Whats that, it's my Birthday?

Can someone tell me when March happened?

Today marks my 22nd Birthday but also marks 3 months until my program ends.

It is such a scary thought I don't even feel like talking about it!

So March has been deemed Birthday Month in the Apartment as 3 of us have our birthdays, Last week was Fallon's and we headed to Magic Kingdom for a Breakfast Buffet with Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore & Tigger. Today we are heading to Norway to eat with the Princesses and next week we are eating at the Hoop Dee Doo Revue at the Fort Wilderness Campground for Morgans Birthday. 

They have released Opening Team Jackets for New Fantasyland, and a few people have been getting deployed to Main Street and Adventureland. I have placed my interest to be deployed to Star Wars Weekends just selling Merchandise as International Students are unable to participate in working the events in Entertainment.

I don't think there is much else going on, I need to update more frequently because I always forget stuff when I go to write out the blog.

Until Next Time,

Natalie :)

"With a little bit of Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust....

...All of your Dreams and Wishes will come true"

Hi All,

If you ever go to Magic Kingdom in WDW you should head to Sir Mickey's (change of name may occur sooooon) or Castle Couture to get Pixie Dusted by any of the Merchandise Cast Members. It is something I rather enjoy doing, it can make little Princesses very very happy, and also some Princes :)

^^ I had written this awhile ago, I have returned to complete the post. I have been in Merchandise for almost two months and I am definitely still loving it. The Princess Half Marathon was on last weekend and I was deployed to Coronado Springs for the Expo. Which pretty much required me to stand at a register for 7 hours and serve serve serve Guests as they brought their Official Merchandise for the Marathon. I was quite glad to head back to Fantasyland on the Sunday.

Not much else has been happening with my life here apart from work, I have officially got my flight home for the 25th of June and my flight to LAX on the 14th of June. I shall be meeting my Grandmother in LAX and heading to Disneyland, Vegas and Hollywood for 10 days, excited = ME.

Don't really know what else to talk about, so until next time!

Natalie :)

"Bel13ve in Magic"

Hi all,

Well the New Year has well and truly come. Magic Kingdom has New Year Fireworks "Fantasy in the Sky" both the 30th & 31st, even though I was working both nights, I managed to get a glimpse the Display. 
The first night it was just magical, I was bumped out so I just stood in the courtyard and watched the magnificent 360 degree display, I was literally turning around on the spot in awe!

The second night I got pulled to Wishes, and so although I did still get to see it, it was a little intense because Fantasyland was completely FULL and Main Street was so full they had closed down the bridges and were not letting anyone in, meaning people were yelling at us for a way out.

It was still rather magical though, and I am glad I can always say that in 2012 I watched the NYE Fireworks for Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.

Shortly after the New Year though came lots of Goodbyes. Many Americans left on January 2, but January 4 was when the Australia/NZ contingent left and it still hasn't felt the same. After we said our goodbyes to our good friends, who some were headed on adventures before the trek back home, we had to split up our apartment. 

I moved over to Chatham Square and became roommates with a friend from Australia, Morgan. We also got an American Roommate that night and when the new Aus/NZ contingent started on January 9th, we welcomed a NZ citizen into our home.

I started training at Magic Kingdom for my big transfer into Merchandise on Jan 8th. Unfortunately I get really sick and so after seeing two stores I left work and had my whole schedule rearranged. The next day was Merchantainment class though at Disney University at 8am with Morgan and Ellen. This class is called Merchantainment as it is Merchandise & Entertainment together. 

On a side note I find this to be really true about Merchandise, well really it depends where you work to be honest but in Fantasyland it is really about keepng the Guests Entertained and talking and turning there day around, because a lot of other Cast members in Attractions & Food & Beverage don't really have the time like we do to talk to the Guests and really get to know them. 

Class was all about the basics on how to use the registers

After class Ellen and I went into Magic Kingdom and rode the Tea Cups and the People Mover (my first time!) and brought a few things before we headed home. 

As my schedule was rearranged I had my First day of On the Job Training again, but as I had already knew the land, we didn't really do much. On the Second day I got to finally start using the registers. Day Three was using the registers again and as I had completed all of my online e-learning I also took my assessment and passed :)

All ICP's are then scheduled for an extra 4 hours of training which is pretty much just making sure we understood everything and are comfortable with the money. After that I was put into rotation, probably for like 1 1/2 hours, in which I pulled Fantasy Faire (of course haha right at my old location), but I don't really count this as my first shift alone.

Fantasyland Merchadise is split into Three areas, Zone One (Castle Couture, Sir Mickey's & Fantasy Faire) Zone Two (Enchanted Grove Cart, Winnie the Pooh Store & Seven Dwarf's Mine) and then Bonjour. As the Bonjour Store has a completely different costume to the rest of the other stores it has been be completely separate.

The First real day after Training I started work in Zone 2 and the first thing I pulled was the Cart all by myself! hahah I actually enjoyed the freedom the Cart brings, but I after a week working Zone 2 I am really over Winnie the Pooh, so I already prefer to work in Zone 1.

This week coming up I am working Zone 1 all week and a shift for Bonjour in there, quite excited. And because I was feeling trapped n Fantasyland last week I picked up a shift at MouseGear at EPCOT and this week I got to work at World of Disney at Downtown Disney. I really did like working at the busiest stores in there respective parks, but Fantasyland will always hold a special place in my heart.

Today has been Australia Day in the US, A friend from back home has been on holidays here with her family and  was with them in the parks until I called it a night and headed home to Ice cream and a movie, you see I am a very big Party Animal =p

Sorry there isn't any Pictures, Maybe I will update it soon with some :)

Until Next Time,
Natalie :)

My First Wintery Christmas

Hi all,

So New Fantasyland was FINALLY revealed on December 6th with a massive stage show and even Dumbo made an appearance.. so rare.

This month has been crazy, the past week with Christmas has been INSANE, they have put me on nearly 14 hour days, and Next week is the same.

but let me start by saying Merry Christmas. It feels like it has been Christmas for like 2 months though, but you know. To celebrate our apartment stayed up until 2am on Christmas morning to have our Dinner as it was the only time we could exchange our Secret Santa presents and enjoy a feast before we all had to work all day long.

after working Christmas and Boxing Day I had the day off and went to the Mall where I induldged in a massage and pedicure, unfortunately that night I got a stomach bug and had the call in the next day and now today I had the day off and haven't really done much, just got a few things at Walmart and got some pizza to watch some movies with before two 14 hour days, in which I miss the New Year's countdown by 45minutes... bloody work!

So I better back track for a moment,
at the start of the month I randomly decided it was time for me to take a trip somewhere,
I got four days off and so I booked a trip to New York.

I had soo much fun,

I arrived about 3pm on the 12th and I had booked a Hotel right in Times Square and I went to the ticket booth and brought a ticket to Newsies, The Musical. Not really knowing what I was in store for, it was amazing, like absolutely amazing, the dancing and singing was just... ahh hahha..
oh and New York is so bloody COLD.. and I went when they kind of had a heaat wave... hah!

The next day I decided to do some exploring, I got up and went to Rockefeller Center and I got my face on National TV on the Today Show, then I headed up to the Top of the Rock, I didn't want to leave! but it was so cold! My next stop was the Radio City Music Hall to watch the Rockettes perform... that was a very interesting and different show, which I later found out is classed as a Broadway show.

After the show I decided to head up towards Central Park, it didn't seem like that much of a walk to get there, but Central Park is massive, so I would suggest to bring your walking shoes if you intend to walk it, I made the mistake of wearing a slight heel... and didn't I regret it!

I had many mixed emotions walking through Central Park.. See I have always wanted to go to New York, and I was finally there.. It was a huge moment.

After walking half way, I gave up and sat at the MET steps for awhile and then started walking down fifth avenue to get back... this was possibly the longest walk of my life. I then decided I wanted to try out the famous HIMYM inspired pub, so I headed to McGee's and had a small feast before heading back to Times Square. 

 On my way back I was all like what the heck and brought another Broadway show ticket, this time to, 'Bring It On: The Musical' and I am darn glad I did! This show is amazing, unfortunately it is closing, but golly gosh, it deserves to stay!

Afterwards I headed to bed, as once again IT WAS COLD!

The next morning I woke up for my first adventure on the Subway! I headed to City Hall so I could walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and head to the 9/11 Memorial.This was possibly the coldest day so far and so I had to head back instead of trying to go to Battery Park and see the Statute of Liberty.

That night as it was my last night, I was still all like what the heck and brought another Broadway ticket, well actually an Off-Broadway ticket to 'Bare: The Musical'
The Theater was so tiny, it was like smaller than the lecture hall in my High School... crazy

All though the set design was amazing, and the cast were superb  I could see what was coming, and I think if they re-giged the storyline a bit, it would hit Broadway... But I am no expert! 

This ended my beautiful run of Broadway shows and I wish I had a job that sent me to shows every night!

The next day I spent walking around Bryant Park and Rockefeller again, places I wish I could stay forever.. sigh

Then I headed back to the warm Orlando, and back to work, sigh

Until next time,
Natalie :)

Is it really December??

Hi all,

I cannot believe it is December, the last two months have absolutely flown by!

I honestly do not even know when to start, maybe in dot points and I will try and bring it together;
So my last post stated BEST SHIFT Ever, well that has been topped by working on Halloween & even Thanksgiving.
So on Halloween I worked a little on Rotation and then was on Hallowishes and went to Castle Front, which means I got to watch the Villain's Stage Show and the Parade :) Captain Jack Sparrow waved at me =)
All in all the Halloween Parties were pretty amazing, there was only one which sucked a bit because of the weather.
Jump to Thanksgiving, I was initally doing a 7 hour shift in the day time but we were soooo understaffed I got asked to extend and do Wishes, it meant I was going to do a 12 hr shift, I said yes and well I was put on Castle Front and got to watch the new projection show "Celebrate the Magic". was quite amazing.

Within all this craziness the opening of New Fantasyland has been an ongoing event. First there was Dress Rehearsals of the area, and then Cast Previews, and then Annual Pass Holder Previews, and then it has been in a Soft Open Phase for a few weeks with the Grand Reveal on December 6th. We are having the Press come in on the 5th and we are actually closing up early but are still open for them with even a special firework show to take place. May be painful or amazing, who knows?

Lastly on the festivities that happen at Walt Disney World, is the Holidays around the World at EPCOT with the Candlelight Processional taking place every night 3 shows a night until January. The list of speakers can be found on the Disney Website. This year Neil Patrick Harris was speaking for 4 nights and every day he would come and visit Magic Kingdom in the morning with his husband and two children, I of course missed them everytime :)

I lie the last and most recent thing to happen was my attendance to a Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. It was rather magical, I met a few characters, and watched "Snow" fall on Main Street U.S.A.

Apart from the Festivities I have pretty much worked,, A lot I got to work a Treat shift during the Halloween Parties which was fun and the other night they were filming on the Carousel for a new Commercial.

When my parents visited we also got to go to the Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island.

On a much sader note I have had to say goodbye to two close friends here and I don't know how I will do it in January when a lot more people leave :(


Well if I think of anything else, I will post, hopefully

Happy Holidays,
Natalie :)