It's Really Not So Scary

October has arrived and with October comes Halloween.  This only means one thing:  It’s time for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Parties!  I have been to two parties and they are so much fun!  I really love working during them too because you get to see everyone’s costumes.  My favorite so far has to be the family dressed up as the Main Street Electric Parade.  One was dressed as a dwarf in a mine cart and the other two were turtles complete with lights and music; they were so legit.  During the parties there is a Villain Dance Mix and Mingle, which is a show on the castle stage complete with a meet and greet afterward.  The parade is incredible as is the fireworks; definitely some of the best entertainment that Disney offers.  In addition there are a ton of special character meet and greets (the seven dwarfs, the princes, Captain Jack Sparrow, Tarzan), lots of candy, and the Cadaver Dans sing in Frontierland.  Since there is so much Halloween nonsense to see, most every attraction has little to no wait, which can definitely get boring when you are working.

Another special event also recently started:  The Food and Wine Festival in Epcot.  I went on September 27th for the preview and everything was heavenly.  The food is absolutely amazing, but kind of expensive; you definitely have to pace yourself when you go, so you don’t spend absurd amounts.  They gave out little festival booklets that have all the countries listed along with all the food and wine.  When you go to each booth you can get your booklet stamped at each country so you can keep track of where you’ve been and where you need to go.  Oh yes!  Speaking of food, Earl of Sandwich in Downtown Disney has brought back their Holiday Sandwich.  It is turkey, stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce all served in their artisan bread… it is hands down the best sandwich I’ve ever had in my life.  You must try it!

In terms of Splash, work is the same old same old.  It’s not as busy as the summer, which is nice but can get dull at times.  We have also gotten plenty of new CP’s, so I don’t have as many closing shifts; winning!    Since there is a candy trail in our queue during the Halloween parties, we can also pick up treat shifts.  I have one on Thursday and am so looking forward to it!  I’ve always wanted to hand out tons of candy :D    

In terms of housing, we recently had another inspection and won the White Glove Award!  Looks like a few hours of cleaning definitely paid off.  We also recently got new buses; switched from American Coach to Transtar.  I didn’t think that they new buses could be any worse than the old ones… turns out that they are.  They are much smaller and have fewer seats and they tend to break down pretty often.  The drivers are also still getting used to the routes, so they tend to run late.  Hopefully they will start running better soon!  My classes are also starting on Wednesday, so I’m very excited for those.  I’ll be sure to let you know all about them.

Oh yes… Speaking of October, this means that I’ve been down here for about four months.  It’s so sad that my program is almost over.  I have made so many incredible friends and love my job; I just don’t want it to come to an end!

Well that’s all for now folks.  I’ll try and include a post of pictures soon, but for now I have to finish my laundry and get ready for work.  Take care and have a magical day!

Chatham Apartment

I just realized that I’ve never shown you my apartment!  Silly me…  Without further ado, here are some pictures for your enjoyment:

    Mailroom

    Pool / Tennis Courts

    Sand Vollyball

    Picnic Area

    Stairway

      Kitchen

 

    Dining Room

    Living Room

    Balcony

    Office

    Half Bath

    Bedroom

Hello low water pressure. Seriously, the water pressure is terrible here. Oh, and the drain isn’t very drainy; the water tends to back up…  Same is true for the shower.

I love living in Chatham!  It is so nice to have a bus stop right nearby; especially if you're running a little late to work.  Also, the buses are not completely reliable.  Make sure you find the bus that will get you to work on time and take the one before it.  Yesterday the A bus never came, so I had to wait and take the B bus (both go to MK).  Since I was going to work early, I got there with plenty of time to spare.  

Another thing about the MK bus is that you have to take the bus to one of the resorts, then take the monorail or boat into the MK if you want to visit the park.  Since we can't use the utilidor to enter the MK unless we are working, we have to go there the roundabout way.  

Since there are 8 of us living together, there are 4 bedrooms. 2 bedrooms are connected together by sharing a bathroom (sorry, no picture). Even though there are 8 of us, I hardly ever seen everyone and the only time we are all here is late at night when everyone is asleep. The nice thing about living in a 4 bedroom is the extra refrigerator. If you can't decide between a 3 or 4 bedroom, choose the 4 - definitely worth it, even though it costs the same.   

If anyone has any questions about housing or the bus system, let me know!  Have a magical day!  :D   

Home Sweet Home

Since I talked about finding roommates in this post, I decided I should also mention the housing available for Disney College Program participants.  There are 3 different housing complexes:  Vista Way, Chatham Square, and Patterson Court.  There are 1 to 4-bedroom apartments available, with 2 people sharing a bedroom.  Thus, there can be 2 to 8 people living together.  The main advantage of a 4-bedroom apartment is an additional refrigerator; the downside, however, is that the 3 and 4-bedroom apartments cost the same. 

Built in 1988, Vista Way is the oldest of the complexes.  It is considered to have more of a “party” atmosphere than the other 2 complexes, but since this building is older it does have the cheapest rent.  It is also right near a Walgreens and other various stores/fast food venues.  There is also a bus stop located here to take you to all the theme parks, as well as a shopping center.

Chatham Square is the “middle” complex.  It’s not the oldest, but not the youngest; not the cleanest, but not the dirtiest; not the loudest, but not the quietest.  Since Chatham was built in 2000, it is still fairly new.  One really nice aspect of Chatham is that it is located across the street from Mickey’s Retreat, which is a recreation complex for Cast Members (sand volleyball courts, pools, hammocks, tennis courts, grills, table tennis, tether ball).  Like Vista Way, there is a bus stop here too. 

Patterson Court is the newest and the nicest of all three complexes.  It was built in 2008 and is still in excellent condition.  Because Patterson is in such great condition it is the most expensive, but not by much (I believe the rent is $1 more than that for Chatham).  One downside is that there is no bus stop, so you will have to walk to the one in Chatham. 

My roommates and I have discussed which housing complex we would like to live in and have decided on Chatham.  We chose this complex because the rooms are in good condition and it has a bus stop.  None of us are too worried about security, but if I’m arriving from work at 3 am I would rather be dropped off near my apartment.    

One additional note about policies.  Drugs and other illegal substances are forbidden.  Alcohol is not allowed in the “wellness” apartments, which are for participants under 21.  If you are over 21, then you can opt into a wellness apartment by signing a contract agreement.  There is also a security team at each complex; this means that a valid property ID is required to access your complex and no visitors can stay later than 1 am.  If any of these are breached, they could result in termination.  Always keep a sharp eye and make sure this doesn't happen to you! 

Since I don’t drink or like to party, I'd rather live in a wellness apartment.  I don’t mind if others around me like to party occasionally, but I don’t want to have to deal with alcohol problems in my apartment.  My roommates and I will hopefully make it to check-in early enough so we can get exactly what we want:  A 3-bedroom apartment in Chatham Square.  Can't wait for June 11th!

Well, that’s all for tonight.  I promise I will post my packing list soon and will begin a Countdown to Disney – starting tomorrow!  Yes, you should be completely excited to learn even more about my Disney favorites.  Have a magical night!