I made it!!!

Hey guys!

I'm having a lot of trouble with the internet here in Florida...but I'm still alive!!! I can't upload pictures yet...but I have the afternoon off tomorrow, so I'll work on the uploading!
I've had a pretty interesting couple of weeks...I left last friday, and (for those of you who haven't heard the story) the car didn't make it, so we had an interesting few days. I'll post more about it tomorrow!
We arrived safely in Florida on the 2nd, and stayed at the All Star Sports for a few days (with jr. cheerleaders galore!)...and ever since then we've been training away.
Today was my first official day as a Disney Cast member....so I got my nametag (Lisa from Hamilton, Ontario...not Hamilton, Canada!) and a bunch of us went to Epcot to enjoy the free entry!! THAT'S RIGHT!!!!!!
I also got my sched for next week...and I am training on popcorn cart for the next few shifts...then starting trainings for bussing and podium!! I am REALLY psyched to start work!!!

That's it for now, as my internet is limited...but I'll post more tomorrow! I hope everyone is really good....as I am really missing Canada right now!

for anyone who is interested...here is my address and phone number down here in sunny florida!

Vista Way Apartments
13501 Meadow Creek Drive (Apt, 2202)
Orlando, FL 32821
407-560-2280 ext 4202

Send me pretty Canadian things!!

xoxo!

It's a great big beautiful tomorrow...shining at the end of everyday...

Hey everyone!

Well....

ONLY 4 days to go!!!!! after all that waiting, only a few more sleeps and I'll be in sunny florida with a mouse as my boss!

I sort of feel like a chicken with my head cut off...but everything is coming together, all that is left is to switch some money over to American dollars (YAY to the Canadian dollar being so strong...it was meant to be I tell ya!) and to get my ridiculously out of control hair cut and coloured.

Hopefully I'll be able to post more often (and some pictures as well), now that I am officially on my way...We should arrive in Orlando on the 2nd (staying in the all-star sports for a few days to get us in the Disney mood!), and arrive at one of the complexes on the 4th!

...and in saying that, I'll talk to you guys soon enough....I'll leave you with a picture of my disasterous room, and my sad attempt at packing my life away!

Orlando...here I come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (watch out!)

29 days!!!

29 days until Disney everyone...Shut you're mouth...I KNOW!!!

It is now less than a month until I will be working for the mouse, and living in the most magical place on earth! A few major things have happened lately. After I got my Disney pack, I went looking for some work shoes (a.k.a. black nurse shoes) Let me tell you that I felt like a complete fool/50 year old woman buying them, but I have them, and they are appropriate to the "disney look".

I also got some new glasses (cheap...but lovely!) and some vacuum seal travel bags...you know the kind from the infomercials that suck all the excess air out (they do work...you can get them at zellers for pennies apparently!), that will help me to stuff all of my belongings into two measly suitcases.

I also took a sort of tentative trip to Ikea to look for a new comforter and some sheets, thinking that I probably wouldn't find anything cheap...but I did, and its cute! a colourful polka-dot/stripey set for only $19.99, that included a comforter and sheets! so thats done, and I also paid my $85 assessment fee, which means that my apartment placement has been confirmed (get ready future roomates?), I'm not sure which complex I will be in, but I have a bed, which is excellent news! I also went to CAA to get our trip-tich for the way down...that plus a travel book, and a GPS which should get us there safely...right?!

Now all thats left is to get a haircut, and some insurance...and with 29 days to do so, I'm thinking that should be no problem!

I really want to be going in like 2 days, but I'm happy to have to only wait another few weeks, instead of another few months. I'm thinking that I'll probably have to wait until next year to see Mickey's not-so-scary halloween party, but the christmas stuff should be up when I get down there, which is VERY cool...because if you don't already know, there is nothing quite like Disney at Christmas!

I think that is everything for now...hopefully next time I post I'll be very close to leaving/already down in Florida, and re-capping all the wonderful-ness that shall be happening to me!!

**update that is totally unrelated to anything, but I just saw Across the Universe, and am listening to the soundtrack non-stop...it is awesome...please go and see it!**

Welcome to the WDW International Programs Family!!

I finally (stress the "finally") got my Disney pack YAY YAY!!!!


I got it at the end of last week (sorry about the delay...again!), and it was a very exciting day! I had been checking the mail more than I usually do (I almost said incessantly...but I wouldn't classify this as incessant checking...just more than usual!), and there is was on friday...waiting for me! Also waiting for me, was a second...count it SECOND, official Disney e-mail....basically re-iterating what I need to do with the Disney Pack stuff.

There is lots to share, but I am going to truncate it a bit, so that this post won't be a novel! Basically, the pack comes with a welcome letter, an acknowledgement form, Cast member policy form, a community codes agreement for housing, some luggage tags (which I will be attaching to my luggage even though I'm not flying...those puppies are not going to go to waste), some cute Mickey stickers, no idea what these are for....but they also won't go to waste, my Q-1 Visa form...and the treasure....the Disney "Look Book"

Just for the sake of my excitement, I am going to excerpt from it a bit...and show you what I have to do to be up to the Disney standards!

• I'll have to get some new glasses as mine do not have "frames and lenses...that are a neutral colour, with a conservative style"...meaning my burgundy and turquoise frames probably won't do!


• I'll have to buy a long sleeved black shirt...to cover up my wrist tattoo because "Intentional body alteration or modification" is NOT allowed to be seen by guests!


• hahah...I love that this has to be in writing! "Due to close contact with Guests and other Cast members, the use of anti-perspirant or deodorant is required"


• Also, the "Disney Look" does not allow hair colouring...or I should say it does allow for very minimal hair colouring...so I'll have to request minimal colouring at my next hair appointment...but my hair place is actually quite obsessed with the "natural look" so I should be fine there!
  
• necklaces and bracelets are not allowed (??), you can only wear very small studs for earrings (with...obviously, only one per ear), and unless you have a wedding set...only one ring per hand is permitted


• And lastly, I must wear appropriate undergarments at all times??

** all of the quotes are directly out of the Disney "look book", therefore not my words...therefore I am not plagiarising!

Haha....that is about it for now, here are some pictures to round out the post!

** Update...Less than 2 months now....actually, 3 days short of being a month and a half!!

...and she's back!!

Hi everyone!

Sorry about the delay, and the misleading blog title, as I have in fact been back for about a week now...I've just been having some blogger technical difficulties...but I am in fact safely back in Canada (no thanks to the plane getting struck by lightening on the way into Sydney, and the deathly 7 hour turbulence on the way out of sydney...but that's another long winded story for another time!) Anyhoo, I had a great time being an honorary aussie...but I'm glad to be home, and am glad to only have about a month and a half to go before my Disney adventure!!

Sadly, no Disney pack as of late...but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it comes very soon, because I have been waiting an awfully long time! I don't have much to share...other than a few photographic selections from my trip (if you want to see them all...and I don't know why you wouldn't, add me to facebook, they are all up there!), so I'm going to end it here, with a promise that everything following this post will be the Disney related goodness, that you all look so forward to I'm sure!

Wahoo! 3 months to go...

Indeed, indeed...it is now three months to go until the faithful day!!!!

I can't believe how much has happened in the last little bit...I think it is mostly my doing though. I had my birthday, then (of course!) work (my kiddies are off to school *sniff, tear*!!), and then I had lots of family stuff and school stuff going on this week...then the e-mail from Disney, and Australia next week....Eeeek!

haha...I'm not complaining though, all this stuff is making time fly...which is SPECTACULAR!! and by the time I get back from Aus, there will only be two months to go...just enough time to work out all the final details...and of course, before I know it, it'll be time to leave!! I still can't help but have a HUGE smile on my face everytime I think about it!

So just a heads up...I probably will not be updating much (...or at all) in the next month, as I will be half-way across the world...but I'll be sure to keep you all up-to-date when I arrive back the first week of october...should I survive to multitudes upon multitudes of flights I have to take *double eeek!*....so everyone keep your fingers crossed that I arrive, and return safely, and in one piece...and then I shall keep VERY on top of this thing...and keep you all informed as to the Disney goings-on in the last few weeks before I head to the O dot (tehe!)

To keep all your picture viewing urges satisfied, I shall share my trip to the Ex this past weekend (for all those non-Canadians out there...it is basically a HUGE fair in Toronto to close off the summer! woo-hoo!!)

Officially Official!

Hey everyone!!!

So I opened my e-mail this afternoon to find that I had an "official" Disney e-mail welcoming me to the team....UBER exciting!!! It is now kind of more officially official heheh....I'd be jealous of me.................if I weren't me!!

Anyways...I am going to attempt some screen caps for you, so you can see the excitement that I am feeling! (please take extra notice of the creepy, hidden in shadow, oddly Spanish looking Walt Disney! haha)

**update, I can't screencap, as my technological abilities seem to be lacking tonight, so here is a transcript, and a copied picture of creepo Disney**

**update to the update, I don't actually think Disney himself, was a creepo, I just think the picture is pretty creepy, and that a better picture could have been chosen for such an occasion!**

Congratulations, Lisa!

We are so excited that you have accepted our offer to participate in our Cultural Representative Program at the Walt Disney World Resort! We look forward to your arrival on December 4, 2007 as a/an Canada Food and Beverage Cast Member.

Tell all your friends and family the exciting news! You are going to be working at the number-one vacation destination in the world - The Walt Disney World Resort!

We are sure that you have a lot of questions regarding next steps and your experience here in the United States and we look forward to providing you with all of the answers!
To get things started please be sure to review our website at www.disneyinternationalprograms.com.

You will be receiving a package of information in the upcoming month regarding your acceptance, complete with a booklet of information to get you prepared. You will also be receiving e-mails from our team to keep you informed of all of the things that you should be thinking of prior to your arrival. Please remember to check your e-mail periodically and let us know if your e-mail address should change between now and your arrival!

Congratulations again and welcome to the team!

Kim

So that is about it for now...a short update, on the non-disney portion of my life...my birthday was a success, no parade or anything (tehehe!) but I got a good shopping day in, and a GREAT dinner with my daddio...and a SWEET new digital camera (colour: pink!).

A little less than 2 weeks until Australia!!!!!!! which shall be documented in this here blog, so you all can enjoy with me!

That really is it right now....so keep an eye out for my next entry, as it is sure to be disney related...as I now have contact with Disney itself!! WOOOOT!