MY FAMILY CAME TO VISIT!

My family came to Orlando for about two weeks!

First, I surprised them at the airport. I cried more waiting for them than when I actually saw them haha. Turtle is so big now! He's much more talkative since I've left. 

They stayed in a hotel for a few days and then moved into the house they were staying in. The house was sooo nice! It had seven bedrooms, so everyone had their own room. The pool in the backyard was even covered!

Of course, the two weeks my family visits is when all the extended Spring CP's left. My schedule was insane. I worked early mornings and late nights.

My parents said that they were just going to work around my schedule and we didn't really plan an itinerary. It got really difficult to spend time with my family and get them into the parks because of the hours I was working. I would really suggest planning things out early. Then you'd be able to request days off and trade/giveaway shifts right when the new schedule drops. 

It was so nice to have my family here. I didn't get to officially say goodbye, which made it even harder... But hopefully they will be here in Decemeber! :) 

DCP Bucket List #10

Canoeing at Fort Wilderness!

First off, go visit the campsites at the Fort Wilderness resort. It is such a nice switch from constantly being around the busyness of the parks and resorts. Its a very nice and relaxing environment with lots of activites to do. Along with canoeing, they have kayaking, motor boats, archery, horseback riding, horse drawn carriages, and even segway tours.

My friends and I went canoeing and it was a blast! It is very inexpensive, costing $6.50 for 30 minutes and $11 for an hour. You are only charged for how long you are out with a minimum of $6.50. So, if you're in between or over the hour, its based on the minute. The best part is that cast members get 50% off!! We were out for 30 minutes with the three of us in one canoe. The total price was only $3.47! I would highly suggest canoeing at Fort Wilderness. Its a very fun and inexpensice thing to do with friends. 

DCP Bucket List #9

Eat at Earl of Sandwich!

I was so excited when I finally got to try it!! I had the Chicken Chipotle Avocado hot sandwich and it was delicious. I'm planning on going back and trying the Classic Earl and the Italian sandwich. I would definitely suggest eating there if you're in Downtown Disney!

DCP Bucket List #8

See a movie at the AMC Theatre!

The AMC Theater in Downtown Disney is so nice and comfy! I have actually seen two movies there so far. I watched Inside Out and The Minion Movie with some of the people from my training group. The theater is so nice! The screen is huge, the floor is elevated, the seats are huge, comfy, and reclinable! 

However, it is pretty cold in the theatre. The first time, I wore shorts and was freezing! If you're like me and get cold easily, bring a jacket!

This was when we went to see the Minnion movie and of course we had to take a picture doing the Queen Wave :)

One Month!

I can't believe I've been here for a month already! It feels like I've been here for awhile, but the month went by so quickly. I love being here in Florida, but I'm definitely missing home. 

A month into the program and I'm so glad I decided to participate. I'm grateful for this opportunity to work for the Walt Disney Company, grateful to have the greatest job ever, and grateful for all the wonderful people I have met. 

I might even like it here a little too much to the point where I'm not sure if I'll ever want to leave... But Disney will still be here and I can always come back. 

This is probably the biggest jump I've taken in my life. I remember first applying and just thinking about how crazy it would be to live so far away and actually work at Walt Disney World. Overall, this experience was so much more than I expected! 

DCP Bucket List #7

On our day off, Katherine and I spent the day at Hollywood Studios. For lunch, we stopped at Fairfax Fare and tried the Macaroni Bacon Hot Dogs! They were pretty good, but a little hard to eat. The hot dogs are served with some chips as well. If you're looking for a quick and light snack, stop by Fairfax Fax!

DCP Bucket List #6

Try a Turkey Leg!

Katherine and I were both off, so we spent the day in Animal Kingdom. Of course we had to try the turkey legs! They were delicious!!

DCP Bucket List #5

This originally wasn't on my Bucket List, but after going with my roommates, I definitely would suggest it! Enchanted Tales with Belle is a cute interactive story show. The guest get to play different characters from the movie and Belle acts it out with you. I ended up being picked as the Beast! I got to "scare" Belle and dance with her! If you enjoy cute little kid Disney things like that, Enchanted Tales is a must! 

 

Fourth of July / DCP Bucket List #4

Working during the 2015 Fall Advantage season means that I get to be in the happiest place on Earth during some pretty awesome Holidays! Last weekend was the Fourth of July and although I didn't get to shoot my own fireworks, it was still pretty fun.

I actually worked the day of, but I got Holiday pay so that was totally okay with me. I worked from 10am-5pm which wasn't bad. I was working a dining shift at Animal Kingdom. DAK closes earlier than the other parks, so it is already slow around dinner time. However, since it was a holiday and DAK wasn't doing anything for the 4th (fireworks scare the animals), it was dead.

When I got off work, I went back to my apartment and got ready to meet some friends. Magic Kingdom was blocked out to Cast Members, so we went to EPCOT. I met up with some of the people from my training group. We just walked around World Showcase and went to a cute little bakery in France. Then we watched Illuminations which had a special 4th of July finale.

Disney definitely doesn't dissappoint! It wasn't the same as being at home woth my fanily, but it still was a super fun day! 

DCP Bucket List #3

"Try the Grey Stuff, its delicious!"

While celebrating my roommate Ashley's birthday, we had lunch at Be Our Guest. The food was pretty good and I absolutely loved the layout and decorations. For dessert, we all order the Grey Stuff. It was so yummy! It kinda tasted like an oreo, but in a cupcake form. I would definitely suggest trying it!

Busy, busy, busy...

These past two weeks have been both busy and fun! From starting and finishing my training, working my first shifts, and attending my first class, it has definitely been busy. 

Training was super fun! My training as a Character Performer was over the course of a couple days. I can't exactly share what training looked like, but it was definitely magical! I get to be friends with some pretty awesome Characters as well. 

I'm taking the Marketing You course through the Disney Collegiate courses. Its basically learning about networking and branding yourself, which will both be verg beneficial. 

Aside from work and class, my days off have been great! As a CP, you should get two days off each week. My days off are usually spent at one of the parks. I was a little worried that the magic of Disney wouldn't be there any more now that I am a cast member, but each time I get to the park, its still 100% there. 

Sorry for the short post, but I do have an 11 hour shift tomorrow morning... But I love my job, so it will be a fun day!

Check back for my next update!

Traditions!

I'M OFFICIALLY A CAST MEMBER?! After waking up at 6am and five hours of orientation, I officially received my name tag! I'M OFFICIAL! I still can't believe this is real life. 

Traditions was a very long day, but it was super fun! When you walk in, the TV screen has everyones name on the back of a Mickey hat. Too cute! We went over Disney's history and learned the Four Keys of Disney. About half way through, we got to tour the underground tunnels of Magic Kingdom. This was the first time we got to enter the Park through the secret Cast Member only entrances. I still can't believe this is real life. I'm officially a part of the magic. 

My roommates and I ended the day with a trip to Magic Kingdom! The weather was perfect and the lines went by quickly. This is really the start to all the wonderful experiences that DCP has to offer.

Training is coming up soon, check back for more details! :) 

DCP Bucket List #2

Try Lefou's Brew from Gaston's Tavern in Magic Kingdom! Sorry for the selfie :) It definitely had an interesting taste. It was bad, but it was unique! It was a mixture of apple and marshmallow. It was very rich, so I would suggest splitting it with another person. 

DCP Bucket List #1

Try Pineapple Dole Whip!

While visiting the Polynesian Resort, my roommates and I stopped for a quick treat. I had the Pineapple Swirl and it was DELICIOUS! 

Resort Hopping!

First free day! We don't have our Blue ID's yet, so we aren't able to get into the parks... But that didn't stop us! Instead of just hanging out at home, we went RESORT HOPPING!

After sleeping in until around noon, my roommates and I explored the Magic Kingdom resorts. First, we went to the gorgeous Polynesian Resort. We walked around the beach, the dock, and got some delicious pineapple Dole Whip!

Next, we walked over to the Grand Floridian. Oh my goodness gracious... IT IS BEAUTIFUL! I could spend hours walking around the resort. The lobby is so pretty! We made a friend with one of the guys in the Rag Time music band named Pat. He was super fun to talk to and shared with us that he has been playing at Walt Disney World since the 1980's! How cool is that?! We even visited the cute little Chapel which was set up for a Wedding! The Cast Member even let us take a quick peek. Seriously, Wedding Goals. 

Last, but certainly not least was the Contemporary! We didn't spend too much time inside because we all were beginning to get hungry and had to catch the bus back to our apartment. But we will definitely be back!

It was a super fun day hanging out with my roommates and exploring all that Walt Disney World has to offer. Check back for more Resort adventures! :)

Late Check-In, Roomies, and Casting!

After my wonderful flight adventures, I landed in Orlando! I grabbed my bags, hopped into the shuttle, and went on my way to Vista for check-in. When I arrived, my check-in wasn't an official one. I only got my Housing ID and Program Guide, but I had to do the rest of the check-in stuff the next morning. But as long as I was able to get into my apartment, I was happy.

The DCP bus system doesn't usually allow luggage on the buses, but thankfully they made an exception for me. Dragging around two FULL suitcases in the humid weather and an unfamiliar place is not fun. I made it to Chatham Square, got lost in my search for the apartment building, but eventually made it. It was a great relief when I realized that I was also on the first floor. I live in a two bedroom, two bathroom apartment with six roommates. We are three to a room with a bunk bed and a regular bed in each. Our apartment is definitely spacious!

My roommates are wonderful! The first bedroom is Ashley (Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique), Jen (Lifeguard), and Katherine (Character Performer). I share my room with Micah and Rachel who are also Character  Performers! How crazy is it that four out of the six of us are Character Performers?! It will definitely be so nice to have roommates with the same job and similar schedules.

I made a quick stop at the grocery store and picked up some food for the following day. Tuesday was an early morning for me. I had to go to the Casting building near Downtown Disney to fill out the rest of my paperwork. Although filling out paperwork can be boring, it was still a fun adventure. The Casting building is so pretty! Being there and walking into the the different rooms was actually very fun. I loved looking at the decorations and just the layout of everything.

Later that day, I made another trip to WalMart to pick up some stuff for my apartment. Some of my roomies and I watched Pretty Little Liars together and then went to Applebees for Half Apps. It was an early night again because early Wednesday morning, Character Performers have to attend a 3D Body Scan. I will be attending Traditions on Friday and begin my training on Saturday!

Check back for info on the Character Performer training sessions! :)

Happy Travels...

My first time flying alone was scary enough, but with my luck, the unexpected happened. I was supposed to arrive in Orlando today, Monday, June 8th, at 7am, but instead, I will not be arriving until 6pm.

It was all going great while I flew from SeaTac to San Fransisco. The captain announced that we had landed about 20 minutes early. I was very excited about that because I was hungry and with that extra 20 minutes, I could grab a quick bite to eat. A few moments later, another announcement was made that there was a plane at the gate that we were supposed to be at. After waiting for the plane to move, we finally got off 45 minutes later. As a result, I missed my connecting flight to Orlando.

Given that this is my first time flying alone, I had no idea was to do. By the time I got off my first plane, my second one had already left for Orlando. After waiting in line at customer service for an hour, I made a phone call and re-booked a flight. Then, I went to the baggage claim area to check on my luggage. The lady at the counter informed me that I received a hotel room along with two meal vouchers, which was definitely much needed.

Going to the hotel was kind of pointless because I got there at 1am and had to leave at 4am to catch my new flight. However, it was nice to take a shower, relax, and squeeze in a quick power nap until it was time to catch the shuttle. I went back the San Francisco airport, got on my plane, and am now sitting at the Houston airport for my flight to Orlando. 

I emailed the Disney Recruiting email account as soon as I got into the hotel room. A few hours later, I got a response stating that I was okay to check in tomorrow, Tuesday, June 9th, if needed. I am so thankful that Disney was so accommodating with this unexpected situation. It definitely gave me some reassurance that it will all work out. 

Thanks for reading and be sure to check back to see if I have another interesting travel story!

Here we go!

Three months ago, I found out that I had been ACCEPTED to the Disney College Program for the 2015 Fall Advantage season. I quickly made a countdown until my arrival date and excitedly watched the number get closer and closer to zero. As I said goodbye to my family, yes with some tears, and got in line for security check-in, it hit me. Today, I am officially on my way to Orlando.

Along with many other emotions, I am so excited for this opportunity. I cannot believe that I am about to board a flight to Orlando and won't be returning until January 2016?! Although it is an extremely exciting adventure, it is most definitely a scary one. I am still trying to figure out how I managed to convince myself to hop on a plane and be away from home for seven months. Keep in mind that this is coming from a girl who went to college 20 minutes away from home. Yes, I lived on campus, but I went home every weekend. :)

First, I have a quick flight to San Francisco from SeaTac. After a short 30 minute layover, I will be headed to Orlando. My flight lands around 7am, so hopefully I will be able to get some sleep during the flight as I have a busy check-in/move-in day tomorrow. Looks like its time to board my plane!

Thanks for reading and don't forget to check back for more of my DCP experiences! :)