We Have Now Reached the End of the Journey

Well....my Disney College Program is officially over. I graduated on Thursday, moved out of my apartment yesterday, spent one last day in the parks, and came home today. It's hard to believe that I no longer live in Orlando, that I no longer work for Disney, and that I'm no longer surrounded by magic pretty much 24/7. What really sucks, though, is not being around the amazing people I got to spend my time with down there. Especially my besties. It's hard knowing that all of sudden I'm going from seeing them on a daily basis to not being able to see them at all. So this whole Post-Disney Depression (PDD) thing is very real. I'm going through such a wide range of motions, usually within a few minutes of each other. I'm happy to be home, back with my family, with my boyfriend, and with my friends here. I'm happy that I won't miss anymore family get togethers, and I get to spend the holidays with them this year. And that's going to be amazing because honestly, Christmas kind of sucked last year because it wasn't what I was used to. So I'm definitely looking forward to being surrounded by my huge, amazing family this year. :) But I'm also very upset about the fact that I'm no longer at Disney. I don't get live with pretty much constant sunshine (something I never thought I would get used to). I don't get to go play in the parks when I want. I don't get to get that wonderful Cast Member discount on pretty much everything. And I don't get to say that I work for the Walt Disney Company. I absolutely loved my life in Orlando, so I am definitely sad that I don't have it anymore. Being back home is definitely something I'm going to have to get used to again. And as sad as I am that this wonderful journey, this dream come true, is over, I am pretty excited to see what my next adventure will be. I've got a job interview lined up next week, and I'm applying for grad school, which if I get in, I will start in the fall. So I definitely have some kind of plan for my life right now. But, no matter how amazing it all turns out to be, nothing will ever truly replace my experiences on the Disney College Program. I had the time of my life, and I'm so glad I did the program. For everyone who kept up with my journey through this blog, thank you. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. And for those of you who are looking into the program, do it! You will never get another experience even remotely close to this. You will make amazing friends, work in the most magical place on Earth, and have the time of your life. It won't always be easy, but it'll be worth it. I promise. :) Well...that's it, I guess. My college program is done, and so is this blog. So, for the final time.... Have a magical day!

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!

Day 29!

Oh wow....I'm almost done with this countdown! Ahhh!

Day 29: A picture of something you dream about happening to you at a Disney park.

I want to stay in the suite in Cinderella Castle! I mean, look how beautiful it is! And it's in the Castle!