I Want Adventure in the Great Wide Somewhere

My immense Canadian apologies yet again for the spiderwebs collecting on the blog. Yet another promise that it shall not happen again.  It's been an incredibly busy and tiring week-and-a-half. I'm currently congested and my legs are still terribly sore. You'll find out why.

Mary and Ashley, aka my nerdy besties from Canada, visited last week, arriving on Sunday and departing very early on Friday. I was able to get Monday though Thursday off, plus a few extra hours on Sunday (thank you, ERs). Sunday evening, I was able to show the ladies a bit of Downtown Disney before they were ready to pass out in preparation for a full day of Hollywood Studios on Monday. I was able to get them into/onto most of the park's highlights, like Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Star Tours, Rock'n Roller Coaster, Toy Story Mania, the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular and Muppet Labs 3D. We had a very fancy lunch at the Hollywood Brown Derby, the park's signature restaurant and headed back to Downtown Disney for the evening.

Epic Muppets Prop Room

We built lightsabers at Once Upon a Toy. It was awesome. We were at Epcot the next day for a trip around World Showcase and my long-awaited first meal at the stellar and infamous Le Cellier (the restaurant in the Canada Pavilion). We set off for Universal Studios Resort, specifically Islands of Adventure, the next morning in the rain. I finally purchased my annual pass, which includes free parking and discounts. Yes! Discounts at all the parks! We spent a good long time at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, riding the Dragon Challenge twice (there were two dragons, we had to ride both), Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey twice (Universal, why you no have Fast Passes? Pssh 75 minute wait), tasting out first (and not my last) Butterbeer, and in my case finally purchasing the Hogwarts robe I've wanted for pretty much the last 7 years.

Champions of Beauxbatons, Durmstrang...and Canada. 

If we're friends on Facebook, you know I legit went to school here. 

Thursday was another rainy day, so we all took it easy and made another trip to Downtown Disney for lunch and a movie at Fork & Screen as well as some more souvenir shopping. The ladies took off for a 24-hour marathon drive back to Canada the next morning, and I was back to work for a marathon six days.
Monday night was the second round of the Amazing Race - Magic Kingdom.  In spite of all my exhaustion, I somehow got roped in again, this time with one of my managers as a partner (they all want to to play too, it's so cute). It was another grueling evening of running, sweating, dodging guests, rides breaking down (I'm looking at you, People Mover and Splash Mountain) and in my case, very loud trash talking. Tasks this time included tracking down the Orange bird, (Sunshine Terrace, for future reference), riding Splash Mountain, researching the elevation of Magic Kingdom, locating the Fuente de la Fortuna (near Pirates of the Caribbean) and finally ending up at the TTC. By some freaking miracle, and the fact that a lengthy task included American history, Chase and I totally freaking won! By a good ten minutes, too. Up side - Chase won't terminate me. Down side - I am still so freaking sore. The adrenaline of winning only masked the muscle pain for a day.

Chase and I with our Amazing race Winner Mickey ears.
Not pictured: Severe leg pain and fatigue 

Amazing Race - Magic Kingdom participants
We burst into O Canada as the pictures were taken.

This week Canada had another round of new lumberjacks arrive and that means another few had to leave. I drove one to the airport earlier today. It's quite the bummer.

TTFN,

Note: It's officially hurricane season, meaning we can expect a thunderstorm here every single day sometime in the afternoon. Preferably, when I'm not down at the cart.

Thanks to: Chase for being a slave driver/ Amazing Race champion, and Arin for the two dozen Aero bars.

It's My Favourite Part Because...You'll See.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away...I think Disney is losing money on my park attendance during Star Wars Weekends.

Friday I headed off to yet another round of Star Wars Weekends at Hollywood Studios. It was actually my last chance to see the Hyperspace Hoopla once more time. Chelsea and I went around 1pm in the pouring rain, meeting a lot of opposing park traffic but not meeting any rain-soaked Stormtroopers. We immediately headed for Darth's Mall, as a roof was the only desirable quality in a location (the roof was leaking a bit, but it is a tent after all). We were joined by Heather and were in the tent for a good 2.5 hours, meeting characters (Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker) as well as one of the celebrity hosts for Star Wars Weekends, Ashley Eckstein. Ashley is a voice actor on Star Wars: The Clone Wars and has her own line of Star Wars-themed clothing for girls (Her Universe), which was on sale in the tent. She's also ridiculously pretty and nice (I HATE HER...kidding, not at all). I had her sign my shirt and she's now considering stopping by the Canada Pavilion.

She designed the shirt I'm wearing.
Thanks for your contributions to nerd girl world!

The rain eventually eased up a bit and we headed over to the Beauty and the Beast Stage show, which is very close, and then lunch at Backlot Express, behind the Indiana Jones Stunt show. We were en route to Star Tours when Heather and Chelsea got intercepted by a Chewbacca meet and greet (not me, Chewy and I have had sufficient time together). I was in Tatooine Traders, waiting for Jen to join us and chatting with a former World Showcase West merchandise manager, when the Mos Eisley Cantina band appeared from backstage, blew kisses at me while I stood there like an idiot, and went to ride Star Tours.

Jen and I were reunited with her fave Star Tours Cast Member.
You may remember him from this post. 

Oh yeah, welcome to Star Wars Weekends. Seeing as how I'm just made of park time, the four of us decided to stake out prime spots for the Hyperspace Hoopla, which starts at 8:00, at 5:30. Worth it, we got the last front row spots, which we defended like no one's business through a Padawan Mind Challenge show. My camera of course died five minutes into the Hoopla, but I still think it's the singular best stage show to hit the Walt Disney World Resort. Ever. EVER.

Chewy's sexy and he knows it. 

Stormtroopers march and dance in unison. They've got talent. 

Boba Fett has the moves like Jagger. 

We had time for a round on Rock'n Roller Coaster and Star Tours before my second show of Fantasmic, another reminder of how freakin' magical everything around here is. Good times. 

TTFN,

Note: With the recent mass exodus of Canadian cast, I'm just psyched beyond imagination to see Ashley and Mary. Especially if they found me a K-9 plush?

Thanks to: Jamie, for being the best damn Canadian manager to ever leave us for the Disney Cruise line. You'll eventually read this.

Soaring, Tumbling, Freewheeling Through an Endless Diamond Sky

It's 10:45 in the morning and it feels like 7:45 due to general lack of activity around here. It's also gray and raining (all week long!), so that could be it. To the weekend!

Round 2 (Episode 2) of Star Wars Weekends was last weekend. I went every single day, but never for the whole day.
Friday was the Hyperspace Hoopla, as you all know from my last post.
Saturday, Jen and I went for park opening at 8:00, meaning we left The Commons at 7:20. Yeah, that's dedication. We arrived on time for the park to just be opening, and there were still chatty Stormtroopers on the roof. That's always a good sign.

Constant vigilance, gentlemen. 

Of course, we immediately did several rounds of Star Tours, in which we were reunited with one of our favourite Star Tours Cast Members, and I was the rebel spy two of three times (it's the hair, I swear). We then joined the queue for a character meet and greet with Chewbacca. We waited 45 minutes in line, and then when he arrived (he's got a lot of haircare to attend to, alright?), we were hugged and photographed within 10 minutes.

Chewbacca is my dance idol. Also superbly cuddly. 

We then reported to Carbon Freeze Me, for which Jen had signed up a few weeks before.  Nine-ish pictures of your face are taken simultaneously so a 3D model can be made. An encased-in-carbonite statue featuring the guest's (prisoner's) face is made and sent out 4-6 weeks later. I was the bounty hunter. That was free. After Jen got her early release (good theming there, SWW), we met Queen Amidala (we had a brief but memorable discussion about what makes droids work).

We're so regal, it hurts. 

We headed back to Darth's Mall, where we met C3PO and R2D2 and I got a Disney-style but Star Tour-themed nametag made up (I'm from Alderaan now, just so you know). C3PO recognized that I was from the Canada system and remarked that it was not unlike the sixth planet of the Hoth system. Hilarious protocol droid. Jen and I both had to report to Canada in the afternoon, so we lunched at Hollywood Studios and went back home.
Sunday, Bailey and I went back to Star Wars Weekends, again at 7:20 for more nerdiness and good times. We immediately tracked down Darth Vader, who lied to me through body language (I was wearing a shirt with Luke and Leia on it, he implied he had no idea who they were).

He was probably unimpressed with
my Crocs more than my shirt.

Then we rode Star Tours, of course. Then Bailey wanted to meet Chewbacca, so we queued again and got more pictures and hugs and covered in Wookie fur. We then booted it around the corner to the queue for Boba and/or Jango Fett (guess which on we wanted and you get a gold star). Funny thing that happened when we finally got our turn: Bailey went to pose while I took a picture, but before I could I looked up and there was a bounty hunter all up in my face seeming extremely unimpressed with my hairstyle. Before Bailey or I knew what was happening, I was being "dragged" up into the stocks near the backdrop. Let that be the first and only time I ever get arrested, alright?

My one-and-only mug shot. 

Through much difficulty, we managed to snag Stormtrooper pictures, too (they move a lot and have no attention span at all for photos) before it was our turn on Toy Story Mania. Then to Darth's Mall, for another meet and greet with C3PO and R2D2 (C3PO said I looked familiar), then lunch and a Darth Vader cupcake for dessert, and back home to prepare for work in Canada. Where I wore my Leia buns all night.
Tomorrow, Canada is saying goodbye to four of its merchantainers. It'll be a dark day, even if it's not raining.

TTFN,


Note: I met my roommate yesterday! Contrary to my belief, her program ends Friday. NNNNOOOOOO. You better believe I had roommate-related nightmares last night.

Thanks to: Aimee for the mail and Tim, who was going to let me meet Darth Maul had I not been 20 minutes late. Sorry, buddy.

The Most Magical Place on Earth is Here

As I write, I'm wearing my Leia buns and my R2D2 Mickey Ears (with 3D buttons). If that's not dedication, I don't know what is.

Highlights of my week include the Art of Animation Resort's Open Mouse, and more Star Wars Weekends (Star Wars Weekends, Episode 2).
On Monday, WDWs newest resort, Art of Animation, hosted an Open Mouse (like open house, get it?) for Cast Members. I went with Lesley and Lindsay, more Canadians. Art of Animation is a value resort next to Pop Century, and features family suites that'll sleep two adults and four kids. Everything freaking turns into a bed! It's magical, as per usual.

The hidden autograph in the lobby of Art of Animation.
It's John Lasseter's. 

Two of the four units were open for viewing. Finding Nemo and Cars rooms were viewable, but Little Mermaid and Lion King were still under construction. The resort is so full of magic and standard Disney detail, it was unbelievable! Lindsay, Lesley and I, being the only ones in attendance not in business attire, let everyone at the resort know how excited we were to be there by spontaneously bursting into song, testing every single bed and playing on the playgrounds (first Disney resort with playgrounds, holla).

Finding Nemo playground
I tested it. The slides are for guppies.

Lesley, Lindsay and I are car models, apparently.

On Tuesday, I met a bunch of Canadians after work at Magic Kingdom. I arrived in the middle of the Electrical Parade, which I have yet to see in its entirety, meaning I took the really long way around Cinderella Castle to meet them at Splash Mountain. Two of the group are leaving by the end of the month, as all good programs must come to an end, so it was their last viewing of Wishes, Magic Kingdom's fireworks. We took the ferry (my first time!) back to the Ticket and Transportation Center to top off the night.  Thursday I brought my former trainer, Katie, to the wonderful world of Property Control for her first and last time. She's also leaving at the end of the month. Sad face :(

Tonight I fought mad traffic on the bus to meet up with yet a different set of Canadians (Megan, Arin, Maggie and Chelsea) for more fun at the second weekend of Star Wars Weekends. I arrived on time to stake out a viewing area for the Hyperspace Hoopla, a massive epic dance-off between the Good Guys and the Bad Guys of the Star Wars universe. It was without a doubt the best thing I've seen since I've been here. It might be the best thing I've seen ever.

All the words you'd never thought you'd see together. 

Go Good Guys!
Get over Amidala and Leia being the same age. I did. 

You haven't lived until you've seen Boba Fett show you his moves like Jagger. Mostly everyone took off after that, but Chelsea stuck around for a spirited wander through Darth's Maul (a merch tent for SWW) and my first time of Fantasmic, the epic water/lights/fireworks/character show that caps off every night of Hollywood Studios.
I am off for more SWW tomorrow morning before work. A friend of mine, not Han Solo, is going to be frozen in Carbonite. Don't panic.

TTFN & May the Force be with you,


Note: How much fun are culottes in 35 degree heat? Stay tuned.

Thanks to: Chelsea for not judging my behaviour in Darth's Maul.

Look at This Trove, Treasures Untold

Update: I may have mentioned very briefly that I won an award at work not too long ago. May I present proof:

Heck yes, Merchandise Canada.

I've had a very successful weekend by my magical standards.

Thursday I woke up early (...okay it was 0900) to go to the Florida DMV somewhat nearby to finally get my Florida driver's license. As per expectations, the line was enormous, even with an appointment, but the bottom line is I'm now a licensed Florida driver and I can legally park at my house now (I have a parking decal that says 'The Commons' and everything).
That being done, I picked up Jen and we headed to Property Control and Cast Connection, as I hadn't been in awhile and might be assembling magical care packages to send to Canada...and I like to shop. Whatever. We got hungry after all that saving and went to Magic Kingdom for lunch (how decadent), as well as random wanderings and a few attractions, as well as purchasing things to contribute to said care packages.
Ooh, but while we were in Frontierland (home of Country Bear Jamboree and Splash Mountain...aka Canada..seriously, they sell the same merchandise as us), all of a sudden loud music started to play and random cast members appearing from nowhere started a random Frontierland flashmob! To make matters worse (or better), there was a seriously attractive cowboy selling hats near us when this whole thing started, so I turned and asked if he was expected to join in. He looked at me like I was crazy and said no. Five minutes later, oh yeah, he's dancing too. Lying cowboy Cast Member!

Frontierland Flashmob
The lying cowboy is to the left of the bear. 

I woke up really early again today to attend the first day of Star Wars Weekends (every Friday, Saturday and Sunday now through June 10) with fellow lumberjack Bailey. It was packed, as it should be. So many Star Wars t-shirts, and soooo many Leia bun hairdos (mine included). We got Fast Passes to Toy Story Mania, as per usual, then rode Star Tours twice (yeah, I was the rebel spy), then got our picture taken with Minnie Leia. We watched the Star Wars Celebrity Motorcade and rode Toy Story Mania, then got out of there to go to Walmart. I'll likely be there at least every Friday from now until the 10th to get more nerdy things accomplished (picture with Chewbacca, anyone?).

Minnie and I matched. Obviously. 

Storm Troopers were on guard to weed
out the Jedi trying to enter the park. 

I shall return for you shortly, Star Wars Weekends. I will shop at Darth's Mall.

TTFN,


Note: My roommate was here and I missed her again! She left a note saying "Thanks for taking in my mail, have a nice summer"...

Thanks to: Jen for the authentic Nanaimo bars, Mary for the proof that there are real totem poles in Canada.

A New Fantastic Point of View

No more slacking, few blog followers, I swear!

Since Monday, I have proved my reign as Taboo champion at games, gotten soaked and cursed the location of my rain gear at work, welcomed a new lumberjack and managed to destroy another guest/friend via park visiting.

Thursday my friend Cindy was here on a mission to experience Epcot with a professional (that would be me). Little did she know I really only know my way around Canada, and even then, only in theory (yes, I can explain how to get to Kidcot. I've been there once). We were able to do a lot of the Future World attractions I hadn't gotten a chance to do yet, like Living with the Land (a boat tour), Captain Eo (Michael Jackson circa 1986), Journey Into Imagination (featuring Eric Idle and Figment) as well as the Gran Fiesta Boat Tour in Mexico.

We also found Nemo in the Seas.
Those seagulls do the hilarious Mine Mine Mine thing periodically.

I also finally got on Soarin', which is probably Epcot's biggest attraction now that Test Track is down. It's amazing. Get a Fast Pass. On our way to the ferry to Hollywood Studios (Cindy wanted to do Star Tours, who can blame her?), our timing perfectly coincided with a Twinings Tea Tour, lead by Sarah of the UK pavilion through the tea garden, in which cup-shaped flower pots are labelled with tea bags and are growing the plants corresponding to the teas. Here until the end of Flower & Garden.

I'm ridiculously excited for the Tea Tour.
Sarah not so much.

I'm really into building my own droids.
This was not here the last 32 times I was on Star Tours.

With the constantly incoming lumberjack population, my shifts are changing from being dead last to leave to second to last to leave. Eventually I'll get to leave dring Illuminations, which means an easy walk out of the park for me. It's easy to dodge people when they're standing still to watch fireworks. I even worked an afternoon shift this week. I want to say it was a good thing, starting at noon, but I got completely soaked by spontaneous rain at one in the afternoon, to the extent that I had to return to Costuming for a change of clothes (which looked exactly like the last set...).

TTFN,

Note: Incoming lumberjacks mean outgoing lumberjacks. I think four will be leaving June 1st (sad face).

Thanks to: Angela for the extremely appropriate and unexpected May the 4th gift and Cindy for her awesome care package!

Now's When My Life Begins

I was gently reminded yesterday that I haven't posted in over a week. I'm a horrible blogger. And a busy lumberjack.
Here's how my week plus went down:
Saturday (28th) - Magic Kingdom with Jen for park open for further birthday celebrations. I experienced Jungle Cruise for the first time, I met Mary Poppins and three of the Storybook princesses (Cinderella, Aurora and Belle) and had lunch at Tony's Town Square Restaurant, which is Lady and the Tramp-themed. Oh yeah, then I went to work for Extra Magic Hours until midnight.

Prince Eric and Ariel in the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade.
They were totally talking about my Mickey ears. 

Walking through Cinderella Castle, aka my future home. 

Sunday (29th) - Hollywood Studios for park open with Jen, Amanda and Briana. Tip: Always sprint to Toy Story Mania for Fast Passes as soon as you get there. Best ride ever! We did Star Tours again (of course), as well as Rock'n Roller Coaster and The Great Movie Ride (first time since 2006). I had to leave at noon to work in the afternoon, but met the remaining party-goers at Jellyroll's, a dueling piano bar on the BoardWalk, afterwards.

The birthday girl and I queuing for Toy Story Mania.

Monday (30th) - Downtime. Slept, worked, made magic, the usual.
Tuesday (1st) - Mackenzie arrived from big Canada for a visit! I met her at our resort, All-Star Music, with balloons and other swag the check-in Cast Member gave me. We had time to have lunch at the resort before I had to make magic in Canada for the afternoon.
Wednesday (2nd) - Magic Kingdom Mania with Mackenzie! She hadn't been for a very very long time, so we hit up all the classics like Pirates of the Caribbean, it's a small world, Peter Pan's Flight, Dumbo and the Carrousel. We had lunch at Crystal Palace with Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore and Tigger and met Peter Pan. WE then passed out by the piano-shaped pool at our resort.

Thanks for having us for lunch, Pooh!

Thursday (3rd) - Typhoon Lagoon water park in the morning for fun times on the Crush'n Gusher (all three slides, heck yes) and salt-water snorkelling with sharks and tropical fish. Then off to Epcot, specifically Norway, for lunch with the princesses - Belle, Aurora, Cinderella, Ariel and Snow White. Afterwards, we made our way through World Showcase en route to the Seas, where we got a backstage tour of the Seas and the 300-foot tank the various animals of the Seas call home. Then...wait for it...Mackenzie went scuba-diving in the tank with another guest, a dive leader and a videographer. It's called Epcot Dive Quest and is only for licensed divers (not me). I did get to watch, take a lot of pictures, and field questions as to why exactly there were divers in the tank with the sharks.

Mackenzie, Disney Diver, on the left. 

Friday (May the 4th be with you) - Hollywood Studios for park open (for Toy Story Mania, of course). More Star Tours, as well as Voyage of the Little Mermaid and dinner at 50's Prime Time Cafe, which is themed to look like your mom's kitchen in the 50s. Then more piano-shaped pool time.
Saturday (Revenge of the 5th) - Mackenzie had to go back to Canada to start her third semester of med lab school, and I had to go back to work. But first, I met my friend Zo (from MUMC) and her family for lunch. Oh, and I won an award at work (the Top Dog Award) for my abundance of pin-trading. Sweet!
Sunday (6th) - Magic Kingdom (I live at Magic Kingdom now) with Zo and her family first thing in the morning. We did lots of Tomorrowland attractions before I had to go for groceries and work. More magic-making, of course.

I met Buzz Lightyear! YAY!

Monday (7th) - Making magic. I pretended to be a leader at one point (Chase, one of my managers, taught me to use the radios for no real reason) and learned this: If every single jet in the Fountain of Nations were to go off simultaneously, it would consume two hundred gallons of water. YEAH.

I hope you enjoyed my novel.

TTFN,

Note: You could put Spaceship Earth (165 cubic feet) in the Seas tank (300 cubic feet) and have plenty of room to spare.

Thanks to: Every Cast Member who made magic during my stay as a guest, especially Will for letting me backstage at the Seas.