Month 4: Tonsillitis, Halloween, and the Bahamas!

Time to recap my September adventures! To start off the month, I came down with a nasty case of tonsillitis. It was one of the most painful things I have ever experienced, and I ended up missing almost a week of work as a result. On the bright side, I didn't have to get my tonsils out; they simply put me on antibiotics. Thank goodness that's over with.

I have also picked up a few shifts at ESPN this month! It was a ton of fun, and made me miss the people there that much more. There was a men's softball tournament going on the weekend I worked, and there were a lot off EHH working the event. (Note: EHH are people who don't normally work in that location, but picked up the shift through the Extra Hours Hotline on the Hub). The leaders often put me in charge of various concession locations because I actually knew what I was doing, which I enjoyed!

It is officially Halloween season at Walt Disney World, as Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Parties have begun. Though the shifts go late into the night, I love working these events. The costumes are adorable, the parade is to die for, special Disney character fill the park, and the perimeter fireworks are jaw dropping. Plus, I was never able to work the Halloween parties on my last program since Pinocchio Village Haus only does the Christmas parties, so this is all a new experience for me!

During the last week of September, I had the opportunity to go on an impromptu cruise to the Bahamas with a group of my coworkers at ODF! I had never been on a cruise before, so I had no idea what was in store for me. The boat was absolutely gorgeous, there was unlimited food and drinks, a casino, a pool, a rock wall, and like 10 different bars throughout the boat. The first island we stopped at was Coco Cay, which was paradise. The second island was Nassau, which was a lot different. It was heavily populated, very dirty, and the poverty level was very high. We weren't able to make it to the beach in Nassau, but we did spend some time haggling at the straw market, which was a blast. I can't wait to go on my next cruise!

 

How I Afford To Travel The World

I've finally completed my string of international flight bookings for my travels in December. When I tell people about my plans, the most common question concerns how I am able to pay for this trip. Sometimes this question suggests a negative connotation, sometimes it is just genuine curiosity. Regardless, I have decided to break everything down financially. I hope this answers these questions, as well as help others who are planning to travel in the future.

Before I make any purchases, I spend hours looking at flights on Kayak.com. This is literally what I do in my free time and what I consider "fun". I change every variable to find the cheapest flight possible: nearby airports, number of layovers, date of departure, etc. After doing this for every single flight, I make a timeline of my trip and my price range. For my trip in December, I planned out $1,800 for all my flights.

Next, I purchase the flights, one by one. I can't afford to purchase all the flights at once, so I buy one flight every other week when my paycheck comes in. I have purchased five flights total, and have been in the process of doing so since the beginning of August. I use an excel spreadsheet to track how much each flight will cost, paycheck amounts, planned dates of purchase, and my remaining balance.

Here is a breakdown of each flight purchased*:

Orlando, Florida to Glasgow, Scotland - $370
London, England to Bangkok, Thailand (BKK) - $515
Bangkok, Thailand (DMK) to Bali, Indonesia - $95
Bali, Indonesia to Bangkok, Thailand (BKK) - $135
Bangkok, Thailand (BKK) to Seattle, Washington - $635

Total: $1,750
*These prices include the additional foreign transaction fees, when applicable.

Additionally, I know people in the destinations I am traveling to, which will help to cut down on hotel and transportation costs. That is one benefit of working for the Walt Disney Company - you get to know and work with a very diverse group of people.

"I'd rather travel and be poor than be rich and never see the world."

This quote sums it all up. I am not rich; I am a broke college student living paycheck to paycheck. I completely eliminate excess spending, including shopping, alcohol, eating out, etc. I try to spend exclusively on experiences. I work my butt off to earn the right to travel - I usually work 60-70 hours during the weeks preceding a vacation. The effort I put into earning these trips makes them that much more worthwhile.

Month 3: Goodbye ESPN, Transfers, and Seattle!

Is it September already?! The Halloween decorations are all put up in Magic Kingdom, which means it is officially fall. August has been a very eventful month, so let's hope I can remember most of what happened!

First of all, I had my last day at ESPN, and all of my friends are gone. This is what absolutely sucks about extending your program. Although I've made new friends in my new location, it's nothing compared to the summer full of memories I have with my ESPN family. However, there is a bright side to this situation. I have officially decided to travel after my program to visit some of my friends abroad! I will be going to Scotland, England, and Thailand so far. I have not bought a plane ticket from Bangkok to anywhere else yet, as I can't currently afford it. But once I save up, we'll see where I decide to go next!

 

I completed my training at ODF (outdoor foods) in Magic Kingdom, and it's not half bad. I mostly do mobile vending, so I'm that person with the food cart that walks in front of the parades. It's a very independent job, so I don't interact with my coworkers as much as I did at ESPN. I do like it though, because there is a lot more guest interaction. My time at ODF has definitely helped me to improve my guest service skills, as well as my ability to communicate across language barriers.

One of my seven costumes at ODF!

In mid-August, I took a week and a half off to visit my family and friends in Seattle! August is my favorite time to visit home because all my friends are actually home from college and in the area. Plus, I was able to see my best friend who just returned from his mission in Brazil! It was such an amazing week, and I miss it already! Luckily, we all have an excuse to get together again next summer, as my other best friend is getting married! July couldn't come any sooner!

Green Lake Park in Seattle

I also had the opportunity to go to Universal Studios. It was so much fun, as I had not been there in over a year. Hogwarts and Diagon Alley was just as amazing as I remembered it to be. And boy, did I miss actual thrill rides! Disney rides are great and all, but they do nothing to appease my craving for a full-on adrenaline rush. The Hulk, on the other hand, does just that.

The next day, I ended up going to the doctor and finding out I had tonsillitis. This was probably one of the most painful things I have experienced. They put me on antibiotics, I took three days off work, and I am just now starting to feel normal again, almost two weeks later.

Other than this, not much has happened. Its been a busy month, so I haven't spent much time in the parks. I have some big plans in store for this month, though, so stay tuned for my Month 4 update!

Top 5 Dorm Room Essentials

Whether you are heading off to college, starting the Disney College Program, or simply furnishing your first apartment, there are a few necessities on my list! I have moved so much since graduating high school, and am slowly mastering the art of downsizing while remaining comfortable. Here is a list of my top five dorm room essentials that I can't imagine going without!

1. Down Comforter

Have you ever wondered what it is like sleeping on a cloud? Look no further than a classic down duvet. Though they can be a bit on the pricey side, these duvets last a long time and are perhaps the most comfortable purchase I have ever made. Get a glimpse of what I'm talking about HERE; Parachute is a company that specializes in bedding and décor. Heavenly, right?

2. Mattress Pad

While we're on the subject of bedding, I cannot stress enough the importance of a mattress pad. Especially when it comes to dorm rooms or the assigned housing in the Disney College Program, the beds tend not to be in pristine condition. Last Christmas, I asked for a mattress pad, and it was one of the best decisions. Not only did it simply feel better, but it helped to alleviate much of my back pain from sleeping on the brick-like mattresses the university provides.

3. Bed Blocks

With all the money you pay for a college dorm, you would think a little more storage space would be included? Do not fear, bed blocks are the perfect solution! By elevating your bed, this creates more space to store luggage, school supplies, or household items. The key to dorm living is making the most of the space you're given!

4. Command Hooks

These are my lifesavers. I have used command hooks every year since starting college because of their ease of use and practicality. These can be used to hang pictures, electrical cords, or whiteboards. I have even used command hooks, duct tape, and string to construct a makeshift pulley system to turn my dorm room light on and off from the comfort of my own bed across the room!

5. Shoe Hanger

As we've previously addressed, space is a virtue in any college dorm room. Thus, it should come as no surprise that I rave over my shoe hanger. Let it be known, though, that I rarely used mine to store shoes. In my dorm, drawer space was very limited, so I used my shoe hanger to store t-shirts and other clothing. College is all about being innovative!

These five items have been absolute lifesavers, from my freshman dorm in Utah to my current Disney College Program housing in Florida. I can't imagine college living without them. What are your dorm room essentials?

DORMS

As my check in date is exactly two weeks away, my DORMS email arrived right on schedule! For those of you who don't know, DORMS (Disney Onsite Resident Management System) is the program where which you apply for housing, select your apartment complex and room size preferences, and choose roommates. On my last program, I linked with one other girl who I met through the DCP Facebook page. For this program, however, I have decided to be a bit adventurous and leave that up to chance. Fingers crossed for a normal roommate!

I did select my preferences for complex and unit size, though. If any of you are curious about what the individual complexes are like, I wrote all about all four complexes in this post HERE. In my last program, I was in Patterson, which I loved! However, I have put Chatham as my first choice this time around. This is because Chatham hosts all the housing events, and the bus stop is located right outside of the front gates. My second choice was Patterson, and third was the Commons. I noticed that the weekly rent prices, which are deducted automatically out of your weekly paycheck, have gone up a little since my last program, but not by much. Below is a picture of the prices for each type of room offered. Sorry for the bad quality!

For more information about DCP housing, you can visit the college program website HERE. 

Three Weeks To Go!

According to my lovely Up countdown (pictured in a previous post, titled Countdown), we are officially into the teens: 19 days left to be exact. Today is the first day of finals week here at the University of Kentucky, so naturally all I can think about is how bad I want to be in Disney. I have begun planning my drive down to Orlando, which I think has turned from a 12 hour long drive into a three day adventure!

Truly the happiest place on earth!

In an effort to cross another state off my list, we will be traveling through Alabama instead of Georgia to get to Orlando. As I have never been to Alabama, we plan to spend a night in Montgomery - it looks beautiful! Plus, I love cities that have a lot of history behind them. I also plan to stop in Panama City and Cape San Blas in order to get my fair share of beaches in before heading to central Florida. I am so excited! Let's just hope that I can survive the next two days of finals week. Wish me luck!

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.

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.

Time to Vlog

Well, I finally got up the nerve to step in front of the camera for my first DCP vlog. It's an introductory video, and hopefully the first of many! They are mostly for my friends and family to join me on my journey 3,000 miles away from home, as well as anyone looking to learn more about the DCP. Click here to visit my YouTube channel, and feel free to watch my first vlog below (be sure to watch in HD).

 

I've also just put up my latest vlog, which further explains what the DCP is and how I got accepted. Go ahead and view it here! If you like either of these videos, be sure to give them a thumbs up to help my ego, and comment if you have any questions!

 

A still from my latest vlog!

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Bloglovin'

I love it when I stumble across those priceless gems on Pinterest. You know, that amazing quote, the brilliant DIY project, or in this case, a Disney-related YouTube video. This was uploaded about a week ago and features the band IM5, whom I had never heard of before this. I will also post this video under the "Extras" tab above. Enjoy!



Now, I've recently discovered this great app/website called Bloglovin'. If you are like me and have a good hand full of blogs that you enjoy reading, this is the best way to get all the recent posts in one place. Simply search a specific blog, follow it (assuming the writer of that blog has registered it with Bloglovin'), and new posts will show up in your news feed. To follow my blog, simply click the "Follow this blog with Bloglovin" button at the top of the right sidebar here, or go to Bloglovin.com and search "All Roads Lead To Disney!" in the search bar. The only downside is that I'm pretty sure you can't view the YouTube videos I post, but other than that, it's wonderfully organized! (My main blog, All Roads Lead To Nowhere, is also available on Bloglovin'). Your support is much appreciated!