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. :)

There has to be a Disney chip in my brain or something because I just applied for the Disney College Program...again.

Let me explain because there's a logic here...I swear. I'm graduating college in a little more than a month and a half, and I applied for a few professional internships (See this post for info...) and they said I would hear back in November...well hello November! It's nice to meet you!

I have anywhere from Today (Nov. 2) until the end of November to hear back from the company on whether or not I received a Professional role within the company...so the College Program is a fall-back...a fail safe if you will, just in case.

We had our last campus presentation, and as a Campus Representative it was my very last presentation as a student. So to say I was sad is an understatement, but to apply for the program again makes me even happier...

Now I know what you're thinking...and it's not like I want to go back into Merchantainment with my bachelors degree in Public Relations and Entertainment Marketing, which is why this time around I decided to try something different and apply for a few different roles:

• Photopass
• Concierge
• Vacation Club
• Hospitality
• Character Entertainment
• Character Performer

...yes you read right. Character Performer. I wanted to try something different this go round , which means I will be traveling to Michigan this weekend to Audition. Am I excited? Yes. Am I nervous? Extremely. Will I vlog about it? Most definitely. I'm not banking all my hopes on it because performers are cast based on need and height. Based on experience auditioning, I've been told I'm "dead height" (meaning there isn't a constant need for my height range as far as character performers go). So instead of worrying my pretty little head off about it, I'm going with the notion of having fun and hopefully I'll get something out of the process...

In addition I plan on taking a few classes that will help me in the long run like: Exploring Marketing, Exploring People Management, or maybe Corporate Communication and of course, using my networking skills at the Speaker Series and such to a tee that they can't help but hire me after my program is over.

I'm still keeping my hopes up about the Professional Internship but it doesn't hurt to have options right? Except for that my options are with the same company! So yeah I've applied for the College Program for a third time, but honestly...I feel this company is where I belong. If you know me at all, I never shut up about Disney! I love this company and what it has done for me professionally so why not want to continue down the path?

My interview is tomorrow (Tuesday) in the evening and I'm doing everything I can to prepare. I'm not really worried, but there's no sense in not being ready. Plus I'm auditioning for roles I've never had before so it is (in a sense) a completely different interview!

UPDATE (11/3) So for those of you wondering how my interview actually went this is for you. I received my call at around 7:30 (after freaking out mildly cause my interview was scheduled at 7:15) and after apologizing briefly Jan, my interviewer began asking me questions. After being relieved that I was an active castmember (that being she didn't have to ask so many questions) we bantered back and forth about my relationship with the company, why I'm applying for a 3rd college program and my increasing love and dedication to the company.

We talked for about a good 40 minutes about my work experiences on previous programs and why I chose the roles I did on my role checklist. She praised me on my examples and said that I was one of her favorite interviewees because she loves interviewing alumni and current castmembers because of our awesome stories and yearn to stay with the company.

What mostly stuck out to me was that she told me that she saw no reason that I shouldn't be admitted back into the program based on my interview (YAY!) and she "Would love to tell (me) right then about an offer but because (I was) auditioning on Sunday, I would have to wait until after then". So it's safe to say I'm really excited about the next couple of weeks because not only should I hear back from the Professional Internship segment of the company, I might also get a purple folder as well. The is me extremely excited for the weeks ahead.... :)

We'll know in a few weeks time what the future actually holds for me but for now I'll just keep looking to that second star to the right and wishing really hard my dreams continue to come true!

So I did two Vlogs last night and since YouTube onl lets you put up 10 minute videos at a time, I had to do two (that's right two) videos for you guys! Just updates on what's goig on with me and my program (30 DAYS =P), Shoutouts to other future CP's CS's and Vloggers, and my life as a Campus Representative for my school.

I want to make a questions vlog sometime so send me your questions either here, on the videos or on my twitter --> "@willalphasig".

Stick ound because there's even a Bonus Feature on the second video for you guys featuring one of my favorite characters! Enjoy!

Part One


Part Duex

I give a shout out to my friend Caitlin who just got her Purple Folder yesterday!