Posts
Well, 2009 is over. And it was...eventful. Extremely eventful.
What did you do in 2009 that you've never done before?
-Directed an entire show
-Turned 22
-Celebrated three years together, two years of engagement, and one year till the wedding
-Dragged Patrick around Disney World!
-Had four big onstage roles
Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Well, let's see. Last year I vowed to...
-Write a page in my second novel every day. HA! That didn't happen. But I'm at least on chapter seven, so that's progress.
-Practice voice more often. Eh, hit or miss. I definitely practice more than I used to.
-Exercise more regularly. Definitely more, but still not consistent.
-Watch less television. LAWLZ. I think I watched more TV this year than I did the year before...but that's mostly because I have to have something on when I'm sewing or writing.
As for this year's resolutions...yeah, they're happening.
Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope. I have a feeling I'm going to be the first person in my circle of friends to have a baby...so...wait a few years...and there will probably be a little Trevathan around.
Did anyone close to you die?
My grandfather passed away in September from pancreatic cancer.
What countries did you spend time in this year?
Just this one!
What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
A husband, a decent apartment, and a job. At least one of those is taken care of...
What dates from 2009 will remain etched on your memory, and why?
September 28th. See three questions higher.
What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Probably playing Miriam Goldman in Beau Jest. I worked so hard for that show, and it paid off in a major way. And I found out that the show was cast around me, so that was nice for my poor little bruised ego (see the majority of theater-related blog entries from 2008 and early 2009.)
What was your biggest failure?
Not doing as well in my classes as I would have liked.
Did you suffer any serious illness or injury?
No, thank goodness. I did my time in 2007-2008. Shingles in the fall, mono in the spring. It was terrible.
What was the best thing you bought?
My new laptop, Spock. And my car, the Mach 5.
Where did most of your money go?
Well, I made very little money in the spring, made a lot of money in the summer, and then spent it slowly in the fall. So basically...living expenses. That sucks.
Compared to last year, are you...
...happier or sadder?
Happier. Mostly due to the fact that I finally regained the confidence that I lost throughout 2007-2008.
...thinner or fatter?
I'm fatter than I was in the summer, but thinner than I was this time last year. So...yay?
...richer or poorer?
About the same.
What did you get really excited about?
Working at Disney again!
What do you wish you'd done more of?
I wish I had more time to hang out with friends, but I was working in the Happiest Place on Earth and doing SEVEN shows. So...now that I have too much free time on my hands, I'm glad things worked out the way they did.
Did you fall in love in 2009?
I fell in love four years ago, but I will say that Patrick and I are more than "in" love. We love each other.
(and everyone just threw up a little bit. At least I'm not proclaiming "Welcome to 2010, the year of our wedding! EVERYONE MUST CELEBRATE WITH US BECAUSE YOU WILL NEVER BE AS ROMANTIC AS WE ARE, SO YOU BETTER BE ENJOYING THIS VICARIOUSLY.")
How many one-night stands?
Um...doesn't this question sort of negate the previous one? But in any case, the answer is no.
Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Not that I can think of. I don't really have a hit list or anything.
What was the best book you read?
Oh, wow. Um...I read my favorite book, Little Women, four times this year. Does that count? Honestly, though, I can't think of a new book I read that I really, really adored.
What did you get and not get?
Nothing, really. I'm quite satisfied.
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 22 this year. I spent my birthday in the theater- we had a matinee and an evening performance of Enchanted Attic.
What one thing could have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Getting married in 2009 instead of 2010. But we're down to 70 days, and I can do that.
Who do you miss?
My Disney family!
Who was the best new person you met?
My Disney apartment mates- Shana, Sam, and Carissa. And Adriana totally counts too. Love them!
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009?
Sometimes it's exhausting to work your ass off, but it pays off in the end.
What sums up this year in a quote?
"Isn't that niiiiice?" (the Beau Jest catchphrase)
And to close...my 2010 resolutions!
-Get married.
-Lose weight.
-Actually try to get Beatrice published.
-Finish ALL my half-finished sewing projects.
Happy New Year, everybody!
Showing posts with label Disney. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Disney. Show all posts
Friday, January 1, 2010
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Lucky, lucky girl!
I got to witness the absolute cutest proposal ever. Seriously, it was adorable.
A guy made arrangements for himself, his girlfriend, and two friends to get VIP seats for Beauty and the Beast. (At least, that's all she knew.) They watched the show from the VIP row, and then at the end the cast member at special right (I think it was Christine) strolled up and said, "Oh, by the way, you have an on stage meet 'n' greet with the whole cast." That's rare; meet 'n' greets are usually only with Belle and the Prince (sometimes Gaston) and on the special left side.
Needless to say, the girl was ecstatic. She ran up on the stage and started taking pictures. But when she turned around to say something to her boyfriend he was down on one knee. She was so shocked she literally dropped her camera.
One of the friends they had brought with them took pictures, and the other friend pulled a guitar out of nowhere (we still don't know how he got it into the theater!) and played while the proposer sang. And finally she had a chance to get a word in edgewise and she said yes. (We were all a little concerned for a while...it wouldn't have ended well if she said no!). And the second the newly engaged couple kissed the sound techs turned on the Celine Dion version of "Tale as Old as Time." It was an absolute perfect proposal.
It kind of made me a little nostalgic for when P proposed. After all, it was a really long time ago...as in two and a half years ago. I told him about the proposal last night and how I feel like I lost that newly-engaged bloom and sighed "Maybe you should just propose again."
He just said "Um...I don't know how I would do that." And I could tell he was making his Awkward!Patrick face. Which is a fabulously hilarious face, if you ever get to see it. Maybe I'll say something awkward to him and take a picture.
Oh, well. His proposal was really sweet, and I'm glad the Beauty and the Beast girl accepted. Not everyone accepted Disney proposals, however magical they may be. My friend Susie was "friends" with Pooh Bear, and a guy at Wilderness Lodge wanted Pooh there when he proposed to his girlfriend because that was her favorite character. Well, Pooh was there, the cast members were assembled, there was a cake and balloons, the guy was on one knee with the ring...and the girl stormed in. Apparently she was pissed off at something, and the guy didn't even notice. He just blissfully offered his proposal.
He was the only one who was shocked when the girl screamed, "No! I hate you! I don't want to marry you! I want to go home!". Then she stormed away.
Needless to say, the guy burst into tears. And Pooh didn't know what to do, so he awkwardly patted the guy on the head and booked it out of there.
I told my coordinator that story, and Max spent the rest of the day running up, patting me awkwardly on the shoulder, and running away. I think he thought it was a hysterical story.
A guy made arrangements for himself, his girlfriend, and two friends to get VIP seats for Beauty and the Beast. (At least, that's all she knew.) They watched the show from the VIP row, and then at the end the cast member at special right (I think it was Christine) strolled up and said, "Oh, by the way, you have an on stage meet 'n' greet with the whole cast." That's rare; meet 'n' greets are usually only with Belle and the Prince (sometimes Gaston) and on the special left side.
Needless to say, the girl was ecstatic. She ran up on the stage and started taking pictures. But when she turned around to say something to her boyfriend he was down on one knee. She was so shocked she literally dropped her camera.
One of the friends they had brought with them took pictures, and the other friend pulled a guitar out of nowhere (we still don't know how he got it into the theater!) and played while the proposer sang. And finally she had a chance to get a word in edgewise and she said yes. (We were all a little concerned for a while...it wouldn't have ended well if she said no!). And the second the newly engaged couple kissed the sound techs turned on the Celine Dion version of "Tale as Old as Time." It was an absolute perfect proposal.
It kind of made me a little nostalgic for when P proposed. After all, it was a really long time ago...as in two and a half years ago. I told him about the proposal last night and how I feel like I lost that newly-engaged bloom and sighed "Maybe you should just propose again."
He just said "Um...I don't know how I would do that." And I could tell he was making his Awkward!Patrick face. Which is a fabulously hilarious face, if you ever get to see it. Maybe I'll say something awkward to him and take a picture.
Oh, well. His proposal was really sweet, and I'm glad the Beauty and the Beast girl accepted. Not everyone accepted Disney proposals, however magical they may be. My friend Susie was "friends" with Pooh Bear, and a guy at Wilderness Lodge wanted Pooh there when he proposed to his girlfriend because that was her favorite character. Well, Pooh was there, the cast members were assembled, there was a cake and balloons, the guy was on one knee with the ring...and the girl stormed in. Apparently she was pissed off at something, and the guy didn't even notice. He just blissfully offered his proposal.
He was the only one who was shocked when the girl screamed, "No! I hate you! I don't want to marry you! I want to go home!". Then she stormed away.
Needless to say, the guy burst into tears. And Pooh didn't know what to do, so he awkwardly patted the guy on the head and booked it out of there.
I told my coordinator that story, and Max spent the rest of the day running up, patting me awkwardly on the shoulder, and running away. I think he thought it was a hysterical story.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
True Life: I'm a Disney World Cast Member
So I'm standing in front of the big blue sorcerer's hat (stupid monstrosity). The third High School Musical show is coming out in about ten minutes. I'm working the wheelchair position, so I'm standing by my silver cones, chatting with guests and answering questions.
Up walks an older couple with a map in hand. This is not an uncommon sight. I stroll up to them, flash my "I'm a Disney Princess" smile, and inquire, "Are you looking for anything in particular?"
The gentleman looks at the big blue hat in confusion. Then he looks at his map. Then he looks at me. Then he says...
"Where's the Epcot gate?"
It is only then that I realize that the map he holds, unfurled, has EPCOT written in big letters across the top, and only then that I realize that his wife is looking around for the big white golf ball.
Maintaining my princessy smile with the greatest of struggles, I gravely inform the gentleman that he is in the wrong park. He's in Disney's Hollywood Studios. I explain to the bewildered couple that they need to go to a different location.
I thought that was all.
As they turn to leave, the gentleman asks, "But before we go, where's the restaurant with food from around the world?"
Beaming to the point that my smile's width could rival Demi Lovato's, I inform him that, "No, sir...that's in Epcot."
Once they were safely out of earshot I howled. Because really, that was fricking hilarious.
Up walks an older couple with a map in hand. This is not an uncommon sight. I stroll up to them, flash my "I'm a Disney Princess" smile, and inquire, "Are you looking for anything in particular?"
The gentleman looks at the big blue hat in confusion. Then he looks at his map. Then he looks at me. Then he says...
"Where's the Epcot gate?"
It is only then that I realize that the map he holds, unfurled, has EPCOT written in big letters across the top, and only then that I realize that his wife is looking around for the big white golf ball.
Maintaining my princessy smile with the greatest of struggles, I gravely inform the gentleman that he is in the wrong park. He's in Disney's Hollywood Studios. I explain to the bewildered couple that they need to go to a different location.
I thought that was all.
As they turn to leave, the gentleman asks, "But before we go, where's the restaurant with food from around the world?"
Beaming to the point that my smile's width could rival Demi Lovato's, I inform him that, "No, sir...that's in Epcot."
Once they were safely out of earshot I howled. Because really, that was fricking hilarious.
Bother bother bother...
Guess who has been a bad blogger?
*sighs*
That would be me.
I was getting so good at it too!
Oh, well. I'm not going to kick myself too much about it. After all, I've been working full time at a crazily hectic job that involves running around in the blazing Florida sun all day. By the time I get home, blogging is the last thing on my mind.
("Dinner" comes first, followed by "vegging out" at a close second, with "collapsing into bed" completing the trifecta.)
(Also, spellcheck is trying to tell me that "trifecta" is not a word. It so is...)
I love working at Disney, but sometimes I just need a break to sit around and do absolutely nothing. Which is precisely what I did the past two days. Literally. I sat on the couch and watched Golden Girls, Bridezilla, and Total Drama Action while playing Sims 2 for most of my weekend. It was pretty funny because every time Carissa and her boyfriend walked in or out of the apartment I would be sitting in the same spot, but usually wearing different clothes.
But yeah. Things are settling. I'm applying for seasonal status soon, so I can go back to the Great Movie Ride. (I was going to do it this week, but I didn't. See above paragraph). Patrick has a full-time job, FINALLY! He's working in the electronics department at Target. And he's probably going to get enough time off to go to Drew's wedding and come visit me, which makes me so happy I could probably explode. Wedding plans are coming along swimmingly, now that we have permission to flip the Great Hall for the reception. And I'm losing weight, which is fantastic. I've now hit the 20-lbs-lost mark (from my heaviest documented weight), plus I had to buy a new belt, which is a size SMALL.
So yeah. Things are going well. I'll try to update more often now, especially since I have some great guest stories: bad ones, good ones, and high-larious ones.
*sighs*
That would be me.
I was getting so good at it too!
Oh, well. I'm not going to kick myself too much about it. After all, I've been working full time at a crazily hectic job that involves running around in the blazing Florida sun all day. By the time I get home, blogging is the last thing on my mind.
("Dinner" comes first, followed by "vegging out" at a close second, with "collapsing into bed" completing the trifecta.)
(Also, spellcheck is trying to tell me that "trifecta" is not a word. It so is...)
I love working at Disney, but sometimes I just need a break to sit around and do absolutely nothing. Which is precisely what I did the past two days. Literally. I sat on the couch and watched Golden Girls, Bridezilla, and Total Drama Action while playing Sims 2 for most of my weekend. It was pretty funny because every time Carissa and her boyfriend walked in or out of the apartment I would be sitting in the same spot, but usually wearing different clothes.
But yeah. Things are settling. I'm applying for seasonal status soon, so I can go back to the Great Movie Ride. (I was going to do it this week, but I didn't. See above paragraph). Patrick has a full-time job, FINALLY! He's working in the electronics department at Target. And he's probably going to get enough time off to go to Drew's wedding and come visit me, which makes me so happy I could probably explode. Wedding plans are coming along swimmingly, now that we have permission to flip the Great Hall for the reception. And I'm losing weight, which is fantastic. I've now hit the 20-lbs-lost mark (from my heaviest documented weight), plus I had to buy a new belt, which is a size SMALL.
So yeah. Things are going well. I'll try to update more often now, especially since I have some great guest stories: bad ones, good ones, and high-larious ones.
Monday, June 1, 2009
What I did over summer vacation...er, the past couple of weeks (plus Musical Monday #15!)
So...things have been crazy. Incredibly crazy. Now I'll catch up!
I had one week after school ended to get ready for Disney. My little sister graduated on the 16th (of May) and we left early early early the next day for Orlando. And it was a long drive, to say the least. We stopped that night at a hotel in Gainesville, then drove the rest of the way the next morning.
The first day of orientation for the Disney College Program is a maze. Seriously. You start at a certain point and then weave your way through all these different stations to get your housing ID, fill out paperwork, etc. The part that made me the most nervous was picking the apartment. They ask what size apartment you want, and then randomly assign you one. I knew this part was coming, and it made me anxious. I even briefly considered asking for a wellness apartment (one where alcohol wasn't allowed) just to lessen my chances of rooming with partiers, but all I came out was a timid "could I get a three-bedroom?".
I ended up in building #1, on the third floor. I moved in as quickly as possible, hoping to be unobtrusive. But it turned out it was all okay. My roommate, Michelle, and I are incredibly compatible as roommates. No problems whatsoever. I also found out that none of the girls in my apartment are partiers, so yay! They're all like me: they enjoy the occasional beverage, but they neither get drunk on a regular basis nor plan to host parties in our apartment. Thank goodness.
The apartment goes like this:
Michelle is from Wisconsin and works at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain in Magic Kingdom.
Kim is from New York and works at the American Adventure quick service food location at Epcot.
Carissa is from New York and works merchandice down Sunset Boulevard in Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Shana is from South Carolina and works at the Great Movie Ride in Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Sam is from South Carolina and works at Toy Story Midway Mania in Disney's Hollywood Studios.
And me? I'm getting to that. (Lawlz, making you wait.)
After the morning orientation and starting to unpack, it was time for afternoon orientation at Disney casting. That was a huge pain in the you-know-what. Seriously. Exhausting. That was also when I found out that while I was returning to Studios, I was not returning to the Great Movie Ride. I was placed in Sunset Attractions: Tower of Terror, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, Beauty and the Beast (the stage show), and Fantasmic!.
I didn't find out until the end of the week that I was placed at Beauty and the Beast (also known as Theater of the Stars, also known as ToTS) and Fantasmic!. And I didn't know until I was in training that working Fantasmic! also meant I was trained for the Pixar Block Party Bash parade and the High School Musical 3: School's Out! pep rally.
So yeah. Lots of training. I've got some interesting stories about that, but I don't want to get into it at the moment. It would take too long.
But now I'm fully trained at all four work locations, plus I'm in line for recertification training at the Great Movie Ride, so I can work there too...maybe even transfer there.
And now you're all caught up! Now you know what I'm up to, and where I'm working, and all that good stuff. I'll post some pictures...once I take them. I'm so bad about that.
And until I post again (which shall be soon, I promise!), here's my Musical Monday entry. What better music than the show that I work at?!
Yeah, guess who gets to see this three nights a week. ME!
I had one week after school ended to get ready for Disney. My little sister graduated on the 16th (of May) and we left early early early the next day for Orlando. And it was a long drive, to say the least. We stopped that night at a hotel in Gainesville, then drove the rest of the way the next morning.
The first day of orientation for the Disney College Program is a maze. Seriously. You start at a certain point and then weave your way through all these different stations to get your housing ID, fill out paperwork, etc. The part that made me the most nervous was picking the apartment. They ask what size apartment you want, and then randomly assign you one. I knew this part was coming, and it made me anxious. I even briefly considered asking for a wellness apartment (one where alcohol wasn't allowed) just to lessen my chances of rooming with partiers, but all I came out was a timid "could I get a three-bedroom?".
I ended up in building #1, on the third floor. I moved in as quickly as possible, hoping to be unobtrusive. But it turned out it was all okay. My roommate, Michelle, and I are incredibly compatible as roommates. No problems whatsoever. I also found out that none of the girls in my apartment are partiers, so yay! They're all like me: they enjoy the occasional beverage, but they neither get drunk on a regular basis nor plan to host parties in our apartment. Thank goodness.
The apartment goes like this:
Michelle is from Wisconsin and works at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain in Magic Kingdom.
Kim is from New York and works at the American Adventure quick service food location at Epcot.
Carissa is from New York and works merchandice down Sunset Boulevard in Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Shana is from South Carolina and works at the Great Movie Ride in Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Sam is from South Carolina and works at Toy Story Midway Mania in Disney's Hollywood Studios.
And me? I'm getting to that. (Lawlz, making you wait.)
After the morning orientation and starting to unpack, it was time for afternoon orientation at Disney casting. That was a huge pain in the you-know-what. Seriously. Exhausting. That was also when I found out that while I was returning to Studios, I was not returning to the Great Movie Ride. I was placed in Sunset Attractions: Tower of Terror, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, Beauty and the Beast (the stage show), and Fantasmic!.
I didn't find out until the end of the week that I was placed at Beauty and the Beast (also known as Theater of the Stars, also known as ToTS) and Fantasmic!. And I didn't know until I was in training that working Fantasmic! also meant I was trained for the Pixar Block Party Bash parade and the High School Musical 3: School's Out! pep rally.
So yeah. Lots of training. I've got some interesting stories about that, but I don't want to get into it at the moment. It would take too long.
But now I'm fully trained at all four work locations, plus I'm in line for recertification training at the Great Movie Ride, so I can work there too...maybe even transfer there.
And now you're all caught up! Now you know what I'm up to, and where I'm working, and all that good stuff. I'll post some pictures...once I take them. I'm so bad about that.
And until I post again (which shall be soon, I promise!), here's my Musical Monday entry. What better music than the show that I work at?!
Yeah, guess who gets to see this three nights a week. ME!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Whose Powerade was that?!
OMG. I love having days off to play in Disney World. I went to Typhoon Lagoon (for the first time), then Fantasia Gardens, then Downtown Disney with Carissa. So much fun!
Lowlights:
-Um...none, really. The weather was nice and everything was a lot of fun.
Highlights:
-I went to Typhoon Lagoon with Carissa, one of my roommates. I rode the raft slides- Mayday Falls, Keelhaul Falls, and...uh...the Something-Or-Other Falls. I skipped out on the Crush 'n' Gusher, though. Not quite ready for that one.
-Carissa and I headed out to the Fantasia Gardens mini-golf course...$6 for cast members! We met her old roommate Krystina there, who's a seasonal CM...she's friends with Minnie Mouse, among others. We sucked, but we had so much fun.
-We went to DTD and grabbed dinner at Earl of Sandwich, then shopped around. I traded for a super rare Meet the Robinsons pin, and bought some killer Alice in Wonderland pajamas. "Killer" and "pajamas" don't really seem to belong in the same sentence, but seriously. They're awesome.
-Krystina had to head out, but Carissa and I went to see Up at the 11:30 showing. I love being a cast member...where else can you pay $6 for a nighttime movie ticket?! The movie was amazing. It's definitely the most emotional of all of Pixar's films, which is saying something. The montage in the beginning with Carl and Ellie is just heartrending. And then it's hysterical at the same time. The parks are selling a shirt with Dug the dog on it that say "I have just met you and I love you" and I'm so going to buy it.
On Thursday, though. When I get my paycheck. Money's awesome.
You may have heard that EPCOT stands for "Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow." Which it does. But it also stands for "Every Paycheck Comes On Thursday."
Or "Every Person Comes Out Tired."
Or. "Excruciating Polyester Costumes of Torture."
Take your pick.
Lowlights:
-Um...none, really. The weather was nice and everything was a lot of fun.
Highlights:
-I went to Typhoon Lagoon with Carissa, one of my roommates. I rode the raft slides- Mayday Falls, Keelhaul Falls, and...uh...the Something-Or-Other Falls. I skipped out on the Crush 'n' Gusher, though. Not quite ready for that one.
-Carissa and I headed out to the Fantasia Gardens mini-golf course...$6 for cast members! We met her old roommate Krystina there, who's a seasonal CM...she's friends with Minnie Mouse, among others. We sucked, but we had so much fun.
-We went to DTD and grabbed dinner at Earl of Sandwich, then shopped around. I traded for a super rare Meet the Robinsons pin, and bought some killer Alice in Wonderland pajamas. "Killer" and "pajamas" don't really seem to belong in the same sentence, but seriously. They're awesome.
-Krystina had to head out, but Carissa and I went to see Up at the 11:30 showing. I love being a cast member...where else can you pay $6 for a nighttime movie ticket?! The movie was amazing. It's definitely the most emotional of all of Pixar's films, which is saying something. The montage in the beginning with Carl and Ellie is just heartrending. And then it's hysterical at the same time. The parks are selling a shirt with Dug the dog on it that say "I have just met you and I love you" and I'm so going to buy it.
On Thursday, though. When I get my paycheck. Money's awesome.
You may have heard that EPCOT stands for "Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow." Which it does. But it also stands for "Every Paycheck Comes On Thursday."
Or "Every Person Comes Out Tired."
Or. "Excruciating Polyester Costumes of Torture."
Take your pick.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Don't wear polyester in Orlando...
So...I'm eventually going to blog about the past week and a half. It'll take awhile.
In the meantime, enjoy the highlights and lowlights of my shift at ToTS today.
Lowlights:
-A woman getting angry that I put in her in the bleachers (as the theater was completely full) that she left (ducking under several ropes in the process) and sat in the handicapped section. Even though she was completely able-bodied. She told me she was mad because the row was empty and the handicapped people wouldn't need it.
Highlights:
-A family with "I'm celebrating" pins walked by. I asked what they were celebrating, and the mom happily said "Dad's not getting deployed!".
-A darling little boy with dimples not only waved back at me (some kids are too shy) but when I blew him a kiss, he blew it right back!
-Chatting with a lovely older couple about their plans in the park, and helping them find other attractions.
-A little girl came up in a Cinderella gown and tiara. I said "Hello, Princess Cinderella" and curtsied, and she was so happy her cheeks went pink.
-A guy asked me about where he could see "Fanastasia." Seriously. Hilarious.
In the meantime, enjoy the highlights and lowlights of my shift at ToTS today.
Lowlights:
-A woman getting angry that I put in her in the bleachers (as the theater was completely full) that she left (ducking under several ropes in the process) and sat in the handicapped section. Even though she was completely able-bodied. She told me she was mad because the row was empty and the handicapped people wouldn't need it.
Highlights:
-A family with "I'm celebrating" pins walked by. I asked what they were celebrating, and the mom happily said "Dad's not getting deployed!".
-A darling little boy with dimples not only waved back at me (some kids are too shy) but when I blew him a kiss, he blew it right back!
-Chatting with a lovely older couple about their plans in the park, and helping them find other attractions.
-A little girl came up in a Cinderella gown and tiara. I said "Hello, Princess Cinderella" and curtsied, and she was so happy her cheeks went pink.
-A guy asked me about where he could see "Fanastasia." Seriously. Hilarious.
Friday, March 27, 2009
My Disney College Program Experience
Name: Caitlin Nicholas
College:
Major/Minor: Theater major, English minor
Are you a campus rep?: Sure am! I’ve been one since fall of 2006.
Current age: 22
Age at time of program: 18, but I turned 19 during the program
Time and type of program: Spring of 2006
Type of job: Attractions
Work position and location: A Great Movie Ride Tour Guide in the Disney-MGM Studios
What did your job entail?:
A big part of my job was performing shows, but I also loaded guests onto vehicles, parked strollers, and facilitated lines, among many other things.
What was your costume like?:
Man, that was back in the day of the good ol’ costumes. Black polyester pants, white button-up shirt, red bowtie, red suspenders, and a red newsie cap. When I worked outside, I wore an orange Chinese jacket called a “pumpkin jacket” and a matching “pumpkin hat.”
What other nametags did you use?:
I was Kimberly on and off…it was my default name when I couldn’t find my own, and I took the tag home with me…
Where did you live?:
How many roommates did you have?:
I had two. Most apartments house 2, 4, 6, or 8 people, but there are three-person apartments for those who request them.
Did you know anyone before you went down?:
I knew the two girls I lived with, and since we were all nervous freshman, we chose to live together. Katie worked merchandise at Coronado Springs, and
Did you leave a significant other behind?:
There was a guy I had a crush on before I left, but we weren’t dating. However, we started dating by long-distance halfway through my program, and we kept dating once I got home. Despite the unorthodox factor, it all worked out, and we’re getting married in March of 2010.
Did you bring a car?:
I did not. I relied solely on the buses. It actually worked out really well. Outside of grocery shopping, it was easy to work with, and even shopping wasn’t that bad (it was just hard to get everything home).
Did you take a class? Which one?:
I took the Entertainment Professional Development Series, which is only open to entertainment majors (like theater, dance, music, etc.). I really enjoyed it! We met with Disney professionals who showed us how a show, parade, or attraction is put together from first idea to close, and we even got VIP seats for Fantasmic! and a backstage tour.
Did you participate in the housing events?:
Just a couple of them. You definitely can’t miss graduation, and I went to a cast member-only pin-trading event and the Studios Spring Fling
What was the best thing you brought with you?:
My laptop and my Ipod. My laptop kept me in contact with people back home without going to the apartment computer labs, and my Ipod kept me entertained on the bus to and from work when I wasn’t riding with friends.
What did you wish you brought with you?:
I wish I had a lunchbox. Seriously. I got tired of eating in the CM cafeteria.
What was your favorite souvenir that you brought home?:
Probably my collection of
Did you pin trade?:
Oh, heck yes, I did! I even have the dorky pin bag with 200+ pins in it…
What’s your favorite Disney animated movie?:
#1 (tie): Little Mermaid and Alice in Wonderland
#2: Beauty and the Beast
#3: Treasure Planet
#4: Meet the Robinsons
What’s your favorite Disney live-action movie?:
#1 (tie): Newsies and Enchanted
#2: Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black
#3: Mary Poppins
#4: Candleshoe
What’s your favorite Pixar movie?:
Definitely The Incredibles!
Who’s your favorite character?:
What’s your favorite Disney Channel TV show or movie?:
High School Musical (3, 1, 2, in that order). And I loved Even Stevens back in the day, although Wizards of Waverly Place is pretty fun.
What’s your favorite Disney song?:
“That’s How You Know” from Enchanted, “She’s In Love” from Little Mermaid on Broadway, “Carryin’ the Banner” from Newsies, and “Little Wonders” from Meet the Robinsons
What’s your favorite park?
Well, I am partial to the Disney-Hollywood Studios, but Epcot is freaking amazing. And MK is always a classic.
What’s your favorite
Peter Pan’s Flight, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, TTA, and Pirates of the
What’s your favorite
Fantasyland, with Tomorrowland as a close second
What’s your favorite Epcot attraction?
Test Track is phenomenal! But I also love
What’s your favorite Studios attraction?
Definitely Great Movie Ride. I also adore Star Tours and MuppetVision 3D.
What’s your favorite Animal Kingdom attraction?
Dinosaur. And Kali River Rapids, as long as it’s not cold.
What’s your favorite water park?
I’ve actually never been to any of the water parks, if you can believe it.
What’s your favorite attraction that no longer exists?:
The original Journey Into Imagination ride. It’s one of my earliest Disney memories!
What’s your favorite 3D movie?:
Philharmagic and MuppetVision 3D are my favorites, but I hate It’s Tough to Be a Bug and Honey, We Shrunk the Audience.
What’s your favorite fireworks show?:
Fantasmic, with Wishes a close second.
What’s your favorite parade?:
The Christmas parade is fantastic, but I’ll always be partial to Disney Stars and Motorcars.
What’s your favorite stage show?:
Voyage of the freakin’ Little Mermaid, hands down.
What’s your favorite roller coaster?:
Big
(If applicable) What was your favorite PI club?
The Adventurer’s Club! It was so fantastic.
What are your favorite places to eat?:
Epcot: the Land pavilion and the French patisserie
Studios: Primetime Cafe
DAK: No clue, really. I guess the McDonald’s.
DTD: Earl of
What’s your favorite Disney food?:
Mm…fish and chips! I got so addicted to it!
What’s your favorite Disney dessert?:
Dole whips! They’re only sold in Adventureland in MK, but they’re so freaking delicious. That, and the Nestle cookie ice cream sandwiches.
What’s your favorite resort?:
When I travel with my family, we usually stay in
What’s your favorite Disney shop?:
MK: Tinkerbell’s Treasures
Epcot: The
Studios: Sid Cahuegna’s and the shops in animation courtyard
DAK: Really, no opinions here
What’s your favorite Downtown Disney shop?:
The pin store! The massive, beautiful pin store!
What’s your favorite non-Disney hangout?:
It used to be Bennigan’s, but they closed.
How many times have you gone to Disney World outside of your program?:
1987: offsite
1992: offsite
2003:
2007:
2007: Coronado Springs
(plus we stayed at Pop Century at the beginning and end of my program)
What was your most magical moment as a guest?:
Probably when a CM gave me the Jim Hawkins pin on her lanyard. I’d forgotten my pins so I couldn’t trade, but I was really excited because I hadn’t seen a pin of him before. She said she’d never met anyone who knew who he was, and gave him to me.
What was your most magical moment as a cast member?:
I was working on Mardi Gras, and a set of parents came through with lots of beads and two small children, a toddler girl dressed as Cinderella and a little boy about four. I talked to the little girl and greeted her as Princess Cinderella, and she just loved it. Then the little boy gave me a pretend Stitch experiment to be my very own. The parents thanked me for being so sweet to their children and gave me a string of Mardi Gras beads that I still have.
Did you meet anyone famous on your program?:
I did! The Barenaked Ladies came through the ride, plus I did a show from Scotty Pippin from the Chicago Bulls and I opened the vehicle doors for Roy E. Disney (Walt’s nephew).
Got a stupid guest story?:
So many stories…so little time. Well, I love the drunk man during the Wizard of Oz show. There were only five or so people on the vehicle, and it was the part when the munchkin mayor tells me to follow the yellow brick road. This genius stood up in his seat and started looking around anxiously.
Me: “Sir in row ten, please remain seated.”
Drunk Man: “Okay, but…but I really need to find the yellow brick road!”
Me: “…it’s okay, sir. I know where it is. It’s up here on the left.”
Drunk Man: “Oh, okay!”
Seriously. Hilarious.
What’s your favorite cast member memory?:
Honestly, I loved the camaraderie with my fellow Great Movie Riders. It was fun to just chill out and talk to people.
How would you sum up your
It was definitely one of the best things I could have done. I learned to live on my own and handle a full-time job, and it gave me a lot of performance experience. I absolutely loved my time as a CP.
Do you think you’ll go back?:
I’ve been accepted to the Summer Alumni program for 2009 in Attractions, and I can’t wait to do it again!
Any advice for new CPs?:
Come ready to work and ready to learn. If you come in with a bad attitude- you didn’t get your ideal work location, you think you already know what you’re doing, etc., you slack off a lot- you’re not going to do all that well. Your fellow CMs will get annoyed with you pretty quickly, and believe me, you don’t want to get on the bad side of the people you work with. Work hard and be nice. Then, as you get more seniority, you can get mad at all the new slackers coming in.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
These be some crazy stats!
1200 applied for the summer alumni program.
There only 300 slots.
And I...am one of those 300.
I really do feel incredibly grateful. With the economy as bad as it is, I figure it would be really hard for me to get a job for the summer back here in Nashville. And while I had opportunities before to go back to Disney, this is the first year they've offered Attractions.
What made this summer different was that I felt that that's where I needed to be. I can't really describe it. I just got the email about the program, and got this pulse-pounding feeling that that was where I needed to be. Honestly, it's the same feeling I got the first time I applied.
Anyways...I needed to babble some...
(and there's going to be more Disney CP babbling, as I'm using this blog to make pages for a guide to the program. It's going to get better, I promise...)
There only 300 slots.
And I...am one of those 300.
I really do feel incredibly grateful. With the economy as bad as it is, I figure it would be really hard for me to get a job for the summer back here in Nashville. And while I had opportunities before to go back to Disney, this is the first year they've offered Attractions.
What made this summer different was that I felt that that's where I needed to be. I can't really describe it. I just got the email about the program, and got this pulse-pounding feeling that that was where I needed to be. Honestly, it's the same feeling I got the first time I applied.
Anyways...I needed to babble some...
(and there's going to be more Disney CP babbling, as I'm using this blog to make pages for a guide to the program. It's going to get better, I promise...)
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
So what is the Disney College Program?
The Disney College Program has been going on for a surprisingly long time. I think it was around 1983, when Epcot opened. But in any case, the program is an opportunity for college students to live, learn, and earn with the Disney company as an intern by working as a cast member at either Disneyland in Anaheim, California, or Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Disney is a Fortune 500 company, and is consistently ranked as both the top place to start a career, and the most desired place to work. Besides, it’s Disney- the most magical place on earth!
As long as you’re enrolled in college when you apply for the program, you’re eligible, although there is also the CareerStart program for newly graduated high schoolers. A CP (as we call the participants on the Disney College Program) can work anywhere in the resorts, parks or Downtown Disney. And I do mean anywhere. Jobs are available in:-Attractions
-Merchandise
-Quick service food and beverage
-Full service food and beverage
-Character performing
-Character attending (monitoring character-and-guest interactions)
-Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
-Costuming
-Lifeguarding
-Hospitality
-Housekeeping
-Front gate operations
-Bell services dispatch
-Custodial
-Transportation
-Recreation
-Vacation planner
-PhotoPass photographer
(there’s also some culinary-based jobs, but you have to enrolled in a culinary program to be eligible)
The pay rate starts at about $7.21 an hour, but it varies depending what kind of job you’re working. You can it in a direct deposit, or you can join the Vista bank available for cast members. CPs work a minimum of 30 hours a week. Most weeks you’ll work 40-50 hours, with one or two days off. If you’re working during peak times (spring break, summer, or Christmas) you’ll work even more. When I worked during spring break, I worked 67 hours in one week, and did seventeen shows in one day! Plus, since you’re at the bottom of the totem pole, you’ll be the first to get assigned weekends, holidays, and nights (the shifts the full-timers don’t want). But hey, you’ve got steady work. If you really don’t want to miss out on holidays, apply for a Spring or Spring Advantage program. The only holidays you’ll work are Easter and Valentine’s Day, as opposed to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.
There are five different types of programs you can participate in:
-Spring (January to May)
-Spring Advantage (January to August)
-Fall (August to December)
-Fall Advantage (May to December)
-Summer (May to August, but this program is only available to College Program alumni)
The timing is all dependant on when you apply. If you apply in the fall, you’ll go in the spring. Apply in the spring, you’ll go in the fall Pretty straightforward.
You can take classes taught by Disney professionals during the program. Some of the classes are specific to your major, but most of them are open to anyone. You can also opt to take online courses so you can keep up with your degree.
The Disney internship and the classes they offer are accepted at a lot of schools, but not all of them. Check with your school. Chances are, even if the program isn’t yet accepted for credit at your institution, they can work something out for you.
Disney also provides housing and transportation. There are four apartment complexes available to CPs that include post offices, pools, fitness centers, computer labs, and laundry. And yes, you are required to live in Disney housing (except for the summer alumni program, when you can make arrangements to live offsite). Rent ranges from $90-$150, and is deducted from your paycheck each week. You’ll share the apartment with one to seven people, and you’ll have a roommate.
As for transportation, you have the option of bringing your own car, but if you don’t want to, or just want to conserve your gas for driving places other than work, Disney provides buses. They run to every Disney location, plus the post office, the grocery store, and Wal-mart. They’re fairly reliable, and definitely more economical than bringing in a car.
Working for Disney has a lot of benefits beyond taking a semester off and making some money. You get all the cast member benefits: free entrance to the parks for yourself and limited entrance for friends and family, discounts on merchandise, discounts on resorts, limited discounts on food, and all kinds of things that are open only to cast members. You’re also getting a great boost to your resume. When you apply for jobs afterwards, you can guarantee that potential employers will want to know more about Disney. This is an experience you can’t get anywhere else.
So that’s the basic jist of the Disney College Program. There’s a lot more at www.disneycollegeprogram.com, so check that or email me if you want to know more. And you can always read more stuff on my blog. That’s always good…more hits for me! :)
As long as you’re enrolled in college when you apply for the program, you’re eligible, although there is also the CareerStart program for newly graduated high schoolers. A CP (as we call the participants on the Disney College Program) can work anywhere in the resorts, parks or Downtown Disney. And I do mean anywhere. Jobs are available in:-Attractions
-Merchandise
-Quick service food and beverage
-Full service food and beverage
-Character performing
-Character attending (monitoring character-and-guest interactions)
-Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
-Costuming
-Lifeguarding
-Hospitality
-Housekeeping
-Front gate operations
-Bell services dispatch
-Custodial
-Transportation
-Recreation
-Vacation planner
-PhotoPass photographer
(there’s also some culinary-based jobs, but you have to enrolled in a culinary program to be eligible)
The pay rate starts at about $7.21 an hour, but it varies depending what kind of job you’re working. You can it in a direct deposit, or you can join the Vista bank available for cast members. CPs work a minimum of 30 hours a week. Most weeks you’ll work 40-50 hours, with one or two days off. If you’re working during peak times (spring break, summer, or Christmas) you’ll work even more. When I worked during spring break, I worked 67 hours in one week, and did seventeen shows in one day! Plus, since you’re at the bottom of the totem pole, you’ll be the first to get assigned weekends, holidays, and nights (the shifts the full-timers don’t want). But hey, you’ve got steady work. If you really don’t want to miss out on holidays, apply for a Spring or Spring Advantage program. The only holidays you’ll work are Easter and Valentine’s Day, as opposed to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.
There are five different types of programs you can participate in:
-Spring (January to May)
-Spring Advantage (January to August)
-Fall (August to December)
-Fall Advantage (May to December)
-Summer (May to August, but this program is only available to College Program alumni)
The timing is all dependant on when you apply. If you apply in the fall, you’ll go in the spring. Apply in the spring, you’ll go in the fall Pretty straightforward.
You can take classes taught by Disney professionals during the program. Some of the classes are specific to your major, but most of them are open to anyone. You can also opt to take online courses so you can keep up with your degree.
The Disney internship and the classes they offer are accepted at a lot of schools, but not all of them. Check with your school. Chances are, even if the program isn’t yet accepted for credit at your institution, they can work something out for you.
Disney also provides housing and transportation. There are four apartment complexes available to CPs that include post offices, pools, fitness centers, computer labs, and laundry. And yes, you are required to live in Disney housing (except for the summer alumni program, when you can make arrangements to live offsite). Rent ranges from $90-$150, and is deducted from your paycheck each week. You’ll share the apartment with one to seven people, and you’ll have a roommate.
As for transportation, you have the option of bringing your own car, but if you don’t want to, or just want to conserve your gas for driving places other than work, Disney provides buses. They run to every Disney location, plus the post office, the grocery store, and Wal-mart. They’re fairly reliable, and definitely more economical than bringing in a car.
Working for Disney has a lot of benefits beyond taking a semester off and making some money. You get all the cast member benefits: free entrance to the parks for yourself and limited entrance for friends and family, discounts on merchandise, discounts on resorts, limited discounts on food, and all kinds of things that are open only to cast members. You’re also getting a great boost to your resume. When you apply for jobs afterwards, you can guarantee that potential employers will want to know more about Disney. This is an experience you can’t get anywhere else.
So that’s the basic jist of the Disney College Program. There’s a lot more at www.disneycollegeprogram.com, so check that or email me if you want to know more. And you can always read more stuff on my blog. That’s always good…more hits for me! :)
Some musings...
I am now officially the only female member of the Lipscomb University theater ministry team. It's pretty exciting! I met with Chris and Josh last night and they worked with me on my pieces. They were both really happy with what I picked and how I was interpreting it, so I'm really happy.
I formally accepted my program offer; now on to the onslaught of preparation. I'm definitely more confident this time around, since I know what to expect. I'm thinking of piecing together a kind of guide to the Disney College Program, so you're probably going to see a sudden rush of CP-related stuff. Just so you're forewarned...
Tomorrow night I'm going to the meeting about the April children's show. I'm so hyped! I haven't been on any kind of stage in a year. A whole year! The last time that happened I was in kindergarten.
And now for the more serious stuff...
To be terribly, horribly honest, I forgot about Lent.
I grew up in several different denominations (Baptist, then Christian and Missionary Alliance, then non-denominational, then Presbyterian, and now Church of Christ) as well as several different private schools (Presbyterian, then Baptist, now Church of Christ), and really, none of them really put any emphasis on Lent. Well, the Presbyterians did some, but not really. It wasn't until I moved to CoC that I met a large collective of people who actually followed Lent.
So I didn't even think about this year's Lent until I read a post by a friend of mine (she played Tillie in The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds when I played Janice). She's deleting her Facebook account for all of Lent.
Now, that's commitment.
I've seen other friends give up all kinds of things for Lent. My friend Rose, for example gave up Dr. Pepper one year and popcorn another. Now, I don't know if you know her, but that's basically what Rose lives on.
I've thought about what I could give up, but nothing seemed to stick out to me. Pretty much every vice I have, I've been able to give it up on the short term: soda, television, internet usage, desserts. There's not really anything I can seem to think of that would make a big enough impact over the course of Lent.
So I'm going to do my own spin on Lent. Instead of giving up one particular thing for Lent, I'm going to focus more on how I honor God with my body. The Bible says our body is God's temple...mine's a little rundown.
I mean, a big part of college is eating junk food at 2am and lounging around the student center, right? But if God worked so hard to create me, why am I treating his work like crap?
My plan is to focus more on what I eat and exercising. I tend to eat whatever, and occasionally I work out, but I want to make a drastic change, and I want to do it for the right reasons.
Plus, I figure that 30 minutes on a cardio machine is a great time to open my Bible and read, rather than forgetting until super late at night and thinking Oh, I'm too tired. I'll do it later...because then I never get around to it.
I guess you could say that for Lent I'm giving up physical self-centeredness.
(at least that sounds fancy if people ask what I'm doing for Lent...)
I formally accepted my program offer; now on to the onslaught of preparation. I'm definitely more confident this time around, since I know what to expect. I'm thinking of piecing together a kind of guide to the Disney College Program, so you're probably going to see a sudden rush of CP-related stuff. Just so you're forewarned...
Tomorrow night I'm going to the meeting about the April children's show. I'm so hyped! I haven't been on any kind of stage in a year. A whole year! The last time that happened I was in kindergarten.
And now for the more serious stuff...
To be terribly, horribly honest, I forgot about Lent.
I grew up in several different denominations (Baptist, then Christian and Missionary Alliance, then non-denominational, then Presbyterian, and now Church of Christ) as well as several different private schools (Presbyterian, then Baptist, now Church of Christ), and really, none of them really put any emphasis on Lent. Well, the Presbyterians did some, but not really. It wasn't until I moved to CoC that I met a large collective of people who actually followed Lent.
So I didn't even think about this year's Lent until I read a post by a friend of mine (she played Tillie in The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds when I played Janice). She's deleting her Facebook account for all of Lent.
Now, that's commitment.
I've seen other friends give up all kinds of things for Lent. My friend Rose, for example gave up Dr. Pepper one year and popcorn another. Now, I don't know if you know her, but that's basically what Rose lives on.
I've thought about what I could give up, but nothing seemed to stick out to me. Pretty much every vice I have, I've been able to give it up on the short term: soda, television, internet usage, desserts. There's not really anything I can seem to think of that would make a big enough impact over the course of Lent.
So I'm going to do my own spin on Lent. Instead of giving up one particular thing for Lent, I'm going to focus more on how I honor God with my body. The Bible says our body is God's temple...mine's a little rundown.
I mean, a big part of college is eating junk food at 2am and lounging around the student center, right? But if God worked so hard to create me, why am I treating his work like crap?
My plan is to focus more on what I eat and exercising. I tend to eat whatever, and occasionally I work out, but I want to make a drastic change, and I want to do it for the right reasons.
Plus, I figure that 30 minutes on a cardio machine is a great time to open my Bible and read, rather than forgetting until super late at night and thinking Oh, I'm too tired. I'll do it later...because then I never get around to it.
I guess you could say that for Lent I'm giving up physical self-centeredness.
(at least that sounds fancy if people ask what I'm doing for Lent...)
Monday, February 23, 2009
Musical Monday #6!
It's taken me a little while to pick this song. I debated long and hard. And then...inspiration struck!
Actually, inspiration came in the form of a large white envelope from Disney. Guess who was accepted to the summer 2009 alumni program as an attractions cast member?!
ME!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seeing as how I'm headed to Disney, I quickly realized what was in order for today's Musical Monday. THE THEME FROM FANTASMIC!
It's so epic. And it's the fireworks show from my park, the Disney-MGM Studios.
All right, the Disney-Hollywood Studios. *bleck*
But doesn't that music just fill you with Disney joy?
(Also, now you can expect a TON of blogging about what it's like to work for the mouse. Hopefully it'll be exciting!)
Actually, inspiration came in the form of a large white envelope from Disney. Guess who was accepted to the summer 2009 alumni program as an attractions cast member?!
ME!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seeing as how I'm headed to Disney, I quickly realized what was in order for today's Musical Monday. THE THEME FROM FANTASMIC!
It's so epic. And it's the fireworks show from my park, the Disney-MGM Studios.
All right, the Disney-Hollywood Studios. *bleck*
But doesn't that music just fill you with Disney joy?
(Also, now you can expect a TON of blogging about what it's like to work for the mouse. Hopefully it'll be exciting!)
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
STUFF A MONKEY!!!!
From the Disney website:
"Members of our team are verifying that each applicant is an alumnus of the Disney College Program, checking their rehire status, record cards, and evaluating the expressed role interests with the limited opportunities available in each role.
"If we need additional paperwork or other information from someone interested in the alumni program, we will contact them on an individual basis.
"Notification for this program will be made through a letter sent through the U.S. Postal Service.
Our goal is to notify everyone as quickly as possible. Please understand that the necessary research involved with each interested party will take time. Our estimated time frame for notification is between late February and mid March. However, it could take longer in some situations."
GRKLJAKLJKLJDKLJFKLSDJFKL:SDJKLFJSDLFJSDJFL:SD.
I'm so anxious I could stuff a monkey.
"Members of our team are verifying that each applicant is an alumnus of the Disney College Program, checking their rehire status, record cards, and evaluating the expressed role interests with the limited opportunities available in each role.
"If we need additional paperwork or other information from someone interested in the alumni program, we will contact them on an individual basis.
"Notification for this program will be made through a letter sent through the U.S. Postal Service.
Our goal is to notify everyone as quickly as possible. Please understand that the necessary research involved with each interested party will take time. Our estimated time frame for notification is between late February and mid March. However, it could take longer in some situations."
GRKLJAKLJKLJDKLJFKLSDJFKL:SDJKLFJSDLFJSDJFL:SD.
I'm so anxious I could stuff a monkey.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Musical Monday #4!
I love this song. Love, love, love. Love it to the point that P and I are using it as our first dance at our wedding. ^_^
Disney's a big deal to me. So when a lot of their recent films turned into stupid effing trainwrecks that were made only to make money but failed anyway (Home on the Range, The Wild, etc.) I was pretty broken up about it.
Then I saw Meet the Robinsons. It was supposed to be released six months earlier than its final release date, but John Lasseter said he wanted the film pushed back so they could work on it. It was worth it. It's the first movie in a long time that felt like an actual Disney movie. Sure, it's got its rough spots, but it's a clever, emotionally charged story.
The last part made me bawl. Throughout the whole film (I'll try not to make these into big spoilers) twelve-year-old orphan Lewis is looking to the past for answers, but everyone keeps telling him to "keep moving forward." The movie closes with a quote from Walt Disney that says..."Keep moving forward."
Not only do I love this film, but this song's lyrics are perfect for a wedding song, especially for me and P, who have been engaged for nearly two years...it'll be three years by the time we finally get married. And we've been through a lot in our fairly short lives- a fifteen year history of depression for me, and a year-long illness for him. The words of this song are just perfect.
So here it is. "Little Wonders" by Rob Thomas, from the movie Meet the Robinsons.
Disney's a big deal to me. So when a lot of their recent films turned into stupid effing trainwrecks that were made only to make money but failed anyway (Home on the Range, The Wild, etc.) I was pretty broken up about it.
Then I saw Meet the Robinsons. It was supposed to be released six months earlier than its final release date, but John Lasseter said he wanted the film pushed back so they could work on it. It was worth it. It's the first movie in a long time that felt like an actual Disney movie. Sure, it's got its rough spots, but it's a clever, emotionally charged story.
The last part made me bawl. Throughout the whole film (I'll try not to make these into big spoilers) twelve-year-old orphan Lewis is looking to the past for answers, but everyone keeps telling him to "keep moving forward." The movie closes with a quote from Walt Disney that says..."Keep moving forward."
Not only do I love this film, but this song's lyrics are perfect for a wedding song, especially for me and P, who have been engaged for nearly two years...it'll be three years by the time we finally get married. And we've been through a lot in our fairly short lives- a fifteen year history of depression for me, and a year-long illness for him. The words of this song are just perfect.
So here it is. "Little Wonders" by Rob Thomas, from the movie Meet the Robinsons.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
OMG!!!!
So I ADORE the Disney Fairy Tale Wedding gowns. I mean...I am a Disney princess.
(Shut up. I am too.)
And when Kirstie Kelly came out with her line of gowns, I knew I had to at least try them on. (My fiance's grandmother even cut the article about the new line of gowns out of the newspaper and saved it for me.) But the nearest place that carried them was in Atlanta.
But today I found out that the Bridal Gallery in Franklin carries them! I am so giddy!! I've already picked out which ones I have to try on first!!
One of the Belle gowns:
One of the Snow White gowns:
And the Giselle gown:
When I was little, Belle was my favorite. And then when I FINALLY saw Little Mermaid when I was fifteen (sad, I know...) Ariel became my favorite. And then Enchanted came out. Just so everyone knows how much I'm like Giselle, here's what Patrick's BM Michael said:
"I saw Enchanted. It was like watching Caitlin run around for two hours."
Yeah...pretty much.
(Shut up. I am too.)
And when Kirstie Kelly came out with her line of gowns, I knew I had to at least try them on. (My fiance's grandmother even cut the article about the new line of gowns out of the newspaper and saved it for me.) But the nearest place that carried them was in Atlanta.
But today I found out that the Bridal Gallery in Franklin carries them! I am so giddy!! I've already picked out which ones I have to try on first!!
One of the Belle gowns:
One of the Snow White gowns:
And the Giselle gown:
When I was little, Belle was my favorite. And then when I FINALLY saw Little Mermaid when I was fifteen (sad, I know...) Ariel became my favorite. And then Enchanted came out. Just so everyone knows how much I'm like Giselle, here's what Patrick's BM Michael said:"I saw Enchanted. It was like watching Caitlin run around for two hours."
Yeah...pretty much.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Six weeks!
Six weeks!
I'll have to wait a maximum of six weeks!
So...FEBRUARY 25th!! At the latest!!
I sincerely hope it's earlier than that.
I want me some Great Movie Ride.
I'll have to wait a maximum of six weeks!
So...FEBRUARY 25th!! At the latest!!
I sincerely hope it's earlier than that.
I want me some Great Movie Ride.
Gah!
I hate waiting.
Especially when you don't know when the thing you're waiting for it going to arrive.
Gah.
I applied for the Disney Alumni summer program, and now I'm just waiting to hear from them. I think I'm doing another interview, in which I will loudly shout "Great Movie Ride! Great Movie Ride! I wanna go back to THE GREAT MOVIE RIDE!!" Although I did also mark down that I was willing to work Icon Attractions...
...which, incidentally, is where GMR is located.
I'm just trying to find out what the usual schedule is...like when they typically start calling people. There's still about five months until I would leave for the internship, so I'm guessing they'll contact me for a phone interview by the end of March at the latest.
Gah. That's a long ways away.
Enchanted Attic is going decently well. I'm just frustrated with the amount of blocking I have to do. Miss Divalicious is terribly unhappy that I'm not giving her more Star Stage Time. But hey, she's an extra. She'll deal.
We had a pretty rough production meeting last night. I was fine- I've worked with the technical director before, and have a decently clear picture of what he expects. He wants me to communicate better about what we want? Sure. I can handle that. But, as all involved expected, the backstage crew got raked across the coals. Honestly, though, Jessica has impressed me. She's shown a lot of initiative, and it's fair to say that she's on my good side...she was definitely off it during the run of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. And once Caleb turns in his application, he'll be an ASM too. It'll be fabulous. I just hope that Nick can call the show. I think that'll help the performances run smoothly.
Gah. Still waiting on Disney.
It's all I can think about.
Crap.
Especially when you don't know when the thing you're waiting for it going to arrive.
Gah.
I applied for the Disney Alumni summer program, and now I'm just waiting to hear from them. I think I'm doing another interview, in which I will loudly shout "Great Movie Ride! Great Movie Ride! I wanna go back to THE GREAT MOVIE RIDE!!" Although I did also mark down that I was willing to work Icon Attractions...
...which, incidentally, is where GMR is located.
I'm just trying to find out what the usual schedule is...like when they typically start calling people. There's still about five months until I would leave for the internship, so I'm guessing they'll contact me for a phone interview by the end of March at the latest.
Gah. That's a long ways away.
Enchanted Attic is going decently well. I'm just frustrated with the amount of blocking I have to do. Miss Divalicious is terribly unhappy that I'm not giving her more Star Stage Time. But hey, she's an extra. She'll deal.
We had a pretty rough production meeting last night. I was fine- I've worked with the technical director before, and have a decently clear picture of what he expects. He wants me to communicate better about what we want? Sure. I can handle that. But, as all involved expected, the backstage crew got raked across the coals. Honestly, though, Jessica has impressed me. She's shown a lot of initiative, and it's fair to say that she's on my good side...she was definitely off it during the run of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. And once Caleb turns in his application, he'll be an ASM too. It'll be fabulous. I just hope that Nick can call the show. I think that'll help the performances run smoothly.
Gah. Still waiting on Disney.
It's all I can think about.
Crap.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
No witty title this morning. It's too early.
I'm in such a Disney mood. Partially because of Musical Monday, and partially because I'm thinking of going back to Disney for the summer. However...I would be gone from May 18 to August 14, which is way too long. I have wedding planning to do, and if I'm in a show this summer, there's no way I could do it. Because, you know, I'd be in Orlando instead of Nashville.
Speaking of wedding planning, I feel validated about mine. The girl I'm directing Enchanted Attic with is a very no-nonsense, I-call-'em-as-I-see-'em kind of girl. And she was asking me about my wedding ideas, and so I confessed my Alice in Wonderland details: teapots and teacups, the flower girl dressed as Alice, the white roses painted red. And she thought it sounded adorable. So yay! I'm not completely retarded!
I'm so distracted by this Disney thing. I'd really love to go down again...I miss my park! And it would be a great way to earn some more money before the wedding. But I need to plan the wedding! And I'll miss P to no end. I don't know. I'm just so torn.
Anyways...
When I'm in class, I am thinking two things: 1) "I need something else to do" and 2) "This is sooo boring." I mean, really...Fundamentals of Physics. Not that fun. So I work on other things...like my book. But since I didn't have my draft of Book #1 (Beatrice and the Cat) to edit, or my draft of Book #2 (Beatrice and the Greenfinch Carnival) to write, I worked on legwork- character descriptions, timeline, etc. One of the things I worked out is pairings.
Here's a bit of my dirty laundry: I'm a fanfiction author. And when I mean fanfiction, I mean hardcore-squealing-fangirl-I-really-need-to-stop-writing fanfiction. I've got 70-something stories on fanfiction.net. Granted, most of them are from my middle school and high school days, but I still pop out a good Avatar, Harry Potter, or Shaman King one-shot every now and again. So when I started writing my own book, I thought of it in terms of fanfiction. As in...
What kind of story elements made me want to write fanfiction? Was it dynamic, curiously fascinating characters? Was it an irrestible romance? Was it a mysterious event spoken of but never elaborated on? Was it an unusual event? Was it a desire to see these characters in the future?
The answer is...all of them. However, one of the biggest things that drew me to fanfiction was pairings. Shippings, if you will. Whether it was a die-hard canon pairing like Yoh Asakura and Anna Kyoyama, or a couple tantalizingly hinted upon but never solidified like Sokka and Toph Bei Fong, or a crack pairing that I made up for my own enjoyment like Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood, I wrote prolifically. So now that I'm writing my own book, I think in terms of pairings.
Will it be our heroine Beatrice Ainsley and Hero Greenaway, the bookish magic enthusiast?
Will it be Asher Kingsbury, the silly and fun-loving youngest triplet, and Rora Caldwell, the sweet but strong-willed blonde? Or will he choose Neddy Cooper, the talkative, lively, musically-impaired brunette?
Will it be Jack Hawkins, the more-than-a-little eccentric magician, and Fidelity Merrow, the demure young lady with a wild past?
Or maybe even Dr. Percy Darnley, the poker-faced chauvinist school headmaster...and...a mermaid?
(There's a running gag about Dr. Darnley being jilted by a mermaid.)
So yeah. I'm having a lot of fun writing these romances as ambiguously as possible. That way, if I finally publish this (eventual) twelve-book series, I can hopefully watch the fanfiction authors take off with all of these pairings.
Oh, and just so you know, I've already decided who gets together with whom. I'm so evil...
Speaking of wedding planning, I feel validated about mine. The girl I'm directing Enchanted Attic with is a very no-nonsense, I-call-'em-as-I-see-'em kind of girl. And she was asking me about my wedding ideas, and so I confessed my Alice in Wonderland details: teapots and teacups, the flower girl dressed as Alice, the white roses painted red. And she thought it sounded adorable. So yay! I'm not completely retarded!
I'm so distracted by this Disney thing. I'd really love to go down again...I miss my park! And it would be a great way to earn some more money before the wedding. But I need to plan the wedding! And I'll miss P to no end. I don't know. I'm just so torn.
Anyways...
When I'm in class, I am thinking two things: 1) "I need something else to do" and 2) "This is sooo boring." I mean, really...Fundamentals of Physics. Not that fun. So I work on other things...like my book. But since I didn't have my draft of Book #1 (Beatrice and the Cat) to edit, or my draft of Book #2 (Beatrice and the Greenfinch Carnival) to write, I worked on legwork- character descriptions, timeline, etc. One of the things I worked out is pairings.
Here's a bit of my dirty laundry: I'm a fanfiction author. And when I mean fanfiction, I mean hardcore-squealing-fangirl-I-really-need-to-stop-writing fanfiction. I've got 70-something stories on fanfiction.net. Granted, most of them are from my middle school and high school days, but I still pop out a good Avatar, Harry Potter, or Shaman King one-shot every now and again. So when I started writing my own book, I thought of it in terms of fanfiction. As in...
What kind of story elements made me want to write fanfiction? Was it dynamic, curiously fascinating characters? Was it an irrestible romance? Was it a mysterious event spoken of but never elaborated on? Was it an unusual event? Was it a desire to see these characters in the future?
The answer is...all of them. However, one of the biggest things that drew me to fanfiction was pairings. Shippings, if you will. Whether it was a die-hard canon pairing like Yoh Asakura and Anna Kyoyama, or a couple tantalizingly hinted upon but never solidified like Sokka and Toph Bei Fong, or a crack pairing that I made up for my own enjoyment like Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood, I wrote prolifically. So now that I'm writing my own book, I think in terms of pairings.
Will it be our heroine Beatrice Ainsley and Hero Greenaway, the bookish magic enthusiast?
Will it be Asher Kingsbury, the silly and fun-loving youngest triplet, and Rora Caldwell, the sweet but strong-willed blonde? Or will he choose Neddy Cooper, the talkative, lively, musically-impaired brunette?
Will it be Jack Hawkins, the more-than-a-little eccentric magician, and Fidelity Merrow, the demure young lady with a wild past?
Or maybe even Dr. Percy Darnley, the poker-faced chauvinist school headmaster...and...a mermaid?
(There's a running gag about Dr. Darnley being jilted by a mermaid.)
So yeah. I'm having a lot of fun writing these romances as ambiguously as possible. That way, if I finally publish this (eventual) twelve-book series, I can hopefully watch the fanfiction authors take off with all of these pairings.
Oh, and just so you know, I've already decided who gets together with whom. I'm so evil...
Monday, January 19, 2009
My first Musical Monday!
I agonized over what my first MM moment (ooh, my MMM) would be. It had to be something that meant something, that was funny but not too funny, something unusual and exciting.
I got nothin'.
But then...I finally did think of something.
And therefore, my first Musical Monday is...
"Hurray for Hollywood!"
Yeah, random, right? But there's a reason behind it.
At the time in 2006, I was working my first full-time job and living in a different state than my parents for the first time. I was only a sheltered, slightly spoiled eighteen-year-old who was stubborn as all-get-out but had never experience true independence. Even when I started college in the fall of '05, I was only thirty minutes from home. So when I went to Orlando as part of the Disney College Program, it was rather terrifying. I was thrilled to work for the Disney company, especially as a tour guide on the Great Movie Ride, but I was really nervous about living in an apartment on my own without my mommy and daddy and my happy private-Christian-school bubble. It was a genuine sink-or-swim situation.
And I definitely swam.
I worked hard. I had a good reputation amongst my coworkers. I handled my money well. I learned how to manage my own personality around other people (that's a long story...I'll explain it in some other post). I even got my first boyfriend (whom I am now marrying). And I loved every minute of it.
If you've never been on the Great Movie Ride, it's a 22-minute tram ride through great moments at the movies that have been brought to life in a combination of live action and animatronics. (How's that for a cast member spiel?) Guests enter and exit the vehicles on a loading dock that perpetually plays the same song, "Hurray for Hollywood," over and over again. And somehow I never got tired of it. That song still echoes in my brain...and my mp3 player.
I'm going to post this video for now, but when I eventually get a copy of my own show, I'll post it here!
I got nothin'.
But then...I finally did think of something.
And therefore, my first Musical Monday is...
"Hurray for Hollywood!"
Yeah, random, right? But there's a reason behind it.
At the time in 2006, I was working my first full-time job and living in a different state than my parents for the first time. I was only a sheltered, slightly spoiled eighteen-year-old who was stubborn as all-get-out but had never experience true independence. Even when I started college in the fall of '05, I was only thirty minutes from home. So when I went to Orlando as part of the Disney College Program, it was rather terrifying. I was thrilled to work for the Disney company, especially as a tour guide on the Great Movie Ride, but I was really nervous about living in an apartment on my own without my mommy and daddy and my happy private-Christian-school bubble. It was a genuine sink-or-swim situation.
And I definitely swam.
I worked hard. I had a good reputation amongst my coworkers. I handled my money well. I learned how to manage my own personality around other people (that's a long story...I'll explain it in some other post). I even got my first boyfriend (whom I am now marrying). And I loved every minute of it.
If you've never been on the Great Movie Ride, it's a 22-minute tram ride through great moments at the movies that have been brought to life in a combination of live action and animatronics. (How's that for a cast member spiel?) Guests enter and exit the vehicles on a loading dock that perpetually plays the same song, "Hurray for Hollywood," over and over again. And somehow I never got tired of it. That song still echoes in my brain...and my mp3 player.
I'm going to post this video for now, but when I eventually get a copy of my own show, I'll post it here!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Whoa...what?!
It is 7:23 in the morning.
I am at work.
It is freezing.
But there is a heater under my desk.
Life is good.
...and then it kicks you in the shins like an angry two-year-old and runs away.
Why? Because one of the actors in Enchanted Attic dropped out.
It's not her fault. Her parents are making her change schools, and since they're paying for it, she has to do it. I just don't know how on ever-loving earth we're going to replace her. I don't even know if we have any options to replace her.
...maybe I could play her...
...but I doubt that will happen.
However, I do know that I will NOT allow Miss Divalicious to play the part. She auditioned and wanted it, but got a part as a pirate crony instead. She has a long-standing notoriety for being a diva, and getting promoted to a bigger part will not be an option.
So yeah. That's the current stress running through my mind. Terrific.
I just realized that three years ago today I headed for Disney World. I worked there on the College Program for a semester, and it was definitely one of the best times of my life. I just can't believe it was three years ago!
So yeah. I've got stuff to deliberate about. In the meantime, please enjoy my New Year's Resolutions.
IN 2009 I WILL...
-Write a page in my second novel every day.
-Practice voice more often.
-Exercise more regularly.
-Watch less television
I am at work.
It is freezing.
But there is a heater under my desk.
Life is good.
...and then it kicks you in the shins like an angry two-year-old and runs away.
Why? Because one of the actors in Enchanted Attic dropped out.
It's not her fault. Her parents are making her change schools, and since they're paying for it, she has to do it. I just don't know how on ever-loving earth we're going to replace her. I don't even know if we have any options to replace her.
...maybe I could play her...
...but I doubt that will happen.
However, I do know that I will NOT allow Miss Divalicious to play the part. She auditioned and wanted it, but got a part as a pirate crony instead. She has a long-standing notoriety for being a diva, and getting promoted to a bigger part will not be an option.
So yeah. That's the current stress running through my mind. Terrific.
I just realized that three years ago today I headed for Disney World. I worked there on the College Program for a semester, and it was definitely one of the best times of my life. I just can't believe it was three years ago!
So yeah. I've got stuff to deliberate about. In the meantime, please enjoy my New Year's Resolutions.
IN 2009 I WILL...
-Write a page in my second novel every day.
-Practice voice more often.
-Exercise more regularly.
-Watch less television
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