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!