Month 2: Extension!

I am happy to announce that I will be extending my college program through December 5th! I will be taking online classes in the fall so that I will stay caught up in school. After much consideration, I decided that two and a half months in Walt Disney World was much too short (I have no idea how people can stay here for only a week at a time!). There is so much more that I want to do, especially since this will be my last college program. My new location will be outdoor foods (ODF) in Magic Kingdom!

I was lucky enough to have the Fourth of July off work. A big group of us decided to go to Epcot to see the fireworks that night. After fending off an angry group of fifteen year-old Brazilian tourists for three hours to protect our spots in the front row, the show finally began. Boy, and I'll tell you, it was well worth the wait. This finale was the best I have ever seen of all the Disney firework shows, and I have seen many!

I also went out to a very fancy dinner with Craig, which gave me an excuse to get all dressed up! We went to Johnny's Hideaway, which was absolutely delicious! I got seared scallops and a lobster mac n' cheese, and he got the porterhouse steak. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! Here is a snapshot of how I did my hair for the night, with the help of some Pinterest inspiration.

Other than that, the rest of the month has been pretty uneventful. Last week, I worked 67 hours, so I didn't have a whole lot of free time to do anything else (oh, but my paycheck tomorrow will be well worth it!). However, a group of us are going to the beach on Friday, so I'm sure that will be a blast!

Acceptance!

Two days ago, I got an email stating that I had been accepted into the DCP Alumni Summer program! I am so excited, and of course I accepted the role immediately! What better way to spend my summer than in the happiest place on earth?

I was offered the same role as last time: quick service food and beverage. This was one of my top choices, as I really enjoyed working QSFB in my last program. Not to mention, this role usually gets paid about $0.50 more an hour than the other roles, which is nice! My arrival date is May 26th, and I depart on August 13th. I can't wait for school to end so I can head to Florida! Eight weeks to go!

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.

Time to Pack

Now that we've hit the two week countdown, I figure it's about time that I whip up a packing list! I wrote down everything I think I would need, then surfed the internet to add items from other CP's lists. I will probably add to this as I pack, but here it is so far:

Clothing:

• swimsuit
• camisoles
•  tank tops
• t-shirts
• fashion tops
• long sleeved shirt
• jeans (one pair)
• yoga pants (one pair)
• leggings
• tights
• slacks (professional attire)
• dresses
• skirts
• shorts
• hoodie
• sweater
• jacket
• belts
• under garments (socks, bras, etc.)

Shoes (one of each):

• sandals
• vans
• toms
• boots
• flats
• black heels
• tennis shoes

Jewelry:

• earrings
• necklaces
• bracelets
• small jewelry box

Kitchen Stuff:

• blender
• Tupperware*
• trash bags*
• cleaning supplies*
• oven mitts*
• food*

Hair Stuff:

• hair brush
• comb
• hair ties
• bobby pins
• hair spray*
• mousse*
• sea salt spray
• head bands
• straightener
• blow dryer

Toiletries:

• shampoo*
• conditioner*
• soap*
• deodorant
• make-up
• make-up remover
• face cleanser
• moisturizer
• lotion
• loufa
• razors*
• shave gel
• tooth brush
• tooth paste
• nail clippers
• sunscreen*
• towel (two)
• wash cloth
• dental floss
• Q-tips*

Bedroom Stuff:

• sheets
• comforter
• pillow
• pillow case
• desk lamp*
• hangers
• combination lock
• laundry bag
• pictures & tacks (for the corkboard we get in the room)

Electronics:

• laptop & charger
• laptop case
• phone & charger
• iPod & charger
• iPod case for running
• cameras & chargers
• camera accessories
• headphones
• Ethernet cord
• speakers

Miscellaneous:

• sun glasses
• birth certificate
• ID
• umbrella (this is essential!)
• first aid kit
• sewing kit
• vitamins, pills, etc.
• notebooks, pens, pencils*

*indicates items to be purchased in Florida

Now, this may seem like a pretty extensive list, but I have tried my best to keep it to a minimum and to purchase as much as I can whilst in Orlando. My biggest challenge will be to not pack too many clothes, especially since I'll be buying more clothes in Disney World! I hope this helps those of you who are preparing for the big move. Let me know if I need to add/remove anything!

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One Month!

August 12th just keeps getting closer and closer! It seems only last month I got accepted into the Disney College Program, though it was way back in March. Other than buying more shorts and tank tops for the warm weather down in Florida, registering for my courses, and watching loads of Disney movies, I haven't done much to prepare for my program yet. But some might say that is preparation enough!

I'm trying to downsize a great amount at the moment because once I leave for Disney World, I won't be coming home to this house again. My family is moving in September, so when I come to visit in April, the setting will be quite different! Therefore, I think it's safe to keep my belongings to a minimum for the next couple years as I'll be moving from place to place throughout the months. In this year alone, I'll have lived in three different states! That is quite the feat for someone who had never lived outside of Washington.

But while I've been occupying my time with Disney-related activities, I came across this trailer. Saving Mr. Banks is scheduled for release on December 20th of this year. I was skeptical at first, but after seeing the trailer, my doubts completely vanished. Hopefully they have a special event for the release while I'm at Disney World! Here, take a look yourself:

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Destination: Miami Beach

Only a couple more days until I hit the two month countdown! The past few weeks, I've done well to keep myself distracted (to read about these fun distractions, visit my main blog here), so the DCP has been pushed to the back of my mind, until recently. Disney World is nearly within reach now - how can I not start thinking about it!

The other night, I even took to looking at my flight/hotel confirmation emails repeatedly, just to make sure I didn't dream this whole thing up! One thing I did notice is that I have a four-hour layover in Miami the morning of my arrival in Florida. If my first flight goes according to schedule, I plan to take advantage of these four hours! Hopefully I have a small carry on so that I don't have to lug too much around.

Maybe I'll take a cab to Miami Beach, stroll down the coast, and visit the shops nearby! It may sound silly, but I'm excited to see the sand in Florida! The only beaches I've ever been to were either here in Washington, or in Oregon, and they tend to consist mostly of rocks. And the sunny weather down there is definitely a plus! Maybe I can walk through all the shops that they have down there! Or maybe I'll just sit in the airport for four hours and play games on my iPod.

And please don't get me started on my hotel! (I haven't been on a real vacation in years, and the hotels have always been my favorite part, so don't mind my excessive enthusiasm). Most CPs are staying at the Holiday Inn Express right across from the check-in location at Vista Way, but I decided to save $50 and stay at the Marriott instead, which is about a ten minute walk from Vista Way. I've googled pictures of it, and part of me thinks that I looked up the wrong hotel - it looks amazing! I'm glad my flight comes it at noon so that I'll have plenty of time to explore!

 

And, last but not least, let me just point out that this is where I'll be staying for the duration of the program. Can August come any sooner?!

 

 

 

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