DISNEY COLLEGE PROGRAM - A Spring 2013 Adventure! *COMPLETE* 11/20

[katt789]

Great updates!! So glad that the DCP had such a positive influence on your life!
Those shots are all amazing, I can only imagine how long the photo shoots were bahaha!

 

[dreamerjlee]

I just found your TR today. I will no doubt be reading it. But, I read the last post, and it reminded me of when my program ended. We got our ears embroidered and went to MK, watched wishes. It was one of the most memorable nights of my life, all of us sitting there after the fireworks as everyone left the park. Your post brought that all back! Thanks!

 

[magicaddict]

Jess,
I've followed along on your many trip reports but this report of your DCP is truly an amazing account of your many months working in the world. I've checked out blogs and reports of other DCP ers and they all start strong with promises to keep updating on a regular basis but, as we all know, life and work get in the way and those updates become few and far between and some blogs are abandoned forever. The fact that you stuck with completing this report by keeping detailed notes to fill us in when life did get too hectic for updates only proves how dedicated you are to your many fans. You've taken us all on a magical journey and I hope that journey is continuing for you as you move to this next stage of your life. I can only hope my daughter has as wonderful an experience when she is finally able to fulfill her Disney dream.

 

[Blissikins]

Literally in tears right now! Mickey Mouse has such a way with words.

Jess, thank you for sharing your college programme with us. As someone who will never get to do it (found out about it MUCH too late!), it has been so exciting to read along with your adventure.

You must have made so many people's vacations so much more magical during your DCP!

I love all your trip reports, can't wait for the next one!

 

[dancin_princess]

I just found your report and I can't wait to go back and read everything. I wasn't a CP but I worked at Disney and looking through your pictures made me miss my time there. I can't wait to read your TR.

 

[HumblePie]

What an amazing experience! So fun to read about your adventure

 

[Disney Bubbles]

Jess!
I have been reading your trip reports for a few years and have always loved them to death. Your friends, family, your sunny outlook on life, and you amazing talent for writing have all made for a wonderful and entertaining read. I was only dreaming of doing the college program when you got accepted. I started reading about your journey and was enchanted more and more every day. I then got accepted for my own and I couldn't be more grateful for all of your preparation. I truly learned much more from your report than from all of the other message boards, facebook groups, and youtube videos. I met Ryan at my check-in and have seen you around the parks a few times (someday I hope to actually be able to say hello). I'm sad for this report to end, but I'm sure you will be writing more at some point in the future. I hope you know how much joy and happiness that you have given to so many people. The very best of luck to you in all of your new adventures! And from the very bottom of my heart, thank you!

 

[Aburns8]

Jess!
I have been reading your trip reports for a few years and have always loved them to death. Your friends, family, your sunny outlook on life, and you amazing talent for writing have all made for a wonderful and entertaining read. I was only dreaming of doing the college program when you got accepted. I started reading about your journey and was enchanted more and more every day. I then got accepted for my own and I couldn't be more grateful for all of your preparation. I truly learned much more from your report than from all of the other message boards, facebook groups, and youtube videos. I met Ryan at my check-in and have seen you around the parks a few times (someday I hope to actually be able to say hello). I'm sad for this report to end, but I'm sure you will be writing more at some point in the future. I hope you know how much joy and happiness that you have given to so many people. The very best of luck to you in all of your new adventures! And from the very bottom of my heart, thank you!

Congratulations on your college program! Good luck!

 

[sue_88]

Very happy for you and your accomplishments.
I went to a character breakfast last week and was mistaken for a cast member! It was a nice thing.

 

[agavegirl1]

Dear Jess, I have been clandestinely following your trip report for the summer. You are a force to be reckoned with I am sure. My daughter would have loved to have done the CP but chose a path involving getting her MFA (Masters of Fine Arts) in animation and illustration in San Francisco. She is a lovely young woman who suffers from scoliosis and therefore, could never be a "princess" as she so wanted to be. Her artistic talent has landed her in animation and that is truly what she loves. Thank you for your enthusiasm and detailed information for all of us to enjoy.

 

[twob4him]

Read.every.update. Just finished...I feel like I graduated right along with you!! A huge thank you for sharing CP with all of us and not quitting! I know you will go far!! Keep us posted when you can!!!

 

[JessicaFaye508]

August 8th, 2013 - Moving Out of Patterson Court

This was my last morning waking up at Patterson Court. I went over to Magic Kingdom bright and early in the morning to spend some time at the Haunted Mansion with some people from Coronado, then I did some shopping and came back to my apartment.

I had dino chicken nuggets and a yogurt for lunch! YUMMY! Sammie Jo and Lindsay had Chickfila and we all spent our last little meal together. It was moving out day. Maria, Liz, and Jana were already gone. Sammie Jo was leaving about an hour after lunch, and then I was taking Lindsay to the airport around 2 o'clock.

One last roomie picture - Sammie Jo, me, and Lindsay! I'm sad we never got a picture of the six of us but honestly I don't think we were ever all in the apartment at the same time!

I packed and Lindsay and I listened to Disney music all afternoon. Then we exchanged gifts - she got me one of the princess leather bracelets engraved with "DCP 2013." I LOVE IT. It's absolutely adorable. I got her a princess frame! I'm glad we both got each other princess merchandise. How appropriate.

Soon it was time to head to MCO. ): We were bringing down here suitcases and it was RAINING. How appropriate for departure day, seriously. It was like the Parent Trap.

We listened to all of "our songs" the whole way there. Aka A*Teens and Disney Mania. The drive went by way too quickly and soon we were saying goodbye. Lindsay has been there with me through it all on my College Program and I am so happy that we got to experience the magic together. I can only wish her the best in life and I really hope she comes back to visit soon! I'm going to miss her so much, you have no idea. She is a CP friend I definitely will remember for the rest of my life!

We gave our final hugs, she headed to her gate, and I started driving home. I shed a few tears but I knew that was coming. I'm so sad to see this chapter end but a whole new adventure is waiting for me out there. I am sad that it's over but moving forward is also very exciting.

I got back home and continued packing and packing and packing. Ryan came over around 6 o'clock and we just hardcore packed up Patterson Court. I was the last person in there and it was CRAZY. There was stuff everywhere, there was Disney music on, and we were PACKIN'.

I put everything in boxes, Ryan packed my car to the brim, and we finished around 8:40 pm. What a team! Thank goodness he was there to help. I don't know how I possibly would've done it!

Goodbye Patterson Court. Thank you for all of the memories!

My Dad came down tonight because he was helping me move to my new apartment tomorrow, so we went over to the Boardwalk to meet him for dinner! We got there a little after 9 pm for (what I thought) was our 8:45 pm reservation, but I actually made our reservation on the week before by accident!

I told them what happened and they were fine with still seating us - there was plenty of room! Unfortunately there was that whole $30 cancellation fee, but the manager came over and told us that we would get free appetizers! I told him that it was fine, it was my fault, but he insisted! That was SO nice of him!!

So I got the crab cake for my appetizer because I remembered how incredible it was from last time! It definitely is the best crab cake I have ever had!

Our second appetizer was the tuna sushi, which was interesting! It had A LOT of stuff on top of it. It tasted good, it was just extremely fancy!

Our third appetizer was calamari! That was PHENOMENAL.

Since Ryan doesn't like seafood, and that's what all of the appetizers were, he got a Cesar salad! It was beautiful!

For my entree, I got the pasta. I actually only got a half order because it was so gigantic, but it had these huge long wavy noodles and mushrooms and all sorts of stuff in it! It was really good! Very filling, too!

Ryan got the pork which he was in love with! The stuff that looks like mashed potatoes was actually corn and he thought that was awesome. For someone who doesn't like seafood, he absolutely loved going to Flying Fish!

Then Dad got the potato skin wrapped snapper which is the Flying Fish's most prized dish. He loved it today just as much as he did the last time we were here!

Then surprisingly Dad and I still had room for dessert, so we split the banana napoleon. aka HEAVEN. It was so good.

When dinner was over, we checked into the Boardwalk because that's where dad was staying for the 2 nights he was here! We went up to my room and it was GORGEOUS. The view especially! It was a pool view and it was so beautiful!!

Then it was time for bed! I fell asleep in a matter of minutes once again!

And tomorrow is August 9th. The last official day of my Disney College Program.

Continued in Next Post​

 

[JessicaFaye508]

August 9th, 2013 - See Ya Real Soon!

I woke up on the last morning of my College Program at the Boardwalk. I love my life.

Dad and I slept in this morning. I didnt get up until after 10 oclock because I was just EXHAUSTED. Wrapping up your College Program is seriously the most tiring thing ever.

Once I got up, we went over to my new apartment complex, saw my apartment, and signed the lease. I AM OFFICIALLY LIVING IN FLORIDA!!!!!!

We ran a few more errands and I stopped and got this pin. It's official.

After that, we went back to the Boardwalk and Dad went down to the pool. Here are some beautiful Boardwalk views from our room:

I posted my big announcement of moving down here on instagram which got an OVERWHELMING reaction. It was awesome!!

Then I ended up actually taking a nap. I told you guys I was SO tired! I woke up when Ryan texted me telling me he was leaving work! He came over to Boardwalk, we all got ready and then it was time for dinner.

Dad said that we could do something really special for the last night of my College Program, so after thinking for a good long while, we decided on going to Yachtsman Steakhouse for dinner. I WAS SO EXCITED.

I was so grateful that my Dad was here for the very end of my program. It meant the world to me.

YACHTSMAN TIME.

We arrived a little bit early for our 8:50 pm reservation. We were brought to our table and we were sat in the main room again, literally one or two tables away from the last time we were at Yachtsman.

Our waitress name was Vicki and she was PHENOMENAL. She was from New Jersey and she took excellent care of us. She had such a great personality that blended really well with all of ours. It was great!

We started off our meal with bread. THE PULL APART ONION ROLLS WERE BACK IN MY LIFE. I couldnt be happier about that. Those things are ridiculously good.

Then we just started FEASTING. Dad and I split the lobster bisque, which had such a strong and delicious flavor. I loved it. They actually split it into two separate bowls for us. WHAT SERVICE!

Then our entrees and side dishes started coming out. I got the filet which literally blew me away. This steak cut SO easily, its like you were cutting a slice of butter. The flavor was unbelievable and it was the perfect texture. I was in love with this steak. I tried Ryan and Dads too but I was partial to mine. However, that was the same case for each of us. We all tried all of the different steaks and loved each one, but the ones we ordered was the ones we loved the most. Perfect! I had mashed potatoes on my plate which were delicious, too.

Ryan got the strip steak with this peppercorn sauce on it which gave it such an amazing flavor. He loved it. He didnt stop talking about that steak for days!

Then Dad got the porterhouse steak that was HUGE but it was so good!! He had so much fun with that. It had such good flavor as well.

Then as far as side dishes went, we ordered a few of those too. Im telling you, this was a feast. We got the truffle mac and cheese and I could have cried it was so good. Oh my God. Yachtsman, how do you do this!? HOW!?! EVERYTHING IS SO INCREDIBLE.

Then we also got creamed corn which was so sweet and delicious. I just cant even handle how good everything was.

Then even after all that we STILL got dessert. Well, Dad and I did anyway. Dad surprisingly got the Crème Brulee! (just kidding, no surprise there) The fruit on top was nice and fresh.

Then I got the chocolate peanut butter cake. Im sure you can guess how it was&. AMAZING. Seriously. Beyond amazing.

Honestly, that was probably one of my top 5 Disney dining experiences of all time. It was absolutely incredible. Way to go out with a bang, right!? So much good food. So much happiness! SO MUCH YUM.

After eating the meal of the century, we went back to Boardwalk. I needed to walk off that meal, so Ryan and I made a lap or two around the Epcot resort area. It is so lovely at night!

Even though it was late, we still wanted to go swimming! We had to utilize that pool! We went in the main pool first and actually stayed in there for quite a lot time. For it being so late, there were a lot of people there!

It was getting pretty chilly when we would get out of the pool, and the main hot tub was being used by this huge group of people, so we ended up walking to the garden suite pool and using the hot tub over there. Perfect! We became friends with this little duck who was over there too. I think she was trying to hiss at us but no sound was coming out, so it just looked like she was singing. So I was singing for her. It was funny.

Then we were both exhausted and it was time for Ryan to go! We said goodbye and I went right up to sleep!

Continued in Next Post​

 

[JessicaFaye508]

Final Thoughts…
 
That is the completion of my Disney College Program trip report. It's like the end of an era. I cannot BELIEVE that I actually wrote about the whole entire thing from beginning to end. I seriously feel like it was just the morning I was leaving for the airport and I posted the introduction. My life has completely flipped upside down over the past six and a half months. And it was completely worth it.

On a personal level, my Disney College Program gave me the opportunity to really find out a lot about myself. It got me away from my small town and away from the tiny group of people that I knew. It put me into this big world where I met people from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds. I made friends that I know will last a lifetime and I met people who have really impacted my life in great ways.

The Disney College Program gave me the opportunity to become independent. I had to work, I had to live on my own, and I had to take care of myself.

My Disney College Program put me through the best times of my life and the most difficult times of my life. I have never been as happy as I was here and I have never been as sad as I was here. Two different extremes that both occurred also ultimately made me a stronger person in the end.

That being said, I don't regret one single thing. Not one. Even though there were days that were hard and there were situations that didn't make sense at the time, my DCP further proved my life motto - everything really does happen for a reason. I could/still can feel my future unfolding before my eyes. I can't even explain in words how exciting it is.

My program strengthened my faith. God has been with me through it all and has opened my eyes to an innumerable amount of life lessons. I have learned that things always work out better than I could ever imagine when I place my trust in Him. The events during my program gave me hope for the future and it made me feel like the dreams that I have are actually possible if I just keep working at them. If there’s something that I really want, then I’m just going to have to go out and get it.

On a professional level, I got the chance to be exposed to so many different lines of business. I had the opportunity to network. I had the chance to finally figure out what field I want to focus on in the future. Even if I don’t end up in the exact place that I think I want to be in now, I know that I have a much clearer perspective on my career now than I ever did before.

Not only did all of these opportunities present themselves throughout their program, but I got to LIVE IN WALT DISNEY WORLD for the past six and a half months. I got to explore the parks to a depth that I never got to see them before. I learned so many facts and got to do so many things because MY LIFE WAS/IS WDW. It is my focus and my passion and I couldn’t be happier to continue living my life down in Orlando.

Those, my friends, are just a few reasons why the Disney College Program is the best thing you can possibly do for yourself. Everyone's story is quite different, but looking back at it now, it has been a journey that is going to shape the rest of my life. If you decide to do the program, I hope that it has a positive and powerful impact on you as well.

So this is where my trip reporting comes to a close. Since I live in Florida permanently now, I have school to concentrate on as well as just building myself up as a person. The adventure is out there and I am looking forward to seeing what is in store! Even though I will no longer be keeping a constant trip report, you can always check in and see what I'm up to on twitter and instagram! @PrincessJess508 is my username and I post Disney pictures all the time if you ever need a WDW fix!

Thank you all for faithfully reading. I am so glad you stumbled across my report and got to come along for the ride!

I going to leave you all with this - chase your dreams. If the Disney College Program is your dream, DO IT. If you want to go after something else, DO IT. Life is too short to waste time over-thinking your decisions in an overly logical manner. Follow your heart. Do what you love. Be with the people you love. Make things happen.

When you physically bring yourself to do the thing you have been waiting for your entire life, it gives you such a sense of motivation and accomplishment that is incomparable to anything else. I am so thankful that I got to live out my dream. I thank God every day that I had this opportunity.

The journey itself is really only beginning, but the College Program gave me that kick start and brought me to where I needed to be. I feel so blessed that I got to experience my Disney College Program during Spring and Summer 2013. I couldn't have asked for a better one!

Thank you all for reading. Keep dreaming big and reaching for the stars! You never know where your dreams might take you!

Have a magical day!

​

 

[leshunlenese]

Amazing!!!! Good luck on life Jess! Thank you for sharing with us. I am so glad you got to experience the DCP. Seven years later it is still one of the most amazing things I have done in my life!

 

[the_princess]

Thank you so much for taking your time to do this. I've been with you from the beginning and it makes me think back on 2013 were a lot has changed for me as well. Thank you for opening your life to us. I'll keep following your instagram and twitter to get the disney fix, we all need once in a while... Once again thank you so much and good luck with your new life

 

[tinkerbells mum]

Wow I can't believe your DCP is over. My DD and I have loved reading along and it was great getting to meet you In April. All the very best of luck for what ever the future holds for you now and thank you for sharing your experience and photos with us all xx

 

[disneyshakeygirl]

So sad it's over, but it was amazing for us to experience this along with you! Thank you for everything that you have done!

 

[Credit Man]

Bravo!!!

 

[PrincessJo]

Thank you so much for sharing this tiny part of your journey with us.

Good luck with everything. May you live 'happily ever after'!!!