Fun in Florida, and Why Purple is My New Favorite Color

I've got so much to write about! I've had trouble with the internet over the last few days, and plus, I've just been so busy that it's been hard to find time to write anything! Emily, Tiffany, and I have been in Florida since Friday. It was a crazy drive, and we've been busy almost non-stop since we got in at 1:45 Friday (actually, Saturday morning.) On Saturday we made the hour drive from Lakeland (where the college Emily is visiting is located) to Orlando. We spent several hours in Ikea, and, man does that place have EVERYTHING! And as we pulled into the parking lot we saw that, not only was there an Ikea, but there, in the same shopping area, was a West Elm! Disney World, Ikea, West Elm...It's official. I must have designed Orlando in a previous life.

After Ikea, we went to Downtown Disney, and then rode the monorail and visited some of the Disney resorts. This whole experience made me want to participate in the CP more than ever.

Yesterday we went to the beach and got plenty of sun. It was a gorgeous beach, and not too crowded considering that it's Spring Break time. We did have one interesting neighbor, however. A man and his wife came to the beach soon after us. Imagine your stereotypical work-aholic--Neither ever got into the water, or even got out from under the shade of their umbrella. The man just made work calls, in a New York-tinged accent and in rapid Spanish. His wife just lay there in her bikini, patiently eating a bowl of mixed fruit while her husband did his business. Every now and then, she would shove the bowl of fruit under his nose, and hold a piece out to him on a fork. Maybe he took some, but out of all the times I was watching I never saw him acknowledge her.

Of course, we ended our beach day with a great seafood dinner. Crab legs, mmmmmmm!

Today, Emily went on her visit, while Tiffany and I returned to Orlando to go shopping. Today was a little more calm, and a little less exciting (but no less fun) than the last two days. Until, that is, this afternoon when my dad called me.

After a few pleasantries, ("Are you having fun?" "Enjoying the beach"?) my dad said, "Hey, there's some mail here for you from Disney. I caught my breath--I told my mom about the big letter=good, little letter=bad equation, but did she tell my dad? I asked, with great trepedation, what size the envelope was. And my heart sunk as my dad said, "Oh, it's just a regular letter. Do you want me to read it?" he asked. "Sure," I muttered. The damage was done now. I could only get good news if he read it to me; maybe it was only a processing letter.

But the good news was great news, as my dad came clean. "Nah, it's a big letter!" That's right--I've finally got that beautiful purple folder.

There was just one more hurdle. Did I get QSF&B? My dad read me the letter--the typical pleasantries, "Thank you for applying...we are pleased that you will be joining us..." and then that magical word, "Merchandise!" I'm working Merchandise! I still don't know where exactly; I won't find out until August when I get to Orlando. But I'm basically okay with anywhere.

What a perfect time to get this news--I was just talking with Tiffany about how much I'm loving Orlando. It will be really great to live here for a few months, and, guess what...I'll get to shop at Ikea on a regular basis. :)

Wilin' Away The Time

It's Day 6 of the post-interview count. I've heard of people getting acceptance letters as early as 6 days out, so I'm starting, against my better judgement, to get a little bit excited. When I passed my mailbox last night, I thought "maybe tomorrow!" All of this excitement just makes it that much harder to know that, realistically, I probably won't get my letter for at least another week. The anticipation is killing me!

So, because I have a long wait before I hear back, and an even longer wait before I leave for Florida in August, I've been trying to find ways to kill the time. And, for all of my fellow Fall '09 hopefuls/CPs, I thought I would share some of my favorite ways to kill the time...Disney style!

First of all, you can never know to much about the CP. There are a few great sites out there, and, of course, I don't have space to highlight them all. But a couple of my favorites are:

• http://www.disboards.com/ -- A wonderful, vibrant forum about all things Disney. The College Board, however, is really where it's at. (http://disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=90). Almost all of the topics on this board are about the CP, and there are some great folks here with a ton of knowledge. And you can also at least get acquainted with some of your fellow CPs before you arrive! Some people are even using the board to set up with roomates!
• http://wdwcpblog.blogspot.com/ -- Out of all the blogs I read while trying to decide if I wanted to do the program, this was by far the most detailed and one of the most entertaining. This site is his "un-official, hopefully definitive resource for future Disney College Program students". On this site, he also has a link to a more traditional day-by-day journal type blog that he kept while actually on the program (http://sarbruis.livejournal.com/?skip=60&tag=wdwcp.) While the first blog is more informative, the second is more entertaining. The writer is clever and funny, and everything I hope to be in my blog.

If you're doing the CP, and reading blogs about it, chances are you're a fan of Disney in general. If so, then why haven't you been checking out the following sites already?

• http://www.laughingplace.com/ -- Just like DisBoards is my first stop for CP related forums, LaughingPlace is the first place I go for general Disney. The site includes general information about the parks, a constantly updated list of links to Disney news called "The Latest", videos, and one of my favorite podcasts, which is put out on a weekly basis. Although the main focus here seems to be on the parks, EVERYTHING and ANYTHING Disney is covered here.
• http://www.jimhillmedia.com/ -- Another very entertaining blog. This one, however, is of a more professional type. Mr. Hill covers almost every aspect of breaking Disney news. He has many "inside sources", and always seems to have a scoop of some kind. (Disclaimer: Half of the "scoops" never seem to come to fruition. Whether Disney just changes their plans, or Mr. Hill's sources are giving him bad information is up for debate. Very heated, entertaining debate taking place in the Comments section after Mr. Hill's articles. :) ) Where this site really shines, though, is in his "Disney That Never Was" stories. Mr. Hill and his amazing collection of contributors have a seemingly inexhaustible supply of concept art and publicity materials from park attractions and movies that never got off the drawing table. Plus, the site often features articles from Disney insiders like Floyd Norman and Ron Schneider.
• http://www.disneylies.com/ --Taking a turn to the silly side, DisneyLies is the number one stop for, well, lies about Disney. For instance, did you know that the Magic Kingdom originally consisted of 43 elaborately themed lands, including Spy Alley, Pulp Novel Plaza, Adultyhood, Castlevania, and Jurassic Park? Or that all of the electricity for the Animal Kingdom park is generated by underground elephant-powered pistons? They've got a million of 'em! And after you've had your fill of Disney lies, head on over to...
• http://snopes.com/disney/disney.asp for some truthiness. Snopes is a pretty well-known site that lists urban legends, and gives them a "True", "False", or "Undetermined" status, with a little of the history behind each tale. There are so many Disney myths, that they recieved their own section, and are further divided up according to subject: Theme Parks, the Disney Company, and Walt Disney himself.

And, by the way, as you're checking out all of these great sites, don't forget about HappiestInternship.blogspot.com. The readership here has been growing, and I appreciate all of my new devotees. Please add me to your blog lists, or even become a Follower of my blog! Then you can say you were there when it was all started by a (computer) mouse. ;)

Some Silliness, and "Florida, Here We Come!"

Welcome back, readers! And now for the exciting conclusion of "Indecision Sucks!"

When we last left our heroine, she had been trapped by the monstrous QSFB. She was tied to the tracks, struggling to break free when..."Toot, Toot!" She heard the train barreling towards her. Faster and faster it came, as our heroine tried to make her fateful decision: Should she continue to struggle, possibly wasting her strength for nothing and looking quite foolish in the process, or should she simply wait, and hope the train was diverted onto the other track?

"Oh, whatever shall I do?” she wailed.

Finally she made her choice. Our heroine decided...to do absolutely nothing. She would wait, and just hope that the train loaded with burgers, french fries, churros, and popcorn did not hit her.

Tune in next week to find out if our heroine will survive her ordeal!

In case my little Penelope Pitstop-style narrative confused you, dear reader, I have decided that I will not call to try to take QSFB off of my role checklist. I've decided to simply trust to God and chance, and, if I do get QSFB, to make the best of it and take what I can away from the experience.

But on to more fun topics. My friends and I will be making a trek this next weekend to the promised land...sun, sand, and Splash Mountain. That's right: we're going to Florida! The friend who is applying to the WDWCP with me, Emily, is also looking at schools for next semester. And one of her choices is in Lakeland, Fl. So Tiffany, another good friend, and I will be accompanying her. The three of us have been thick as thieves since High School, and so this will be a fun road trip with two of my best buds.

Although we're going to Florida, chances are we won't be going to WDW. We are, after all, poor college students, and, besides, Emily and I are hoping to get in plenty of times for free next semester. (fingers crossed!). We will, however, be going to the beach, Downtown Disney, and...wait for it...IKEA! :D

That's right--Ikea is a big deal for us. The closest one to home is 8 hours away, so its understandable why I've never been, even though, as an interior design major, I spend hours slobbering over their catalog when I'm supposed to be picking out furniture for projects. But hopefully I'll be able to remedy this next week. Emily still doesn't know that Tiffany and I have decided to go, but maybe we'll just go while Emily is at her college visit if she doesn't care to join us.

So we'll be spending three full days in Florida, with a full day on either side for travel. It's about an 18 hour drive each way, so I'm sure we'll probably be really sick of each other before the trip is over. (just kidding, girlies! You know I love you!)

The reason I'm blogging about this trip here is, well, first of all it's my blog, so I can post about whatever the crap I feel like. :) And secondly, I'm wondering what this trip will do to my excitement index. (See the graph in the 3/11 entry, if you don't know what this "excitement index" silliness is all about). It's going to be really hard being in Florida, and right outside of WDW, without knowing whether or not I've made it into the program. My mother already has strict instructions: If, while I'm gone, a BIG envelope comes, she should call me--that will be an acceptance letter. If a small envelope calls, she should definitely NOT tell me about it, because it's either a processing letter ("We're still trying to decide, and we'll let you know soon") or a rejection letter, and while the first option would only be frustrating, the second option just might ruin my vacation. I'm not going to REALLY start looking for an acceptance/rejection letter until two weeks after my interview, so I'll be back before then, but you never know. And, thirdly, I'm really excited because the fact that there's an Ikea in Orlando means I'll be shopping there a lot next fall if I get into the WDWCP. Orlando really is a magical town--Disney and cheap furniture, my two greatest loves, all in one place!

So, dear reader, keep checking back for more updates. I will be posting lots of pictures and stories of silly hijinks during our trip. And please just pray that that train doesn't squish out heroine flat before her adventure even has a chance to begin!

My Interview, and the Art of Indecision

Whew! So, my interview is over. It was actually over last night, but I guess I'm just not a true blogger because I decided to wait until this morning to write about it.

I was super nervous all day yesterday, but, after a call from my friend who went with the presentation with me, and a little time spent with my wonderful, reassuring boyfriend, I was feeling somewhat more relaxed. My friend's interview was at 3:00, just a couple of hours before mine. It sounded like hers went pretty well, so it made me feel more confident knowing that she had successfully been there, done that.

So at 5:21 (Running late? Shame on you Disney. That's one point on your record.) my phone rang. The interview started out with some yes or no questions ("Have you ever been arrested?" "Can you prove that you can legally work in the U.S.?") and that part went pretty well. Actually, there was one small exception, but I'll get to that in a minute.

Next, we moved on to the part where I really got to talk. She asked me why I wanted to do the Disney College Program, which I was totally prepared for. She then asked me questions about which roles I would like to do, and I gave PhotoPass Photographer, Attractions, and Merchandise as my first three choices. She asked me a specific question about each role. For PhotoPass, she asked how I would sell more pictures and packages to guests, and if I would be okay with carrying around 10 pounds of camera equipment outside all day. For Attractions, she asked me what I would do if a child wanted to ride Space Mountain but was too short. And for Merchandise, she asked how I would handle it if a guest wanted a product that we didn't carry. All of these were fairly easy to answer, as I was already sort of expecting these kinds of questions.

Then she asked me about my best work experience and my worst. That was a little more difficult. My best work experience is my current job--it's challenging, fun, and the sort of work that not many college students get to do. My worst work experience...well, it was kind of hard to talk about my worst work experience without sounding like I was bashing on my past employers, or was a hopelessly negative person. But I managed an answer and put a positive spin on it at the end, saying that my experience at the earlier job allowed me to work at the great place I'm at now.

All in all, I felt like the interview went pretty well...except for one part. She asked me if I would be willing to do Quick Service Food and Beverage. Now, on my role checklist, I didn't check this box. I didn't feel like I wanted to spend my time in Florida flipping burgers. But last night (before my interview, I must admit) I decided that, if asked, I would say that working QSFB wouldn't be my first choice, but that I would do it if that was the only way I could get in the program. Well, now I'm regretting that choice. I'm worried that my "maybe" answer was recorded as "yes", and that now I've cheated myself out of a job that I might have loved in exchange for a job in QSFB.

I'm trying to decide now if I should call my recruiter, talk to her about it, and maybe change my answer. But I'm a little afraid that this would make me look wishy-washy and might reflect poorly on me when they're making their decision (probably not a real concern--just me being overly anxious). I'm also worried that if I give QSFB a definite "no", then I might not get in. Agreeing to do QSFB is basically a guaranteed spot in the program, because they're so desperate for people for that position. But if I do get this role, I'll always wonder if I could have gotten a role I would have really loved.

Gah! I hate indecision!

Another part of me is saying just to leave it alone, and see what comes. I believe that God has his hand in everything, knows the desires of my heart, and that, if I get QSFB, something great could still come of it. But I just don't know what to do!

Whatever I do, I've got the weekend to think and pray about it, as they're only open Monday-Friday. So, readers! What do you think I should do? Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated...anyone?...anybody got any thoughts?...helloooo?

Campus Presentation: or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Mouse

Today was the first of three big days in my application process: the on-campus presentation. My good friend, who I think I've almost conned into doing the program with me, kept me company while we watched cheesy videos, tried to answer trivia questions, and showed off our best Disney smiles in hopes of getting a star next to our names denoting that we'd be good candidates for the program.

I don't know if the recruiter has any say in the selection process, but I wasn't taking any chances. From the moment I walked in the door I was friendly, smiley, energetic, and everything that Disney looks for in their employees. I was careful not to come across as over-eager or fake, but I also tried to show how interested I was. Even if this doesn't have any impact on the final decision, it's good practice at least for the days ahead if I'm accepted--my cheeks need to be conditioned for 'round the clock smiling! :)

The presentation started at 5, with cookies shaped like Mickey Mouse. Although they were a little stale, the magic ingredient (which happens to be magic!) made them amazing. Ok, not really. I'm not THAT brainwashed. They were just stale cookies with tons of frosting on them. But cute nonetheless.

Our recruiter, Anne, then stood up and began the presentation. She started off with a broad overview of the Disney parks, distinguishing between Disneyland and Walt Disney World, etc., and then moved on to a few trivia questions. She had the cutest Mickey Mouse pens for prizes, and, even though I knew (almost) all of the answers, I wasn't quick enough on the draw, and was only called on for the one question that nobody knew: "How many cast members does WDW employ?". I didn't know, but I had a ballpark idea. So I guessed 50,000. The answer was 60,000. So close!

Next she showed a few videos, featuring a couple of hosts who must have had two or three Red Bulls a piece before recording their parts. Seriously--these two were so happy and peppy, it was actually making me a little exhausted just watching them. But that's kind of what you expect from Disney, I guess.The videos covered the Living, Learning, and Earning portions of the program, which, since I've been doing research for a couple of months now, was nothing new to me. But it was still fun to watch.

Anne then introduced our campus reps, who are students from area schools who have been through the program in the past. They gave us all a sheet with information about applying to the program (which I've already done--look at me being all prepared!) and setting up an interview, and with contact numbers for Anne and the campus reps.My friend and I then went out for dinner at Chipotle (OMG! Yum!) and I called to set up my interview. It's on Friday the 13th (A bad omen? *sinister music*) at 5:20. A minor embarrassing moment when the lady asked what time zone I was in, and I said I was pretty sure central, but asked her to confirm what time it would be in the central time zone, just to be sure. I promise I know what time zone I live in! But I'm just so anxious about the whole thing; I wanted to double check myself.

So, as I told someone yesterday, I expected for this presentation to be slightly boring for me. I mean, I'm obviously excited, but it was basically all review. And, like I anticipated, I didn't learn anything new. But I got even more excited than I was at 4:59 today, if that's possible. Basically, every day the program gets closer, I get more keyed up (and more nervous, but more on that later!). If this trend continues, I think I'll burst before August! And, as you can see by the following incredibly scientific graph, that's a very real possibility.

No Escaping Disney...Even for Astrophysicists

After months of thinking, planning, and driving everyone I know crazy talking about the WDWCP, the presentation and interview are finally just around the corner. I received an email this morning from Disney, reminding me about the presentations coming to campus, and there were brochures laying on the counter at Domino's when I got my lunch today in the student union. Disney's everywhere!

So here's the deal: Next Wednesday and Thursday, a recruiter will be doing their presentation on campus (I plan to attend the Wednesday session). At the presentation, I will sign up for an interview time, which usually takes place a couple of days after the presentation and is, unfortunately, conducted over the phone. So I'll probably try to schedule my interview for Friday, after my classes. Then, if all goes according to plan, I should be getting that acceptance letter just a couple of short weeks later!

Then the waiting game will really begin. :)

To keep you, my imaginary, loyal readers occupied while you're biting your nails with anticipation for my next entry, here's a funny news story. See, this is why I love Disney--even astrophysicists and their crazy planet classification systems aren't immune to the company's affect on our culture.

Astrophysicist: Love of Pluto the dog led to fury over planet’s demotion

Quote from the article: In his new book, “The Pluto Files,” [Neil deGrasse] Tyson asserts that Americans’ love for Walt Disney’s Pluto the dog caused the public outrage that greeted the planet’s demotion in classification to a dwarf planet.

Another quote (And the best part of the article): In response to the outcry at the planet’s demotion, the Disney company issued a press release:

Although we think it’s DOPEY that Pluto has been downgraded to a dwarf planet, which has made some people GRUMPY and others just SLEEPY, we are not BASHFUL in saying we would be HAPPY if Disney’s Pluto would join us as the 8th dwarf. We think it’s just what the DOC ordered and it’s nothing to SNEEZE at.

You gotta love Disney. :)

Why I Want to Be a Lowly Servant for a Talking Mouse

I submitted my application for the program on Friday, and, now that I've taken that big step, I've been reflecting on why exactly I want to do the program. And because I have now joined the illustrious ranks of bloggers, I decide that I would share all of my thoughts, logic, hopes, dreams, and fears on the subject with you, my legions of dedicated readers. (At this point, I think I'm the only reader I've got. lol.)

The name of this program is pretty misleading. It sounds so glamorous--it's a "college program", and a "paid internship". The website talks about things like valuable networking opportunities. But what it really all boils down to is this: I'm going to be taking a semester off from school, and working full time at a theme park.

Doesn't sound so glamorous now, does it? Crying kids, whiny tourists, and "protein spills" will probably make up a majority of my day. But I'm still dying to do this program. You might be asking, "Gee, Bethany!" (Oh, come on. You know that's how you talk.) "If you have such low expectations of the program, why are you doing it?" The answer is that I don't have low expectations: just realistic ones. The other answer is that working at a theme park is exactly what I want to do, for now, anyway.

In just a few short semesters, I'm going to be rudely and irrevocably thrown in to the real world: bills, responsibilities, and no spring break to relieve the monotony. So I see this as an opportunity to do what I have been promising myself to do more often: procrastinate. The WDWCP is really going to allow me to kill two birds with one stone. Not only will I be able to indulge my love for Disney, but I'll put off all of the decision making and stress for a little longer. I'm in no real hurry to finish up school. The way I look at it, I'll be finished with school in just two more years. And after that, I've got a good 40 years in the workforce, more than likely getting sick of my job long before I'm old enough to retire (hopefully not, but there's that realistic expectations thing again). So what's a short 4/5 month delay? Not much in the long term, but, in the short term, maybe just the thing to help maintain my sanity. And after I'm done with school, opportunities like this aren't going to present themselves very often. In all likelihood, this could be my last chance to just drop everything and go gallivanting off for a season. Plus, I'll get paid and have something very unique to add to my résumé, two points which the responsible person within me really responds to. So this is a chance to indulge both sides of my nature--the adventurer and the achiever.

The reservations I have, while less numerous than the advantages, are equally as compelling. These deserve a post of their own, and I’m sure one day between now and August, when I’m feeling like the cons not only outweigh, but completely crush the pros, I’ll write one. But for now I’m merely focusing on the positive, and pursuing the adventure, even if it does essentially amount to indentured servitude to a rodent.

Welcome To My Blog!

I have no idea when this post will be published, or even if it will be published. It is February 26 2009, and I'm getting ready to apply to the Walt Disney World College Program for Fall 2009.

http://www.wdwcollegeprogram.com/sap/its/mimes/zh_wdwcp/index.html

This blog is meant to serve a few purposes:

1) I've been having so much fun reading other people's WDWCP blogs, I definitely wanted to do my own for others out there thinking about doing the program.

2) When (if) I go, I want to be able to use this blog to keep my friends and family updated and involved in my life.

3) I want to use this blog as a journal of sorts, so that I can look back years from now and relive my own experience. It's going to be all about making memories--and I want to make sure that I record as many of them as I can!

I've still got months to go before the program begins, but I wanted to get my blog started now so that I would have a place to collect my thoughts, vent my frustrations and fears, and keep a record of even this fun-free part of the process. Plus, I wanted to have plenty of time to get everything looking good here, and to build up some posts before people began reading! There's nothing like finding a blog with only a couple of posts. (I hate that.)

It's really early: I haven't applied for the program, so I don't know if I'll get in. Even if I'm accepted, who knows what will eventually end up happening. I'm sure I'm going to be so scared, and I'm sure that I will have a million arguments with myself about whether or not I should really go. But if you're reading this, then I guess I've decided. For better or for worse, I'm going to be having the experience of a lifetime!