::for good::

I'm sitting in front of my parent's unlit fireplace, sitting in flannel from top to bottom, which means that my Disney College Program has come to a close. Being a biology major, I'm often asked why I chose to participate in the Disney College Program. The networking isn't great, and very little room for advancement is available within my field. I often asked myself the same thing. By participating in the Disney College Program, I came to love a man I barely knew anything about as part of my family, and become a part of his living legacy. I watched families make memories, and witnessed dreams come true. With every child's wish on a Wishing star, I saw them cling tightly to their innocence, even if it was just for one more day.

As I leave, I carry one very important thing with me. I came to Florida knowing no one, absolutely alone, and I left with a family. New York, Ohio, Florida, Missouri, Iowa, Alabama, Texas, Maryland, Hawaii... across the map, all brought together by One Man's Dream. It's never goodbye, it's only "see ya real soon!"

To my Disney family, you gave me strength and were my living safety net when it took all my strength not to lose my mind. I owe you everything, and I'll be seeing you soon. Ya'll made my program, and I'm so thankful to have the opportunity to make you all a part of my life. You will always have a special place in my heart, and I can't wait to see you again.

"I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing-that it was all started by a mouse." --Walter Elias Disney

[one last vacation]

Cinderella's castle is decorated for Christmas. Every night at 6:15, Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Donald get on the Castle Forecourt Stage and argue about how to decorate Cinderella's castle for the Holidays (Donald wants to wrap it like a giant present... such a silly duck). The Fairy Godmother suggests asking the master of the house, and Cinderella and Prince Charming join them on the stage. Cinderella says she's always admired how her glass slippers sparkle and shine, and how lovely it would be if her castle could do the same... so with a Bippity Boppity Boo the castle lights up, one section at a time, until the entire building sparkles as if it were covered in icicles. I've seen photographs of the castle all lit up around the holidays before, but photos don't do it justice, the castle is really quite breathtaking around this time of the year. 200,000+ LED Christmas lights will do that.

Cinderella's Christmas Wish occurs every night. Walt Disney World is "the most magical place on Earth," and the idea of wishing upon a star and having all your wishes come true if you only believe in the power of your dreams is a huge theme at WDW... and today's story stems directly from that.

Tonight was a Very Merry Christmas Party night, so we only had three turns for dinner. Our very last table of the night was a table for five, and the party arrived in Cinderella's Royal Elevator. This family had two adults and one child, and the mother very visibly was undergoing chemotherapy. It was her birthday, as was made evident by her birthday pin, and she was also visibly distressed. The rest of her party, two more adults, were stuck at the gate. Their plane had arrived late, and while they had day passes for Magic Kingdom, they did not have the extra ticket event tickets to get into the park after seven... which means they were not able to get to Cinderella's Castle to dine for this very special birthday celebration. After a couple interventions by our staff and Guest Relations, we were able to get this couple from the front of the park to the castle, into the dining room, and sat for their meal.

Disney cast members are well known for their tendency to go above and beyond normal customer service to give our Guests the experience of a lifetime, encouraging them to bring their families back here someday. We try and create a legacy, and it is what sets Disney theme parks apart from any other theme park across the country. Going above and beyond is not only expected of us, it is required as a Disney Cast Member.

As a Cast Member...

• I project a positive image and energy.
• I am courteous and respectful to all Guests, including children.
• I stay in character and play the part.
• I go above and beyond.

These are the Disney Service Basics. We are taught these at our Disney orientation (a four hour course called Traditions) and again at a two hour training course devoted entirely to the Disney Service Basics. Conversations are to remain upbeat, we should always be smiling... we stick to the Disney look. When speaking to a child, we get on their level, down on a knee and look them straight in the eye. We be sure to keep with our theme of each land in Magic Kingdom, down to the individual attraction... often that simply requires calling each little girl "Princess." We put in the extra time to make sure each Guest is enjoying their stay at Walt Disney World, and be sure to go above and beyond what is easy and expected to make every Guest feel like this park operates only for them.

Considering these are the rules we abide and function by, making sure this woman's family was able to dine with her on her birthday was common sense; however, it was extra special for her. This woman was facing a terminal diagnosis, and doctors did not think she'd even make it this far... to her birthday. Her vacation at Walt Disney World was the last time she would be able to vacation with her family, and it was her last wish to be able to enjoy the innocence and magic of Disney with her family... to leave her family with a positive, uplifting memory of them together before she lost her battle with cancer.

I spend a lot of my time thinking about how many spoiled kids I have to deal with, how many times I point out where the bathroom is... how many times I tell Guests that no, there is not a castle tour and yes, I'm sure that the castle tour really is in California... and explain that there is no dragon at Cinderella's castle because Sleeping Beauty has a dragon. Through all of that, I sometimes forget how special these memories people are creating in Disney really are. How important they are. Every once in a while, I need to try and draw from the memories I have as a child in Disney with my family, and how much the simple memory of meeting Sorcerer Mickey outside of Spaceship Earth on my last day of my Disney vacation in January 2000, my first trip to Disney, mean to me... and how the simple gesture of calling each and every little girl who walks up the forty stairs into Cinderella's dining hall "princess" can make a world of difference. 

Sometimes I get Sappy.

I realize I live in a vacation destination, and work at the world's most popular playground.... but I can't wait until I can see this man every day.

[from here on out]

At first I wanted to take the time to write about my visit to Fargo. How it was the best week I've had a very long time. I saw Ali for the first time in two months, and it's like time stopped. I've never been so happy in my life, and I know the next time I see him will be even better.

I looked around on Friday night, vodka screw-up in hand, at Rooters. A little bit of a dive, but one of my favorite bars in Fargo, and I saw people who came out of their way, took a night out of their ever-busy lives, to celebrate my homecoming and just to say hello. I looked around and I felt so valued, so loved, and unbelievably blessed. How fortunate I am, and how much I have to be grateful for. I have amazing friends, the most loving, supportive boyfriend anyone could ever ask for, an amazing family, and a future ahead of me that anyone would be envious of...

The best part of my trip was just being able to lay in bed with Ali, watch Netflix, and just share in each other's company. Wrap up in his arms and feel at home. There's nothing I would rather do. On Monday evening, after sharing dinner with my family, he and I went to the Hotel Donaldson for a few martinis. I love the HoDo, the ambiance, the mood, the clientele... it makes me happy. On our first date, Ali took me to Wasabi for my first sushi experience, followed by martinis at the HoDo, and the Oscars. Ever since, martini dates with him have held a special significance in my heart. Spending time with him, sipping a martini, all dressed up, enjoying each other's company. It doesn't get better than that!

This experience, so far, has given me the opportunity to learn so much about myself. I'm stronger than I thought!

From here on out, I have some things I want to accomplish. I'll be back in Fargo soon, and I have a few things I hope to accomplish.

1. Gain a little muscle tone- The "Disney diet" has helped me. A combination of eating right, not drinking in excess, and walking up 500 stairs per day at work has helped me drop from a size four back down to a size zero, and now, with the help of Tony Horton and AB RIPPER X I'll be in a fantastic, muscular tone in no time! 
2. Stop leaving things scattered about my room. Goes without saying.
3. Save money for a new mattress, and for the exciting things that are about to unfold in the next few years.
4. Time for school! 

Very exciting times ahead. Time is going to fly! 

Airline induced panic attack.

I am leaving in three days. All day Sunday, all day Monday, all day Tuesday... and getting up at the ass crack of dawn to fly home on Wednesday!

Perhaps it will be a blessing in disguise that I work 38 hours over the next three days. At least the time will go quickly!

I'm having a mild anxiety attack about this airline business. What if I miss my flight? What if my tickets are all wrong? What if zombies come and prevent my departure? What if I sleep too late? So many anxiety ridden thoughts all boiling down to the same thing: I cannot wait to get on that plane! Thank God for Mrs. Linda White, for providing me with affordable transportation to the airport at the ass-crack of dawn on Wednesday morning! She's my savior.

I'm still in mild disbelief that my trip home is already here! Can't believe it's October already. Time is flying. Hopefully it will slow down for the week I'm at home.

Plans thus far for my trip home:
Wednesday: Land around 9:55a, lunch with my parents at HuHot, pedicure with mom at 2:00, then locking myself in Ali's apartment and waiting for him to come home!!! After that.... eating copious amounts of Chinese takeout and never letting him leave my sight.
Friday: Downtown shenanigans, FARGO style!
Sunday: Hello, Vikings football! Try and win for me!
Monday: Dinner with the familial unit, bonfire to follow.
Tuesday: Cry a lot :)

I can't wait!

In Disney news... Walt Disney World turned 40 today. There were 60,000+ people in the park today. No, I'm not exaggerating. And yes, that's only at the Magic Kingdom. More specifically, Magic Kingdom turned 40... Epcot turned 22 ;)

[untitled]

I've been trying, for a few weeks now, to update this blog with something substantial; unfortunately, I've been feeling more than uninspired lately. I know it seems surprising, since I work in the location that is, supposedly, the most magical place on Earth, but inspiration is hard to come by. Maybe it's all the yogurt and Kashi I've been consuming in the last week... perhaps it's addled my brain. Maybe the human brain can't survive on low-cal shit and needs a big, greasy, disgusting pizza every once and again. Who knows, maybe modern science has got it all wrong, and the human body needs 2,000 calories daily made up mostly of trans fat, cholesterol, and those squishy, fudgy marshmallows hiding in the pint of Ben & Jerry's Phish Food I'm so desperately trying to avoid in an attempt to maintain the thin figure I've redeveloped over the past two months away from home.

I took a nap this afternoon and dreamed my skin peeled off, leaving me as a muscled body... completely naked, of course, but the main concern here was the lack of integument, not the lack of clothing. Assuming it is completely based on my vanity... I'd say the dream spurred from my obsession with acquiring a golden glow before I fly to Fargo for the week.  Don't get me wrong, I love my body... but this sunbathing fix isn't because I want to have pretty, golden skin; it's more so that when I gallivant back to the North country the idea of me living in Florida for the past two months is believable. I'd like to say I spend my time frolicking on the beach, learning how to surf, making magical memories for children and somehow finding time to pose with the nearest palm tree every day... but really? I spend at least two and a half hours per day on an overheated, smelly, overcrowded bus system. I take a bus from the Chatham bus stop (about three to four blocks from my Patterson apartment) to Vista Way, then that bus to Disney's Transportation and Ticket Center, then to West Clock cast member parking. Then I hop on a Disney VIP Castmember bus to the entrance of the Magic Kingdom tunnel system.... and I do it all again on the way home. I spent anywhere from 9-14 hours of every day inside Cinderella's Castle (trust me, it's a lot less exciting as it seems). On days I work, the time I'm not at work or on a bus I'm usually in bed, relaxing, skyping, mentally preparing myself for another day inside that castle. So the sun-kissed skin I'm sporting the past week or so? A carefully calculated optical illusion... trying to convince the masses that working for Disney, living in Florida, is the bees knees. I've carefully scheduled time to lay by the pool to create these tan lines. Alas, tis true. I am a Disney slave. My skin was just as pasty white as it was when I left North Dakota (considering I'd already peeled off my Lake Calhoun sunburn debaucle... I was pretty white).

It's amazing how when you're craving a slimy, greasy, nasty cheese pizza that nothing you try to tempt your body with to get rid of the craving is good enough.

 "Here, body, try a raspberry yogurt with cinnamon KASHI! You love that! It's your favorite!"
"Hmm... no, thanks. I want a pizza. That's it. I'm going to reject everything you give me until you fill my arteries with grease. Okay, thanks."
"But, body... I've been working really hard to eat right and be healthy! Don't sabatouge me now!"
"Fuck you, Emily! I'm going to KEEP releasing negative chemicals in your brain until you give me what I want. I want pizza. End of story."


Sad thing is... that body always wins. And as if the pizza which the Ninja turtles would envy wasn't enough to satisfy me, I'll throw in some garlic butter. Just in case.

In the Next Four Days.

Saturday. Sunday. Monday. Tuesday... I'm going to:

• Work 35 hours
• Clean my room
• Clean the bathroom
• Eat nothing but yogurt, kashi, and english muffins
• Be paranoid about missing my flight
• Not sleep due to paranoia about missing my flight
• Stare at the clock to make time go faster
• Pack and repack my carry on bag
• Triple check my flight
• ... then check it again
• Take a deep breath.
• Get the hell away from Disney

I can't wait. See you soon, Fargo!