Holly Jolly Potluck

Last Thursday at work we had our Christmas potluck.  You know how a potluck works--everybody brings something.  Except it's great when people are from all over the world!

My friend Brian and I both brought crescent rolls.  Yummy.  Management brought the turkey, ham, potatoes, and even some other rolls.  There was so much food.  So much dessert.  Everything was so delicious.

Everybody

Me & Adriana

After the eating, we all made little stockings.  It made me happy because I don't have a stocking this year.  At least one that I can see.  Since Jaime had some friends in town, she wasn't able to make it and I made hers too.

I love Pop Century and Caribbean Beach.  We get to do the best cast activities.  I just wish I had gotten more pictures.

Disney Characters, Part II

Since I haven't updated my Disney characters list since October 2, here's what's new!

Piglet (with Sam and Ellie at Hollywood Studios)

Daisy Duck (at Hollywood Studios)

Lotso from Toy Story 3(with Jenna, Ellie, and Sam at Hollywood Studios)

Mr. and Mrs. Incredible from The Incredibles (with Ellie, Jenna, and Sam at Hollywood Studios)

 Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty (at Magic Kingdom)

Cinderella from Cinderella (with Ellie and Sam at Magic Kingdom)

Flick from A Bug's Life (with Sam and Ellie at Animal Kingdom)

Terk from Tarzan (with Sam and Ellie at Animal Kingdom)

Jiminy Cricket from Pinocchio (with Ellie and Sam at Animal Kingdom)

Rafiki from The Lion King (with Ellie and Sam at Animal Kingdom)

Thumper and Miss Bunny from Bambi (with Sam and Ellie at Animal Kingdom)

Ariel from The Little Mermaid (with Sam and Ellie at Magic Kingdom)

Mulan from Mulan (with Sam and Ellie at Epcot)

The Beast and Belle from Beauty and the Beast (with Ellie and Sam at Epcot)

Marie from Aristocats (with Ellie and Sam at Epcot)

Duffy the Disney Bear (at Epcot)

Sleepy, Sneezy, Bashful, Dopey, Happy, Grumpy, and Doc (with Brett at Magic Kingdom)

Prince Naveen and Princess Tiana (with Jaime at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort)

Rapunzel and Flynn Rider (at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort)

Some of these pictures, like usual, are from Photopass.  And some of them you may notice are a repeat.

Total count: 53 (up from 24)

Christmas at the Grand

The other day Jenna and I went over to Disney's Grand Floridian Resort to look at the Christmas decorations.  They have some of the coolest Christmas decor on property, so of course we had to check it out.

When we first got there, we were offered roasted chestnuts (gross!) and warm apple cider (yum!).  This was the first time I had ever been to the Grand and I absolutely love it.  I want to move in and live there for forever!!

Yes, it's true.  That's a life size gingerbread house.  It was amazing.  Hopefully I'll be able to see some other resorts decorated for the holidays.  There wasn't much to see at Disney's Polynesian Resort.

I'm skipping out on 10 on 10 this month.

Mouseters Degree

I completed my Disney class!

  

And I got a Mouseters Degree!

I started a class in October that ended today.  It's for the Disney Exploration Series and it's called Exploring Marketing.  Each week we had guest speakers from different parts of the marketing division in Disney.

Week 2: Global and Walt Disney World Marketing

We mostly talked about the different campaigns--Year of a Million Dreams, What Will You Celebrate?, Let the Memories Begin.  Global in Disney terms means Walt Disney World and Disneyland.

Week 3: Walt Disney World Marketing Strategy

Unfortunately I was absent this week.

Week 4: Disney Special Events Marketing

We talked about the process that goes into marketing the special events that take place at Walt Disney World, like the Food & Wine Festival or the Food & Garden Festival, Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party or Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.

Week 5: Disney Vacation Club Marketing

Since the new DVC resort is opening in Hawaii soon, we discussed their marketing strategy for that new property and the tactics they've always used.  (Like Snow White being their mascot.  No other character resonates as well.)  It made me want to convince my mom to join the DVC.  Hint, hint...

Week 6: Disney Cruise Line Marketing

With the new ship setting off on her maiden voyage in 2011, we talked about how to market the Disney Dream as well as keep the Disney Wonder and the Disney Magic fresh and desirable.  It made me want to convince my mom to take a Disney cruise.  Hint, hint...

Week 7: Customer Managed Relationship

After a week off for Thanksgiving, we came back for one final guest speaker group from CMR.  (Of course since it's Disney, everything has abbreviations.)  They mostly talked about their direct mail and email, which are the main things they are in charge of.  It was cool to see how that side of the business works.  And how expensive direct mail is!

I'm really glad I was able to sign up for the class.  I was literally the last person to be able to sign up because there was only one spot left.  I can't wait to take another Exploration Series class next term.

Winter Formal 2010

{Dinner.  Dancing.  Disney.}

Monday night was the 2010 Winter Formal for Disney's College Program over at the convention center at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort.  It was a lot of fun and a great opportunity to see some of the people I've met down here on the Fall 2010 Program for possibly the last time.  Everybody is leaving a month from today!  There was, as Daniel put it, a great spread for dinner--but free food always tastes better anyway.  A good DJ--even though he kept saying "AND THE CROWD GOES WIIIIILD!!!" after every single song.  (Also another witty comment from Daniel: "Does it really count if the crowd doesn't go wild until after you say it?")  And, of course, Disney characters.  Jaime, Daniel, and I met Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen as well as Rapunzel and Flynn Rider.  I've seen people posing with Cinderella and Prince Charming, Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip, Mickey and Minnie, and Ariel and Prince Eric.  I'm not sure who else was there.

Jaime & Phil (from England)

Adrian (from Australia)

Jaime & Payton

Jon (from Puerto Rico) & Jaime

Jaime

Prince Naveen, Jaime, & Princess Tiana

(The Princess & the Frog)

Rapunzel, Jaime, Flynn Rider, & Daniel

(Tangled)

Daniel & Jaime

Dane (from Barbados) & Jaime

Adriana (from Ecuador), Jaime, & Jenna

Francisco (from Mexico) & Jenna

Emily, Jenna, Adriana (from Ecuador), Kaori (from Japan), Jaime, & Zuly (from Mexico)

Francisco (from Mexico), & Payton

Zuly (from Mexico)

Fernando (from Mexico)

Jaime, Fernando (from Mexico), Francisco (from Mexico), Payton, & Adriana (from Ecuador)

Kyle (from Canada)

Daniel, Payton, Brittany, & Alaina

As you can see, I've met people from not only all over the United States, but all over the world.  And here's a little insight into my circle of friends--all of these people are lifeguards or have been at one point during their program.

And I believe that counts as #74 (Go to a fancy event).  I guess I'm making some progress here on my 101 Goals.

I'm gonna miss these guys next spring.

Extended

I was offered an extension for my program!  They offered me an extension in the same role in the same location.  Meaning I'll still be a lifeguard at Pop Century and Caribbean Beach.  I accepted the extension on Thursday.  So I'll be here until May now.  I couldn't be happier!

And for the record, it's been three and a half months now that I've been lifeguarding and I still haven't jumped in for a person.  Knock on wood!  These days it's so cold that we're out there in pants and jackets.  Sure beats the 100+ degrees from when I started.  Although I miss the October/November weather a little bit.

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

Every November and December, Magic Kingdom hosts a special Christmas event on select nights--Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.  In November, Brett and I attended one of the parties and loved it!

The park closes to regular guests at 7:00PM, when the party starts.  You have to have a special ticket and receive a wristband from one of the park greeters in order to remain in the park while the party is going on.  All of the attractions are still open, but there are special characters, complimentary holiday treats (hot chocolate and sugar cookies), and entertainment specifically for the party.

Brett and I got there a little after 7:30 and managed to see the stage show outside the castle.  After the show was over, we went over to Liberty Square and got some hot chocolate and cookies--both delicious!  Then hopped right onto Haunted Mansion.  The first parade was going on at the time, so there was practically no line.  Our next plan was "it's a small world", but we happened to see the seven dwarfs from Snow White and stopped to get a picture with them.

The line went by really quickly, but we were the first people up when the Photopass guy left.  My picture is a little blurry.  But still, here's Sleepy, Sneezey, me, Bashful, Dopey, Happy, Brett, Grumpy and Doc.  They were fun!

The fireworks started right after we were done with Snow White's friends, so we went back to Liberty Square to see them.  It was a special show, not the regular Wishes.  They were also perimeter fireworks, visible from everywhere in the park instead of just in front of the castle.

Next, we rode "it's a small world", the first time I've been on it since I've been down here.  It was closed for a while for refurbishment, and just recently reopened.  Brett said there is a noticeable difference in the attraction.  It was pretty cool.  I don't remember it from being down here before.  And the song wasn't even stuck in my head for the rest of the day!

When we got off "it's a small world", it was a good time to find a seat for the parade.  We sat in Frontierland.  The bears from The Country Bear Jamboree were out on the street taking pictures with guests.  They looked creepy, otherwise I would have taken a picture.  At 10:30, the parade started.

Scrooge

Donald & Daisy Duck

Chip & Dale

Prince Charming & Cinderella

Goofy

Horace (?)

I didn't get too many good pictures of the parade because my camera wasn't cooperating.  Then it died right before the Toy Story characters.  They had an army man, Woody, Jessie, and Bullseye on the float.  I missed the toy soldiers--which were the best part of the parade--and Santa Claus!

Before we left, we road Peter Pan's Flight in Fantasyland.  It was the first time we had both ridden it.  Needless to say, we were both pretty impressed.  It's definitely a kid's ride, but it was really cool.  We also got hot chocolate and cookies one more time.

By then it was already 11:30 and we were both exhausted, so we called it quits.  It was the first time both of us had been to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and we both had a lot of fun.  Definitely a must-do if you come down to Walt Disney World in November or December.  (Although the last party is December 17, 2010 this year.)