Today's POst Will Be Tomorrow....Then What's This?

I am still working on today’s actual article, but I wanted to get something for tonight. So tomorrow I am going to put out the two posts and for today I have the second round of “Best Ride at Disney World: Finals.” Let’s do it:

We had some interesting turn at the end of Round 1. Magic Kingdom swept all three of its matches, while EPCOT found itself eliminated after losses to the Haunted Mansion, Expedition Everest, and the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Hollywood Studios, although losing in the featured match, was able to pick up two solid victories. And while Expedition Everest had the highest amount of votes of any ride, it was the only Animal Kingdom ride to continue. So with only six rides left, your Round 2 matches for “Best Ride at Disney World” are as follows:

Round 1: Tower of Terror vs. Expedition Everest- Submitted for your approval, imagine a ride so powerful, so mysterious that it commanded all but three votes in its preliminary round only to come back the following it to crush its competition. But suddenly, the ride finds itself in a tough match against a ride that has taken its own amount of respect from its fellow combatants. The winner of this week’s match is unclear, but what is clear is that everything in the match will be twisted and nothing will ever be the same again when they fight in…….The Twilight Zone. (WAY too much work for a good Rod Sterling impression)

Round 2: Haunted mansion vs. Space Mountain- These two rides have been in the most amount of fights out of the rides that still remain, but today they set their sights on each other. Two of Disney’s different styles of rides go head to head in this match as we see one of Walt’s best examples of storytelling (Haunted Mansion) take on one of Disney World’s premiere roller coasters (Space Mountain). Only one of these two rides can continue representing the Magic Kingdom in the next round…..who will it be.

Featured Match: Splash Mountain vs. The Great Movie Ride- When the residents of the briar patch take on the glitz and the glamour that is Hollywood, only one group can claim a victory. Will the Great Movie Ride find itself “Singing in the Rain” or will Splash Mountain finally find it’s “Laughing Place.” Ready on the set? Lights! Cameras! ACTION!



Have a Zip-A-Dee-DoDah-Day!!!!

Don't Worry

My desk is a mess but....Cheerios!


Friends, it is Monday night. Today was a long day that started at 8:00 AM and didn’t end until 11:00 PM. When I finally got back to my apartment, I sat down at my desk and proceeded to complete my homework. When that was done, I took a shower to wash the day off of myself and then went back to my desk to write this post. Now I knew that I wanted to start that the theme week again and I knew that I wanted this theme to tie into everything that’s gone on in the past couple of weeks. Some bloggers that we have been following since the fall have now started their program and those interested in the Fall season have already started to apply and some have even had their phone interviews already. And then inspiration struck in the form of many O shaped toasted whole grain oat cereal pieces.

You see, at some point between finishing my homework and sitting down to write my post I had poured myself a cup of Cheerios and milk through pure instinct. So I grabbed the spoon and took my first bite of the cold soggy cereal and something came over me. It was a mixture between happiness, comfort, and familiarity. And I started to write this.

Without further adieu, the theme for this week is “Find Me a Hammock.” This week, I will be talking how to take it easy. This includes tips to making your purple folder wait not seem like four levels of eternity. I will also talk about the perfect “walks” while on your program. And I have an entry idea that may or may not work….but we’ll see. As always, there will also be what we will call “A Few Surprise Tests.” Now, if this whole routine seems a bit extreme, you’re absolutely right but that’s what a test track is all about.

Have a Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah-Day!!!

22 Down, 4 to Go

Today, I finish up the letters series in a big way with the strangest letters of all. So here we go…..

W Wishes- We had an interesting schedule at my restaurant. You see, unlike Cosmic Ray’s or Pecos’s Bill, we didn’t stay open until park closing. In fact, in most cases, we would close our doors at……well I forget what hour because it didn’t really matter. On most nights of my program, when I heard the first blast from Wishes, I knew it was closing time. That alone won it the “W” title for me. But I assume you guys want more reasons than it was my clock-out alarm. It has a great soundtrack which even features some movies that don’t get as much love in the parks as they should (*COUGH* Hercules *COUGH*). Any fireworks are cool but when you set fireworks behind a well lit Cinderella’s Castle at night time to the afore mentioned soundtrack, there is only one word that can be derived……Magical. And I can’t wrap this up without mentioning the Tinkerbell fly over. Every little kid’s eyes open up and for that moment in time, anything can happen.

X Xenia- So, I actually had to look up words that begin with “X” and I came across this little number that fits into Disney World like the missing piece of a puzzle. It is Greek for “hospitality” or “guest service.” If I were to ask you, what is the one thing Disney is best at? You might say Dole Whips (you know that’s right). But the answer I am actually referring to is guest service. I mean, in the end, isn’t that why we want to work for Disney? We know how great it feels to walk through those turnstiles and to be treated as guests and not customers and I think it is that same feeling that we want to provide to the guests whether it’s their first or five hundredth time to Disney World. If there is one skill you pick up on your internship at Disney World (besides how to never be able to point with one finger again), its how to provide perfect service no matter what job you are doing.

Y Yakitori House- Hidden high among the mountain of Japan (okay, mountainish) lies what is arguably the best QSFB in the World Showcase. Modeled after a 16th century tea house, this tiny eatery offers not only amazing teriyaki chicken, sushi rolls, and beef sukiyaki but also some great scenery (there’s a koi pond there for goodness sake). And when you finish your meal, go down the steps and be treated to one of the best, unobstructed views of Illuminations. What a way to finish the night.

Z Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah-Day- I love Splash Mountain plain and simple. Obviously, it’s a fun ride with a great story, great characters, and some fun drops. But this answer is not Splash Mountain; it’s Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah-Day. There is just something so odd about this phrase. Essentially, it is just a couple of random syllables and hyphens thrown together in what is nothing more than gibberish. And yet, as I turn that last corner before the unloading dock on Splash Mountain and I see the phrase painted right there, I feel what I can only assume is optimism. So to close this Disney A-Z I leave you guys with….

It’s the Truth
It’s Actual
Everything is Satisfactual
Have a Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah-Day!!!!!

Let's Keep it Going....

We'll jump right in the action:

S Smells- Forgive me people because I don’t exactly remember whose comment it was on the Facebook group (let the lashes begin) but when I saw that, it seemed almost blasphemy if it wasn’t my “S.” Everybody that is reading my blog knows what I am talking about. It’s walking past a swimming pool and immediately being brought back to Pirates of the Caribbean. It’s eating a cinnamon roll in the mall and flashing to Main Street USA as you pass by the bakery on your way to the castle. I mean, can we agree that are few magics at Disney greater than the smells. (I think it was Jenn’s post…..but I could be wrong).

T There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow- This is one of three being featured on this on this list. The first being Hakuna Matata and the second is on tomorrow’s list (if you don’t already know what it is then you haven’t been reading any of my blog posts). This song is really what Disney World is all about. Every year Disney becomes better and better. A single thought became Space Mountain brought forth Big Thunder Mountain and Rock n’ Rollercoaster which became Everest and who knows what next. I think one of the greatest Walt Disney quotes (and forgive me if I’ve already used this in the past) came from when he was thinking about Disneyland as a whole and he said, “Even the trees will grow; the place will get more beautiful each year.” I leave you with a portion of the lyrics and I want you guys to consider how they almost completely parallel the process from I want to do the College Program, to the work put into achieving the goal, and finally being at Disney World on the Program.

Man has a dream and that’s the start
He follows his dream with mind and heart
And when it becomes a reality
It’s a dream come true for you and me

U Universe of Energy- If there is one ride at Disney World that is underrated to the extreme, its Universe of Energy. Let’s start with the music. In the words of the great philosopher Barnabas Stinson (look him up), “It is Legen………….I hope you’re not lactose intolerant because the second part is……..dary. Legendary. It is honestly in my top five Disney ride songs. It has a great cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Ellen Degeneres, Alex Trebek, Bill Nye the Science Guy, and Michael Richards (Kramer). Point is, it’s a funny ride that’s relaxing on a summer day and if nothing else……hello, no line.

V Voices of Liberty- Show of hands, how many of you have gotten to the American Adventure a half hour before one of the shows just to watch these guys sing? They are absolutely amazing and very deserving of the “V” position (Don’t get angry Villains in Vogue). The best way to describe this Acapella group is simply 1 word 3 syllables: AMAZING. They generally do patriotic music but they will add one or two Disney songs to their performance. But who am I kidding, what’s more patriotic than Disney music Enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mk4thV0n9J8&feature=related
*LETTER REWIND* Q QSFB (thanks Katie)- There are some rolls that have received bad raps and none more than QSFB (I myself fell prey to discounting it when I got my roll….especially since I REALLY wanted attractions). But then I did my program, 7 months in QSFB, and I couldn’t have loved it any more than I did. If I had to choose the greatest advantage to working QSFB, I would have to be the guest interaction. If you’re loading guests on a ride, the most you may get to say is “Have a great time” or “No, go to rows 2 and 3 not 3 and 4.” When you are working behind the counter, as a cashier, or even bussing, you get an opportunity to ask the guests “How has your day been? What was your favorite ride?” and there is nothing that’ll get a kid excited and talking like asking “What characters have you seen today?”



Have a Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah-Day D-Fam!!!!

Q is the Most Evil Letter in the Alphabet

APPLICATION NEWS: Now, with all the preliminary stuff out of the way, its game time. I got my go ahead email to set my phone interview. So I called the number provided and after listening to When You Wish Upon a Star, Big Blue World, Indiana Jones Theme, and A Pirates Life For Me for a while, I spoke to a representative and it’s official. I will be taking my phone interview Wednesday Morning. So now it begins again. Also, for those who completed the application, passed the web interview, and have their phone interview set……Good Luck. For those who haven’t started…….get to work. For those of you doing the Spring 2010 program and are at Disney right now while I am doing my school work….I have nothing but good tidings and the greenest envy for you.


And the Letters begin once more starting……now…….now …….NOW:

O Ostriches- There are so many O’s out there and I choose a complete wild card…..and you guys don’t know what I am talking about. I am a big fan of Kilimanjaro Safaris (Warden Wilson Matua and I go way back). But it seems as though every time I ride this ride, there is at least one Ostrich that has nothing better to do than to just walk right in front of the car and stand there. It’s AWESOME. (Wait…..what did he say?) Look, Disney is the greatest place in the world (no offense Japan) and I have nothing at all bad to say about it. But in a place where everything happens right on queue, it is interesting to see the Ostrich standing in the middle of the road and stopping the ride’s progress. What do they say in the Great Movie Ride? “That just shows that anything can happen in the movies.”

P Polynesian- This was a tough choice to make. It was between the Polynesian and Port Orleans (Riverside and French Quarter) but Polynesian ended up on top. Now I have already discussed why I love the restaurants before so I’m just going to leave you guys with two words that sum up the food…..suckling pig. It’s a Magic Kingdom resort which means you can wake up in the morning and (assuming you are on the right side) you can see Cinderella’s Castle from your room…..but more on that in a second. The themeing is great and they even “Lei” you when you arrive. You can jump on the monorail and be at the Magic Kingdom in two stops. You can even walk to the TTC from the hotel. And I said I would come back to the view of Cinderella Castle. Well at night, you can walk on out to the beach area of the hotel, grab a hammock or a beach chair and have one of the greatest views of Wishes. (FOR GUYS EYES ONLY: *cough*Cheap Date*cough*) I kid. I kid. (SUDDENLY JOHN FINDS HE HAS NO MORE FEMALE SUBSCRIBERS)

Q ?- 5,000points to Gryffindor if you can come with anything for “Q” at Disney World because I am just blanking. (except for Quasimodo) If I come with anything later, I put it up.

R REFRESH REFRESH REFRESH....not really (A handful of you got that, and the rest are still scratching their heads)

R Rizzo the Rat- Okay, so you may be wondering how I could possibly justify putting Rizzo over such R’s as Rose and Crown or Rock n’ Rollercoaster…..but if something as trivial as my form of logic deterred you, you would have stopped at Ostrich. You see, I was working on a different article for the top five funniest lines from a Disney attraction and I kept coming back to one spoken by none other than Rizzo the Rat in the preshow of Muppet Vision 3D.

Sam the Eagle: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it is my honor to present to you... Mr. Mickey Mouse!
Rizzo the Rat: [singing to the tune of the Mickey Mouse Club March] Oh, Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da! Hi there, welcome to my park, how'ya doin'...
Sam the Eagle: Wait a minute! You are not Mickey Mouse! You are a rat!
Rizzo the Rat: Rat, schmat! Besides, they're tourists. What do they know?

There is no other line from any Disney ride that makes me laugh harder on a consistent basis. And let me assure you, it gets about 10X funnier when you are on the College Program. Don’t believe me Spring 2010ers, on your next day off go watch that and tell me a light doesn’t suddenly turn on.




Have a Zip-ADee-Do-Dah-Day!!!!

Let the Finals Begin!

Well, I guess we should first deal with the Elephant in the room. For those who are applying for Fall 2010, the application has finally come online (R.I.P. the many fingers lost clicking the refresh button and infinite amount of times). So, if you haven’t already, start working on those applications. I myself completed an application and am currently awaiting the next step.

Next, check this out. It is the 3D model for the new Fantasyland expansion. It shows both facades and show buildings so check that out.
http://bit.ly/7eP1lp

Today we have the winners of the preliminary rounds for Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. A majority of the matches were relatively one sided. The featured match did prove to earn its place as the winner was of the Great Movie Ride vs. Toy Story Mania was decided by a single vote. Anyways, the winners are as follows:

Rocking Roller Coaster beat out Backlot Tour featuring Catastrophe Canyon
Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror beat Star Tours by a few votes
Expedition Everest slaughtered Primeval Whirl
Dinosaur won out against Triceratops Spin
Kilimanjaro Safaris had a big victory against Kali River Rapids
And The Great Movie Ride pulled out a one point victory against Toy Story Mania


Now I have the set up for Round 1 of the “Best Ride at Disney World.” In Round 1 we see the top three rides from every park going up against one ride from each of the other parks, meaning no ride will go up against another ride from the same park. We have a total of six matches ahead of us so let’s get right down to it. Enjoy:

Haunted Mansion vs. Test Track- Will Test Track become the 1000th Happy Haunt to fall victim to the Haunted Mansion or will Test Track smoke the competition?

Splash Mountain vs. Dinosaur- Will Dinosaur find itself falling head first down the Briar Patch or will Splash Mountain see ACCESS DENIED?

Spaceship Earth vs. Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror-A time machine to the far past or one to a dark night at a haunted hotel…..but only one can reign supreme.

Universe of Energy vs. Expedition Everest – Can the underdog conquer the mountain that lies before it?

Kilimanjaro Safaris vs. The Great Movie Ride- Hollywood Studios original signature attraction goes head to head against Animal Kingdom’s original signature attraction.

Featured Match

Space Mountain vs. Rock n’ Rollercoaster- Space Mountain finds itself once again in the Featured Match “hot seat” as it goes toe to toe against its modern predecessor. Two dark coasters come in but only one will see the light.



Have a Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah-Day!!!!!

Response to Another Blog

Starting next week, this blog will be returning back to normal. That means that themed weeks will be returning and my articles will return to their gold standard (or was it Copper Standard). I will be providing tips for those in the Spring 2010 for everyday living and park exploration. I will also start talking more about Fall 2010 and hopefully I can start planning for my own College Program. So, I next week is the return of regular (whatever that means) the Purple Folder CP.

Second, let me say that I am going to finish my letters project as follows:
-Thursday: OPQR
-Friday: STUV
-Saturday: WXYZ

Tomorrow I’m going to announce the winners of Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios as well as the bracket for the “Best Ride at Disney World” competition.

Now, I was going to continue the letters today but as I was checking out the latest posts on some of the blogs, I came across a tip in Cori’s blog that has become sort of canon in the Disney College Program “How to Handbook.” (My lawyers have told me to inform you folks not to waste your time going out to Barnes and Noble or Borders because there is no real How to Handbook……yet). Now bear with me those of you who are doing the Spring 2010 program and have successfully completed everything you are already at Disney (or almost there)……this is more for those who are awaiting the arrival of Fall 2010 applications that should be here any day now. The tip is to SMILE during your interview because although the interviewer can’t physically see the smile, they can hear it in your voice. It is a great tip, one that I have stressed time and time again. But I have to wonder if there is more to be said about this. Remember folks, I am not an interview expert and although I work for Disney, nothing I say here guarantees you anything…..these are just my thoughts on the matter.

I think it goes beyond the smile. You see, when you are TRYING to smile, you have the potential to come across two issues. The first issue that can arise is that you may think about smiling so much that you start forgetting how to finish your sentences or what you are trying to say entirely. The other issue that can arise is by forcing a smile, you may become nervous or anxious and this can cause uncomfortable giggling or stuttering (or something like that) and that is something that can potentially be off putting to the interviewers. I think rather, it’s the mentality of SMILE. You should be happy, I mean, you are interviewing for a position at the Happiest Place on Earth (I’m sorry Disneyland, but Disney has four parks…..doesn’t get any happier than that). Laugh when it’s appropriate. Remember to be professional (because it is a job interview) but stay light hearted……almost conversational (I know I had a great talk with my interviewer about this and that and it definitely made all the difference…..it took the shake out of my voice.)


Here are some tips on of how to be successful when it’s your time to get to interview:

-Watch a Disney movie (but not Ol’ Yeller) to get into the Disney mindset and so that you remember what you have been working for all semester (or life time…..however long you’ve preparing)

- Sleep in until about an hour and a half before your interview (or just nap until if your interview is in the afternoon). That way you have no time to work your nerves up. (Hey, whatever works right?)

- Set a timer for two minutes and in that time write down your favorite things about Walt Disney World so that you can reference the list…..when it’s relevant of course (Example of not relevant: Q- What’s your name? A- I love Expedition Everest)

-Make sure you have some questions for when they ask, “Do you have any questions?” I don’t know, It’s just something I was told to do and it probably couldn’t hurt.
I feel like I just sort of rambled through this so in case you want a summary, here are my concluding thoughts. (Smiling = Good) but (Actually being happy and enjoying the interview = better). If they can hear you smiling, then it must sound like screaming (in a good way) when you are enthusiastic and excited. Go into it relaxed and happy but remember to remain professional at all time.



Have a Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah-Day!!!!!

P.S.: If all else fails, remember that chances are they will ask you “Why Do You Want to Work at Disney World?” and that’s when you can really shine.

Answers from Thursday

I just realized I didn't post the answers from Thursday's post yesterday, so here they are:

1) 999HHs = 999 Happy Haunts
2) 3Ms in the MK = 3 Mountains in the Magic Kingdom
3) 11 Cs in the WS = 11 Countries in the World Showcase
4) M sits on 1R = Monorail sits on 1 rail
5) 0 Bs on C’sC (That’s a zero not the letter) = 0 Bricks on Cinderella's Castle
6) S is E 626 = Stitch is Experiment 626
7) 6 Rs at AK = 6 Rides at Animal Kingdom
8) 1 M’s D at HS = 1 Man's Dream at Hollywood Studios
9) 4 HCs for the DCP = 4 Housing Complexes for the Disney College Program
10) 3M Ts at the TTC = 3 Monorail Tracks at the Transportation and Ticket Center
11) MK O in 71 = Magic Kingdom Opened in 71
12) 1 R in LS = 1 Ride in Liberty Square
13) 4 Ps at WDW = 4 Parks at Walt Disney World
14) MK has 7 Ls = Magic Kingdom Has 7 Lands
15) 25 Hs at WDW = 25 Hotels at Walt Disney World (I should have been more specific by saying Disney owned)

And Away We Go....

I had to limit today’s post to only four letters otherwise the article would be way tooooooooo long. Doing the math would also tell you that chances are this won’t only be a four part series. So Enjoy:

K Kutter- Yes, that’s Kutter with a “K”, as in Kingdom Kutters. You see, sometimes it can be difficult with your work schedule and all to get to an outside hair cuttery or barber shop to maintain that ever fabulous “Disney Look.” That’s why Kingdom Kutters makes the list. You see deep within the labyrinth that is the Magic Kingdom utilidors lies a barber shop that caters to just to cast members. Bottom line, they do a good job, they are convenient, and they are relatively inexpensive. I do want to say however, between Kingdom Kutters and the one at EPCOT (its name escapes me) I prefer the one at EPCOT because the guy over there does a real top-notch job. But again, no matter which one you go to, you really can’t go wrong.

L Living with the Land- Sure, it’s not Soarin or Test Track or any other E-Tickets at EPCOT, but (there always seems to be a but) it does have some really cool and really unique things going for it. For one, can you say Mickey Mouse shaped pumpkins? (I think that alone warrants this ride the “L”). Then there’s the fact that a lot of the stuff (a word that encompasses the vast majority of horticultural products) grown in the Land greenhouses, tilapia and all, is served in many of the restaurants at Disney World. The Land also features some of the neatest (and cheapest) tours at Disney World.

M Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano- Every mafia family in New York has that one Italian restaurant that they can come to umm…”conduct business.” (Just ask Tony Soprano). If Disney were to have it’s own mafia, Mama Melrose’s is where they would gather. This restaurant, hidden in the back alley of Hollywood Studios by the exit of Muppet Vision 3-D, is one of the best restaurants you may not have eaten at. It starts with the ambiance; a dark but cozy little Italian restaurant lit by a random assortment of bed lamps and card table lamps, and a soundtrack ripped straight from a Rat Pack concert (plus Dire Straits’ “Walk of Life). You add in some great chicken parm and wood-grilled shrimp and you have yourself an experience that you won’t be able to “fuh’gett about.” (Level 10 head slap pun)

N Norway Pavilion- If you were to only look at one country’s pavilion to get a feel for the spirit of EPCOT and Walt Disney World as a whole, they need only look at all that the Norwegian Pavilion has to offer. Let’s start with the awesomeness (that’s a word right?) that is the Maelstrom. It has everything you could want; Trolls, a waterfall, polar bears, a waterfall, Vikings, a waterfall, an oil rig, and a lesson (about what? Okay, I have no idea). Then there is Restaurant Akershus which features some amazing food and it is the one restaurant, besides Cinderella’s Golden Table (but try getting reservations there), that little girls can meet and greet with all the Disney princesses. And of course, there is my favorite World Showcase treat shop, the Kringol Bakery. Here you can get so great orange crème brule or some amazing School Bread, giant bread roll with vanilla cream filling and caramel and coconut on top…..are you kidding me, talk about Norwegian nirvana. (Level 20 head slap pun)

*EXTRA BY REQUEST* M Monorail- I remember a movie that we used to watch before all of our trips to Walt Disney World entitle Tiny Toons: How I Spent My Summer Vacation. And in it Plucky joins Hamm’s family in a road trip that culminates in their arrival at Happy World Land (I wonder what that’s a play on). The first thing they do is get on the monorail which shows them a preview of all the great rides ahead of them. Once they get off, Plucky all ready to get at it, Hamm’s family promptly turns around and heads back to the car stating “We have to save some of the fun for next time.” At the time , I couldn’t imagine what it would be to get to Disney World, ride the monorail to the gates of the Magic Kingdom, only to find out we were heading home. However, when I was on the Program, I found myself from time to time catching a bus in the morning to the TTC. I would then proceed to the Contemporary where I would buy a newspaper, a drink, and a danish. Then I would get back on the monorail and just ride the monorail a couple of times around before going into the Magic Kingdom. While on it I would hear all of guest’s plans for the day and see the kids get all excited at seeing Cinderella’s Castle for the first time. It was a great way to start the day. It was at that point that I realized just how important the monorail was and is. It is many of the guests first view of the true plendor that is Walt Disney World. So “Please Stand Clear of the Doors. Por Favor mantenganse alejado de las puertas.”



Have a Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah-Day!!!!!!

This will lead us to the greatest treasure in our nation's.......

Today I’ll be taking a quick hiatus while I whittle away my possibilities for letters K,L,M,N,O, and P. So that leaves me with only one option for today’s post……quiz time. This time however we are doing things a little different. I present before you guys 15 letter number puzzles. All you have to do is figure out what each line means. For example, If I wrote (2 Ls at E) the answer would be (2 Lands at EPCOT). I have helped you guys out by putting an “s” next to the words that are plural. This is the first time I am trying out a game like this so if you guys like it then great, if you don’t well…..great. I continue with my normal post tomorrow. Enjoy:

1) 999HHs
2) 3Ms in the MK
3) 11 Cs in the WS
4) M sits on 1R
5) 0 Bs on C’sC (That’s a zero not the letter)
6) S is E 626
7) 6 Rs at AK
8) 1 M’s D at HS
9) 4 HCs for the DCP
10) 3M Ts at the TTC
11) MK O in 71
12) 1 R in LS
13) 4 Ps at WDW
14) MK has 7 Ls
15) 25 Hs at WDW
The answers will be posted tomorrow



Have a Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah-Day!!!!!

There's A Great Big Beautiful ummmm....Post just a Dream Away!

We are just going to get right into it today. We have part 2/4 of the Disney World Top 26 A-Z as well as the last preliminary round of the “Best Ride at Disney World Competition.” So enjoy and happy voting:


H High School Mu……no, I’m just kidding……it’s Hakuna Matata- So this might be another one of those choices that your scratching your head about with all the other great H’s out there (Haunted Mansion, Hollywood Studios, Hoop-Dee-Do) but this is another abstract choice that I feel deserves the title (and if you want to get technical, it’s sung during festival of the Lion King). First of all, if you have to ask what Hakuna Matata is then you probably should not be reading my blog (please don’t stop reading my blog). But when I think of Disney World and I think of my time in the College Program, I don’t think there are many other phrases that described everything quite like Hakuna Matata. You apply for just about any other job anywhere else (exception of course being a hot air balloon pilot or president of Egypt for a day) and work is just a long drawn out miserable time. However, when you are working a long shift at the World, you really don’t feel it because you are having so much fun. Even jobs like mine where I handed guests their trays of food and took their orders was just so much fun. It’s all because of that worry free philosophy. Enjoy every shift you have and remember Hakuna Matata.

I Impressions De France- So my initial choice for “I” was obviously Illuminations (and it still remains my favorite “I” at Disney World) but I have two reasons why I went with Impressions over Illuminations. The first is that I have already talked Illuminations to death in the past. The second reason is that most of the guests pass by this show because they think it’s a boring waste of time and that’s a real shame. This 200 degree movie provides some amazing views of many of France’s amazing scenery including:
-Versailles
-Many of the Chateaus
-Bastilles Day in front of the Arc De Triumph
-Elevator ride up the Eiffel Tower
-The amazing Mont St-Michel
And it is all set to some great classical music (the best description a college student with no music background can give). My point is, it’s a great show and while you are there on your program you should definitely check it out.

J Jungle Cruise- One of Walt Disney’s greatest creations, there is no surprise that the Jungle Cruise takes the “J” spot. This ride along with the Haunted Mansion are easily the most desired rides for those chosen to participate in attractions on their College Program. The only other thing I want to say about this ride is that while you are at WDW you should ride this at least once at night. Everything looks more realistic, the skippers are generally funnier when entertaining smaller groups, and as Bill Nye says on Universe of Energy, “It’s just cool.”



Today’s match features a two park double header with three Hollywood Studios matches and three Animal Kingdom matches. At the end of this round, we will have the top three finalists for each park. That means that next week will be the start of the finals. Also, the featured match of the week pits two perennial powerhouses from Hollywood Studios. One, the Great Movie Ride, was the original MGM Studios E-Ticket. The other, Toy Story Midway Mania, is Hollywood Studio’s newest go to attractions that is so popular that it generally sports at least a 2 hour line. Enjoy:

HS and AK Round 1
Rocking Roller Coaster vs. Backlot Tour featuring Catastrophe Canyon
Star Tours vs. Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror
Expedition Everest vs. Primeval Whirl
Triceratops Spin vs. Dinosaur
Kilimanjaro Safaris vs. Kali River Rapids

Featured Match
Toy Story Midway Mania vs. Great Movie Ride




Have a Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah-Day!!!!!!

Now I Know My......Wait What?

Beast's Rose in France



Where I had been away from the blogs for a while, I only noticed yesterday that a hand full of you guys have already moved in and started so before anything else, I want to congratulate those of you that have and good luck from here on out. And for those of you that are almost in Orlando and Disney, whether it’s a couple days, a week, a month, and for some of you (Abby) a whole program I want to wish you guys safe flights or drives and good move ins and great programs.

That’s all I’m going to say about that (so when you are starting your program, know that that was the only blessing you are getting……maybe…..probably not). Today and Tomorrow, I have two objectives. The first, today, is to give you guys my Top Fiv….er something……well you’ll find out in a minute. The second, tomorrow, is to pick up where I left off on the “Best Ride at Disney World” contest with a joint Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios (R.I.P. MGM) round. But now, as Mickey Mouse would say “On With the Show”

Today I thought it would be fun to do a Top 26 Walt Disney World A-Z Part 1/4. Now I’m sure that you may not agree with some of these but let’s face it, both Splash Mountain and Space Mountain start with an S but only one can represent in the list. I also want to tell you that there may be a better answer that I don’t put or that *GASP* I didn’t think of, but keep in mind that I also wanted to go with some things that may not have been the absolute obvious answer (ex. I didn’t use the College Program for C because you guys might have already had that in your minds). I do encourage you guys to comment below with your own favorite version of any of the letters. So let’s try this:

A Asia- I know that I could have just as easily said Animal Kingdom and have that encompass all the lands including Asia, however I feel it is important to note how much Asia does standing on it’s own. It obviously starts with Expedition Everest, it’s pride and joy. But then you have Kali River Rapids which remains to this day, the only ride that I have ridden more than 7x’s in a row. Asia is also home to the Pangea Jungle Trek with some amazing Tigers, awesome Fruit Bats, and (insert adjective that begins with “A”) Kimodo Dragons. And how can I forget Yak and Yeti, Animal Kingdom’s only sit down restaurant, and it’s adjacent Tea Cart with some great Black and Oolong tea. I don’t think you could say enough good things about this land. I might go as far as to say that if there was one land in any Disney World park that best exemplifies the Imagineer’s ability to creating amazing themeing, this is it.

B Boardwalk- If Asia was the example of best themed Disney World land, then Boardwalk is the best themed Disney World hotel. I’m not going to say to much because I went over a lot of the Boardwalk splendor in a past article. I’ll just throw out a few things and leave it at that: Watch any sports match on any one of the ESPN Zone’s 200+ televisions, enjoy an Ice Cream cone from Seashore Sweets, rent a four or six person bike, step into the hotel and find yourself transported into a simpler time in America, and I STILL WANT A LAMB BURGER FROM KOUZINA.

C Columbia Harbor House- Alright, Alright, so this choice is probably based HUGELY on personal bias (I only lived there for seven months) but it’s not as much of a stretch as you may think. I mean consider this, you can’t go wrong with any of the QSRFB locations on property (I think they say “It’s not fast food. It’s good food fast”) and you probably won’t find any better on property than the Columbia Harbor House. Their Fish and Chips are better than anything I had in the most famous pubs in London. The Chicken nuggets are some of the best chicken on property (yes, even better than the Roasted chicken at Cosmic Ray’s). And the fries, when they are hot, are just the best snack I can think of. Take all that and a great tasting vegetarian menu and you have a QSRFB location that could rival some of the Table Service restaurants.

D Dinosaur- I said it before and I’ll say it again, Dinosaur is to me “Disney World.” From the moment you arrive at the Dino Institute’s doors to the moment to are….well…getting back in line for the ride, Dinosaur is the second most well themed ride at Disney World (Everest is first but another “E” took the spot). This attraction features by far the most amusing Pre-Show hosted by the Cosby Show’s Felicia Reshard and Dr. Grant Seeker (Disney Magic Pun). And the ride itself throws enough smells, special effects, and AA dinosaurs to make you believe “That the Future is Truly in the Past.”

E EPCOT- I really don’t know what to say about this one. EPCOT is by far my favorite park. Future World boasts some of the best family E Ticket attractions (Soarin’ and Test Track) as well as some neat technology in the different Innoventions. The World Showcase features probably (with no contest) the best food in any theme park around the world as well as the best live performances, shopping, and location themes on Disney property.

F First Visit Pin- You may think that I couldn’t come up with anything else “F’ (I could), I just think that this one is important. You see, the First Visit pin along with the My Birthday or I’m Celebrating or whatever else pins they have exemplify the difference that Disney provides. You aren’t just “another customer,” you are their guest and every cast member tries their hardest to make sure that your first visit is as magical as you dreamed it would be (or better if you are a glass half empty person).

G Great Movie Ride- I don’t think I have ever met anybody who has ridden this ride and not loved it. It’s pretty amazing how well Disney was able to translate some of the most iconic movie scenes into an attraction that guests can ride through The movie montage at the end is absolutely amazing. And if there is any ride in Disney World that keeps with the Disney spirit of Cast Member/Guest interaction more than the Great Movie Ride, I don’t know what it is.



Have a Magical....er....Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah-Day!!!

My name is John and Windows 7 was my idea.

Vista Way Bus Stop


Okay, so it wasn’t really but I felt as though I had to reintroduce myself to those of you that did not lose faith in me and unsubscribe. You see, last time we spoke, which was a little before Christmas, I said something to the effect of…..”I’m going to be posting everyday until the New Years.” (or something like that). Well then some circumstances changed and (without going into great details) I lost the ability to post until a couple days ago. But I digress……

Ladies and gentleman, it’s that time. I have been browsing around facebook, fan-sites, and the blogosphere and all I see is “Last minute packing” and “Move in day is almost here.” Now, I’ve already talked about what you should and shouldn’t pack but if you want a new rule, then try this: If your bags exceed the total weight of the airplane you are flying in on, then you should probably leave that extra pair of shoes at home (don’t forget, you will want space in your luggage for the stuff you buy while you are down at Disney). But once again, I digress….

No, today I want to talk to you guys and gals (okay so most of my subscribers are girls) about the first day of your program. The first day of your program is going to be one of the greatest days ever. You see, right now the theme song of many of your lives right now might be “Almost There” from The Princess and the Frog album. Actually, when I saw the movie in theaters, I felt that that sequence really summed up the feeling of everything you do to get to the point to finally start your college program. The lyrics say:

And I'm almost there, I'm almost there
People down here think I'm crazy, but I don't care
Tribes and tribulations have had my share
There ain't nothing gonna stop me now cause I'm almost there

And it continues

"Fairytales can come true
You gotta make 'em happen, it all depends on you"
So I work real hard each and every day
Now things for sure are going my way
Just doing what I do
Look out boys I'm coming through

The fact of the matter is that you guys worked hard, passed two interviews (web based and telephone), followed through, and you got your Purple Folder. And sure you may think that the reality hit you when that acceptance letter came in the purple package, or when you were talking to others that made it on the fan boards and blogs (or vlogs) or as the evil Mr. Fathertime finally conceded and allowed your move in day to come closer and closer or even while you are currently packing, but let me tell you this……it hasn’t REALLY hit you yet. But once you pass through those guard gates into Vista and you stand in line with every other excited soon to be CP souls to fill out novels worth of paper work, that’s when it will hit you. But I’ll continue this talk tomorrow, for now I’ll just “digress” for the evening”…..

Have a Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah-Day!!!!


Oh, and by the way, I never got the chance to when it was time.....
Merry Christmas or Feliz Navidad or a Mele Kalikimaka or Happy Holidays......whatever you celebrate, I hope it was great. And also, have a great new years...."May the best of your today be the worst of you tomorrow."