One Month

WOW! I cannot believe that I have already been in Florida for a month! I really have no one specific word to describe how this month has been but it certainly has been a roller coaster. 

This month I have cried a lot, thought about a lot of things, worked A LOT, learned a lot, and missed home my family and friends a lot! Exactly one month ago today I spent my last day (but only for a few months) with my mom. Initially we planned on coming to Orlando the Thursday before my Monday move in day but that changed when we had to take an unfortunate detour to Cleveland for my Aunt’s funeral. After the funeral Saturday night we left for Orlando and arrived in Florida at about midnight. In true Bethany and Janis fashion we got twisted up and didn’t get to our hotel until about 3 a.m. That Monday I checked in bright and early, a simple and seamless process, then it was off to my new home! All I had was an excessive amount of clothes and shoes so move in was easy. My mom cleaned and made my bed just as she has every year since I was a freshmen then I was back on the go as I went to Casting. At Casting I finally learned what my role would be, filed and finalized paper work, and did finger prints. After that I came back to my apartment and hung out with my roommates and later went to dinner with my mom. She wanted to treat me to something nice and that night my mom and I had so much fun! I think she had forgotten that I had already moved in and she drove to the hotel while I was still in the car; she tried to talk me into spending the night one last time but it would have been too hard for both of us. The next day was her last day in Florida; I wanted her to stay so bad for just one more day but she had to get home to help move my brother in for school.  She took me grocery shopping and treated me to lunch one last time then brought me back to my apartment and we just sat in silence. We both knew what was coming but we didn’t want to acknowledge it. What was coming was the longest goodbye I have ever had to make in my entire life. After giggles and random conversations I had to let her go to the airport. I didn’t cry but my mom said she did the entire 30 minute drive to the airport. That night I just avoided my phone because it finally hit me that I was and now had to be a big girl I missed my family. 

Thursday through Sunday that week was orientation classes and training. Day one of orientation was a fun and exciting called Traditions. There we learned how we could make a difference at Disney in little ways, learned about the 4 Keys (safety, courtesy, efficiency and show) , learned some Disney history, earned our ears and were handed our name tags by a very special guest: MICKEY MOUSE! My final day of orientation involved spending a day in Magic Kingdom with other CP’s (College Program Participants) observing other people in our role. After that we had 3 days of on-site training. Training was a little hard for me. My role is a very hands on and active job; my trainer would have us read the description of what we would be doing then later explain it to us. Most times I had no idea what he was talking about or what I would be doing until I actually did it. I asked a lot of questions and probably annoyed the crap out of them but I am a ‘learn as I go’ type of person and with the job I have, that is exactly what I am doing. 

My role is called Parade Audience Control, PAC. We are responsible for setting up ropes and viewing areas for parades and fireworks at Magic Kingdom. We are also responsible for telling people where the can and cannot stand for these activities. I don’t know if I like PAC or not yet. There have been both good and bad moments in this position but from what I hear I have the hardest job at Disney World, and I believe that. I love that I have many opportunities to interact with the guests that come to Magic Kingdom but I hate that sometimes I have to be a meanie and tell them that they have to move or they are not allowed to do something. 

As a CP I am gaurenteed at least 32 hours a week and I have been working about 32-26 hours a week. Most of my shifts are 6-8 hours long with an occasional and horrible 11 hour shift. I usually am scheduled to work from about 5:30 pm to 12:30 am. In this time there is a PAC evening meeting, 2 Electric Parades, and Wishes Fireworks Spectacular. Being able to watch and peek at Wishes every night is my reminder of why I did the College Program. Usually by that time I am exhausted and waiting for our break queue (The Blue Fairy), but it always kinda slaps me in the face that this is what I ALWAYS wanted. The last time I watched Wishes before I was a Disney Cast Member all I thought about was “I want to be here…I want to work at Disney.” Now I do and I still don’t really believe it! I love watching Wishes!  At this point I know almost every word and it’s something that will never get old to me even if I watch (work) it every night! 

Crying, something I do a lot. I try not to but most times the harder I try to not cry the harder I end up crying. I didn’t cry at my aunt’s funeral, I didn’t cry when I saw my dad crying at my aunt’s funeral, I didn’t cry when I said bye to my brother, mom, dad, or Shadow, or at my last day at church. But I did cry when I said bye to my team and coaches, and sometimes I wake up and cry. It’s for a lot of different reasons; missing home and my family, missing cheer and dance, missing my friends, not wanting to work and or because I’m scared. I guess the reasons I didn't cry at any of those other times is because I was saving it for now. I took a BIG gamble this semester by doing this program. I’m still in school but it is a lot harder to keep up with everything online and via phone and email than it is being there. I am determined to graduate in May and on time; I know that I have to work extremely hard to make sure that happens because I also know that if I don’t graduate in May it will only be because of one class and that is the last thing I want to happen. I worry and stress about next semester and things that will happen in November and December even though I know I don’t need to and I shouldn’t because it is only September. 

Last year was a hard year for me, academically and personally. A lot of great things came out of last year for me but I was exhausted and probably would have ended up taking a semester off anyway. The only thing that kept me from doing that was a few good friends and cheer and dance. But God opened this door, a door I have been trying to figure out how to get to for a long time. This is a dream come true for me; I know there will be hurdles, bumps in the road and lots of growing up down the line but I also have a feeling that more dreams are going to come true. I got want I needed, wanted, and had been praying for for a long time and now I have to embrace it! The only way this will be the best 6 months of my life is if I make it that! I will be honest and say that there have been numerous times that I have thought about quitting and coming home but that would only hurt me. For some reason I feel like I have to prove to people that I can do this; really the only person who I need to prove that to is myself. I miss and love my friends and family so much but I am making new friends here that are going through the same thing. I know that God opened this door and gave me this opportunity for a reason and sometimes I question and wonder if this was worth it but I know it will be! 

Until next time, 

Blessings, love and sparkles!