That's right, in January I will be heading back down to good ole' Florida for some more Disney adventures! But this time I'll be doing some PR for the mouse (and in an air conditioned office--WOOT!)
I haven't blogged in a while, but hey, it's been a busy second half of the year! I've moved around quite a bit from Florida to New York to California and eventually back to New York. It's crazy how many states I've had the chance to live in recently and I'm extremely grateful. I've grown more than I ever thought possible since the last time I posted (March 2014) and I'm excited for the new beginnings and adventures that wait.
While this semester has had both it's ups and downs--it's taught me more about how to handle stress, a large work load, and what the real world actually entails. While preparing for my future and balancing school and internship work, I found myself feeling constrained and definitely played this scene with my roommate many times (I'm the beast):
and this was a regular occurrence in our room:
Because why go out when you can stay in? As we always say "Turn up? Nah man, turn of that light because it's BRIGHT AS HECK!"
I definitely found myself wanting to go to bed at 8 every night, instead of staying up late and hanging out. But I also learned that it's okay to take a breather and have some fun--sometimes too much fun. I mean, this is my last semester of college (when did I get here?!). While many mistakes can be made with that mentality, it also brought me closer to the person I see myself becoming. After all, mistakes help shape us, even if it hurts getting there... and even if my Sunday mornings often looked liked this:
Having people around who supported me, a kick ass roommate who listened to all my crap (Evon you are THE BEST--don't know how I would have gotten through this semester without you), and the greatest friends a girl could ask for helped me through it. I've even realized while alone time can be, well, lonely, it's needed.
So I've officially turned my TOMS and hoodies in for flats and blazers--who would have thought? I miss those damn shoes though...anyway what I'm trying to say is that if 6 months ago you would have told me not only would I be moving to Florida, but that I would once again be working for the Walt Disney Company I probably would have laughed in your face. But here we are and here I go to the land of humidity and WAY too many lizards. Hopefully graduating college won't mean this though (well not completely):
Sorry for this extremely sappy post, but I'm feeling more and more sappy as December 21st and my imminent graduation approaches. I'll try and update this a bit more and hopefully keep it going as I move to Florida. As for now, I go home tomorrow (Rochester) to gorge on pie and mashed potatoes and squeeze my dog tight. Maybe even throw in a band practice or two with some knuckle heads that I know.
Have a great Thanksgiving guys--I know I have a lot to be thankful for.
To everyone in my life, thank you for everything and always know...
I was accepted into the Disney College Program. How time flies! I can hardly believe it's been that long and it makes me miss that magical place even more. Luckily there's an ABC Family marathon event of Disney movies, so I've been watching those and relaxing. Thank gosh for the weekend, right?!
That being said if anyone is applying to the Disney College Program and has questions, please ask! I'm totally open to answering any questions and helping out as much as I can.
Here's a throwback photo:
Missing these people so much, but soon Qanita and Joey will be visiting me in NY--excited is an understatement! As for Lauren and Suke, hopefully one day I can visit them in Australia and Japan.
More posts coming soon about
- Things I miss part 2
- Miscellaneous and fun
- Disney News
- Disney Professional Internships
I've been trying to write this post for about 2-3 weeks now and finally I have the time! About 2 weeks ago I applied for 3 Disney Professional Internships. They are
- Public Relations at Disneyland
- Public Relations at Walt Disney World
- External Communications at Walt Disney World
The first two are almost identical except that one is California and the other is in Florida. As much as I loved my college program, going back to WDW isn't my first choice. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love it there but Disneyland was always the place I wanted to end up at. I was born in southern California and it was the first park I ever visited. Heck, I have so many memories there from eating fudge for the first time on Main Street with my Grandpa to getting my first princess dress equipped with the shoes and crown too (it was Belle's dress). Also almost all of my extended family lives in California, so being back in an area where I could see them more often would be amazing. And thirdly, lets face it, California is the best place in the U.S. Okay--so I haven't been to every state, but I can tell you I like it way more than both New York and Florida. Mainly because the sun never stops shining and the humidity isn't outrageous. Oh and did I mention the Mexican Food there is by far superior to any other state? Oh and the beach.
Anyway, I'm getting off track. Any of these internships would be a great opportunity and really lead me toward the future that I see for myself. I know I want to work for Disney in a more corporate setting and that I'm as passionate as ever about the happiest place on Earth. It is true, once you finish the DCP you'll be even more obsessed with everything Disney than before. I am getting a little antsy and nervous because many people are posting that they're setting up their interviews, or their status on the dashboard changed from "submission" to "in progress," and mine hasn't. I'm sure it means nothing too serious, but at the same time I'm so ready for an interview.
Well here's fingers crossed!! Tomorrow applications close for all professional internships, so in the next week I should be hearing something!
Hope everyone has a magical weekend :) xoxo
I can't believe it's been a month since I worked, lived, and explored Disney. Honestly it feels like a dream now that life is back to normal and I'm at school doing homework and papers.Which is sad because it did happen, and it was one of the best experiences of my life. I can't even begin to explain how much the Disney College Program meant to me, but I'll start off with a list of things I miss the most (this isn't in any order).
1) Sushi at the Polynesian
My roommate Michelle and I made the Kona Cafe our sort of "spot," where we went whenever we wanted to eat something different than what we had at the apartment (which was usually easy mac, peanut butter and jelly, and cereal). So much so that the waiter, Scott (yes I still remember his name), remembered us and told us he'd "see us next week." Anyway we always ordered crab rangoon, which is: crab salad rolled in Nori, tempura fried and served with won tons and eel sauce. Eel sauce made me question whether I wanted to order it, but it tasted like a sweeter version of soy sauce--so anyone out there hesitant, don't be, it's so dang good. This was probably one of my favorite foods at Walt Disney World and spending time there with Michelle makes the memories even better. If you're ever at or near the Polynesian I definitely recommend stopping at the Kona Cafe bar and ordering crab rangoon. Dang, now I'm craving some sushi.
2) Coming home to all my roommates
This might seem like an oddly specific thing to miss, but I really do. I have a single dorm room at school now, so I only come back from class or where ever else to an empty room. I loved coming home from work or adventures and seeing my roommates on the couch, watching TV or doing something on their computers because as soon as I walked in they would yell, "HAILEY!" It was awesome to have a small family to come home to after a long or stressful day. I loved all my roommates even if there was an occasional problem, which does happen when you live with 6 girls. But the great thing is that for most of the program I felt that family feeling and it made it easier to adapt to the program and being so far away from home. The nights where we did random shenanigans like videos where we spit water in each others faces (it's a long story) or decided to leave to go to the beach at 4 am to see the sunrise--are the ones I will always remember. I'm so thankful to have lived and hung out with all my roomies--you all are the coolest ladies.
3) My Epcot family!
Even though asking, "is that the same finger you've been using the entire time?" was occasionally monotonous, the people I worked with made the time pass quickly and happily. I couldn't be more thankful to everyone who I worked with on a long 13 hour day, for the support after a guest was unhappy, and for the friendships I will always remember. Even though we had a not so appealing lavender costume with Epcot balls all over them, I think we rocked it. Hanging out with all or any of you on exit 13 (now 17 or something) and watching the holiday fireworks was always my favorite thing as well as adventures in IG. International Gateway was my home for more than a month at the beginning of the program, and even though not many CP's worked back there at first, it became one of my favorite places to work. Gate keepers, you shall not pass, and what time is it are my favorite things. All that's left to say is, "5, 4, 3, 2, 1...GO EPCOT!" Miss you all!
4) Being able to text or call someone and say, "hey you wanna go to downtown Disney or Magic Kingdom?"
Occasionally I took for granted how awesome it was to be living at WDW. Now I go to class, come back, go to the gym, do homework, see friends for a bit, and then sleep. Meanwhile if I was at Disney right now I would probably text my friends asking if they wanted to go watch the fireworks from the Polynesian or go to the Magic Kingdom to go on the Haunted Mansion. I miss being able to randomly do something fun involving Disney. There was never a dull moment my entire program, so now it feels extra weird having a lot of downtime at school. I think if I was back in Florida right now I would be at the Magic Kingdom, finally meeting Princess Tiana (Michelle and I never got around to meeting her), and going on the Jungle Cruise. Maybe even some Mickey ice cream bars would be involved. Basically, for 5 months I didn't realize how awesome it was to go to Saratoga Spring and get lost, to explore the world showcase daily, or to know all the words to Wishes. What I'm saying is: take me back.
5) Florida Weather
Okay, I never thought I'd say this. August and September I think I lost 10 lbs simply from sweating all the time from the hot humid days. But now that I'm back in NY, I miss the sun shining everyday and the warm days where I could wear shorts. Now I walk outside and my jaw is already quivering from the blast of cold air. Now not only are my lips chapped, but so is my face. Like seriously, that shouldn't happen NY! I also miss being able to go to the beach year round. There are beaches near my school, but if I went right now I would most definitely freeze my arse off. Even though Florida weather was occasionally a little random with rain and cold days, it's better than freezing every day.
So for now that's all I'm going to write about. Maybe I'll make this a series: things I miss most about WDW. Yeah, that sounds good. I promise I don't miss sushi more than my roomies or Epcot family, but I woke up really hungry so that's probably why I wrote about it first. If you read all of this, thanks! Stick around for another post in the next week or so.
"Remy
from Ratatouille once
said, “The only thing predictable about life is its unpredictability.” This
quote describes my time on the Disney College Program perfectly because I would
have never predicted that I would be working for Disney, that I would have made so
many lifelong friends, that I would learn so much about myself, and how much
fun it would be living on Disney property. All those things being said, I also
had no way to predict the amount of hours I would be working, how tired I would
be, all the stress I would have, and the homesickness I would feel. The Disney
College Program is definitely a learning experience, both professionally and
personally. I’m so grateful I was able to do this internship because without it,
I wouldn’t have grown into the person I see myself becoming in the future. " -Introduction paragraph to my reflection paper
I can't believe the program is over, and I will admit, I did a horrible job keeping this blog going. But when you work long weeks, days off become a time for hanging out with friends and taking advantage of the short time you live at WDW.
Over the next couple of weeks I'm going to get this blog back up and running, telling as many stories as I can remember and sharing my experience. That being said, if there is anything anyone wants to hear about, let me know and I'll write about it!
For now I'll leave you all with the final paragraph of my 25 page reflection paper I had to do for my school. I think it says a lot about my program and what I thought about it:
"With only two semesters left at Hofstra, I'm excited for the future, but I'm also excited for the next memories I get to make while still in school. I'll have work to do for the rest of my life, so for now I need to enjoy the moments right in front of me. Will I ever work for Disney again? Maybe in the corporate side, but for now more learning is in store. The way I will always remember my Disney College Program is a group of my friends surrounding the dining room table, playing card games, keeping each other company during the holidays. The smiles on our faces, the second family we all came to love, and the hope we all had for the future. While I miss everyone and everything at Disney dearly, I know this isn't goodbye, it's "see you real soon."
Sorry it's been a while, with work, schoolwork, and social time there is less time to surf the Internet and update this blog. People aren't kidding when they say it's difficult to keep up blogging while on the program. But alas here I am, sick and in bed, finally having some time to update you all on my DCP experience.
In this blog I'll be talking about work. Okay here goes:
I am a 'park greeter' at Epcot Main Entrance and International Gateway (Epcot has two entrances). I had a really cool trainer who made me and my friend Steph feel welcome and it was a fun three days of learning the ins and outs of being a park greeter. My main job is running the new 'V's,' which was once called the turnstiles. Basically they're these orb looking things with a Mickey on one side. You then hold your card, magic band, etc. up to the Mickey and if the light turns green you're good to go; if blue, redo it!
There are other tasks I could be doing while working, but most include guest interactions which is probably the best part of my job. Working an exit really allows for interactions with guests, whether that be if they're asking a question about where the 'best place to watch illuminations is,' or 'what is the Disney College Program?' My favorite guest interaction was with a couple who had a date at Epcot while Grandma and Grandpa were watching their children back at the resort. They came up to me asking where the nearest bathrooms were and then noticed my name was Hailey. They then continued to tell me how if they had a daughter they were going to name her Hailey, but instead they were destined to have all boys. As the conversation came to a close the mother came up to me, gave me a big hug, and said "here's a hug for the Hailey I never had." It made my night.
My coworkers are all
awesome and working in Epcot, you definitely meet people from all over the world. I've already met people from Japan, Australia, and if you can believe it Wisconsin (just a little humor going out to one of my coworkers).
If you have any questions feel free to leave them below!! Food and Wine Fest starts this week so I'm sure I'll have more stories to tell. Also this Tuesday I'm going to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party so I'll be sure to do a post on that. As for now, I'm off to rest up and feel better!
Adios--
Oh yeah, and I'm definitely bringing the mirror selfie back over there lol
Before we went to traditions and got our main entrance passes, we basically rode the monorail for hours, looking at the Disney Resorts. We went past Epcot to see it as it was closing, visited the Grand Floridian, The Polynesian, and the Contemporary. So far out of the three, The Grand Floridian is my favorite. It's super nice and fancy, not to mention it reminds me of the Hotel Del in Coronado. Here is a few pictures from the shenanigans that took place:
The floor of the Grand Floridian is covered in tile that has hidden Mickey's and other Disney characters. Here is a picture of my roommate Mercade with the Cinderella tile!
This is a picture of the carpet in the Grand Floridian. I know it seems as though I have an obsession with floors or something, but honestly the little details in the carpet and tile are ridiculous.
Then we decided to head to the Contemporary to watch wishes from a "secret" part of the resort. No one really knows about a balcony at the Contemporary where you can watch wishes from, so we got a really good view from not too far away. Here are a few pictures of us watching the show:
This is me and my roommate Michelle waiting for the fireworks to start!
Michelle and Mercade waiting for the fireworks!
The first night we got there we went to the Polynesian to watch Wishes (hey--it's free right? Might as well try to see it a lot) and get dole whips for the first time! I like Dole Whips, but I think that it was over hyped somehow. It wasn't earth shattering good, but it was good. I actually prefer the orange flavor to the pineapple original!
So now that I've discussed the fun we had before we got our main entrance passes, let me quickly mention Traditions. There's not much I can say about it, except when everyone tells you to wear comfortable shoes, they mean it. Leave those 6 inch stilettos at home because a few hours later you will be feeling it. Also if you have an early session of Traditions, get a good amount of sleep because several people in my class we're nodding off at first. I know it's exciting to be at Disney with new roommates, but perhaps instead of going to bed at 2 am (like I did) when Traditions was at 6 am go to bed at say...midnight. Even that would be better! There a lot of surprises and awesome things about Traditions that I cannot mention, but just know it's fun and you'll meet some awesome people.
Well I'm off--I work tonight from 4pm-10pm. So I'm going to relax and get ready. The next post will probably be about training, my assessment, and work overall.
Adios!
