It All Starts With A Wish: A Disney College Program TR NEW 9/3

[pkondz]

July 4, 2015-July 6, 2015: Work

I worked a lot over these next few days—it was a busy time for the Magic Kingdom!​

Thanks for the massive update!!

 

[courtneybelle]

July 7, 2015: Hollywood Studios and Garden Grill

Today was a miraculous day because Katie, Kristen, Gavin, Hayley, and I all had the day off!! Today was going to be our “farewell tour” of the Magic of Disney Animation Building since it would be closing very soon.

We started our day with a ride on the Tower of Terror, then grabbed some Starbucks. Then we headed over to the Animation Building!

We had hoped to meet Baymax and Hiro one last time, but the line was hours long, so we just hopped in line to meet Sorcerer Mickey. Katie’s favorite character is Sorcerer Mickey and since we all love Fantasmic that obsession is spreading.

Then, we took a drawing class and got to draw Merida! I was so excited because she is one of my favorite princesses.

I had to say a quick goodbye to my friends after that, because I was meeting Kaela, Mandy, and a bunch of their friends for dinner at the Garden Grill! This is one of my favorites so I was ecstatic.

Because we had an early dinner reservation and the Grill wasn’t too crowded, we got to see all the characters multiple times, and a few even sat down to join us for dinner!

Obviously meeting Pluto was the highlight for me.

From left to right: Christina, Cleo, Pluto, me, Mandy, Kaela.

This is my favorite picture because Mickey and Pluto are in the picture together!

The food was great too! I didn’t have the berry cobbler last time because my mom had ordered me a cake for my birthday, so I got to try that this time and I loved it!​

After dinner, we decided to take a spin on Living with the Land.

Everyone else went home after that, but I decided to head back to Studios! I met up with my friends at the Animation Building and we decided to check out One Man’s Dream and watch the movie. Then we hopped in line to meet Woody and Buzz! They were AWESOME. I told Buzz that he had signed my autograph book already and he gestured that of course he remembered me! What a guy.

We exited and someone was waiting for us outside…THE GREEN ARMY MAN!!! I have this lifelong obsession with the green army men. My mom tells it as me being sad that everyone wanted to meet Woody and Buzz and no one wanted to meet the green army man, so I took a picture with him and now I have to meet him every time I go to Disney.

We headed over to see Fantasmic next, and I finally got a churro!!! I also bought Hayley her first churro and she loved it. How could she not, though.

Fantasmic was spectacular, as always. We decided to head out after that. We made our way to the car only to find…that Kristen had left her lights on and her car battery was dead!!

We called AAA and Disney Security to jump us. AAA did get there first, but it took over an hour. So we sat in the DHS parking lot for the hour, did more sing-a-longs, tried to reenact Fantasmic from memory, and overall had a much better time than we should have in the DHS parking lot. (Real time update: Hayley and Gavin finished their program yesterday and leave Disney today so this picture is making me cry.)

Finally we got Kristen’s car started, but the AAA guy told us that we should drive around for a bit to recharge the battery. So we drove around Central Florida for an hour and then made our way home!

Keep scrolling for the next update!​

 

[courtneybelle]

July 8-9, 2015: Parade Training and Class

On the 8th I had to redo my parade training because the night parade was canceled for weather on my first training day. I love working parade shifts because the majority of the time I get to interact with guests, answering questions and even playing games. And then I get paid to watch two of my favorite parades. Pretty dang magical.

On the 9th I had my Disney Heritage class! Today we learned about the golden age of animation. I loved hearing about Dumbo and Cinderella most because those are two of my favorites. We also learned about Walt’s various television programs and got to watch clips from some of them, which was amazing because I hadn’t seen a lot of footage of Walt on TV.

I also got this amazing care package from my family:

I wanted to go to a park that night, but I was exhausted, so I ended up napping, and then Kristen and I watched Pocahontas!​

 

[courtneybelle]

Thanks for the massive update!!

And thank you, pkondz, for your SASS. Maybe I'll be busy the day we're supposed to meet up in Disney... (p.s. please DM me and remind me of your dates)

 

[dmlovullo]

What an awesome care package from your family!

 

[Sisa]

Yum, Garden Grill looks SO good, I cannot wait to eat there! We have an early dinner reservation too, so hopefully we will get lucky with the characters like you did. So neat that you got Mickey and Pluto in the same picture, that's pretty special!

What a bummer to get stuck in the parking lot, but looks like you all made the best of it.

Getting paid to watch Disney parades, not a bad gig at all!!

How sweet of your family to send you the care package and looks like you got some pretty awesome stuff. SCORE!

Thanks for taking the time to update during your busy schedule!

 

[Wood Nymph]

Thanks for the update. Working the parades sounds fun. Are you still doing Splash Mountain, too?

We will be in the MK two weeks from tomorrow. We'll look for you.

 

[xlsm]

Pictures from Garden Grill always look sooo good, but when I'm at Epcot, I have a mental block that keeps me from eating anywhere other than the World Showcase! But I SWEAR GG is on my list for the future!!

I'm sorry that two of your friends have left, I know that must be tough.

Still loving your updates!!

 

[allybabba98]

I love your updates. Sorry to hear about your friends finishing. I made a reservation at Garden Grill not really knowing much about it but the food looks great and I think the boys will really enjoy the characters. Thanks for the updates.

 

[pkondz]

Today was a miraculous day because Katie, Kristen, Gavin, Hayley, and I all had the day off!!

Nice! I'm really happy for you that you've found all these wonderful friends.

Today was going to be our “farewell tour” of the Magic of Disney Animation Building since it would be closing very soon.

Boo! Kay loves to draw and would love this so much.
So wish it could've stayed open for just a little longer.

Le sigh.

Katie’s favorite character is Sorcerer Mickey and since we all love Fantasmic that obsession is spreading.

So that worked out just fine, then.

Then, we took a drawing class and got to draw Merida! I was so excited because she is one of my favorite princesses.

Well of course. How could anyone not love her?

Red hair, ya know.

Not bad Courtney, not bad.

I had to say a quick goodbye to my friends after that, because I was meeting Kaela, Mandy, and a bunch of their friends for dinner at the Garden Grill! This is one of my favorites so I was ecstatic.

Not even on my radar. Totally didn't know it was like that at all.
Have our ADRs so it doesn't look like we'll be eating there this trip either.

Because we had an early dinner reservation and the Grill wasn’t too crowded, we got to see all the characters multiple times, and a few even sat down to join us for dinner!

That must've been fun!

Obviously meeting Pluto was the highlight for me.

Well, of course.

What a fun picture!

<whimper> Oh, man... that looks sooooo good!!

We exited and someone was waiting for us outside…THE GREEN ARMY MAN!!! I have this lifelong obsession with the green army men. My mom tells it as me being sad that everyone wanted to meet Woody and Buzz and no one wanted to meet the green army man, so I took a picture with him and now I have to meet him every time I go to Disney.

Love that story! That's so awesome!

We headed over to see Fantasmic next, and I finally got a churro!!! I also bought Hayley her first churro and she loved it. How could she not, though.

I wouldn't know, of course.

But I will... soon.
Should I wait until I see you to get one?
Hmmmm?????

We made our way to the car only to find…that Kristen had left her lights on and her car battery was dead!!

Oh, no!
Just had the same thing happen to me last week.
Didn't leave the lights on, but... dead car.
I'd just bought the battery in March.
Brought it back, they tested it and apparently it was a bad battery.
They gave me a new one for free, but still, the inconvenience was a drag.

So we sat in the DHS parking lot for the hour, did more sing-a-longs, tried to reenact Fantasmic from memory, and overall had a much better time than we should have in the DHS parking lot.

That sounds like as much if not more fun than the park!

(Real time update: Hayley and Gavin finished their program yesterday and leave Disney today so this picture is making me cry.)

Awww... pour Courtney.

And then I get paid to watch two of my favorite parades. Pretty dang magical.

Maybe I'm a little jealous of you?
Maybe?
Just a little?

We also learned about Walt’s various television programs and got to watch clips from some of them, which was amazing because I hadn’t seen a lot of footage of Walt on TV.

I've seen him quite a bit on TV. When I was little, I mean.
Almost every Sunday evening on The Wonderful World of Disney.
In black and white, no less.

I was shocked... and I mean shocked to find out that when I watched those shows, he was already gone.
I feel like crying now...

I also got this amazing care package from my family:

Wow! Somebody loves you a whole lot!

I wanted to go to a park that night, but I was exhausted, so I ended up napping

Where? There's no room on your bed!

 

[pkondz]

And thank you, pkondz, for your SASS. Maybe I'll be busy the day we're supposed to meet up in Disney... (p.s. please DM me and remind me of your dates)

I'm sorry! I'm SORRY!!!!

 

[HikingBelle]

Today was going to be our “farewell tour” of the Magic of Disney Animation Building since it would be closing very soon.

So very sad... but so awesome you got to draw Merida!!

So we sat in the DHS parking lot for the hour, did more sing-a-longs, tried to reenact Fantasmic from memory, and overall had a much better time than we should have in the DHS parking lot.

How I wish there were vines of this on your instagram feed

 

[afwdwfan]

Thanks for the updates!

Dinner at Garden Grill looks like it was a lot of fun. And I know the food there is awesome! Seeing the pictures of it just made my mouth water.

Too bad about the dead car battery, but it looks like you made the most of it and made some good memories despite that.

I like your attitude about working the parades. I've always thought that might not be one of the more fun jobs... just because you have to deal with all the crowds and there are always a few rude people around at parade time, it seems. Sometimes a person like that could really ruin the fun, but it is really a tribute to you that you're finding the good in it and interacting with guests in a positive way and just having fun. You must be a fantastic CM!

 

[rteetz]

Awesome update! Looks like you had a lot of fun at the garden grill, I've never eaten there. Great drawing as well it sucks the animation studio is now closed so we can't do that anymore.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

That's great that you were able to take the farewell tour of the Animation Academy. I do hope at least some of that (specifically the drawing class) finds a new home somewhere. Same holds true for One Man's Dream assuming that closes as well - there better be somewhere to see the history of Walt or I will be sad/upset

That looks like such a fun dinner at Garden Grill ... definitely love the picture of Mickey and Pluto at your table which the whole group! That seems like one picture that will be great to look back on years from now.

I love the Green Army Men, especially when they interact with guests - especially when they don't realize they are being interacted with. I heard at this past weekends D23 during one of the presentations some Green Army Men repelled from the ceiling - that would have been cool to see

Bummer that Kristen left her battery on, but looking back, that is probably one of the evenings you will best remember and look back fondly on.

Amazing to think that the end is already coming for some of you all!

And then I get paid to watch two of my favorite parades. Pretty dang magical.

... yeah, not too shabby of a set up you have

 

[Go Big Blue]

Reading your story brings back so many memories for me during my time as a CP. Those first few days are the best so full of excitement. Looks like you are enjoying every second!

 

[SarahDisney]

I really love reading about how much fun you have on your days off. I always wondered if being at Disney every single day makes it lose some of the magic ... but it definitely looks like that's nowhere near the case for you, which is AWESOME!

I love all of your pictures from Garden Grill! That's one of those ADRs I've never done but everytime I see pictures it looks like so much fun! (And then, of course, when I go to make ADRs it gets forgotten with all the BOG and princess possibilities ...)

Hysterical story about the Green Army Man! Obsessions come from the strangest places sometimes ... but it does make for a good story and a great excuse for an awesome character picture!

Sounds like you guys had fun with the car battery problem. That's something that you never want to happen, but if it does, it's best when it happens with awesome friends!

The care package from your family is adorable ... although I do spy some non-Disney in there ... is that allowed?

I hope you're still having tons of fun adventures (it certainly looks like it from what I see on Instagram!) and I can't wait to read about them when you get another chance to update (no pressure, of course)

 

[bibba410]

So this is super awesome! Thank you for sharing your experiences with us!

 

[TEAMJACOB]

Enjoying your thread! Sounds like you have made some life long friends.

 

[ElenaJane]

Thanks for the update! Working the parade sounds like it would be a lot of fun! So far, does not sound like you are getting tired of Disney!