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 1675: The Waiting Game

If you thought the 120 minute wait for Frozen Ever After was bad, then I have bad news, because the amount of time you spend waiting after completing your phone interview will give you a whole new perspective on the word patience.

Of course, The Waiting Game has several sections, and the first one is absolutely the worst one. I completed my Phone Interview mid-February, and I waited as wave after wave of acceptance letters roll out. I had myself completely convinced that I'd messed something up in my Phone Interview and that I wouldn't be accepted or would get a waitlist email, but I tried to keep myself busy with practicing for Knights on Broadway and finishing my homework.

That makes the process of waiting sound easy, because honestly it's really easy to discourage yourself while waiting for your acceptance letter. I was frantically trying to figure out what I would do if I wasn't accepted, fielded everyone telling me that "Of course Disney will hire you!" because honestly, what if they didn't? It was nerve wrecking and terrifying and seemed like I'd never get the Congratulations email.

Finally, on March 25, I was sitting in my History of Modern Art class and noticed a notification on the corner of my screen. Luckily, I took notes on my laptop for that course, and all I saw was Disney College Program and "Congratulations." I immediately clicked the notification, which opened the email in my browser, and I started to hit Megan, who was sitting next to me, while also trying to not be super distracting despite the fact that I sat in the exact center of the front row. I actually apologized to my professor after class and explained that I'd just received my acceptance to the Disney College Program. He congratulated me and I went out to go tell everyone else who would listen.

As a part of your acceptance letter, you'll learn what role you'll be filling, whether it be Quick Service Food and Beverage, Attractions, PhotoPass, or one of the other magical roles that are a part of the Disney College Program. You'll have an opportunity to accept or decline your role (don't be afraid to do this, but also know that many people apply for the college program, and every role is a great one, even if it wasn't your top choice), and you'll then pay an initial fee for the program, which includes your rent for your first couple of weeks since you won't have enough hours when you first start out to pay for rent in full. This is also when you'll pick your arrival date. I only had one choice of when I could arrive, August 7, as the other two dates were blocked out.

But the waiting isn't over, because now you have months of waiting for more information and tasks. You'll eventually be sent your onboarding information about a month ahead of time, which includes all of your confidentiality agreements and other legal documents. What I did was download the giant books to read later since I was heading to New York the following week. I was able to add them to my Kindle Library and read them on the go rather than spending a ridiculous amount of time trying to read it all in one sitting (some of the booklets are around 30 pages). A few weeks before arrival you'll also receive your housing email that will allow you to link with other roommates and rank your housing options. More on this later though!

Next you'll wait in anticipation of finding out where you'll be spending the majority of your time on the program: your work location. About a week before your check-in date you'll receive an email with your check-in itinerary and your work and housing locations. Be thankful that you receive your work location ahead of time now, as former college program participants had to wait until they actually arrived to find out their work location! For me, I actually just received my itinerary today, 5 days before check-in, and I'll be making Magic Kingdom my home for the fall and living in Patterson!

Then the only waiting left is waiting to get to Florida, and that's a bittersweet sort of waiting. On one hand, you'll be leaving to move to the most magical or the happiest place on Earth. For a few months you'll literally get to live at Disney World or Disneyland, and dreams of working for Disney are finally coming true. But on the other hand, you'll be leaving home or school, all of your friends and family and pets, for a new adventure.

Which is where I am now, desperately trying to finish everything I need to before I actually leave for Florida. The remainder of my family got there today, my car safely in a Disney Parking Lot until I get there in a few days after standing up in a wedding, which means that the rest of this week will be dedicated to more DCP Wednesday posts, even if they're not actually on Wednesdays! There are a few things we still need to discuss before I start my program, so get ready for more Disney College Program as we count down the final days until I move to Walt Disney World!

Have a magical day!

Day 1661: Web Based Interview

So you made it past the dreaded submission and into the Web Based Interview, or as most applicants refer to it, the WBI. Congratulations! If you thought everything so far was exciting, get ready for one of the most nerve wrecking experiences of your entire life, because the WBI is, more or less, a personality test that decides if you'd be a good candidate to work for Disney. That's right, this little test is going to figure out if you're suitable to be a Disney Cast Member. 

The good news is that as terrifying as this test can be, it's actually not all that difficult as long as you use your common sense and keep track of your answers. That means that you want to seclude yourself from others so you can focus entirely on this portion of the interview process. For me, I locked myself in my apartment (although I made the mistake of forgetting to tell my roommate what I was doing, so she walked in when I was about 70% done and scared me half to death...I still passed though!), turned off the lights since I'm calmer in the dark, turned on some peaceful instrumental music, and began my WBI. 

For those that don't know, the WBI will need to be taken within a few days after receiving the email invitation to do so, but you can do it at any time that's convenient for you. So if you're like me and your days are filled with classes, meetings, rehearsals, and maybe grabbing a quick bite to eat, you can complete this at 3am if you'd like. I don't advise that, but it's nice to know that you're at your own free will here for a moment. 

Now, there's any range of options for how people suggest you approach the Web Based Interview, and after a lot of research and a little personal experience, I'm not sure there's any perfect way to make it to the Phone Interviews. As I've said in the past, I know some people perfectly suited for the Disney College Program that didn't pass the WBI. So here are my quick tips on the Web Based Interview: 

1. Don't stress too much. I have some anxiety myself and whenever I found myself getting anxious during the WBI I used my performance trick of quickly closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. The more anxious you are, the more likely you are to answer something in a way you normally wouldn't. 

2. Be consistent!!! Of all the suggestions I came across, this is perhaps the most important one. Disney is about to throw a ton of questions at you and you'll have to answer them all in a very short amount of time (I believe it's 60 seconds or less). That being said, they'll try to trick you. No one ever said that getting into Disney was easy, so one minute they'll have you rank the phrase "I am always on time" on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree) and the next they'll have you rank, using the same scale, "I am never late." Of course, in this case, the "correct" responses would be Strongly Agree to "I am always on time" and Strongly Agree to "I am never late." Pay attention to the questions and remember your answers. 

3. Slow down! In order to make sure I was thinking each question through fully, I read them all out loud to myself. It took a bit longer than some may take on the WBI (Disney says it'll take you 40 minutes, it probably won't), but it made sure I was answering truthfully and consistently. 

It's pretty common for people to suggest you should try to rank each question as Strongly Agree or Strongly Disagree only, avoiding putting the middle answers as much as you can. I honestly have no reference on whether or not this is true, as I've only done the WBI once and obviously passed, but I did keep track of how many Agree, Disagree, and Neutral answers I put. I allowed myself two of each agree and disagree, and one neutral. I did use all five of my "Moderate Answers," and it worked for me, so who's to say what for sure works or doesn't work in regards to how you answer the questions. I used them on questions where I truthfully didn't feel strongly one way or another, but it's obvious that Disney wants you to be confident in your answers, hence the suggestion to use those "Strongly" answers more often than not. 

The other terrifying, but also somewhat relieving, part about the WBI? You'll get so wrapped up in answering questions that all of a sudden you'll reach the end of the Interview and you'll be instructed as to whether you passed or failed. A pass means you'll immediately (or soon after) be able to sign up for your Phone Interview, and a fail, obviously, means that perhaps there's better luck next time. 

All in all, I definitely worked myself up by the Web Based Interview, when in reality as long as you use your conscience as your guide and answer truthfully, you're likely to be just fine and make it on to the Phone Interview! 

Have a magical day!

Day 1654: Time to Apply!

Finally! After what might be months or years of anticipation and weeks of planning out your application, your chance to apply for the Disney College Program has finally arrived. Well, that is, if applications are currently open. As I mentioned previously, the best way to stay up to date on the program is to sign up for email notifications for when applications open up again, and then it's onto that initial application. 

Since we've already covered the ranking of roles, this will be a shorter, but no less important post about the journey of the Disney College Program. There's some controversy as to when exactly you should apply for the program once applications do open up, largely because some say that if you apply on the first day you have a lower chance of getting accepted because of the number of applications on that first day. Others say you should apply immediately once applications open up so yours is one of the first ones they go through. 

To be completely honest, I'm not sure there's a rhyme or reason to the way Recruiting goes through the applications, at least not that we could ever know about. I tried to wait until the second day after applications open to apply in fear that mine would get lost in the first-day shuffle, but I just couldn't get anything done knowing that there was something I could do on my journey to the Disney College Program. So I applied the first day, and I'm skeptical about the idea that applying so quickly crushes your chances, because I did and I was obviously accepted. In other words, take what you read with a grain of salt. But don't wait until the last day or week to apply either. 

When you hit apply, you'll be directed to a pretty self-explanatory application that asks for the customary information, such as your name, school information, and work experience. In fact, if you already have a LinkedIn set up with your resume and work experience, there's an option to log into the Disney system using LinkedIn, and it'll automatically input your top work experience into the application for you. I still highly recommend going through the application with a fine toothed comb. 

The biggest thing with this initial application is going to be keywords. Use words that you'd use on your professional resume, and tailor them to the roles that you're ranking highest. For instance, since I knew I was applying for the PhotoPass Photographer role, I made sure to include my photography and videography experience on my application, noting that I'm familiar with DSLR cameras and basic photography skills. I also was sure to include that I have experience with crowd control, specifically in regards to large groups of college students, high school students, and middle school student, and public speaking as well. Regardless of what roles you're interested in, use keywords like "guests," "teamwork," "leadership," "efficient," and "communicate." 

After filling out this initial application with your work experience, you'll pick which program you're applying for, rank your roles, and will eventually hit submit. In all, I think the application took me around 25 minutes with proofreading and some thorough contemplation as to how I wanted to word things and what I wanted to include. 

At this point, one of a few things can happen. You can immediately get a WBI (Web Based Interview) link and you may be able to take that (which I'll discuss in a later blog post). You could be like me and wait a few days before getting the WBI link, but still be "In Progress" on the website. Or you could fall in "submission." You'll be able to view all of this on your dashboard (which is where you can view your progress throughout the entire application process), and I'll tell you that if you fall into submission, that's not to say you won't be accepted for the program. It's more likely you'll never make it to the WBI, but there have been participants who are put into submission immediately and manage to make their way out. So don't give up, but also don't get your hopes up, because honestly, it could go either way (although to be blunt, it's more likely you won't get accepted). 

And then you wait, again. If you're fortunate enough to get send a link to the WBI right away, I suppose you have less waiting to do, but otherwise the best advice I can give is go about your normal life. There's so much waiting involved with the Disney College Program that it's easy to get caught up in obsessively checking your status or your email for any updates. I tried to limit myself to checking the dashboard once a day throughout the process, and I didn't check my email any more than usual, which sort of helped toward the end when I was in the final stages of waiting. Feel as calm as you can knowing that your application, for the moment, is entirely out of your hands, and hope for the best. 

Next week: The Web Based Interview, AKA the most stressful test I've ever taken! 

Have a magical day!

Day 1647: Do Your Research

You probably thought that this week's DCP Wednesday post would be about applications because now that you've decided to apply for the Disney College Program that's the next obvious step, right? Wrong! There's still more to do before you log in and click that fateful "apply" button! There's a lot going on with the Disney College Program, and it's good to know what you're getting into and what might interest you most before you get down to business (to defeat the huns). 

The initial application for the DCP will ask you common, customary questions you'd expect, like your name, school, and where you've worked, but it'll also ask you to rank your top roles, and that's a huge decision and a crucial part of the application process as a whole. What you write down at this point will impact your phone interview, potentially your acceptance into the program, and what you'd be doing if accepted, so it's important that you rank your options carefully. This blog post doesn't give you explicit descriptions of each role (you have to do some of the research yourself, after all), but I can promise you that, in the future, there will definitely be feature posts from various college program roles. 

First and foremost though, there's the decision of which college program you'd like to apply for. Since there are programs running consistently at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland, and there's several seasons throughout the year, you'll have to figure out which one is right for you. Personally, I applied for both the Disneyland and Walt Disney World programs, but put WDW as my priority location. The Disneyland program is drastically smaller than the Walt Disney World one, so your chances of being accepted to WDW are likely a bit higher, but if you don't have a preference, go for either, and if you do, notate that! I loved that I could apply for both programs at once, and I actually had a short conversation about it during my phone interview with my recruiter later on. 

Of course, when you apply makes an impact on the season you're applying for, and the best way to keep track of when applications are open is to sign up for email notifications. That way you won't miss when fall applications open months ahead of time in January. Depending on where you are in your college career and what works for you, it also might work better to do an advantage program rather than a regular seasonal program, meaning that, if you do Fall Advantage, you'll be applying to work from May/June to January rather than August/September to January like the rest of the Fall students. I've included the seasonal chart from the Disney Programs Blog below to give you an idea of what those seasons look like: 

Finally, you'll have to do some research on your roles before you actually apply. Doing your research ahead of time makes you more informed about what roles would be best for you, physically, emotionally, and mentally. For instance, I know that I really would prefer to stay out of Quick Service Food and Beverage roles, as well as anything to do with food because, while I love eating food, I just happen to know that it wouldn't be the right fit for me, especially since I have no prior experience in food service. However, after doing some research, other roles popped out as ones that would suit me well, such as Attractions (because of my experience in public speaking and crowd control), Front Desk (because of my experiences as Music Librarian and running Music Festivals), and, of course, PhotoPass Photography because of my experience with photography and videography. 

The best way to do research on these is to head over to our old pal Google and search for descriptions of each, although the Disney Program Website does feature an in-depth look at each role in the Earning section of the DCP page. I used these descriptions to get a general idea of what might work best, and then initially ranked each role. From there, I went to YouTube and Google and made additional searches to find out what real DCP Participants have said about each of their positions, getting a feel for what they're really like out on the job so I could make my final decisions on how I'd rank each role (you rank one on a scale of High, Moderate, Low, or No Interest). 

It's also important to note that there are different roles at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. For instance, there is only a Park Greeter position available at Disneyland, and Housekeeping is only at Walt Disney World. The available roles for each program are available on the DCP Website as well. 

Of course, there's more research headed your way in the future, specifically involving where you'll live and who you'll room with and how everything works in general, but let's just take it one step at a time. Now, go do some research! 

Have a magical day!

Day 1644: Change is Hard

Since Disney made more than one announcement concerning the future of more than one Disney Parks attraction the other day, the internet has been buzzing with controversy. As a Disney Blogger and YouTuber, among other things, it can sometimes be difficult to stay quiet when there's such continuous conversation abut the future of the parks - about what's right and what's wrong and what Walt would or wouldn't have wanted. But if I've learned anything in almost five years of blogging, it's that you should probably stay quiet until you've had enough time to truly come to a conclusion about how you feel, and then you should probably reexamine that feeling more than a few times over. For some, this might only take a few minutes, but I prefer to take a bit more time to sort out my thoughts, and I think I finally have.

We'll start with the first announcement, concerning the attractions currently sponsored by Siemens: Spaceship Earth, IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, and it's a small world. So many seemed shocked by this development, but for me, it was just a few weeks ago that I scoffed at an article that suggested the company would obviously renew their sponsorship with Disney. It hasn't been a question in my mind for almost a year actually; Siemens wasn't going to renew and I was prepared for it.

Given the track record of sponsored attractions in the Disney Parks, the fact that these attractions have kept sponsors on board as long as they have is sort of astonishing. It wasn't until January of 2016 when I stood in the Test Track Chevrolet Lounge gazing out at the Universe of Energy that I truly realized just how important sponsors are for these attractions. There I was, standing tall and pretty in a brilliantly decorated and designed lounge at Test Track when just across the courtyard was Ellen's Energy Adventure, an attraction I've come to love and adore over the years, slowly decaying. The cast member who brought us up to the lounge caught me looking at it and began to explain the sad story of how, because it has no sponsor, the Universe of Energy is only maintained to the point where it can continuing running. They'd make those minor repairs, just enough to keep it going, but it quickly became obvious that not everything at Walt Disney World is meant to stay the same, and sometimes for more reasons than one.

Does that mean I'm terrified for the future of not only my favorite attraction, but also my favorite nighttime show? Of course. I'm always terrified for an attraction that loses a sponsor, because I've seen what they've done to attractions in the past, Maelstrom at the forefront of that list. It's not a matter of Frozen Ever After being bad, because it's not. It's more about the fact that, at some point, every single one of these attractions becomes a part of the staple, normal Disney experience. We welcome new attractions into the Disney Parks family, and we say goodbye to them too, and even after all this time, I still feel for those that have lost their favorite attraction. Sometimes I even fear of it happening to me too.

Which brings us to the second announcement from Disney Parks and Resorts: the changes to the Auction scene in Pirates of the Caribbean. To say I wasn't shocked about this announcement, unlike the sponsorship from Siemens, would be a lie. I couldn't have predicted this one in a million years, and for me, it seemed so out of the blue that I initially found myself angry. How could they take out such an iconic scene and completely change it? It seemed unnecessary, regardless of the fact that I completely and 100% agree with the reasoning for changing it.

It frustrated me, then, that I was so upset about something that I knew I shouldn't be upset about. I watched as Twitter exploded with arguments on both sides of the discussion, some calling it a necessary change, praising Disney for finally working its way out of the gutters of sex slavery and human trafficking, and others petitioning to put a stop to the changes altogether. It felt odd, to sit on the sidelines and watch as so many argued about the fate of an attraction that, for the most part, will stay the same when the fate of my own favorite attractions hangs in the balance.

So I stayed quiet, until I happened across a tweet that made a reference to the future of IllumiNations. What will happen when they likely announce the replacement for my favorite nighttime show at the D23 Expo later this month? Am I not supposed to be sad? Am I supposed to walk around praising Disney for getting rid of something that literally means the world to me simply because others can do without it and it's in need of a change anyway? Am I supposed to ignore those feelings simply because what follows IllumiNations might be better or more politically correct or in tune with the world we live in today?

Simply, the answer is no, and that's what's important here. It's ok to be sad about change, even the changes coming to Pirates of the Caribbean. Yes, Walt always intended for the parks to be continuously changing, but sometimes change comes with a forced hand, oftentimes after the departure of a long-time sponsor or a change in the social climate. Yes, it's incredible that Disney has waited until now to update the Auction scene in Pirates of the Caribbean when it should have been done years ago. And yes, perhaps if you're arguing that there's nothing wrong with the scene itself, you might want to reexamine your views.

But because these attractions, whether it be experiences as a whole or specific scenes, become a part of our Disney experience, we grow attached to them. There's something special about sailing on Pirates of the Caribbean and hearing "We wants the Redhead!" because it's something we've done for a very long time. I know it was incredibly difficult for me when they removed the smoke and distinct smell of the burning of Rome on Spaceship Earth, and while that was a much smaller change than what's coming to Pirates, it still affected me. It affected a lot of us, just as these new changes will.

And as hard as it might seem, it is time to move ahead. I'm incredibly excited about the New Auction scene in Pirates of the Caribbean, because it's obvious that Disney has already put a lot of time and thought into creating a better message while preserving some of the history and nostalgia from the attraction we grew up with. If that's what we're truly getting and that's how Disney is going to move ahead with whatever is coming next, whether it be for Pirates or Spaceship Earth, IllumiNations or the Universe of Energy, what else could we ask for?

Have a magical day!

Day 1660: Why the DCP?

Now that I've finally announced my big news about participating in the Disney College Program this fall, we can get started with the myriad of topics relating to the experience, even if I haven't actually arrived at Disney yet! In fact, you wouldn't believe just how much of an experience the months leading up to the Disney College Program can be, from deciding to apply to the application process to roommate gifts and a packing list. There's a lot to cover, and some of it comes long before applications drop. 

I first learned about the Disney College Program well before I was even looking at colleges to attend in the fall of 2013. As far as I can remember, the first time I really decided that maybe I'd like to look into doing the program was during an included breakfast on a tour at Animal Kingdom my Dad and I took years ago. We ended up being the only ones on the tour and spent a good portion of the meal discussing the college program and professional internships with our tour guide. Of course, I'm not sure I was truly serious about it back then, because it wasn't until my senior year of high school that I really decided that I wanted to pursue a career with the Disney company, but it's still important to note that for some, dreams of the Disney College Program go pretty far back. 

Now, whenever I tell people I'm going to go work for Disney as a part of the DCP, it's almost guaranteed that they'll ask me what that's about. By definition, the Disney College Program is a semester-long paid internship at either Walt Disney World or Disneyland. Students work in a front-line role at the theme parks and resorts, participate in college-level coursework, and live in company-sponsored housing with other students from around the globe. Applicants must be enrolled in a college or university during the semester prior to participation, meaning you can graduate from college and participate the following semester (which is what I'm doing), and for those who are heading back to school at the conclusion of their program, college credit may be available. 

Knowing I wanted to do the program, I immediately asked the study abroad rep at my college during my freshman orientation, only to find out that, unfortunately, my school does not award credit for doing the program, meaning that I'd basically take a semester off to go to Florida or complete a full semester of classes online in addition to the workload in the parks. In addition, as a Music Performance major, I was required to take lessons every semester, meaning I would have had to find a way to take lessons while away to stay on track. 

This left me with one option: put all my eggs in one basket and apply for the college program for the semester after graduation. I'll say with complete honesty that it felt like jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge in regards to the risk I was taking. I had no plans whatsoever if the DCP fell through, not wanting to waste hundreds of dollars on applications for grad school if I was going to pursue Disney instead. I felt like I had a pretty good shot of getting accepted, but I have a friend who is perfectly suited for the Disney College Program who was in the same boat as me, applying for the semester after she graduated, and she didn't get in. It's a risk, it's terrifying, but if it's something you really want to do, absolutely just go for it. 

If you want to apply for a semester in the midst of your college career, apply early. Some are accepted the first time through, and some apply four or five times with no luck, so since you can start applying during your first semester (to participate your second semester), start right away. You never know what will happen! 

If you're in the same boat as me, jumping into a sea of sharks, know that the Disney College Program is incredibly competitive, and many use it as a jumping off point to start a further career with Disney. That means that, for those of us applying for after graduation, you have to make sure you stand out from everyone else. Because I knew that I wouldn't be able to apply until my final semester, I spent my four years of college building on the foundation I'd set and gaining relevant experience. I did my research and looked at what roles might fit me best, and then sought out opportunities that would make me a better candidate. In fact, almost everything I've done over the past four years has been with the DCP in mind, and while it won't guarantee you'll get in, it certainly won't hurt because even if you don't, it'll make you more qualified for whatever the next step after graduation ends up being. 

For more information on the Disney College Program, check out the official website, and check in every Wednesday for a new blog post focused on my DCP Experience! 

Have a magical day!

Day 1635: Big News!

If you haven't already watched the above video, I'm going to need you to do that now! After all, it's been torture not letting the cat out of the bag for the majority of the world these past three months, but I've finally gotten around to making the announcement video you can see above. 

If you've already watched it (or are like me and are horrible at following direction), I'll just say it now: I've accepted a role as a PhotoPass Photographer with the Disney College Program in Orlando, Florida starting this fall, and I couldn't be more excited about this new adventure!!! 

It's certainly not that I didn't want to say anything, but that I sort of struggled with how to say it, especially since an opportunity like this comes with a few strings attached. I've spent the last few months rearranging my life and getting things in order so I can move to Orlando in less than two months, which meant changing my contracts regarding YouTube videos, redesigning Everyday Disney, and reexamining everything I've been working on for the past 4+ years. All in all, I needed time to figure things out, especially since I was accepted at the height of the stress in my final semester of college, and there was hardly time for sleep, much less creating a new logo for my blog. 

To give you a brief rundown, I'll be starting my Disney College Program experience on August 7, and I'll be in Orlando until at least January 4. As I mentioned, I'll be a PhotoPass Photographer, and while I won't know my location until August, there's still a lot to talk about and a lot to get done between now and then, which is why every Wednesday I'll be writing a post focusing specifically on the Disney College Program, just to catch all of you up on my experiences so far. I'm also in the planning stages of a new YouTube series about DCP, and I'm ready to jump head first into this new adventure. 

If you have questions about the DCP, write them in the comments below, and you might see your question in a future blog post! 

Have a magical day! 

Day 1543: No Rest for the Disney

Apparently I'm only stopping by to write blog posts for my creative writing class because I favor sleep over more writing at the end of the day. Ironically enough, this blog post is distinctly about how we don't need sleep...sort of. 

A few weeks ago we read an article on sleep for class, and while I'll admit that I completely forgot to read it for the class period we were supposed to read it for, I did go back and read through it afterwards, and I'm glad I did. The article, How to Sleep debunks some of the myths about sleep in an informative and somewhat comical way. As a college student, I can definitely say that the amount of sleep I'm getting probably isn't what I should be getting, but to read an article about sleep itself made me think about more than just my current schedule. 

In the article, James Hamblin discusses how much sleep we actually need, if caffeine really works, and my personal favorite part - if we can train ourselves to need less sleep. Hamblin tells the tale of a high school student in San Diego who stayed awake for 264 hours. He did it for a science project, and while I know for a fact that I wouldn't be able to stay awake for 11 days, I'm almost sold on the idea of training ourselves to need less sleep. Why? Disney World. 

If you've ever spent a day or two at a Disney Park, you might be familiar with the early mornings, exhausting afternoons, and long nights. Honestly, my motto generally is that there's no sleep at Disney World, because typically there's always something going on that you'll want to experience. So, instead of resting on our "vacation," we head to park opening in the morning and stay until we're the last ones out of the park at night. Then we go back to the room, catch a couple of hours of sleep, and get up to do it all over again. 

Of course, at the end of the article, he wonders how one might break the cycle of sleep deprivation, and in our everyday lives, that might be possible. We might be able to turn off our phones long before we go to bed, sleep at regular times each night, and drink less caffeine in the real world, and there's our solution. But in all honesty, I just don't see that happening at Disney. We need to be on our phones to post all the exciting pictures from our day, there are no "regular hours," because when Animal Kingdom opens at 7 and closes at 11, but Epcot's hours the next day are 9 to 9, you go with the flow, and with all the Starbucks locations now open in the parks, caffeine is all too easy to find. 

So sleep at home. Save the sleep deprivation for Disney World. 

Day 1474: Festival of the Arts

Having attended both the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival and the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival in the last year, it can almost go without saying that I was intrigued when the Epcot International Festival of the Arts was first announced. At a time where funding and support for the disciplines highlighted by the festival are severely lacking, it's exciting to see Disney putting the spotlight on something so close to the heart of the company. 

After exploring everything the festival had to offer during the inaugural weekend of the festival, it's easy to see how the Epcot International Festival of the Arts fits right in with its counterparts. By utilizing many of the stalls created for Food & Wine and Flower & Garden, Disney is obviously getting the maximum use out of the currently temporary buildings (although something tells me that if things continue as they have been, some may become permanent in the coming years). Of course, each of the stalls was given a makeover to reflect the theme of the festival, differing it from the other events as well. 

To give you a basic rundown of what the festival offers, the Festival of the Arts includes workshops and seminars similar to those you find at the other festivals, as well as food kiosks throughout [mainly] World Showcase. Additionally, there are festival-specific activities and experiences such as Broadway performances by Disney on Broadway performers (I was lucky enough to see Ashley Brown and Josh Strickland!), living statues, live music performances, a giant paint-by-number experience, art displays, and photo ops. I'll go into the specifics of these opportunities in later posts. 

At first I felt as though things were off to a slow start, likely due to the fact that I was there on the first day when things were still getting settled and January is a slow season to begin with, although this is obviously part of Disney's plan to even out attendance throughout the year, encouraging visitors to come during the non-peak season. Of course, because it's the inaugural year as well, visitors didn't seem to know the festival was even happening until the end of the weekend, which meant shorter lines for me (and also more than a few confused guests). It did get better though, and by the end of the weekend, the festival was humming with life, a good sign that this event will continue for years to come. 

I will also say, however, that like the Food and Wine and Flower and Garden festivals, it's nearly impossible to see everything the Festival of the Arts has to offer. I picked up a guide book on my first day and highlighted some of the foods I definitely wanted to try, and between my mom and I, pre-registered for all four of the workshops and the Broadway performance that weekend, but I still missed out on all of the seminars, most of the photo-ops, only saw a glimpse of the living statues, and barely looked at the art exhibits at all. That being said, there's just as much going on at this festival as there are at the others, and if that doesn't say something about the versatility of the arts and the creativity put into this festival, I don't know what does. 

Keep an eye out for in-depth posts on the Workshops, Food, Broadway Performance, and Art and Other Opportunities at the Epcot International Festival of the Arts, because there's a lot to cover! 

Have a magical day!

Day 1472: Caribbean Beach

One of my goals is to stay in each of the Walt Disney World resorts at least once, and surprisingly enough, I'm checking them off one right after the other lately. In January of 2015 I stayed at Saratoga Springs for the first time, in June 2015 it was Wilderness Lodge, in August I'll finally stay at the Polynesian (if only for one night), and in September I'll stay at Art of Animation for the first time as well. This January, however, I checked another of the resorts off my list: Caribbean Beach. 

This moderate resort is currently in the process of being renovated, but when I was there not long ago it was calm and quiet, at least as calm and quiet as it gets when you're staying at one of the largest resorts on property. Since I grew up staying at primarily Old Key West, the spaced out buildings and multiple bus stops did little to confuse me, but I have to say that perhaps Caribbean Beach was a little too big for me to handle. 

The rooms themselves are nice, very similar to the accommodations I enjoyed while staying at Coronado Springs last July, which fits two people well and is situated much like a typical hotel room. I feel as though it might be a bit cramped for four people, but it's certainly doable and really, what hotel room isn't a bit cramped with four people in it? 

But it wasn't really the rooms that bothered me. Used to five bus stops at Old Key West, the eight or so bus stops that didn't seem to have a consistent order was overwhelming. It took me a couple of days to figure out which bus stop was actually closest to my room, mostly because not one of the bus stops was actually all that close, meaning that if you're using the bus as your primary mode of transportation you'll probably want to request a room close to the bus stop (we did and still had to walk quite a distance to catch the bus). 

In addition, where Coronado Springs, which is probably the best comparison resort to Caribbean Beach, included building locations that felt thought out and purposefully placed, the main buildings at Caribbean Beach seemed scattered. Typically with the Disney Resorts, everything you need - check-in, food court, main restaurant(s), gift shop, etc. - is in one building or location, and typically this area is situated in a central location in comparison to the rest of the resort buildings. I've included the Coronado Springs and Caribbean Beach Maps below to give you a better idea the layout for each: 

On the Coronado Springs map above, note that while it's a further walk to the convention center and main building, the Rachos area of the resort is significantly closer to the Dig Site Main Pool, and regardless, it's roughly only a half hour walk to get all the way around the lake (or about a 10-15 minute walk from Casitas to the Dig Site). Everything is easily accessible to all guests regardless of where your room is, and additional pools are placed strategically to provide additional options for guests. 

On the other hand, at Caribbean Beach, the resort is so big that you pretty much have to take a bus from some of the resort rooms to get up to the main building in a decent amount of time (and even then you may be waiting a considerable amount of time for an internal bus if your bus stop is in the wrong location on the stop schedule). Likewise, the main pool is hardly walking distance for most guests of the resort (although the same could be said for Old Key West here), and the distance of these amenities to most rooms is hardly efficient if you're looking to grab a bottle of water before heading to the parks or head to the pool at the conclusion of a long day. Additionally, Check-In is mysteriously off in a corner, which creates a bit of a hassle on its own, and the sheer number of bus stops means that your bus may take upwards of 20 minutes just to get through the resort stops, much less to the park of your choice or back to your own stop at the end of the day. 

Of course, it's all a matter of personal preference. Obviously many guests enjoy staying at Caribbean Beach, as is evident by the plans for expansion and the number of rooms that already exist. Like every Disney resort, the design of the resort is phenomenal, the cast members are spectacular, the rooms are nice, and the amenities (once you get to them) are up to the Disney standard. But for me, I'm just not sure that Caribbean Beach is my type of resort, and that's alright. We all have our preferences, and that's why some resorts are better suited to some people and not others, but I honestly don't think I'll be staying at Caribbean Beach again anytime soon...if only because I have more resorts to stay at for the first time!

If you've ever stayed at Caribbean Beach, what were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments!

Have a magical day!

Day 1468: Pushed Back

In 31 trips to Walt Disney World, I've only really been drastically delayed once. It was the middle of July and we were heading down to Walt Disney World to celebrate my birthday and high school graduation, and a round of severe thunderstorms left us at home instead. We were able to get out the next morning, thankfully, but other than that, the most I've really been delayed that I can remember is a few hours. 

That streak is changing this trip though, as I was initially going to be heading down to Florida early Tuesday morning, with plans of Epcot and Spaceship Earth and dinner at Nine Dragons all set to go. Wednesday would bring an all time favorite that I never seem to miss: Afternoon Tea, and from there I'd spend my afternoon with the Disney princesses at Magic Kingdom. But I won't be flying out early Tuesday morning, and I won't be flying out Wednesday morning either. Instead, my flight to Florida, with a side trip to Dallas to change planes, will be Wednesday night, and luckily I was able to change my reservation for Afternoon Tea to another day. 

Due to a death in my family, I'll be here in Wisconsin for the funeral in a couple of days, but that's alright. In fact, I could have been in Florida and may have had to find my way back, but I no longer have to worry about that. Yes, I'll have a couple less days at Walt Disney World, but it'll still be waiting for me on Wednesday night and the rest of the week. I'll still get to attend the Epcot International Festival of the Arts and the Carrie Fisher Tribute. I'll still get to do all those wonderful things and still be here with my family, and if I'm being honest, there's no greater gift than that. 

Have a magical day! 

Day 1458: Photo Spot Favorites

Disney World is a absolutely one of the best places in the world to explore photography, and so many of us do. My family has been taking pictures of Walt Disney World since...well, pretty much forever...and I've picked up on the habit. Usually you'll find me with a video camera in my hand, but I'm constantly taking pictures on my phone, and on occasion, you'll find me borrowing one of my parents' cameras as well. Plus, I love the Disney Instagram community, which has really only increased my love of photography over the past few years. 

That being said, I couldn't help but think back recently to a challenge I did in 2013. Inspired by several lists I'd seen on the internet of "Must Take Disney World Photos," I compiled a list of over 100 pictures to take on my trip in July of 2013, and so the Official July 2013 Disney Challenge began. After pinning more than a few Disney World pictures on Pinterest over the past week, I also realized that something like this would be sort of fun to do again...with a twist. 

The lists I compiled for 2013 were based on internet lists of a similar fashion, but they're all really stereotypical. We all take pictures of the castle and Spaceship Earth and the list goes on, but there are some pictures out there just waiting to be found. Take the Purple Wall for instance, which has literally been at Magic Kingdom for years but just recently (and suddenly) became an must-see for most Disney Instagrammers. Plus, I'm a big fan of really exploring the nooks and crannies of Walt Disney World - and finding the little spots that we never knew existed, so a new photo challenge seems like a great idea. 

Which is where all of my followers come in. Similar to what I did in May with my choose my adventure idea (and that video is slowly coming!), I figure the best way to find the best spots is to ask the best people I know! So in the comments below or through a tweet or something, let me know a few of the photo spots I should check out on my upcoming trip! Give me a challenging idea for how or where to take a picture (although remember that it must, in some way, be possible. I'm not about to climb to the top of Spaceship Earth, no matter how fun that sounds). Give me a suggestion for that one picture you always have to take, or one that you always forget to take! And just to make things easier, here's a Google Form you can fill out with your suggestion: https://goo.gl/forms/ZHWR97OJRJHvFSRL2

I'm pretty excited to see what you all come up with, and while I'm in Florida be sure to follow along on my Instagram to see some of the pictures! 

Have a magical day!

Day 1451: Out of Touch

I must say that this semester has been an absolute whirlwind. With five classes, six ensembles, three jobs, three honor society presidencies, volunteer work, Bible study, homework, writing for The Odyssey Online, practicing, and time with family and friends, I've been lucky to eat two meals a day and sleep more than five or six hours. That being said, it's probably pretty obvious that Everyday Disney is a bit behind. It's not for lack of thought, but simply lack of time and energy to write anything more than I had to. Two of my classes were English courses, meaning they were writing intensive, and that's just scratching the surface. 

But to be honest, I've missed writing for this blog. I've fallen drastically behind in everything Disney related actually, and it almost feels like something's missing. I've seen the movies, which will have reviews up soon, and I've definitely been planning here and there for my upcoming trip in January, but overall, I'm behind. Even when I'm not actively writing for the blog, I'm usually going through the Disney news in my feed, but I haven't even done that. 

Which would be why I'm spending an obnoxious amount of time going way back through my feed trying desperately to figure out what I've missed over the past few months. Aside from the big news like the announcement of the Epcot International Festival of the Arts, the premieres of Rogue One and Moana, and the good old Christmas at Disney Announcements, what's really been going on? 

I hate feeling out of touch, and right now, that's where I am. But the good news is that the semester is over, and now I have the rest of the year and into next year to catch things back up around here. Whether or not Everyday Disney will be back to 100% before the end of the year, I'm not too sure, but it will be soon, and as we head into the new year, and the fifth year of Everyday Disney, I'm going to turn back to my roots, because now that I have my life somewhat figured out and back on track, I think it's about time to return to the blog, because I've missed it, and I've missed talking to all of you! 

Get ready for lots of updates here at Everyday Disney and on my YouTube channel, where new vlogs will be appearing soon! 

Have a magical day!

Day 1382: Camera Flash

At the conclusion of each trip, I'm frequently found going through the pictures from the various cameras that went with us, and eventually I share some of my favorite shots here on Everyday Disney. It's always interesting to see the differences in style, topic, and view between my parents, brother, and I, but ultimately we just all love photography! So here are some of my favorites from our October trip to Walt Disney World:

Personally, I'm a huge fan of candid photos, some of which you can see above. There's certainly a difference between a candid and a posed photo, as the former really gives you a better idea of what's really going on. It's real life, and a look at what really happens behind the scenes on Disney trips, because believe it or not, there's stuff I cut out of even my vlogs. 

Plus, pictures are just plain fun to look at down the road! 

Have a magical day!