.....Hi.

Although I am many things...as a blogger...well I kinda suck.

As I dust off this blog yet again for the third time...I'm reminded of the promise I made to all of my readers of how dedicated I was to keeping this alive. Well I never go back on my word so starting now...seriously...this blog will be active and lively. Everybody go "YAY!" As my video counterpart would say..."5 Second Dance Party!"

Now I'm sure I've missed alot of newsworthy and interesting Disney News in the last few months and you've missed out on alot about me. First off...Happy 2010! Here's what you missed in my Disney Life:

• Got Accepted into the College Program as a Character Attendant for Spring 2010
• I check in January 20th (that's really soon)
• I did not get a Professional Internship
• I did not get a Character Performer role.
• I graduated College (yay!)
• I acquired 5 awesome roommates
• I will be living in Chatham Square
• I went to Chicago with a bunch of CP's for "Christmas Under the Bean"
• Most of my friends from Fall 2009 have finished their programs and left.
• I picked up a few merch shifts the week before check-in and will be leaving in 4 days to complete them.
• I will be working in the Emporium at MK, MouseGears at EPCOT and Tomorrowland (so far...)
• Some people have already checked into their programs, gone through traditions and are starting training (w00t)

That's about it...to get the full scoop on me and my Disney life in the past two months...visit my Youtube and get some more info there. My hands hurt too much to type out everything.

MOVING FORWARD:

Around this time of journeying to my college program (if you didn't catch it...this will be my third)...I'd make a packing blog for you guys to read about tips, tidbits and hints on how to pack for the Disney College Program whether you will be driving or flying (or maybe even walking...but that would be VERY far...) to Florida.

But...I already did that...so I won't.

MOVING FORWARD STILL:

What I will (no pun intended) focus on this blog...as this is my first blog of the new decade and something awesome is starting from Disney Parks, I'll elaborate a little bit on Give a Day...Get a Disney Day

Announced back in September 2009 and beginning January 2010, as a part of the theme for Disney Parks "What Will You Celebrate?", and as a replacement for the "Get in free on your birthday" incentive last year, Disney Parks organized a program that celebrates the spirit of volunteerism and giving. If you give a day of service, you receive one free day ticket to any Disney Theme Park.

"In 2010, we want to recognize and add one more reason for celebration: the contributions people make to their communities every day," said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. "We want to inspire 1 million volunteers – people who will invest time and energy to make their own communities and neighborhoods a better place."

Partnering with the HandsOn Network - the nation's largest volunteer network, users can go to www.DisneyParks.com and to search for volunteer areas and opportunities in their communities or districts.

Even the Muppet's are getting their hands on this action. If you haven't seen any of the commercials on your television, there are a few broadcast just like the one below to get people into the spirit of giving back. Also starting today, the Muppets honor guests who have given back to their communities through volunteerism at Disneyland park and Magic Kingdom park in Disney's Honorary Volunteer Cavalcade, featuring Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy.

As a Castmember and a longtime VoluntEAR, I feel that not only is this an amazing project and opportunity Disney is giving out to muster the spirit of giving, but it's also a great chance for the family to come together as a whole and share a good feeling...and then to experience a free day at a Disney Park because of it! I mean...who doesn't want a FREE day at Disney?

Even Disney Vloggers are getting into the spirit of Give a Day, Get a Disney Day. As a group, (generously and genially constructed by vlogger John Henselmier), we collaborated for YouTube's 2009 Project 4 Awesome (a day constructed by the VlogBrothers when NerdFighters and YouTubers gathered and made videos about their favorite charities in order to decrease World Suck) and made a video promoting VoluntEARS and GADGADD (Do you like my acronym? I made it mahself!) This video can be viewed below:

(P.S. More information will be given about thedisneyvloggers' YouTube channel when we make it big...we have huge plans in store for this channel!)

Alot of groundbreaking has already started on this project...I say this because the free ticket cut-off is at One Million. Yes that's right. Not that that limit should be an incentive to make you go out and volunteer yourself, the warm feeling you get when doing something for others should be enough...but...if you want that ticket, go to the site mentioned above and sign up now! To see more videos of Volunteer projects people have been involved in already, visit the Disney Park's Youtube Channel.

That's all I have for this post, stay tune and I promise I won't be lazy (even though I leave in 4 days for my next college program!) and post more interesting and pertinent Disney and College Program news to this channel. I love you all and Keep Moving Forward!

Sources: WDW Corporate: Give a Day, Get a Disney Day, Disney Cast Hub - "The Muppets Join the "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" Celebration

81 years ago today, America's favorite Mouse was created and voiced by the man who started an empire and whose legacy lives on in each of us today. Although its been a long time since Walt Disney's death (and a short time since Mickey's most recent voice Wayne Allwine)
), it can be assumed that Mickey Mouse has became one of the most recognized symbols in the world...and a big part of my heart.

Happy Birthday Mickey Mouse! Though you're 81, you don't look a day over 50! (Also thanks for paying my bills...you rock for that as well.

(VIDEO: 1928's Steamboat Willie - Although this isn't Mickey Mouse's first animated film (the first being Plane Crazy in 1928) this is the short that the lovable mouse is most recognized for.)

Since Walt Disney World's Theme this year (and next) is all about celebration...it only seems fit to give Mickey a present for his birthday...so...how about lighting up all of Cinderella's Castle in a bunch of sparkling magical lights!

Do you want to know how this is done? Thanks to the Disney Parks Blog you can!

“Dipped in sugar” is how Cinderella Castle appears to Walt Disney World Entertainment’s senior show director Alan Bruun. And if you’ve seen the castle’s 200,000 holiday lights, it’s hard to disagree with the description — it’s a must see.

But how the Castle transforms for the season is just as remarkable. It takes about six weeks and involves hundreds of hours of manpower. Cranes are brought in overnight to place the LED lights around the castle and reach the highest spires. Here’s video showing some of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into lighting the Castle each year:

The Castle lights are also attached to more than 40,000 square feet of fisherman’s net dyed to specifically match the colors of the castle. There is blue net for the roof tops and gray for the walls. After the lights are hooked up on the nets, they’re programmed and tested and then written into lighting cues for the shows, according to Bruun.

To bring the lights together, 18 miles of electrical cable is used. And it’s all run on the amount of power that it takes to run three clothes dryers — it’s extremely energy efficient.

I've never been able to experience this in person myself, but I have seen videos sent from friends and over YouTube of how miraculous this event is. A lot of my castmember friends will be able to experience this and to tell the truth...I'm sort of jealous. If you know me at all, I'm a Christmas fanatic. This event not only looks beautiful and magical, but something to be shared with your entire family. If you get to make it to the parks this holiday season, I would suggest making your way over to the Magic Kingdom to see it in person!

(If you're viewing this on Facebook, you are not able to see the videos embedded in this post. To see the post in it's entirety, click here)

So as many of you have already heard, seen, or even experienced, Space Mountain at the Magic Kingdom in WDW had a soft-open on Saturday after many months of renovations.

You might remember a couple of months back in this post when I announced it's closure...

Now I know we'll all miss the giant wall covering the entrance to the ride and the lovely Cast Members (sometimes CP's) who had to stand there hours upon hours to greet people and sadly tell them the ride was closed until November ?, 2009...but those days will soon be over my friends!

According to the Disney Park Blog, the new ride has gotten some pretty sweet upgrades. While the classic Space Mountain experience still exists — it’s just being updated with new technology and 21st century gadgetry. Inside the attraction, there’s new lighting as well as special “darkening” effects. And you’ll see updated color schemes for rocket capsules, line and load areas. Imagineers worked with Walt Disney World Facilities Asset Management for even more enhancements, including new paint, carpet, seat fabric and other décor elements.

With the update, the storyline is being extended – and you’ll be able to take part!

Passengers will be able to immerse themselves in unique game play as they prepare for blast off, becoming part of the space station adventure. During a recent walkthrough, we deflected asteroids to keep runways clear as part of the story.

The interactive experiences are based on duties you’d find on board a long-traveling space craft, according to Walt Disney Imagineering Senior Show Designer Alex Wright. Each game lasts about 90 seconds with a 90-second interval and the games can accommodate 86 players at one time.

As you move along on your journey, there are “insider” touches typical in projects created by Imagineers. For example, if you’re up on your Disney trivia, you’ll recognize a sign bearing the logo “H-NCH 1975″ as a tribute to late Imagineer and Disney legend John Hench. There are also other “Disneyphile” references hidden throughout the attraction.

Space Mountain celebrates the Golden Age of Rocket Travel – inspired by the jet age of the early 1960s. The attraction highlights excitement around the endless possibilities regarding space travel. It did back when it opened in 1975 and I think you’ll agree it still does.

Past riders of Space Mountain have also enjoyed the dark (and might I add increasingly long) que lines with the 70's Space Adventure music, ride previews, and giant chocolate chip cookies (aka meteors) floating across a giant projector screen in the dome. Well, no longer are those ambiances available! (Sorry to anyone who actually really enjoyed the old que line) As you can see above, the new lines are brighter, more efficient and space adventure-y.

Also new with the ride are the track upgrades. It’s the same track layout and overall look and feel but workers integrated new technology into the track while not changing the classic Space Mountain ride experience. “As technology evolves, it helps us enhance those elements without losing any essence of the attraction,” Walt Disney Imagineering Senior Show Designer Alex Wright says.

The attraction is scheduled to reopen on November 22. Since I'm currently stuck in Ohio, I haven't been able to experience this as of yet. A lot of my friends have though and that's just as good! Below is a video from my friend and fellow CP Emily who vlogged about the experience (you'll also see a cameo appearance from my good friend Matt!)

I'm really looking forward to the re-opening of this attraction...especially since it was closed all during my program this summer. If I'm able to go back this January for another program, this will be one of the first things on my list to complete...well that and moving back in and seeing all my old friends of course!

Have you been able to ride Space Mountain as of yet? Any reviews? Are you very excited for it to be finally opening back up? Let me know in the comments below.

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In other news, it's been About a month & a half since my interview for my Professional Internship, 2 weeks since my interview for the College Program, and a week since my auditions for Entertainment. The waiting game is still in effect but I promise I will (no pun intended) update when I hear more.

A few of my friends have heard back already this week (sorry to those rejected) so that leads me to believe that my time is coming...it's just that being patient is a lot harder than I thought it was going to be!

I also graduate college in a little more than a month...senioritis has definitely kicked in annd I'm just waiting to ride out this last month before I can pack my car and move down to Disney World for a little while. Who's excited? This blogger. :)

I've never really been to another Disney Park other than Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, FL. But it looks like in the future, I'm going to have to add another one to my list. A major milestone has been passed for the Disney Company's Shanghai Theme Park Project!
This news release from corporate comes from the Disney Parks Blog :

The Walt Disney Company today announced that the Project Application Report (PAR) for a Disney theme park in the Pudong district of Shanghai has received approval from the relevant authorities of the central government of
China.

“China is one of the most dynamic, exciting and important countries in the world, and this approval marks a very significant milestone for The Walt Disney Company in mainland China,” said Robert A. Iger, president and CEO of The Walt Disney Company.

The PAR approval will enable Disney and its Shanghai partners to move forward toward a final agreement to build and operate the park and begin preliminary development work. Upon completion of the final agreement, the project’s initial phase would include a Magic Kingdom-style theme park with characteristics tailored to the Shanghai region and other amenities consistent with Disney’s destination resorts worldwide.

As mentioned before in the article, China, more specifically Beijing has given Disney the approval to move forward with the project which is expected to be the one of the largest-ever foreign investments in China. Estimates for the park's price tag are around $4 billion. It would allow Disney to establish a direct presence in a market that, despite its size, has presented numerous hurdles to foreign entertainment companies according to the Wall Street Journal.



Disney - not a stranger to operating internationally- already owns and operates a theme Park in Hong Kong, but this park (according to plans) will be much bigger and will allow for a direct access to the local market.



All of this information is newly established. I will update you as soon as new information is released. For more information visit this Wall Street Journal article or the Disney Parks Blog.



What are your thoughts about Disney drawing plans for a new theme Park internationally. Has anyone journeyed to Disneyland Hong Kong, Euro Disney or Disneyland Paris? Leave a comment below with your thoughts and/or experiences.

Been out of the loop for a while? Disney Parks updates you on what's new at the Walt Disney World Resort recently! Check it out!

First off...I'M BACK! I apologize for not updating almost 2 months after I said I was going to start updating more. School has been an experience, especially since I'm graduating in a little over 2 months! But that's neither here nor there. You didn't come here to listen to me ramble about my life. Lets get to something Disney!


I finally took a breather from life and sat down this fall break weekend to update my resume and apply for a few Disney Professional Internships! Now please don't yell at me...I know I'm a little late in the game - after all the deadline is 2 weeks from now on October 23, but I wanted to make sure I had everything in order before applying (i.e. graduation, credits etc.) instead of just applying for the sake of applying. But now that everything is all set, I took the time to try to further my career with the company I love.

NOTE: The person in the photo to the right is not me (hopefully you would know that), but rather it is the person I soon hope to be. To be specific, there are two types of internships I applied for: College Program Alumni Specific - meaning these internships are reserved solely for alumni of the college program. Non Alumni Specific: those internships open to anyone. Here are the list of internships I applied for:

College Program Alumni Specific:

• Cast Special Events
  - Providing programs, activities and event planning services for Cast, Crew and Imagineers
  
• College & International Operations - Event Planning
  - Planning, marketing and executing all events for the Disney College & International Program participants (i.e. Night of Stars, Volunteer Activities, Speaker Series, Networking Events etc.)
  
• College Recruiting
  - Maintaining student files, special projects, communicating with recruiters, students, faculty, campus representatives, etc.
  
• College & International Coordinatinator - Magic Kingdom Park
  - Assisting DCP Specialist at Magic Kingdom Park to ensure that program participants working at the park have a successful 'Earning' experience.
  
• Guest Relations

Non-College Program Alumni Specific:

• Social Media & Marketing Internship (Weddings/Youth Marketing)
  - A member of the marketing team focus on new/emerging social media (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and others) supporting two lines of business (Weddings & Youth Group Programs) from a social media & marketing perspective.
  
• Public Relations Internship
  -PR Outreach supporting WDW Group and Convention business and the Disney Institute

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
So that right there is a good 7 internships I applied for. From past experience as a campus representative, they've usually told students not to apply for more than three (or else it looks like you're not interested in something specific but rather an internship period). But the good thing about the CP Alumni Specific Internships is they work just like a role-checklist. To those who have done the college program before or at least applied, you'll know a role checklist is simply a list of roles that you would be considered in performing. During your interview you're asked about which one sparks your interest most.

Speaking of interviews...I have to call on Monday (tomorrow) and set up an interview for the CP Alumni Specific and hear back for the other ones if the feel my qualifications apply. If I'm accepted, I'm really excited about this opportunity for two reasons.

1. It gives me a chance to further my career with the company that I love.
2. I'll get to move back to Orlando not 4 months after leaving - and permanently for that matter.

To those who wish to do the same and apply for a professional internship, you should know this wasn't an easy process for me. I wasn't able to just sit down and apply and then go eat some pizza to celebrate.

The process is for the dedicated. You must create a work profile at http://www.disneyjobs.com/ with your personal and contact information. Then you must upload your resume and any documents pertaining to your internship. After doing so, this next step is optional.

I haven't written a cover letter in quite some time (2008 I last believe), and writing one for the internship that could make or break my future wasn't an easy task. It took me an entire weekend to make sure my cover letter was reflecting the desired qualifications and role description listen in the Internship Profile.

After completing my cover letters and submitting them to my profile, I applied for the internships, filled out an online application and took an assessment for each internship. IT was a lot of steps to go through but most definitely worth it. I can't wait to see what opportunities await me in the future with this company.

While I'm still considering the option of applying for the College Program, I'm going to wait and see which road the Professional Internships lie for me. I don't want to bite the hand that feeds me per say and apply for both and get none. Unfortunately I'm putting all of my eggs in one basket with this decision - but its a risk I'm willing to take for the company I love. Here's to hoping I upgrade my graduation ears to a more corporate pair!

How about you guys? Has anyone else already applied for or plan on applying for Professional Internships for this upcoming season? If so leave your experiences or tips in the comments!

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In other news:

• I'm uploading my vlogs I've made in the meantime so that you can catch up on my Campus Representative life and what I've been doing since completing my Summer Alumni Program so look out for those.
• I'm looking daily for good Disney News on my twitter feed ...I've missed out on a lot but it's no use to put them here now being old news. When I hear an interesting story or something I feel you guys would enjoy I'll update it. It helps now that Disney Parks has a blog so keep posted.
• I'm also looking for someone to redesign my blog. If you or someone you know is interested shoot me an email at will.alphasig@gmail.com

See ya real soon!

It's 12:46 am and I can't sleep for two reasons.
1) I'm back at home in Detroit. I'm still used to staying up late D-fam. Speaking of whom...
2) I miss my D-fam.

I'm saddened because I didn't get to say goodbye to most of them on account I had to change my flight plans at the last minute. Today was a day of hectic rushing, airport madness, long flights, overpacked bags and exhaustion. Which is strange because now that I'm at home I should be falling asleep in my bed thinking of the awesome summer that I had...

But I can't. I'm feeling so meloncholy! I know I'll be back in October *crosses fingers* but thats too far away for me. I want it to be sometime sooner..lets say...tomorrow? Lets make it happen!

.....

No? Okay time to be a big boy about this then.

Ahem. To those I didn't get to say goodbye to, I apologize but know that you're always in my heart and this summer was nothing short of amazing because of you. You know who you are, mostly because if we shared a moment, even if it was brief, it contributed to the awesome summer that I had down in Disney. You know my contact information and you also know that if we stop keeping in contact, I know where you live so it will be easy for me to come down and make your life a living hell.

Too creepy? Sorry, like I said...it's 12:56am.

I love my D-fam, and nothign will change that. That's a good thing about family. You go your own separate ways sometimes but you can always come back...and they will always be accepting. So to those I didn't get to hug until we couldn't breathe....we'll just have to make the next hug even stronger.

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In other stories, I spent the entire day at Magic Kingdom with Hannah yesterday and it was AWESOME! We pretended to be married (again) and we had the most awesome magic moment ever. Us and my friend Adam who joined us breifly went to Splash to get fastpasses and return later. Hannah wanted to check a size for a shirt so we went inside the store loacted right after the ride. While they didn't have her size, we talked with a castmember named Krisandra who was stationed in photopass at the time. We mentioned we were also castmembers and she asked when we were married. After smiling trying to think of a quick story, she congratulated us and asked if we went on the ride yet. We told he no and that we had fast passes.

Well that wasn't good enough for Krisandra. She told us to follow her. We ended up going backwards up to the exit of hte ride and she got us on the ride without waiting in line! She called it their gift to us! WE were so psyched! And it was the best ride ever. It wasn't too wet or too dry. After the ride she told us to come and see her again for a commerative and complimentary photo. We did such ans asked if we could have two, one to send to our parents (when in actuality it was one for each of us).

Because of Krisandra's kindnessa nd willingness to go above and beyond, we gave her a GSF and presented it to her when we came back two hours later with our fastpasses. Best magical moment ever!

Despite the rain and the fact that I didn't get to see Dream Along with Mickey and Move It Shake It Celebrate It Parade for the last time, my MK day yesterday was successful. To see photos, check out my facebook.

So as I sit here watching late night Disney Channel, remenicing about the past 2 and a half months, I can't help but smile at the amazing people I've met, the enchanting experiences I've had and the fact that I've grown in myself and the magic I've not only held as my own, but shared to the many guests that I have serviced. The Walt Disney World Resort is truly a place where dreams come true, and I will always be blessed to be a part of that.

Like I said before, this blog will continue to be posted in as long as I have something Disney to talk about and lets face it....there is ALWAYS something Disney to talk about. So although my program may be over, I will remember this summer for a lifetime and it will give me something to look forward to in October when I visit and in December when I move down permanantly to my second home. *crosses fingers again*

Have a Magical Night and to those I didn't get to say goodbye to,

See ya Real Soon

So a little birdie told me that by calling College Recruiting and getting your Personal Number and then calling Casting that you could find out your location before your arrival date.

*Sidenote - I wouldn't advise doing this if you like surprises or If you feel
you're going to be dissapointed by what you hear...*

Well I did that today (which I really shouldn'tve have because I'm technically on Vocal Rest and I shouldnt've made any phone calls), and found out where I'm working for the summer...

...which is EPCOT Towers and Glow. If you're not familiar, Glow is a section of Merchandise which is my role - where you either walk around a park dressed in glowy tubes selling them to children and adults for usually $5 when it gets dark (usually before a parade or fireworks)...or you're stationed in a section of the park with a cart where you sell glow toys and you get to play with them. Another part of the job description is during the day you get to stand outside selling squeeze-breezes (the squirt bottles with the fan) or other water dispensing objects and in my case I would also get to work at The Two Towers - which are the two merchandise stations right before you entire World Pavillion.

When I first heard I was working at EPCOT I was on the fence. Let me explain...as some of you know, EPCOT isn't my favorite park. In fact it's my least. I particuarlly dislike Illuminations - the fireworks show at the park - and becauuse it's a learning pavillion i didn't spend as much time there as the other parks on my first program. Now that's not to say I dislike the park entirely. There are some aspects of the park I like. World Pavillion, Soaring, The Seas with Nemo and Friends and Space Ship Earth will always be favorites of mine, but as a whole i do feel the park is pretty boring.

So its safe to say when the lady told me over the phone that I would be working EPCOT Towers and Glow I was at first dissapointed.

But then I thought something...

When I was deployed to Glow in the Magic Kingdom on my First program, I had the time of my life! I loved walking around as "Glow Boy" and entertaining guests, dancing, performing and interacting with them, being in the parade and making people smile. That put a smile on my face and joy in my heart to know I was a part of something that great!

In addition to that, this might give me a new appreciation for the park and I'll get to see it in a different way than I did as a guest. I'll meet new people, interact with guests the same, and there's more to do on the program outside of work!

Plus...I won't have to wear long sleve shirts, slacks and a vest to work every day...that's always a plus. In addition, this will encourage me to pick up more shifts at other parks for the summer and get more money.

Here's what people had to say about Glow and Epcot in the Summer Alumni Facebook Group:

"Glow, is you stand around with a cart full of glowing
objects to sell to people, but glow is fun you can like play with the toys to
get peoples attention. Plus the bus rides to EPCOT from the Housing Pavillions
are short. Magic Kingdom busses take like an hour."

"I was just reading about this glow stuff, and it sounds
awesome, you'll be like a walking Raver. lol. Maybe you could add some funky
techno to your cart, and you'll have a one man party. Oh the
possibilities."

"Glow is awesome at epcot, everyone always wants a toy.
You get to wear them all crazy like and if you're lucky, you can ride a segway
with them. =D Just depends who your manager is."

" I got deployed to glow for a week when i was on my
program. it was at mk though. it really want bad at all... you get put in a
location and your out there by yourself which can kinda sound boring but it was
actually a lot of fun... I was kinda sad I was only there for a week. I did
squeeze breeze during the day too which was not so much fun bc it was superrr
hot outside!!Im not sure if it's the same at epcot though... but it def. sounds
like your doing so sort of glow. "

"Remember...no location is final until you're actually
there..."

That last one stuck with me. Nothing is final until 12 days from now when they hand me my sticker sand say you're working (INSERT LOCATION HERE). So I could've been working myself up over nothing. The Magic Kingdom will always be my favorite park, but it'll be nice to work somewhere else and get a different experience.

Cause as the songwriter says:

"Life's what you make it...so lets make it rock!"

So I was tagged in a survey and I thought I'd share it with you all...consider yourself tagged if you even bothered to read this!

Fill this out and tag (at least) 25 people you know who worked or still work at Disney... Remember to preserve the Disney magic with this thing though, folks. :)

1. Do/did you take your costumes home or pick them up daily?
   I took mine home and picked up a good weeks worth and returned them when I was done to repeat the cycle.
   
2. What locations do/did you work at?
   I mainly worked the the Emporium on Main Street in the MK, but was deployed a couple of times to Strollers, Glow and Adventureland. I also picked up a few shifts from time to time at DAK.
   
3. Have you ever been on an opening crew?
   Yup, early mornings at the Emporium were KILLER...but rope drop was fun waving to people as they passed by!
   
4. What positions do/did you hold?
   Merchandise Host, Glow Boy, Stroller Attendant
   
5. How many times have you come back to working for Disney?
   Not counting my Campus Rep position, none. I haven't been back to Florida since I left two years ago...I know sadness personified BUT now it's 27 days until I return!
   
6. Do/did you prefer working when it’s busy or slow?
   It depended on who I was working with and what day it was. The Emporium was seldom slow and call me crazy..but sometimes I loved the rush we would get after the fireworks or anything like that. I like helping people.
   
7. Have you ever been assaulted by a guest?
   Physically? No. But moms can get pretty verbal when you tell them that there are no more princess dresses in their daughters size! You don't wanna be on the losing end of that battle! Also this one time when I was working Glow one guest got mad at me because he literally took something off of the cart and walked away and I told he he had to pay for it bu he was just showing it to his son (who happened to be on the other side of the park but whatever) and thought I was accusing him of stealing. Meh.
   
8. What’s your favorite parade?
   Only because I saw it EVERY TIME I worked, Spectromagic, I loved the Disney Dreams Come True Parade as well, but the lights and such get to me lol.
   
9. What’s the longest shift you have worked?
   Don't even get me started...um...I think 16 hours but don't quote me on that. Grad Nites and Holidays can be BRUTAL!
   
10. Ever been let go from Disney?
    Nope.
    
11. Favorite Disney attraction to go on?
    Gotta say Pirates of the Caribbean...I get chills every time I go on that ride!
    
12. What is your favorite land?
    Adventureland. I freakin LOVE POTC, Tiki Room and Jungle Cruise.
    
13. If you could ask Walt any question, what would it be?
    "Can I have a job?"
    
14. What is your favorite show?
    FANTASMIC! ...duh.
    
15. Favorite Disney Character?
    Right now it's a tie between Stitch and WALL-E. Although Mickey will always hold a special place in my heart!
    
16. Favorite Disney Song?
    A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes
    
17. Favorite thing to do at the park other than going on attractions?
    People watching. Guests are extremely funny people. A close second would have to be character greeting.
    
18. If you could do anything at the park, what would you do?
    I would want to see Walt's Apartment and explore around. That would be extremely cool.
    
19. What’s your favorite costume you've had to wear?
    Pirates of the Caribbean by far...LOVED the long striped socks and baggy and breezy shirt/pants combination.
    
20. What’s your least favorite costume?
    The Emporium only because it was so unnecessary! The slacks and dress shirt would get hot all the time, plus I had to wear a tacky plad vest that did nothing for my complexion (haha) and the tie the boys had to wear were so complicated to put on I swear I never did it right ever.
    
    ------------------- *TWITTER BREAK* ------------------
21. Have you ever done any volunteer work for Disney?
    I did Give Kids the World once and it was one of the best moments of my program.
    
22. If you could work any other attraction, what would it be?
    Either as a host at the Haunted Mansion or Tower of Terror. I love being creepy.
    
23. Did you ever have an annual pass?
    What kind of a question is that?
    
24. Have you ever had an annual passholder tell you how to do your job?
    Yes, it always annoyed me when people came and were like "This isn't how they did it 2 years ago" or "I know you carry (this particular item), I saw it here when I was here 2 months ago. THINGS CHANGE PEOPLE!
    
25. Are you a pin trader?
    Yes, but I'm not a fanatic. My friend Caitlin and I would go to Cast Pin Parties and find cheap crappy pins and goody bags and trade while we were in the parks. As a merchandise cast member it's pretty hard not to get into Pin Trading if you wear them all the time. I'd see some that I like on my own lanyard and trade with myself. I know...sad.
    
26. What is the oddest thing you have had happen to you on the job?
    This one old lady checked me out one time and gave me the "up and down" and flashed her eyes. Very creepy.
    
27. What is the most points you have earned?
    Psh, I don't remember. I was a good(ish) Cast Member.
    
28. Ever been a trainer?
    Nope
    
29. Ever been a leader?
    Nuh-uh.
    
30. Ever worked grad nights?
    See Previous Post
    
31. Ever worked at a location that isn't there anymore?
    Falso.
    
32. CM that you miss that used to work at the parks?
    Everyone I worked with on my Spring '07 Program. Especially my roommates (neighbors included) and my special Emporium friends...
    
33. Manager that you miss that worked at the parks?
    Dwight was the best manager ever. He understood our grievances and asked us all the time if we needed anything. Sometimes even gave us ER's if things were slow or if we weren't needed. Coolest manager ever.
    
34. Do/did you love working at Disney or are you ready to leave?
    If i didn't love it, I wouldn't be going back! I had bad days, yeah, but I put myself in the mindset of "This is an experience, something that I can (and will) remember for a lifetime so I'll make the most of it."
    
35. How long have you been/were you a Cast Member?
    2 years. Spring '07 - Present.
    
36. Where was your first Disney job?
    The Emporium in the Magic Kingdom
    
37. What is your current Disney job?
    I'm a Campus Representative at Bowling Green State University and we'll see where I end up for the summer. Hopefully back at the Emporium *crosses fingers*!
    
38. Least favorite place you've worked?
    MK Strollers "Please take your strollers through the tunnel please....strollers through the tunnels please!" I swear...no one listens. Also working in the small little shop in the front of the park wasn't fun either.
    
39. What's your favorite park?
    Magic Kingdom. Always and Forever.
    
40. Favorite resort?
    I like the Polynesian. My mom loves it too, trying to get it booked one say so she can stay there.
    
41. Which mountain is your favorite?
    Splash. Gotta love the water drop!
    
42. Favorite water park?
    Blizzard Beach. I love the Lazy River.
    
43. Favorite fireworks show?
    Wishes! ...duh. I saw it every time I worked nights. Sometimes we would sneak out and watch it in the crowd with the rest of the guests. I know it by heart which is both sad and entertaining. When guests weren't looking (because no-one was in the store during Wishes unless they were smart and shopped when no-one was there) I would find one of my girl cast members and waltz with them during the middle section lol.
    
44. Do you go to Company D every week?
    Company D? No. Cast Connection and Property Control? Yes. Those stores were my heaven. Can't wait to go back and buy lots of merch on discount!
    
45. What was your most memorable guest experience (good)?
    I have alot of them. Probably going up on the roof during Grad Nite with a coupe of my CP Emporium friends and watching The Frey perform and the fireworks after. Or, when they closed down the store outside of Space Mountain (the arcade) for Emporium CP's and we had a little Goodbye party. I also loved just watching people (adults and kids) smile and have fun. Those moments were always special to me.
    
    ------------------- *TWITTER BREAK* ------------------
    
46. What was your most memorable guest experience (bad)?
    See #7. He tried to take down my name and I thought I was going to get fired after that. Meh.
    
47. Favorite California Adventure Attraction?
    I've never been to DisneyLand. And it's a sore subject for me so lets skip it ;)
    
48. Least Favorite Cast Member Dining Location?
    Adventureland. It was a small like break room where people had to squeeze to get into. Blech.
    
49. Favorite Cast Member Dining Location?
    Mouseketeria by far. Good food, Subway, everyone goes there and it was cool seeing the characters in full makeup trying not to smudge their costumes.
    
50. Favorite dining location?
    Crystal Palace. I got taken there on my birthday by a good friend.
    
51. Have you been on the Disney cruise?
    Not yet, I'm planning one for my family though if I get a full-time job though.
    
52. Do/did you eat at work or do you pack your lunch?
    Sometimes I bought lunch but most of the time I packed it.
    
53. Least favorite guest question?
    "What time is the 3:00 Parade?"
    "Why is this stuff so expensive?"
    "Do you guys have the Shrek or Thing 1 & 2 shirts? I saw people wearing them and I want it."
    "Where's the castle?"
    "Where's the Golf Ball?"
    "Why are you all wearing the same thing?"
    "Where's the Tower or Terror?"
    "How many Mickey's are there?"
    "Do you have any shirts left" (when there are clearly none on the rack...)
    "Do I get a discount?"
    "Is this all one store?"
    "Where's the bathrooms?"
    "Do you work here?"
    
    

Shall I go on?

....Well if you stuck around and read all this, then good for you. Maybe you learned a little about my Disney life, or maybe you're just that bored but in any case have an awesome weekend and make it magical!

Right about now is the time where high school seniors in schools across the country have the opportunity to partake in Grad Nite at Walt Disney World where they basically get the park to themselves. Cast members beckon to their every whim where they'll get to ride rides, buy merchandise, see entertainers perform and explore the park late into the night in the ultimate Grad Party!

Alright now that the spiel is done lets get to the basics.

My school never participated in Grad Nite...mostly because I live in Michigan and the price to get there plus the price to participate would have been so exponentially high that money would have to have grown on trees for all of us to have enjoyed it. But I did get to work Grad Nite in 2007 in the Magic Kingdom in 3 different areas: Main Street at the Emporium, Adventure Land at Pirates of the Caribbean and a small shop near it, and doing Glow which was my personal favorite, pushing portable carts full of glow merchandise around the Magic Kingdom.

I met kids in all of my areas, had personal conversations with them and got to experience Grad Nite with hem...even though I was either stuck behind a counter, or a portable cart trying to fend off people from stealing the merchandise...I experienced foam dance parties, people on stilts dancing with me, celebrities performing and more.

Not to say that I didn't have my downers during Grad Nite...I had to fend of people stealing from my Glow Cart, tell hopefuls that we were out of the Grad Night T-Shirts or Grad Mickey Dolls and hope they didn't start crying, and to answer stupid questions like "Is all this stuff free?" Yeah...you think about that young graduating senior. Your high school taught you well!

The extremely long hours wasn't a perk either...while it did give a bunch of us CP's a chance to break away from the repetitive Main Street Music and work along to some awesome tunes that blasted over the speakers...but working in the Emporium, we tend to get out late anyway. I can honestly say that the latest shift I've ever worked was Grad Nite getting off at 5:00 am after cleaning up for 2+ hours and getting home at 6:00am while most of my roommates had 2 - 3 hours of sleep left, I was just getting into bed for the night. That, plus every student would come to the Emporium for merchandise (not unlike any regular day at the MK) and we would run out so fast that we would have to restock every hour!

I also heard of crazy stories going on during Grad Night like student's making out in bathrooms and on dark boat rides (i.e. Pirates of the Caribbean, Small World, Peter Pan's Flight etc.), and one that I cannot believe...student Mickey Mouse over into the moat...and because he took his head off to breathe, he got termed. Not sure if I believe this story, but I wouldn't doubt it being Grad Nite...

I experienced Grad Nite on a different level as well with my CP friends. Our managers loved us so much (or just did it to shut us up) that they took us on the roof of Main Street (right next to Casey's) to watch the Frey perform on the main castle stage. It was probably one of the most magical and best experiences on my College Program.

I wouldn't trade that experience for anything however...I loved Grad Nite and I really wish that I was down there this year to experience it.

Here's what I found on the website what's in store for this year's Grad Nite...

• Multiple live stages featuring the hottest musical acts including Katy Perry, Lloyd, Metro Station, Mishon, The White Tie Affair, Lesley Roy, and Wynter!
  Celebrity host Hayden Panettiere
• One talented Senior, each night, will earn the opportunity to sing on the Grad Nite main stage!
• Celebrity appearances including Jaslene Gonzalez — Cycle 8 winner of America's Next Top Model and reality TV stars Paula and Ryan from MTV's The Dual 2!
• Red-carpet treatment
• Complimentary music album download card
• Multiple live DJ's and dance zones throughout the Park including celebrity DJ Roonie G
  Special Class of 2009 fireworks
• Free-play arcade
• Interactive video games
• Unlimited access to thrilling rides & attractions including Rock 'n' Roller Coaster® starring Aerosmith, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, all-new Toy Story Mania!, the all-new American Idol Experience and more!

To get the scoop on this year's Grad Night and more information, click the title of the post to go to Disney' Grad Night 2009 website.

So from the looks of it it looks like this year's Grad Nite is going to be set at the Disney Studios which is a change of venue from when I got to work it back in 2007. Not sure how I like it at the Studios but then again my opinion doesn't really matter...I had a blast in my three areas during my Grad Nite...so much that I bought a $10 T-Shirt that I still wear! (It looks awesome!)

What about you guys...any Grad Night Experiences, from the student's perspective or cast members...cool stories, tragic breakdowns? Anyone working Grad Nite this year that's excited or nervous about it? I wanna hear them all! Leave them in the comments below...and if you ever get stressed during Grad Nite, doing what Julie does below is totally acceptable..no matter what your manger says!

To any of my cast member friends, or anyone as a guest who has heard the tale of George, the spirit that lives within the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Walt Disney World, or even if you're just curious, read this spooky recollection by FoxxFur, a once cast member who worked on the ride before the 2006 refurbishment.

I first heard about George on my first program - however I cannot remember by whom I was told the tale. Ever since then, every time I rode the ride I experienced him in one way or another (as you'll read in her post above).

I now feel more informed - and somewhat more spooked - by George and the other spirits that haunt the ride after reading her well-written summary. In one month, I can't wait to wait in line with my new CP friends and share this tale with them as well and finally say "Good Morning George" once again!

DISCLAIMER: it's now 2:18am and I should be in bed, but a good Blogger never turns down their thoughts for sleep. So any misspellings or rambles is completely and directly related to my stubbornness and lack of sleep.

During my daily Twittering, I noticed John Hensel made this tweet about working over 145 hours this week because of the Easter Holiday. He even made this video for his YouTube subscribers apologizing that he won't be able to make a full-video due to his lack of sleep and excessive work schedule (okay so maybe not ALL good bloggers turn down their thoughts for sleep!):



This led me to thinking, I know it's a holiday weekend, ergo a lot of people will be spending time at the parks...but does over 145 hours seem a little excessive? When I was a CP in '07, they capped our hours during holiday and peak times at 60-something and wouldn't allow us to work longer than that...and I worked on Main Street in the Emporium! We would always get flooded during the day and especially at night-time after the fireworks when everyone was exiting the parks.

Anyone I've worked with, who has worked in the Emporium or even visited the shop knew how terribly busy we were. Anyone who closed would yearn for the time when managers would say gather round and we would wave goodbye to electronic Mickey as he reminded us to have a magical day and we would slavishly wander in the tunnel to the bus to take us home (or for us CP's, the bus to take us to the OTHER bus to take us home...)

I remember one time I had to work until 3 or 4am (I think it was also around Easter time), got home at around 3:30 because of stupid American Coach (but we'll save that for a different time) and had to be up and back at work at 8am the next day. I was not magical that day let me tell you that.

Even when I worked Grad Nights in May and we would get down close to 5 in the am and some people just stayed in costume downstairs because they had to be back in 5 hours to work a 14 hour shift and felt staying downstairs would benefit more than 3 hours in bed!

Trying to think of the major holidays I'll be working this summer makes me both excited and partially scared: July 4th, Father's Day, heck just summer in general!

So I definitely feel John's pain and I understand it's a holiday weekend, but 145 hours? Really Mickey? What do you guys think? Any work experiences where scheduling just didn't seem to be your friend? Leave them in the comments blow...

Okay the furnace just turned on and being up alone in the basement of my apartment is scaring me so I'm going to bed. Have a magical night!