Thank you for your patience.

It seems like I say that a lot on here don't I?  Well I'm just practicing for my job. ;) (Get the reference? Maybe not)

Well Helllllloooo Everyone again!

I finally realize why all the blogs that I read before coming down here had the same common theme.  Everyone writes that they will blog every week, and then their blogs go silent for their entire program.  There is just so much to see and do that sometimes when we get home, we just want to sleep or hang out with our roommates.  I'm sure much of you can relate. Well it's been an eventful 2 months since the last post.

Let's go back to February and briefly touch on what I've been doing since then.

We went to Teppan Edo in the Japan Pavilion at EPCOT to celebrate my roommate Tom's birthday. It was delicious and a lot of fun to have all of our roommates all together.

I also picked up different Parade Audience Control shifts at the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom.  It was kind of fun and there is a lot more talking that my normal job.

The Atlanta Braves had spring training at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and my roommates Doug, Alston and I went to one of the games.  It was a lot of fun with the whole major league game feeling.

I got my first experiences of a lot of different restaurants and food places during my stay.  My first experience at Wawa was an extremely pleasant one and I'm hooked on their smoothies and sandwiches now.  Golden Corral was also a new experience for me.  It's like a massive buffet all for 10 dollars.  I've also finally been to Olive Garden.  Delicious is all I can say!

I'm really sorry that this is a sporadic post, and I will post a little more details in a few days.  I just want you to see some of the things I've done.

Sorry for this really haphazard post that doesn't have a lot of information. Hope that you could enjoy the pictures for a little bit while I work on making a more full post.

Thanks again.

:)

P.S. I apologize that the pictures are all mixed up.  I'm not very tech saavy.

April's First Blog Post will be coming soon!

I promise.  I just uploaded all my photos so I hope to have a long post with all the stories and news within the next couple of days.  I apologize to all the readers out there, and thank you my faithful readers as well for your patience. :D

***COMING SOON***

Coming soon to a computer screen near you.  The first March blog post!!! Stay tuned.  We appreciate your patience and cooperation. :). Have a Magical Day!

*Crickets Chirping*

Hello? Anybody out there?...

*sileeeeeeennnnnncccccceeee*

Ni Hao!!!
Heeeeeelllllloooooo Everyone!!!!!!

     It's been quite a while since I last posted.  I'm sure you are all wondering what happened to me?  No I didn't die (knock on wood), and no I wasn't abducted by aliens.  It's just such a marvelous experience here, that sometimes there isn't enough time in the day to blog.  Some days it's a stressful day at work, others I'm partying at the park like there's no tomorrow. Most days, I'm so exhausted from work that I just pass out for a few hours.  It's not too healthy to take such long naps, but sometimes it's needed around here.

     For the past two weeks, I've still been a Resort Bus Greeter.  I've experienced some new resorts, as well as some old ones.  I've been lucky to work at the EPCOT resorts like Disney's Boardwalk, and two of Disney's All Star Resorts.  There's hasn't been too many magical moments, or anything to complain about regarding my job in the past couple of weeks.  It's been pretty much the same.  Just chatting with guests, and getting through the day.

      Since I last posted before Valentine's Day, or rather SAD (Singles Awareness Day), let me start there.  The housing team planned a Valentine's Mix and Mingle Event at one of the housing complexes.  I was planning on attending just for fun and of course for the FREE food!.  That day, I got home from work, and decided to take a nap to refresh myself for that night's events.  This is where the journey begins and let's use our visual imaginations.  I walked over to the next housing complex where the event was located and got some of the free food.  I found myself then chatting and mingling with an extremely cute and intelligent girl.  It was like a match made in heaven.  I felt so happy and was having a great time.  It's almost like it was a dream that I could be having this much fun and enjoying it.  Well.... The story that I just told you was a dream.  I woke up, and looked outside.  It was dark, and I thought, WOW! it's time for work.  I checked my phone.  It was 748PM!!!!!! *forehead slap* I basically missed the whole event.  So the story, I just made that up as I was writing, and it wasn't the actual dream I had, but I thought it would add some flair to this story.  Long story short, I slept through most of the event and by the time I woke up, it was too late to go. So... that was my Valentine's Day Story.

Everybody still awake??? 

     I decided to try some new culinary adventures in the past couple of weeks.  First, I treated myself to a petite sirloin steak.  On an extremely cold day, I made some saimin with vienna sausage.  Finally I made Oven Baked Chicken.  It wasn't as good as the one's from high school but it was still good nonetheless.  Sadly on my first attempt at the chicken, I burned my thumb on the cookie sheet.  I had a mitt, but I miss it when I tried to grab the pan and OUCH! burn!. I also made some tomato pasta.  I used store bought sauce, and pasta and pan mixed it with some cheese.  Not to toot my own horn, but I thought all of these meals were very delicious. =)
   
   
     I hope that got your attention.  Living here near Disney World has given me the opportunities to visit various resorts and try some of the food at the restaurants.  My friend Rob told me that he's doing the Resort Food Challenge.  No, don't think this is some sort of Man V. Food Competition.  The basic idea that he had, was to visit all the resorts and eat something that is unique to that resort.  I'm doing an abbreviated version, where my goal is just to eat at each resort.  (Sounds like me huh? Plenty of eating. haha) Of course I'd eat something unique here and there, but that isn't my main point.  In the past couple of weeks I decided to go to Disney's Port Orleans Riverside Resort, and Disney's Polynesian Resort.  On the day I went to Port Orleans, I got what is called the Beef and Blue Sandwich.  It consists of a slice of roast beef, blue cheese and caramelized onions with a side of pasta salad.  When I first got it, boy was it stinky.  The cheese had an odd smell, but I think that's how blue cheese is.  It was actually a decent sandwich.  Nothing I would die for, but it was pretty good.  Just yesterday I went to the Polynesian Resort before my class at the Transportation and Ticket Center.  I had the Pork Nachos.  It consisted of a mixture of fried wontonish chips and potato chips, cheese, pulled kalua pork, and tomato.  It was pretty good, but a little too cheesy for my liking.

 

     Finally let me get to my adventures in the theme parks.  The week, my coworker Rob, Barrett and I went to Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course.  It was a lot of fun, and I WON!!!  =)  On another day I went to EPCOT and I got a picture with Duffy the Bear.  I felt like a little kid again!.  I've done a lot of the same attractions and rides at the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom.  I rode Expedition Everest and I didn't get sick this time.  Rob and I also rode Kali River Rapids in 50 degree weather.  It was amazingly cold and refreshing!.

     On a final note.  I have a funny story, and a personal story.  First, in reference to my last post, I got to ride on a RTS bus.  You might think, what's so special about riding on a bus?  Well the RTS company went out of business many years ago, and Disney has been able to maintain their fleet of these buses and they are still operating on Walt Disney World roads today. =)  I felt like I was riding a part of history.  Secondly, I saw a sign at the Town Hall in the Magic Kingdom advertising a short film.  I saw the wait time was 5 minutes.  Suddenly my body turned to go into the queue and I found myself waiting in line, anticipating a film about the history of Disney.  Waiting waiting waiting.  They were only letting in 5 people at a time.  Maybe it was a small theater?  I kept following the line.  Suddenly around the corner I saw what we had been waiting for.  It wasn't a film or movie... IT WAS MICKEY MOUSE!!!  =D  I felt a little embarrassed telling the lady that I was the only one in my party.  Then I realized that anyone can still be a kid at heart, and that I loved Mickey Mouse, so who cares if I'm 20 years old, and still love my favorite mouse.  Walt Disney said that he hoped that nobody ever forgets that it was all started by a mouse. =)

That's the end of this loooooooonnnnngggg post. 

Thanks for reading!!! 

OH!!!! 

It's time foooooooooorrrrrrrr FUN FACTOID/QUIZ QUESTION!!!

What was the name of Disneyland Paris when it opened in 1992? 

Any answers yet?

Anyone???

We don't have all day... 

C'mon, just take a guess... 

We're not playing Jeopardy.  You won't lose any money for answering wrong. 

Drumrooooolllll please.  *lkflalvnaldvnalkdnlanvlknalvknalvnalndvlandvlknadklvn*

It's name was Euro Disneyland!!!!!!!

Thanks for reading! Have a Magical Day!!!

Finally Settling In.

Hello Everyone!!!

This past week since my worst day ever has been a really positive one.

Last week Wednesday through Saturday, I still had to go to work.  Fortunately there weren't too many guests that were angry or upset, and not many excessive delays.  Nothing really new on the work front.

For fun, I got to go to Disney's Animal Kingdom, EPCOT and the Magic Kingdom.  Since I'm here for a good seven more months or so, my roommate Tom and I started this game at the Magic Kingdom called "Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom".  It's an interactive adventure throughout the lands of Main Street U.S.A, Adventureland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, and Liberty Square.  You get a set of cards and a key, and you must find all the different locations around those lands and fight villains from stealing the crystal of the Magic Kingdom.  It's a lot of fun, and definitely something I wouldn't be able to do on our normal family vacation because it takes a lot of time.  I've been to EPCOT more times during this trip, than I ever have before.  Now that I am older, I take a little more time to watch shows about the countries, and read more facts about the countries.  I've been to China and Japan again this past week for dinner. :).  Finally, I was able to go to Animal Kingdom today with my roommate Tom.  It was a lot of fun!  We rode many rides like Dinosaur, Primeval Whirl, Expedition Everest, and we watched It's Tough to be a Bug.  We also got to see Finding Nemo The Musical.  It was amazing!

I've been so lucky to work and play here at the Walt Disney World Resort.  It's such an awesome feeling to know that I can go to the theme parks every day after work, or just relax at home.  No rush, no hustle, or anything.  I went on rides that I probably would have never gone on during a family vacation like The American Adventure, Hall of Presidents, Country Bear Jamboree, and the Carousel of Progress.  You know, basically the minor attractions that most people skip when they come here.

FUN FACTOID!
The Walt Disney World Transportation System uses three types of buses, RTS, Gillig, and Nova.  Interestingly enough, the City and County of Honolulu also have used those same three bus manufacturers in it's existence.

OTS used the RTS back in the 90's, the Novas are the new buses that look a little like spacecraft (Bus Numbers in the lower 200 range), and the most common bus you see is a Gillig Phantom.


Okay, so that probably wasn't the cool factoid you were all expecting so....

BONUS FACTOID!!!
The Walt Disney World Monorail System operates Mark VI Monorails. 50 mph is the top speed of the monorail, while the top speed is 40 mph when guests are on board.  Also, it anyone in the six cars leans on one of the monorail doors, the monorail automatically stops.  It's happened to on of the trains I was one, so it definitely happens.

Thanks for reading!

Worst day ever...

Hello everyone,

Today was the worst day ever.  Work.  Personal.  Everything.

Before I get to the bad, let me start with the good.  Last night I went to Planet Hollywood to celebrate a birthday for my friend Nene whom we met at the welcome party last week.  It was a lot of fun! We stopped at two of the performing groups at Downtown Disney and danced a little.  I really had a great time.  This led me to the beginning of a terrible day.

I had so much fun last night, I overslept my alarm today.  I woke up at 619am.  You might say 619a? That's not late.  It is considering that I start work at 645a and I had to catch the bus to get to work.  I jumped out of bed (well not really, but it's probably one of the fastest times that I've gotten ready in), and quickly grabbed my costume and brushed my teeth.  I quickly looked at the bus schedule.  It was 627a.  I almost gave up and conceded to take the 651a bus.  I ran from my apartment in Patterson Court to Chatham Square and by sheer luck I made the 631 bus instead.  No more than 20 seconds after I got on, the bus driver shut the doors and drove on.  Phew! I thought that I was having a very lucky day.

I got to work about 25 minutes late because the bus takes a while and I have to catch the cast bus to my location.  I got to my post at Port Orleans Riverside and began the day.  It seemed like a normal and quiet day.  For the first hour or so, buses ran normal, and guests were pleasant.  BOY was I wrong!  More and more guests kept coming out to the stop, but some buses were running extremely late.  Some were late and some were already full by the time it got to our stop.  Sadly we had two buses that had over 60 minutes of wait.  Guests were furious at me.  What could I do? I gave them the most up to date information that I had, and I could do nothing more.  I have no more control than any of them did.  All I could do was call to find out when and where the next bus was.  This one woman and gentleman in particular were very mean and angry.  I understood their anger, but as I said, I gave them all the information that I was receiving from those above me.  I gave them the most updated information, and they just kept getting angry and yelling at me.  I was ready to cry and quit on the spot.  Seriously, I was ready to just break down and stop working.  I was trying my hardest to give the guest what they wanted.  I passed everything I knew about the buses to them, and I hid nothing.  Nothing was helping.

I was ready to quit.  I could not handle the situation. The lady directed some anger at me, and I just snapped!!! Okay, so I didn't hit the lady or anything.  I just couldn't handle it anymore.  I practically yelled back at this woman who had been yelling at me for quite some time.  It's not the Disney way, and I really regret it right now, but at that very moment I could not handle it anymore!  Everything I was trying to do for them, and she kept getting angrier and angrier.  

I tried so hard to please these guests, but for reasons beyond my control, nothing could help them.  After enduring more anger from those same two guests, it's like the heavens opened, and an angel descended.  Another woman, who was also waiting for the same bus (although a little more patiently), calmly comforted me.  She told me that there are people like that in the world, who think that yelling and anger will help the situation.  This lady really helped me to see that not every guest could be angry and rude like this other woman.  It showed me that when I thought nothing else in the world could go right, there is still people in the world who can make it better.  Although it was just a small kind gesture, it really comforted me, that someone would care and see it from the other side.

Finally the bus arrived and the angry group of people left.  I was so stressed.  It was worse because of my morning already, but now it finally began to settle.

To make my day better, I decided to go to the Florida Mall.  It was a very large mall, and I found two nice Ecko collared shirts.  This definitely made my day better.  To cap of this terrible day, I treated myself to my first Starbucks beverage in almost a month.  It was a wonderful end to this terrible day.

Let me end this post on an upbeat and positive tone.

FUN FACTOID!!!
Did you know?  If you were approximately two miles tall, you could actually use the EPCOT ball as a golfball.

Thanks for reading!

Tomorrow will make three weeks?

Hello Everyone!

It's hard to believe that tomorrow will make three weeks that I've been here at Walt Disney World.  Since I last posted, work has been quite the same, but the social activities have been a lot of fun.

Let me start with working as a Resort Bus Greeter.  Don't let my comments before fool you. It's a really fun job!  You get to interact with guests all the time, and sometimes you get into deep conversations about their hometown or where their from.  Sometimes it just starts out talking about the weather back home.  We even chat so much that the bus comes too early (as in we haven't finished our conversation).    Since the last time that I had checked in here, I've worked at a few more resorts.  I've worked at Port Orleans Riverside, Port Orleans French Quarter, and a couple of times at the Caribbean Beach Resort Trinidad South bus stop.  It's a sort of slow period right now, so it gives me some time to work on my approach and smoothness.  Sometimes the job is tough when a guest is a little hostile with you, and sometimes it's really enjoyable when you can give a little princess just a little more touch to their outfit (i.e. little rings).  For those guests who do get upset, what more can I do?  I gave you the most up to date information and approximation that I had.  I can not control the traffic, or control the speed of the bus.  Working here really changes you.  It makes me realize that when I come as a Guest, I shouldn't act like people who get upset, because I now know how the cast member on the other side feels.  We are working as hard as we can to get you where you need to be, and as efficiently as we can.  Please understand if a bus is 5 minutes later than the 15 minutes I told you, or if a bus arrives full.  Chances are, if you want to go to that specific theme park, a third of the guests at your resort might want to as well.

In the fun department everything has been going swell.  By finishing work so early, it gives me the whole afternoon to enjoy.  One day I went to eat at Earl of Sandwich with my coworker Barrett, and then we went bowling as Splitsville, the new bowling alley in Downtown Disney.  Another day I went to Typhoon Lagoon with Barrett and another coworker Rob.  Rob, Barrett and I also went to a Winter Wonderland welcome event at the housing complex.  We met a couple of other coworkers and also met new friends Lea, Erica, Carla and Nene.  Only Carla and Nene are roommates.  Just yesterday, Rob invited me over to his apartment for a Superbowl viewing.  Carla and Nene also came by for a little while.  It was an interesting night. :).  Nene has a big obsession with Beyonce and she absolutely loved the halftime show.

It's been a busy but fun week, and I hope that I will continue to enjoy a lot that Disney has to offer.

Thanks again for reading.

FUN FACTOID.
Winnie the Pooh first started as the animated character on this day in 1966.  He starred in Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree.