A Magical Proposal

A few months ago, I got engaged at one of the happiest places on earth. No, it wasn't Disney because I told the boyfriend that that would be the equivalent of being proposed to at work. Don't get me wrong, I know tons of people who had lovely engagements in the Magic Kingdom or Disneyland Resort. But every time I look down Main Street, I can't help but think of pushing an ice cream cart down the street in front of the three o'clock parade, frantically trying to sell to every guest flagging me down, while simultaneously trying not to get run over by the start of the parade. Happy memories! Just not an engagement-worthy location in my opinion.

So, what could be equally as magical? Hogwarts castle of course! We are both avid Harry Potter nerds, and it could not have been more perfect. It was the classic "Here stranger, can you take our picture?" When in reality, he asks them to take a video. I think it's a picture, and he pops the question! Truly magical!

It is also worth noting that we met while on the Disney College Program at ESPN Wide World of Sports!

I'm Answering Your Questions!

Congratulations to all who are beginning their Disney journey next month during the Spring 2017 college program! Be prepared for the best and busiest months of your life!

For those of you interested in applying for the college program, the next recruiting season is only a couple months away. Recruiting for Fall generally begins around February or March. Follow this link to sign up to receive a notification when applications open.

I hope that this blog has been a helpful resource for everyone considering or preparing for the Disney College Program. Please comment below if you have any specific questions, or if you would like me to create a specific blog post - I will be monitoring this daily so that I can help you to the best of my abilities!

Happy holidays, Disney friends!

Month 1: ESPN, the Polynesian, and More!

It has been exactly a month since I started my college program! The week one process was exactly the same as it was on my last program two years ago (check-in, casting, traditions, welcome meeting, orientation, etc.). So, if you are interested in reading about that, visit the following blog posts:

Day One: Check-in & Casting
Day 2: Housing Welcome Meeting & DTD
Day 3-5: Kitchen Sink, Traditions, & Magic Kingdom
Day 6-8: Disney University & Training

The day after I finished my training at ESPN, I was deployed to Typhoon Lagoon for a week because there were no events going on at ESPN. Since then, it has been a pretty chill place to work. However, I sometimes feel like I'm not actually working for Disney because ESPN is just a complex that hosts sporting competitions, as opposed to a theme park. But on the bright side, I love sports so I don't mind that the view from my concession stand window is a baseball game most of the time.

Last month, my friend from my last program came down to visit from Minnesota. We stayed in the Polynesian Resort, which was beautiful! This is one of my favorite Disney Resorts. And I highly recommend going to Trader Sams, for all of you who are over 21! It is a bar based on the Tiki Room in Magic Kingdom. Every time a drink is ordered, something happens based on the type of drink. The bartenders chant, the room darkens, thunder sounds... Its an amazing experience!

I ordered the HippopotoMai-Tai as the bartenders
yelled and chanted "Two shots of rum!"

We also rented a boat from the Polynesian. I didn't even know you could do this until recently! And if you are a cast member, you get 50% off! First we rented a small two-seat boat. The next day, we got the 10-seat pontoon. We took these out through the Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake in front of Magic Kingdom. While in Bay Lake, we drove in front of the abandoned water park and island, Disney's River Country and Discovery Island. It was so eerie, but I would love to explore it some time!

Disney's River Country

We finished up the weekend with park visits to Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, as well as a couple games of bowling at Splitsville in Downtown Disney. Normally, I can never break 100 points, but somehow I got 5 strikes in a row this game!

Last week, a group of us went on the party bus so Drip, a new club in downtown Orlando, for a paint party. It was so much fun, and the music was great. I can't wait to go again!

This past weekend, a couple more friends from my last program, who I haven't seen in two years, came down to Orlando! We hit up all the parks, went bowling, and had a great time. It definitely did not feel like it had been two whole years. Our last program seemed like only yesterday! But it was a happy reminder of just how fast the time flies while down here on the program.

Two days ago, Craig and I had dinner at Be Our Guest, the Beauty and the Beast themed restaurant in Magic Kingdom. I had the shrimp and scallops while he had the braised pork. For desert we couldn't decide on just one, so we got the grey stuff, eclair a l'orange, and (my favorite) the strawberry cream cheese cupcake. Delicious! The castle was just as beautiful as I remembered, and you get to meet the Beast after your meal.

I forgot to take a picture before I started digging in!

Hopefully I can continue to blog at least once a month. In my spare time, I usually go to the parks or downtown. However, last week I worked 60 hours (by choice - I was not scheduled this many hours), so my free time is limited. To be continued!

Countdown

A couple days ago, I made a countdown for my college program next month! With a little inspiration from Pinterest, I slaved over a construction paper booklet with my scissors and tape for two hours until this little beauty was born.

I thought it was too adorable to not make. With less than four weeks left of school, and 42 days until I leave for Orlando, I could not be any more anxious to get the heck out of Kentucky. Haha! Don't get me wrong, it's beautiful here! There's just a part of me that misses living in a big city right off the ocean. Plus, who doesn't love Disney World?!

An Offer Has Arrived

About a week after my phone interview for the Fall Disney College Program, I was extended an offer to once again work at the Walt Disney Company.

Fall Quick Service Food and Beverage at Walt Disney World.

I was excited to get accepted, but I had a nagging feeling inside of me. I love experiencing new things and going new places. As far as I was concerned, accepting this offer would accomplish neither of those things. I would be in the same place as before, working the same role.

Now, don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved my experience working QSFB during my last program! It was, hands down, the best six months of my life. However, as I have advanced more in my academic career, I am ready to do something that is more pertinent to my career goals.

This is why I have declined this offer from Disney. But I have since applied for four more professional internships, so I am determined to get back to working for the mouse! In the meantime, I will keep my fingers crossed and just keep swimming.

Withdrawals

Disney is an addiction.

For the last year and forty-seven days, I have been going through withdrawals. Minus that one week I visited Walt Disney World last August. Guys, I don't think I can handle this much longer, which is why I have applied for...

1 Fall Disney College Program,
1 Alumni Summer College Program, and
2 Professional Internships!

I have already had my phone interview for the fall DCP, and am currently in progress. For the alumni CP and PIs, I am currently in submission. The two PIs include the Disney Gift Card Projects Internship and the Disney Cruise Line Revenue Management Internship, both in Orlando.

I will be sure to keep you all updated as I hear back from Disney about these positions! I am especially nervous about the PIs. Is the interview process the same as the DCP - application, web-based, phone interview? Comment below, I'd like to know!

5,000 Views!

Thank you to everyone who has supported this blog. I just barely celebrated the one year anniversary of All Roads Lead To Disney, and now we are celebrating 5,000 views. Thank you, and I look forward to continuing to post content about all things Disney!

As May comes to an end, that marks the time of year when all our Fall Advantage college program participants are settling down in either Disneyland or Walt Disney World. Congratulations to you all for making it this far - your journey is just beginning! I remember my first week as a CP. I got thrown into an apartment with five strangers, and we all ventured off to resort hop since we had not yet received our main gate passes that get us into the parks. This adventure brought us to Beaches and Cream at the Disney Yacht and Beach Club. Our group of six had grown to ten, then twelve, then fifteen. It was the perfect size group to devour two famous Kitchen Sinks.

So to all you new CPs - get out! Explore! Meet new people and live a little. These six months will be over before you know it.

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

One thing you notice while working for Disney is that holidays last at least a month. As soon as mid-November rolls around, it is Christmas during select nights in the park until the end of December. Pinocchio’s Village Haus was not open during the Halloween parties, so this was the first holiday event that I worked. If you saw MVM on your schedule – welcome to working Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas party in the Magic Kingdom!

These shifts start later in the day, around 4 or 5 pm, and can last until after midnight. Lucky for us, PVH closed a little earlier than other food and beverage locations, so we were usually out by midnight. But the work is simple – after regular park hours are over, you hand out hot cocoa and cookies to guests that have bought tickets to this special event. It seems odd at first to be wishing people “Merry Christmas” and “Happy Holidays” in November, but after working a few parties you get used to it. Disney themed holiday music is played throughout the park, and the castle show is, as usual, amazing! But let’s not forget the lovely costumes that cast members get to wear:

Flattering, I know. But to be honest, I miss putting on that hideous tree blouse and candy cane striped apron and head bow every other evening! Though some nights are long and difficult to manage, there’s nothing that brightens your day more than being filled with Christmas spirit and sharing that with all the guests in the park! But be warned – you will be asked to pose for many pictures, or be caught off guard as the flash of the camera captures your laughable costume. And of course, my favorite question from a guest during the Very Merry parties:

Funny, tired, sarcastic old man: “Do you sell rum and coke here?”

My automatic, equally sarcastic response: “No, unfortunately, but let me know if you find somewhere that does!”

Universal Studios

As college students, we strive to spend the least amount of money possible. However, I strongly advise you not to stay completely true to this philosophy while participating in the Disney College Program. If you consistently stay at home in an effort to save every dime you make, you will not have a great time. I spent about 90% of the money I made on trips, concerts, and food. I don’t regret it one bit because I had the most life changing experience while on my DCP!

So buy next piece of advice to you: buy a Universal Studios annual pass! I know, we all love the Disney parks, but sometimes I felt like I just had to get away from it all and trade in Aladdin’s flying carpets for a roller coaster that makes your head spin! Not to mention the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the Hulk, Halloween Horror Nights, Transformers, and so much more! The pass is only a little over $100, which sounds like a lot, but it pays for itself within two visits. I bought my pass halfway through my program in October, but I wish I had bought it sooner. I ended up visiting Universal about four or five times in the last couple months of my program.

With that said, buy the annual pass! Especially if you are an adrenaline/roller coaster junkie or a huge Harry Potter fan like I am, you will not regret this purchase. Actually, now that I mention it, I think I'll try to make another visit to Universal Orlando before my pass expires!

I've Done It Again

I've abandoned you all for two and a half months. Again. I'm sad to say that my Disney College Program has come to an end, but on the bright side, that means I have more time to sit in front of my computer screen and type until my heart is content! I'm not going to be able to catch up these last two months in one blog post, so I plan to periodically reflect back on the DCP and share my adventures with you all. Although I last left off on November 6th, a week before I left for New York (exciting!!), I am instead going to quickly share with you my reflection on my program. This is the same reflection that I posted on my main blog, so my apologies for being repetitive. Now, with that said...

The Disney College Program was the greatest experience of my life and I absolutely do not, in any way, regret picking up and moving to Florida for a semester. 

It doesn't get any simpler than that. I spent every waking moment surrounded by my coworkers. To some of you reading this, you may think that sounds like a nightmare, but I assure you that it wasn't! It didn't take long at all for those people I worked with to become my family. When we were working at Pinocchio's Village Haus (PVH), would go out for dinner after work, or spend our days off in the parks together, I was having the time of my life. Heck, we even got together and had thanksgiving dinner on the apartment floor (once we all got off work, of course...)! We went out at night all the time, traveled to New York, and spent every bit of money we made at Disney - together. 

I cannot tell you how hard it is to go from that, to nothing. No PVH. No Disney Parks. No Universal Studios. No beaches. No clubs. No one.

Though the BYU campus is crowded and bustling with chatting students, there are moments when everything is quiet, everything is calm. And I am alone. In those moments, I think about the Magic Kingdom filled to capacity at almost 100,000 people. I think about working 14 hour shifts during the holiday season. I think about the music pounding in my ears at House of Blues. I think about the fireworks going off every night like clockwork.

And all too soon, I am pulled back down to earth as my phone notifies me that I have an essay due tomorrow and two exams next week. Right now, this is my reality.

But one day, I will go back.

Hello Internet!

It's been a while, hasn't it? With a friendly push in the blogging direction from my best friend back home, I have decided that it is due time for another update from the wonderful world of the Disney College Program. With it being a month and a half since I last blogged, I will skip over the monotonous day-to-day items (wake up, work, hang out with friends, sleep) and detail the only-in-Orlando events that I have experienced!

Life In Color  This is a giant outdoor paint party that features a few DJs, and is in downtown Orlando. I went with a few friends from work, it was ridiculously expensive, but was definitely worth it! It had a huge party atmosphere and was so much fun. Even after six hours of dancing, paint covering every inch of the crowd, and lost voices from screaming, I wasn't ready to leave! Luckily there is another Life In Color in Miami at the end of December that we're all considering going to. And even better, this one is 11 hours long! Fingers crossed that this actually happens!

Halloween Horror Nights Me being afraid of every little thing that involves blood, gore, or things popping out at you, I was set on not attending this event at Universal Studios in Orlando. However, a bunch of people from work were going and they finally convinced me to pay $40 to get the living daylights scared out of me. Luckily it was still daylight when we got there, so I was confident and ready to go! However, the sun soon started setting, and the walkers came out. What's a walker, you may ask? Well let me enlighten you! Everyone is casually strolling about Universal when a white van pulls up in the middle of the street. Out of the back comes a man with an AK-47, which he pounds on the side of the vehicle. Suddenly the lights come on, and you see that the van is full of people. No wait, those aren't people. The back doors fly open and zombies come pouring out and begin chasing innocent victims through the streets. Those are walkers. I nearly peed my pants. But anyway! The main part of Halloween Horror Nights are the eight haunted houses that they have around the park. We had time to go into six of them. As the night drew on and my tiredness set in, I got more and more scared, but was surprised to notice that I wasn't as scared at the beginning. Despite this, I was still anxious to get out as soon as possible as to avoid the walkers, but all in all, it was a great night!

Mickey's Not-So-Scary This Halloween Party was a nice change of pace from the one at Universal Studios, and is held every year in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. Normally a firework and castle show, Wishes, occurs every night in this park. During the party, however, we got to see Hallo-Wishes! It was so cool to see them project different images onto the castle, in sync with the music, fireworks, and narration as well. Brilliant! Then my roommates and I patrolled around the Magic Kingdom looking to collect as much candy as possible. I think it was a successful night seeing as I nearly filled up my entire backpack! At the end of the party, we saw the Halloween parade. There was waltzing zombies, scary floats, and the Disney Villains came out to play! Loved it!



Epcot International Food & Wine Festival I have been to this event twice now, held in Walt Disney World's Epcot park. The world showcase normally features stores, attractions, and food from different countries around the world. But for just over a month, additional stands are set up in each of these countries, offering specialty food and drinks specific to those locations. And to finish of your night right, you can watch the fireworks show at Epcot, Illuminations! For future reference, the best spot to watch it from is in Mexico!

Disney's VoluntEARS Disney helps to set up a variety of service projects, which I think is so awesome! A group of us from work recently had the opportunity to go and volunteer at a dog shelter. It was a very small facility that housed dogs that were abandoned and/or injured. Each person was given a dog to go on a walk with. There was about twenty dogs, and it is hard for every single one of them to get in the exercise they need, so they rely on volunteers like us. Most of the people went off with their dogs to play together, but the dog I was given, Sicily, had only just arrived in the shelter. You could tell she looked so sad and scared, I couldn't believe someone would just abandon her like that. After only a half hour walking in a secluded area away from the other dogs, Sicily began to warm up fast to me - even the manager at the shelter noticed! I just wanted to take her home, she was so cute!

 The Wizarding World of Harry Potter This park is located in Universal Studio's Island of Adventure. Let's just make it clear that I am one of the biggest Harry Potter fans, and it has been my dream to visit this place since its construction was announced. Never have I though that I would actually have the opportunity to visit this place, and can I just say it was amazing! Universal quickly became my favorite theme park in the world. (Yes, more so than Disney World). When I walked through the first archway into Hogsmead, I could feel the tears welling in my eyes. Pathetic, I know. Good thing I was wearing sunglasses! If you go, be sure to try the frozen butterbeer - it is to die for! And all the rides are so good! Dueling dragons is definitely for adrenaline junkies like myself, so I absolutely loved it! But the Forbidden Journey is the first one you have to ride when you go - they did such a great job with the visual and physical effects! And luckily, I purchased an annual pass, so I can visit this place as much as my little heart desires until October of 2014!

Universal Studios How could I not go ahead and explore Universal Studios after visiting Harry Potter World?! When I went to Halloween Horror Nights, I wasn't able to ride the attractions here, so I thought I would take advantage of this opportunity. And oh my god! The rides are SO much better than Disney World, just saying! The roller coasters are bigger, faster, and scarier, and that's all I could ask for! I mean, the Rocket went straight up. Straight up! And the Hulk was the craziest roller coaster I have been on in my life! Universal did not fail to impress, and I will return very soon with my annual pass!



So that about sums it up. It's safe to say that my life has pretty much been made - it's crazy that so many of my lifelong dreams have been coming true since I started my college program, and it's stuff that I had accepted would never happen. But look at me! Disney World, Universal Studios, Harry Potter World, a real college experience! And not to mention next Friday I leave for New York! It is all seriously a dream come true and I don't think I've ever been as happy as I am right now. I love my job, I love my friends, and I love my life!