Forget About your Worries and your Strife

It's been a very tiring and full few days.

Last night, after a full day of magic-making, the Canadians all high-tailed it to Magic Kingdom for a round of The Amazing Race - Magic Kingdom, which had been arranged by our resident games gurus. Having never seen an episode of Amazing Race, I had no idea what was coming. My team, Chelsea and I, basically sprinted all over Magic Kingdom between 11pm and 1am, completing tasks and collecting photos faster than other Canadians while trying not to destroy the other guests. 

Frontierland Pluto: Found in both Frontierland
and (wait for it)...Canada!

Examples include getting our photo taken with Mickey and getting his autograph (Town Square Theater), retrieving the golden number above the Hall of Presidents (1767, I think...), getting photos of four different cast members' costumes, finding a hidden Mickey in Frontierland and riding the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover. 

Chelsea and I attempting to pull the sword from the stone.
Only for the Amazing Race would I even try.

We were eliminated in the second-to-last leg, which conveniently concluded right at the entrance of a very empty Splash Mountain. Guess how we cooled off? We then discovered the glory of 24-hour Steak & Shake between Magic Kingdom and housing, along with several other Canadians who had the same idea. 
This morning I am embarrassed to admit I had to set my alarm to get my lazy self out of bed by 11am. Anastasia (from Ottawa) and I were going to Property Control, which I may have mentionned earlier in a post. It turns out I was only half right about it, as there's a completely different trailer full of slightly to severely damaged goods that Cast Members get a pretty serious discount on. Example: I am now the owner of the World's Coolest (and fat kid-est) Mickey Ears.

The most amazing Mickey Ears I've ever seen and owned.
Yes, I immediately thought of the Simpsons.

They're usually sold at the Vinylmation store Downtown Disney with the ears and a Vinylmation figurine all wrapped up in an elaborate hatbox for $70-ish. The figurine was missing from the set, and the hatbox was pretty smushed, but all I wanted were the ears, which I paid only $20 for. That's the normal price for Mickey ears at any park.
While we were at Property Control, Anastasia discovered I had never been on Pirates of the Caribbean, and suggested we head there after (Property Control is backstage Magic Kingdom). We did, and ended up staying all afternoon and evening, crossing attractions off of the list and generally having an awesome spontaneous time. I have now seen the Move it! Shake it! Celebrate it! Parade, conquered the Haunted Mansion, ridden the Walk Disney World Railroad and taken a cruise on the Liberty Belle.

Probably now my favourite Magic Kingdom Attraction,
not solely due to the death and dying puns ("Be sure to fill in all the dead space!").

The Move it! Shake it! Celebrate it! Parade/ Street Party.
Yup, I've now danced in a parade. With a bunch of toddlers.

We may have gone to Steak & Shake again after. It'll for sure be my undoing.

TTFN,

Note: I am way to sore from the Amazing Race to be considered even slightly in shape. But seriously, try running and avoiding people through a park.

Thanks to: My mom and grandma for the mail I received this week! Thank you!

You Can Do a Lot When You've Got Such a Happy Working Tune to Hum

Hi ho! Nothing much new in the world of Disney, except making magic every single day.

I've done closing shifts the last two days (this is my Wednesday, but I still wear pink on actual Wednesdays). I went early on Saturday with the intention of picking up more costumes. Instead, I sat inside my car in the parking lot for 15 minutes waiting for the torrential Florida downpour to even slightly lessen and allow me to exit my car without getting absolutely soaked. I was finally able to make it to costuming from the parking lot using a $0.99 poncho from Walmart with my arms iside and pulling down the hood. Needless to say, I now have costuming-issued rain gear that I keep in the car. Nope, not plaid.

It also rained for at least the first hour of my shift, so I stood in the rain outside and handed out stickers. I'm made of magic, people. After the rain disappeared, I was coaxed into standing outside with another (less tone-deaf) Cast Member to sing Oh Canada while holding a flag. Apparently the guests loved it, as I was issued this as hour later:

I am a Great Service Fanatic, apparently.

That's a GSF, or Great Service Fanatic, meaning I was recognized for doing a good job by one of my co-Cast Members (Rodi, in this case). That'll go on my work record. YAY!

Yesterday I went to work early again, not in costume, to go on Test Track, which I had heard was closing shortly for refurbishment. It turns out it's closing in two weeks, not today, so I didn't have to rush, but I got to do it, and barely had to queue at all.

Thumbs up for Test Track! See you in six months!

Of course, I had to boot it back to Canada, and running in culottes is not easy at all but I made it on time. The park's attendance is projected to be rather high for the next two weeks or so, due to Easter and more Spring Breaks, so there's lots and lots of lumberjacks around, especially outside and especially at night.

I arrived home to find out my roommates and I had passed our apartment inspection, and were of course rewarded the Disney way:

Reward cleanliness with cookies? Amazing. 

All in all, everything is still magical, I'm not sunburned, and I finally have American car insurance! Woo!


TTFN

Note: I don't know if I've ever mentioned Drinking Around the World, but if I told you every country's pavilion had a beer cart, I'm sure you could figure it out. My roommate Nozomi did it a few weeks ago with her friends and ended in Canada.

I think facepaint happens in Italy, maybe?

Thanks to: The Test Track Cast Members who made magic for me! Thanks for the short line.