Update: I'm Alive! (Vlog)

Just wanted to show you guys that I'm indeed alive! Here's what I've been up to these past few months. I'm aiming to keep making videos and blog posts as much as possible now that school is over!

If you have any blog/video ideas for me, please leave them in the comments!

Thank you for sticking with me for these past few months!

Interview a CP: Jeremy (EPCOT FriendShip Boats)

Did you know college program participants can also be in charge of the FriendShip boats between EPCOT and Hollywood Studios? Jeremy took the time to tell us all about his experience in transportation with these lovely boats!

What role did you have during the DCP, and where did you work? 
I was transportation at the FriendShip boats! These are the boats that are in the World Showcase and they run the route between EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, with a few resorts along the way. 

What was a typical day like at work? 
At the FriendShips, you were lucky if you didn’t have a closing shift. I usually started somewhere between 3pm and 5pm and get off anywhere from 11pm to 2am depending on Extra Magic Hours. I’d clock in and then sign up for the next available boat. Sometimes I’d get the one scheduled to arrive next, sometimes I’d have to wait up to an hour. While waiting, I just stood at the entrance/exit gates and talked to and helped guests.

Is this the role you originally wanted? If not, are you happy you got it? 
Concierge was my #1, but I didn’t think I’d get it since I’m not a hospitality major. Transportation (specifically FriendShips) was my realistic #1. 

What are your favorite and least favorite parts about your job? 
My favorite part was piloting the boats. They aren’t on any tracks or rails or anything. The captain has full control of the boat at all times. I loved fine-tuning my docking style to get to smoothest and best dock I could get. I also loved timing my lagoon (World Showcase) shifts around Off Kilter’s show times. I got to work on a boat and listen to Off Kilter; it doesn’t get much better than that! My least favorite part would have to be working in the rain and Hollywood Studios Extra Magic Hours nights. When the Studios has EMH, the docks get really busy and you have to anticipate how many people are going to be at each stop so you don’t fill up the boat too soon. 

Any specific magical moment you want to share? 
During Christmastime there is a special ending added to EPCOT’s fireworks show. You can actually see it from the Yacht and Beach Club boat dock and some other areas out there. One night my deckhand and I were way ahead of time and due back just after IllumiNations ended. We were going between Yacht/Beach Club and the Boardwalk when the holiday tag started. Since we had so much time, we stopped the boat and just floated for the rest of the show. It gave the guests a chance to see the show that they would have otherwise missed from a different perspective.

What made you want to do the DCP? I love Disney and WDW is my second home. I had heard about the program several years before I started college and knew I had to do it. It gave me my first opportunity to live away from home and really find out who I am. I met my best friend during my program and wouldn’t trade the experience for anything! Is there something you wish you would have known before doing your program? I don’t think so. I spent a lot of time researching so I had a really good idea of what to expect. What advice would you give to those who want to participate in your role? Go in with an open mind. Training may be overwhelming at first, but it is so worth it! If you can, work a few opening shifts too. Opening is such a different experience from closing and is worth getting up before sunrise. What advice would you give to people who are interested in doing the DCP? Do it! It is such a life-changing experience. The opportunities you have on the program are incredible. Also, if you can, take your car! The buses are notoriously unreliable (to say the least).

If you're a current or past college program cast member and would like to share your experience, email your name and role to thedisneyden@yahoo.com to participate!

Also don't forget to follow The Disney Den on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube!

Interview a CP: Noelle (Animal Kingdom Custodial)

It's been a while since I've posted a college program interview! I apologize for my absence...I was focusing on finishing college! Now that I'm done, I'm ready to dedicate more time towards this blog and share even more interviews with you, like Noelle's!

What role did you have during the DCP, and where did you work?

Custodial at Disney's Animal Kingdom during Spring Advantage 2014! (Jan-Aug)

What was a typical day like at work?

Typically, I got street shifts and mostly closing. With that, I'd usually work 6-8 hour shifts where I'd be assigned to a specific area in the park. I'd have 1-2 trash runs and would get a radio for my area depending on the schedule. When I didn't have a trash run I'd be sweeping and interacting with guests (and also watching the animals or doing water art!) I'd occasionally get called for codes (I actually rarely had anything: 1 BBP, 1 code U, and just a few code Vs during my whole program). DAK is really relaxed and I loved the people I worked with. I'd get restroom shifts too which would typically start an hour before the park opened and end an hour after it closed (10-12 hours or I'd help cover a restroom which is a much shorter shift). Restrooms are either one or two depending on how busy the restroom or the park is. I'd even get back of house shifts (too many) which is really relaxed and you clean the restrooms backstage.

Is this the role you originally wanted? If not, are you happy you got it?

It was my top choice! I have anxiety so I loved how relaxed this role is! I wanted to be in a park but my last choice was DAK because I heard it was the hottest. Of course I'd get it but I'm so happy I did and wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else! It's actually not as bad with heat because there is so much shade (heat and humidity in FL will always suck).

What are your favorite and least favorite parts about your job?

Least: POPCORN SPILLS. Especially after it rains. People seem to love to spill all of their popcorn and no matter how many times you sweep up around a popcorn cart, there will ALWAYS be popcorn. It's even more difficult cause people step in it. I also hated when it would rain because the drains have to be cleared and they're terrible at DAK (and MK) and cause massive floods. Some people aren't always helpful but I had a lot of other coworkers who were amazing. I didn't like getting BOH shifts because I like keeping busy and being in the park interacting with guests.

Favorite: The park, guests interactions (for the most part), and my coworkers. DAK is so great with all the entertainment and animals! It's super detailed and easy to keep yourself from being bored. Guests aren't usually ever out right rude to custodians (but some can act superior but you start laughing at it and it's not bad and most are super kind and grateful). I had a lot of cool interactions with guests especially because I LOVE facts about Disney and the park. I also had a really great group of coworkers that I still talk to all the time and some are even my best friends. It's like a family at DAK  cause it's small enough to know everyone but big enough to not feel lonely. 

Noelle and her best friend creating pre-parade water art!

Any specific magical moment you want to share?

I LOVED getting to do pre parade water art! One of the best times I ever had was when I got to draw Donald with my best friend who drew Mickey and see all the kids get excited and trying to pump up the crowd (which is really hard and you learn to have a great time even if no one is listening haha.) A specific magical moment was that time because I got to draw Donald for a little girl that was sitting away from the crowd and couldn't see. I got to talk to her one on one and had her guess what I was drawing. It's such a magical experience to watch as kids try to guess what you're drawing and she was so excited to guess Donald correctly! While some of my friends were more into interacting with larger groups and making everyone super excited, I loved getting to have special smaller moments. Having preferences for magical moments is so much easier in custodial because it has more freedoms and is flexible.

What made you want to do the DCP?

I wanted to do the program as soon as I found out it existed! Doing the program also helped me figure out more specifically what I want to do in school and after I graduate.

Is there something you wish you would have known before doing your program?

After a "Harambe Nights" special event shift!

Don't panic during training and as soon as it's over. Your team won't just let you loose without knowing you're ready. Most of the job is learned through doing. Don't take things personally. Don't trust Transtar [company in charge of the bus system for the DCP]. Do as many thing as you can including housing events. It can be really hard transitioning back home after your program if it was amazing so be prepared and keep in contact with the friends you make. Go into work at 100%, your worst personal days are some of your best work days.

What advice would you give to those who want to participate in your role?

I think custodial is probably one of the best hourly paid roles because it's low stress and has lots of freedom. Don't be scared of the responsibilities and what people may think of you because I LOVED it even though I came in with a low tolerance of anything gross (you can work on it too!). It's a great role for anyone with anxiety! DAK is a perfect location too so I'd highly recommend requesting it!

What advice would you give to people who are interested in doing the DCP?

Research the program! Make sure it's something you want to do and you understand it. It's not a vacation and it can be super hard and stressful but for me and so many others it is life changing. If you have roommate or work drama don't let it get to you and try to work through it. Do things that are outside of your comfort zone but also don't do anything that makes you uncomfortable to the point of panicking. Make a bucket list and set time aside for your roommates because it can be so hard to stay in touch when your schedules are conflicting. Also make sure you know a staff member from your school who understands the program and how it will affect you if you're taking a semester off. 

If you're a current or past college program cast member and would like to share your experience, email your name and role to thedisneyden@yahoo.com to participate!

Also don't forget to follow The Disney Den on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube!

Top 5 Songs from "We Love Disney"

Remember the days of Disney Mania, when pop singers covered popular Disney tunes? Man, those were the days. For some reason, Disney stopped producing these albums after quite a few editions. I was thrilled to learn that a similar album was recently created called "We Love Disney", which includes a few of my favorite artists.

Here are my top five favorite songs from the new album, "We Love Disney"!

5. "Ev'rybody Wants to Be a Cat" - Charles Perry

I'm actually not much of Aristocats fan, but I was quite impressed with Charles Perry's rendition of this song. I didn't know Perry before this song, but I like the fun jazzy feel in this honestly more than the original. Most likely because it's rather modernized, but still good nonetheless!



4. "Friend Like Me" - Ne-Yo

Tackling this song after Robin Williams' death is a rather tough task, but I think Ne-Yo pulls it off rather well. I love Aladdin, Robin Williams, and Ne-Yo...so I guess it's no surprised that I'm a fan of this song. It's similar, but has its significant differences to differentiate from the original and give it it's own style.




3. "Can You Feel the Love Tonight / Nants' Ingonyama" - Jason Derulo

The Lion King is my all time favorite Disney movie and I absolutely adore the soundtrack, so any different version of these songs is a dangerous task. I really like Jason Derulo originally, and I have no idea if he's a Lion King fan himself, but I feel like he loved singing this song. (Unlike Ariana Grande's Zero to Hero...which was disappointing.) It's fun, slightly different from the original, but still beautiful and captures the spirit of the movie everyone loves and adores.




2. "Rainbow Connection" - Gwen Stefani

When I heard Gwen Stefani was going to cover this song...I was rather skeptical. My first concert was actually a Gwen Stefani concert, but I'm rather hot and cold with her music. Gwen and The Muppets seemed like a rather random pairing, but I was pleasantly surprised! Definitely one of my favorites on the entire album. Makes me reminisce the time Gwen and I rode on the rafts to Tom Sawyer Island (or Pirates' Lair...whatever) in Disneyland earlier this year. Yes, that actually happened.

1. "In a World of My Own / Very Good Advice" - Jhene Aiko

It's funny, if you asked me if I remembered this song or had even heard of this singer before hearing this song, I'd draw a blank for both. I'm not a big fan of Alice in Wonderland, and I've never heard of any Jhene Aiko songs. None of this actually matters, because her rendition of this song is absolutely wonderful. I have it on repeat many mornings while walking to class or finishing homework. It's so serene, pretty, and unique. I'm definitely going to look into more songs from Aiko, because I've also fallen in love with her voice.


What do you think of the new "We Love Disney" album? Which are some of your favorites? You can purchase your copy of the album on iTunes now! Have a magical day!

Book Review: The E-Ticket Life

The E-Ticket Life: by Kyle Burbank

I met Kyle through one of my best friends, who works with Kyle on a Disney podcast called The Disneyland Gazette. Kyle was kind enough to be the first person to officially review my own book on both the Gazette and LaughingPlace.com. While I was participating in an interview for the Gazette with Kyle, I learned more about his book The E-Ticket Life. I was definitely excited to read it myself, and jumped on the opportunity to finally meet Kyle in person at the D23 Expo and purchase a signed copy.

I didn’t actually get around to reading Kyle’s book until a month or so after D23, but I was immediately hooked. Each chapter is a personal anecdote about Kyle’s experience either in Disneyland or somehow related to Disney. He’ll take you through his journeys from Florida to Tokyo, with some stops in between. Kyle includes some of his personal life and lessons woven through his adventures, such as what it’s like to travel to a foreign country on your own, or how you can find a little bit of Disney in unexpected places.

One aspect in particular that I really enjoyed throughout Kyle’s book was reading his Disney experiences through the eyes of a true Disney fan and Annual Passholder. Before I became a cast member, I didn’t travel to Disney as frequently as I do now. Actually, I had only been to Disneyland maybe four or five times and Walt Disney World once before I got a job in Florida. I only know what it’s like to work and play in the parks together, not only see Disney as a place to frequent only for fun on a regular basis. I’ve always wondered what it was like for Annual Passholders to go to Disneyland as often as Kyle did and not grow tiresome of the place (people wonder the same thing about cast members, but that’s a different story).

There was one chapter in particular that really resonated with me. Kyle explains “The Disney Bubble,” which is basically the overall feeling you experience when attending a Disney park. You’re completely unaware of the outside world and simply enjoying the atmosphere and magic within the resort. If you attend as frequently as Kyle or I do, sometimes this “bubble” can pop, leaving you rather uninspired or possibly have a feeling that you’ve “lost the magic.”

Kyle makes an excellent point about being a Disney local or regular: You need to explore outside of the Disney parks to “keep the magic alive.” Disney fans use the parks as an escape from reality, but if you’re in the parks too often…they become your reality. The outside world and problems will follow you inside the parks of you don’t handle them in the “real world” before stepping foot inside your escape. Kyle explains an important lesson perfectly, that I feel more Disney locals need to take to heart:

“I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with wanting to live near the parks and visit often; I’m just saying that you shouldn’t define yourself by your fandom.”

This is something I’ve tried to explain to people who ask if I ever grow tired of going to Disney all the time. My answer is always plain and simple: I don’t allow myself to get to that point. If you maintain a healthy balance and attend the parks with a purpose (whether as small as grabbing lunch and people watching to as large as an all-day Disney excursion), you’ll most likely avoid popping the bubble that keeps Disney’s essence everyone knows and loves.

Along with Kyle’s fun and interesting anecdotes, I have to commend his writing. He’s fluid, professional, and tastefully adds his own personality and humor all throughout his story. If you’re a Disney buff, cast member, or simply want to learn about a young man’s journey traveling across (and out of) the country, I definitely recommend giving The E-Ticket Life a read.

You can find more of Kyle Burbank’s work on his blog at LaughingPlace.com, as well as purchase a copy of his book directly from Laughing Place Press or Amazon.

Disneyland Fall Bucket List

With the end of the year quickly approaching, my two-year anniversary with Disneyland come and gone (already!), and the recent announcements of many Disneyland attractions and locations closing either permanently or temporarily for the construction of Star Wars Land...I decided I need to finally make a bucket list for the parks of things I need to do before the end of the year.

Without further ado, here are a list of attractions, restaurants, and activities I need to do before 2016!

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1. Big Thunder BBQ - I've eaten here once before, and I LOVED it! I already have a plan in the works to eat here at least one more time before it goes away permanently in January. (Completed: 11/17/2015)

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2. Watch Fantasmic! - I actually haven't seen this show at all this year. I definitely need to see it before it's gone for over a year!

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3. Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes - This may seem kind of odd...but I've never been on the canoes that paddle around the Rivers of America. I wanted to give it a try this most recent summer but it was way too hot for that kind of physical activity.

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4. Ghost Galaxy - I love this particularly spooky version of Space Mountain during Halloween. I've actually had the opportunity to ride it with the lights on, but I haven't seen the regular version yet this year! (Completed: Oct. 14th)

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5. Mickey's Halloween Party - Even though I've worked in Disneyland for over two years now, I've never actually been to a Mickey's Halloween Party. Thankfully, I have a ticket for next week! I'm so excited! (Completed: Oct. 14th)

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6. Haunted Mansion Holiday - It's mandatory to see the new gingerbread house and changes Jack Skellington made to the Haunted Mansion every year! (Completed: Oct. 14th)

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7. Doctor Who Day - I've participated in the last two "Gallidays" in Disneyland, and they're so much fun! Definitely made it into a tradition and plan on attending this November. If you're a Doctor Who fan, this is definitely a day in the parks you don't want to miss. (Completed Nov 8th)

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8. Hyperspace Mountain - A new version of Space Mountain themed for Star Wars? Can't wait! (Completed 11/14/15)

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9. Star Wars Launch Bay - Even though I'm not a huge Star Wars nerd, I'm really excited to see what they did with Innoventions for the new Launch Bay coming in November!

I'll keep updating this list as I accomplish each goal, and keep you posted on Twitter and Facebook!

Do you have any items on your Disney bucket list?

Have a magical day!

Win a Copy of "Sara Earns Her Ears"! (GIVEAWAY)

Hey guys!

I've been meaning to do this for a while, but I finally set up a giveaway! You now have a chance to win a free copy of my book, Sara Earns Her Ears!

From now until September 23rd, you can enter through some of the options below to win a copy of my book and learn all about my Disney College Program experience!

You can also enter through following on Tumblr and reblogging this post!

Feel free to comment if you have any questions. Good luck!


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