Day 30: A Photo on my Last Day at Work

I've been putting off writing this last post because I knew how hard it would be to describe my feelings on my last day. I've enjoyed showing you my experience on the College Program throughout the last 30 days.

Team Princess after our last "track talk" meeting with the managers and coordinators behind Cinderella Castle shortly before clocking out for the last time.

The last position I worked: Pooh Greeter, one of my absolute favorites

I'd like to share a video of Wishes because it was one of my fondest memories and my favorite Disney show. I was lucky enough to watch these fireworks every night at work. In the words of Mickey Mouse, "so long folks, see ya real soon!"

Day 29: A Photo at Graduation

Graduating from the College Program was a bitter sweet event for me. I was sad that my program was coming to an end but happy that I had made it this far and had met so many new people. One being Jack Lee from China seen in this picture. Jack was hilarious and always made working so fun and was like a celebrity in Fantasyland.

This is just another picture at graduation with my roommates. Mickey and Minnie were there as well as some other characters, prizes and food. It was an overall good time!

Day 28: A Photo on my Favorite Ride

Test Track is my all time favorite Disney ride. It also happens to be the fastest ride on Disney property!

Day 27: My Favorite After-Work Memory

My favorite "after work" memory would be going out to eat with my fellow Pooh-Siders. Almost every night after work we would go somewhere to eat. IHOP, Perkins, Ale House, Steak and Shake, McDonalds were some of our favorites. The majority of the money I made went to going out to eat but it was worth it. Most of the time we would get off work sometime after midnight, sometimes even as late as 4am. Robin and I always got mozzarella sticks. It is moments like these that I will never forget. I miss this life more and more every day.

Day 26: A Photo in my Favorite Country at EPCOT

NORWAY!! I love the Norway pavilion at EPCOT the most probably because I am Norwegian, but I love the Maelstrom, the restaurant and the perfume they sell in the gift shop. And the Norwegian men working in the gift shop aren't bad either. ;)

Day 25: A Photo With my Favorite Disney Princess

Ariel and my love Prince Eric!!

Day 24: My Favorite Part of my Job

I've said this many times before, and I'll say it again, my favorite part of my job was the people I worked with. I guarantee that if I had worked with people I didn't like, my job wouldn't have been as magical. It was so much easier working with people that had positive attitudes and were there to help when I needed them. Besides my fellow Pooh-Siders I loved making magic for guests and being able to experience cast-only events like parade previews.

Day 23: A Photo at Animal Kingdom

So this post is a day late...my apologies, I was busy writing a paper all night last night. This is one of my favorite photos from Animal Kingdom, or DAK as we call it. It was also the funniest experiences I had while meeting characters. Stitch was in a crazy mood and was fighting with Lilo. He kept putting leaves in Carolyn's purse and was messing around when we tried taking pictures. The picture pretty much says it all. 

Day 22: A Photo That Always Makes me Laugh

So, here is the story: My roommates and I were at Walmart shopping for Christmas decorations. Katie found 2 nativity sets; one with black characters, and one with white. We were a little puzzled why baby Jesus was black, because we were all pretty sure He was white. She was going to buy him, and at some point when we got to the alcohol aisle decided to randomly leave him in some Bud Light for someone else to find. I wonder if the person who found black baby Jesus was just as puzzled as we were?

Day 21: A Photo Doing Something on my Disney "Bucket List"

The #1 thing on my Disney bucket list was to eat at Cinderella's Royal Table, the restaurant inside the castle. Usually in order to eat there you have to make a reservation 6 months in advance. Ella, Bree, Josh, Ashley and I were pretty excited when we walked up for breakfast and were able to be seated right away. We got to meet Cinderella, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Belle. The girls got magic wands, Josh got a sword to slay dragons, and we all got wishing stars. Needless to say, it was pretty magical. 

Day 20: A Photo with People I'll Never Forget

Each and every one of these people made an impact on my my life during my College Program. Their positive, funny attitudes made my time in Florida unforgettable. There are so many others that I'll never forget that aren't in this photo; my amazing roommates, Pooh Side, and even some Toonies. Basically, if you're reading this, and I met you in Florida, you made an impact on my life and I'll never forget you!

Day 19: Photos at Magic Kingdom

So today's post is a little late...and was also pretty hard for me to pick just one picture to represent Magic Kingdom. So here are a few of my favorites!

 Katie, Rachel and I after our behind the scenes tour of Haunted Mansion!

 Me and my Biffle!

 In Pooh's house

An amazing picture of Mom, Dad, Kyle and I in front of my castle.

Day 18: Eating my Favorite Disney Snack

Giant chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches from Sleepy Hollow! Soooo yummy. These had MINT chocolate chip ice cream in them...amazing. They barely beat out Mickey Premium Bars as my favorite. I first had one of these beauties in 2007 and I've been in love ever since! You can tell Carolyn loved them too :)

Day 17: My Favorite Memory off Disney Property

My absolute favorite memory off Disney property was during our 1104 family reunion. As always, I was having a blast with these girls. Really no matter what we do we manage to have a ton of fun. We spent the night out, went to Denny's at some ungodly early hours of the morning and made it home in one piece. I haven't laughed so hard and had such a great time out in a while. It's really hard living so far from them but I stay positive knowing I will see them all again soon!

Day 16: A Photo at Hollywood Studios

This photo was taken at Hollywood Studios on just another quick trip to a park before work type of day. It was something we did often because we normally worked night shifts and had a lot of time to kill before we had to be at work. Josh, Carlos, Holly, Bree, Blair and I met Lotso before going to the Animation Academy where we learned how to draw Ray from Princess and the Frog.

Day 15: A Photo of an Unforgettable Experience

Day 15 of 30: Half way there! 

Today's photo was taken on the beach at the Polynesian. Before this picture was taken Bree, Ella, Ashley and I had just eaten an extremely large amount of food at Kona Cafe. The dinner pretty much sums up what Disney magic is all about. Because Bree and Ella's roommate worked at Kona we basically managed to sample several of their appetizers and desserts for FREE. We ended up only having to paying for our meals and drinks. It was something we didn't expect to happen but were very happy did, because lets be honest a Disney CP's paycheck isn't that large. I can honestly say, after eating that meal I have never been so full in my life.

What made this night so memorable was again, the people that were with me. The perfect ending to the night was lounging on beach chairs and walking around in the sand. There was nobody else around but us. I just remember thinking, this is what the magic is all about. Meeting people from all over the country, getting free food and laying on the beach as we stare at a lit up Cinderella Castle. Life doesn't get much better than this.

Day 14: A Photo on a Ride

"Yeti at 2 O'Clock!"

This was the first time I had ever ridden Expedition Everest. I was pretty nervous but my roommates assured me I would make it out alive. While we were waiting in line we chatted with the kid sitting behind me in the picture. He talked about how many times he had ridden Everest and helped calm my nerves. During the entire ride he talked me through it so there were no surprises. The quote above, "Yeti at 2 O'Clock" was something he yelled out during the ride. I just thought it was the funniest thing. 

Even with his help, I wasn't a big fan of the ride- it kind of made me dizzy. It's safe to say I won't be riding Everest for a while. 

Day 13: A Photo at EPCOT

I couldn't just pick one photo to represent all the trips taken to EPCOT so here are 2 of my favorites:

This photo was taken in Mexico with my 2 biffles, Bree and Christiana. I was excited to take Christiana to EPCOT because she hadn't been able to go very much during the program. We had so much fun running around the park with our graduation ears on. Christiana even got her first picture with Mickey!

 

I was lucky enough to have my family visit while I was living in Florida. My mom, dad and brother spent 8 days in Orlando and I got to take them to all 4 Disney parks. EPCOT is my favorite park so I was especially excited to bring them there. They hadn't been to Disney since 2006 so there were a few new attractions they got to experience. There will be more EPCOT stories to come!

Day 12: A Photo at my Favorite Disney Restaurant

 
One of the best meals I had while in Florida, and in my life, was at Ohana at the Polynesian. My roommates and I ate here on Carolyn's birthday; we were lucky enough to get to eat there even though we didn't have a reservation. The food was fantastic; the chicken pretty much melted in my mouth, the Hawaiian bread was amazing, and don't even get me started on the dessert. After eating at Ohana I suffered the biggest food coma of my life.


As you can tell by Carolyn and Rachel's faces they enjoyed the food as much as I did. If you've never eaten at Ohana, I highly suggest it.

Day 11: A Photo of Someone Who Changed My Life

"If you live to be 100, I want to be 100 minus one day, so I never have to live without you" -Winnie the Pooh

You know when you meet someone and you instantly know you are going to be great friends? Well, it is safe to say that Bree is that exact kind of friend. We became "biffles" right away and were pretty much inseparable during the entire College Program. Bree and I have a ton in common and pretty much have the same brain, as we like to say. We both love turtles, hate being late, and have tattoos in the exact same places. We joke that we were separated at birth, but have different moms and are 4 months apart. Even though we live so far apart we still talk all the time; I can always count on her to be there when I need to talk, and she can do the same. I cannot imagine my program, or life for that matter, without her in it.

Day 10: A Photo at Universal Studios

 

Even though I worked at Disney World, didn't mean it was the only theme park I went to while living in Florida. This photo was taken at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter with some of my roommates from my first College Program. Nearly 2 years ago I met Mia, Shannon, Nicole and Corinne and my life hasn't been the same since. I consider every one of them to be some of my best friends. Lucky enough, Shannon, Nicole and Corinne live in Orlando so I got to see them frequently.

I was so excited that Mia would be flying down from Chicago for our 1104 reunion (we lived in apartment # 1104).  Harry Potter World was super awesome, despite me not feeling well after riding Forbidden Journey. I was so lucky that Nicole (aka Princess) got me into the park for free otherwise I would have never been able to go. 

I believe that you know you have true friends when you don't see each other for months on end, but when you're reunited it's like you never left.

Day 9: A Photo with my Favorite Disney Character

Wahoooo I'm Tigger, come bounce with me! 

 

One of my favorite Disney characters is Tigger. Honestly, I'm not really sure why, maybe because he is always so upbeat and never lets anything get him down. Tiggs, as I like to call him, go way back...to 2009 during my first College Program when I bought a stuffed Tigger "pillow." I still have my Tigger pillow, and yes I know I'm a Disney nerd.

Ironically, I worked at Winnie the Pooh and got to see Tigger everyday. Some days I even had the chance to "bounce" with Tiggs in a giant honey pot. You may think Tigger's favorite thing is bouncing, well at Winnie the Pooh, Tigger tells guests "What Tiggers like best is safety!"

In this picture are 2 of my favorites, Josh and Bree. I know for a fact my college program wouldn't have been the same without them. On numerous occasions we would go to a park for a little bit before work. And most times we would stop at Wendys for food beforehand...it's just what we did. We always had tons of fun together, no matter what we were doing.

Day 8: My Favorite Disney Movie

The Little Mermaid has been my favorite Disney movie since I was a little girl. I am so excited to see the new Voyage of The Little Mermaid ride when it opens as a part of the Fantasyland expansion! Enjoy this short video of one of my favorite scenes from the movie. 

Day 7: A Photo with Mickey Mouse

Since today is Valentine's Day, I thought it would be fitting to feature today's post on one of my true loves, Mickey.   

This is one of my favorite pictures of me and Mickey, or otherwise known as the "boss man." I had spent this specific day character hunting at Hollywood Studios and had managed to get a picture with every character in the park. Not many people can say they get to see Mickey Mouse everyday, watch fireworks at work every night, or spend their days off taking pictures with Disney characters. Not a bad job if you ask me.

I wanted to share this tilt-shift video of a day at Magic Kingdom. It is one of my favorites and like Mickey, always makes me smile. Enjoy!

Day 6: A Photo at Work

"How many in your party?" This phrase along with many others like "stay behind the yellow line" and "happy birthday princess!" were repeated multiple times everyday at work. Each and every day was different working at Disney; some days were pretty awesome and others not so much. There may be a misconception about what my job entailed; that all I did was push buttons all day. Well, I like to say that I spun tea cups, made giant honey pots move and sent guests on scary adventures with Snow White. I got to make magic every single day by handing out Mickey stickers to kids, bringing families to the front of the line and replacing lost princess wands.

By far the best part of my job was the people I worked with. I have never met such an amazing group of people. It was so nice going to work and having that support, especially on days where crabby guests seemed to be the only guests. Some gave great hugs, some great advice and others were there to make sure I put my "game face" on before going on-sage. To my co-Cast Members reading this, thanks for making a difference, I'll never forget any of you!

Day 5: A Photo in my Work Uniform

FANTASYLAND!! I was SO excited to find out I would be working in Fantasyland once again, this time in attractions. I got to wear these stylish green shorts and white flowered shirt on POOH SIDE! Meaning, that I would be working at Snow White's Scary Adventures, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and the infamous Tea Cups. 

During the Halloween season at Disney, I had the opportunity to work "treat shifts" where I would hand out candy to guests at Halloween parties. Let me just say, I loved this outfit and really loved working at Halloween parties. It was so much fun seeing all the kids dressed up in their Halloween costumes. I even got the chance to hang out with Alice and the Mad Hatter on a few occasions. The best part was working with some amazing people. Team Princess! :)

Day 4: A Photo with my Roommates

Meet my amazing roommates, Katie, Carolyn and Rachel. These girls were some of the best roommates I've ever had (right next to my roommates on my first CP). I couldn't have asked for better girls to live with for 4 and a half months. Carolyn has the gift of making amazing coffee, Katie's tag lines like "SICK" could always make me laugh, and Rachel was always so upbeat and happy. Did you know Rachel is a Music Education major? Yea, when I first found out I thought it was a good pick for her too. :) 

I had some great memories with these girls. Our attempt at "4 parks, one day" on Carolyn's birthday, touring the Haunted Mansion at 7am, and having our computer dates in the living room. We could go days without seeing each other awake because of our crazy work schedules, but when we were together we always had a blast. I am so lucky to have met them and I can't wait to see them all again soon!

Day 3: A Photo at Check-In

 

This is the only photo I have of me at check-in. It was taken by a Photopass Photographer in Disney's Casting building; as you can tell, I wasn't in a very happy mood. Shortly after this was taken, I headed off to Chatham Square to start unpacking all my things. And shortly after that, my mom and I got back on the road headed BACK to Clarksville, TN to pick up my truck. 12 hours there, and 12 hours back (without stopping to sleep, might I add), my truck had a freshly new fixed transmission and I was ready to start my adventure with Disney. Who would have thought that such an amazing experience could start out so rough.

Day 2: A photo with my acceptance folder

Jump back a few months to April 19th, 2010, one of the happiest days of my life. I had been waiting for weeks to hear back from Disney to see if I would be given the chance to be a part of the Disney College Program once again. As I was heading to class I quick checked my mail like I do every day. To my surprise, there was a large envelope inside with a picture of Mickey Mouse on the top left hand corner. It was at that moment I knew I would be going back. I remember running outside to call my mom to tell her. I was so excited, there was no way I was going to class; I went back to my apartment and called everyone to tell them the good news.

What I find most ironic about that day was my outfit choice. When I got dressed that morning, I had no idea I was going to be getting my acceptance letter. It seemed a little fitting, if you ask me. 

Day 1: A Pre-Disney Photo

This photo was taken in Savannah, GA just days before my check-in at Disney. At this very moment I was feeling some of the greatest stress I've ever experienced. Some of you have heard the story of what happened to my truck on the drive down to Florida. In Clarksville, TN my transmission went out, my mom and I left my truck to be fixed and headed off to Savannah in a rental car. We were determined to finish our planned road trip and stay as positive as possible. At times I questioned if this was all going to be worth it or if I should just turn around and go back home. I have never been so angry, stressed, worried and emotional. But I kept telling myself, "this is just God testing you to see how much you want this."

Ironically, the statue in this photo is Johnny Mercer, a singer of the popular song "Zip-a-dee-do-da"  featured in the Disney film Song of the South.

It is with no doubt I can safely say now that all of the stress, tears and large credit card charge for a new transmission, was worth it.