To Harbor Hope...

It's a good thing, to be sure. To find the silver lining, the bright side. But today, I'm not sure holding on to hope did me any good. I’m at a loss for words, and I feel kind of foolish. My heart was so set on this thing working out, I barely considered that it wouldn’t. I finally received my email from Disney today and after three long weeks of waiting and lots of anxiety, I was turned down for a position in the Spring College Program.

Now certainly my life will go on, my day-to-day will move forward as it always does. I know this is not the end of the world and I am trying very hard not to lose the thread. After all, this was mostly the original plan, except in that version I was still in school for Spring semester and I would have been done with my degree in May. In that original version, I would have had an internship over the summer and would have been on my way back to Disney seeking a full-time job sometime next Fall or Winter. Instead, the updated plan says I must take a semester off to pay off my Fall tuition. This plan says that I have to stay in Iowa.

My heart hurts, and that is why I feel so silly. It’s not as though my whole career is ruined, and it’s not as if I don’t have options. I just didn’t do enough to prepare myself for this outcome, I was too confident. I’ll drive myself crazy over the what-ifs for a while- what if I had applied two weeks sooner? What if I hadn’t put off asking about a loan for so long? What if my first interview had gone as scheduled? I feel foolish because I lost out on an opportunity that I was very much looking forward to, but one that I have already experienced. I should be thankful for last year, and I am, but all I wanted to do was to walk down Main Street again. All I wanted was to watch Wishes and to be near the ones I love and miss so dearly. See, that’s where I went wrong too. I started making plans in my head, I got too excited, too hopeful. I tried so hard to be neutral until an official email came, but I felt so confident! Everything felt so right, like this was what I was supposed to be doing. And then, nothing.

One thing that always seems to keep me grounded is that everything happens for a reason. I truly believe that, whether it’s being late somewhere, or missing out on the return to Disney right now, or losing someone close to me, it all happens for some reason greater than my little mind can fathom. So I sit here, holding on to that small bead of hope. Somewhere out there in the Universe, it was decided that I didn’t need to return to Disney right now. So I will wait, because I believe I am still meant to return eventually. I am needed here, or someone needed the program more than I did. If one person can go to Disney and have the same self-realizing experience that I did last Spring, then maybe I can be okay with this outcome.

My heart hurts, and I long to be near the people I miss. I am sad for the broken plans and I am nervous to be here. I am not happy in my current job, and the idea of doing nothing but working for the next six to nine months in a place that doesn’t bring me joy scares me. I know what Winter does to me and I am scared for that too. There are positives, and I have made a list and I am trying to keep those things in mind. The plan has changed, but the world hasn’t ended. I’ve been saying for three weeks I just wish I knew, so I could start moving in whatever direction I needed to. Well now I know, and now I can make the next steps. Those steps are going to be painful and sad for a little while, but I have to trust that it will all be okay. I have to believe it all happened for a reason, and that everything will work out exactly how it’s supposed to.

So for now, I’ll be here. I’ll be missing my second home and my other family, but I will be waiting for the time when it is right for me to be where I need to be. I’ll see ya real soon, Walt, I promise.

Top Five Guest Moments!

When you think of the Happiest Place on Earth, your first thought probably doesn't land on the parking lot, and to be honest- mine doesn't either. I spent six months driving trams, directing traffic, and parking cars. Real magical, right? As long as we're being honest, I'll admit that I pretty much hated the parking lot when I first started. I mean seriously, how was I supposed to have any kind of positive guest interaction when I'm busy making sure I don't get run over by cars or preventing people from running straight into the tram lane? Some of my time there was stained by the rude and entitled nature of the people I come into contact with, but let me clarify: I may have experienced the anger and frustration more often than not, but there are at least five moments between me and a guest that I can look back on that made my entire program worth it. Thanks to amazing co-workers and a group of other college program peers that meshed well from the start, I look back on that time joyful for the opportunity. I'd never change that I accepted the offer to spend a semester at Disney and I'll never regret the experience. These are in no particular order, but just as they came to me when I made my original list. Every moment will be cherished and kept dear forever. So, without further ado, my Top Five Guest Moments!

1.  1. As part of my spiel, I was allowed add in a few jokes or lines of my own, so at the very end as guests were exiting my tram I would say something along the lines of, “We hope you have a good night, and a great big beautiful tomorrow!” (Do you recognize which ride that's in homage to?) One of my last nights, I was making the rounds on the Heroes side of the parking lot and we had reached our last stop at Mulan and Rapunzel. There were about 50 guests on board or so, with one of my last rows being occupied by a large family. As we approached our stop, I was delivering the end of my spiel saying something like, “Alright everyone, Mulan will be to your right and Rapunzel to my driver’s left. Thank you again for being our guest today, we hope you have a great rest of your night! Drive carefully, and we’ll see ya real soon!” As soon as I had said the last sentence, a little boy, no older than 7 or 8 who belonged with the family in the last car stood up and shouted, “Hey! That’s Mickey’s line!” His whole family began to chuckle, and I was surprised that he was so quick witted about it. So I said to him, “Oh man, you’re right! But you know what? Mickey is my boss and I asked special permission if I could use it just this once!” to which the young boy said, “REALLY? Mickey is your boss??” I was able to spend just a moment more saying goodnight to them, but having the young boy get so excited that Mickey was my boss was absolutely adorable. As I’m writing this, I’m reminded of another time that another young boy and his family sat in the very back row of the last car, nearest to me while I was spieling. I was asking him and his sister about their day, what they enjoyed the most, and if they would ever come back to visit. The young boy pipes up at this point and says, “Oh yeah! When I get old enough I want to work here! I want to drive the trams just like you! And we live in Orlando so I’ll be really close to home!” The excitement and innocence in the boy’s response was so encouraging to me. At least one kid thought I was cool!

2.  2. One of the positions in the lot was something called Jack’s Point. At the end of the night, when everyone is exiting, the person at Jack’s Point is in charge of making sure that everyone walks around the tram lane instead of through it, for their safety and our efficiency. At this post, you get to carry a light wand, something that to a kid, looks very similar to a light saber! So I was at Jack’s Point one night directing traffic and giving directions, when a young boy carrying a large light up lightsaber toy walked past with his father and I overheard him say, “Why does she have a lightsaber too?” I didn’t hear his dad’s answer, but I jumped in and asked if the boy would like to have a duel. He of course was incredibly excited, so we circled each other and play fought with our "swords." He of course, eventually won and I fell to my knees. The look on his face alone was more than enough to make my week, but to see his parents smiling too was heartwarming. Knowing that I had supplied one last magical moment for that family was the highlight of my night.

3.  3. By far the funniest guest interaction I had was in the parking lot. It was late in the day, probably 6:30 or so, and we were parking Mulan. I imagine this had to be around March because I remember it being very busy and we were parking on the Heroes side, which doesn’t happen often late in the day. Each “row” in the parking lot can hold two rows of cars, one right behind the other. We call these the single, first row, and the double, the second. I was walking down the line, parking the single and if I recall correctly I had just had a guest nearly clip me with their car, so I wasn’t in a fantastic mood. Suddenly, this car pulls into the space I’m parking with the windows rolled up, but the music is blaring. I’m getting a kick out it because the man in the front seat wasn’t having any of it, while the ladies in the car were having a blast. There was a lull in traffic, so I was able to stand there for a minute and hear what song was playing: Adele’s Hello. Of course I started singing along, and at some point I made eye contact with the driver. She immediately rolled down the windows to the car, cranked the stereo even louder, and we sang- very passionately, I must say- the rest of the song to each other. Guests passing me on their way to board the next tram were laughing, I was trying to keep it together myself, and when the song was over, the entire car erupted into applause as well as one of my coworkers who saw the whole thing. I couldn’t stop grinning from ear to ear, and it made my entire night. This moment in particular sticks out to me because this is the first time that happened to me when I can recall thinking, “This is why I’m here. This is what makes this job worth the frustration.” I still laugh every time I imagine this moment!

4.  4. I’ve mentioned before that the parking lot is a tough place to be. You have to have thick skin and you have to be willing to go without recognition. I had gone my entire program feeling pretty good about the spiel I had developed over the course of six months, but on my second to last night ever on a tram, I was given some feedback about it. We had just finished dropping off the last of the guests on the Heroes side of the lot, and the family that had been in the last car with me made a point to come back and say to me, “Thank you so much for that! We have been coming here for several years and we have ridden many trams, but that was the best spiel we have ever heard! You did an amazing job!” Guys, I’m not kidding when I say that I almost broke down in tears right then and there. Even writing about it now makes me a little emotional. To go through my day, hoping that some of the guest’s appreciated my jokes and that I was making their day just a little brighter one last time was always my goal, but to have someone come up to me and tell me specifically that I had made their night was humbling. As long as we’re talking about being appreciated, I’ll mention the little notes I received. It has come to my attention that some guests who frequent the parks write notes or put little goodie bags together for cast members as a way to show their appreciation. I had been working in the lot for about 2 months when I received my first note- a young boy, no older than 5 approached me on the back of the tram and said “Excuse me! Excuse me! Here!” and handed me a small piece of paper. On the inside a handwritten note said, “CM, Thank you for all of your hard work! -Caleb & Ava.” Roughly a month later I received another note while I was in the load zone boarding guests. This one had a similar message, but it wasn’t until I got home that I realized the two notes were from the same family, both signed “Caleb & Ava.” By the end of my program, I had collected three notes from this family, and their actions alone gave me hope that we were doing something right.

5.  5. I guess I did save the best for last, because this memory sticks out to me as a time where not only the universe was looking out for me, but I was able to truly make someone’s day better. It was mid-afternoon, around 4 or so, and I was taking a round of guests out to the Heroes side of the parking lot. When it’s not very busy, you end up sitting for a while in the load zone, and sometimes you have to leave guests behind in order to keep the trams moving efficiently. That exact scenario happened to me, and despite explaining that I had to move out of the way of the next tram, the guest was not happy that they could not board mine. As we pulled away, they shouted after me, and for whatever reason, it got to me in that moment. I felt defeated and frustrated, as I was only trying to do my job as I was taught. I held back tears and got through my spiel with much less enthusiasm than usual. As we rounded back up to the load zone, I thought to myself, “It sure would be nice to just have a happy moment today.” As soon as we stopped, a family boarded and sat in the very last row of my car, once again, in the spot closest to me. I engaged with the young girl, since she was wearing a birthday button and I swear she barely let me get a word in edgewise. She was so excited to tell me all about her day, the things she had done, and her little brother “Judie-Patootie.” I learned from her parents that they were leaving Disney, and were headed back to Georgia that day. They had taken Anna-Grace to Disney as a special trip for just her and her parents, but, “Next year we’ll bring Judie with us too!” I was so overwhelmed with happiness to see this little girl so excited about her trip, she clearly had had the best day of her life with us, and I decided to make it just a little bit better. As we approached our second stop, I spoke into the microphone and made an announcement telling the tram that we had a very special princess on board and that it was her birthday. I was able to get the whole tram, on the count of three to say, “Happy Birthday, Anna-Grace” just as we pulled up to their stop. The excitement on her face and the thankful smiles I got from her parents not only made my day and my week, but every time I was down or frustrated with something at work, all I had to do was imagine that moment of pure magic that I gave them, and I felt 100 times better. I hope that little girl still talks about her trip to Disney and I hope her parents will tell her about the Tram Lady who had everyone say happy birthday to her. Even if they don’t, I know for a fact that I made a difference on that one day, and that’s enough for me.

There were smaller moments in between, and even some on my days off that made me smile or laugh, but these were the big ones. The memories that still trigger a big grin and warm fuzzy feelings that let me know I made someone’s vacation just a little better, and a little more magical. If I can provide that, then I know I’ve made Walt proud, and that makes me feel honored to have been a cast member.

My Great Disney Adventure!

So my Disney program ended three months ago today, and I think it’s time that I write about it, if not to make sure none of it disappears in light of whatever the next few months bring to me. So here we go, a full, detailed(kind of) recap of my six months working for Walt Disney!

I was able to sit at the foot of castle to get this picture. One of my favorite moments!

My program began on February 8^th and ended on August 4^th, 2016. I worked for the Walt Disney World Resort for 185 days in the parking lot at Magic Kingdom. Now as some know, I had quite the first week, the first couple of days even, in Florida(find the full story HERE). It was an interesting transition to say the least, and upon finding out that I would be in the parking lot, I won’t lie- I was disappointed. I wanted so badly to be in the park itself, and when I was initially assigned the role of “Hopper” I didn’t entirely understand that that meant I would be assigned a permanent role, they just hadn’t quite decided yet.

Upon my arrival, I spent a week moving in, checking in, and settling down and another week in training. I learned how to drive the tram in the parking lot and how to deliver the safety and informational spiel. I learned how to correctly and efficiently park cars and I learned about the gloriously long breaks at the Ticket and Transportation Center. And you know what? After a month, the parking lot wasn’t all that bad. I had made friends with the other CPs and I got along with my other peers and supervisors. I learned very quickly that the parking lot was a boy’s club and you had to have thick skin if you were going to keep up- both with the coworkers and the guests. My role is probably at the bottom of most anyone’s list when it comes to things they’d like to do for Disney, but let me tell you that I am not lying when I say that I would gladly trade in my cashier nametag and go back to the TTC at the drop of a hat. I loved (almost) every moment of my time in the parking lot and I absolutely wouldn’t trade my experience for anything. If not for the memories, then for the people I met. You couldn’t have dropped me into a more diverse and eclectic group of humans if you tried, and yet I came away with a new family. I met some of the most genuine and loving people while on my program, and I met some real assholes too. But family nevertheless, the parking lot was my home, and safety yellow was my color of choice. 

A quick word about the uniforms-never in my life have I ever worn something that was simultaneously hideous, unflattering,uncomfortable, and awesome as Hell. When I arrived, I was so worried that the parking uniforms were going to be white. Now that may sound like an odd concern, but let me explain: nearly every costume at Disney involves obnoxious colors and horrendous patterns, and I was going to be heartbroken if I traveled all the way from Iowa to be told that I didn’t get to wear one of the outrageous uniforms. I wanted to be part of the show! You can imagine my elation when halfway through a training day, I saw my first picture of a parking cast member and they were wearing the bright yellow stripes in all of their glory. Not only are the uniforms made from some kind of horrible polyester/canvas blend, but they come up right under your boobs, at least for the women, and any one item always had an odd odor. I came to know that as the parking lot smell- a mix of sweat, dirt, oil, and various fumes that just didn’t seem to disappear, no matter how many washes you put your clothes through. I swear I can almost smell it now… As if the stripes and canvas weren’t bad enough, we had to wear the bright orange and yellow safety vests because we operated machinery. Any semblance of a human shape sprints out the door when you slip on your zippered vest, but have no fear, you’re visible, rain or shine!

The best group of CPs a girl could ask for! From left to right: Chantal,
me, Kevin, Sarah, Ingrid, Brittney, and Jenn (Not Pictured:
Cary, Rachel, and MacKenzie)

The majority of my time spent in Florida was spent at work. I had a few friends who really made the most of their free passes into the parks, and others who spent even MORE time than I did at the TTC. I worked the night shift, as did the other CPs, so a typical day for me meant waking up at noon or 1pm because I didn’t get to bed until 4 the night before and getting ready for the day. I learned two things very quickly: one, makeup was pretty much useless in the parking lot. Unless you wanted to throw on a little mascara, the rest was going to quite literally melt off within the first 2 hours of your shift. Everyone was gross, and no one was looking, so I saved my full-face days for dressing up and going to the parks. Two: always always ALWAYS take the earlier bus. TranStar has a knack for being horribly late and extremely off schedule. If you needed to be at work at 2pm, you most definitely should take the 1 o’clock bus and sit in the break room for 20 minutes, because otherwise you’d be SOL.

My average shift was about 10 hours, and most of the time I was off at 2am so I was heading into work around 4 or 5 daily. There were a few positions in the parking lot, and most times you got to rotate through almost every spot throughout the night, I think I can only recall one or two days where I was stuck on a tram the entire shift. I won’t go into detail about every position, maybe in a later post just for posterity sake, but everyone had their favorites and everyone had the one they absolutely hated. For me, being at point in the actual lot or spieling on a tram for the Heroes side were probably my favorites, with Villain’s point and setting the lot and the end of the night being in close contention for third.

Being point in the lot meant being in charge of sending cars down the line to park. It was clearly the best spot to be in because you got to talk to everyone who was rotating through the lot parking the cars and all you really had to do was call in row numbers on the radio. Spieling in general was always fun, but specifically I enjoyed the Heroes half of the lot because it just seemed more laid back. The crazy guests really did seem to gravitate to the Villains trams.
Not only did I like the Heroes side better but there was a perfect time of day to be on a tram as well: somewhere between 7-10pm, as it’s just starting to get busy from everyone exiting the park, the sun is setting, and you get to see Wishes from the back of the tram- if you’re lucky! I came to love our parking lot, not only because it was massive (at over 130 acres, it can hold Disneyland and its entire parking lot), but because it really was beautiful. I was able to watch the 4^th of July fireworks show from the back lots and had a spectacular view, I saw Wishes again and again from the back of the tram, I witnessed roughly 100 gorgeous and unique sunsets along the way, and there was always something special about parking cars at twilight as the sun dipped below the trees. 

Now don’t get me wrong, there are days when the lot and I just didn’t get along. Days when guests were extra cranky, or when it was just miserably hot and humid. Days when would have to tram walk. In case you were curious about the position that I hated, this was it. I didn’t like to create or be in the middle of guest conflict, though I know a few people who enjoyed just that, and so to be a tram walker was my worst nightmare. The job description was basically this: stand in front of 500 angry, tired, and impatient guests while the trams make their rounds. Tell those people to stand behind the yellow line, to fold their strollers, to sit in their own seats and not on laps, and to stop boarding the tram. All of these duties you performed as a spieler as well, but when you pissed someone off, you got to leave with the tram. As a tram walker, you had to remain right there right along with everyone you made angry. You were the scapegoat for all of the pent up frustration, and I kid you not when I say that you could always feel the anger rolling off of the guests. Did I mention I hated tram walking? You might think now that the guests I encountered were all rude and angry, but that is simply not true. While being a parking cast member is mostly a thankless job, I had several moments with families that will forever stick out in my mind as moments that make it all worth it. 

Not only did I have a job that I loved, but as a cast member I was given a free pass into all four of the parks.This meant that most any day, I could get into any park at no cost. I was also allotted a number of guest passes based on how many hours I had worked, which allowed me to get friends and family in for free as well. As I mentioned before,I have friends who have taken advantage of this particular perk more than I ever did, but I don’t regret any time I spent inside the parks. Maybe I’m just biased because I worked there, but Magic Kingdom was my absolute favorite place to go. The atmosphere and the sense that Walt had been there was tangible. Walking down Main Street always took me back to a different time and place, and I was never disappointed by the small details I discovered as I moved around the park. The nighttime entertainment was superb, with Celebrate the Magic (RIP)and Wishes still being pieces of music that get stuck in my head. My favorite ride, The People Mover in Tomorrowland was always a must as well as strawberry ice cream cone from the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor. 

I met my first princess at the age of 22 inside Magic Kingdom, Princess Tiana, and I realized a childhood dream come true when I met Ariel a few weeks later. I always enjoyed spending time with friends at the park watching the Festival of Fantasy parade or riding Pirates of the Caribbean, but something about taking the day for myself to wander around and people watch was so relaxing and so joyful. Turning away and leaving Main Street and the Castle behind me for the last time was heartbreaking for me, because it truly felt like I was leaving my home. The feeling of joy and wonder that I experienced every time I stepped through those gates was overwhelming, and I never expected to fall so in love with a place like Disney. I have worried since I returned home that wanting to go back was childish, but I think I have decided that there is nothing immature about being happy where you work and wanting to bring that same joy to the people you serve. I made the difference for a handful of families while I worked for Walt,and I know that’s what he always wanted. If I can continue to make someone’s day a little brighter simply by being myself, I think I’ll be able to go home happy at the end of the day.

A good friend took this on my last night at Magic Kingdom.
Saying goodbye was emotional, but I'm glad she captured it.

I did spend some time outside of the parks and outside of work, but for the most part I stayed within my Disney bubble. I made great friends and amazing memories, and aside from the handful of times I had to be in a position that I wasn’t excited about, or the moments when I had to deal with a frustrated guest, I truly loved the parking lot- have said that at all yet? I grew to love my co-workers (most of them), and I certainly came to appreciate the various duties in the lot. I even kind of miss my costume. Not a day goes by that I don’t miss being there, and I do have plans to return. Those plans may come to fruition a little sooner than I had originally thought due to some unforeseen circumstances, as I am currently and anxiously waiting for an email that will confirm or deny my position in the Spring 2017 program. If I am granted the chance to go back, I knew exactly what I will do differently: I will take more pictures, I will write more stories, and I will adventure more outside of my comfort zone. The ultimate goal will be to make as much money as I can to save for school, but I know that I can take a moment and truly enjoy every moment. Even if I am denied the opportunity to return for a second program, my end goal remains the same: finish school, and return to Walt Disney World. I had the time of my life there, and I learned so many new things about myself. I became more of who I believe I’m supposed to be and I wouldn’t change a single moment of the time I spent there or the time I have spent since leaving. Until next time, Walt!

Check-In Day!

If I could choose, I probably would have made this morning run a little bit smoother, but all in all, I'm still here.

Last night I stayed at the Pop Century resort and I'm pretty certain that the young woman who checked me in sent me on a wild goose chase. I walked for probably half of a mile with my two carry-on's weighing heavily on my shoulders (no really, I have the bruises to prove it) around the entire complex before I reached building 9. I thought I was on the other side of the world from everything. This morning however, it took me all of 3 minutes to get back to the central lobby. Easiest route my ass. Anyway, once checked in I pretty much crashed, but I did not sleep well. I was expecting my bags to be delivered all night(which they were not), so I woke about once every couple hours worried that I would miss the knock at the door. Then this morning comes around and I have next to no luggage to shower or dress with. This also meant no deodorant and no toothbrush for the better part of my day, what a first impression right?

After finally collecting my baggage I was mistakenly delivered to the back parking lot where I impatiently awaited a bus that was supposed to take me where I needed to be for check-in. At this point I was running behind due to a misread of my schedule, but luckily for me, some rules were bent and the bus delivered me to my stop (but not before I sat among Disney Cast Members with my bags stuffed to the brim on what was clearly not my appropriate mode of transportation).

Once I arrived at Vista Way Pavilion, I had to carry all six of my bags for roughly another half mile or so to the Welcome Center. At this point I was flustered, half an hour late, and very tired. It took me several stops and many deep breaths so that I didn't completely meltdown at 9am. I was finally able to dump that God-forsaken luggage and proceed to check-in where I received my job placement (Parking Ops at Magic Kingdom), my housing ID (don't ask), and my new apartment (Vista Way). Following check-in, I went to Casting where I was finger printed and briefed on training, and then we were on our own.

I took the opportunity to move in to my new room and rest a little before completing my drug and alcohol testing. I met my roommate and was able to unpack most of my belongings and as I write, I am sitting on a bench awaiting my bus to Walmart because this girl needs food.

This day certainly had its downs, but it has had its ups as well! I have arrived safely and am fairly optimistic. Tomorrow is a new day to explore and settle in. I have a housing welcome session and on Saturday I get to participate in Traditions and become an official cast member (with a nametag and everything)! For now, I'm off to get some Doritos and a nice mug for tea :)

Effie Does Disney

At 1:35 p.m. today, my flight left from the Des Moines International Airport headed for Charlotte, NC. Once there, I will be a hop, skip, and a jump to Orlando where I will be spending my next 6 months working for Disney World.

I have never been more than 40 miles from home for any long periods of time, and I have never gone solo on a such a huge adventure (I do think that Noah would have been impressed with me). I am both excited and terrified to embark on this journey, but I know that I am gong to have the time of my life.

I know that 10 years from now I'll look back on this time and remember working for the "Happiest Place on Earth." I'll remember the feeling in my stomach when that first plane took off and how giddy I was to actually be landing in Orlando, and probably even how sad I'll be when I have to leave. I'll tell my friends and kids and anyone who will listen the same story 20 times because this is going to shape me. I haven't even hardly completed the first leg of my journey but I already know this is going to be big.

Sitting here now in seat 13A I can still hardly believe this is happening to me! After all that I have been through in the last few years, this feels like a break in the clouds, and I am so excited to take advantage of this opportunity. I was talking to someone the other day and I told them that I don't ever want to find myself sitting inside on the couch watching TV on a day off, and I truly mean that. I want to DO while I am here, I want to make the absolute most of my time- even if that means visiting the Magic Kingdom every single day to occupy myself. I want these six months to be a chance for me to overcome and enjoy myself, to love who I am, and to make some changes for the better (I'll be damned if I don't come back with a kickin' beach bod)!

The last two weeks were very difficult for me. I was having a hard time processing that I would actually be leaving my friends and family, and I didn't really know how to calm my fears. However, in the last 14 days my friends have showed so much love towards me and I feel so overwhelmed because of it. It's easy to start to feel alone when you're going through transitions or rough times, but I know as I leave Iowa I am not saying goodbye to a single person, only "see you later," and because of my little army, I know I will be okay.

So watch out Orlando, and here I come Mickey, because Effie is about to kick some Disney ass! :)

The Start....

For whatever reason, I always feel the need to write some kind of introductory post when I start a new blog. Something for the reader so they can think, "oh, okay, I get it now!" Okay, fine. I'm ridiculously cheesy, I think I'm fully aware of that by now. Anyway, here ya go,

In an effort to keep track of all of my Disney stuff, yes even 3 months after my program ended, I realized that there is SO much stuff I want to write about! I also still want to return to the company some day, even if I don't get into the Spring 2017 program, so I'll have plenty of memories down the line to share as well. What better way than to put all of my pixie dust filled experiences, and probably some not-so-magical moments, all in one place!

Walt Disney inspired me. Not as a child, or a teenager, or even as a twenty-something. It took me walking into his dream 9 months ago to realize that I want to be part of something so much bigger than myself. Even if I never work for the company again, even if I write 10 posts under this domain and the blog falls silent, I know that my name is forever in the books as a past employee for Walt himself (kind of). I feel all kinds of emotions when I look at Cinderella Castle, when I walk down Main Street, and when I stand at the foot of the Walt and Mickey statue. Knowing people from every walk of life have come to find happiness and magic at the resort, and that for a small period of time I was part of that, makes me feel so full. I want to make Walt proud, I want to create real actual magic for children and families alike, and I want to feel good about what I do. Some may see working in the parks as just another job, or may look at me like I'm childish for wanting to go back and make a career, but I see a chance to make a real difference and to bring happiness and joy to the lives of the people that I serve. Here's to your dream, Walt! May it continue to live on!

"I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing- that it was all started by a mouse." -Walt Disney