I have to apologize for literally stopping my blogs cold turkey. I became so busy & just couldn't find the time to sit down & type up the (many) hilarious & interesting things that I've encountered during the day in Orlando.
BUT, I'm back home in Texas & I definitely enjoyed the 4 months I spent in Florida. I'll forever remember all of the memories I made working for Disney. I met people from all over the world, made friends I'll never forget, & made memories to last me a lifetime. Disney, you're pretty freakin' awesome :)
& good news: I HAVE A JOB!!!!!! I got a job as a Teacher's Aid / Receptionist at Smithfield Middle School (my alma mater) & I couldn't be more excited. I'm so blessed to have been given this opportunity & I will most definitely be making the most of it. It'll give me a chance to really see if I'm supposed to teach or do something in a more "corporate" setting. Only time will tell...
From here on out, I'll try to blog more often - but now that I'm not still in Florida, who's to say that my life will be as exciting to read about as it was in Orlando? ;)
XoXo
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
It's never a boring moment in 1103
Hey! I'm blogging again and it's been less than a week! Haha, I've had a little bit more free time on my hands these past few days...
In the past few days, I've fried pickles with Ashton, worked a lot of the closing shifts at the arcade, somehow managed to clean my room (yet dirty it up again), done a little shopping, slept in more times than I needed to, had a really fun date night, left early from work because my eyes were killing me, took Ashton to the hospital, spent the majority of the night in the hospital with the roomies & Ashton, layed out at the pool (my tan is getting ridiculous), & spent the majority of my paycheck on gas for my car. Awesome. I'm living the life :)
This is my last week at the arcade! My Blizzard Beach orientation is Wednesday & my last day at the arcade is this Friday. Bring on the sun!
Working tonight - woohoo.
Later, gators.
In the past few days, I've fried pickles with Ashton, worked a lot of the closing shifts at the arcade, somehow managed to clean my room (yet dirty it up again), done a little shopping, slept in more times than I needed to, had a really fun date night, left early from work because my eyes were killing me, took Ashton to the hospital, spent the majority of the night in the hospital with the roomies & Ashton, layed out at the pool (my tan is getting ridiculous), & spent the majority of my paycheck on gas for my car. Awesome. I'm living the life :)
This is my last week at the arcade! My Blizzard Beach orientation is Wednesday & my last day at the arcade is this Friday. Bring on the sun!
Working tonight - woohoo.
Later, gators.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Florida is legit... minus the traffic
So I've got 10 weeks left of my College Program. I'm not okay with this. It's going to be so hard to leave.
In the past couple weeks, I have had an incredible time. I've worked a lot (yet not as much as I could have worked), hung out with my awesome roommates, met some really interesting people at work, worked with some fun cast members, & truly enjoyed everyday.
Magical Moment Report: I've had small Magical Moments on a daily basis, but the one that stands out the most happened yesterday at work - This precious little boy walked up to the arcade counter & just stood & stared at me. I leaned down, saying "Hello, handsome! How are you today?" He, then, blushed, & began talking to me about his day. Even though he wasn't talking very much, he kept nodding & smiling, staying interested in our conversation. I noticed he was wearing Silly Bands (something that I have gone from loathing to loving) & I asked him what kind they were. He looked down at his wrist, looked back up at me, & said in the cutest little voice, "Disneyyyy." I told him how cool they were, & he looked back down at his wrist and took off the red Silly Band. He handed it to me & said "I'd like you to have this." I immediately got really excited, saying "thank you" repeatedly. I looked down at the bracelet after it re-gained it's shape &.... it was a Mickey Mouse Silly Band. I literally started tearing up, making the little boy think I was probably half insane. It made my entire day & was yet another reminder of why I am here. I love it here; I really do. The experience isn't over just yet, but it will be one I'll never forget.
This place is truly magical. On a daily basis, I witness just how this place impacts people - both guests & Cast Members alike. The happiness & joy is infectious, & I'm soaking in every bit of it.
"They will be the people who give, who like to bring delight to other people, & therefore gain pleasure & satisfaction for themselves" - Walt Disney
XoXo
In the past couple weeks, I have had an incredible time. I've worked a lot (yet not as much as I could have worked), hung out with my awesome roommates, met some really interesting people at work, worked with some fun cast members, & truly enjoyed everyday.
Magical Moment Report: I've had small Magical Moments on a daily basis, but the one that stands out the most happened yesterday at work - This precious little boy walked up to the arcade counter & just stood & stared at me. I leaned down, saying "Hello, handsome! How are you today?" He, then, blushed, & began talking to me about his day. Even though he wasn't talking very much, he kept nodding & smiling, staying interested in our conversation. I noticed he was wearing Silly Bands (something that I have gone from loathing to loving) & I asked him what kind they were. He looked down at his wrist, looked back up at me, & said in the cutest little voice, "Disneyyyy." I told him how cool they were, & he looked back down at his wrist and took off the red Silly Band. He handed it to me & said "I'd like you to have this." I immediately got really excited, saying "thank you" repeatedly. I looked down at the bracelet after it re-gained it's shape &.... it was a Mickey Mouse Silly Band. I literally started tearing up, making the little boy think I was probably half insane. It made my entire day & was yet another reminder of why I am here. I love it here; I really do. The experience isn't over just yet, but it will be one I'll never forget.
This place is truly magical. On a daily basis, I witness just how this place impacts people - both guests & Cast Members alike. The happiness & joy is infectious, & I'm soaking in every bit of it.
XoXo
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
March already?!?
I can't believe March is already here! I know February is a short month, but time seems like it has flown by.
I had a blast hanging out with my cousins - it was so fun to have family here and to act as Tour Guide for a week :) Today, I'll work at 5, but I've got some major grocery shopping to do. And tomorrow, I'm off work AND it's pay day! (EPCOT really stands for Every Paycheck Comes on Thursday) Teeheehee.
Work has been a lot of fun lately, working with really awesome Cast Members and meeting really cool people from all of the world. Everyday is an opportunity for a new adventure - just make the most of it. And that's what I'm doing. In just a few weeks, I'm moving to a job that's filled with sunshine on a daily basis. Yessss.
See? When I blog more often, I can avoid long and grueling posts that drone on and on about how fabulous my life is in Florida ;)
Miss y'all!
Oh, and I still have this on my car... I'm torn as to whether or not I should take it off because clearly, I made it to Disney World. But, it's kind of a part of my car now. And it's very easily spotted in a parking lot (as if the bright red paint wasn't already enough). Maybe I'll just leave the Mickey on there and erase the words... we'll see!
I had a blast hanging out with my cousins - it was so fun to have family here and to act as Tour Guide for a week :) Today, I'll work at 5, but I've got some major grocery shopping to do. And tomorrow, I'm off work AND it's pay day! (EPCOT really stands for Every Paycheck Comes on Thursday) Teeheehee.
Work has been a lot of fun lately, working with really awesome Cast Members and meeting really cool people from all of the world. Everyday is an opportunity for a new adventure - just make the most of it. And that's what I'm doing. In just a few weeks, I'm moving to a job that's filled with sunshine on a daily basis. Yessss.
See? When I blog more often, I can avoid long and grueling posts that drone on and on about how fabulous my life is in Florida ;)
Miss y'all!
Oh, and I still have this on my car... I'm torn as to whether or not I should take it off because clearly, I made it to Disney World. But, it's kind of a part of my car now. And it's very easily spotted in a parking lot (as if the bright red paint wasn't already enough). Maybe I'll just leave the Mickey on there and erase the words... we'll see!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Family time in Florida!
It's only been a week since I wrote last? Wow, time seems to be creeping by. However, I feel like I've been here for months already even though the time is actually flying by. This week, I'm so excited to have family here! My cousins Daniel, Claire, and Abby came down for a week and we've been able to go to the parks together! The weather has been fantastic and perfect for the long days in the parks. The first day they were here, I took them to Magic Kingdom where we rode a lot of rides and met a bunch of the Characters - most importantly, the Princesses :) I literally saw the best Cinderella I have ever seen. It absolutely made my day (and little Abby, as well). The next day, we went to Hollywood Studios and watched a bunch of shows... and walked A LOT. I've been working a lot, but still managing to have a lot of fun when I'm off work (and I'm even having fun while on the clock!). Yesterday, Abby and a friend from work went to Typhoon Lagoon! We were able to get in for free as Cast Members, which made it that much more enjoyable, haha. We got just enough sun and left before it got crowded. I had a pretty good night at work and got home around midnight. Today, Abby and I tried out Earl of Sandwich at Downtown Disney - let's just say we got a free lunch because I made a bet with the manager that we couldn't get our sandwich ordered in under 10 minutes, and he said we could, and if not, he'd pay for our lunch. It took 13 minutes. Teeheehee. But now, it's time to get ready for work...
Ta-ta! :)
Ta-ta! :)
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Florida Sunshine *love*
Sorry it's been so long since I've blogged - I seriously can't find the time to actually sit down and type about all of the hilarious and ridiculous things that have happened. But here's what I can remember...
I survived Valentine's Day! Since this was the first time in a LONG time that I didn't have a Valentine, I wondered how the day was going to go. I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't too bad - having a Valentine is over-rated anyways. :)
My roommates and I have gotten the Aladdin song stuck in our heads (and we keep singing it randomly), I've gotten some sun at our beautiful pool here at Chatham Square, I went to Epcot with Ashton in search of my zebra Vinylmation (no luck), had dinner at a ridiculously good Mexican food restaurant, had a wicked awesome dance party when we all got back home, watched some girly movies, visited a Florida beach for the first time (Cocoa Beach, you are beautiful!), got an amazing tan (which is still in progress), actually enjoyed work the past couple weeks, and done a LOT of shopping. And yesterday, Abby, Courtney, and I went to Animal Kingdom and rode some awesome rides (minus the Its Tough to Be a Bug show... not so fun). Annnnndd I finally found my zebra Vinylmation. My life is now complete. And not only that, but Abby found some zebra Mickey ears for me. I just had to get them. Darn.
I work today at 5, so this morning/afternoon, Abby, Tonya, and I went to Mickey D's, then Tonya and I went to the Outlets. Always fun, but verrrrry dangerous.
Until next time... :)
I survived Valentine's Day! Since this was the first time in a LONG time that I didn't have a Valentine, I wondered how the day was going to go. I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't too bad - having a Valentine is over-rated anyways. :)
My roommates and I have gotten the Aladdin song stuck in our heads (and we keep singing it randomly), I've gotten some sun at our beautiful pool here at Chatham Square, I went to Epcot with Ashton in search of my zebra Vinylmation (no luck), had dinner at a ridiculously good Mexican food restaurant, had a wicked awesome dance party when we all got back home, watched some girly movies, visited a Florida beach for the first time (Cocoa Beach, you are beautiful!), got an amazing tan (which is still in progress), actually enjoyed work the past couple weeks, and done a LOT of shopping. And yesterday, Abby, Courtney, and I went to Animal Kingdom and rode some awesome rides (minus the Its Tough to Be a Bug show... not so fun). Annnnndd I finally found my zebra Vinylmation. My life is now complete. And not only that, but Abby found some zebra Mickey ears for me. I just had to get them. Darn.
I work today at 5, so this morning/afternoon, Abby, Tonya, and I went to Mickey D's, then Tonya and I went to the Outlets. Always fun, but verrrrry dangerous.
Until next time... :)
My new little friend - my new collectible zebra Disney Vinylmation :)
Beach, sun, sand, & Dr Pepper. Nothin' better.
LOVE these girls!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Waiting for the permanently warm weather
Despite the normal assumptions of weather being warm all the time in Florida, I have come to realize it's not always warm here. Warmer than home, yes, but not the warm weather I expected to encounter when I moved down here. The sun is almost always shining, standing true to this state's name - "The Sunshine State." I'll just have to be patient - the heat will be here soon enough and I'll FINALLY be able to wear shorts and tank tops :)
So, it's always eventful when my roommates and I are together. Apartment 1103 = Trouble. Yesterday, I had a day off and when Abby came home from work (after she had already had a crummy day because, let's face it, some Disney Cast Members aren't always in that "Disney Spirit" mindset and they made her day miserable), she wanted to make some lunch. So she put in a bowl of Easy Mac (which we came to find out ain't so "easy"), and after about 60 seconds, the entire kitchen was in smoke. Tonya, Abby, and I jumped to our feet. And I must say, we work well as a team. We assessed the situation, took on a role, and worked together so we didn't burn the apartment down. Tonya ran for the front and patio doors for ventilation, Abby ran to the microwave to hit "end," and I ran for a towel to fan the smoke away from the smoke detectors. Abby was standing in front of the microwave yelling, "There are flames!!" And by stopping the microwave, the small flames dissipated (thank goodness) and burned out completely. Then we all had to run outside because we couldn't breathe in the apartment because the smoke was so extreme. Come to find out, the microwave had a wiring problem and the fire could have started at any given time when we tried to use it. It just so happened that it occurred when 3 of us were home to make sure the apartment didn't go up in flames. We got a new microwave and now our apartment smells like hardcore burnt plastic. Awesome.
Day before yesterday, the original plan was to go to Cocoa Beach for the day, but since it was a little chilly, we decided to go to the Parks instead. Oh darn, a whole day of Disney World? Yes, please! :) I bought more souvenirs, rode a bunch of rides, and spent the day with the coolest people I know. I never want to leave.
Work today from 3-11:30. Then, hopefully meeting up with the roomies at House of Blues at Downtown Disney. What a life :)
Miss you all!
So, it's always eventful when my roommates and I are together. Apartment 1103 = Trouble. Yesterday, I had a day off and when Abby came home from work (after she had already had a crummy day because, let's face it, some Disney Cast Members aren't always in that "Disney Spirit" mindset and they made her day miserable), she wanted to make some lunch. So she put in a bowl of Easy Mac (which we came to find out ain't so "easy"), and after about 60 seconds, the entire kitchen was in smoke. Tonya, Abby, and I jumped to our feet. And I must say, we work well as a team. We assessed the situation, took on a role, and worked together so we didn't burn the apartment down. Tonya ran for the front and patio doors for ventilation, Abby ran to the microwave to hit "end," and I ran for a towel to fan the smoke away from the smoke detectors. Abby was standing in front of the microwave yelling, "There are flames!!" And by stopping the microwave, the small flames dissipated (thank goodness) and burned out completely. Then we all had to run outside because we couldn't breathe in the apartment because the smoke was so extreme. Come to find out, the microwave had a wiring problem and the fire could have started at any given time when we tried to use it. It just so happened that it occurred when 3 of us were home to make sure the apartment didn't go up in flames. We got a new microwave and now our apartment smells like hardcore burnt plastic. Awesome.
Day before yesterday, the original plan was to go to Cocoa Beach for the day, but since it was a little chilly, we decided to go to the Parks instead. Oh darn, a whole day of Disney World? Yes, please! :) I bought more souvenirs, rode a bunch of rides, and spent the day with the coolest people I know. I never want to leave.
Work today from 3-11:30. Then, hopefully meeting up with the roomies at House of Blues at Downtown Disney. What a life :)
Miss you all!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Snow there, Sunshine here!
Hey everybody!
I just have to say I'm a little envious of all of the snow and slush Texas has been getting lately, but I don't envy the fact that it's super cold. It's been absolutely beautiful the past few days (with a little cool front the other night), with no snow. So, I'm pretty happy about that!
So I'm gonna try to blog more often - a) so I'll actually remember what's happened and b) so you're not stuck reading an entry that takes forrrrevvverrr to get through.
The past few days have been long, but in a good way. I was at work on the 7th when I get a text from a good friend from college is going to be in Orlando the next day! Awesome! So we made plans to hang out/go to dinner, and the next night, we went to Planet Hollywood at Downtown Disney and had an absolute blast! That restaurant is so great. ANDDDD I got to use my Disney Cast Member "VIP status" to move ahead of the waitlist (from 75 minutes down to 10). Pretty cool!
Yesterday, Tonya and I went to a Character Look-Alike Audition, my last ditch effort to FINALLY be a Princess. However, after what took hours signing in and waiting, we realized that the Casting people were mostly looking for Mulan, Jasmine, and possibly a Sleeping Beauty. Hrmph. So... maybe next time! I won't give up until I become Cinderella :) After the audition, I had a "day of laziness" until I went to work at 5. I worked at the arcade and despite how slow it was, the other attendant, Ashley and I, kept ourselves busy by tedious busy work and funny stories every now and then
Today, I don't go to work until 5, so I have the whole afternoon for grocery shopping and errands. Woohoo! I might not be making much money, but a girl's gotta eat... haha.
And in the words of Mickey Mouse, "See ya real soon!"
I just have to say I'm a little envious of all of the snow and slush Texas has been getting lately, but I don't envy the fact that it's super cold. It's been absolutely beautiful the past few days (with a little cool front the other night), with no snow. So, I'm pretty happy about that!
So I'm gonna try to blog more often - a) so I'll actually remember what's happened and b) so you're not stuck reading an entry that takes forrrrevvverrr to get through.
The past few days have been long, but in a good way. I was at work on the 7th when I get a text from a good friend from college is going to be in Orlando the next day! Awesome! So we made plans to hang out/go to dinner, and the next night, we went to Planet Hollywood at Downtown Disney and had an absolute blast! That restaurant is so great. ANDDDD I got to use my Disney Cast Member "VIP status" to move ahead of the waitlist (from 75 minutes down to 10). Pretty cool!
Yesterday, Tonya and I went to a Character Look-Alike Audition, my last ditch effort to FINALLY be a Princess. However, after what took hours signing in and waiting, we realized that the Casting people were mostly looking for Mulan, Jasmine, and possibly a Sleeping Beauty. Hrmph. So... maybe next time! I won't give up until I become Cinderella :) After the audition, I had a "day of laziness" until I went to work at 5. I worked at the arcade and despite how slow it was, the other attendant, Ashley and I, kept ourselves busy by tedious busy work and funny stories every now and then
Today, I don't go to work until 5, so I have the whole afternoon for grocery shopping and errands. Woohoo! I might not be making much money, but a girl's gotta eat... haha.
And in the words of Mickey Mouse, "See ya real soon!"
Monday, February 7, 2011
Let the Memories Begin
Hello all!
Sorry it's been so long, Florida/Disney life is non-stop work & fun - more fun than work, really :)
Let's see, where do I begin?
Since my last update, I was assigned to the All-Star Resort Arcade until March 20th, and then I'll be moved to Disney's Blizzard Beach Waterpark! I'm excited about moving to the sunshine - staying inside all day is really wearing on me. And, I'm in desperate need of one of those famous Florida tans :) I work with a variety of people, and I'm really able to use what Spanish I know to help with both guests & fellow Cast Members. I'm getting to interact with adults & kids alike, and I'm loving it. I wasn't too happy with where I was placed, but I am determined to make the most of it & make sure I'm making sure guests have the most magical experience as possible.
Earlier this week, Abby, Courtney, Zach, & I went to Hollywood Studios to ride Tower of Terror (twice in a row, because since Zach works there, hooked us up), Rockin' Rollercoaster (even cooler the second time to ride it), and Toy Story Mania. As if we weren't already exhausted enough, we headed over to Magic Kingdom!!! For the record, Space Mountain is terrible. I still feel like my equilibrium is all out-of-whack. Someone just might have to pay me to ride that ride again. After a few rides, we met up with another one of our roommates, Tonya, and continued our fun-filled day in the park (ie Splash Mountain, Toontown, Meet & Greet with TIGGER!, the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Carribean, and dinner at Cosmic Ray's, where we visited with another roommate who was working). We finally met up with Ashton, and we did some shopping at the Emporium, followed by the most amazing light and firework show I have ever seen. So amazing, in fact, I cried like a little girl. This place really is magical and I just can't get enough.
The next day, we crammed the last two Disney parks into a day - Animal Kingdom and Epcot. Zach, Jamey, Ashton, and I hopped in my car and headed to Animal Kingdom, where we went on the Safari tour, the Everest rollercoaster (LEGIT!), watched "Nemo-The Musical," and the Lion King show. In-cred-ible. I seriously got goosebumps. Next up was Epcot, where we rode Spaceship Earth (really ended up being more like naptime), and walked "Around the World," which gradually turned into us desperately searching for a place to eat dinner. The final choice? Dinner in Mexico. I was seriously craving Mexican food and it was a MUST. After killing time with a junior high-esque game of Truth or Dare by using an App on Ashton's phone, we watched Illuminations, which was cool, but nothing like the incredible light show in Magic Kingdom. After leaving Epcot, we had the bright idea of going to downtown Orlando. So, even after exhaustion of what seemed like we'd already walked a million miles during the day, we danced the night away downtown.
Today, I once again, tried to get a darn lanyard. Apparently a Cast Member lanyard with Cinderella on it is almost impossible to find) and I went with Abby to Disney University to check out Company D (basically like a Cast Member gift shop) annnnnd I almost fought a girl for the last Cinderella lanyard. For real. I had to hold myself back from taking her out. Kidding. But seriously...
To end my day on a good note, Abby, Courtney, & I went to dinner at TGI Fridays. I ordered quesadillas only for the waiter to tell me they were out of stinkin' tortillas. And this was after I got my purse strap twisted around the hood of my hoodie, almost accidentally hanging myself in the middle of the street. I'm just that awesome. Oh, and then we got into a conversation about Disney Princesses and the fact that Jasmine is the only Princess that isn't the main character of the movie. I then preceeded to ask "So, who is the main character of Aladin?!" Yeah. Awesome.
Now, for my most Magical Moment: A couple of nights ago, I had to close the arcade. A few hours before the arcade closed, a little girl came up to the counter with her parents. I was asking where they were from and I was insistent on spending a lot of time interacting with this particular family. I had a gut feeling that this family was special. The little girl was one of the prettiest little girls I have ever seen. She was all dressed up in a Minnie Mouse-themed outfit and looked precious. Once she had redeemed her tickets and picked out her prizes, they started to leave. I told her bye and to enjoy the rest of her first visit in Disney World. Her Dad stopped in his tracks and turned around. He, then handed me a purple rubber bracelet and preceded to tell me "Pray for Ava. She has terminal cancer and it's inoperable. But, you have made today perfect for her." I immediately started fighting back tears as I told him that they were in my thoughts and prayers. I touched a little girl's life by simply doing my job, which is to make each guest feel special. Disney is where I'm supposed to be and I will continue to make magic happen for as many people as possible.
So, I'll be working for the next few days, then I'm off on Friday to (hopefully) head to Cocoa Beach for the day. I need some sand and sun in my life :)
Until next time... :)
XoXo
Saturday, January 29, 2011
The post we've all been waiting for...
I honestly can't believe I'm here! I would have blogged sooner, but we (the technically challenged roommates and I) couldn't get our internet to work. We, then, found out it wasn't something that we were doing wrong - the people that lived here before us apparently thought they should steal the power cord to the modem when they moved out. But they left the modem. Doesn't really make much sense. It's like stealing only one shoe; it's stupid and pretty darn pointless. And according the maintenance man, these are the same people that put bubbles in the fountain at the entrance and flooded the apartment. Awesome.
Anyways, so since I've been here 5 days now (which, in a good way, already feels like I've been here for months!), y'all have a lot of catching up to do :)
My Journey to Florida
Mom and I left NRH on Friday around 9 am and I drove allllll the way to Shreveport, where we stopped for a bathroom/snack break. We then drove down to Natchitoches, Louisiana so we could see where they filmed one of our favorite movies, "Steel Magnolias." After spending a couple hours in that adorable little town, we jumped back into the car and drove all the way to Gulfport, Mississippi, where we ate IHOP and stayed the night in a quaint little hotel. The next morning, we got our continental breakfast and drove about 5 minutes down the main street of Gulfport, which took us right to the coast! We, of course, took pictures, and then hopped back into the car to head toward Florida! We passed through Alabama, and finally got to Florida around noon and briefly stopped at the Florida Welcome Center to (of course) take pictures :) We continued on toward Tallahassee, then passed right through it, determined to get to Orlando! We were about an hour away from Orlando, and for some reason, my GPS decided to give up (she'd traveled a LONG way with us) and started giving us the most off-the-wall routes to get to Orlando. Let me just say we ended up driving right through the ghetto of Florida. Bleh. But we made it to our hotel and almost immediately went to sleep. That is, after we figured out how the elevators worked and had to get ice at the front desk because the "official" ice makers were out of ice. Swell. The next day we drove around town to scope out where I'd be living and found the closest malls, Wal-Mart, grocery store, & Chick-Fil-A - the essentials. We did some shopping and later on in the evening, met up with Ashton and her mom for dinner at an Italian restaurant in Downtown Disney. With another long day ahead of us, we all went back to our hotels for a good night's sleep.
Day 1 - Move-In Day!!!!!
The first hour or so of the day began with waiting in a line. A LONG line. Normally, I would have found this extremely boring, but the longer I stood in line, the more people I met. Some people of which are from New York, Australia, California, and some from Utah. They, of course, knew I was from Texas from the dead-giveaway "y'all" that I kept using. It was either that or the fact that I was wearing my maroon Texas State hoodie. Either one. Ashton, one of my amazing roommates, met up with me in line so we could make sure we would be able to live together. We proceeded to fill out some paperwork, request what apartment we wished to live in, and what size apartment we wanted, take our Chatham Square Apartment ID picture, pick up our apartment key, as well as our parking decals. Then, we hopped onto a large tour bus with other CP (College Program) people and headed to "Casting" where we would find out our roles and complete even more paperwork, fingerprinting, and background checks. It honestly felt like I was coming into a new country and going through Customs. It was crazy. But the enthusiasm and happy, welcoming attitudes by the other Cast Members made a chaotic process organized and thorough. After Casting, Ashton and I headed back to Vista Way (where we started the check-in process), met back up with our moms, jumped into our cars, and headed over to our new apartment! We got all moved in and were exhausted. Sleeeeep!!!
Day 2
Free day! We organized the rest of my room, did some shopping, and drove around Orlando. I took my Mom back to her hotel for the shuttle could take her to the airport, and I didn't realize how hard it was going to be to say goodbye. And yes, I sat in the parking lot and cried. But only for a little while before I realized that I was in the Happiest Place on Earth and that I should be thrilled. Yes, being away from everyone is hard, but in the end, this will all be SO worth it. Later that evening, Florida was under a tornado warning. Awesome. I guess when I moved here, I brought the tornadoes with me... But the storm passed and we were ok. But we were all freaking out just a tad there at the beginning.
Day 3
Traditions day! We had our first official day of training. Traditions was a long day, but it was very rewarding. We were given our official name tags and we received a surprise while at Traditions :) We were done around 6pm and we headed back to the apartment. Then, Ashton and I got ready and we met up with some friends from school/home Albert and Keith at Buffalo Wild WIngs (which, after 10, turns into a night club. It's bizarre). It was nice to see people I recognized!
Day 4
Training. On the computer. Boring. But that night, Patterson Court (another apartment complex) hosted a CP party by the pool! It was a blast with all of my roommates and all of the fun people we've met thus far. Then, my Australian friend came over, and we all gathered around the TV to watch some Jersey Shore!
Day 5
More training at Disney's All-Star Resort. Loooong day. Then, we had a roommate dinner (along with some other friends we've met), followed by some "Apples to Apples" and "Phase 10" :)
Today
My first official day of work. Wish me luck!
Miss you all! Let's Skype soon :)
-Chels
Silly things that have happened / been said over these past few days:
*"Did y'all drive here?" - me, talking to some Australian boys about their hometown
*"Ice." - Courtney, telling us someone was at the door to check on our ice maker
*"Has anyone seen Courtney?" "Check the dishwasher" - Tonya & I obviously having 2 different converstations....
"She was... neat." - Ashton referring to a girl at training
"What's a SKIP?" "Marquise, do you need a 'one'?" "Yessss...." - good times with Phase 10
*Sexy Susan's - Abby's favorite place to shop. lol
*"Girl, you must have an extra pair of wings" - Megan referring to me and my accident-prone tendencies
Anyways, so since I've been here 5 days now (which, in a good way, already feels like I've been here for months!), y'all have a lot of catching up to do :)
My Journey to Florida
Mom and I left NRH on Friday around 9 am and I drove allllll the way to Shreveport, where we stopped for a bathroom/snack break. We then drove down to Natchitoches, Louisiana so we could see where they filmed one of our favorite movies, "Steel Magnolias." After spending a couple hours in that adorable little town, we jumped back into the car and drove all the way to Gulfport, Mississippi, where we ate IHOP and stayed the night in a quaint little hotel. The next morning, we got our continental breakfast and drove about 5 minutes down the main street of Gulfport, which took us right to the coast! We, of course, took pictures, and then hopped back into the car to head toward Florida! We passed through Alabama, and finally got to Florida around noon and briefly stopped at the Florida Welcome Center to (of course) take pictures :) We continued on toward Tallahassee, then passed right through it, determined to get to Orlando! We were about an hour away from Orlando, and for some reason, my GPS decided to give up (she'd traveled a LONG way with us) and started giving us the most off-the-wall routes to get to Orlando. Let me just say we ended up driving right through the ghetto of Florida. Bleh. But we made it to our hotel and almost immediately went to sleep. That is, after we figured out how the elevators worked and had to get ice at the front desk because the "official" ice makers were out of ice. Swell. The next day we drove around town to scope out where I'd be living and found the closest malls, Wal-Mart, grocery store, & Chick-Fil-A - the essentials. We did some shopping and later on in the evening, met up with Ashton and her mom for dinner at an Italian restaurant in Downtown Disney. With another long day ahead of us, we all went back to our hotels for a good night's sleep.
Day 1 - Move-In Day!!!!!
The first hour or so of the day began with waiting in a line. A LONG line. Normally, I would have found this extremely boring, but the longer I stood in line, the more people I met. Some people of which are from New York, Australia, California, and some from Utah. They, of course, knew I was from Texas from the dead-giveaway "y'all" that I kept using. It was either that or the fact that I was wearing my maroon Texas State hoodie. Either one. Ashton, one of my amazing roommates, met up with me in line so we could make sure we would be able to live together. We proceeded to fill out some paperwork, request what apartment we wished to live in, and what size apartment we wanted, take our Chatham Square Apartment ID picture, pick up our apartment key, as well as our parking decals. Then, we hopped onto a large tour bus with other CP (College Program) people and headed to "Casting" where we would find out our roles and complete even more paperwork, fingerprinting, and background checks. It honestly felt like I was coming into a new country and going through Customs. It was crazy. But the enthusiasm and happy, welcoming attitudes by the other Cast Members made a chaotic process organized and thorough. After Casting, Ashton and I headed back to Vista Way (where we started the check-in process), met back up with our moms, jumped into our cars, and headed over to our new apartment! We got all moved in and were exhausted. Sleeeeep!!!
Day 2
Free day! We organized the rest of my room, did some shopping, and drove around Orlando. I took my Mom back to her hotel for the shuttle could take her to the airport, and I didn't realize how hard it was going to be to say goodbye. And yes, I sat in the parking lot and cried. But only for a little while before I realized that I was in the Happiest Place on Earth and that I should be thrilled. Yes, being away from everyone is hard, but in the end, this will all be SO worth it. Later that evening, Florida was under a tornado warning. Awesome. I guess when I moved here, I brought the tornadoes with me... But the storm passed and we were ok. But we were all freaking out just a tad there at the beginning.
Day 3
Traditions day! We had our first official day of training. Traditions was a long day, but it was very rewarding. We were given our official name tags and we received a surprise while at Traditions :) We were done around 6pm and we headed back to the apartment. Then, Ashton and I got ready and we met up with some friends from school/home Albert and Keith at Buffalo Wild WIngs (which, after 10, turns into a night club. It's bizarre). It was nice to see people I recognized!
Day 4
Training. On the computer. Boring. But that night, Patterson Court (another apartment complex) hosted a CP party by the pool! It was a blast with all of my roommates and all of the fun people we've met thus far. Then, my Australian friend came over, and we all gathered around the TV to watch some Jersey Shore!
Day 5
More training at Disney's All-Star Resort. Loooong day. Then, we had a roommate dinner (along with some other friends we've met), followed by some "Apples to Apples" and "Phase 10" :)
Today
My first official day of work. Wish me luck!
Miss you all! Let's Skype soon :)
-Chels
Silly things that have happened / been said over these past few days:
*"Did y'all drive here?" - me, talking to some Australian boys about their hometown
*"Ice." - Courtney, telling us someone was at the door to check on our ice maker
*"Has anyone seen Courtney?" "Check the dishwasher" - Tonya & I obviously having 2 different converstations....
"She was... neat." - Ashton referring to a girl at training
"What's a SKIP?" "Marquise, do you need a 'one'?" "Yessss...." - good times with Phase 10
*Sexy Susan's - Abby's favorite place to shop. lol
*"Girl, you must have an extra pair of wings" - Megan referring to me and my accident-prone tendencies
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Is it the 24th yet??
And the days drag on... the excitement and anticipation is killing me!
Disney needs to get here SOON.
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