Let the good times roll!

Hey Folks. So much had happened since I have updated this blog last. I have not only moved in and settled into my apartment but I have begun the process of training. I will try and detail this day by day and with as much information as I can provide. The day after we checked in everyone had the day off to get settled in and unpack. I had Traditions on Saturday morning bright and early at 7:45 am. It was basically all about the Walt Disney Company's past, present, and future. It also taught us the basic things about being a cast member within this amazing company but more specifically here at Walt Disney World. After that my team of presenters did some mandatory company computer training.

Again, bright and early Sunday morning we had DAKlimations, DAK standing for Disney's Animal Kingdom. This is a basic orientation of specifically that theme park were I learned the stories behind the themes, emergency procedures, and all about the attractions and animals. It was a fun time and lasted all day in the hot sun.

On Monday I spent the day with my parents as it was their last day here in Florida. We drove around Orlando going to different shops and stores. It was nice to spend the day with them before they headed home. Dropping them off at the airport might have been one of the hardest things to do but one of the best things for me. No offense to the parents, but I haven't even looked back. I love every moment of being here and the job is exactly what I want to do with the rest of my life.

We began our training with our leaders. I am learning so much about my role and the animals that we will be handling. Besides staffing the Kids' Discovery Clubs we also greet guests each morning at the front of the park with a "bug box" that has many 'bugs', an African bullfrog, or even the occasional snake. We use this creatures as learning tools to teach each of our guests about their importance to our ecosystem. We also staff various 'animal positions' at different habitats throughout the park. It seems really cool and I am really excited. I work with a great group of cast members and the leaders are great as well.

Tonight I am staying in and reading up on some tarancula facts and preparing for my presentation on shade grown coffee on Friday. But until next time friends, family, co-workers, and/or strangers! I leave you with this quote (more like a paragraph)...

"Landscapes of great wonder and beauty lie under our feet and all around us. They are discovered in tunnels in the ground, the heart of flowers, the hollows of trees, fresh-water ponds, seaweed jungles between tides, and even drops of water.Life in these hidden worlds is more startling in reality than anything we can imagine. How could this earth of ours, which is only a speck in the heavens, have so much variety of life, so many curious and exciting creatures?” —Walt Disney (1901-1966)

I'm Official!

Bonjour!

Today was an exhausting but eventful day. It all started at 8:30 this morning when I checked into Cumberland Park Apartments. When I first arrived I was greeted by some cast members and waited in the clubhouse lobby. We got a free Disney Professional Internships T-shirt, which was pretty awesome. Then proceeded over to the theatre where we signed a lot of paperwork and had the housing meeting. They basically shared the rules of the complex, about the housekeeping schedule, about apartment inspections, and basically everything not to do. It wasn't very long but full of a lot of information. After that I came back to my apartment and started to unpack my belongings. I ended up with a 2 bedroom, which is exactly what I wanted. I have 3 other roommates that all seem pretty cool. After that I ended up over at casting where I had to do all the legal paperwork including getting finger printed. I then had a meeting in the afternoon for the Animal Programs Department where we were given our training schedule. I have tomorrow and Monday off but have traditions (basic orientation) bright and early Saturday morning at 7:45 am. Luckily my whole room has it and some other people so I will be car pooling to it. I went grocery shopping to help stock the apartment which was fun. This being the first time living on my own I was lost on what to buy. haha.

That basically brings me to this very moment. We get our ID's on Saturday which will grant us access into the parks, clearly I cannot wait for that day!

For now, that is all. I leave you with this quote.

"Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are."

- Bernice Johnson Reagon

Arrived!

How y'all doing? Figured that would be appropriate after my Southern adventure. So I have arrived to Orlando, Florida safe and sound with nothing but hopes of a great internship! We got here at about 1 o'clock this afternoon after trekking from Gainsville, FL which in of itself was an adventure. The first thing we did when we arrived was go to Downtown Disney where we just walked around to see the sights. Did you know that Disney has a year-round Christmas store?! Well if you didn't here it is:

After driving around like tourists we drove past Cumberland Park Apartments, which looked pretty nice. Though the are right in the middle of a development-gone-broke area. Tomorrow bright and early I check in at 8:30 AM there and have to head over to casting at 11:15 AM. I am spending the night in my parents' hotel room for the night then moving in my apartment tomorrow!

Well nothing much else to share but I really do love Florida weather.

I will update you more tomorrow, expect it.

Adios!

"You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality."   - Walt Disney

On My Way!

Hey all! I just wanted to update my blog as I was traveling on my way to Florida. We got late start around 12:40 and am now passing through some random city between Lexington, Kentucky and Knoxville, Tennessee. I now understand why people don't really make a habit of driving to Florida... On a more exciting though slightly depressing note, a while back we saw a huge turtle crossing the road. Now I am not sure if he/she won the game of frogger it was playing, I'm hoping so.

No offense to those who live in Ohio but it's highway is really boring and not at all scenic. Though Kentucky on the other hand the mountains, fields of grazing cows, and rocky walls are very interesting.

Leaving home was kind of bittersweet. With Disney on the horizon how could I not be excited though at the same time slightly nervous. Well there's no turning around at this point. I am first and foremost very excited for the experience of working for one of the world's best companies but also the opportunity to make friends from other parts of the country.

Well that is all for this on the go blog. I leave you with this quote and picture of my adventure. Talk to you later!

"Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can." -Danny Kaye






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Location:N Wilderness Rd,Berea,United States

Almost Time!

Why Hello!

They say time flies when you are having fun, I must be having a blast because saying time has flown by is an understatement. I remember when I was excited at the 60 day mark...now a little over 2 weeks and I will be on my way to the Sunshine State. I am first and foremost the most excited about this move and change of pace but also a little nervous. First time living on my own and I chose to do so over 1,000 miles away! Oh well, time to get my life started. I have began the process of saying good bye to some for the next 6 months and that is what helped set in reality. But please do not misunderstand, I am extremely excited!

I received my 'official' check in e-mail telling me the times I check in at Cumberland and what time I have to report to Casting, Disney's version of Human Resources. With all of this information making its way to myself you would think that this would motivate me to begin the packing process. Though it hasn't, I only have 3 days off of work and other commitments prior to my move and should probably get started.

I will continue to update this blog with my experience throughout my entire program. Though if you have a question just post a comment and I will answer to the best of my knowledge.

Well this update my have not contained a lot of exciting information but it maybe the last time I update before I begin the trek. If so, I will talk to you from the Sunshine State. If not, I will talk to you prior to entering the Sunshine State. Though do not fear we will meet again!

Hasta Luego and I leave you with this quote.

"Let go of the past and go for the future. Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you imagined."    - Henry David Thoreau

The Trip is Almost Here!

Good Morning/Afternoon/Night, whenever you happen to be reading this.

It has been nearly a month since I have updated this blog, though updates will begin becoming more frequent as the date gets closer. With only 34 days until the trek to the holy land begins I have not even begun to pack or really even think about packing. With school ending the first week of May I had full intentions of beginning to think about this. Though with the closure of the semester I began to work many more hours and just spend time with friends. I do need to buckle down and get packing because time flies. It seems as if it was just yesterday that it was more than 80 days away and now a mere month out I am wondering what happened to all of that time.

I received an e-mail from Disney's Animal Programs Department regarding the basic details of my internship. A lot of the information that was in the e-mail just gave the basics, which I had already learned through the Facebook group and the DIS Discussion Boards. It basically went over the Disney Look again, which I have learned through all these Disney communications that it is serious stuff. They also told us what kind of shoes that we will need for our costume, hiking boots for me. It gave some background information on our managers that we will be working with, which seems like some really cool people. The lady gave us her cell phone number and said starting a certain date that if we had any questions just to call her, one brave woman. haha. In the e-mail they told us our arrival date was June 23, 2011; which I already knew but said that we would be receiving the final details from casting in e-mail form no later than June 13, 2011; 10 days before our start day. Overall I am really exicted but I am a little nervous moving 1,000 miles away from the only place I call home. But its a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I could have only wished for.

That is all I can think of for now but I am sure I will be updating this real soon as the date gets closer. I also downloaded an app to my iPhone where I can post directly to the blog from my phone which probably what I will do on my way down there.

I leave you with this quote:

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." 

-Winston Churchill

Red Folder/Anticipation/Cumberland Park

Why hello, I apologize it has been over a month since I have updated this blog. Besides the semester finishing up, staying busy with work, and completing my pre-student teaching hours nothing has happened. Though there is one thing I can update you on, that is I have received the red folder! It arrived in my mailbox on April 7, 2011; nearly a month after accepting my PI on March 10, 2011. So many people create blogs/vlogs with the contents of this folder. Surprisingly, the content has not changed! Haha. It has the basics about housing, living, compensation, etc. Though the information in the folder was all information I gathered from the Facebook group and the DIS Boards. But, the Disney Look handbook was probably the best part of the folder. It seems like it has about 70 pages about uniform policy. It is so specific I do not think you can even have a question regarding your uniform, though I should begin the Disney mindset and refer to it as my costume. I am not an employee of Disney, I am a cast member. I am not on duty but rather on stage and not off duty but rather backstage. I find Disney's theory on they are putting on a show at each theme park is amazing.

My anticipation for this opportunity is building each day. Those who live in Michigan or in the Midwest will understand when I say that Mother Nature has really showed her hatred for us this week and this past winter. Or maybe she is just angry over global warming, but that is a different problem in of itself. With only 61 days until I pack up the Aztec and take it to the holy land of Mickey Mouse, I have yet to begin that packing process. Though on another aspect I have been able to meet a lot of people that will also be completing a PI during the same time on the Facebook Group. I have in fact found my room-roommate (I coin that term.) which is pretty awesome so I can begin planning things out. Positive thing is that his PI is also at the Animal Kingdom in Animal Programs which may offer car pooling as an option.

Will they put you in a dorm? That is a common question I receive, so here it goes. All PIs are housed at Cumberland Park just off Disney property. I can decide if I want to live in a 2 or 3 bedroom apartment, though I share my room with one other person. As I refer to them as a room-roommate, remember I coin that term. The following pictures were posted by Molly Carpenter on the Facebook group. She said these were pictures of an apartment at Cumberland that she stole from a friend that lived in Disney Housing.

Kitchen/Dining Room

Bathroom

Living Room

Kitchen

Well that is all for now, I guess I had more to update then I thought. Well until next time amigos, I leave you with this quote.

"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." -Walt Disney