Day 1676: DCP Bucket List

There's a distinct difference between visiting Florida and the Walt Disney World Resort here and there, or even a few times a year as I've been up to lately, and actually living in Florida. For one, as I spend my time on my Disney College Program, I'll have my car, which means that I'll actually have near unlimited access to everything Florida has to offer. Second, while I will be spending most of my time working in the Parks, I will have some free time here or there, and that's the perfect chance to work on my ever growing collection of Bucket List items for my DCP. 

So here's my list (you can click it to zoom in):

I've spent quite a bit of time over the past few weeks narrowing down my options for this list, but I wanted it to stray from the stereotypical Disney College Program Bucket List. While it does include some regular experiences, like Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and Visit Every Resort, I've also included VoluntEAR, the Pascal Scavenger Hunt, and Finding a Local Donut Shop! 

I've been fortunate to spend so much of my life so far at the Walt Disney World Resort, which means that now I can spend more time doing the things I typically don't feel I have time for when I'm here on vacation. Yes, going on every attraction is on the list, but so is Photographing every attraction for future blog posts and Instagram features. Seeing the Hoop Dee Doo Revue is included, as it is for most people, but I also included two tours on there! So, as you can see, it's all over the place, and it's going to be an interesting semester! 

If you had to make a Disney College Program Bucket List, what would be on it?

Have a magical day!

Day 874: Anything Is Possible

The beginning of the summer for a college student comes with all kinds of new possibilities. You suddenly have tons of free time (at least in comparison to the amount of time you usually have to spend doing homework or going to class), and at least in my experience, you have so many things you want to do that you can't figure out what to do first. This summer is no different, and if the fact that I'm currently typing this on my mom's iPad because she left it sitting on the table on our deck as we discuss new paint options for said deck has anything to say about how I'm kicking my summer off, then I would say things are going pretty well.

This summer is filled with tons of new adventures, Florida and California included, but that's not all I have to look forward to. I actually have gotten a great start on several of the projects I want to accomplish over the next few months, including a bucket list that seems to grow longer by the day. Oh yes, that bucket list is getting full, and as a matter of fact, there's several items on that list that are very Disney inspired!

For instance, and you may or may not see these items later in the summer, we've got fly a kite and sidewalk chalk art and feed the birds all on the list. Pretty Mary Poppins inspired, huh? And then there's a whole list inspired by the Disney Princesses, like read a book for Belle or paint a picture for Rapunzel, not to mention the gumbo for Tiana.

But that's not all the Disney inspired things I have ready for the summer. Oh no. There's plenty more to come. And while I'd really like to continue telling you about it all, mom's looking to have her iPad back, so I suppose I should comply. Either way, this summer is sure to be interesting and boy am I ready to experience everything it has to offer!

Have a magical day!

Day 576: The Disney Bucket List

We're all familiar with Bucket Lists. I think that, aside from my lifetime one, I've had more bucket lists than I can count, although sometimes they're more of just to-do lists than anything else. But it helps me get stuff done, and keeps me motivated for the next project. Plus, Bucket Lists are fun. You just get to sit and imagine all the different things you could do and then say "alright, I'm going to do them."

You can have bucket lists for just about anything, although the general point is to have one with things you want to do before the end of your life. However, there are bucket lists for every season, for when you're in college, and most certainly for when you go to Walt Disney World.

Lately, the Disney Pinterest has had these Bucket Lists appearing, and while I've been to Disney so many times that I no longer need to know the things I "have" to do before I leave the parks, it IS fun to go through each list and see what I personally have and haven't done. It's a pretty good mix, and it just goes to show that even the most seasoned Disney veteran still hasn't done absolutely everything.

So I sort of knocked it out of the park on this Disney Dining Bucket List. I got 5 out of 5, which isn't surprising at all. I'm always dining in the different Disney restaurants, and I always try to pick one or two more off the list of places I haven't dined before, such as a fairly recent trip to the Rose and Crown, where I hadn't eaten previous to July 2013. 

But when it comes to Resorts, there are a lot of different places I haven't stayed, and on this one I only got 3/5. That's not bad at all, especially considering these resorts are all the super pricey ones and some people don't get to stay on Disney property period. However, I do hope that I'll check off new resorts soon, and I know for a fact that I'll be staying at Saratoga Springs for the first time this coming January. Just another thing to cross off the ultimate Disney Bucket List. 

I mean, seriously, my Disney bucket list has things like "See all the fireworks shows in the same night" and "stay at all the resorts." Not "Stay at one resort and call it good." I'm a bit more ambitious than that. 

Have a magical day! 

(Note: This blog post was written on August 25).

Day 71: Disney Experts???

I read an article this morning about being a Disney Expert. The article is hilarious and you can find it on the WDWRadio Blog HERE, so I do suggest reading it, but it got me thinking.

What experiences in the parks make us Disney Experts, or Disney Geeks or anything of the sort? What are the qualifications to know everything there is about the parks and the company, and is it ok to miss a few things? The article talked about a middle school class asking their teacher (the author) about her lack of Turkey Leg eating...and luckily I'm not in the same boat...sort of.

Turkey legs are, in my opinion, delicious...until you get towards the bottom and you just become sick of it. But my brother and I often share one a trip, and that's more than enough for me! But I didn't try a turkey leg until just a few years ago myself, and I honestly don't remember what caused me to try it on that trip! It's not something you HAVE to have eaten to be a Disney expert, but it does help. Not that I can talk much since I've never actually had a Dole Whip...and I can no longer eat the delicious ice cream since I'm lactose intolerant (well...I can...but it's just annoying). But I have been trying my hardest to get things done I've never actually done before, and I even created a bucket list for my last trip, which held over 30 things on it. I got all but a couple done, but I'm still happy with what I accomplished! I've already talked about my challenges for the next trip (and I've decided on which one I shall be doing...but I'm not going to talk about it until I get closer!), but for instance, some of my challenges included meeting a character I've never met before (MARY POPPINS!!!), Getting New Mickey Ears and Taking a Tour of the Stars, along with some silly ones like finding a Blue Dinosaur and eating Chicken with Ketchup (it's a long story).

But, now that I've thought about it for a while, here's my top 5 list of must-do things at Disney if you consider yourself a Disney Expert:

1. Spaceship Earth: Ok, I might be a bit bias here, but I do feel that it's something every Disney lover should experience. The attraction is great, and it holds a lot of Disney history in it, especially from the creation of Epcot itself. Plus it's air conditioned, and who doesn't love that?

2. Illuminations: Reflections of Earth: We're still in Epcot, but it's funny because I'm actually currently listening to the soundtrack from Illuminations. Either way, this is a must see, as it's honestly one of the best fireworks shows in the world...and it's my personal favorite. The way World Showcase lights up with the fireworks in the sky and the way the music completely surrounds you...that's something you have to experience.

3. One Man's Dream: If you're going to call yourself a Disney Expert, you'd better have gone through One Man's Dream over at Disney's Hollywood Studios. You can't be an expert on the parks if you don't know about the man behind it all. It's a wonderful presentation of the Walt Disney story, complete with plenty of artifacts from Disney archives. And again...it's air conditioned!

4. The Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover: I think this one is completely on my list as well. You have to go on the TTAP at some point. It's a great way to people watch, which is another thing I think every good Disney fan should do at some point and time (as creepy and stalker-like as it sounds). That I think every Disney Fan should know Tom Morrow...even if you do know the newer, less-funny version of his mention. I never will forget (and still repeat while riding) "Calling Mr. Morrow. Mr. Tom Morrow. Your party from Saturn has arrived. Please give them a ring." Much more fun that "Calling Mr. Morrow. Mr. Tom Morrow. Please contact Mr. Johnson in the control tower to confirm your flight to the moon."

5. The Rose Gardens: I talked about this a little bit the other day I believe, stopping and smelling the roses that is, or maybe I just talked about it in my memoir, but either way, every good Disney expert has to take a stroll through one of the many rose gardens in the parks. They're a tribute to Lillian Disney and it slows you down a little bit. Each is a quiet spot and also a great place to people watch...meaning that it's something every Disney fan must do.

Of course, there are tons of different things that each Disney fan must do. A few that come to my mind as runners up include The Haunted Mansion, Hoo-Dee-Doo Revue at Fort Wilderness, Taking a ride on all three mountains at Magic Kingdom (and of course, the Matterhorn at Disneyland and Everest at Animal Kingdom), and asking about George before riding Pirates of the Caribbean. But everyone is different, and no Disney expert is alike. That's why I'm the Epcot Expert. I could tell you a lot of stuff about Epcot, not everything, but a lot, and yet I can't tell you nearly as much about the Hollywood Studios!

So what's your top five? Think about it!

Here's today's Disney History: 2012: The Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World unveils the first phase of the new Storybook Circus area of Fantasyland with a "soft" opening. The Storybook Circus area pays tribute to the traveling circuses of the 1950's and 1960's and features the first part of "Dumbo, The Flying Elephant" (with Dumbo spinning clockwise for the first time in Magic Kingdom history), "The Barnstormer, Starring the Great Goofini" and "The Fantasyland Train Station."