It's the little things... and the big things. Yeah, those are good too.

 

This past week has been one of the best since the start of my College Program!  This was my last week of classes which meant I gave my final presentations and can find some time to relax.  Sunday was also the end of my sixth day working after a 50 hour work week.  It was brutal however the pay check will be worth it.  It was a tough week yet one little girl made it a lot brighter.  She was too short to go on Space Mountain but instead of crying was fascinated with everything around her.  She was completely adorable and even asked me if I had wings.  It's the little moments that really make all the grief we get worth it. 

Monday night, I went to the Candlelight Processional featuring Neil Patrick Harris in EPCOT.  We waited a couple hours but it was worth every second!  The show was a telling of the Christmas story including narration and music.  The choir was entirely made up of Cast Members who sang beautifully.  There was also a phenomenal symphony to accompany them.  Neil Patrick Harris was incredible!  I couldn't believe he was actually there and he did a magnificent job. 


Tuesday, we spent almost the entire day at Hollywood Studios.  We were able to go to the animation studio where we drew Olaf from Disney's new movie Frozen.  The animator was so nice, he told us if we came back we could draw the Genie from Aladdin. We came back and he even gave us his drawing which was a very magical moment.  After, we headed to Backlot Tours which has a preshow that demonstrates the ways production crews create water battle scenes for films such as Pearl Harbor.  We asked and got to be a part of the special effects volunteers.  They suited us up in water proof uniforms and gave us our roles.  Scott was chosen as the ship captain and I was his goofy deck hand.  We were absolutely drenched in water.  It was so much fun and all we had to do was ask!  From there we went to watch the lighting of the Osborne Family Christmas lights and I even bought the R2D2 bucket that comes with churros! (I've been wanting it since the beginning and it was my first time eating churros.  Yummm!) Throughout the day we ended up riding Toy Story Midway Mania 3 times which is absolutely unheard of!  We also ended our night by visiting the Grand Floridian.  It was beautifully decorated and even holds a giant gingerbread house!  From there, we finished up by watching the Holiday Wishes fireworks show from the beach at Disney's Polynesian Resort . We did not spare a minute that day, let's just say we slept very well that night.

Wednesday, I worked in the morning.  It is always so strange working during the day because all the Cast Members are full timers instead of College Program which means some of them can be very cranky.  It was fun getting out early though because that night was the College Program's Winter Formal.  The theme was Blizzard Bash and even featured character meet and greets with infamous villains such as Hades from Hercules and Jafar from Aladdin.  This was a huge event (even bigger than prom.)  It was a very fun night and everyone was dressed to impress!  It was great having a snow filled evening without the cold.  I am definitely missing home however nothing can beat this weather. 

Friday and Saturday, I went to watch the filming of Disney's Christmas Day Parade/Celebration.  We didn't actually see much of the parade since television areas were reserved however we did get to see Neil Patrick Harris again even closer!  Watching the stage performances were the best part.  We saw Candice Glover the winner of the most recent season of American Idol.  We also saw the finally which featured Ne-Yo who performed his hit song "Let Me Love You."  They were both amazing singers which makes it very exciting to watch them again on Christmas day. Don't forget to look for me in the audience on television!




One of the best parts of my week was Saturday night when I was working at the front of our Fast Pass return line checking Magic Bands and Fast Passes.  I actually ran into a girl I went to day care with back home who was one of the cheerleaders for the parade.  It was amazing seeing a familiar face and really made my night.  There are a lot of little things reminding me of home as we approach Christmas.  I am going to miss it a lot however there is no place I would rather be if I cannot be in Iowa.  It is gorgeous here and I think everyone should have an opportunity to see Walt Disney World at Christmas because it is truly magical.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Christmas is in full swing here in Walt Disney World.  We skipped straight over thanksgiving and not even a week from Halloween we started the Christmas parties.  I will not have the opportunity to work any cookie shifts however the parties seem to be a lot of fun as they present a fun Holiday Wishes fireworks show and parade along with free hot chocolate and cookies!  The castle is also decorated beautifully and covered with lights!

A week ago, I was able to go to Hollywood Studios for the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights and let me tell you it was a spectacle!  I have never seen so many lights before in my life.  The Streets of America are filled to the brim with lights that dance along to versions of timeless Christmas songs.  Scott and I were also went to La Nouba, Downtown Disney's Cirque du Soleil show.  It was absolutely spectacular.  I have never seen so much talent in person! 

A few weeks ago, I celebrated my 21st birthday.  It was a blast even though I had to work the night of.  Then the next day my family came to town!  It was a blast as Trevor and I exchanged birthday presents (especially when he wore his hat all the next day!)  It was raining the morning we went to Hollywood Studios however Mom and I powered through it to go on Tower of Terror!  Highlights of the evening included going to two shows of The American Idol Experience and eating dinner at the Sci-Fi Dine In theatre.  The Sci-Fi was amazing because we ate, two-by-two, sitting in cars that face a giant movie screen playing clips from old sci-fi horror films!  The next day, we went to Epcot in the morning, walked around the Boardwalk, and Magic Kingdom in the afternoon.  Everything timed out and we were able to do everything we wanted!  I still wasn't able to get Trevor on Space Mountain but maybe someday.  It was all together a great visit and I can't wait to see them again in December!

I have a very big couple of weeks ahead and will try to keep this updated very soon!

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." --Walt Disney

These last few weeks have definitely been a whirlwind!  I am still trying to figure out how it has already been two months!  The past week I have been really sick.  I completely lost my voice at work and slept a few of my days away trying to get better.  I love the part of my job that includes talking and spieling to Guests but it can get very tiring with a sore throat! 

Other than that, October has been going great!  I love working the Halloween Parties because it is basically six straight hours of handing out candy and seeing a lot of very creative costumes!  One little girl even came up and gave me a hug the other day! It was absolutely precious.  One specialty during Halloween time is the Pumpkin Spice Waffle at Sleepy Hollow in Magic Kingdom.  It was absolutely amazing!  A close second to the famous Nutella and Fruit Waffle they serve.

In recent news: I went on a little road trip to Clearwater Beach with three friends.  It was incredibly relaxing and a total blast!  I've also spent quite a bit of time at Disney's Boardwalk.  This includes a trip to Beaches and Cream, a 50s style restaurant known for they're immaculate ice cream desserts!  I also went to Hollywood Studios with a bunch of coworkers where I had the opportunity to be chosen as an extra in the Indiana Jones Stunt Show!  They had us do a little acting and get up close and personal with all the action

A couple weekends ago I had lunch with my Aunt Bet and Uncle Gary and two of their friends in Downtown Disney.  We saw amazing 3D chalk drawings and had a wonderful visit.  Just this last weekend my Aunt Lisa and her entire family came to visit.  We had a nice lunch on the Boardwalk and spent an entire day park hopping.  We spent the morning at Hollywood Studios and the afternoon at Epcot for the Food and Wine festival!  That night I had to work until 3:30 am (though I was lucky because some of my coworkers had to stay till 5:00!) It was so great seeing family!  I am having a fantastic time down here but I do miss everyone back home.  Can't wait for one of my best friends to come visit next week then the weekend after to see my family!  It will be so great to share my experience with them first hand!

Busy Busy Busy

       This past week was absolutely crazy!  The combination of classes starting, work, and trying to have a social life leaves time for nothing else.  My days off are fairly set to be Mondays and Tuesdays.  This is nice because my Human Resource Management course is four hours every Monday for the next 11 weeks.  The class seems fairly interesting thus far however I am not looking forward to the amount of reading involved!  My other class, Organizational Leadership, seems like it will be a little more fun.  This one meets every Thursday morning for four hours which means I will generally have a six hour shift following class.  I also had my first Disney Internships and Programs workshop this past Friday!  It was the Resume Writing workshop that showed us how to put Disney on our resume and helpful tips on what companies are looking for.
       It has definitely been a crazy weekend at Space Mountain!  We have had down times just about every day for various reasons which is sadly inconvenient for our Guests.  I did, however, have the chance to evacuate people from the track a couple times which is something I had never done before.  I feel like I learn something new everyday at the mountain.  It is such a complex working environment but has already taught me a lot about myself and how to work professionally in a very different atmosphere.
       Last Tuesday I had the opportunity to attend Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party!  It was a great time!  We saw the Villains' show in front of the castle and even took pictures with Maleficent and Dr. Facilier with help from a very kind Character Attendant.  Maleficent is definitely one of my favorite characters and she doesn't come out for pictures all that often so needless to say I was pretty excited!  We also watched the special Halloween Parade then made our way over to watch the fireworks.  On our way there we stopped and tried the Nutella waffle sandwich from Sleepy Hollow. It. Was. To. Die. For.  Imagine a giant waffle covered in Nutella with fresh fruit on top, it was delicious! We then ended up finding spots right next to the Walt statue in front of the castle which turned out to be the best place to watch the fireworks!  It surprisingly wasn't very crowded and gave us a straight on view of the castle.  It was a great show that included a finale with fireworks shooting from 180 degrees around Magic Kingdom!  After that we visited some friends who were handing out treats in Tomorrowland.  Something special about the Halloween parties is that you are free to roam all around the park where there are several treat stations in each land.  This means you leave with tons of candy and a lot of temptation for the next month!  Toward the end of the night we were also able to find the Decapitated Dans!  They are a spooky twist on Main Street's Dapper Dans a four man acapella group.
       This last week was definitely very busy but I wouldn't trade a single minute of it!  I am having so much fun and gaining invaluable experience I would never have found anywhere else.

How the Time Flies

 
        What a journey this program has been so far!  I feel like I wake up, immediately start my day, work, sleep, then start all over again... and I love it!  This busy schedule has made it difficult for me to update as often as I would like however I am going to try to be more diligent.  That being said, I am having so much fun at my job.  Working at Space Mountain is pretty stressful considering we have people's safety in our hands at all times!  It is so much fun, though, working with other CPs and learning how to be professional and show ready in a safety critical environment.  Disney has such a high standard for every aspect of even the simplest jobs that makes me believe excellence can be found in any work place! 

       When I am not working, my days are full of park and resort visits, golfing, and spending time with friends.  I have taken time to experience all four of Disney's parks and still feel like there is so much to do!  Fantasmic at Hollywood Studios, a water/stage show, is probably one of my favorite attractions in Walt Disney World.  Space Mountain is also definitely growing on me.  I have even been privileged to ride it with the lights on!  It is an experience that very few get to have and gives you a whole new look at the ride itself.  Many people don't realize how slow the roller coaster actually goes which is a whopping 27 mph!   

      I have also made a few trips to the Disney golf courses.  For CPs to get to the courses, we either have to drive or take a bus to the Polynesian resort where we walk another 15 minutes to the clubhouse.  Having a cast member discount makes playing and practicing a lot more affordable!  The greens aren't in great shape but the aerating doesn't help that much.  I am looking forward to playing more with other CPs and getting the full effect of the wildlife and nature that Florida courses have to offer!

       One of the best things about this program are all the friends I have met so far!   I have found myself surrounded by people from Minnesota, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, and even Hawaii!  They come from all over but somehow our cultures combine divinely.  My roommates are absolutely spectacular and I can't explain how lucky I am to have found a group of girls so easy to live with!  Beyond that, the friends I have made through work and the various Disney events have added so much to this program!  I had such high expectations coming into the Disney College Program and have already found them far exceeded!

Why I Love My Job

In the past week I have been going nonstop from training to park hopping to golfing!  However, between yesterday and today my training took a halt and I was assigned to park strollers for 8.5 hours both days.  By today I can tell you I was wishing to go back to Space Mountain!  I can also tell you how to operate just about any stroller you can imagine!  As I was organizing a group of strollers I stopped to talk to an elderly gentleman.  We proceeded to talk about where I was going to school and how he even had a Lutheran girlfriend from Iowa when he was younger!  After we were done talking he wished me a wonderful day because I had made his day wonderful. 
Even though I spent hours doing the simplest of tasks it was so fulfilling to have made a difference in one person's day.  And the best part was that all I had to do was be kind.  Throughout the day I saw children light up when I gave them stickers and a woman who was so grateful that I took 15 minutes to talk her through Magic Kingdom and the other parks.  Though these magical moments were only about 10% of my day they remind me why I love Disney so much.  At Disney World we all have the opportunity to hold ourselves to higher standards than most jobs.  Whether we are parking strollers, serving food, or performing in a show.  We all have the power to give someone else a moment of happiness.  And that is what makes working at Disney worth it.

The Journey Thus Far

The Disney College Program is already proving to change my life for the better!  I am having a ton of fun and keeping VERY busy!  My days have been full of Traditions, park visits, and training!  I have also met some fantastic friends along the way!  My first day of training was August 20 and involved a tour of the Magic Kingdom and finding out that I am working on Space Mountain!  This is one of the most popular attractions at any of the Disney parks and should definitely keep me on my toes! 

The next day included more basic training for all the Tomorrowland attractions.  Our group even got to meet PUSH, the trash can that moves around and talks to guests!  He called us the Tomorrowland parade and initiated us into the PUSH fan club by making us perform "I'm A Little Tea Cup." 

Today we started training at the Mountain which was thrilling and frightening at the same time!  There is so much we have to be on alert for as each guest's safety is in our hands at all times.  I had a blast meeting my trainer who is also from Iowa!  It was an all around fun, stressful day and it will only get better from here!