When I read blogs about the Disney College Program check-in, they say, “Prepare for long lines.” I was like, “oh okay, I can handle big lines.” But really. If you are doing the Disney College Program, prepare for big lines. It’s absolutely crazy!! It is exciting though; you get your housing assignment, your general work assignment, your housing ID (which you take a lovely picture for). So, you get a huge amount of things done in a small amount of time.
Our day started out at 6am. We got ready and packed all of our stuff up and moved our way out of the hotel. Katelyn and Megan both had a broken suitcase, a wheel didn’t work on one and the handle broke on the other. So they were literally dragging their suitcases to the main office. Katelyn, Megan, and I decided to take a taxi to Vista Way, because of the broken suitcases and how heavy some of our bags were.
We met Kimber, Natasha, and Natalie at the Welcoming Center, they had sweat pouring down their faces. I think it’s going to take awhile until we all get used to how humid it was here.
We made our way to the back of the line and the waiting began. We weaved our way through the line for the next hour until we made it to what we thought was the front. We handed in some of our paper work and then they directed us to a different line. We weaved through that line until we made it inside the building, which was a good break from the heat.
We got to the front of that line, and they told us that we had an eight-bedroom apartment in Chatham! Yay! That’s what we were hoping for. They then directed us to go get our picture taken for our housing ID. I’m pretty sure everyone’s picture has then covered in sweat. Haha! It’s great.
After that we got our key to our apartment, then we got into another line. We got a sticker on our booklet telling us the general location of where we were going to be working. Mine said, “Hollywood Studios – Icon Attractions” They told me that “Icon” is just a name for the section in the park, so I would have an attraction in that section. Katelyn and my stickers were highlighted, which means we have to take a drug test because we might have to be operating large machinery.
After getting through that line, there was a group of about ten of us, that were separated into a group and he instructed us about how the rest of the week was going to go.
We then filled out more forms, and talked to other people about safety in the workplace and education opportunities.
After being in line for about four hours we were finally done… or were we? Most of my roommates headed to Casting, but I didn’t have casting until the next day. I had my drug test scheduled for close to the time we had gotten out of the lines at check-in so I headed over to that building. I got there a little early, but they didn’t seem to mind. It was a urine test, but I was so dehydrated form standing in line all day that I didn’t need to go! (TMI?) So I sat there for about forty minutes, just chugging water, I probably drank more than 50 oz. of water, and finally I could do it. It was pretty embarrassing, because people were doing it in five minutes and were able to leave, and my body didn’t want to cooperate! Haha!
After that, I grabbed my luggage and got on the bus to Chatham Square. I was able to find my apartment, but right when I put my key into the lock, I knew something was wrong. My key didn’t fit! I called Cher, to try to figure out what was going on. She said she had shut the door behind her and then she couldn’t get it open again, and I would have to go to the front office. So I grabbed all my luggage again and walked to the front office. I told the receptionist my problem, and she gave me a new key quickly, she was very kind about it.
As I was making my way out of the doors to head back to my apartment, a man that worked there (I could tell by his Disney nametag) asked if I needed any help. He helped carry my stuff back to my apartment and made sure the key worked and that I could get in. He was an awesome guy, super nice. That small gesture of kindness sure helped me in my crazy day. ☺
I got into the apartment and put my stuff into an empty room. The apartment is nice! It’s huge as well, because we have eight girls. We have two fridges, a table with eight chairs, a big couch and a loveseat, and a little balcony (even though we are on the first floor.)
I started unpacking and tried to figure out the router until about 5:15pm. The ward in Lake Buena Vista was having a barbeque for FHE, so we headed over to Mickey’s Retreat for that.
I am super excited for the ward! The bishopric seems super nice and down-to-earth, and the CP’s and locals in the ward seem super nice as well! And it seems like they do a lot of fun activities throughout the year. They also have two sacrament meetings on Sunday, so if you have to work the morning, you can go to a sacrament meeting at eight at night. Super awesome.
After getting some food and meeting some new people, we headed back to our apartment.
Katelyn, Natasha, Natalie, Kimber and I headed out soon after that to go to Walmart so we could go grocery shopping. We got on the bus and in about twenty minutes we were there. It was SO busy. I’m sure all the locals hate it when the new CPs come because they take over Walmart. We had about an hour until the bus came back so we had to hurry. I was basically running through the store trying to find what I needed for the next week or so.
I stood in line and checked out, with about five minutes to spare. Me, Kimber, Natasha, and Natalie were all done and putting grocery’s in our backpacks outside of Walmart. We discovered that Katelyn was still in line as the bus was pulling up. Kimber said she would run in and tell her to hurry and that we should go to tell the bus driver to wait for them.
We headed that way, only to find out that everyone and their dog decided to go to Walmart the same time as we did. We barely fit on the bus; a nice girl moved her groceries so I could sit next to her. The bus left and I thought that everyone was on it, but I couldn’t see Katelyn or Kimber. I texted Katelyn to find out where she was and she told me that the bus driver hadn’t let them on the bus because it was too full!! I couldn’t believe it! So that meant that they had to wait an extra hour for it to come back around again!
We got back to the apartment and unloaded our groceries; I finished unpacking, which was a huge stress reliever. After that we all just wondered around and talked until Katelyn and Kimber came back, and we all went to bed.
A super crazy day! It was good though; finding out where my general work location was pretty exciting. Same as finally moving in and getting settled. My roommates are pretty awesome. It’s cool that we all share the same morals and standards. We do have one non-LDS girl, but she seems super sweet. I think we’ll have a great time together. ☺
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Sunday, August 11, 2013
The Flight & Arriving in Orlando
It's a good thing I'm not claustrophobic.
I made my way down the narrow aisle until I saw the number 21 above a row of three seat. My ticket informed me that I had an isle seat, but the man sitting in that seat intentionally told me otherwise. I pointed to the seat by the window and informed the somewhat overweight older couple that was my seat. They slowly, awkwardly shuffled out of the way as I tried to keep my enormous backpack from hitting anybody in the face.
I situated myself and prayed for the flight to be over soon.
Halfway through the flight, the older woman sitting next to me started to fall asleep, I felt more and more pressure on my arm as she got into a deeper sleep. And then, that's when the man in front of me decided to lean his chair back as far as it could go. Giving me about a foot by a foot sized room for the next four hours.
All in all though, it was a pretty good flight. It wasn't too long, which was nice. :) And guess what??
I'M IN FLORIDA!! It's crazy that I've been waiting for this day for so long and it's finally come. And now I'm in my hotel in Orlando, Florida typing away, ready to start this Disney adventure. :)
Anyway, everybody is just resting right now. I met Katelyn at the airport, which was a good reunion, and I just met my roommate, Megan. She's at the pool at the moment.
I'll keep in touch, I'm sure there will be tons of adventures to come. :)
I made my way down the narrow aisle until I saw the number 21 above a row of three seat. My ticket informed me that I had an isle seat, but the man sitting in that seat intentionally told me otherwise. I pointed to the seat by the window and informed the somewhat overweight older couple that was my seat. They slowly, awkwardly shuffled out of the way as I tried to keep my enormous backpack from hitting anybody in the face.
I situated myself and prayed for the flight to be over soon.
Halfway through the flight, the older woman sitting next to me started to fall asleep, I felt more and more pressure on my arm as she got into a deeper sleep. And then, that's when the man in front of me decided to lean his chair back as far as it could go. Giving me about a foot by a foot sized room for the next four hours.
All in all though, it was a pretty good flight. It wasn't too long, which was nice. :) And guess what??
I'M IN FLORIDA!! It's crazy that I've been waiting for this day for so long and it's finally come. And now I'm in my hotel in Orlando, Florida typing away, ready to start this Disney adventure. :)
Anyway, everybody is just resting right now. I met Katelyn at the airport, which was a good reunion, and I just met my roommate, Megan. She's at the pool at the moment.
I'll keep in touch, I'm sure there will be tons of adventures to come. :)
Packing - Part 2
Well, it's really going to happen. I'm really moving to Florida. I wish I could express all the emotions that are running through me right now. Excitement, nervousness, anticipation, impatience, fear. I'm pretty sure my body is hitting overload.
The last few days, my mom and I have packed up everything I need for the next five months (at least I hope we remembered everything). I have two huge suitcases that are going to be very close to fifty pounds each. I think I might've overpacked, then I remind myself that all of my bedding, quilt included, and laundry basket are tucked away in one of those suitcases and I feel a bit better about how heavy they are.
Tomorrow morning is my flight, and I'm almost 100% sure that I won't get much sleep tonight. My mind will be buzzing for probably the whole night.
I'm making it sound like I'm dreading the experience, don't get me wrong, I am more excited for this than I have been for almost anything else in my life. It's just a lot of change that's happening at once. I am ridiculously excited to see Katelyn again. We've joked about how we are going to see each other in the airport, and strangers are going to think we haven't seen each other for four years. But in reality, it's only been about three weeks. Haha! Super excited for that reunion. :)
Anyway, I think I'll attempt to go to sleep now. Wish me luck. Haha!
Talk to you soon!
The last few days, my mom and I have packed up everything I need for the next five months (at least I hope we remembered everything). I have two huge suitcases that are going to be very close to fifty pounds each. I think I might've overpacked, then I remind myself that all of my bedding, quilt included, and laundry basket are tucked away in one of those suitcases and I feel a bit better about how heavy they are.
Tomorrow morning is my flight, and I'm almost 100% sure that I won't get much sleep tonight. My mind will be buzzing for probably the whole night.
I'm making it sound like I'm dreading the experience, don't get me wrong, I am more excited for this than I have been for almost anything else in my life. It's just a lot of change that's happening at once. I am ridiculously excited to see Katelyn again. We've joked about how we are going to see each other in the airport, and strangers are going to think we haven't seen each other for four years. But in reality, it's only been about three weeks. Haha! Super excited for that reunion. :)
Anyway, I think I'll attempt to go to sleep now. Wish me luck. Haha!
Talk to you soon!
Friday, July 26, 2013
Packing - Part 1
Can I just say how happy I am that it's not April 25th anymore (the date of my last post)? I've gone through a whole semester of school since then. Not only that, but I've completed a whole semester of French. I can now read French semi-well! Booya! Watching Beauty and The Beast after taking a French class is liking watching the movie for the first time again. Learning a language is hard but the work pays off in the end. I still have two semesters to go of French, and having a six month break in between each class which probably wasn't the smartest move, but I'll have to try to keep it up somehow while I'm at Disney. So if there is anyone out there that speaks French, please feel free to message/text me in French, I'd really appreciate it. Haha!
It really is crazy how time flies, I know that's a pretty cliché phrase, but it's ridiculous how true it is. Four weeks into the semester I remember thinking how I would never finish the semester, and that I still had eight weeks to go. Twice as many weeks as I had already done. Now I'm sitting on my couch at home, my boxes from my apartment up in my old bedroom, my roommates hundred (some thousands) miles away, and I have a little over two weeks before I leave for Disney.
What.
Leading off of that topic and into the topic of this post, I haven't even started packing. I have completed the first step to packing, which I believe is when you start thinking about packing. I have thought about it, I just haven't physically moved anything yet. That's why I titled this post, Packing - Part 1, because I haven't got to the second step of packing and actually started packing. Pft, I still need to unpack from my apartment, let alone start packing up again.
I have a greater respect of people that pack up for long-term trips, like missionaries for example. I keep thinking, "Well, I'm moving to Florida, all I need is a few shorts, t-shirts and my swimsuit right?" but then I think, "Well I'm going to be there in December... how cold does it get in December...? hmm." and then I give up on thinking about it and go do something else.
...I have a feeling I'm going to be like this until the day before I'm supposed to leave. Yikes.
My poor roommate, Katelyn, had to pack for Disney while she was packing up her apartment. She kept asking me, "What are you bringing to Florida?" And the helpful roommate I am, I replied, "HA! I have no idea." I'm probably going to call her and desperately ask for her help while in fetal position staring at my exploded room. Seriously though.
Here's a random, funny, Disney story that happened last semester: My mom had bought me a Peter Pan doll awhile ago, because Peter Pan is my all-time favorite Disney character. One day I came into my room and this is what I found...
Yes. That is a balloon tied around Peter's neck. I immediately screamed, "Peter!" and then I heard evil giggling behind me. I turned around and saw Katelyn standing in the doorway. When she saw me looking at her she let out a high pitched squeal and quickly ran out of the room. I instantly started laughing. She came back and told me that she tried to hang him, but he was too heavy for the balloon. She's the best roommate ever, even though she hangs my favorite Disney characters. :)
Anyway, I better go and at least try to get to the second step of packing and actually start making a list or piles or something.
Au Revoir!
It really is crazy how time flies, I know that's a pretty cliché phrase, but it's ridiculous how true it is. Four weeks into the semester I remember thinking how I would never finish the semester, and that I still had eight weeks to go. Twice as many weeks as I had already done. Now I'm sitting on my couch at home, my boxes from my apartment up in my old bedroom, my roommates hundred (some thousands) miles away, and I have a little over two weeks before I leave for Disney.
What.
Leading off of that topic and into the topic of this post, I haven't even started packing. I have completed the first step to packing, which I believe is when you start thinking about packing. I have thought about it, I just haven't physically moved anything yet. That's why I titled this post, Packing - Part 1, because I haven't got to the second step of packing and actually started packing. Pft, I still need to unpack from my apartment, let alone start packing up again.
I have a greater respect of people that pack up for long-term trips, like missionaries for example. I keep thinking, "Well, I'm moving to Florida, all I need is a few shorts, t-shirts and my swimsuit right?" but then I think, "Well I'm going to be there in December... how cold does it get in December...? hmm." and then I give up on thinking about it and go do something else.
...I have a feeling I'm going to be like this until the day before I'm supposed to leave. Yikes.
My poor roommate, Katelyn, had to pack for Disney while she was packing up her apartment. She kept asking me, "What are you bringing to Florida?" And the helpful roommate I am, I replied, "HA! I have no idea." I'm probably going to call her and desperately ask for her help while in fetal position staring at my exploded room. Seriously though.
Here's a random, funny, Disney story that happened last semester: My mom had bought me a Peter Pan doll awhile ago, because Peter Pan is my all-time favorite Disney character. One day I came into my room and this is what I found...
Yes. That is a balloon tied around Peter's neck. I immediately screamed, "Peter!" and then I heard evil giggling behind me. I turned around and saw Katelyn standing in the doorway. When she saw me looking at her she let out a high pitched squeal and quickly ran out of the room. I instantly started laughing. She came back and told me that she tried to hang him, but he was too heavy for the balloon. She's the best roommate ever, even though she hangs my favorite Disney characters. :)
Anyway, I better go and at least try to get to the second step of packing and actually start making a list or piles or something.
Au Revoir!
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Patience is a Virtue... The World of Pending
Well... it's been a long time. A lot as happened since my last post. School wise, I finished my first semester of college successfully. I've changed my major from Exercise Physiology to Humanities, and it's probably going to be something different next semester, haha! But yeah! I'm liking school and loving my roommates.
Plus, me, Katelyn, Sarah, and Jhessica (my roommates) all went to Hawaii during the week break between the Winter and Spring semester. It was an amazing experience and a whole lot of fun.
I love those girls.
Going back to the subject of this blog, the Disney College Program. Applications came out February 8th 2013, I applied the second applications were open. I got through the Web-based interview just fine, and then I scheduled my phone interview for two days later, February 10th. My phone interview, in my opinion went really well. The girl I talked to (her name was Jennifer) was super nice, and we had a good conversation, and I even made her laugh a few times.
So you can imagine my confusion and frustration when I got a pending email the following Monday. I couldn't understand what I did wrong. Some other friends that applied got in within a couple of days. I got a pending email. A pending email that told me I might have to wait til April 19th to hear an answer. More than 50 days away. The week I had been waiting since my phone interview were pure torture. I couldn't wrap my mind around having to wait so long to hear my answer.
A week after that, my roommate, Katelyn, got an acceptance letter. I was super happy for her and that she got in, but I couldn't help feeling somewhat sad, confused, and frustrated that I hadn't gotten my answer.
Those ten weeks were hard. I did my best to try to put it at the back of my mind while I was going through class and finals, but it WAS always in my mind. I watched other people online get rejected and accepted and the only email I had received was emails telling me that I was still pending.
Finally, on April 17th, two days before the last day I could hear, I was sitting at Pearl Harbor with my roommates, and I just glanced at my phone (out of habit), and I had received an email. The email's title was, "Disney College Program: Congratulations!" I couldn't believe it. It had really happened. I was really going to work at Disney World, the happiest place on earth, and where dreams come true. Let's just say I cried. Ha!
So me and Katelyn are going to Disney World together! We both got into attractions, and I couldn't be happier. I'll definitely be in touch, and give updates of my journey to my neverland.
Plus, me, Katelyn, Sarah, and Jhessica (my roommates) all went to Hawaii during the week break between the Winter and Spring semester. It was an amazing experience and a whole lot of fun.
I love those girls.
Going back to the subject of this blog, the Disney College Program. Applications came out February 8th 2013, I applied the second applications were open. I got through the Web-based interview just fine, and then I scheduled my phone interview for two days later, February 10th. My phone interview, in my opinion went really well. The girl I talked to (her name was Jennifer) was super nice, and we had a good conversation, and I even made her laugh a few times.
So you can imagine my confusion and frustration when I got a pending email the following Monday. I couldn't understand what I did wrong. Some other friends that applied got in within a couple of days. I got a pending email. A pending email that told me I might have to wait til April 19th to hear an answer. More than 50 days away. The week I had been waiting since my phone interview were pure torture. I couldn't wrap my mind around having to wait so long to hear my answer.
A week after that, my roommate, Katelyn, got an acceptance letter. I was super happy for her and that she got in, but I couldn't help feeling somewhat sad, confused, and frustrated that I hadn't gotten my answer.
Those ten weeks were hard. I did my best to try to put it at the back of my mind while I was going through class and finals, but it WAS always in my mind. I watched other people online get rejected and accepted and the only email I had received was emails telling me that I was still pending.
Finally, on April 17th, two days before the last day I could hear, I was sitting at Pearl Harbor with my roommates, and I just glanced at my phone (out of habit), and I had received an email. The email's title was, "Disney College Program: Congratulations!" I couldn't believe it. It had really happened. I was really going to work at Disney World, the happiest place on earth, and where dreams come true. Let's just say I cried. Ha!
So me and Katelyn are going to Disney World together! We both got into attractions, and I couldn't be happier. I'll definitely be in touch, and give updates of my journey to my neverland.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
When Will My Life Begin...?
Applications are supposed to be coming out in the next week, and I'm basically driving myself crazy with this waiting. I just need to apply and see if I get in or not then move on with my life. Haha! I'm even having a hard time focusing on school because I'm thinking about the application so much. If anybody has any suggestions on reducing stress, I am all ears! Even if I do get in, I'm not 100% sure I'm actually going to go. But we'll see. Here are my top role choices as of right now.
1. Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique (Fairy Godmother in Training)
2. Character Attendent
3. Attractions
4. Custodial
5. Full Service Food & Beverage
6. Merchandise
I would love to work in Hollywood Studios or Magic Kingdom. Those would be my top choices. Ugh. I feel sick to my stomach with worry just thinking and writing about this. APPLICATIONS NEED TO COME OUT NOW. :) That is all. There is just so much going on with my life right now that I feel like my head is about to explode, and it would be nice if I could get this done, so I can check something else off of my checklist. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure I would be devastated if I get rejected, but at least I wouldn't have to worry about it anymore. I almost feel like it's a mission call, but instead of a guaranteed call, you might get rejected. I want to find out where they are going to put me if I do get in. Ugh, so many unknowns. I guess I'll just have to wait and see. :) I'll keep you updated, and hopefully I won't keel over from anxiety in the meantime.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)