Awake My Soul

I want to live a great story.

I want to wake up every day and feel like if I didn't get out of bed, the world would be seriously missing out.

I want to be constantly learning and challenging myself to be the best I can be.

Right now- I'm stagnant. Frozen in time.

Working 60 hours a week, and yet feeling like I haven't accomplished a thing.

I feel old.

That being said, I'm not sad. In fact, I'm happy almost all the time. Sure, life is exhausting and never perfect. But it's also exhilarating. And I'm missing that excitement.

So it's time for Gypsy Jillian to pack up her little car and find a new adventure. Or perhaps a new chapter in an old adventure. One where I can feel the magic. Because it seems that here in Orlando, my well has run dry.

I'm crying a little as I write this, and my departure is still weeks away. Maybe it's from the Mumford & Sons I'm listening to in the background, but more likely it's that I'm realizing that I will be leaving a piece of my heart here in buffet crazy, outlet filled, tourist ridden Orlando. I have learned so much during my year away from home. I had the chance to meet Jillian- the real Jillian. No preconceived notions or expectations. I got to know hilarious, loving, talented, loyal, Godly, passionate, big hearted wonderful people who have helped mold me into the person I am today. I could name you individually, but you know who are you and the impact you have on my life. Please know how special you are to me.

I worked more in this one year than I did possibly my whole life. Full time internship in Guest Relations, 3 days at safari, 6 months at Festival of the Lion King, 6 weeks of Halloween Horror Nights, 2 months of Grinchmas, a few shifts as Olive Oyl, a last minute stint at Starbucks, workshops, bible studies, choirs and wonderful adventures.

But it's time to go- as impossible as it seems to leave you behind, and as scared and unsure of my path as I am, I know it's what I have to do.

As Peter Pan (well spieling Peter) once said, keep adventuring and stay not a grown up.

So thank you Orlando, and everyone that has been a part of it. I will treasure you forever.

Working 9 to 5

Considering that my work life has been fairly chaotic recently, I figured it was about time to put together a blog post that explains exactly what I've been up to.

I'm currently statused part time at Festival of the Lion King in operations. I still love watching the show, and the job itself is fairly easy. On the flip side, due to reduced hours at Animal Kingdom and a plethora of Camp Minnie Mickey cast members, my hours at Disney have been a pretty steady 6 per week. Clearly that is not going to pay the rent, so I've been lucky enough to pick up a few extra jobs in entertainment at Universal Studios Orlando.

This last week I completed training in atmosphere characters at Islands of Adventure. I'm only seasonal there so I don't know how often I'll be scheduled, but hopefully I'll get to hang out in Toon Lagoon on a pretty regular basis. Even if I don't, not to fear, because Universal has offered me 2 other seasonal entertainment roles! Starting next week I'll train as a scareactor for Halloween Horror Nights, and after that I'll be spending my Christmas season in Whoville.

I'm still in the pool for a few different spots at Disney as well as on the Full Time wait list for Attractions and Merchandise, but I'm thankful that God has been holding off on those offers for now. He must know that my schedule is far too crowded for full time this fall!

Other than theme parks I've been trying to get into babysitting, so if you know of anyone who needs some help, send them my way! My hours should be picking up soon (thank goodness) but until then I've been enjoying my time relaxing. Who knows how much I'll be able to do that in the coming months!

I hope this clears things up for everyone! I'm so thankful to have such diverse opportunities coming my way.

Looks like I'll be headed to the theatres at Animal Kingdom now. While it's not Safaris, I think it is definitely a top notch alternative. I love both Finding Nemo: The Musical and Festival of the Lion King, and working a 3D movie at Disneyland was the bees knees, so I know I will be happy with whatever gets thrown at me.

I'll be heading home for the weekend (first time since I left in January!) and I am so excited! Not only will I get to see the family, but I'll also meet new baby Harrison (and see Henry again!) reunite with some friends, actually celebrate a holiday, see my dad's show, and most importantly, see the love of my life, Ernest.

When I get back on Tuesday I know I will be fully refreshed and ready to take on the world. :)

This post is dedicated to Joe E Jackson

Joe Jackson is a man among men. Not only does his gigantic 6 foot 10 frame stand out in a crowd, but his sparking personality leaves a lasting impact on everyone he meets. A steadfast friend with a heart as big as his enormous man hands, Joe is the very definition of loyal, trustworthy, and supportive. He is a force to be reckoned with in the workplace, charming the pants off of everyone he meets (figuratively, of course). His energetic smile and willingness to try new things brings a sense of danger and excitement to every day life. Honest to the core, Joe will call you out on your errors, but then you can't help but laugh along with his goofy chuckle at your own misfortune. Joe is a Southern gentleman who gives far more than he ever expects to receive. He is one half of a dedicated, loving relationship with a beautiful woman, and I can't wait to attend their wedding later this year. Joe and Hallie are a shining model of a healthy partnership, and I'm sure through married life they will only grow closer together (and continue to make the rest of us mere mortals insanely jealous).

I am privileged and blessed to have Joe Jackson as a part of my life. I can only hope to be half the man he is some day. (hold on...what did I just say?)

I'll miss you, Joe :)

Today was one of the best days I've ever had working for Disney.

First of all, Disney always gives me the best trainers. Seriously. I've been so lucky with having some of the most encouraging, knowledgeable, supportive trainers in the world. Julie, you were great.

I spent the morning working on some land positions and having a ball joking with guests about the safari lasting 2 weeks. Then after lunch came the moment of truth - the first live safari.

That's right...this afternoon I took guests out on a real live safari. I drove, I spieled, I rocked.

Immediately after that, I gave my last safari.

That's right folks, today was my third and last day at Kilimanjaro Safaris. Turns out my anosmia (lack of smell) is a disability after all. See, out there on the reserve, we're completely alone in our trucks. Sure we have guests, but it would be irresponsible to rely on them for safety issues. Let's say my propane tank started leaking. Could I smell it? Nope.

Management had to call safety and because this has been an issue in the past, KSR can no longer allow me to be part of their attraction. To put it lightly, I am bummed.

But I'm staying positive. Silver lining, God closing a door and opening a window and all that.

Management at KSR is absolutely wonderful - they're about as upset as I am that I can't stay, and they're looking to put me somewhere close by where I can still spiel about animals to my heart's content. And hey, now I won't have to be as concerned with safety issues, right?

So to all who wanted to ride my safari, you're out of luck. Only about 40 people will ever get that privilege. But I will always remember my days as a Game Driver in the Harambe Wildlife Reserve.

Kwa Herini KSR

Life on the Reserve

I have now completed 2 days of training at Kilimanjaro Safaris, and I must say, I'm obsessed.

Day 1 was pretty much an overview of the attraction. We explored Africa, took a ride, reviewed animals, did some e-learning, and even drove the truck around the vehicle maintenance lot. No, I didn't make it onto the ride path that day, but driving that beast around the parking lot was more than enough for day 1 thank you!

Day 2 started out with learning the spiel. After around 2 hours of studying, I knocked everyone's socks off with my memorizing skills. So thanks mom and dad, that theatre training keeps managing to come in handy. :) We then took some time to learn a few of the land positions. It was fun to get back into a greeter role, and I feel right back into my old habits of encouraging people to "fill in allllllll the available space". I had actually missed it. I then learned the wonders of fastpass and how to deal with the crazy mishaps of some of the oldest fastpass machines known to man. I also got some practices subduing the masses while they wait for their fastpass time to start and laying down the law when it comes to one party at a time!

After lunch we took a truck out to the ride path. That's right, I drove a 36 passenger truck past lions, elephants, rhinos and crocodiles to name a few, in the rain, and over a tilting bridge. I'm slowly learning the art of the overwhelmingly wide turns and how to approach the dock at the exact right angle so you don't pop up on the curb. It's going to take quite a bit of practice, but even after my few hours driving around today I'm already feeling more comfortable. Driving my little honda civic at the end of the day was a bit of a jolt though. I have a feeling my driving is going to be a lot rougher once I start driving the safari all day!

My greatest accomplishment for the day was that I was able to spiel for an entire trip without any major mishaps. I know I still have a lot to work on, (and luckily 4 more days to practice!) but I have a really good feeling about my future on the Harambe Wildlife Reserve. These past 2 days have flown by. I love the work, I love the people, and I loooooove the animals. Today I saw elephants playing in the water, a baby mandrill in a tree, a newly hatched flamingo, and some of the rarest animals that exist in Africa today.

My only wish is that I could take pictures while I drive!

I'm sure I'll have plenty of wonderful stories to tell in the next few months. I'm really liking this new chapter of my life :)

Life at the Harambe Wildlife Reserve

Jambo everyone!

My internship is officially over. Basta. Finito. No longer am I a floating head in the Walt Disney Corporation - as of Sunday I am an official part time cast member. I have a seniority date and everything!

Starting now until who knows when, I will be a safari guide at the Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction in Disney's Animal Kingdom. I am so excited I might pee myself.

1. I love animals.

Giraffes, elephants, little Tommies and most of all, the elusive Okapi, who I relate to because of its antisocial ways. I get to watch these animals all day, every day, and I cannot wait.

2. I get to spiel!

Good grief have I missed spieling or what! I mean, I turned Captain EO and the Astro Orbitor into spieling attractions (be it my horrible Michael Jackson jokes or silly astro Christmas carols), so clearly talking in front of people is something I'm pretty passionate about. Each safari is about 20-25 minutes long, and seeing as the animals are real and not animatronic, each round is going to be completely different from the last. Time to get used to thinking on my feet again!

3. It's in a park!

While I really enjoyed the experiences working at Downtown Disney gave me, I realized that I just don't have a connection with Walt Disney World. Disneyland is and always will be my home. Even when things were difficult there, I felt connected to the place, and it was easier to get past the negatives. It's been more difficult to do that here because I don't love the resort in the same way. My hope for this role is that it will help me develop that bond with Orlando and everything we have to offer here so that it's easier to push past the difficulties I will inevitably face.

Things that are gonna be tough? Driving a massive truck...sitting in that heat! The fact that I'm part-time and need more hours to pay my rent...

But despite any apprehensions I'm feeling, I know that I am thoroughly going to enjoy this change. I think I'm addicted to it (change that is).

My social life these past few days has been bustling because I haven't had work, and while I've really enjoyed all the playing, I'm also ready to get back to work! I'm also participating in Encore! Cast Choir which is a musical revue that's performing at the end of July/beginning of August.

So it looks like I will indeed be staying in Florida for some time. I'm excited to see what she has to offer!

Lately

I am truly terrible at this whole updating thing

The Lenten fast has been going well. I haven't gone in Facebook in about a month now and honestly, it hasn't been hard. Sure there are times when I'm bored or curious about somebody...or most of all I make a new friend and can't add them until Easter, but for the most part I'm not really missing it. The main issue is that I can't show all the awesome photos I've been taking over the last month.

To remedy that, I posted a bunch on Flickr that you are more than welcome to check out http://www.flickr.com/photos/jilawesome/

I should be adding my photos from MegaCon soon so you can see all the incredible costumes I came across there.

The end of my program is coming up and it's time for me to start figuring out my future plans. As of right now, I have too many. Back to school? Stay in GR? Audition for entertainment? Work on a cruise ship? What to do???

I know God has something fantastic planned for me though, and I have full faith in Him. I suppose having too many options is better than none at all, right?

Jamaica, Bahamas, come on pretty mama

Hello friends! Since moving to Orlando I have been attending church at First Baptist Orlando, and God has been making huge waves in my life. He has been pushing me to do more work in His ministry and spread the gospel to everyone I meet. I joined a group of college students that witnesses to the Disney College Program students through bible studies, dinner nights, and handing out breakfast at the bus stop at 6am. I’m not sleeping much, but I have never felt so awake.

Most recently God has called me to join First Baptist’s college group Amp’d on a mission trip to Jamaica this July. We are going to be working with Won by One to Jamaica ministries and living in the small community of Harmons, assisting with physical labor, caring for the children, and witnessing to the people of Jamaica. I cannot wait to see what lessons God has to teach me through this experience, and I am thrilled for yet another opportunity to show His love to people who may have never seen it before.

Now a trip like this takes a lot of support, and that’s what I’m coming to you for. More than anything I need your encouragement and prayer, but should you feel compelled, a monetary donation towards my travel would be greatly appreciated. Each student has to raise $1,425 by July (not an easy feat), so every little bit counts. I would also greatly appreciate if you would share my situation with friends or family that may be willing to offer their support (spiritual or otherwise). Any spare funds I raise will be applied towards the other students accompanying me on this journey, so nothing will go to waste!

I hope all is well with you – if you need to ask any further questions or contact me, please do it by email (Lawson.jillian@gmail.com) or phone (408 460 8255). God bless!

Jillian

Lent

Good morning, friends! Happy Ash Wednesday! Would that be the proper terminology? Happy Ash Wednesday? Regardless, you're reading this right now because you are curious about why I'm saying goodbye to facebook. Well, for the next 46 days, I am going to be facebook free. (And TV free for that matter too)

I've been working on actively seeking Christ every moment of every day, and to be perfectly honest, facebook and television are a huge distraction. My goal for this next month and a half is that whenever I want to watch a TV show or surf facebook, instead I will do a Bible study, or read a book, or say a prayer, or have some worship time. The purpose of Lent is to turn our minds to God. To take these vices that we have made into idols and replace them with time with God.

It's definitely going to be difficult. Even now I find myself wanting to check and see if anyone posted comments on my new pictures, or update a status about my day. But what is that achieving really? I'm hoping that through this fast I will become a more complete person through the study of scripture and unlimited alone time with my Lord and Savior.

If you need to reach me I will still be readily accessible through email and my phone, and I also plan on updating this blog with what I'm learning and going through. So stay tuned!

And now I bid you adieu. Pray for me friends, and see you in 46 days.

May the Force be with you

Yesterday was one of the best days of my life. And I mean that in the least possible cliche way.

It started out at 8am signing in for the Star Wars Weekends auditions. I got measured at 70" on the nose (I guess no more faking that I'm 5'9") and then waited around until 10 o'clock before my group finally got called in. They stood us in 5 rows, turned on some music, and then stared us down, row by row. Now, I was nervous. I had been told that they usually only take a few people from each group, and what were the chances that I would be one of them? Good golly I wanted this though, so I stood tall and proud and tried to exude as many evil vibes as I could.

I guess it worked, because they pulled me and two other girls! First we were sent to the movement audition where they taught us poses and talked to us about our characters. My character was a sheer evil baby eater that wields a dual lightsaber (that can also split down the middle and become 2). I got to walk around like I owned the place, sneer, and act like I was having a lightsaber duel. Could life get any better? The casting directors seemed to like me a lot, so they also had me try some movement for a certain bounty hunter that could have been a jedi, but didn't have the control to master the force. Now she has it out for the Jedi and also serves as a mentor/caretaker of young Boba Fett. After I moved like her, they sent me to cosmetology and wardrobe to get better acquainted with her and the dark Jedi I had been portraying earlier.

I ended up staying until about 1:30 so I could show the casting directors both looks, and by george, I think I nailed both of those auditions! It was so much fun putting away my happy go lucky guest relations smile and pulling out the evil sneer. I didn't have to be nice to anyone - in fact, I was encouraged to be straight up mean! At the end of the audition, one of the directors told me that I make one "creepy broad". Definitely have to add that to my resume.

The final question they asked me was "does this sound like something that would be fun to you?"

Oh, if only they knew exactly HOW much fun it would be for me. I tried to explain as best I could (even mentioning my RD LEEDR license plate). At the end of the day though, I was just so happy to be so close to the Star Wars universe for a while. As I told some of my friends, it was like every little girl's dream to dress up like a princess coming true, only I was bald and super evil.

I never did like being normal :)

So now I wait to find out if I'm approved to be friends with either of those characters. If I am, I expect a mass exodus to Florida. Star Wars Weekends are happening the last two weekends in May and the first two in June. Come see me be friends with her:

or her:

Clarity

I had an intense moment of clarity tonight.

For quite some time now I've felt like I've been trapped by this life I thought I was supposed to have. Nothing I was doing could ever quite live up to these expectations of the path I imagined I'd be on. Don't get me wrong, I've loved so much about my life in the past year - DCP will forever be one of my most treasured memories. But despite all this living I've been doing, it never seemed "right".

Then tonight, I'm driving home from work, listening to some Alexi Murdoch and thinking about life and love, and suddenly, no warning, I'm free. I realize I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. It's not just acceptance that my life didn't turn out the way I hoped - it's joy that I have hope. That God's plan is thousands of times better than anything I could think of for myself, and if I could just learn to trust in that, I'll no longer be captive to foolish desires of the past.

When I realized this, tears came rushing to my eyes. Brilliant, wonderful, relieved, liberated tears.

For the first time in over a year, I truly let him go.

And then I watched the Volkswagen commercial Cassie posted on my facebook wall and I fell into a fit of hysterical giggling. Silly Jillian really does have trouble staying serious.

But to sum it up, the lyrics from the song I was listening to pretty much perfectly describe my current state:

Well I have been searching

All of my days

Many a road, you know

I've been walking on

All of my days

And I've been trying to find

What's been in my mind

As the days keep turning into night

Well I have been quietly standing in the shade

All of my days

Watch the sky breaking on the promise that we made

All of this rain

And I've been trying to find

What's been in my mind

As the days keep turning into night

Well many a night I found myself with no friends standing near

All of my days

I cried aloud

I shook my hands

What am I doing here

All of these days

For I look around me

And my eyes confound me

And it's just too bright

As the days keep turning into night

Now I see clearly

It's You I'm looking for

All of my days

So I'll smile

I know I'll feel this loneliness no more

All of my days

For I look around me

And it seems You found me

And it's coming into sight

As the days keep turning into night

As the days keep turning into night

And even breathing feels all right

Yes, even breathing feels all right

Now even breathing feels all right

Yes even breathing

Feels all right

I hope you enjoyed the more reflective Jillian. She doesn't come out in public too often :)

I'm not moving

Training is complete and work has officially begun. Today is my 2nd day on the job without any trainers looking over my shoulder. To be perfectly honest, I feel like I do a better job when I think no one is watching. There's all this pressure to be perfect with the manager and trainer standing behind me. I know what I'm doing, but I can't help but doubt myself with the people in charge right there.

I've had some interesting experiences with guests already! Starting to learn tips to recognize ticket scammers, how to make small talk AND correctly process transactions at the same time, and learning about my co-workers and their stories. Some fun stories of experiences at work? Well I had a guest (who thought he was the funniest man on the planet) work with me for about 45 minutes before he finally decided to buy a ticket to the park. I stood there and smiled and laughed and on the inside rolled my eyes, but when it comes down to it I think I left him with a positive impression of WDW and our Guest Relations team. And that's really the goal, isn't it?

I also had a fun transaction with some Spanish speaking only guests. Now after about 9 years of Spanish and 2 of Italian, I'd say I understand the language pretty well. Sure I'm a little slow and unfamiliar with most of the vocab, but I can definitely get the general impression of what the person is trying to say. Unfortunately, my speaking skills are not nearly as advanced. My lack of vocab makes it difficult for me to get my point across and whenever I try to think of the Spanish word, all that comes to mind is Italian (and vice versa). It's infuriating. So I have this family from South America who is picking up their tickets and trying to get some information from me about how to use them. There was a lot of charades and writing numbers down, but I think I was eventually able to inform them of how to use their tickets. At one point I heard the husband telling his wife that they were wasting their time because I don't speak Spanish, but in the end they left with smiles on their faces and 5 days of fun at the parks.

I predict work to be a lot of the same - like how it was at Disneyland. Working at a Disney park is a unique experience. You're constantly busy, yet when people ask what you've been up to you can't give a very long response. Work is usually slight variations of the same issues - but I enjoy it nonetheless. Even when I have to repeat instructions to the restroom 5 times in a row, each guest is hearing it for the first time. I have to keep that in mind. Every guest deserves a brand new experience.

It relates a lot to my Bible study from last night. We're going through Paul's missionary journey in the book of Acts (which is fun because I've actually been to most of those places...). A huge lesson we can learn from Paul is to be intentional with everything we do and say. Sure I may be giving the same message to the majority of the guests here, but I don't know where they're coming from or heading to after they leave me. I don't know their story, and I have no idea the effect I'm going to have on these people. Paul wants to preach in Jerusalem more than anything, yet God's path keeps him away from it for a long time. And when he finally makes it to Jerusalem, what happens? He speaks once and then gets taken away to Rome. That's such a great lesson that you never know how many chances you are going to get. Each interaction is so important. It can be hard to remember that when you spend 8 hours a day doing the same old routine, but it's essential to really enjoy this job. When you embrace each interaction as a brand new experience, you can never get tired of what you do.

At least, that's the hope.

Aside from work I'm really happy with where my life is headed. I've found some wonderfully fun, intelligent, inspiring, uplifting, and challenging people to spend my time with. I'm getting so many opportunities to develop my faith and witness to the people around me. I'm learning a lot about different walks of life and the stories of the people I'm meeting.

I know God sent me to Orlando for a reason, and I think I'm starting to get a taste of it. And it's oh so good.

Come on now sugar

Another 2 wonderful days off have past, and I completed my first day of On the Job Training.

Sunday I went to First Baptist Church Winter Garden and really enjoyed it. I've been missing some good worship music and discussion of the Bible and God's word...it's a little bit sad how I don't realize how much I've missed it until I experience it again. Sometimes I am the worst friend ever to God and Jesus, but thankfully I have people in my life that encourage my spiritual growth and developing a closer relationship with Him.

After church I spent all day hanging out with my new CP Apartment friends. It's such a relief to have found a place I feel so comfortable and unafraid to be myself in so quickly. After being so homesick, it was really necessary for me to find that peace.

Monday was back to Universal with Lance and James. Oh man, what a ridiculously fun day. First of all, AMAZING weather. It was warm and sunny and I didn't even have to wear my coat. The crowds were light (and the onesies helped) and the company was delightful.

Then today was Day 1 of training and I felt really good about it. Not only did I get a lot of time to talk through processes and different information I'll need to know, but I also got quite a bit of experience with REAL LIVE GUESTS. I sold tickets, renewed passes, made reservations, and got the answers wrong multiple times. And you know what? It was totally ok. Guests were patient and supportive when I told them I was still in training, and I'm just generally feeling good about life.

I predict good things :)

Tickets tickets and more tickets!

The last 4 days have had some fun times, some less than fun times, and some incredibly educational hours.

We'll start with 4 days ago - Tuesday. I spent the day at the Animal Kingdom with fellow GR interns Michael and Liz. We were able to watch the Festival of the Lion King and It's Tough to be a Bug, ride Dinosaur, and eat some delicious food at the Yak and Yeti. Mostly I just wanted to wander around the park and really get a good feel for it (should I happen to pick up a shift there). We also stopped by costuming and I was able to pick up the right shirts.

Wednesday was spent at the Magic Kingdom. I haven't been there in about 12 years (or something) so it was quite a crazy day! Especially considering the fact that it's Disneyland - but not quite. We were lucky and the park was pretty empty that day so we got through almost every attraction in the park. I thoroughly enjoyed the interactive queue for Winnie the Pooh. I think that if things like that had been around when I was younger I would be all over it- now my germaphobe side gets the better of me. I absolutely loved Mickey's Phillharmagic and really enjoyed the Monster's Inc. Laugh Floor. Haunted Mansion had some really cool changes that I'm definitely going to want to check out again, and I got to ride the PeopleMover for the first time since riding it at Disneyland waaaaaaaay back in the day. I'd say overall it was a magical wonderful day that ended with the fantastic new castle show for the "Let the Memories Begin" promotion and "Wishes", the Magic Kingdom's beautiful fireworks show.

The last 2 days have been dedicated to ATS training. I have now learned how to do just about anything I want with a Walt Disney World resort ticket. I actually had a lot of fun in those classes because it was a wonderful mixture of a challenge that stimulated my brain, but also simple tasks that I could be proud to accomplish. I'm feeling really positive about getting started at Downtown Disney, especially because we keep getting told that ticketing will be a major component of our duties down there.

Aside from class and "research" as I like to call it, I've been meeting some wonderful people and finally starting to get settled out here in Orlando. My fellow GR interns are a fabulous, diverse, fascinating crew that I love getting to know more. I really hope to pick up some shifts in other parks so I can work with these people and learn more about them. I've also been making friends with other professional interns in different departments and they all have lots of great stories to tell and advice to give. Finally, last night I checked out a group that was started for CPs, but includes people from all walks of life. They stem from the First Baptist Church of Orlando but they're basically just a community of believers looking for support, inspiration, and lots of fun in the people around them. I went to a "breakfast for dinner" event with them last night and had the time of my life. I haven't felt that comfortable with a group of people since moving to Orlando. Sometimes it's hard to remember that God always provides - so when He does, it knocks the wind out of you a bit. Either way, I'm thanking Him for the google search that led me to this uplifting community.

Tomorrow is my property orientation for Downtown Disney (it's only 3 hours, but I'm sure it's gonna be jam packed and full of really useful information). Sunday is church and an outing with these new friends, then Monday another trip to WWOHP, and finally on Tuesday I get to start my OJT (on the job training). I cannot wait to get my hands dirty and start helping these guests! I want to make some magic here!

-Just realized I forgot the "less than fun times". Just goes to show how meaningless they are. But anyway, brilliant Jillian managed to lose her Disney ID within the 2nd week here. I know I know, I'm scatterbrained. But yes, getting it back was a bit of a process because I haven't actually started training yet, but the wonderful cast member at Security was able to call around and help me out, and even though he teased me a bit for losing it so quickly, I was able to get my ID back without any major repercussions. :)

Magic your way

Day 2 of Global GR Training complete!

Today was another fun filled day of learning how to fully utilize all of the tools available to us in GR. We learned about Lost and Found (articles and guests!), Guest Recovery, how to find information on the hub, how to make dining reservations, and then did some elearning. Because I am new to the resort I had the most eclasses to take - 6 to be exact! It took me about 2 hours, but I felt very accomplished when I completed my last course. I now feel very book smart about GR...but I can't wait to get into the field and start some hands on learning! I'm sure a lot of these situations will be things that come with time and practice.

After class I went to pick up my costume. I'm a little anxious to be checked out on my first day of OTJ training because I want to be in perfect Disney look and I had to conquer costuming alone, but I'm sure everyone will be very helpful in making sure I am completely put together.

I've also learned that I have some serious research to do. I don't know the names of restaurants or where ATMs are or so much basic information that I took for granted at Disneyland. That's why my next few days off will be dedicated to studying those parks! (Oh poor Jillian, she has to go play in theme parks for her job. heehee)

Can't wait to start learning about ticketing too! I've been told that at DTD that will be a very important function of my role. So much to learn and so excited to keep going!

Remember - it all started with a mouse!

Traditions and Day 1 of training are now complete!

Traditions was the same and yet very different all at the same time. I had the pleasure of experiencing Disney's tutorial on integrity again (it was thrilling) and then learning about the 4 keys again. WDW doesn't follow the service model though...instead they have 4 Disney basics that say basically the same thing. We took the shuttle over to the Magic Kingdom and got to experience the Utilidors, which was totally awesome. Walking onto Main Street USA was one of the most bizarre experiences of my life though.

See, I haven't been to the Magic Kingdom since I was about 10, and I know Disneyland like it's my own home. So as I walked down Main Street and gazed upon the Partner's statue and the castle, it was like I was home...only not. Everything was so much bigger and spread out. The entrance to tomorrowland is totally different and the Astro Orbiter (over here with an e) was hidden in the back. It's hard to explain...but it was a very overwhelming and emotional experience for me.

We went back to Disney University and finished up class. Unfortunately I ran into another snafu where my ID was missing. I was told I wouldn't get it until Tuesday (which I was NOT happy about), but then found out I simply had to go to security to pick it up. I was able to get my ID later that afternoon and watched Illuminations at EPCOT that night. Now THIS is what I came here for. :)

The next day I spent at Disney's Hollywood Studios with my new friend John. We also saw Black Swan up at Citywalk and let me tell you - that movie is INSANITY. Natalie Portman is amazing.

So today was day 1 of my global training for Guest Relations. Our leaders were Sean, Janet-Sierra, and Lynn - all seasoned GR cast members that were enthusiastic and wonderful teachers. They make me feel like I will be more than prepared once I start OTJ Training. We learned a LOT today - how to help guests with disabilities, different forms to fill out, formats to use when assisting guests, phone etiquette...all sorts of really useful information. Tomorrow we'll learn more general information about GR, then Thursday I start learning how to use ATS (the resort's ticketing program). It's a lot of information all thrown at me at once, but I feel like I'm doing a good job taking it all in.

There's 1 other intern in DTD - a boy named Aaron. There are about 20 or so GR interns all together - most of them are placed at the Magic Kingdom. Funnily enough there was another tall, brown haired, theatre loving Jillian in my class - what are the odds? I'm excited to go back tomorrow and get to know these wonderful people even better and learn more about how I can best assist guests and make their vacations as magical as possible :)

This is our festival you know and best of all we're here to share it all

The last few days have been pretty quiet compared to the craziness of my road trip extraordinare. I moved into Cumberland park without any issues - got all my stuff put away and organized (i love doing that...) and met the lovely roommates.

Check in with Disney had a few slight hitches (for example, apparently my hair was not disney look appropriate for florida, so I dyed it back to brown. I was on the fence about keeping it blonde anyway, so I was happy to have the decision made for me). Also, Jillian made the mistake of not reading the application completely when she filled it out, so that meant she put "no" as the answer for "will you be fingerprinted". This has caused many issues throughout this whole PI process because it looks seriously sketchy that I didn't want to be fingerprinted, when in reality I just made a mistake. I think it's all been squared away though.

The ultimate was that my background check took an extra day to clear, so the evening before I was supposed to go to Traditions, I received a call saying that my whole status was being placed on hold. Um, what? I drove all the way out to Florida and now I can't work?? I spent a little while stressing about that (after all, I know no one in Florida, AND I didn't have my ID so that meant no park access...there's only so much Harry Potter world a girl can go to alone), but I received a call today saying that I am all clear to attend Traditions tomorrow and start my training on Sunday. Needless to say, I am relieved.

As for everything else...I have a pass to Universal Studios and am already halfway to making it pay for itself. I'm sure I'll be going quite frequently (and convince everyone around me to get one too :-D). There are outlets RIGHT next to my apartment so I had some fun today exploring those, and I have watched almost all of season 1 of the Tudors over the past 2 days. I've met quite a few other Professional Interns and they're all very nice and interesting. I can't wait to keep meeting new people and hearing all about their lives!

More to come after I start my orientation and training I'm sure - let's see how WDW Traditions compares to DLR! (maybe i'll dominate at the Disney timeline because i JUST learned it)

You're a Wizard, Harry

What a fantastically wonderful and magical day at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

But it didn't necessarily start out that way.

Lauren and I woke up much too early so that we could get to the park before opening and I could buy my annual pass. We tried to deal with ticketing issues at the hotel, but they were not much help, and by the time we finished with them the shuttle had already left for the park. We then had to wait 35 minutes for the next shuttle. Bummer.

Once we got to the park we went straight to guest services and I pleaded with the nice cast member to let me have the Florida resident price. Unfortunately as an intern, I don't qualify. So I caved and bought the more expensive one. Bonus? Free parking. Which means I am DEFINITELY going to be at that park as often as humanly possible.

Once inside the park we went straight to Harry Potter. Lauren was so excited to see Hogwarts for the first time and I was just as thrilled for her. We went straight up to the express line, I name dropped, and we got right on the ride. We then went straight back and took more time going through the castle as we went through the line. When we got off for the 2nd time, Stephen was there with a handful of express passes. Seriously...I don't know what universal would be like without him! After Forbidden Journey we went on Dragon Challenge and then got lunch at the Three Broomsticks. I had a turkey leg which was AMAZING but so filling. I wasn't hungry again until about 6pm...and we ate lunch at 11. We then did some souvenir shopping - Lauren bought a wand and candy for her family, and I bought a new lanyard for my keys. My old Pepperdine one from freshman year has reached the end of its days I think.

We then decided to get a drink from the hogs head. I had my own concoction of the Hog's Head brew (a sort of amber ale) mixed with Strongbow. It was delicious. Plus, now I know Universal has strongbow on tap. Dangerous. As we were drinking we experienced a famous Florida thunderstorm. We got the whole shebang. Thunder, lightning, and absolutely pouring rain that didn't seem to want to stop. I was happy I had brought my poncho for sure. We ran through the rain and went on Poseidon, Cat in the Hat, and Spiderman before it finally stopped raining. At that point we decided to head over to the other park.

We had great fortune when we got to Universal Studios because the Rip Rockit Roller Coaster (one of the only rides our express passes didn't work for, and usually has a very long line) had just re-opened after the storm. We only had to wait about 10 minutes and then I rocked out to "U Can't Touch This" as we zoomed around the park. Next came the Mummy Ride which I absolutely love out here - it's soooooooo much better than the neon cardboard cut outs in Hollywood. Plus - FIRE CEILING. After the ride I did my standard practice of befriending anyone and everyone (this would be friend #2 for the day) and we chatted with the guy working the bracelet stand in the store. We then moved onto The Jaws ride, Men In Black, ET, the Mummy again, and finally we were done with Universal for the day.

We sluggishly made out way back to Islands of Adventure so Lauren could take some more pictures and we could ride Forbidden Journey one last time. I so prefer Hogsmeade at night...it's much more realistic. Dinner was at Margaritaville in CityWalk where Jillian made friend #3 with the bartender (who also bartends at Disneyworld!) and we scarfed down our food out of hunger.

And thus ended another long, but fulfilling day. Check in is bright and early tomorrow morning - can't wait!

EPIC ROAD TRIP Days 3,4, and 5

Day 3

Left Albuquerque around 8am because we knew we had about a 12 hour day of driving ahead of us. I must admit, this day is fairly boring to blog about because it was a whole lotta nothing. Once we got out of New Mexico everything was flat as can be.

Lauren and I were able to get a picture with the “Welcome to Texas” sign. The sign said “Drive Friendly – the Texas way”. It should have said “Drive dumb – the Texas way”. Ok that’s not to say all Texans are bad drivers…in fact I wouldn’t even go so far to suggest that most Texans are bad drivers. However I will say that many of the Texans we encountered were oblivious drivers. Example 1: A car stopping dead in the middle of the fast lane for no apparent reason. No emergency flashers and started driving a few seconds later. He just decided to take a breather or something in the middle of the highway. Example 2: A car randomly merged into the center lane without signaling so he could turn right. What?? And example 3: A u-hall stopped before pulling over onto the shoulder on the busy highway in Austin. Seriously – oblivious.

The rest of the drive was pretty smooth though. We listened to Harry Potter book 7 and chatted, slept a bit, had Sonic for lunch and made it to our hotel at around 9. I worked out just so I could get some blood circulating then we went straight to bed. 12 hours of driving tires you out. We were excited to see more of the city in the morning though.

Day 4

I woke up relatively early again so that I could work out before we started out. We made a brief stop at Starbucks and chatted with the nice workers. It might just be that all Starbucks people are nice, but these ones were very friendly. Working at Disneyland has made it so that I strike up a conversation with just about anyone – so I have told most of the people we’ve encountered on this trip about our epic road trip. They’re usually pretty responsive to it too.

Our first stop in Austin was Allen’s boots to look for cowboy hats. We were unsure about actually purchasing though, so we left and tried to check out some of the vintage stores I had looked up on yelp. Unfortunately it was only 10am and most of the places didn’t open til 11. We then went BACK to Allen’s boots because Lauren was still debating on buying a hat. She left empty handed again – unsure about where she would actually WEAR a cowboy hat in Ventura, California. By that time one of the stores had opened so we checked it out, and I left with an awesome camera satchel that makes me feel way awesome and old school. We got back in the car, ready to head out to New Orleans, but Lauren was still second guessing the cowboy hat. We ended up deciding to go back and take a 3^rd look at it – after all there will always be at least ONE time when you need a cowboy hat, and what better place to buy one than Texas? Lauren decided to buy it, and 3 times in a shoe store proved too much for me and I caved and bought a pair of SERIOUSLY awesome red cowboy boots. Now I guess I just have to find a great line dancing bar to wear them in!

We finally started out to New Orleans around 11:30, but the drive was only predicted at about 8 hours today so we weren’t too worried. The first half of the drive went a lot faster today because we actually saw trees (TREES!). I laughed a bit to myself as we passed through Beaumont because of Footloose, and Lauren and I got a bit confused by Texas highways/tollways, but overall the first half of the drive was very smooth.

Part 2 of the drive was equally easy – it was fun to drive through all of the swamps and bayous of Louisiana (albeit nerve-wracking to drive over so many bridges!). We missed the “Welcome to Louisiana” sign because it was on the other side of a bridge and next to an on ramp. We were bummed, but that’s what Photoshop is for. On the way we saw another car with a California license plate, and seeing as we were a little stir crazy from all the driving, freaked out a little bit. We made a sign and befriended our fellow Californians, and when they veered off we waved goodbye.

We faced a bit of hotel drama during the drive – New Orleans is not necessarily the safest city in the world, and the hotel I had picked was smack dab in the middle of the French Quarter. Awesome location for sight seeing, but I sort of forgot that all my worldly possessions would be sitting in the back seat of my car and surrounded by drunk crazy people. Because of this, my lovely mother was able to find and book a hotel with a secure parking garage, and all my fears we assuaged. This hotel ended up being quite lovely with a MASSIVE king sized bed and tempurpedic mattress, and was also in a fantastic location.

We drove into New Orleans listening to The Princess and the Frog (again, me insisting on appropriate music selections), checked in, and then head out for the evening. First we had dinner at a restaurant called Pier 424 where we both had delicious seafood gumbo. It was mighty spicy, and I felt like I must have been eating Tiana’s famous gumbo. After dinner we walked over to the Café Du Monde to have beignets from the original location. And yes, they were AWESOME. I love beignets. So much. Next it was time to walk Bourbon street and check out NOLA (New Orleans). Now I’d just like to say maybe it was because there was a massive football game that night, but oh my word, Bourbon street was the craziest thing I have ever experienced. WAY crazier than Vegas by far. As Lauren was saying, you can choose to do Vegas the classy way. In New Orleans…yeah there’s no avoiding the skeeze. Whether it’s signs that say “titties beer and sports: what more could a guy want”, women in underwear beckoning men into clubs, people wandering around (in front of cops no less) with their open containers, or the guys on every balcony throwing beads at women whether they flash or not (and many flash).

Lauren and I managed to find some tamer fun though at Howl at the Moon- a dueling pianos bar. We had lots of fun there listening to Sweet Caroline, Miss American Pie (to which I sang the lyrics to The Saga Begins at the top of my lungs) and many Beatles songs. At about 10:30 we were beat though, so we called it a night and made our way back to our hotel. On the way we scooped up some beads of the street so we could get our mardi gras beads without having to expose ourselves. We were happy. The hotel had given us a coupon for a free drink at their little lounge, so we decided to finish off the night with a glass of wine to help us sleep. The lounge was stylized to look like a 1920s bar and it was a really relaxing way to shake off the craziness of Bourbon street. I finished my wine, watched Jim Carrey host SNL, and then fell right asleep. It had been an exhausting day.

Day 5

We woke up and started out around 10 because we had managed to go to bed so early the night before. Getting out of New Orleans was a bit of a struggle because cops had blocked off the streets we needed to go on, but we eventually made it back to the 10 and set out to drive the remaining 600 miles to Orlando. It only took about 3 hours to pass through the rest of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. We were able to get pictures at the signs for each state – even though Florida gave us some trouble. We ended up having to pull over a bit past it and run to the sign.

We finally made it to Florida though! Unfortunately it was a bit of an empty victory, seeing as we had 7 hours left to drive through that state. The rest of the drive was a mixture of fast and excruciatingly slow. We listened to Harry Potter and both took naps, and we finally made it to the hotel!!! We had a bit of a celebration and then met up with Stephen so he could give Lauren her comp ticket to WWOHP. What a kind boy. Unfortunately, Lauren misplaced said ticket pretty much as soon as she got it. We had a bit of a freak out, but luckily found it in her backpack once we made it into the room. I did a short work out just so I could move my legs a bit and then we both decided to hit the hay. After all, we wanted to be rested for the big day of magical wonderment.

I can’t believe I’m actually here in Florida! Here’s to the next 6 months and the end of EPIC ROAD TRIP (well at least the driving section, thank goodness)

Days 1 and 2 of EPIC ROAD TRIP

Day 1 of road trip is complete and it was a great success!

We started out at about 9:15am. We knew we had 9-10 hours of driving ahead of us and wanted to get into Vegas at a reasonable hour. We got off to a rocky start when we missed the 152 turnoff completely. Luckily we were able to go across the state on 46 which added 30 minutes to the trip at the most. Our drive included beautiful snowy mountains with windmills on top, a gorgeous sunset that made purple mountains majesty, and 9 wonderful hours of catching up with a good friend. We’re hoping to take pictures with each of the “Welcome To” signs as we pass through each state (8 in total), so when we crossed the border we pulled off to the side and quickly took pictures with the sign. I must say, it was COLD outside!

We got into Vegas at about 6:15, checked into our hotel, I worked out (Lauren made phone calls and such) and then got ready for the evening. We were able to get last minute reservations at Mesa Grill – Bobby Flay’s restaurant in Caesar’s palace. It’s Mexican cuisine cooked by an iron Chef, and I must say it was INCREDIBLE. Our favorite part of the meal was the margarita though – one of the best drinks I’ve ever had. Period.

After dinner we went over to Lavo at the Palazzo for the evening. Since it was a random Wednesday in January and Lauren and I are 2 lovely ladies, we were able to get in without having to pay anything. Once inside we met some wonderful Canadian boys named Devon and Mike. They were fabulous company for the evening – totally nerdy and friendly and kept the creepers away, and weren’t angry when we had to leave them empty handed at the end of the night. Because one thing was for sure – Lauren and I were going back to our hotel alone. They were perfect gentleman though and a lot of fun to talk to (we bonded over hockey, of course. And they said “eh”).

So now we’re onto day 2 – another 10 hour drive to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Let’s hope it goes just as well!

Day 2 started out pretty easy with a quick work out, check out of the hotel, and then hitting the road. We were out of Nevada really quickly – so quickly in fact that we completely missed the “Welcome to Arizona” sign. Bummer. I’ll just have to photoshop one for our compilation. The scenery was beautiful as we drove though – snow everywhere. Lauren and I made a pit stop in Winslow, Arizona (about an hour outside of Flagstaff), grabbed pizza hut and gas and switched off driving.

We were now beginning the difficult part of our trip – the mountain pass in between Arizona and New Mexico. The roads were potentially icy and it was starting to get dark out. We’re champs though and made it through Gallup just fine (and ran out in the freezing cold to take a picture with the New Mexico sign too!) We made it to Albuquerque in about 8 and a half hours (maybe a little under) singing and chatting the whole way. We’re pretty proud we haven’t had to resort to car games or Harry Potter yet! Now I’m at the nice little Country Inn and Suites finishing up this blog entry and preparing to get ready for bed. Tomorrow is going to be the most brutal drive – 12 hours to Austin, Texas.

We’re going to start early so now I must say adieu…until next time!

On the road again

Epic Road trip begins in 2 days

I must admit...I'm nervous. I don't know if I ever would have dreamed that I would drive across the country - let alone during winter!

As of right now, our route is as follows:

San Jose --> Las Vegas --> Albuquerque --> Austin --> New Orleans --> Orlando

Day 6 is for visiting Wizarding World of Harry Potter and relaxing.

The part of the trip that makes me nervous is the San Jose/Vegas/Albuquerque part. The weather/mountain passes have me quite intimidated, and my mom's constant anxiety is rubbing off on me. I have faith that God will look out for me on these treacherous roads, but I'm still apprehensive. I could have chosen a less hazardous route that took me through LA and Phoenix (and it would be lovely to see the amazing Cassie and Macey and Amanda and Rebecca etc...) but I want to see something new. I want to have experiences that I may never get again. I want to savour every second of this adventure.

There is something to be said for playing it safe...but then again I can tend to be one to push the envelope. I suppose what it comes down to is as long as the internet still tells me the roads are fine come Thursday, we will be driving through Albuquerque

Side note: I am so excited to try legit New Orleans beignets. My mouth is watering just THINKING about it

The end of college program was so bittersweet. You don't find people like the ones I met there every day. These individuals were truly something special, and I mourn that fact that we can't all be together like that again. Sometimes I hate how much life changes...and yet I embrace it at the same time. If life didn't toss me around into all these unexpected places, I never would have met these incredible people in the first place. And I know they will keep their place in my heart forever.

In the meantime I must prepare for a journey - and I'm not just talking about the 50 hour drive looming on the horizon. I have so much to learn out east and I can't wait to get started