9? It's three!!!

So that's my roommate quote of the week.

My updates are as follows:
I am exhausted.
I have my costume (ridiculous, but that's to be expected).
I'm exhausted.
I had a 2 1/2 hour bus ride today which should have been 45 minutes.
I'm exhausted.
My apartment is very short on spoons so I ate my dessert with a mixing spoon.
I'm exhausted.
I work until 12:30 in the afternoon tomorrow and then I'm off until Tuesday morning.
I'm exhausted.
My roommates are ALL awesome.

End of updates.

To return to the whole "my roommates are...awesome" thing... I spent the entire ferry ride from Magic Kingdom last night pretending I was a Jedi master pulling our boat toward the opposite shore... and KD (initials) played along. She mentioned it again tonight and said that I was pretty cool. That's how awesome my roommates are.

That's all for now! Keep dreaming!

Traditions

Traditions. What does the word mean to you? Maybe it's the memories of holidays spent with family. Maybe it's repeated rituals within groups and families. Maybe it's playing a game of cards with your family. To Webster, it is "the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction".

In the WDW College Program, Traditions is the first step in becoming an official cast member for the company. It's a class, usually given to about 70 people at a time (but multiple groups go at once), in which the newcomers learn about the practices, business policies, and even a few trade secrets of Walt Disney World. SHH!

We got a tour of backstage and onstage, given by someone who's been with the Disney company for quite a while. She showed us examples of the four keys to success: Show, Courtesy, Efficiency, and Safety. Then she asked us to find some. I had never noticed just how helpful the employees... excuses me... cast members are here. From things like taking a picture for a family, to pointing out where certain rides are and even recommending rides depending upon the guests' tastes. Cast members do it all!

So, we got back from the little tour and learned a little more about things like the Disney Look and then... MICKEY MOUSE comes in! And guess what he's got! Our name tags!

Yeah, Mickey Mouse brought us our name tags. That's right.

Then we left. Sorry to be anti-climactic, but... that's about it. So now I'm exhausted, but thoroughly pleased with my day.

Until next time!

Dream It. Do It. Disney.

The title is the slogan for the Walt Disney World College Program... of which I am NOW a member! Woohoo!!!

So many people have asked about my first day. We started by checking in at one of the apartment complexes. I got my Property ID, room assignment, and session schedule. Then, because I had to catch the bus so soon (in about 30 minutes), we quickly emptied my mom's van (she helped drive me down) and I said goodbye, then hurried to the bus stop.

The nice, charter bus took us to the casting building. I took some pictures, which are on Facebook. I'll try adding them to this post later, so check back.

It took a few hours to get through the different places in the casting building, but I figured out where I'll be working: QSR (Quick service) in the Port Orleans food court. Come visit!

After that, I got to finish unpacking my car, made a Wal-Mart run, where I ate Subway (my first food and drink since about 9am and this was close to 5pm now). Then I unpacked my stuff and relaxed as much as I could the rest of the night while talking to my newly met roommates.

I live in a three-bedroom apartment with 6 girls total and have just one actual roommate. I love first-night conversations because you talk about the most random topics. We really did. I found that I have a few roommates who are just as nerdy as I am, which is hard to achieve, really. One was even wearing a Star Wars shirt. She's awesome.

I seem to be the only one (or one of the few) that CAN cook, but since I like to experiment with recipes, that's perfectly fine.

One thing, though... I accidentally forgot my TV. I have the cord, the cable, the remote and my Wii, but I forgot the actual television set. Oops.

But, through it all, the heat, the lack of food and water, etc., I am now moved in and ready to begin my journey in the Disney College Program.

Thank you!