Adventure Is Out There

I’d like to start by apologizing for being so MIA since I moved to Orlando to participate in the Disney College Program, but I am about to make up for it right now!

I did begin my program on the 19th of January, and it has been a challenging, but highly rewarding, experience thus far. I am living in Chatham Square with four lovely roommates and I am working merchandise at the World of Disney at Downtown Disney, which is the largest Disney store in the world.

*pauses for dramatic effect*

My work location has been the most challenging part so far, mainly because the store is composed of 11 rooms. This means that I have had A LOT to learn, and you only get about a week of training (or, really, four-five days). I will be the first to admit that I had a hard time the weeks following my first initial week (where you go through Casting, Traditions, and get a feel for everything before you start on the job training) trying to find my place and I wondered if I had made the right decision in coming here. I felt overwhelmed from all of the training plus trying to keep up with my classes, and I felt excluded because my hours at work differed from all of my roommate’s hours, so I barely saw them.

But then something happened:

I remembered I am at Walt Disney World completing an internship that thousands of college students around the world would give up anything to do.

I started to find the positives at work, whether it be interacting with more guests or reaching out to and getting to know more coworkers. In fact, some of the best times I’ve had here so far have been with my coworkers.  Even on days when it’s not that great, I know that there are four magnificent parks waiting for me on the days that I’m off, and that alone makes the experience worth it.

This adventure I am on is one I was meant to take, and I am sure of that. The lessons that I am learning and the experiences I am having are going to shape who I am and help me become the best version of myself.

Is it scary? Absolutely.

Is it tiring? Of course.

Can it be frustrating at times? Yes.

But the friendships I am making, the magical moments I am having and am able to create…they make it all worth it. I mean, where else in the world can I go casually visit Magic Kingdom before work or have breakfast with the Fab Five?

Adventure is out there, you just have to go for it and don’t look back ❤

*I will do a post about some of the fun things I’ve done since I’ve gotten here soon, and if anyone has any questions about the DCP I can do a question/answer post too, just let me know!*

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DCP Bucket List

I am now 59 days away from starting the journey of a lifetime in the most magical place on Earth! To say I am excited would be an understatement, and even though I’m nervous…I’m ready to embark on this new path.

As my arrival date rapidly approaches, it has come to my attention that I have not created a Disney College Program bucket list! And, of course, that is unacceptable.

It’s a rather gloomy day here in Southwest Florida, which means it’s a perfect time to brighten my mood by thinking of all the wonderful things I want to accomplish on my program.

If you have any other ideas to add to my list, please feel free to comment below! I’m sure I’ll be adding things to my list up until the day I arrive 🙂

DCP Bucket List (In No Particular Order)

1. Watch ‘The Kiss Goodnight’ at Magic Kingdom
2. Dine at Cinderella’s Royal Table
3. Attend the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue
4. Stay at a moderate resort
5. Take a full day to resort hop
6. Attend the campfire sing-a-long at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
7. Have a Pina Colava
8. Dine at Chef Mickey’s
9. Meet every character and get their autograph
10. Witness a proposal ❤
11. Celebrate my unbirthday
12. Visit all four parks in one day
13. Attend rope drop for every park at least once
14. Dine at California Grill
15. Disneybound with friends
16. Take a tour
17. Attend the Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot
18. Pin Trade
19. Attend at least one Star Wars Weekend
20. Be one of the last people to leave the park
21. Try to watch as many nighttime shows in one night as possible (I’ve currently watched two in one night!)
22. Get an entire car on a ride of just me and my friends
23. Devour a kitchen sink sundae at Beaches and Cream
24. Buy a Mickey balloon on Main Street, USA
25. Go for a carriage ride
26. Go to DisneyQuest
27. Go to a Spring Training game at the ESPN Sports Complex
28. Spend a night out at Downtown Disney or the Boardwalk (House of Blues, Atlantic Dance Hall, Jellyrolls)
29. Try my hand at archery
30. Dine at Ohana at nighttime in order to catch Wishes
31. Watch Wishes from the beach at the Polynesian
32. Attend the Spirit of Aloha
33. Explore Tom Sawyer’s Island
34. Dedicate one day to just watching shows/meeting characters/taking in the sights…NO RIDES
35. Watch the Hoe Down in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom
36. Buy something at Company D
37. Ride the Tower of Terror 13 times in a row
38. Be kissed in front of Cinderella’s Castle
39. Have a photo shoot in front of Cinderella’s Castle
40. Spend a full day in each park at least once–opening to closing.
41. Get my graduation ears embroidered with my name
42. Take a roadtrip with friends and go somewhere outside of Orlando
43. Create a magical moment happen for a guest
44. Do every attraction/show in every park at least once
45. Eat/drink around the world with friends and wear matching tanks! These tanks in particular
46. Design a shirt at Design-A-Tee in DTD
47. Ride Characters in Flight
48. Go to a movie night at one of the resorts
49. Get a bunch of friends together and stay at the Grand Floridian for a night
50. Go to one of the water parks (or both) at least once

I figured I’d start with at least 50. It seems I already have my work cut out for me!

If you have any more ideas, don’t hesitate to let me know! Totally looking forward to a magical, fun-filled semester!

l Am On My Way; I Can Go The Distance

“When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way–implicitly and unquestionable.” – Walt Disney.

To piggyback off of Walt, I would like to begin by saying that believing in yourself, first and foremost, is one of the most important things you will ever do in life. Believing in yourself opens up so many doors that will lead you down new and exciting paths, and those paths will help shape who you become.

Truthfully, I have always struggled with my self esteem. Some days I feel on top of the world, and other days I feel like there’s the ground, 50 feet of dirt, and then me.

However, and this may sound silly, finding my dream has helped me feel better about myself. Having a dream gives me a sense of purpose, and having a sense of purpose makes me feel…important.

I’ve mentioned my dream briefly a few times, but to refresh your memory, I would ultimately love to work in social media/communications department for Walt Disney World. I very much enjoy interacting with people on social media platforms and figuring out how to use the platforms to my advantage.

With this in mind, I decided to apply to the Disney College Program. Yes, I am aware that I won’t gain experience in social media this way, but I am also aware of the fact that many cast members started their career with Disney by doing the program.

And, honestly, the magic starts in the parks. So why wouldn’t I want to begin my journey there?

After a web-based interview, a phone interview, and a month and three days of waiting, I finally got the email I had been waiting and wishing for:

On Sept 29, I was accepted into the Disney College Program for the Spring 2015 semester. My role is Merchandise, and I am so beyond excited!

I, of course, accepted my offer, and will be participating in the program from Jan. 19 until May 15. I am ready to earn my ears, network, make new friends and learn about the history of my favorite place on this earth.

I will probably post on here periodically to document my journey, so I hope you will all follow along!

*If anyone would like a separate post on the application process from applying to accepted/not accepted, please let me know and I can do that!*

I am FINALLY on my way, and I am going the distance! I can’t wait for this new chapter in my life to begin!