The Odyssey

I have recently began writing for The Odyssey Online, which is a site made up of college students writing about most any topic they choose. If you would like to check out my Disney-related posts, here they are!

9 Controversial Lessons Disney Movies Taught Me
8 Reasons Not To Do The Disney College Program

Note that the second article is laced with sarcasm, and subliminally promotes the DCP! I have also covered topics ranging from Harry Potter to traveling to relationships.

I hope you are all enjoying the lovely spring weather. I love keeping up with those who are currently completing the Disney College Program - the pictures are fantastic and it makes me miss my home even more! I was recently able to go back to Disney World and visit all four parks. It was magical, as per usual!

For those of you who have questions, feel free to peruse this blog, comment, or email me. I am happy to help in any way possible!

Big News!

Hello Disney friends! First off, congratulations to all who have been accepted into the Disney College Program and move to Florida or California in the next few months. I have received many emails from you all asking questions about the program, and I am so excited to help!

Next order of business, I have officially launched my travel website! At BudgetingTravel.com, you can get a sneak peak into my travel tricks and tips, and see how I am able to budget my money and travel the world. This is geared toward people looking for a budget vacation. Sorry, no five star hotels and world class restaurants.

To make your life loads easier, exactly how much it costs to visit per day. It includes a detailed account of accommodation, transportation, food, and excursion costs, as well as other relevant tips on making your stay easier!
you can look at specific cities across the world - Dublin, Bali, Chiang Mai, oh my! - and see

Warning - it is still a work in progress as I am slowly creating the price profiles for each city. But it has come a long way, so feel free to check it out!

Four Crazy Months

I've completed yet another Disney College Program, and it was life-changing as always! A lot has happened since I last blogged, so how about a quick refresher?

I went on a cruise to the Bahamas with the ODF crew.

I road-tripped to Key West and Fort Lauderdale with the MK ODF girls.

I worked the Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween parties!

I went to Disneyland! (Friends, take advantage of this while you work for the company. It's only $200 round trip if you book plane tickets at the right time, and you get in for free!)

I visited old friends in Utah.

I graduated from the Disney College Program (but missed graduation because my schedule hates me).

I flew to Scotland (what?!).

Then Ireland.

Then England.

Thailand, anyone?

 

 

Bali is paradise.

Hello, Singapore!

South Korea has the best airport (though it doesn't make for good pictures).

I returned to Seattle after being abroad for five weeks.

Then I left for Florida once again (I think I'm addicted!).

10 days until I leave for Hawaii!

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.