Last day as just a guest.

Yesterday my family and I decided to go to Hollywood Studios and EPCOT with the intention of riding Rock n Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror, Soarin', Toy Story Mania, and seeing Fantasmic. The day didn't go quite as planned.

We drove over to Hollywood Studios and the plan was for me to run over to Pixar Studios to grab fastpasses for Toy Story Mania before they ran out while everyone else rode Rock n Roller Coaster. First of all, I've only been to the park one time before and I've come to the conclusion that the park wasn't designed for efficiency. It's like everything goes in random directions and it just doesn't make any sense, at least not to me.

While I was searching for Pixar Studios, I happened to notice an older woman and a girl around my age dressed in custodial costumes. I walked over to them to ask for directions and I noticed that the younger girl was earning her ears. I then asked her if she was doing the college program and she is! I talked with them about where I wanted to work the most, when I was checking in, etc. and they were SO nice! Unfortunately I can't remember either of their names but I'm very happy to have talked to them nonetheless.

I grabbed fastpasses for TSM and walked around the park for a little while since I knew there was a long wait for Rock n Roller Coaster. After two hours of waiting for my family, we decided not to ride Tower of Terror because there was a 90 minute wait, so we headed over to EPCOT to try and ride Soarin' since our Toy Story fastpasses weren't until roughly 5:00 to 6:00.

When we got to EPCOT, we ran over to Soarin' to grab fastpasses for that ride also. That fastpass wasn't for until around 9:00, and we really wanted to see Fantasmic for the first time.

Since the rides aren't really that great at EPCOT, we decided to walk around the World Showcase since I knew there was Limited Time Magic going on in Canada. Some characters were dressed in winter wear and it was snowing! I felt bad for the characters because despite the snow, they must have been really warm dressed in jackets and scarves since the sun was shining so bright. We then walked around other countries and I got my first pins, saw Mary Poppins for the first time, and ate beef udon at Katsura in Japan!

Later on during the day we decided to see the Beauty and the Beast show instead of riding Tower of Terror, just because we've ridden it before, and I definitely loved the BatB show more. Belle sang really perfectly, Gaston did a great job, and it was nice just to see something new.

We then went over to Hollywood Studios to ride Toy Story Mania and waited in line for five minutes when the wait for the regular line was 120. That ride is one of my favorites! We also met up with Buzz and Woody in Andy's Bedroom and got pictures with a green army man too!

Afterwards, we went to Fantasmic and it was GREAT! My favorite parts are the beginning when Mickey does that cute little dance and the end when all of the characters come out on the tugboat. When the show ended, we decided to go home instead of going to Soarin' because I needed to get ready for the long night ahead. I had to check in to the DCP the next day and our feet were killing us anyways. Overall, I had a really great last day as just a guest!

Here are some pictures!

A day of firsts.

I'm really tired right now and I don't really feel like writing all about my day. But I still want to post something so I'll give the abridged version with pictures.

We went to Magic Kingdom and it was so much fun!

• I got a "We're Celebrating" button to commemorate my dcp.

• I got pixie dusted! 

• I ate my first dole whip! (It was delicious by the way.)

• I walked around the parks by myself to get an understanding of the layout.
• I WITNESSED MY FIRST MARRIAGE PROPOSAL!!!!!
• Rode Peter Pan's Flight, the Dumbo ride, and the new Little Mermaid ride.
• Saw New Fantasyland.
• Ate at Pecos Bill
• Saw the trolly show! Super cute!
• Met Gaston! He was perfect. He saw my dcp button and said "Are you going to be working in my village?" and I said I wasn't sure but anything was possible. He then said something about how it would be a good thing for me because I would get to see him every day. His facial expressions were the best.
• We got surprise fastpasses for Mickey's Philharmagic when we got Peter Pan's Flight fastpasses. 
• Saw Celebrate the Magic! It's not as good as the Magic, the Memories, and You but I liked it!

Here are a few more photos from today too.

I also saw a group of people walking around wearing business attire so it was completely obvious they were in Traditions. I told my roommates about it and I just wanted to put my text here to remember it. It won't be long until I'm in their place!

And I'll leave you with that!

I'm in Florida!

I packed the last of my stuff yesterday morning, said goodbye to some of my siblings and dogs, and I left with my parents at around 9:00 AM. I teared up a little saying goodbye but I wasn't as emotional as I thought I would be. We then drove for the duration of the day until stopping to spend the night in Georgia.

This morning we got up bright and early and began driving again for about three hours until we reached Orlando. We then drove to the resort we're staying at where we met my sister, Heather since she flew in from Virginia the night before. We're staying at the Parc Soleil Suites by Hilton Grand Vacations. This place is the nicest resort I have ever stayed at. I'll probably post pictures of it later just to look back on later. After spending an hour or so getting situated at the resort, we went to return my sister's rental car to Orlando International (she drove here from Tampa and was told she could return it there).

Ridiculousness ensued. 

The rental car return signs at the airport didn't have a sign for the company that my sister rented from and it was crazy busy, so it was hard to do anything quickly. We asked five different people within 30 minutes where to go and they all said to go to the second level of the garage. We asked one woman how to get up to the second level since the garage was huge and confusing and couldn't figure it out. She said to turn right at a stop sign and "loop around." Since her directions were completely ambiguous, we ended up driving away from the airport and all around the interstate because we never saw a stop sign and the loop we thought she was talking about went around the airport and out of it. Forty minutes and eight toll booths later, we managed to get back to the airport and finally find the second level of the car return garage. But when we got up there, an employee told us the rental company my sister needed had relocated. We asked FIVE different employees and they couldn't have told us that? It was crazy.

We quickly found the new location and returned the car within two minutes. The employees told us that tons of people are misinformed on where the company is all the time. We then went to Downtown Disney and tried to have some fun despite the chaos we had just gone through. We were starving so we decided to go to Fulton's Crab House because I had heard a lot of really good things about it, and I thought it was really good! The cast members were super nice and they made me all the more excited to work here! I loved the costumes the waiters wore. I tried a fish taco as an appetizer and had the roasted chicken and tomato pasta for an entree. 

Both were really good!

We then headed over to World of Disney and walked around for a while. The place is overwhelmingly huge! My favorite part was the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique because I loved seeing all of the little princesses getting makeovers! After WOD, my sister and I split up from my parents and watched a guy on stage dance to a bunch of different songs while the crowd danced along. I loved it! I kept sending my sister at home videos of it saying things like "I'd like to see people do this where you work." Then my dad called me and said he wanted to go back to the resort since it was cold and raining.

Tomorrow we're going to the Magic Kingdom and I can't wait! It'll be nice to go back to the one park that made me realize I needed to work here. I'm hoping that it makes me more excited about doing the program since I'm still not feeling very great about my family leaving without me. I feel like I"m on vacation and it's so weird to think I'm not going to leave. 

On Sunday we're going toe Hollywood Studios and Epcot, and then I check in on Monday! Honestly, I still feel like this is a dream. 

I'll update you then!

A dream and a suitcase.

The day is finally here! In just a few short hours I will be packing my things into the back of a car and driving down to Florida to begin my Disney College Program. I'm so excited for all of the new things I'm going to experience and for the lifelong friends I'm going to make, but most of all, I'm excited about how I expect to grow as a person.

So far things have worked out in my favor and I'm going to take that as a good omen. My roommates and I have bonded really well since contacting each other, I'm excited about my role, and I got into the program I wanted most. Everything is seemingly falling into place and it makes me feel so blessed because I know how many people want to be where I am right now.

Nevertheless, I'm still very apprehensive about moving to another state by myself. As cliché as it sounds, I find myself comparing my situation to Rapunzel's. She dreamed about leaving her tower and when she finally got the opportunity, she hesidtated but went for it because she knew she had to. I feel as though I'm at that point in my life. I'm scared to death to leave my family and the only place I've ever known, but I know that this is something I desperately need to do. And just like Rapunzel was afraid that seeing the lanterns wouldn't live up to her expectations, I'm also worried that the program won't be everything I hoped it would be. Although I've been dreaming of doing this program for a very long time, it's be scary to finally face my dream.

Despite my doubts and fears, I know that everything will work itself out. I have a great support system, especially at home. I can't thank my family enough for the emotional, financial, and tangible support that they have given me thus far. I really hope I have effectively conveyed my gratitude to them. I also know that there are thousands of other people who feel similarly to me about doing the program. They're just as anxious about leaving home and supporting themselves, so I find a little comfort in that. I just have to learn to be brave and adjust to the changes.

It feels strange to be at this point in my life. It's surreal that in just a few hours I will say goodbye to all of the normalcy in my life, drive down to Orlando with my parents, and begin the adventure of a lifetime. I can finally stop reading about the things that happen during the Disney College Program and start experiencing them for myself.

"All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them." - Walt Disney

Conversations with my roomie.

I have mostly everything packed and I'm not quite as nervous as I was a few days ago, although that's not saying much. Only two days until I head down to Florida!!!

Going away cake

My lovely sister made a going away cake for me!! I'm going to miss things like this.

My new mantra.

I've been feeling very apprehensive about the college program for the past week or so, but then I saw this quote and now I don't feel so fearful anymore.

"In every aspect of your life, there is fear. Either the fear will defeat you, or you will defeat the fear. Nothing will defeat the fear quicker or better than passion. If you're really passionate about something, nothing can get in your way of defeating that fear and turning it into passion. If fear becomes a passion, then the fear is gone."