Update!

So, I've been checked in for a week. SO much has happened!

Starting with check-in: My roommates and I all met at 7:30 at the Holday Inn across from Vista. Word of advice, if you're really set on a specific complex (Chatham, Vista, Patterson) get to check-in BEFORE 8:00. That's when we got there, and there was already about 100 people or so in front of us, and by the time we got to pick our apartment, there were no 3- or 4-bedroom wellness apartments left at Chatham for our date. So we're at Patterson. And it's actually really cool! It's only $1 more, and the whole "waaah you have to walk to the bus stop" deal isn't really a problem. It takes about 5 minutes to walk there, so don't stress!

Anyway, it took us about 2 days to get settled in, and now our apartment feels like we live here. It's nice! I've already been to all of the parks at least once, although mostly for only a couple of hours. Tomorrow and Thursday are going to be pretty big days. We're going to see the new Pixar Pals Countdown to Fun parade at Hollywood Studios, and then head over to the Magic Kingdom to check out the new "Memories" castle show that takes place before Wishes. Then Thursday we have a reservation at Chefs de France. Exciting! I haven't eaten at many restaurants on property, so I'm going to try to visit as many as I can while I'm here.

We get a 20% discount at most restaurants normally (there may be times when it's not available) but when you get the discount, they automatically add in an 18% gratuity to the bill. So basically, you don't have to pay tip.

Oh yeah, you might be a little interested in where I'm working. Maybe. No? Well, who asked you? I'm telling you anyway.

I work the parking lot at Epcot. It doesn't sound glamorous, but it's lots of fun! I get to drive a tram! And spiel! And when it's chilly, we get sweatshirts! What other role at WDW do you know of where you can wear a sweatshirt?

Plus, all of the people I've met on the job have been so fantastic. My trainer has been at Epcot parking for 16 years, and he really loves it. And they like CPs! I'm so glad, because you hear all kinds of stories about how some full-timers really hate all CPs because of a few bad characters who have come through in the past. No one at parking starts disliking you until you do something bad yourself, which is good to know!

Anyway, my shift tonight starts at 5:00, so I thought I'd use my spare time to let you guys know that this is the coolest thing to do ever! I know people from all over the country now!

I'll leave you with this:

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a good time Friday and that 2011's treating you well!

I'm starting to freak out. Just a little, you know? 

The College Program has always seemed like a far away fairytale, and I have to say, even though in a week I'll be at Universal Studios running around the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, it all still seems surreal. Two of my (still hopeful) roommates are already in Florida, another will be there Wednesday, and the rest of us will show up Saturday or Sunday. Even so, I'm still not totally convinced of the reality of this whole thing.

Is this real life? Is this forever?

I check in on Monday, the 10th. Before that, my parents and I are driving down (hopefully I won't look like poor David) on Saturday and then seeing Cirque du Soleil at Downtown Disney that night. So that'll be awesome.

Then on Sunday, as I said before, Sunday is Universal Studios (and therefore HARRY POTTER) day! After the park closes, though, I think I'm going to try to go back to Downtown Disney to meet some people for ice cream! Because who doesn't love ice cream in January?

I haven't started packing yet, because apparently I'm a terrible procrastinator. I'm going to try to limit the amount of clothes I take down, because from what I've heard, everyone tends to take too much. 

Anyway, this might end up being my last post before arriving in Orlando!

It's been real, blogger, see you in WDW!

Hooray!

This morning at 9:00, I went in for my last final before heading off for the college program. Hooray!

8 hours, 4,000 words, and 12 pages later, I walked out, thinking I never wanted to write another coherent sentence ever EVER again.

Clearly, that didn't last long.

ORLANDO HERE I COME

Tangled

I just wanted to check back in and say that last night, on Walt Disney's 109th birthday, I saw Tangled. As Walt Disney Animation Studio's 50th feature, it had a lot of expectations. 

And MAN, did it deliver! Tangled is great!! The animation is just beautiful, hair especially (which makes sense, seeing as it's such a big part of the storyline), the story works really well, and most of the songs are extremely catchy. I didn't even wait until I got home to buy "I've Got a Dream."

Look at her! She's adorable! Also, how awesome is the frying pan thing?

I was impressed with some of the darker parts of the story. Trying to stay spoiler free, the demise of the villain is pretty darn gruesome, and there are a few scenes that are really tense for our heroes.

I can't wait to own this movie forever and ever! Hooray for Disney Animation and a new princess! I hope Rapunzel stays in the parks for a long time. She deserves it. I can't wait to meet her and Flynn come January!

How can you not love those two?

Whoooa

So, I guess it's been about 3 months, huh?

Oops.

I'm back, though, and I vow that I will not fail you again, dear blog!

So, we're about 5 weeks out from January 10th. This is so crazy! In fact, I'm still not entirely convinced that I'll make it to Orlando, and I don't think I'll believe that this is actually happening until I'm standing at my work location with my nametag on and the "earning my ears" ribbon taken off. THEN I'll finally be convinced that I get to stay in Orlando.

Until then, I'm still here in Birmingham being paranoid that something with my school won't work and this will all blow up in my face. It's too good to be true, right? Something's going to happen, right?

Oh well, it'll all work out.

Right?

Anyway, I'm extremely excited to get to Orlando and meet the people I've sort of met on the internet. I have a group of awesome girls for roommates already, so we're planning on meeting at 6:00 AM (eek!) outside of Vista Way, the apartment complex where registration takes place, so that we can beat the crowd and make sure we all get into the same apartment. You can only guarantee your actual ROOMmate, the one who will be in your bedroom with you, beforehand, so getting to check-in early is the best way to increase your chances of getting the apartment you want in the complex you want.

We're making the best of it by making a breakfast potluck while we hang out waiting for check-in to open up. I'm super excited!

Before that, though, we have a College Program meet up on December 20th for those of us in the surrounding area who want to hang out for a little while. This is why the CP is awesome, you meet fun people even before you start your program! I'm really looking forward to this, especially because the restaurant we're going to uses paper tablecloths and gives you crayons (!) to use.

I think I'll leave it here for now. I just thought, now that there's a whole 14 of you, that I'd actually go back to the blog! Sorry there aren't any pictures, I might be in class right now.

Guess What I Got!

"Knock Knock!"

"Who's There?"

"PURPLE FOLDER!"

"HOORAY!!!!!"

And they lived happily ever after....

FLASHBACK #2

THE INTERVIEW

My interview was at 4:00 in the afternoon on Friday, August 20. I had to wait until my classes were done, so while it seemed like almost everyone else in the Facebook group had already finished their interviews, I was stuck sitting in my room doing this:

"IS IT 4:00 YET?"

So, 4:00 came... and it went.

4:02 came.

Then 4:05.

4:08 passed without even an "OHAI!"

And finally, after 9 minutes of agonizing "did they forget my phone number? Did my cell phone lose service? How many more times can I watch 'Hakuna Matata' before they call?" I finally got the call.

After a fleeting vision of me running out of the room, down the elevator, and finally out into the streets and fading into the distance, I answered the phone.

Now to be honest, I don't remember my interviewer's name! I know that sounds terrible, as most people like to talk about their interviewer afterwards and find other people who had the same one, but I was too busy concentrating on not throwing up to take note. 

After I answered the phone, we jumped right in with confirming my information and getting all of that good stuff sorted out.

Honestly, I was pretty darn nervous. Most of the interview went like this:

Kindly Interviewer whose name might have started with a C: "Alright, just to make sure, you do understand that the pay rate starts at $7.25, right?"

Katy: "Oh yeah. Most definitely. For sure. Haha, I know that! Yeah. Yes ma'am. Ja. Yep. Sure enough! You bet! Heh heh heh."

Inner monologue:

"I should probably stop sounding so affirmative. I sound like an axe murderer"

Anyway, she asked me some questions, and I'm sure if you're like me and you're reading this blog because you might want to apply to the WDWCP in the future and you enjoy looking at every blog ever in existence, you would probably like to hear about said questions.

• Why do you want to participate in the WDWCP? (This one always gets asked)
• Top three? (attractions, character attendant, MEO)
• Why do you want to be a character attendant?
• Tell me a time when you gave great guest service (let me tell you, this was not a good question for me. But apparently it wasn't too big of a deal. I just said "let me take a minute to think," came up with an OK-ish answer, and moved on!)
• How do you feel about living in a diverse environment?
• How are your computer skills?
• Do you have experience with cash handling?
• What's your favorite part of your job experiences so far?
• In response to what I said to that, which was hanging out with the kids in my summer camps, my interviewer attempted to persuade me to change my top 3 to include Quick Service Food & Beverage. Um, I can deal with it, but it's definitely NOT in my top 3. Sorry! (Of course I answered much more politely and charmingly than that.)

Then she made sure I would be able to handle standing on my feet all day (another "Oh yes! For sure, most definitely. Affirmative." on that one) and she let me go to enjoy my weekend.

After 21 minutes, it was over.

"Aaaand exhale. For the first time in 3 days."

Nothing left now but to wait. And wait. And wait some more.

Up next: MORE WAITING!