August 1 - The Final Goodbyes

August 1st came in way too hard and way too fast. I was looking forward to my last day of work, but the last day of my program? No way. It came with way too many goodbyes and heartbreak, and that just wasn't something I was prepared for. But, before I knew it, August 1st rolled around, and with that, the end of my program.

I had my whole day planned out very strategically. There were certain people and places that I needed to say goodbye to, and I made sure that I got to hit each and every one of them before the day was over. The morning started out with my mom and I arriving to Animal Kingdom bright and early, me clad in my graduation ears and favorite new dress and donning a pin that said "I'm Celebrating DCP Graduation." I went and rode Expedition Everest one more time since it's my favorite ride in all of Walt Disney World. Then, I saw the first show of Festival of the Lion King (FOLK), where I was lucky enough to get VIP seating. FOLK is one of my favorite shows, and a lot of people that I worked with at Nemo also work at FOLK, so it was nice that I got to say one last goodbye to them. FOLK is also where my first tears of the day fell. It's such a beautiful show that captures the essence of Disney, and I just felt so loved and happy there. Maybe it was the special way the performers were treating me (Timon waved and blew kisses at me in the middle of the show), or maybe it was just the reality that my program was finally over, but I started tearing up at the end of the show.

Finale of Festival of the Lion King

After FOLK, my mom and I headed over to Adventurer's Outpost where I met Mickey and Minnie! I hadn't met Mickey and Minnie there yet, and I was really anxious to see what they would think of my graduation ears. Needless to say, they were completely adorable. Mickey kept touching my ears and clapping and Minnie blew me endless amounts of kisses.

Meeting Mickey and Minnie at Adventurer's Outpost

After our lovely meeting with the mice, we headed to Discovery Island to look around the stores and eat at my favorite quick service location on property, Pizzafari. Then we quickly headed over to Finding Nemo, The Musical to catch my last and final viewing of my beloved show.

When I got to Nemo, I felt like a celebrity. I was saying hi to all of my coworkers, many of whom I hadn't seen since my last day of work or even before that. It was so nice to catch up with everyone and get a hug from my Nemo family. I got VIP seating for the show and got to catch up with everyone beforehand, although that wasn't enough for me, so I had to go back out and say goodbye afterwards too. 

Honestly, the show was really hard for me to watch. I got teary eyed at multiple parts, just thinking about how it was my last time seeing this show for such a long time. Then, towards the end during the "that's my dad, that's my son" scene (for those of you who know the show), I just lost it. Hence, cry number two of the day. The idea that I wouldn't be seeing this show I loved for a very long time or seeing these people who truly became my family for who knows how long just completely broke me. I'm talking quivering bottom lip and all, people. I was a mess, I even had to put my sunglasses on before I left the theater so I didn't walk out looking like a blubbering idiot. I cried straight through the last five minutes of the show, but in my opinion, that's a testament to the Cast Members who work at Nemo. My experience would not have been nearly as wonderful had it not been for all of the wonderful people there. 

My mom and I with Marylou, a huge part of my Nemo family

After Nemo, it was time to say goodbye to Animal Kingdom. I had a farewell photoshoot in front of the Tree of Life, where I truly did get to say goodbye to Animal Kingdom. It's been my home away from home, and I truly could not imagine a better place to work, learn, or grow as a person, and I am eternally grateful to the people and park of Animal Kingdom for making my Disney College Program such a wonderful experience.

Always in my heart

While saying goodbye to Animal Kingdom was sad, I still had a large part of my day in front of me. So, with that, my mom and I went off to Magic Kingdom, where we met up with my roommate, Allie, and her parents to watch our last Festival of Fantasy parade together. The parade was amazing, since I was wearing my ears every single character either came up to me or waved to me. The mime from Tangled even came over and gave me a big hug! It was a great experience, and it was nice to be noticed by all of the characters in the parade. It made my last Festival of Fantasy even more special. 

Allie and I celebrating our last Festival of Fantasy together

After Festival of Fantasy, it was time to get on some of my favorite rides. We went on Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain, Small World, Philhar Magic, Under the Sea, Buzz Lightyear, Laugh Floor, and even got to meet my favorite princess, Ariel, one more time! My dad met up with my mom and I in the middle of this, so it was nice to spend some quality time with my parents during my last day in Disney World.

My favorite princess, Ariel

I also was able to have a mini photoshoot in front of the castle as well, which made me feel like a princess. 

Forever my favorite castle

My family and I were lucky enough to get reservations at Be Our Guest for dinner, which is the restaurant inside Beast's Castle. I had a wonderful time, the meal was excellent, and I even got to "try the grey stuff!" Trust me, it was delicious. After dinner I was able to meet our gracious host, Beast, take some pictures, and explore his castle!

Be Our Guest Restaurant

After dinner, my time left in the Magic Kingdom and Walt Disney World was slowly coming to a close. My mom booked the dessert party for us during the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom, which was a lot of fun. They had a ton of desserts and also primo viewing spots for Celebrate the Magic and Wishes. Speaking of Celebrate the Magic and Wishes, they were also the third and fourth times I cried that day. Celebrate the Magic is just a wonderful show that pays such tribute to Walt Disney and the legacy he created. I lost it when they had Walt's picture on the castle and him saying "I only hope we never lose sight of one thing, that it was all started by a mouse." I'm so honored to have been a part of Walt's legacy and vision, and this just really got to me. Finally, at the end of Wishes, I bawled like a baby. Wishes is all what Disney is about, making your dreams come true, and the fact that my wish had come true just made my last time seeing it all the more magical and sad.

Tinkerbell flying over the Magic Kingdom during Wishes

After the shows and dessert party, my time was really coming to a close. I had really worn my parents out by that point, so they went back to the resort and I was left in the Magic Kingdom with my roommate, Allie, and my friend from work, Alli. The three of us ran and did Space Mountain one final time before walking along Main Street USA, doing some last minute shopping, and taking some final pictures. The whole experience of saying goodbye to them was unreal. It didn't feel like goodbye, probably because it's impossible to become that close to people and then just decide to never see them again. That's how I felt saying goodbye to all of my friends, coworkers, roommates, and other people I met on the program. How can I just say goodbye to people who have come into my life and changed me for the better? So there I stood, in the middle of Main Street USA, wiping the tears from my eyes as I squeezed some of the best friends I'll ever have goodbye. It was hard, but, as I said before, I know it isn't forever. 

Alli, me, and Allie saying our final
goodbyes to Walt Disney World

So folks, there you have it. My final day in Disney World. It was heart-breaking, wonderful, depressing, exhausting, enchanting, and most importantly, magical, which I would say is an overall summary of my entire Disney College Program. It's hard to believe that 7 months came and passed by so quickly, but the memories I've created, the friends I've made, and the magic I've shared will last me a lifetime. 

So, Walt Disney World, friends, family, coworkers, and everyone: It's not goodbye, it's "see you real soon!"

4th of July in Walt Disney World

The 4th of July is one of the biggest holidays in Walt Disney World. The parks are busy, the resorts are busy, and everyone gathers in the happiest place on earth to celebrate America. Obviously, I was excited to be able to celebrate the 4th in Disney, and I was lucky enough to experience not one, but two, fireworks shows!

On July 3rd, I went to the Magic Kingdom and watched their fireworks show. Because the Magic Kingdom is so popular and usually reaches capacity on the 4th (which it did this year), they began to offer their fireworks display on both the 3rd and the 4th, so that more people could experience it. They were called "perimeter fireworks" because they happened all around the park and the surrounding Bay Lake/Seven Seas Lagoon area. I enjoyed the fireworks display, but I do have to admit that the amount of people there detracted from the show. I was overwhelmed by how many people were crammed on to Main Street, and by the fact that I had absolutely no personal space. I was expecting it to be crowded, but it was so bad that people could barely move. It took me an hour and a half to get back to my apartment from the Magic Kingdom, when it normally only takes me about a half hour! Nevertheless, it was really fun to be able to see the patriotic display, and to sum it up I would say that I am glad I saw it, and I'm glad I never have to see it again!

On the night of July 4th, my coworkers and I went to see Epcot's fireworks display. It was actually really good that we planned it that way, since Magic Kingdom reached capacity during the early afternoon! Anyway, we went to Epcot after work. Epcot was extremely crowded as well, and especially because everyone had to be crowded around the World Showcase Lagoon to see the fireworks. Their fireworks show was a continuation of Illuminations, which is the show every night at Epcot. After Illuminations, they continued with a musical tribute to the United States of America. We were able to get some ice cream, hang out, and then watch the fireworks show at 10:00. We didn't have an awesome view of the fireworks, because there were so many people who had camped out for hours to be in the front row, but the majority of them were in the sky, so it worked out. 

I honestly preferred Epcot's fireworks to Magic Kingdom's. I thought that Epcot's were more patriotic and it was more of what I was looking for on the 4th of July. They had sayings from presidents and other famous Americans, and then in the middle of the fireworks show, they played "I'm Proud to be an American" and the entire park started to sing! It was very moving, and exactly what I was looking for on the 4th. 

My coworkers and me in Epcot for the fireworks

It was fun to be in the parks to celebrate the 4th of July. Although it was crazy and extremely crowded, the fireworks were spectacular. I am way too spoiled with Disney fireworks, and I'm definitely going to miss them when I leave! While I am always proud to be an American, celebrating in Disney World made me also proud to be a Disney Cast Member!

Proud to be an American & a Disney Cast Member!

My Best Friend Visits Disney World

My best friend from home, Sara, and her family recently visited Walt Disney World for a family vacation and I was lucky enough to spend some time with them while they were in Orlando! Sara, her brother Jack, and I went to the Magic Kingdom one night and rode lots of rides and watched the Electric Light Parade and Celebrate the Magic. Another night, I was able to join her family for dinner in Hollywood Studios at Brown Derby and then watch Fantasmic afterwards! I also had the opportunity to visit their resort and watch the fireworks from there (and they even stole me a few rolls of toilet paper!) Her mom and her even came to see a Finding Nemo show and they loved seeing me in action and seeing a bit of what I do every day! (They also enjoyed the show, and the VIP seating!)

Sara and I after Dumbo

It was great to see someone from home in Florida, and it was even nicer to be able to spend time with her and her family. The time we spent together in the parks was great and the dinner was fabulous (much better than my usual pasta).

Sara, and the rest of the Fitzpatrick family, thank you for visiting me in Disney World and brightening up my week!

Thanks for the visit, Princess!

Program Update #1

A lot has happened since my last post, so I wanted to make a general program update to let you know about all of the cool things that have been going on during my DCP.

First, I finally got to see the new Festival of Fantasy parade at the Magic Kingdom! It was amazing! It's great to see some of the new characters making their first parade debuts, and the floats are truly spectacular. The amount of detail on each one is enough to make your head spin! Here are some pictures from the parade.

The parks are definitely getting more crowded since it's spring break season, and with the crowds of course come a lot of changes at work. Almost every day we make a slight modification to the loading process at Nemo, which keeps things interesting! After all, Walt did say "We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we're curious... and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."

My friends and I have been planning a lot of fun days and activities, with the most recent being the Miley Cyrus Bangerz tour in Orlando! Five of us bought tickets to the concert in the Amway Center in Downtown Orlando. It was seriously so crazy (as expected with Miley) but a ton of fun and a great way to spend time together. 

In the middle of all of this fun, we've also had other issues to worry about, like passing the second round of inspections! We all cleaned for a couple of days leading up to inspections, and this time around we got inspected on the second day of inspections! I was in the apartment when they inspected us, so I got more of an idea as to what they did. Honestly, it was so quick. There were three people that came in, looked all over our apartment, and then told us if we needed to improve in any areas or if we were doing a good job. We passed with flying colors and got our 2nd White Glove Award! I'd say we are doing pretty well with inspections, well that, or the other apartments in the complex are just really dirty and gross...

Anyway, I have a lot planned in the next few days. I have a Meet & Greet tomorrow with my teacher to talk about how I should approach the rest of my program, an advising meeting with my Clemson advisor for next year on Thursday, my last two classes of environmentality and sustainability, and even some fun play time at the parks and resorts. Be sure to stay tuned for my posts in the next few weeks!

I hope everyone is having a magical day, and remember to keep on dreaming!

Valentine's Day in the Magic Kingdom

Can you imagine a more magical place to spend Valentine's Day than the Magic Kingdom? I sure can't. I mean sure, I was with my brother instead of my prince, the crowd levels were beyond crazy, and I didn't witness a single proposal, but still, it was an awesome experience nonetheless!

Valentine's Day at the park was just like any usual day. I was expecting some big celebration, but in reality, it was just another day of normal operations for the Magic Kingdom cast members. There were opportunities to take pictures in front of the castle with signs that said "Be Mine" or "Hug Me", but other than that, the park wasn't decorated or special in any way. Although, Cinderella did wish me a Happy Valentine's Day when I met her, so I guess that's more than most people can say :)

Because Valentine's Day this year happened to fall on the same weekend as President's Day Weekend, the parks were a little more crowded than usual. My brother and I arrived mid-morning and met some characters, did a few rides, grabbed lunch, had ice cream, visited my roommate, Allie, while she was working, and then headed home. It ended up being a really nice day, we just had to wait longer for some things than we normally would have. The longest line I saw today was 165 minutes to meet Rapunzel and Snow White and 105 minutes to meet Cinderella and Aurora! That much time is completely insane, and luckily, we got fastpasses to meet Cinderella and Aurora, which took us literally less than 5 minutes, so we were super lucky in that sense. The longest we waited in line was probably about 40 minutes, which isn't bad considering how crowded the park was. 

All in all, today was simply another magical day at the Disney parks. I guess you could just call today another perk of working in The Most Magical Place on Earth (:

Be Our Guest!!!

This morning, my roommates and I got up early and headed over to the Magic Kingdom. This was one of the few and rare times that we all weren't working at the same time, so we decided to go to Be Our Guest for lunch! The restaurant is located inside the Beast's castle in the New Fantasyland, and it is beyond beautiful. The food was amazing and the atmosphere was fantastic! My only recommendation is to get there as soon as they open, because the line gets ridiculously long! Additionally, Be Our Guest is a quick service restaurant for lunch and a full service one for dinner, so keep that in mind when trying to eat there. Also, I'm done another thing from my bucket list!!!

Here are some pictures: