Day 28!

Day 28: A picture of your favorite place to hide from the crowds.

I love going back to the resorts and exploring them when the parks get too crowded. The resorts are half the fun of being at Disney World! :)

Classes!

So, even though I've graduated college, and I won't be getting any credit, I'm still taking a couple of classes while I'm at Disney. They're free, and I'm looking at them as an investment in my future, since I want to continue working for Disney.

So, what classes am I taking? I'm taking 2 classes that are in the Disney Exploration Series. Basically, classes in this series are free, there are no books, no tests, no projects. Basically, they are nothing like regular college classes, which is what I was looking for. Plus, these classes use the parks as a classroom. :) They meet once a week for about 2 hours a meeting for 8 weeks.

So, I'm taking both of my classes on Tuesdays starting in September. The first class I will be taking is called Exploring Leadership. Basically, it's talking about how to be a leader, and what that means for the Walt Disney Company. Looking at the syllabus, it looks like it's geared towards people who want to be managers, but I don't think it's going to hurt to take it. I want to work for Disney, and this class teaches how everyone, from the guests to the interns to the management, is important to the success of the company.

The second class I'm taking is Exploring Disney Heritage. This is the one that I'm most excited about. The syllabus says this about the class: "Take a journey back in time to discover the roots of the Walt Disney Company. Learn about Walt Disney the man and his vision by exploring historical milestones." Looking at the schedule of classes, at least 2 of the classes will be in the parks! Class number 2 is actually a scavenger hunt through Hollywood Studios, and class number 7 is a storytelling tour through the Magic Kingdom. This class is going to be amazing! And I'm lucky enough to be taking with with all 3 of my roommates! :)

So, now that I'm all registered for classes, I'm definitely ready for August. But, as excited as I am about Disney, and as much as I can't wait to get there and get this experience started, I'm going to try not to rush this summer. I want to enjoy this time with the people that are important to me, and I want to have the best summer ever. :)

Day 27!

*10 Weeks!!!!*

Day 27: A picture of the person you most love sharing Disney with.

I love, love, love sharing Disney with my brother's 3 kids. :) They make the experience even more magical for me. ♥  

Day 26!

Day 26: A picture of they way you keep Disney alive when you're not at the parks.

I look through old pictures. :)

And, my countdown chain serves as a daily reminder that I'm getting closer and closer to going back!

And, as you can see, I have quite a bit of Disney stuff in my room, too. :p

Day 25!

Day 25: A picture of your favorite childhood Disney memory.

It's not my childhood memory, but it's a childhood memory. :p When we went to Disney last month, we got to go with my siblings and their families. My sister and her family had been to Disney several times before, but my brother and his family hadn't. This was their first visit. And it was so awesome to get to be there with them for that, and to see his 3 kids take in everything. They all absolutely loved Disney World, and they can't wait to go back! :)

Day 24!

Day 24: A picture of your favorite Disney related possession or souvenir.

This is something I made, but it includes souvenirs from my trip to Disney back in December. It was an early celebration of my college graduation, and my parents surprised me with one of the in-room surprises that Disney offers to resort guests. The top thing is a note Mickey left for me congratulating me on my triumph. :)

Day 23!

Day 23: A picture of the character you dislike the most.

I dislike egotistical jerks. And Gaston definitely falls into that category.

Day 22!

Day 22: A picture from your favorite Disney movie.

Source: Fairytale Inspiration

Peter Pan. ♥

Message To My Wonderful Disney Family

Hey D-Fam!

I know that I haven't met any of you yet, but I just want to say that I feel like I have. The past few weeks that we've all spent talking to each other on Facebook, sharing ideas, talking about our interests, and just getting to know each other, have been some of the best times I've had. There are quite a few of you that I already feel close to, and I can't wait to meet ya'll.

Our D-fam is special. I think we've already proven that. I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of such a wonderful group. We've already proven that we're there for each other, and that we'll support each other in whatever we want to do. And the fact that I'm going to be down there with people who love Disney as much as I do...that excites me!

I am looking forward to getting down to Orlando and checking in to Disney on August 8 and finally meeting all you wonderful people. And I look forward to Living, Learning, and Earning alongside you and making memories that will last a lifetime.

Have a magical night!

-Amanda

Day 21!

Day 21: The best place to take a picture at Disney

I think the ferry from the TTC to MK is the best place to take pictures. Then again, I absolutely love being on the water, and I think any place where there is water is a good place to take pictures.

I'm also partial to this spot because I can get the Polynesian in the background. :)

This Made My Night.

I wasn't going to post again today, but 2 members of my lovely D-family posted a couple of things that I had to share. These two things made my night.

First, Kyndel posted this lovely gem of a quote: "Dear Edward Cullen, You stay forever young and sneak into the rooms of young girls? How original. Sincerely, Peter Pan"

If you know me, you know how much I hate Twilight. I despise it. I think the whole premise is stupid. And I can't stand that Edward actually sparkles.

My mom is a Twilight fan. She made me watch one of the movies. Ugh.

Anyway, because of my distaste of all things Twilight, I appreciate a good Twilight joke. Especially one that involves Disney.

Now, on to the second thing.



And here's the original video, just in case you need the back story.





Ah, YouTube.

Anyway, what does that have to do with Disney?

Source

There you go. And David, thanks for the link to the picture! :)

Have a magical night! :)

Signs That I Was Always Meant To Work At Disney Part 1

So, in my first post on this blog, I mentioned that I was pretty much destined to work at Disney from day 1. I know I mentioned my 1st and 6th birthday parties being Disney themed. Well, I have come across some more evidence that Disney was always in my future.

Last May, I got the opportunity to travel with some of my classmates and our professor to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in Pine Ridge, SD. It was an amazing trip, and very eye opening. The 10 days that we spent out there changed my life, and I'm so glad I got to go. While we did get to see Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse monument, the main reason we were out there was to see what the educational system on a reservation is like, and to help out at one of the schools. We were education majors, after all.

So anyway, the first day that we were at the school that we worked at, we got tour it. On pretty much every wall in that school was a painting, and most of those paintings are related to the Native American heritage of most of the kids at the school.

So how does a school on an Indian reservation tie in with my destiny to work at Disney? Take a look at some of the paintings that were on 2 of the walls in the school:

Did I have to have my picture taken with them? Um, of course.

And trust me when I say that when I saw these paintings, I got really excited! :)

Look for posts where I have pictures from my 1st and 6th birthday parties. :)

Yes, Walt Disney. So True.

Source: Simple Disney Things

Walt Disney was a brilliant, brilliant man.

Day 20!

*11 weeks until check-in!!!!*

Day 20: A picture of the best way to beat the heat at Disney.

Frozen lemonades. :) 

Jeez, I can't believe it's day 20 already. Meg was right, this does make the time go by faster. 

Now to just get through the next 77 days!!! Ahhh!!! :)

Day 19!

Day 19: A picture of something in the parks that deserves more attention.

This is the education major in me coming out, but I think people should pay more attention to the fact that the parks are very educational. I think most people realize how you can learn in Epcot and Animal Kingdom, but not Magic Kingdom. Magic Kingdom is seen as the huge playground, which it is, but it's also so much more. Stop by Liberty Square or Frontierland and really pay attention to what's going on in those lands (and I don't mean the Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain, or Big Thunder Mountain Railroad). Take time to notice the replica of the Liberty Bell and the Hall of Presidents. Pay attention to the the way the lands look. One thing Disney does better than anyone else in the theme/amusement park business is details. Pay attention to them! Notice how everything in Liberty Square is done in the old colonial style, and then watch the gradual change to the style of the Wild West as you make your way to Frontierland. And don't leave any of the other lands--or parks--out when paying attention to the details. Disney loves details. It was Walt's attention to detail that set his parks apart from any of the other ones. It's how he was able to make a name for himself.

Okay, I'm getting off on a tangent now, so I'll stop. But next time your at the parks, look at the details, and see what you can learn from a day of playing. :)

Time For Some Planning....

It's here! It's here! It's here!!!

Source: Simple Disney Things

My Disney Vacation Planning DVD!!!!!

Yes, I am THAT excited about August that I ordered the free DVD. As if I don't have enough of them because we get them every time we plan our Disney World vacation.

But still. This is the newest one. And it came addressed to ME. Not my dad.

And now I have some more Disney magic to help me get through the next 79 days. =D

So freaking excited! Now it's time to watch it!!! :)

Day 18!

Ugh. I'm sick. This sucks. Anyway....

Day 18: A picture of your favorite Disney guilty pleasure.

I am in love with the Dole Whip and all of it's pineapple goodness. I didn't have one until my trip back in December, but now, I must have one every time I'm there.

And I know where a good chunk of my money will go when I'm down there for WDW CP. :p

So, Maybe I'm A Tad Bit Excited.....

It's May. I don't move until August. I've already started packing.

I'm pretty sure only my D-fam will understand.

And please note the Disney-themed bag. It's from World Showcase! :)

Day 17!

Day 17: A picture of your favorite Disney character.

 Tinkerbell!! I first got to actually meet her back in December 2010. This excited me because I had spent every trip since the first one trying to find her so I could meet her and get her autograph.

Which I got!!! Yay!!!!

Day 16!

Day 16: A picture of your favorite place to shop.

I love the department store in the China pavilion at Epcot. Asian culture has always fascinated me, and I love looking at the beautiful things inside this store. :)

Fall 2011 Season Has Officially Started

Well, today was day 1 of check-in for those of us participating in the Fall 2011 WDWCP. While I am very jealous of those who checked in today, I'm also glad I'm waiting because now I get to live through them for a few months, and I get a heads up on what to expect when I finally get down there. And that's good for me. I like to know what I'm walking into. :p

So, to all of you May 18th-ers, good luck and congrats! I can't wait to get down there on August 8 and meet you all! :)

Day 15!

Day 15: A picture of what you do when it rains in the park.

We put on ponchos and keep on keepin' on. Seriously. Rain has never stopped us.

And just in case you were wondering, that is my mom and I sitting on Main Street, U.S.A in the rain waiting on the parade back in 1997. And if there is one thing my mom became an expert at, it was getting on the parade route about 2 hours early and sitting there. It's how we got awesome spots for the parades.

Day 14!

Day 14: A picture of your favorite nighttime (existing or past) on Disney property.

I have 2. Hey, it's Disney. It's hard to choose!

 First up is the Electrical Water Pageant. I love it because it something that you just have to be in the right place at the right time. And since it takes place outside of the park, there's never really a crowd there, so you don't have to fight to see it. :)

My second favorite is the SpectroMagic parade in Magic Kingdom. It's also an electric parade, which I think is really cool. :) It's a parade that doesn't run all the time. There have been times I've visited the parks and it's not there. So when you can catch it, do it!! But this parade will always have a special place in my heart because our first trip to Disney World, it was during this parade where Snow White came over to me and hugged me. :) That was such a magical moment. :)

How I Know It's Time To Go Back

Source: Simple Disney Things

I start hearing "Please stand clear of the doors"......in Spanish.

Day 13!

*12 weeks!!!!*

Day 13: A picture of your favorite "home" resort.

 My favorite resort that I've actually stayed at is Port Orleans Riverside. It was absolutely stunning. :)

  My favorite resort overall, even though I've never stayed there, is the Polynesian Resort. It's stunning, and it's on the lake, and it has a beach. And it's themed like the Polynesian islands. It's perfect. :)

Day 12!

Day 12: A picture of your favorite Disney food item.

Mickey Waffles, of course. :)

Memories Make Me Excited

I wish I could say that I found this video, but I didn't. Sydney over at My Disney College Program Adventure  did. But I must say, I'm glad she did!

One of the things that I fondly remember from my early trips to Disney World is the in-room "World Tour" they showed on the TV in the hotel rooms. I loved watching them, seeing what all was going on in the World. But, what I really loved about them was the song that played. :) I would have that song in my head the rest of the day (unless I got on the It's A Small World ride....).

Anyway, here's the video. Watch to relive some great memories, or, if you've never seen it, watch it so you can see what you missed out on. :)

And have a Zip A Dee Doo Dah Day! :)

Day 11!

Day 11: A picture of the thing you wish you could change about the parks.

I wish the monorails ran to all of the theme parks and Downtown Disney. I ♥ the monorail. It's my favorite mode of transportation. :)

Beauty In The World

Image from Fairytale Inspiration via Steamboat Willie

I want more than this provincial life

I want adventure in the great wide somewhere

I want it more than I can tell

And for once it might be grand

To have someone understand

I want so much more than they've got planned

Day 10!

Just a warning: Since I couldn't update when I wanted to last night, prepare for several updates from me today. I'm going to start with the photo challenge first, but I'll come back later and get all of the posts that I've been waiting (not so) patiently to post since about 6pm last night. This is your warning. :)

Day 10: A picture of your favorite ride or attraction.

I have 2 favorites, one old and one new. My old favorite (like, from my first trip favorite) is the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (the TTA). It's the first thing I have to ride when we get into Tomorrowland. It's a nice way to get off your feet, and it's a nice way to see Tomorrowland before waiting in line for the attractions. The best part about the TTA? There's hardly ever a line for it! :)

My new favorite is the Tower of Terror. I rode that for the first time last month, and let me tell you, it was awesome! :)  It will definitely be something that I ride every trip from now on. :)

My First Trip. :)

Allow me to introduce you to the trip that made me fall madly in love with Disney:

Source: Simple Disney Things

The first time I ever saw Cinderella's Castle, it was decorated like a giant birthday cake. This is when I knew that I must work at Disney World someday.

Me at age 9 in front of Cinderella's Birthday Cake. :) (June 1997)

Day 9!

Day 9: A picture of your favorite Disney restaurant.

I love 'Ohana at the Polynesian Resort. Such amazing food, good service, and a chance to watch the MK fireworks while eating dinner. :)

This Is Exactly How I Feel

Source: Simple Disney Things

Day 8!

Day 8: A picture of the ride you miss the most.

Easy. I miss Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. I really hate that it's no longer at WDW. :(