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!"

Thanking My Visitors

As my program comes to an end, I've been reflecting back on my entire 7 months here and all of the fun times I've had. One of the best parts of my program has been having people come visit me throughout my time in Orlando! I wanted to dedicate a post to all of the people who have visited me during my program.

My brother, Joey

My sister, Colleen, her friend, Katie, and my parents

Clemson friends Allie & Kaitlyn

My mom and dad

My friend from home, Emily, and her mom

My sister, her friend, Jenn, my mom, and my dad

My best friend from home, Sara, and her family

The Panzer Family

The Todaro Family

All of these visits really made my time here so much better. It seems like every time I was down in the dumps or needing a pick me up, it just so happened that someone would come down and visit, and it completely turned my whole week around. I want to dedicate this post to all of the people who have come to visit me at Disney World these past 7 months. You all have no idea how much it means to me that you wanted to spend your vacation with me! Thanks to all of my family and friends for the support during my Disney College Program, and I can finally say, see you real soon!

Opening Day at Diagon Alley in Universal Studios

So, let's take a break from my depressing posts about leaving Nemo and handing out Olaf and talk about something super exciting I did last week: OPENED DIAGON ALLEY AT UNIVERSAL! On July 8, Universal Studios had its grand opening of Diagon Alley and King's Cross Station. My friends and I took the day off and decided to go to Universal to celebrate opening day with all of our fellow Potter fans.

Opening day at Diagon Alley

Gringotts Bank (The dragon breathed fire)

Inside Gringotts

We arrived at 6:30 AM (the park didn't open until 9) and did a lot of waiting around. Luckily, we arrived early enough that we were among the first few hundred people to get into the land. At 8 AM, they opened only Diagon Alley, and did a fun opening ceremony where they shot off fireworks. Even with being some of the first people there, we still had to wait 3 hours to get on the ride inside Gringotts Bank. It was a long three hour wait, but finally we got inside Gringotts and onto the ride. Honestly, I found the ride to be disappointing. It definitely was not worth the three hour wait and certainly not worth the 7 hour wait it was later on in the day. Part of the problem may have been that we stopped in the middle of the ride, which took away from the experience, but it still was mediocre at best. Personally, I prefer the ride inside Hogwarts.

Diagon Alley

Although the ride was a slight disappointment, Diagon Alley, King's Cross, and the Hogwarts Express were all really impressive. It was a lot of fun to look around the stores in Diagon Alley, and the ride on the Hogwarts Express was really cool. It was a unanimous decision that the best part of the day was the Butterbeer ice cream (AMAZING). If you're a Harry Potter fan, I definitely recommend checking out Universal Studios and all of the Harry Potter fun there. It was a great (but exhausting) day, and I am so glad that I could have this experience with my Disney friends!

Butterbeer ice cream

Ride selfie

Our new Gryffindor souvenirs 

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!

One Month Left

I'm actually cringing as I write this post, but the time has come when there is only ONE month left in my college program. Can you believe it, one month?! I sure can't. It seems like just yesterday that I was packing up my stuff and driving down to Florida with my mom, and it certainly couldn't have been six months ago! To say that the time has flown by would be an understatement.

Nevertheless, it's here I stand with exactly one month left in my DCP, and it's time to start prioritizing the things I want to do and deciding how I want to spend my last month. My friends and I have started doing a lot of things we've been talking about since we got here: bowling at Splitsville, going to Universal, eating dinner at Dick's Last Resort, watching the fireworks and eating dessert at California Grill, and the list goes on and on. It's been a blast doing these things, but also exhausting at the same time, since I'm constantly running between work, my apartment, and the surrounding Orlando area.

I'm starting to feel bittersweet about a lot of things. Sure, I'm really hot and tired at work, but in one month, I won't ever have to work again, and that's depressing. I've spent six months of my life living every day with these girls in my apartment, but in a month, we're all going to go back to our hometowns, and that's even more depressing. I think the most depressing part is that I won't be able to say I live in Disney World anymore, the happiest place on earth, and my favorite place on the planet.

So, there you have it. It's July 1st. I leave August 1st. My college program is officially winding down. However sad it may be, I'm excited to go out with a bang, so look for lots more posts about the end of my Disney College Program, and all of the fun things I'll be doing between now and August 1st. As always, keep on dreaming.

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!

Universal Studios

Yes, it's true, Disney Cast Members do occasionally cheat on Disney. About a week ago, my roommates and I went to Universal Studios Orlando, and we had a BLAST! It was so much fun to spend time with one another, and as much as I hate to admit it, it was a nice break from Disney as well!

For those of you who don't know me, I am a big Harry Potter fan, so visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was definitely the highlight of the day for me. We had butterbeer, bought chocolate frogs, and rode the ride inside Hogwarts! It was great. I also got to check out some other cool rides, including ET, Men in Black, Spiderman, Dr. Seuss, and many, many others. Universal is broken up into two parks: Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. Islands of Adventure has more of the thrill rides (and Harry Potter), while Universal Studios has more of a variety of attractions. I really liked both parks, so much so that I bought an annual pass! Basically, it didn't make sense for me to only buy a one-day-two-park pass, since I am planning on coming back at least one more time before I leave. If you go twice, it's worth it to buy an annual pass. Plus, now I have free parking and 10% discounts at restaurants and merchandise stores in the theme park!

Obligatory first Butterbeer selfie

Hogwarts Express Conductor

Hogwarts

It was also awesome, because we had a lot of celebrity sightings while there! Matthew Lewis and the Phelps twins (Neville Longbottom and George & Fred Weasley) were there doing a press event to promote the new Harry Potter areas opening soon. Jimmy Fallon was also shooting The Tonight Show in Universal all that week, and his musical guest was Pitbull, so I got to see a mini Pitbull concert and see Jimmy Fallon join him on stage! It was really cool to see some celebrities so close. I've now officially seen more celebrities in Universal than I have while working at Animal Kingdom!

Jimmy Fallon & Pitbull

The Phelps Twins & Matthew Lewis

A big part of the reason I bought an annual pass was because on July 8th, the new part of Harry Potter is opening. They are opening Diagon Alley, Gringotts, King's Cross, and the Hogwarts Express, so I am really excited to go back and check out the new additions to Universal Studios. 

So, yes it's true, Disney Cast Members do cheat on Disney; we even buy annual passes to competing theme parks! Jokes aside, Universal was a great time, and I'm so glad I got to spend some quality time with my roommates in the parks. 

Saying Goodbye & Saying Hello

Recently, I've had to say goodbye to many of my favorite people and things at Walt Disney World. The people who were just doing the spring program left throughout the month of May, with the last departures occurring May 30th. It was hard to say goodbye to some of the friends that I have made here, especially because I don't know if I'll ever see them again. It's crazy that you go on a journey with these people and spend all of your time either working or hanging out with them, and then suddenly they are gone. I'm definitely already missing my friends, and wishing them happy and fun summers.

Another sad goodbye occurred at DAK this week: we had to say goodbye to Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade. It was the longest running parade at Animal Kingdom, and now with its departure, the only park with a parade is the Magic Kingdom. I'm sad to see the parade go because it was such a nice break from Nemo during the middle of the day. However, I'm glad I won't have to work the parade during the hot summertime!

The Last Jammin' Jungle Parade Crew

With all of the goodbyes did come some hellos! The fall advantage program people have arrived, and one of those people is my friend, Franklin from Clemson! We have a lot of new neighbors and I'm excited to meet some of my new coworkers.

We also get to say hello to FOLK, or Festival of the Lion King at Animal Kingdom. FOLK has been down since January because they rebuilt the theater in Africa. It used to be located in Camp Minnie Mickey, but since Avatarland is being built where the Camp used to be, the FOLK theater had to be moved to Africa (where it truly belongs). I've been inside the new theater already, and it's beautiful (but very similar to the old theater), but I haven't seen the show yet. Rumor has it that the show is the exact same, but I'm still excited to see it in its new home. I'm also excited that I don't have to answer the "what happened to Lion King" question anymore at Nemo!

So, there you have it. The beginning of summer has been a series of goodbyes and hellos here at Disney World. While it's sad to say goodbye to all the memories, it's exciting to think that there are new memories to be made. I'm looking forward to enjoying my last two months here, and I hope you continue to enjoy me on my Disney Dream!

Starlit Splash

May 7, 2014 was definitely the best night of my entire College Program. Disney Internships and Programs rented out the entire Typhoon Lagoon water park from 7 PM to 1 AM for all of the College Program participants and had a giant party for the CPs!

From the moment my friends and I entered the water park, we could tell that it was going to be a good night. There was a DJ playing lots of great party music and a huge dance floor on the beach. The wave pool was in full force and we could smell lots of amazing free food right around the corner. Throughout the whole night we were able to spend tons of time in the wave pool, go on three tube slides, dance on the beach, meet Captain Jack Sparrow, have some free food (including Mickey bars!), snorkel with sharks, and watch an amazing fireworks show from the water!

Meeting Captain Jack Sparrow

There were so many CPs there, and you could tell that everyone was ready to let loose and have some fun. We were all dancing on the beach and in the water, swimming in the waves, and talking amongst ourselves. At 11:45, the entire party stopped, as they set up a fireworks show and we had an amazing fireworks display that we could watch from the beach or the wave pool! It was beautiful, and a perfect way to celebrate the night.

To make things even better, it was my friend's birthday at midnight, so we got the DJ to make a special birthday announcement for her and we all danced in front of the stage for a good part of the night. It was honestly the most perfect night; I loved every single second of it.

I am so grateful to Disney for setting up a night for the CPs to celebrate all of our hard work and accomplishments. Starlit Splash was a total blast and a complete success!

Typhoon Lagoon at night

Siesta Key Beach Trip

On my day off last week, some friends and I went to the beach! We drove the two hours down to Sarasota, Florida and went to Siesta Key Beach, which is one of the nicest rated beaches in the country! It was BEAUTIFUL, to say the least. We woke up early in the morning, packed up all of our stuff, and drove to the West coast of Florida. We were able to soak up the sun in the white sand beach, swim in the Gulf of Mexico, enjoy the warm Florida weather and spend time with one another! If you ever are in Florida, I highly recommend checking out the beaches. Siesta Key was a great way to decompress after a crazy work week (even though I got a nasty sunburn) and I got to spend time with a lot of great people!