Looking Back.....and Looking Ahead

So, here's the last blog post of 2011! I honestly can't believe this year will be over in less than 24 hours. It's gone by so fast! And I really can't believe that the Fall 2011 CP is almost over, too! It's hard to believe that in 5 days, I'll be moving out of one apartment and into another with all new roommates. The packing has already started, and the apartment is really starting to look empty now. :( My room is mostly boxes and crates at the moment, and I feel like I'm nowhere near done packing. Luckily I have some time before I go into work today to get some more done. I just hate packing and will pretty much look for any excuse not to do it. And I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who feels that way. :p

Anyway, usually at the end of the year, I like to reflect on what's happened and look to what the next year will bring. But since this blog is about my college program experience, that's what I'm going to focus on here. These last 5 months have been, overall, the most amazing 5 months of my life. I've had a lot of fun down here, met some incredible people that I will be friends with for the rest of my life, and I've learned a lot about myself along the way. I feel like I've grown up a bit, and I've learned to not let things get to me like they did before. I still stress out, but nowhere as much as I used to, and I've learned how to deal with my stress--mostly by exercising now. Which is a good thing. :)

This isn't to say that the past 5 months have been all good. There have definitely been some issues...mostly roommate issues. I'm not going to get into all of that because honestly, it's in the past, and I'm not dwelling on it anymore. I've learned that there was nothing I could do to really change anything, and people are going to act like they want to regardless of how I feel about it. It's not up to me to change people or to try and make them see the error of their ways. They have to want to see that. And if they don't, oh well. There's nothing I can do about it. So I'm not going to waste my time stressing over it.

I've also been homesick a lot, but that was to be expected, I suppose. It's definitely hard for me considering that I've pretty much lived at home until this point in my life. I'm close to my family, so not to have them here is hard. But, I'm glad I've gotten to experience life without having them right here. It's definitely allowed me to grow and see just how strong I can be. And I also know that I can make it on my own, which is something I needed to find out about myself.

These past 5 months have also been hard on my boyfriend and I. It's definitely been more of a roller coaster ride than before I moved down here. And there were times when I wasn't sure if we would survive this. But we have. And I know that we will come out stronger for this. He's been so supportive of me coming down here to do this program, and he's been really supportive of me staying here for another 4 months. I honestly couldn't ask for a better person to be with through all of this. He's amazing, and I am so lucky to have him. :)

While I will miss some aspects of the Fall program, I can't wait until next Thursday when I get to move into my new apartment and start this next chapter of my Disney journey. :) It's going to be another crazy ride, but I'm confident that it will be a blast. :)

So Happy New Year, everyone! May 2012 be even better  than 2011! :)

Housing for Extension

So, I went yesterday to get my housing assignment come January. I'm happy to announce that I will be rooming with one of my co-workers/best friends down here, and that I will be staying in Chatham! :) No changing complexes....just buildings. And the building I'll be moving to is a short walk from the one I'm currently in, so all is well with that. :) And I'll be on the first floor this time, which will make moving in so much easier.

Move out/in day is January 5. We have 3 hours to move everything from our old apartments into our new apartments. It shouldn't be a problem for me, but Kim (my future roomie!) is moving from a different complex. Hopefully she won't have too hard of a time getting everything moved.

I've already started packing up some stuff--mostly stuff for my parents to take back home with them when they come visit me next weekend. I hate the thought of moving again, but I'm excited for the next chapter in my Disney adventure. I still don't know what I'm going to do come May 11, but I'll figure it out. I have to.

Well that's all for now. I'm gonna get dressed and maybe head to Hollywood Studios for some drawing classes for a bit. :) Then it's back to the apartment to pack some more.

Have a magical day!

Update on Life

I suck at blogging here lately. >.<

Anyway, I finally heard back about the PI I applied for, and........I didn't get it. :( Oh well. At least I still have my extension, so I can stay here a little bit longer. :) That's definitely an upside.

Speaking of staying here, I go next Tuesday to find out my new housing placement. I know I'm going to be living with one of my co-workers (Kim) who is also extending. We've gotten pretty close during this program, so I'm excited that we'll be living together come January 4 (move-out/move-in date). We don't know who else we're going to be living with. I guess we'll find that out next week. :)

So, I know that my blog has been mostly about the positive experiences I've had while I've been down here. And for the most part, this has been a very positive experience for me. However, there are times when it gets hard being here and away from my family. Like the holidays. I have a pretty big family, and I'm used to spending Thanksgiving and Christmas around them. And I love being around them. So, it does suck that this year, I missed Thanksgiving, and I'm going to miss Christmas. And it makes it hard because I haven't really had a chance to incorporate some of my families traditions down here. However, my parents are coming back to visit me over Christmas weekend, so that will definitely help because I'll be around them on Christmas morning. And I'm also planning to Skype with my brother and his family that morning as we open our gifts. :) It's not going to be the same as actually being around my nieces and nephew when they open their presents, but it will definitely help. :)

And the program does a lot to make sure that we have a good holiday season down here, too. They know that we're all away from our families, so they try to make up for that. They had a Thanksgiving feast for us the week before Thanksgiving, and on December 20, they're putting on a special edition of Grocery Bingo. Which reminds me, go to at least one Grocery Bingo game while you're here. They are so much fun, and if you win, you get a ton of stuff. They definitely treat us well here. :)

Plus, Disney has some amazing holiday traditions to experience and be a part of. The Magic Kingdom has Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party on select nights in November and December. That's probably one of my favorite traditions. I've been to the party 3 times in the past 10 years, and it always amazes me. :) Epcot has Holidays Around the World, which is my favorite thing to do. You get to walk around World Showcase and learn about the holiday traditions in the different countries. It's so cool! :) Hollywood Studios has the Osbourne Spectacle of Lights, which is amazing. I need to get over to the Studios to see those this year. And Animal Kingdom has Mickey's Jingle Jungle Parade, which I need to go see as well.

So, even though I'm away from my family this year, there is a lot to do to still get in the holiday spirit. Although, I'm not exactly used to wearing shorts in December, which I was doing up until Wednesday night. Then we actually got a cold front, which meant I could finally wear jeans and a jacket outside. But we're apparently going to be warming back up here today. Our high for the day is 78 degrees. It never stays cold long here in Orlando. I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about that. :p

Well, time to get ready for work! Have a magical day!

Extension!

Wow....it's been almost a month since my last update! Sorry for that! I've been pretty busy with work and classes....and my parents just left yesterday after visiting me for a few days. :) It was good to get to see them (and my dogs!!!), and to spend some time in Disney with them. :)

Also, I put in an application for an extension to my college program. I know I've talked about how much I love it here, and I don't want to leave, so I'm trying to find ways not to. I still haven't heard about the PI I applied for, but they have until December 4 to let me know something, so I should be finding out about that soon. However, I did hear about my extension request, and I was approved! So, I'm staying in Orlando until at least May 11, 2012. And I'm keeping my same role at my same location, which is fine with me. I love where I work and the people I work with, so I didn't really want to change. However, I'm still hoping I get the PI I applied for. As much as I love my current role, it's definitely not what I want to do for the rest of my life.

Because I'm extending, I'm going to be moving out of my apartment before the rest of my roommates. I don't know where I'll be moving to yet, but I'm hoping I stay in my current complex. That would make moving so much easier, and I love Chatham. I don't want to leave it! :p

Sorry this is kind of short, but I do have to go finish getting ready and head off to work. Luckily, this is my Friday, and I have a 3 day weekend ahead of me. I'll try and update some more in the next couple of days. And I'll definitely try not to go almost a month with nothing!

Have a magical day!

Classes!

I'm horrible at keeping up with this blog, I know. And I'm sorry. :(

But, a week later, I'm finally going to tell you about my classes! :) I'm taking two of the Disney Exploration Series classes--Exploring Leadership and Exploring Disney Heritage. I love these classes because they're free, there's no books to buy, no tests to study for, no assignments to turn in. The DES classes are perfect for me since I graduated in May, and I don't want to have to deal with the typical college coursework again right now. Plus, we get to take a couple of field trips with these classes. :)

I'm pretty sure I'm going to love both of my classes. Last week was pretty much just introductions, so today I'll get a better idea of how their going to go. But I have the same teacher for both, and he's really great. He's very energetic, and you can tell that he loves his job, and he loves this company. That definitely makes me excited to go to class, and to hopefully stay with this company.

So why did I decide to take the classes that I am taking? Well, the Heritage class is pretty obvious. :p I mean, if I'm going to work for this company, then I need to know about it. :p I decided to take the Leadership class because I want to stay with this company, and I want to move up into a good position with this company. So, this class will help me develop the leadership skills I need to make all of that possible.

I'll update more about the classes after today's sessions. :p

Have a magical day!

Picture Time!

Okay, here is the long awaited picture post I've been promising.

And yes, I'm aware that you all are saying it's about time. :p

So without further ado........I give you:

THE PICTURES.

First roomie picture! Taken at Casting right before we found out where we would be working.

Me and Cayla with Pooh and Tigger

Me and Mexican Donald. :)

Me and Cayla on a boat. :p

The oh-so-attractive costume.

Back when I was training. :)

Finally got to meet Pinocchio!

I sent this picture to my parents. :)

Minnie and Mickey came to my apartment complex for a Western style party. :)

Got to meet Gaston at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. :)

I met Captain Jack, too. :p

Me and one of my co-workers, Emily. :)

Finally took that hot air balloon ride. This is the view of Downtown Disney.

Panorama shot of World Showcase.

In Canada. ;)

Beautiful sky at sunset.

Found this on my car. I don't know who put it there, but it was definitely a magical moment for me. :)

Sorry it's sideways....but, Kristie, Chris, and Hannah visited Disney! :)

He danced with me. :)

Raspberry wine from South Korea. Yay for the Food & Wine Festival at Epcot!

Tiff and Jordan enjoying F&W, too. :)

Trying out the different sodas from all over the world! :)

I found out I got to audition for my dream job the day F&W started. This is how I celebrated. :)

I came home to find this lovely head in my bed. >.>

Those are just some of the many pictures I've taken since I've been here. Life has been pretty amazing down here. :)

Today is the first day of classes for me, so I'll post a blog later tonight telling ya'll all about them. :)

PI Auditions

So this morning was my audition for my Professional Internship. The day started off good, minus the fact that I was a bundle of nerves this morning. I think I became so focused on my nerves that it got to me, and I ended up messing some things up a bit. I forgot my nametag, so I had to turn around and go get it from home. Then, I got all the way to Disney University, and was about to check in when I realized that I left my paperwork hanging on my bulletin board. Thank God I talked to them and they're letting me turn it in tomorrow morning. Luckily, they have an office at Epcot, so I can drop it off before work tomorrow.

Then, I realized that I was supposed to schedule a phone interview last week when I applied online, and I hadn't done that. The email I got after I applied told me I was supposed to schedule the interview within 2 days of applying, so I was really nervous when I realized I hadn't done it. If I wasn't able to schedule the phone interview, then this audition today would have been for nothing. THANK GOD I was able to schedule my interview for Friday morning.

However, now it's time to play the waiting game. The next step in the process (after this phone interview Friday with Casting) is to hopefully have done well enough in the audition to get a phone interview with the Y.E.S. Program. However, I won't hear about that for 2-3 weeks. This is the frustrating part now. I probably won't find out if I got the internship or not until sometime in November or December. I don't want to wait that long, but at this point, I guess I don't have a choice. I just don't know what I'm going to do if I don't get it. I guess I'll put it for an extension when the time comes (which is apparently some time this month) just to cover my bases.

So, because of everything that happened this morning, I was feeling pretty low. I want this internship so much, and I was so scared that I was screwing everything up. However, once I was able to schedule the phone interview, I started to feel better. And then I went to CFA and did some shopping and resort sight-seeing with Cayla, and that made me feel better. Then we came back home and cooked dinner (chicken alfredo tacos!) and watched "Lion King" and then went for a walk. It was definitely a good ending to a day that started off less than steller, and it was a good way to end my weekend.

Work the rest of this week is going to be nerve racking. Actually, work all this week has been nerve racking. I was trained in a new position Sunday and Monday (General Teller), and I'm going to be trained as Assigner tomorrow. Then Friday and Saturday, I am the GT. I'm not feeling comfortable with it at all, but hopefully I can talk to the GT tomorrow night and get a little more comfortable doing this on Friday. We'll see. I'm just glad next week I get to go back to the positions I'm comfortable with.

Well that's all for this update. I really do need to get some pictures up here. Maybe I'll have time tomorrow night to do so. I'll try! :)

Have a magical day!

Happy Birthday WDW!!!

So, there is both big and little news today.

Big news: Today is Magic Kingdom's 40th birthday! Yay!

Little news: Today is also Epcot's 29th birthday! Yay again! :)

I didn't get to go to MK today, but that's okay because apparently this morning, 6,000 people were on Main Street. I don't like crowds (and I work at Disney World. Yes, I'm aware of the irony.), so I'm glad I didn't go this morning. However, it would have been nice to get a 40th anniversary cupcake. Or a button. Or a map....which are already on eBay. Go figure.

But anyway, I was thinking that my first trip to Disney World was taken during the 25th anniversary celebration. Fifteen years ago, I entered this world of fantasy and magic and dreams, and I never wanted to leave.

Fifteen years later, I don't have to anymore. :)

Oh....so I do have some more big news, and it kind of ties in with all of this. Tuesday, I went to an information session for the Y.E.S. program to find out about the audition process and all of that. I found out that I could apply for a Professional Internship since I'm currently in the College Program, so I did. I had to apply by Wednesday, and they were going to notify people yesterday that they wanted to move up into the next phase of the process, which is the actual audition. So everyone who submitted a resume did not make it to the audition round.

How did I do?

Well..........

..................

I made it!!!! I get to audition for a PI in my dream role this coming Wednesday!!!! I'm so excited! And I celebrated by going to the opening day of the Food & Wine Festival at Epcot with Cayla, Tiffani, and Jordan last night. :) Now I just need to work on what I'm going to do for my audition. I'll work on it tomorrow. :)

Fifteen years ago, I came to the happy place and told my parents that I wanted to work here someday. To me, Disney has always been a place where I can escape reality and see my wildest dreams come true.

And fifteen years later, Disney is still making those dreams come true. This place is truly magical. And I truly am blessed.

Wish me luck on the audition! :)

Have a magical day!

Sore & Tired....

Well, work has been keeping me pretty busy last week, and it's going to again this week. It started Thursday when they asked me to extend my shift to cover a co-worker who had to leave because she was sick. I agreed, so instead of getting off at 5pm like I was scheduled to, I got off at 8:30pm. Then yesterday, I went in 3 hours early. And I'm only getting one off day this week because I agreed to go in on Wednesday and work. I don't mind all the extra hours....especially since I know my next 2 paychecks are going to be AH-MAZING! However, I am definitely feeling the soreness and exhaustion that comes with being on your feet all day.

So, for those of you that are applying for the program and get FSFB, just be prepared for this. There will be days where you are either asked to come in early or stay late. And there will be times when they ask if you can come in on your off day and work. Do it. Even if you don't want to. Even if you have a million other things you need to do (laundry and grocery shopping, for example, like I needed to do). By helping out your managers and co-workers, you're making yourself look like a great CM, and that's important. If you want a future with Disney, doing this kind of thing helps, because they know they can count on you when they need you. Even if you don't want a future with the company, by helping out when you're needed to, your managers will be more likely to write you a glowing recommendation should you need one for school and/or a future job. Plus, if you have to extend your shift to cover a co-worker for whatever reason, that will definitely make your co-workers have more respect for you. :) It's important to be a team player here. Remember that.

Luckily for me, I love my job and the people I work with, so even though I'm completely sore (like....I could barely move when I got up this morning), and I really want to go back and lay in my bed, I'm not dreading working today, because I know that I get to make some magic for guests, and I get to work with some of the most amazing co-workers ever. :)

Always Remember

I know this is my blog about Disney, but I figured that I would take an entry to talk about September 11, 2001.

10 years ago today, I was in my 8th grade homeroom taking a standardized test. I went to school that morning not thinking that anything major would happen. I knew I had that test, and that is what I was worried about. I remember that my homeroom finished taking the test early, and my teacher took up our tests, and then informed us that while we were taking that test, a plane had hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center. This is when everyone thought it was just a horrible accident. I mean, how does a plane not see those towers? That's what we all were asking. As my teacher was telling us this, she was watching her computer screen. All of a sudden, she goes "Oh my God." Then she turned and looked at us, trying not to cry, and told us that a plane had just hit the South Tower. And that's when it dawned on all of us that this was no accident. We spent the rest of the day, going from class to class, watching the news and all of the events unfold. We saw the plane hit the Pentagon. We heard about the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania. We spent that day watching these horrible events unfold and trying to make sense of what was happening. We were under attack, and the world that I knew on September 10, 2001, changed drastically forever on September 11.

10 years later, and I'm now sitting in my apartment in Orlando, getting ready for work, and watching the anniversary memorial on TV. I'm so incredibly thankful that I didn't lose anyone on September 11, 2001. I'm thankful that I was able to keep my sense of normal for the most part. And I'm thankful that the events of September 11, 2001, didn't keep me from being able to follow my dreams.

But my heart breaks for those who did lose people on that tragic day. Sitting here watching the memorial, hearing the names, seeing the ages of those who died, and hearing stories from the families of those we lost that day....it's making me tear up. But seeing our flag flying, seeing how everyone has come together, it makes me realize that this is a strong country.

And it makes me so proud to be an American.

It's Been A Month!

I have officially been a Cast Member for a month! Yay!!!

Now, I know I've sucked at posting, and I'm sorry for it. Between work and hanging out with my roommates, I've been kept pretty busy. I feel like I live at Coral Reef--but luckily, I love the people I work with, so it's not a bad thing. And I get 2 consecutive days off right now, which is good. And judging from how the part- and full-timers schedules are, I should keep getting 2 consecutive days off. However, I know that could change when the Christmas season gets here. Business for us will pick up dramatically after Thanksgiving because we are one of the restaurants people can choose to eat at when they book their dinner packages for the Candlelight Processional. :)

So, I've been to Magic Kingdom a couple of times in the last week, and I'm very excited to report that they have their fall decorations up!!! It makes me excited to see the fall colors and pumpkins everywhere because it makes it feel a little more like fall....even if the temperature here isn't fall like at all. And what's even more exciting is that Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party starts on Tuesday!!! I've never been to the Halloween party, so I'm really looking forward to getting to experience it this year. :)

Well, I wish this could be longer, but I have to get ready for work. If I'm not exhausted when I get home, I'll try to post again tonight.

Have a magical day! :)

Sick. :(

So, I'm officially sick. Ugh. I heard that a lot of CPs get sick within the first 2 weeks of the program, but I didn't think I would be one of them. But I am. And it sucks.

I left work early yesterday, and then I called in today because I'm sick. And I hated doing all of that. But, I can barely talk, I'm coughing, and my body aches. Considering I work in a restaurant, I thought it would be safer for everyone if I just stayed home today.

I did have my weekend Tuesday and Wednesday, and it was very fun! :) Cayla's fiance was in town, so I spent a lot of time with them. Monday night, we went to Downtown Disney to see "The Change-Up" at the AMC. It was a good movie, but I forgot that it was filmed in Atlanta....and it takes place in Atlanta. So I did get a bit homesick after seeing all the places that I loved (especially Turner Field...with a Braves game happening). But, it was nice going to a late movie after work, knowing that I didn't have to get up the next day. :)

Tuesday, we went to Typhoon Lagoon and hung out there for a few hours. We rode a lot of the slides, and spent some time in the wave pool. We even got to see Tiff and Jordan working! That was pretty cool. Then, it started storming, so we were going to wait it out. We got what's called The Sand Pail--a sand bucket full of ice cream and all the toppings you could imagine. The 3 of us ate it, but we didn't finish it. We almost finished it though. :) The storm didn't let up, so we ended up leaving and coming back to the apartment. Cayla and Ryan went and had dinner, and then the 3 of us went to Jellyrolls at the Boardwalk Resort. It's a piano bar, and it was so cool. We spent about 3 hours there listening to the guys play all these songs on the piano. And it was requests only, so we got a wide variety of stuff. :) It was such a cool place. :)

Wednesday was spent at Hollywood Studios. We did so much--I think we rode almost every ride in the park. We also saw Fanstamic! It was my second time seeing the show, and it was Cayla and Ryan's first time seeing it. They loved it! :) We then proceeded to ride Tower of Terror 4 times in a row. :) Oh! We were waiting in line for Rockin' Roller Coaster, and there was this 8 year old girl in line with her dad and brother, and she was terrified. She tried to run back out of line because she was so scared to ride it. We talked to her and convinced her to ride it. I told her that I rode it for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and that I freaked out the first time too, but now I love that ride. They ended up riding in front of me, and when the ride was over, she turned around, smiled, and gave me a thumbs up. She loved it! That was the coolest moment for me. :)

So that was my weekend. And now I'm sitting here in the apartment in my pjs, sick, and it's storming outside. Perfect sleeping weather, I guess! :)

Have a magical day!

All About Work

Work is making me exhausted. Seriously. Today is my 6th day in a row of work, and it's my Friday (yay!!).

I guess I should give you a little insight into what it is I actually do at work. Well, there are several different kinds of jobs that I do.  I know when most people think of hosting, they think of the people who greet you at the restaurant, take your name, and then show you to your seat. This is exactly what I thought of when I thought of hostessing in a restaurant. But there is so much more to it then that. Of course, I've done the greeting thing where I check people in (this person is called, appropriately enough, the greeter. We also call this position podium.), and I've also shown people to their seats (also appropriately called a seater). But, as a hostess, or Front of the House (FOH) CM, I've also been in charge of stocking either the left side of the restaurant or the right side of the restaurant (known as left side or right side). We have side stations on both sides of the restaurant where extra place settings are kept so that the servers can just come grab them when they need to reset their tables. The person working left or right side is in charge of making these settings and ensuring that there are enough plates, napkins, forks, and knives to continue making settings. It's actually more difficult than it sounds, especially when you're having to hunt down forks and knives. The person who does right side is also in charge of making sure that the ice at the drink station in the kitchen is kept full, and that the butter that comes out with the bread is in the butter dishes and ready for the servers to just grab on the way to their tables. The person who does left side also helps with seating guests, too. Right side doesn't unless it's extremely busy. I hate being right or left side, because I hate stocking, but it does make the time go by a lot faster. So does seating the guests, especially when we're really busy.

The last job that I could do as a FOH CM is be the assigner. This is the person you see walking around the dining room checking for open tables and then assigning parties to them. I've shadowed assigners twice, but I haven't done it myself yet. To be honest, I'm not sure I want to. It seems to be a pretty tough job because there's so much you have to take into consideration. Plus, it wasn't really explained to me, I was just observing, so I'm not 100% clear on what to do.

All in all, I love my job. The Coral Reef is a great place to work. It's a beautiful restaurant with amazing food (yes.....I did get to do a tasting with one of the chefs! I love my job!) and great CMs to work with. And I love getting to talk to the guests and such. I have realized that there are 2 languages that I need to learn at least the basics in though--French and Spanish. I took French in high school, but that was so long ago, and I have forgotten a lot of what I've learned. Luckily, there are several CMs at the Reef who speak Spanish, so I should be able to learn some things from them. :)

Once again, sorry it's been a few days between updates. I've been working some long days lately. But, like I said, today is my Friday, so hopefully I'll get in an update or 2 tomorrow or Wednesday.

Have a magical day!

The Crazy Schedule Begins

So, I was off yesterday, which was good. I got some laundry and some grocery shopping done. I also got some cleaning done, and some other errands that I needed to take care of. And I still had time to hang out at MK for a couple of hours last night. :)

Today is the start of 6 straight days of work for me. And it's kind of a crazy schedule. Today and tomorrow, I work from 12:30pm-9pm. Friday, I work from 4:30pm-10:30pm. Saturday is the day I'm dreading. I work 11:30am-10:30pm. But, part of me is thinking that this is when my assessment will be, and that they've allowed time for that, which is why I'll be working so long. Sunday and Monday, I'm back to working 11:15am-8:45pm. And then I'm off Tuesday and Wednesday of next week! Yay! :) I think the only thing getting me through the next 6 days is the fact that I do get 2 days off in a row.

But, the good thing is work tends to go by fairly quickly because I'm always doing something. I'm learning that the restaurant business is a very fast paced business, and that's good for me. Yes, it's repetitive, but that's okay. And I have several different jobs that I do. So far, I've greeted people (basically checked them in if they have reservations, or put them on the list if they didn't) and I've sat people. And I enjoy both of those. I will say, if we're not busy, it does get boring. But, I work with fantastic people, and there's always someone to talk to. :)

Well, I'm off to finish getting ready for work!

Have a magical day!

Welcome to Coral Reef Restaurant!

So, yesterday was first day of on-the-job training. So, instead of wearing business attire and sitting in a classroom all day, I was finally able to wear my costume (I'll take pictures and post them later) and learn my actual job! :) And so far, I am loving it! I learned how to check people in, and I learned how to seat them yesterday. I pretty much got seating down because I did that at dinner, and we were slammed. It was pretty much reservations only last night, and my trainer ended up having to leave me to go help bus tables. She did make sure I was okay on my own first, though. And I was. After seating my first family, I got really comfortable with it. I'm still not 100% comfortable checking people in on my own though. But then again, I did that at lunch when we were pretty dead, so I didn't get a lot of practice in. Maybe tomorrow.

My fellow cast members at Coral Reef are really nice, as are the managers. They all welcomed me, and no one seemed upset that they had another CP there. Which is good, because I've heard so many stories from people about how their managers are mean, and the full- and part-timers didn't like having CPs around. I'm so glad that is not the case at my restaurant. Having great people to work with is going to make my job easier. Which is good, because this is my first time working in the restaurant business, and I don't want it to be too difficult.

That was pretty much my day yesterday. Today, I'm off, so I'm hanging out with Cayla, Tiff, and Jordan, and we're going to see the Peabody ducks at the Peabody Hotel, and then head over to Blizzard Beach for some fun!

Have a magical day!

Orientation Days

First, let me begin by apologizing for not blogging last night. When I got home, my roommates were at the pool, and then we all decided to go to CiCi's and then to Downtown Disney with the guys across the hall. So, that made half of the 2nd floor of my building hanging out last night. And it was a lot of fun. I meant to make last night an early night, but that didn't happen. And that's fine. I was hanging out with some awesome people. :)

So, yesterday was basically another day at Disney University. It was for everyone who's role is food & beverage. We had to sit in a room and watch presentations over safety when dealing with food and all of that good stuff. Then, we got to go down to the computer lab and sign up for the HUB (pretty much the place for Cast Members to go online for everything related to our jobs), and do some online classes. We also got our work shoes yesterday, too. Food and beverage is the only role where the shoes are supplied for us. Every other role has to provide their own shoes. So I'm not paying anything for any part of my costume. :)

Today was my orientation at Epcot. I won't go into everything that happened because I do want future Epcot CMs to have something to look forward to with orientation. And trust me, there's a lot to look forward to. :) I did get to get my costume today (and Disney sizing sucks, for the record), and I did get to see the kitchen of the restaurant I'll be working in. The two of us that are working at Coral Reef also got to meet the head chef of the restaurant, which was pretty cool. We also got our work lockers, and a little tour of the backstage area of Epcot. And we got to take a couple more online classes. And we got our schedules for on the job training (OJT) for the next week. This is where the really long hours for me begin. Tomorrow and Monday, I work from 11:15am-8:45pm. I'm not sure the exact hours the restaurant is open, but I'll be there for most, if not all, or them. Fun day indeed.

Tonight, I'm relaxing a bit and probably going to Hollywood Studios with the roomies. :)

Have a magical day!

Traditions!

Yesterday was a very long day. But it was also a very fun day. I had Traditions (which is held at Disney University!) yesterday, but I had the afternoon session with Cayla (Tiff and Izzy had it in the morning). So, I was able to go with Cayla to take her dad to the airport (which meant that I also got to see my parents before they headed home), and then I was able to do a Walmart run and get some stuff done around the apartment before I had to catch the bus at 12:45pm for the 2pm class. We had to dress up for Traditions, which was fine. What wasn't fine was standing at the bus stop all dressed up in the heat, and then the buses being 30 minutes late. >.< I have a feeling I'm going to need to get used to late buses. Hopefully they won't be that late.

I'm not going to go into a lot of detail about Traditions because I think it should be a surprise for the people who will take it in the future. I will say that it is a long class, though, so bring food. They do have vending machines there, but you only get 2 10 minute breaks. So I would just go ahead and pack a snack. By the time we got through, I was starving. But other than that, it was a very informative class, and they did add some fun into it. We even got to take a field trip. :p And we had a special visitor, and they gave me a little something for being smart and knowing that Walt Disney founded the company:

My prize! :)

What was the best thing about Traditions, though? Well, we got our company ids and name tags, of course!

I'm an official Cast Member now!!! :)

My company ID.

I will admit to the fact that I almost cried when I got my name tag. Since my first trip to Disney World in 1997, when I was 9 years old, I dreamed of working here and having one of those name tags. And now, I do. My dream is coming true, and it's all unbelievably amazing and overwhelming to me. :)

After Traditions, Cayla and I came back to the apartment and met up with Tiff and Izzy. We went and did a little shopping (well...Tiff did), and then, we decided to put that company ID to good use, and we headed to the Magic Kingdom! It's a glorious thing to be able to get into the parks for free. We got there when everyone was either leaving or waiting on the parade and fireworks, so we were able to ride 4 rides pretty much back to back with very little waiting. We rode Pirates, Jungle Cruise, Big Thunder Mountain, and then Izzy and I rode Haunted Mansion while Cayla and Tiff went and did some more shopping. :p

All in all, this is starting out as a wonderful experience. Today, I have Food & Beverage Core Training at DU from 1pm-5:30pm, and then tomorrow, I have Discovery Day at Epcot from 8am-3:30pm. I'll definitely blog some more tonight about how today goes!

Have a magical day! :)

Check-In!

I am going to start off by saying that I know it's after midnight, making this officially day 2 of my program. But...since I'm just now getting to where I can slow down enough to blog and I haven't slept yet, I will still refer to this as today. And now, on with your regularly scheduled post. :p

Oh my word. Today has been insane. I am so overwhelmed after everything I went through today, and I am so glad that day 2 is an off day so I can get settled in and recover from the craziness that was day 1.

I was up at 4:30am....something I typically don't like to do. I met my 2 housemates (Tiffani and Cayla) and Tiffani's boyfriend Jordan in the lobby of the hotel we were staying at, and we drove over to Vista to get in line for check in. We got there around 5:30, and while we weren't the very first people there, we were still at the front of the line. We stood in line until right around 8am, and I'm glad we did. By the time they opened the gate and let us in, the line was freaking long. I took video, and I'll post it tomorrow. It was ridiculous.

So, they let us in, and that's when the craziness started. We pretty much ran to the back of Vista and had to go through this process of filling out some paperwork that wasn't related to the paperwork we had to fill out before today. This is where we found out where we would be living, who our roommates would be, and got our parking decals (which I still haven't put on my car. I need to do that tomorrow). We also got our program guide, which will basically be our best friend throughout the program. It has pretty much any piece of information we need to know about the program, from maps of the apartment complexes to phone numbers, to information about the Orlando area. We also got our housing ID. I hate mine. My picture looks horrible, and no, I will not be posting it for you to see. :p

And just so you know, I did get with the 3 girls (Tiffani, Cayla, and my roommate Izzy) I wanted to be with, and we did get the apartment we wanted. All went very well with housing. :)

After we got through all of that, we had about 45 minutes to kill before we had to board the bus to Casting, so we walked over to the parents' area and met up with my parents for a bit. Tiffani took the time to actually drive over to the apartment complex and find our apartment. When she got back, we boarded the bus and headed over to Casting so we could find out where we would be working and get all of the technical things taken care of so that we could officially become cast members at Walt Disney World. And yes, this included taking another picture for our Cast Member ID. So now, I have to carry 2 IDs with me at all times. This should be fun.

So, I bet you're wondering where I'm working. Well, I was hoping I would be in a resort, but I'm not. I'm in a park. However, I got lucky and ended up in my favorite park, which is Epcot. And I'll be working at Coral Reef. This excites me. I ate there back in December, and it is such an amazing restaurant. Go look up information about it. It's awesome.

We were at Casting for what felt like forever. We had to get our background checks (including fingerprints) done. We got to turn in our on-boarding paperwork (the paperwork we had to fill out prior to getting here), we got to set up direct deposit for our money to go directly into our checking accounts, and we got information about our Traditions class and training schedule for the rest of the week. Traditions is on Wednesday. I have the later session, which is at 2pm. I'm glad because those who have the 8am session have to be at the bus stop at 6:45am Wednesday morning. I won't have to be at the bus stop until 12:15pm. More sleep for me! :p All I know about Traditions is that it gets us acquainted with the Disney Company and Disney World, and we get our CM IDs. Once we get those glorious CM IDs, we can officially get into the parks for free and start getting our CM discounts! The parks are going to be overrun with CPs on Wednesday! :) I'm so  excited to get to visit the parks again. I'm just trying to figure out if I should visit MK or Epcot first. :p

I start training on Thursday. I have what is called "Discovery Day" at Disney University then. I think this is probably when everyone with the same roles get together and learn about their role and what to expect and all. Friday, I actually have orientation at Epcot. I'm not sure if it's just for my restaurant, or if it's a park orientation. I guess I'll find out then!

After Casting, we headed to get our cars and go to the apartment to start unloading and moving in. Of course, it rained pretty much the entire time we were moving things in (oh...and we're on the 2nd floor of a building with no elevators.) Pretty fun stuff there. :p I was completely soaked by the time I finished getting all of my stuff inside. We had a few hours before our housing meeting (which was at 3pm) to start unpacking, so we did. Then we went to the meeting, and that lasted about 2 hours. Not gonna lie, it wasn't the most exciting thing in the world, and a lot of it was just repeating information we had already been told. I was pretty glad when it was over.

I went out to eat with my parents because I hadn't eaten a real meal all day. I get the feeling that I will have more days like that. So....I'll probably (hopefully) lose some weight on this program. :p After dinner, they took me to Walmart, and then I came back to the apartment to finish unpacking and such. I'm still not done, but I do have most of the stuff unpacked. I can always finish tomorrow. :p

That was pretty much day 1. It was all very crazy and overwhelming. A lot of information was thrown at us today. I'm going to have to take some time tomorrow to sit down and go over all of it.

I think it's bedtime for me now. Hopefully I'll get my pictures/videos uploaded tomorrow so I can post them and show you how things went. I'll do an apartment tour once we're all completely settled in and everything. :)

Have a magical day....er...night! :)

Made It To Orlando!

So, I arrived in Orlando late yesterday evening, after a very loooong day of driving. I didn't do much of anything because, well, I was exhausted last night. Pretty much came to the hotel, got settled, got dinner, and then went to bed. Such excitement, I know. :p

Today has been a little more eventful. It started off with a visit to Downtown Disney this morning, including breakfast at one of the newest restaurants there, Pollo Campero/Fresh A-Peel. I had some cereal and one of the fruit cups, and it was really good. Then I headed over to Babycakes Bakery (which is inside Pollo Campero), and tried one of their coconut doughnuts. I did have some reservations because they use completely organic things in their baked goods, but I was curious. And the verdict? That doughnut was one of the best doughnuts I've ever had. :) Then after that, there was some more shopping, then a trip to Walmart and to find where I have to go check in tomorrow, and to find where the apartment complex I hope I get is at. :)

Tonight is the check-in dinner for everyone checking in tomorrow. I'm excited because I get to meet a lot of the people I've talking to on Facebook. And....I finally get to meet my awesome housemates in person! :) I'm so excited!

Well, that's all for right now. I'll try and blog about tonight when I get back. If not, then look for a pretty lengthy update tomorrow. Actually, look for a pretty lengthy update tomorrow anyway. :p

Have a magical day!

Reasons Why I Love Disney [[Day 36]]

**1 day until check-in!!!**

Source: Simple Disney Things

I'm such a geography buff, so this is my favorite part of Disney World. I could spend all day at World Showcase if people would let me. :p

Well, this was my last "Reason I Love Disney" for awhile anyway. Tomorrow is the big day for me (finally!!)!! So, be looking out for actual blog entries about the program now. :p

And later on today/tonight, I'll blog about the drive down to Orlando yesterday, as well as getting to finally meet my lovely housemates in person. And of course, the check-in dinner is tonight, so I'll blog about that, too. :p 

Have a magical day! :)

Reasons Why I Love Disney [[Day 35]]

**I leave for Florida TODAY!!! And check in is in 2 days!!!!**

Source: Simple Disney Things

I love Disney date nights. They're the best. 

And I love this sweet picture of Minnie and Mickey. <3

Reasons Why I Love Disney [[Day 34]]

**3 days! 3 DAYS!!!!**

Source: Simple Disney Things

I love Kilimanjaro Safaris. In my opinion, this is the best ride in Animal Kingdom. You get to ride in this cool vehicle and see all these animals that you would see if you really went on a safari in Africa. And the coolest part? The animals are real, and yes, they will walk up to your vehicle. In fact, I got to see a rhino up close and personal back in April when it wandered up to the part of the truck I was sitting on.

Yeah....no zoom needed.

Reasons Why I Love Disney [[Day 33]]

**4 days!!! EEEEE!!!**

Source: Simple Disney Things

Disney movies have a way of tugging at your heartstrings. It can suck sometimes. :p

Blog Roll!

Just a quick update to say that I added a blog roll page. So, if you want to check out some CP blogs from different roles, click the last link at the top of the page and check out some of the other blogs I follow. I'm still looking for other blogs to feature in my blog roll, especially those roles that are blank right now! So, if you have a CP blog you want me to feature, leave me a comment with your name, your role, and the link to your blog! :)

Happy reading! :)

Reasons Why I Love Disney [[Day 32]]

**5 days!!! OMG!!!!**

Source: Simple Disney Things

Favorite song from my favorite movie. :)

Reasons Why I Love Disney [[Day 31]]

**6 days!!!!!**

Source: Simple Disney Things

I love the TTA. It's the first thing I have to ride when I go into Tomorrowland. And going through Space Mountain while on the TTA is probably my favorite part. Seeing the little model village, and then seeing the actual roller coaster....it's all so cool! And of course, after I get off the TTA, I must go ride Space Mountain. :p

One Week!!!

Well, here I am at the one week until check-in mark! I'm so excited that this time next week, I will have my apartment, have my job placement, and be settling into my new life as a Disney Cast Member. And I am beyond excited! I can't wait to get down to Orlando this weekend and meet the awesome people that I will be living, learning, and earning with. :)

I'm still in packing mode, and I have been for most of the summer. I think I've got a lot done, but I don't really feel like I have. Which sucks, because I leave Saturday, and I feel like I'm nowhere near ready. But I'll get there. I have to work tonight and get my bed cleaned off (which means I have to do some more packing) so that I can finally sleep in it again. :p Sharing a couch with my dog is not fun...especially when she keeps trying to push me off because she believes that the couch belongs to her. :p

I will definitely be doing some more actual blog posts this week, but for now I must go and work on some more packing and figuring out what I still need to get before I leave!

For my fabulous D-Fam, I leave you with this:

I can't wait!!!

Reasons Why I Love Disney [[Day 30]]

**1 WEEK!!! 1 WEEK!!!!**

Source: Simple Disney Things

This is one of my favorite rides, and when those doors open and you get the view of Hollywood Studios....it's so cool! :)

Reasons Why I Love Disney [[Day 29]]

**8 days until check-in!!!**

Source: Simple Disney Things

What's even cooler is to see the look on your niece's face when she sees her face on the globe. :)

Reasons Why I Love Disney [[Day 28]]

**SINGLE DIGITS!!!! 9 DAYS!!!!!**

Source: Simple Disney Things

This is one of the perks of staying on property as a guest....getting a wake up call from the Big Cheese himself. :) You can also get wake up calls from other characters, too. Both the trip in April, and the trip in December, I got wake up calls from Stitch with Mickey. :) It's always good to wake up to Stitch saying "No sleep!" :p

Reasons Why I Love Disney [[Day 27]]

**10 days until check-in!!! Ahhhhhh!!!!**

Source: Simple Disney Things

The little scenarios you see in Camp Minnie-Mickey at Animal Kingdom are adorable! They have quite a few of them there that include the Original 4. :) Plus, they have one where Donald is taking his nephews camping. So cute!

And for those of you who don't know, Camp Minnie-Mickey is the place in Animal Kingdom where you can go and meet a lot of the characters, including some you don't see too often. Back in April, we saw Thumper and his girlfriend. We didn't get to meet them because the lines were way too long. And, we were on our way to see "Festival of the Lion King", which is also in Camp Minnie-Mickey. But that's another post. :p

Signs That I Was Always Meant To Work At Disney Part 2

For my 1st birthday, my parents decided to go with a Mickey Mouse theme. I've told them that they should have realized then that I was going to work at Disney someday. :)

My cake. See? My parents started this. :p

Pretty sure I was telling my mom to leave me alone.

My uncle stole some of my cake. I was not happy. Notice the look on my face.

My daddy and me the day after. Still eating cake. :)

I still think cake is one of the greatest things ever invented. And Disney cakes are the best. :)

Disney has been apart of my life since I can remember. I think it's only fitting that I get to work there now. :)

Reasons Why I Love Disney [[Day 26]]

Source: Simple Disney Things

One of the best things about having celebrations at Disney. Especially at Chef Mickey's. :)

My birthday cupcake from Chef Mickey's. :)

I love how they even give them out for breakfast. This is the best way to start a day. :)

Reasons Why I Love Disney [[Day 25]]

Source: Simple Disney Things

Ah, Test Track. :)

Reasons Why I Love Disney [[Day 24]]

Source: Simple Disney Things

I love walking down Main Street. :)