Baby, It's (Not) Cold Outside...

You know sometimes I think my day-to-day life isn’t real. Like it’s all some dream I have yet to wake up from. For example, I routinely run into Princesses, chipmunks, and that dastardly devil Captain Hook in the hallways. Stitch is always around as well, giving out high fours (since he only has four fingers). On top of this madness, every time I step outside I see blue waters and palm trees. It’s a wonderful dream.

But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hoping that one day I’ll open my eyes and see my bedroom walls back in Lexington instead of the white ceiling of my bunk. Everything on board is decorated for Christmas and when I look at all of it there is this weird disconnect. For whatever reason my brain cannot wrap itself around the image of Christmas ornaments in palm trees. Or Christmas anywhere but home. It’s like I’m in an alternate universe where it’s not really Christmas time. All the decorations and accoutrements are there for the Holidays, and I just look at them and feel like they’re out of place. As the weeks progress I think things are going to get harder for me to deal with. I have banned the playing of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” on any iTunes playlist due to the fact that it causes me to burst into tears. I didn’t think it would affect me like that, until it came on one morning before work and I literally had to sit down and get a hold myself before I could leave the room. So... it’s been taken off my Christmas playlists. No more of that. It’s not even December yet.

I had a little girl cry on me for the first time this last cruise. Not because of missing her parents; because she didn’t want to leave the Oceaneer’s Club. She also didn’t understand why I couldn’t go with her. She literally sat in the floor, grabbed a hold of my leg and cried as her mother tried to get her to leave. It was rough. Her name was Olivia and she was the most adorable little four year old girl in the world. She told me I could come with her and share her room. Adorable.

This is kind of a short blog because things were a little slow. I’m sure more things will start to happen now that all the Christmas programs are starting.

Love to you all!

Over and out!

Jumps...

If ever you decide to join up with a cruise line for work, beware the day of Wet Drill. On this day, everything you have learned about personal survival in theory will be put into practice. Let me set the scene for you...

It was a nice, sunny day at Castaway Cay - not a cloud in the sky, a light breeze, and a balmy 82 degrees. Yet there I was, inside a waterproof safety suit, standing on a ledge with a Croatian safety officer telling me to jump. This man wanted me to hold my nose and “take step into water.” Water was almost ten feet below me. It was at this point a few unfriendly words came flying out of my mouth, under my breath of course, since I was pretty sure I was taking a step into death by drowning. In case you are wondering, I was not having fun.

“Just take step into water. We don’t have all day.”

“I’m working on it. Give me a sec, ok?”

After a couple deep breaths and a silent prayer for survival I took a step and plunged down into the bright blue Caribbean Sea. Now, I’m a fairly decent swimmer, but it’s a little difficult to swim when you’re inside a buoyant safety suit which has roughly the same range of motion as Ralphie’s snow suit in A Christmas Story. It’s more like flailing in a general direction rather than swimming. After flailing my way to a ladder and awkwardly pulling myself back up to the ledge, I was told to take off the suit and grab a life jacket so I could do it again. Fantastic. Just what I wanted. How did they know I wanted to plunge to possible death by drowning again? It’s like they can read minds.

I put on the lifejacket, which was in pretty rough shape since they are used solely for Wet Drill. I hope none of you ever come to know the feeling of dread which spread through me when I realized the velcro on my lifejacket was so worn it no longer worked properly. So I’m back on the ledge, holding down my lifejacket so it doesn’t break my neck on impact and we’re having the same conversation.

“Why you take so long? Just take step into water.”

“Again, I’m working on it. I just need a moment.”

“Do you need a push?”

“Possibly.”

“No pushing. Take step.”

I gave ole boy a rather dirty look at this point, totally involuntary - it just sort of happened, and was met with a rousing chorus of laughter from all the safety officers in the near vicinity.

“You have spunk. Take step now, please.”

Well, he said please. I held on for dear life and took another step of doom in to the Caribbean Sea. I thought flailing around in the safety suit was hard. There is only one position one can be in while in a lifejacket: on your back, like a turtle. I’ll let you figure out how swimming went in that position. So there I am, sprawled out like a turtle, attempting to “swim” in the direction of my group so we can lock arms and join in a safety circle before we move on to the next phase of Wet Drill - learning to flip a capsized life raft.

The life rafts on board the Disney Dream are filled with CO2 which means there is this big canister on the underside of the raft. To flip the life raft, you and a friend must first climb on top of it from the water. Then you must position yourselves so that you will be able to stand up on the CO2 canister. After standing, you hold on to the safety ropes and lean back, using your body weight to flip the raft. Once you hit the water, you pull yourself out from under the raft with the safety ropes.

Please take the next few moments to imagine me and my awesome powers of clumsiness attempting to do this... get all the laughter out of your system. Go on. Okay, are we settled? Good. Yes, it was as awkward as it could be, since the top of the raft is about two and half feet out of the water and you need upper body strength to pull yourself out. Did I mention that I was also doing this in a life jacket. So, I’m helpless like a turtle and they want me to hoist myself out of the water onto a capsized raft and then flip it over.

I did it. I’m actually quite proud of this one too, because my partner and I did it the fastest out of our group. Granted I knocked myself in the face with one of the safety ropes and have a rope burn next to my nose to prove it, but the Croatian safety officer called me a “late bloomer” and congratulated me on my "battle scar" after this achievement. Wahbam!

Moving on, I officially earned my ears! The little red tag which marked me as new is gone and I’m all on my own now. No trainer, no shadowing! I love it. The kids are amazing, and I’m getting to know my fellow counselors better as well. In fact, a couple of us are in something called a Wenis War (the wenis is that patch of skin which covers your elbow, fyi). Basically, we go around like ninjas and mark each other’s elbows with a highlighter or washable marker. Result? I come home with colored elbows everyday. But so do the other people, muwahaha! Simple things keep us entertained, really.

I have had several people tell me that I do not seem like I am from Kentucky. This worries me slightly, but at the same time I suppose it’s a good thing. The people that say this have a) never been to Kentucky and b) have that stereotypical idea of what someone from Kentucky should be like. You know the one... Yeah. Anyhow, once I told them my accent comes out when I’m mad or tired, they’ve been trying to draw it out of me. We’ll see how that goes.

And now, a special conversation I wish to share with you all. This took place at Pixie Hollow, whilst coloring a picture of Nemo with a sweet, little 4 year old girl...

Me: “Well, how old do you think I am?”

Girl: “I don’t know... maybe fifty-hundred.


Me: “Fifty-hundred! Do you know anyone who’s fifty-hundred?!?”

Girl: giggles “No!”

Me: “Then how come you think I’m fifty-hundred?”

Girl: “Because you’re old and rusty.”


There you have it folks, I’m old and rusty. So, I’ll probably be laying an extra thick layer of moisturizer on tonight before bed... just in case.

One more thing... and I know this is a shameless plea, but still... look to the right hand side of your screen... see those addresses? Yeah... mail makes me happy. Just saying. :)


Love to you all! Until next time...

Over and out.

Policemen or Guards...

So this has been my first week of real work on board. I’ve been on the main floor and have actually been spending time with the kids as apposed to my YA Trainer, Kenny. (Though I do love Kenny and have lots of fun with him... even when he threatens to burn all my hair off. Long story...) I do still have a peer trainer, Talisa, but she’s awesome. We’ve bonded over a love of Hercules and our inherent clumsiness. I’m slowly getting to know the other YA Counselors. I’m trying my best not to step on anyone’s toes and doing all the grunt work I can to earn respect. I think it will pay off in the end.

I learned you can put in a ship request change the other day. So near the end of my contract on The Dream I plan on requesting The Wonder for my next contract. Why? Because it goes to Alaska. End of story. :)

Now, on to the fun bits. This past cruise I have been thrown up, pooped, and peed on. I have come home from work with markers, crayons, glitter, glue, and macaroni art in my pockets. I had glue on my face, which no one bothered to mention, and glitter in my tear duct. I’ve wiped noses, tears, and held so many little hands while searching for lost brothers/sisters/cousins/friends I’ve lost count. The best part? I’m having the time of my life. (Minus the being pooped on part.) But I figured you all would like to hear some stories...

Captain “Protein Spill” was a little boy of about 4 who was complaining about his tummy hurting. We sat down on the Cry Benches and I asked him his name, how old he was, if he was having fun, the usual. Then he threw up in the most graceful style I’ve ever seen. He leaned way over, spread his legs, and blew his lunch in a neat little puddle on the floor. He had hotdogs. They came out in perfectly formed chunks, which leads me to believe he did not chew his food but ate it whole like a python. He then promptly laid down and went to sleep. We called his parents and then housekeeping came to clean it up. I may not eat hotdogs ever again.

The Duchess of Poo and I met on Castaway Cay in Scuttle’s Cove. She was building a sand castle alone and crying. I went over to check on her and she gave me the standard, “I want my mommy!” I was trying to calm her down and then I asked her if she needed to go to the bathroom, to which she replied, “I did. I had an accident.” Oh man. Here we go. I asked her if she went pee or poo... “I pooped.” Awesome. The Duchess and I went to bathroom to check the damage and sure enough, this little four year old girl had produced enough poo to rival a grown man. On top of that, she had been sitting in it a while because she’s wiggled and managed to get it up her back, down, her legs, and embedded in her wet bathing suit. Who had to clean her up? This girl! I’ll let you guess how it went. I made it through... barely.

Princess Pee-Pants loved to dance. She loved to dance so much she couldn’t be bothered with leaning the Magic Playfloor to do something as silly as use the potty. So during our Dance Party she wandered off to a corner and relieved herself. Then she made a WIDE arc to get back on to the dance floor where she ran into me. We started dancing and having a big time until Talisa came over and told us not to move. She had tracked the Princess’s pee drips from the puddle to where we were dancing. I was dancing in pee. Fabulous. Princess was not bothered with this fact. She was more upset that she had to change her clothes and was losing dance time. Priorities matter. 


We have a program called Super Sloppy Science where the kids can make Flubber, Exploding Volcanoes, etc. The experiments are conducted by our resident mad scientist, Professor Make-a-Mess. He has a violent shock of lime green hair, googly eyes, and is super clumsy with “dangerous” chemicals. Well, he scared the bejeezus out of one of my three year old boys on Volcano night. This little guy runs up to me in such a state of distress you would’ve thought the world was ending. He was crying so much I couldn’t understand him. When I finally deciphered his babbles I realized he was worried that Prof Make-a-Mess was going to blow up the ship with his volcanoes. He kept saying, “Bad green man! Go boom! Bad green man!” I finally convinced him these were little volcanoes and that Mickey had protected the ship from volcano explosions with a little help from Merlin and The Fairy Godmother. He believed me, but still whimpered “Bad green man!” every time he saw the Professor. He was so adorably cute and upset it was hard not to laugh at his distress. Kids believe anything.

And now on to a section I like to call, “The Things Kids Say...”


• “Are you policemen or guards?” Boy, age 4, asking what to call the counselors.
  

• “When I grow up I want to be single with kids. Boys are gross. I don’t want a husband!” Girl, age 6

  
  
• “Are you a mommy?” Every single child at some point or another

  
  
• “I’m so mad I can’t even think!” Girl, age 3, after misplacing her princess drawing

  
  
• “Does Tinkerbell have feathers?” Girl, age 4

  
  
• “Where do you sleep? In the lifeboats?” Boy, age 7

There are more stories I could tell, but I think that’s enough for now. On to the next cruise and more adventures!



Adios, Adieu, Au Revior!

Voyage the Second...

I find myself being more and more drawn to down time alone in my cabin. It may seem a little non-social, but I’ve come to realize that having that time to yourself is THE crucial element to staying sane. Another odd sensation I’m going through? The feeling that I’ve been on the ship for far longer than I actually have. If this keeps up, by the time I leave the ship in March it will seem like I’ve worked here for years. You do so much, and work so hard that a day feels longer than it is, but goes by quicker than a day would while I was working at Cinemark. My best moments on board have been playing with the kids. I could literally do that all day, which is probably a good thing since eventually that’s what I will be doing.

I got a chance to go up and hang out in Edge for a little while. I LOVED it. The kids are older (11-13) but still young enough to think that I, as a counselor, am cool. While waiting for the program to start, I initiated an impromptu dance party. Why? Because I could. Duh. The biggest surprise though, was the kids were digging it. It started with just me and two girls, then a couple boys joined, and then more kids kept joining until I began a conga line. Yes, a conga line. Finally, Party Rock Anthem came on and everybody’s hand went UP! and they stayed there. (up, down, up, down, up, down) *Sorry... couldn’t resist. The kids settled down and the actual Edge workers took over and began their ice breakers. Later on we got to experience a program called Ghost Voyager. I don’t want to give anything away, but basically it scares the crap out of all the kids. Fantastic to watch and be a part of!

I’ve had a request to describe the Crew Mess. Hmm... what can I say about mess? Well, it’s different than I expected. It’s cafeteria style in the sense that you eat what they’re having or you don’t eat (unless you have stuff in your room). The food itself isn’t bad. It’s very different than what I would normally eat and incredibly random at times. However, this is an adventure right? Try everything once! So - there is always some fresh fruit available, mostly bananas and oranges, and there is always a place to make a salad of some sort. The toppings for the salad vary from day to day and include everything from the normal croutons and cheese to onions, some sort of curry covered bean, and spicy fruit. (Sidebar for Spicy Fruit - had that today for dinner accidentally. Thought it was just pineapples and oranges mixed together. Nope. Had some sort of clear, odorless spice concoction which made my eyes water.) After that section, there is the main entree area which always includes rice (white and other style), some kind of soup, some kind of pasta, two meat options, and one fish option. You can mix it up and get what you want. Everyone does and no two plates ever look the same. Also, there are normally steamer trays in the middle with some kind of vegetable in them. The deserts are different everyday and someone said that we get the mistakes from the guest kitchen every now and then in addition to our own desserts. This definitely explains the delicious lemon meringue I had the other day which had the weirdest raspberry design ever on the top. All in all, it’s not that bad and the food quality if quite good so far! Definitely not for picky eaters though. :)

For those of you who know me well, this next bit will make you laugh. I have once again chosen a work environment where I am surrounded by Fabulous Men. In fact, there is even a widely accepted rule among the crew: Fabulous until proven Not. Number of Nots in YA? At least three... though I hear there’s a few more. I haven’t met everyone yet, but they all seem very nice and are generally very friendly. Granted to work for Disney, part of you needs to be hardwired to be happy and nice. It can be a tiny, small, hidden part, but it has to exist in some capacity.

My first week of “real work” starts this Sunday. I’m no longer in training! Yay! I get to be on the floor, playing with kids, helping out with programs, and getting all kinds of real experience. I’ll be spending most of time between Pixie Hollow and Andy’s Room, which is a-ok with me. I’ll also be doing all the behind-the-scenes stuff I can’t talk about on here. Sorry, folks!

I’ll keep you posted! Over and out.

Voyage the First...

So much has happened since I was last able to update.

Getting on to the ship was an ordeal in it of itself. I woke up ridiculously early in order to catch the bus to Port Canaveral, which left at 5:15AM, and then proceeded to sleep all the way there. This was to my favor since from the moment the bus stopped we were busy doing things like getting our passports checked, having our bags sniffed by drug dogs, going through security (twice), and being shuffled on board ship. From here we immediately went into Human Resources (HR) training and received the first of many tours of the ship.

Before I get ahead of myself, let me tell you one thing. Coming over the hill and getting my first sight of the ship is something I’ll never forget. She’s huge, beautiful, and so classically styled that the other ships docked next to her pale in comparison. I never really thought of ships as beautiful, but The Dream changed my opinion. Inside she’s a showcase of art deco styling and elegance. The chandelier in the atrium took my breath away the first time I saw it in person. She’s a gorgeous ship, and a much more beautiful place to work than anywhere else I’ve been. Plus, the location(s) can’t be beat. :)

Anyhow - back to day one on board. After having our tour of all 14 decks and the myriad of endless staircases we were allowed to go to our staterooms. I wish there had been a camera set up to capture me entering my cabin for for the first time. It was quite comical, seeing as how I got stuck in the door at the same time I realized the cabin was roughly 7x10 and meant for two people. The top bunk lay waiting for me and the first journey into the bathroom was ridiculous. You don’t know small. No matter what you’ve dealt with, nothing compares to this. I promise you. With all that being said, after talking to other crew members who’ve been on ships, these are some of the nicest crew cabins around. I will say they are quite comfortable once you get over the size factor, and the bathroom is entirely manageable as well. Compact and functional. I will be very glad to get in a proper shower in four months, though. Very. Glad.

The first night on board was a little rough. Not because of homesickness or anything like that. It was rough because this is the end of hurricane season and there were 30-40ft swells going on. Also, my room in the the most forward section of the ship which means every time a wave crashes against the hull I hear something akin to cannon fire. So, there I am laying in my wee little twin bed, hearing cannon fire, and feeling the ship dip and rise like a seesaw. At several moments, my feet were tilted higher than my head. I thought we were going down and we were all gonna die. Good news: I don’t get seasick! Our HR Trainer said if we could survive the conditions of that first night, we could survive anything. Here’s for surviving anything!

Moving on - as a Youth Activities Counselor I’m technically given the rank of Petty Officer which means I get certain privileges, like guest area access and bi-weekly cabin cleaning, and most importantly, I can go see the shows. I’ve seen all three! Villains Tonight! and The Golden Mickeys, both of which have the technology and quality standard to rival a true Broadway production. I was very impressed. Believe is by far my favorite. It even made me cry. (Yes, yes, some of you are rolling your eyes at that... “Ally cries at everything!” is flying out of your mouth. Shut it.) If you get the chance to go see it, or can find a legal recording of it (yes, legal), WATCH IT! So good!

In a previous blog post I told you all about the Oceaneer Club and Lab spaces on board ship. Well, come to find out there are even more spaces to hang out. It’s A Small World Nursery (Under 3yrs), Edge (for 11-13yrs), and Vibe (14-17yrs) are the other spaces and they are equally as awesome as the Oceaneer Club and Lab. My YA training coordinator said that we can work in each space and find which one we like best during training. We can also audition to become a Youth Entertainment Host, which is what I feel like I’ll end up doing. ;)

I know some of you have asked about my uniform (commonly referred to as costumes at DCL). Prepare yourself for awesomeness. It’s hot. I have to beat the men off with a stick due to my complete and utter hotness whilst wearing my uniform. I don’t know why more women don’t dress this way. Totes gonna find me a man while in this uniform. It’s a gorgeously baggy polyester polo in bright BRIGHT yellow, paired with the most adorably shapeless royal blue slacks and matching belt. To complete the look, all white leather sneakers and white socks. The ensemble as a whole is breathtaking when worn together. I know... you’re so jealous. It’s ok. I would be too. In fact, I’m gonna kick it up a notch and make you even more jealous. It comes with a shapeless blue shorts option that can be worn before 6PM. Yes. Blew your mind didn’t I? Not to ruin you day with the rain of jealousy you’re now experiencing but there’s more... I have beach wear! Blue swim shorts, yellow mesh shirt, and navy bathing suit. I know! It’s okay if we can’t be friends for a little bit due to your jealousy at this point. I can wait. (All joking aside, it’s not that bad. I’m just dramatic - in case you didn’t know.)

After receiving my costumes, an ordeal due to a mix-up between my card and my (male) friend Lex’s and a language barrier, I got back into work with my YA Training coordinator. We’ve gone over enough safety and health standards to make you head spin. But I can now clean a space to a USPH regulated level and save your child with an EPI pen if need be. Wahbam!

On top of YA Training Sessions, I also have the last little bit of HR Training Sessions. In the one about Crew Life, we learned about a program entitled VoluntEARS (get it?). Basically, what happens is while we’re in port in Nassau or Port Canaveral you go and volunteer with fellow crew members. After you log ten hours (and for every subsequent 10 hrs) of volunteer time Walt Disney Company will cut a check for $100 to a charity of your choice. Once I figure out my schedule, I will be doing this. My check will be going to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in honor of my mom.

I’ve met people from all over the world in the past week - South Africa, England, Canada, Australia, Jamaica, Philippines, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Romania, Italy, Hungary, Montenegro, China, everywhere you can possibly imagine. Officers, bartenders, housekeeping, waiters, engineers, security, and entertainment. We are one BIG family or roughly 1500 members at the moment. It’s a little daunting when you think about it, but already I’m recognizing people on my treks through the I-95 (the main corridor used by crew to get from one end of the ship to the other.). Everyone seems pretty nice so far. Granted, several have pointed at us (since the newbies move in packs for safety, lol) and shouted, “Fresh Meat!” That was interesting. I just wave and smile. It’s all good natured fun right?

I am partially convinced that the staircases move, like in Harry Potter. In fact, I swear they do. I come up a new hallway everyday and realize I’ve never been there before and have no idea where I am. It’s the reason I leave at least 15 minutes early for everything. I inevitably get lost. That and the watertight doors. I hate the watertight doors. I mark out a path to get somewhere and then one of those suckers gets closed for whatever reason and I am screwed. I have to backtrack and go up and over somehow, and with the potentially moving staircases this is quite an issue for me. Therefore, unless they are saving me from sinking, I hate the watertight doors. End of story.

Our schedule is pretty steady as far as the cruise itineraries go. We have back to back cruises on a 4-day/3-day schedule, leaving out of Canaveral every Sunday and Thursday. It’s Canaveral, Nassau, Castaway Cay, Sea Day, Canaveral. The cruises are essentially the same, except the 3-day cruise doesn’t have the Sea Day. Our ports of call are beautiful. I posted some pictures on my Facebook and many more will follow once I get a chance to go out and explore the islands. I did find out that I can put a request in to do the Dolphin Program in Nassau and if there’s room I can go - FOR FREE! Swimming with dolphins for free? Epic Win. Also found out you can rent a scooter and go zooming about Nassau... hmmm. May be doing that too. (With a friend of course!)

Castaway Cay is Disney’s own tropical paradise complete with private runway. Yeah. Luckily the crew gets their own private beach and grill in Serenity Bay. Mostly though, as a YA Counselor, I’ll be working on the island while we’re there at Scuttle’s Cove doing all kinds of fun beachy things with the kids. In my awesome beachwear, of course. And Haley - this is when I’ll be wearing my sandals... you know which ones.

That seems like enough for now. Sending everyone my love from the seas! Over and out!

Yo ho! Yo ho! A Pirate's life for me...

It's official. Tomorrow, in the wee hours of the morning, I will board a bus for Port Canaveral, Florida, where I will embark on The Disney Dream.

Four months at sea, making port in Castaway Cay and Nassau, Bahamas. I've already met some pretty incredible people from all over the world, and that's only from a group of 30ish. I can't wait to meet people from a crew of over 1,300.

We had specialty training today. Very, very dry. So much so, at one point, I scared myself to death because my head slipped off my hand after I'd fallen asleep. I swear my life flashed before my eyes for a second. Then I realized I was still in the windowless room learning about MSDS sheets and various chemicals which can kill everything and everyone. Luckily, class only lasted until noon and then I was off to Animal Kingdom for the first time in my life. It was pretty spectacular.

The Tree of Life in the center of the park is breathtaking. You come around the corner, and BAM, there it is. It's so much bigger than you think it would be, and the details in the trunk are absolutely amazing. The two main attractions we rode were Expedition Everest, a roller-coaster that takes you into the depth of the Himalayan Mountains in search of the Yeti, and Kilimanjaro Safari - an actual safari through natural habitats where you encounter various species of wild animals.

Had the guide not been starring at me when it happened, I could've reached out and touched a giraffe. They were eating tall grass right next to the road and one big male was less than three feet from me. I thought about it. But then I figured getting kicked out of a Disney Park would probably get me fired from Disney Cruise Line. Somehow, I feel like the phrase "I illegally touched a giraffe on safari." won't go over well when I apply for a new job.

Expedition Everest was pretty fun... we rode it twice, in fact. All nine of us. Best ride in the whole of Disney World. (Though I still make a case for Carousel of Progress, because there really IS a great, big, beautiful tomorrow shining at the end of every day.)

We ended the day in Magic Kingdom, because really... you have to. Cinderella's Castle and Main Street USA were all lit up for Christmas, which was pretty cool. I've never been down here to see that before. I was also pleasantly surprised to find out that Disney puts as much as effort into decorating their cruise ships for Christmas as they do for the parks. Christmas Win!

I have to get up heinously early tomorrow. And I need to re-pack. I'm ready to be settled and playing with kids. I cannot tell you how hard it was not to join in with them today when I saw a group of little girls all dressed like their favorite princess being chased by boys dressed as pirates. It was almost physically painful. I'm tired of all the office paper work and training sessions. Let's get this show on the road!

Will update when I can. Apparently, the internet is a bit dodgy (and crazy expensive) on board.

Love to you all!

Back to Childhood in 3, 2, 1...

Safety Training was a seemingly endless barrage of information. Granted, it was all very important information, but still... I may have wanted to cause harm to myself to get out of that room. It was wretched. Good news, I can now potentially save your life at sea! (See how I instilled confidence there? They taught me to do that. Win!)

The best part about today, without a doubt, was finally going to the parks. A diverse group (4 Americans, 1 South African, 1 Brit) set out for MGM (Hollywood Studios, whatever...) and Epcot and managed to have one of the most perfect experiences ever. We rode Tower of Terror, Rockin Rollercoaster, Star Tours, Test Track, Mission Space, and Soarin' and managed to get some excellent fish and chips from the England pavilion. Every attraction we went to, we waited less then 30minutes and had a blast. We rode the ferry from MGM to Epcot, and even managed to see the tail end of the fireworks after Soarin.

Mike summed it up perfectly saying, "We've made the most awesome decisions all night! This is way better at making me love Disney than Traditions!" I agree! Whole-heartedly. Is there a suggestions box for how Traditions is conducted? If so, please note the following: Instead of an hours long class on history for Traditions (or in addition to, your choice), give new hires two days specifically designated to go to the parks and experience everything for themselves! Set up special moments, enjoy all the shows, ride all the rides, have your picture take with Mickey! Nothing reminds me of how much I love Disney (and rekindles the fire and drive I have to do a good job as a Disney employee) and all it stands for like walking down Main Street USA and seeing Cinderella's Castle at the end in all it's glory. Just saying.

Anyhow, tomorrow the crew members for the Disney Magic leave for their ship, while all us Dream folk have ANOTHER day of training. We're done tomorrow around noon though, so those of us still left are going to Animal Kingdom (and then Magic Kingdom... because you kinda have to. It's a classic.)!! I've never been to that particular park before, so I am super excited.

After that, I leave for the Dream! We embark on Sunday, November 6, from Port Canaveral on a three day cruise stopping in Castaway Cay and Nassau.

My blog posts may be less frequent while I figure out the most efficient way to use the internet on board, so heads up!

Any questions, comments, or concerns? Bring it on!

Safety, Courtesy, Show, and Efficiency...

I was indoctrinated into the Walt Disney Company today.

The day started with a sprinkle of pixie dust and a dash of that good ole' Disney Magic and ended with laughter and new stories from new friends. I have learned one of the fundamental rules of working for Disney - Work Hard. Play Hard.

It's a little insane. In a group of 48 people, roughly six of us are American. I've never really been a minority before, and it's a new and wonderful feeling. There are so many cultures and customs I wasn't aware of. Example: thumbs up to most people means "Hey, you're doing good!" or "Everything's good!" to Iranians it means "Up your a**." Note to self, never give an Iranian the Thumbs Up sign. Also, never gamble with a Sicilian when death is on the line... (ten points to whoever can name the movie that quote is from!)

Also learned that there are a plethora (love using that word) of Jamaicans about. Everything from cooks to bellhops to hotel services. Jamaicans everywhere. There are also a lot of Brits, and me being a dumb American, totally thought there were talking about American Football for a solid twenty minutes, until the words "Manchester United" broke into play and I was all, "Ooohhhh, I'm stupid... they're talking about soccer."

Tomorrow I have safety training with the rest of the crew members joining up with the Dream. The people on the Magic get a FULL DAY OFF.

Say what?! They get to go frolic (yes, frolic) about in Disney World while I have to learn how to save people? Not fair. I say guests should learn how to put on their own life vests, it's not rocket science. I want to go to Disney World! Tomorrow night, come hell or high water, I'm going. People can come with me if they want. If I have to go alone, I will. I'm not missing this opportunity to go to Disney for free. I think I shall watch Illuminations, or sneak into Pirates of the Caribbean during Spectromagic. Of course, I'll need to go to Carousel of Progress and experience that great, big beautiful tomorrow. And Space Mountain... duh.

I need an extra day at Disney World please, and thank you. (I mean, really. If I'm being honest, the main reason I wanted to work for Disney was for free passes to the parks. Duh.)

I digress.

Traditions training covers everything you could ever possible need/want to know about the Walt Disney Company and strives to instill in you the desire to comply with the company standards of Safety, Courtesy, Show and Efficiency. Our job, in three simple words: We create happiness. Mickey even stopped by to give us our name tags and help explain some standards. (I got a hug and a kiss. Highlight of my day.) All in all it was exactly what I expected, plus a little extra on the side.

We even got to take what I have christened the Super Secret Bat Cave Tour of Magic Kingdom. For the sake of any true believers - the backstage area of Magic Kingdom houses all of the apartments for the characters. The prince and princesses live on level one (obviously), all other Characters on levels 2-15, and Villains are in the basement. The characters have their own little metropolis where they can relax after a long day of greeting guests and working hard. Villains have a jazz nightclub called "Wicked" where Ursula and Malifacent play the most amazing set known to man. Coltrane would be impressed. Jasmine and Belle normally meet for coffee at Mad Hatter's Cafe on Thursdays to discuss their new projects. Whinne the Pooh owns a bakery specializing in, you guessed it - honey flavored items - which has a line of woodland creatures that wraps around the block during rush hour. There was so much to see, I couldn't take it all in during the brief time we were there. Hopefully, I get to go back one day...

Keep the magic alive people!

It All Gets Real...

So I'm sitting in my hotel room, chillin' out maxin' relaxin' all cool... I mean, uh... settling in and taking it easy before Traditions training starts tomorrow. I ventured out to get food, and do some exploring only to discover that people give you the weirdest looks when you're alone. It's like they can't handle it. Granted there were a few other people alone, but everyone is still in that state where you're not sure if you're the same kind of alone (i.e. a new Crew Member for DCL versus Captain All-By-Myself-By-Choice). Basically, I'm in limbo until tomorrow morning at 7:00am.

When the hotel receptionist makes a comment about how early you have to start, you know it's VERY early. This means tomorrow morning I need to be in the lobby here at All Star Sports with my contract, sign in papers, passport, and "good walking shoes" ready to Go! Go! Go!

I was a little concerned this morning that I wasn't going to make my connecting flight. Blue Grass Airport is apparently being plagued by a rogue flock of birds. Said flock caused my plane to be delayed not once, but twice. C'mon people, they are birds. This is not a Hitchcock movie... you can shoo them away.

So, I'm just taking it easy and enjoying the downtime since I probably won't be getting any more until March 10.

Let the Magic begin!

G is for Goodbye...

Whoever decided that saying goodbye was the proper thing to do before leaving a place needs to be taken out back and shot. Harsh? Maybe, but still... you could use rubber pellets so he/she doesn't die. There definitely needs to be shooting though. Preferably in the bum or another soft, fleshy area so it leaves a bruise. You get the picture.

Basically, I hate saying goodbye. It sucks. I cry. End of story. It's worse when it's people I really care about, like my family. Tomorrow I have to say goodbye in a public setting - the airport. Oh man. I am just gonna go ahead an apologize to all the witnesses in Bluegrass Airport tomorrow. There are two words that will describe me and my family upon saying goodbye: Hot. Mess.

The poor schmuck who ends up next to me on the plane is going to think someone died or some other tragic event has occurred in my life. If he's kind enough to ask me what's wrong, he'll get the surprise of a lifetime when I reply, "I-I'm g-g-going to w-work for Disney..."

I say he, because it is inevitable that the one time I'm sniffling and crying and embodying all that is Hot Mess-ness, I will be sitting next to a hot guy on the plane. Normally, I'm sitting next to my sister or Captain Over-40 and Married. Tomorrow though... gorgeous and single. You wait. It's gonna happen.

On top of this impending cry-fest, I received a Facebook message from a dear friend tonight that was an absolutely perfect send off. Did I cry? You betcha. Luckily this friend knows me well and warned me to get a box of kleenex in the first few sentences. Then he made me use them. Ugh...

This would be much simpler if all of you were master contortionists and could fit yourselves into my suitcase. I'm sure we could find room for you on board. You could sleep in the lifeboats or something. Designers, make it work! (That last sentence should be read in Tim Gunn's voice... you know how he do.)

I'm ready to leave, I'm all packed... I just have to say goodbye.

Or not.

How about I just say, "See you later!" That counts right? I mean, I'm coming back in March.

Ok, it's settled. No more Goodbyes.

Everyone's a winner!

*Thank you to all my friends and family for being such wonderful people and giving me so much love and support. I would not be the woman I am today without you. Through your encouragement and love, I have been truly blessed and I will miss you all terribly. When I return, we are throwing the biggest party March has ever seen. Until then... I send you all the love I have.