Beware of The Astro Orbiter!

photo courtesy of www.disney-pal.com

I have only been on this ride once at DL when I was little. This past November Monika & I decided to give it a try. We had NO idea what was in store for us!  We had to literally SQUEEZE ourselves into a rocket. The girl at below was not very friendly with us. She could have warned us we would not fit together. We got yelled at upstairs for not having the belt loop locked. It took a struggle for us to fasten it! We were smashed together entire time & it was quite uncomfortable & hurt a little to sit that way. They really need to mandate this better. I thought I was going to die our entire flight! It was by far the SCARIEST ride we went on in all of WDW. I will never go on it again! haha

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Size of actual inside of rocket. photo courtesy of themparkreviews.com 

Cast Member Shining Star Award

One incentive program Disney had  while I was there in 1999 was the "Shining Star" award. Anytime your manager felt you went over & beyond for the guests you would get a paper star with the reason why you got it. I got quite a few of these but could only find this one. :( I got it for working overtime one night @ All Star Music making pizzas like crazy one night! We normally got to choose what section we wanted to work in. I normally chose the bakery or BBQ. I gained a lot of self confidence working here & will never forget the amazing people I worked with! If you remember me please send me a note! :)

Some of my old friends from ASM :)

Where is the best deal for Disney Tickets?

undercovertourist.com

I normally buy my tickets directly from Disney but I was looking to  save money this time around. I looked up prices for Disney,AAA, & undercovertourist. AAA saved me around $40 while UT saved me around $80. My tickets from Undercover Tourist are paper or tyvex not exactly paper but look/feel that way. I got a 5 day hopper with a free extra day! I will use them in a month! So many people have used UT with no issue so I was confidant in my purchase. I just hope these tickets last better than plastic ones!

disboards.com picture of UT tickets 

Disney Lost Child Procedures...

Medical info products.com

I think the scariest thing that could happen to you at Disney would be to lose your child. Please be rest assured that a Cast Member will help that child. We were trained to assist a child in this situation. We were asked to walk the child around the general area three times to see if we can find the parents or group. If you were unsuccessful you were to take the child by hand to the Lost Child Center down Main Street next to the Baby Center & First Aid. This is the ONLY time a cast member may leave their "Land" in full costume.



I had one incident where I found a lost girl around 10 years old. I took her hand & we walked around the Dumbo,Peter Pan,IASW area of FantasyLand three times. We found her angry mom after the third loop. She yelled & smacked her & there was nothing I could do. :( I beg parents not to react this way. It is just as scary for the child as it is for the adult if not more so! You can buy ID bracelets off of Amazon.com or most health supply websites for an ID bracelet. You should also discuss places where to meet up in case you get seperated. I hope this has helped someone!

photo courtesy of discoverdisney.wordpress.com

Crepes des Chefs de France Kiosk Review...

Sugar Crepe

Growing up my Polish grandma would make me "skinny pancakes" which are basically a thin crepe filled with sugar & then you roll it to put more sugar on top! Ahhhhh the good old days before  diabetes was such a huge issue. I have very fond memories of my gram making those for me when I would visit her in Chicago. Sadly she passed away two weeks before my wedding in 2010. In her honor on my trip in November 2011 I decided to try these sugar crepes at a kiosk in France. You can get different fillings. I went for the basic sugar filled ones. They make them on this HUGE hot plate sized top. The crepes are pre-made & they add the filling you want as they heat it up.I was SOOOOOOO disappointed. I'm used to sweeter tasting crepes & these had no flavor at all. The sugar did not help either. I make better crepes at home honestly. I'm glad I tasted it but now I know to just get creme brulee next trip.

Photo courtesy of disneyfoodblog.com


Pic of what a Polish crepe looks like :)

Picture of me,my mom,gram, & my niece. My gram was 94 when she died so she lived a LONG life! RIP Gram :(---


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Five Ways To Make A Cast Member's Day

Five Ways  to make a Cast Member's Day

1) Listen to directions! I don't know how many times I would have to repeat myself because guests weren't listening.It is for your safety. I had to repeat myself over & over especially when I worked at the loading zones for Pooh & Snow white Rides.

2) A simple friendly chat. It was always nice to meet people from all over the world. I had my hometown city on my name tag so often chatted with guests from my area. I also had a lot of guests just ask about my job,internship, & more. \

3) Do not try to cut in line! I don't know how many times I would have to make people go to the end of the line.It was no fun to do but necessary.

4) Please do not beg to go on a ride after the park is closed. I hated telling people "no" but if I told one person "yes" I would have to tell everyone else "yes". I made that mistake once! HAHA

5) At the FastPass merge area do not argue with CM on who should go when. I constantly had guests argue with me on why they should go ahead. The merge area was definitely a hard job sometimes to mandate!  

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Image courtesy of Disney-stationary.com

Vista Way Parties...

Before anyone got to Mardi Gras Party

Night of Mardi Gras Party

People often ask me if VW was really party central like Playboy magazine says. The answer is a million times yes! Be careful if you drink underage at VW if you get caught you might get terminated so just be smart about your choices. :) My roommates were from Louisiana so they had a huge Mardi Gras themed party. The best party at VW that I went to was that of my friend Kris. He was custodial at MK Frontierland. He would always flirt with the cheerleader guests. He even went on Splash Mountain with a bunch of girls & never got in trouble. Ha-ha He dated one of my roommate briefly & that is how we met. At his infamous party he had a few baby pools filled with jello & other items for people to wrestle in.I remember bumping into my friend Vanessa & she was covered from head to toe in jello! He ended up getting terminated for it. He knew that going in so he didn't care. I still talk to him every once in awhile.That was the craziest party I went to at VW.:) I wish I took pictures that night but I drank a lot of peach schnapps myself HAHA

My first night in Vista Way!

Our Neighbor partying at Mardi Gras Fiesta

Disney's Wilderness Lodge Cornbread Recipe...

Any time I need to bring a side item for a potluck I normally make these.These are SUPER easy & quick to whip up! I went to a BBQ recently & these were gone within minutes! I normally have all of the ingredients anyway so I can whip this up in a hurry!These are a sweeter version as I know southerners prefer less sweet cornbread or so I've been told. ;) I normally make these every Thanksgiving by request of my family!

Corn Bread 

Disney's Wilderness Lodge and the Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

Yield: 12 servings.

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cornmeal

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs, beaten

1 cup milk

1. Heat oven to 375 F.

2. Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt. Add beaten eggs along with milk and vegetable oil. Use a whisk to stir mixture, mixing only enough to incorporate the elements. Pour batter into baking pan that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray.

3. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until golden. Cut in wedges and serve.

Top & side view of this mouth watering cornbread!

Packed up & ready to share these bad boys! 

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College Program Perks...

Every job for the most part has a perk. My roommate worked at the Toy Tower in DD and often got free tickets to DisneyQuest. When I worked at All Star Music Resort I got a free night stay at All Star Movies with free dinner/snacks. I was friends with a Space Mountain CM and got to ride it with the lights on!It is much scarier with the lights on trust me! I was friends with a lot of quick-food-services CM's so I would get free food in exchange for letting my friends on rides. A few times I had College programmers who I didn't know come up & be like " I know Jimmy" so I would take them through the exit & let them right on the attraction. It is all on who you know at WDW!

My Experience Working Grad Nights at MK

Photo courtesy of insidethemagic.net

The only time I dreaded going to work was when I had to work Grad Nights at Magic Kingdom. I worked in Fantasyland & we rotated working at Pooh,Snow white,Dumbo,& Mad Tea Party. For the most part the teenagers were good EXCEPT when it came to the teacups! I would have to speak so loud (not yelling of course) to stay seated & to keep your hands & feet inside the tea cups. I cannot tell you how many times I had to get on the overhead system to make that announcement or abruptly shut off the ride because of teenagers trying to stand or put both their legs outside of the "cup" I did it so much that I lost my voice! I do not remember EVER acting like that whenI was a teenager. Please listen to the Cast Members when you are visiting. They are there to ensure your safety!

My hubby from our last trip.

When Is The Best Time To Go To Disney???

courtesy of www.disneyshowcase.com

Living at WDW gave me an outlook on the crowds in the parks.Depending on the week the marathon is in January you'd want to avoid that week. The first few weeks are generally slow. It picks up Valentine's Day until the end of April. First week of May is heaven! Relatively slow & great weather. Always check for the cheerleading/band competitions @ WDW. The first week or two of October is generally slow. Also the first week & half of December. Just look for big events & avoid those times if you cannot handle the big crowds. I prefer to go in the fall time personally. I went the week before Thanksgiving the past two trips & it was wonderful!

Me being silly at MK in November 2011

Disney Traditions

I remember being SO excited to attend my "Traditions" class. It is an all day class learning about the culture & values of the Disney company. All cast members are required to attend this course. We were broken down into teams & whoever had the most Disney characters listed would win a miniature Mickey figurine. Guess whose group won?! ;) 

I like to write my stories by hand & then type them. Here is that same figurine :) 

I attended my training in the tunnels at Magic Kingdom. We learned about all the parks,resorts,mini golf,military hotel & much more. It was a lot to learn but I loved every minute of it! After the class I met my manager to get my badge,costume, locker, & work schedule. I was NOT allowed to take my FantasyLand costume home like I was able to at All Star Music. I had to go in a little early to change before my shift. I really miss working for the mouse!

What I was learning back in 2000 oh how WDW has grown since then!

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Guest Experiences from a FantasyLand CM...

People often ask me what what experiences with guests I had when I was a cast member.

disneypintrading.com

#1 question. When is the 3'o'clock parade? Every single day I was asked this! ;)This has been a running joke for years with CM's!

Courtesy of www.melaniehamlett.com

#2 When I noticed guests trying to take their strollers in line. I would get yelled at often for telling guests with strollers that they simply could not take their strollers with them on the Pooh ride. If everybody did that line would be miles long & such a mess!One of my many duties was stroller patrol at FantasyLand . One lady was convinced someone stole her stroller. After ten minutes of looking I called Disney Security only for her to find it within seconds of him getting there... I guess it is better to be safe than sorry? :)

#3 Adults asking why not more than two adults can fit into a Dumbo? Why would you want to be squished plus the fact it was a safety issue? I would constantly have to escort people back to the queue  over this.

Me controlling Pooh Ride at podium  in Spring 2000

#4 I would always get upset guests when I had to monitor the Pooh line between Fastpass & the regular line. One lady was so rude she ordered her daughter to pee on the floor?! Yes, you heard me right. Her daughter was at least seven or eight so I was a bit shocked by this. We had to put kitty litter on the "protein spill" as Disney calls them.

Me at exit of ride with Pooh on my last day :(---

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Do You Wear Ears at Disney???

After much consideration these were the ears I picked out for myself :)

I always love looking at all of the different ear options at Disney. Instead of buying them all I just take pictures of them. I prefer the headband style ears personally due to my naturally curly hair. :) I wore the sparkly Minnie ones on my last trip in November with Monika.

I had a surprise Mickey Mouse Bridal Shower and my MOH got me Bridal ears with my name in them!

Me & MOH at my bridal shower

Funny Story- My mom bought me ears at DL that I loved and then on our way home I stuck my head out of the car window & lost them on the CA Freeway! :( I was so sad! She ended up getting another pair at a garage sale & I was so happy.;) HAHA

 I love to see what ears other guests are wearing.  What are your favorite ears? 

These were the ears Monika decided to go with after much thought!

My College Program "Prom"

Tom & I right before the "prom"

I heard rumors before my college program that WDW holds a "prom" for the interns. I brought a pretty dress just in case. Near the end of my CP they finally announced there would be a "prom." I was dating a guy from Poland so we went together. They arranged a few of the HUGE Disney Cruise buses to take us all from Vista Way to Animal Kingdom after dark. Unfortunately I was underage so couldn't drink at the party. They had as it was called then Countdown To Extinction running as well as a few other rides. There was so much food,fun,&dancing! It was a blast. My second internship prom was at the beginning  of the program so I didn't go because I didn't know anyone yet. I regret not going.  It is so easy to meet new people & friends there. CP's remember to pack something nice to wear!

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Who doesn't love listening to Disney music?! I discovered www.365live.com You can sign up for free & listen to online streaming radio! I just type "Disney" into the search box. I personally enjoy the following stations: Reedy Creek, Sorcerer Radio,Mouseworld 1,2,3 & DLuminations.
You can listen to the actual attractions,soundtracks,park music,hotel music & much more! You can use it for free or pay for a VIP upgrade for more stations but I don't see the need to pay for it personally. I don't mind the commercials now & then. This morning I listened to Carosel of Progress ride!

What do you want to listen to???

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No Guests after 2am at Vista Way...

Vista Way has a strict rule of no guests after 2am. If you get caught with guests past that time you will be terminated.My roommate snuck in her friend in our apt. for a week plus he even got into parts for free & went backstage?! I had another friend who had her friends there for over 3 weeks! I wouldn't risk that myself but I know others who did & were lucky they didn't get caught. I was told a few girls were attacked by a guest of someone so it makes sense that Disney is watching out for their own.