Kerry Quotes

Kerry Elstob. Over the year, this girl has been there for me, made me laugh, wound me up, made me want to hit her, hardly ever let me hug her (she doesn't do hugs) first half of the year she was a good girl and a keeno then dropped a bomb on me telling me she doesn't really like Disney that much, would never wear a Disney tee shirt  in public and was a really naughty kid at school! And from then on, she was a complete menace at work, never at her register, always winding us and the coordinators up, poking us in the arm constantly and laughing her nervous laugh whenever there was an awkward silence or she for once said something serious.  Many times I have said to her "why am I friends with you?!?!" after all this came out, but besides all this, she is famous amongst us for her random one liners. When I remembered too I wrote them down, and now is the time to share them all with you!

While looking at my birthday cards in my apartment, she says with her puzzled face:

"Don't those cards collect dust at all?"

When I discussed with her how much I've changed and grown out here and will never forget these memories we've made over the year, it's such a great opportunity we have working for Disney, she responds with

" Yea, I defiantly don't watch as much tv here as I did at home"

"Today, I figured it out, I'm actually really clumsy"

"Don't you think mushrooms are like aliens?"

When we were sat one day on the C bus to work, she starts looking around it before sitting down and says:

"This is like a normal bus back at home isn't it?"

At Animal Kingdom Lodge looking at the wildlife:

"Why don't they let us just walk with zebra like I did when I lived in Africa?"

"I don't regret buying it"

With Anna one day at work, yes she didn't have her glasses on but:

Kerry "is that a squirrel or a rabbit?"

Anna "that's two ducks Kerry"

"I think all fat kids grow into tall skinny things"

"I wish wands were real"

"That mint has really opened up my nose"

"It's quite hard to make a sand castle"

"So, is a orange scone really orangey?"

Asking her what is in her sandwiches at work one day:

Kerry "Ham and chocolate spread"

Me "why?!"

Kerry "because I ran out of butter"

"American adventure = death"

"This is why Chinese people are so short, because the trees a small"

"Why are bras so difficult?"

"Do you have to train your mouth to like new foods?"

Asking after her cactus, she named Bertie, we got for free from Epcot, didn't need anything but sunlight:

"Bertie is defiantly dead. Actually withered"

"If I was fat I'd defiantly have a big bum"

"It's so boring, brushing your teeth"

One Sunday night Kerry got VERY drunk and we had to take her home on the F bus from DTD. We had to asked a Norwegian guy for his plastic bag he was using to carry his shopping in, so she could throw up into it. The bag unfortunately had holes in it. So after throwing up into it, putting it on the ground and then the contents flowing down the bus and next to her shoes she screams "eeewww what's that?!?!" That's your sick Kerry!! This all happening while strangers are taking photos of her and putting it on their Facebook  and instagrams!! Haha!

And there are many many more! I wish I could continue seeing her everyday to add to this collection, but that's what the reunion in Cyprus is for!! See y'all real soon Elstob!

1 car, 5 Merchie Girls, 7 states, 5 days. 2000 miles! Road trip Joy, June 2013

We talked about it all year. Something me Kerry and Anna have always wanted to do, and the time finally came at the end of their programs to hire a car and just drive around America. See how far we get. Anna, the walking map, did all the planning and worked out we could hit 7 states in 5 days, 2000 miles! So this is where our adventure took us.... 

Friday 14th June 2013

Anna & Kerry moved all their stuff to my apartment at 9am after packing up their lives all night.  I carried their suitcases up the stairs in exchange for their wifi boxes as mine is dying.  Handed back their keys and ID to the clubhouse at The Commons, checked their mail boxes one last time and said goodbye to living experience of their program that was in The Commons.

We then met Claire and krysia and went to get the car, it was a massive silver SUV! Drove to panera bread for food and ran into the gorgeous Jereme on his way to his road trip to Miami, Bon voyage and goodbye beautiful French merchie! He arrived and finished his program on the same dates as Kerry and Anna. 

Drove to Walmart for bananas, crackers and nail varnish, the essentials for any good road trip!

100 miles down the road we have past several cows, horses and bill boards aimed at Anna, "pregnant and alone? Call us for your options".

Haha! only joking! The tomtom just told us we need to just drive straight for 300miles, on our way to Alabama!!

We reached the Georgia state line, a very exciting time and the furthest north I have ever been in America! There was a rest stop straight away so we went for a look and it was adorable with an information desk and picnic tables and leaflets for a Gone with the Wind museum! My favourite film of all time! It was 15 miles from Atlanta so we were too far away to get there in time before it closed.  We stopped at a Cracker Barrel for dinner which was yummy. Then we just kept driving and ended up crossing into Alabama, again stopped at the rest area for photos and a drink and then drove to find a Quality Inn to stay the night. We tried several other places first in Irondale near Birmingham, Alabama but the Quality Inn was the right price, free wifi and free hot breakfast!

Saturday 15th June 2013

The free breakfast was amazing and of course as merchies we took apples, muffins and Philadelphia for the road! After getting gas we were on our way to Graceland! I drove us just past the Mississipi state line to the rest area, and now Anna is driving us to Graceland as we listen to Elivs songs in the car to get us ready for the King himself! 

Graceland was awesome! We went for a tour around Elvis' home, planes, car collection, gift shops galore!

Drove to Nashville to find somewhere to stay for the night. It ended up being a super 8, not so super! The room was dirty, broken, scary, the five of us didn't enjoy the the experience at all. When we asked for more pillows and towels. They arrived at 1am with a loud bang on the door from the scary man on reception. We stopped telling scary ghost stories after that because Kerry said she couldn't sleep if we continued! 

Sunday 16th June 2013

Happy to get up and out of the Demon hotel, we drove  into Nashville city centre and explored the country/cowboy land. It was brilliant. Everyone had cowboy boots on. The zebra crossing played country music when you walked across the road.  We went to a "cowboy tequila" bar for lunch which had live music and singers inside who were hilarious. One even got me up on stage because I was from England and took the mick out of his accent but only because he had done it to me two minutes earlier. And he liked me for it! After meeting a dog called Chloe in the store next door, It was time to move on and drive to South Carolina via North Carolina and thankfully we found a Quality Inn for the night. Phew!

Monday 17th June 2013

We drove to Charleston in the morning to go explore, shop and hunt down "The Notebook" film sets! We found the cinema and the corner where they lay down on the street and watch the traffic lights turn from green to red in the film. I love the South Carolina accent. Southern accents are my favourite since moving to America and I try and do then to those southern folk who will listen to it, normally with an impressed response, thank goodness! We saw lots of shops, had lunch and a snack before getting back on the road to head back for Florida. We aimed to get to Jacksonville and stay there for the night before driving back to Orlando in the morning so me and Claire could go to work for 1pm. And another quality inn was found to have a magical nights sleep in!

The whole roadtrip was amazing. I love Orlando. But it felt so good to get out and away for a few days. It was a lovely long weekend/mini vacation that we all needed. I loved driving in America. We had so many laughs together. Each night was like a sleep over. Loads of photos from all the places we saw and it's sad to think that that was the countdown for me to the end of my program. Now that my best friends Anna and Kerry have finished, that meant only two weeks until my last day at work, very sad times! But a fantastic way to spend time with each other and I recommend anyone on a Disney program out here to do a Road trip and explore America!  

Starlit Splash, Typhoon Lagoon, May 2013

Hello there!! remember that time i used to update my blog regularly?? Well i apologise for the lack of updates in my last few months. I have just come across this update I wrote on my phone two months ago in May! So I thought to start with, this update would be useful for people wanting to join the program or just anyone who's interested about a great night we had back in May...

 I would like to tell you all about last night which was the Starlit Splash event held in Typhoon Lagoon for cast members on college programs and CRP like me. It was AMAZING! Basically typhoon lagoon was open to just us from 7pm-12am last night and they had free stuff, food, drink, music, dancing, DJ, pirates everywhere, Jack Sparrow, fireworks, we could go on the slides, in the wave pool and it was just so much fun. There were so many of the UK pavilion out it was good, and we met the newest newbies. People kept arriving after they finished work but there was a big group of us who were there for the full five hours. We were in the big wave pool for so long. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard or had so much fun. Being in a water park was so good at nighttime and something ill never be able to do again. I remember reading blogs about it last year and didn't know if they'd do it again. So if they do it next year too I recommend to everyone staying in Disney housing to go! It was raining for most of the night, but that didn't stop us! And by the end if the night it had stopped. It was a night I'll never forget and I can't wait to see the photos soon from it!!

A more up to date blog entry to follow shortly...

Happy Eggsmas!

Happy Easter everyone! I have one cadburys creme egg to get me through the day! And in the UK pavilion today there are Easter egg hunts and egg and spoon races for children to take part in, which are very funny with the running commentary that comes with it, you can also meet mr and mrs Easter bunny here too!! I did on Friday on my day off. They are so cute and fluffy! 

I checked my mail box this morning but still no Easter parcel from home, so at least I've got something to look forward too. I'd laugh if it comes after mum and Alice come in 16 days! But hopefully they are filling the empty suitcase they are bringing me, with a few chocolate treats for my tummy! I have just about run out of the stash Becky and George brought a month ago. 

...it's now Monday, and last night after a 9 hour shift, 7 little merchies went to magic kingdom until 1am! It was awesome! We went on all three mountains, several boat rides and helped buzz light year save the galaxy!! All in three hours. It was brilliant. After working all day we still had the energy to play because you do when you work for Disney! I am still loving every minute of my 12 month program, can not believe I only have 3 months left to go before I travel a little bit and then end up going back home. I think it will be like I never left! Can't wait to see all my family and friends for the biggest of catch ups and I will do my best to bring the sunshine back with me!

It's moments like these I remember why I love working for Disney!

A guest came to make an exchange this evening, it was just before the fireworks were about to start at 9pm and it was extra magic hours. So the store was open until 11pm, I had been in since 1pm. The mum and daughter were exchanging a top they had brought a few weeks ago for a different size, but the mum couldn't find the receipt. She said "oh we will come back another time with it, we only live two hours away" I told them I could make the exchange without the receipt if they were ok with waiting shortly for a manager to come and approve it. Which was fine with them. So we got talking, they were really funny, I was talking to her daughter about One Direction and they asked me how I got the job etc. I served other guests while they waited patiently, but continued our conversation, including other guests into out conversation as I carried out their transactions. When Tom, my manager finally came to help out with the exchange, the mum immediately started to tell him what a great cast member I had been.  She told him she is in the hospitality business, she did a disney internship years ago and knows what disney cast members are expected to be like, but i was a truly magical fairy tinkerbell like cast member full of pixie dust and exceeded their expectations. She said i had been so lovely and helpful not just to them but to all the guest she had seen me engage with that night. She mentioned she would hire me in a second if she could so I could stay in America because I had told her in our conversation how much I would love to stay. She is an annual pass holder for the last three years and believes it is money well spent, she loves the parks, rides, merchandise, but they don't make the trip worth while, it's cast members like me that keep her coming back time and time again. She called me amazing and that i was the true essence of Disney. The fact that I was still smiling and making them laugh at 9pm was amazing she thought, if there was a survey person outside they would happily tell them how great I had just been that evening for them. As they left the daughter gave me a hug and then the mum did also. It meant so much, that without even trying or thinking how can i be extra magical? i was just myself talking away to them, I had made an impact and given them great customer service when all I thought I was doing was having a chat with these two guests. I hope I see them again and get their names, and I photo. Wish I had asked my manager to take one now. He did then say "if that doesn't make it into the recap tonight u don't know what will" very proud cast member this evening. I am working in the right place!

Twinings Tea Tours & becoming a Disney Trainer

Hello Disney joy fans!! It's been a while! I am, as always sat on the C bus on the way to work. It is my Monday (Sunday but its my first day back to work after my weekend so it's Monday in my head) and I had a lovely two days off sunbathing an doing around epcot's flower and garden festival and Hollywood studios for a couple of animation classes and fantasmic!! Standard weekend in Orlando!

Time is moving on very quickly, I only have 3.5 months left of my program. Where has the time gone?? The last month has new busy as I have been training for the flower and gardens Twinings Tea Tours. During the festival, 10 UK merchandise cast members give a tour around the tea gardens at work and I was lucky enough to be chosen after putting my name forward to do it. We got training and a script to learn for a month and now once or twice a week I give up to 20 guests a personal tour around the pretty gardens behind the Tea Caddy store in the UK pavilion. I was very nervous on my audition and first tour but last Thursday I did two in one afternoon and think I have got the hang if it now. Guests are very kind telling me they enjoyed it and I was very funny and informative, one guest told my manager "she's just so adorable and previous, I just want to have a cup if tea with her and let her talk" so that's always nice to hear. 

I also put my name forward to become a trainer at work too and had an interview and training and an assessment and now I am a trainer too! So when we get a new cast member in, I get to train them in the merchandise role and tell them all about Disney joy! Hope I don't scare them...I'm sure everyone is like me when they first turn up, right??

I had Bekkie and George visit me a few weeks ago from home which was magical, felt like I'd seen them the day before even though its been 8 months since we last saw each other. They defiantly found the Disney joy...and drank their way around the world in epcot, I'd expect nothing less from those two! I also have my little sister and mum coming out to visit me in about three weeks, very exciting, I can't wait, for them to bring me cadburys Easter eggs!! Haha, and to see them of course. Dad isn't coming out, he's staying at home with the dog, but Alice is very excited to see Disney again as she hasn't been back since she finished her college program nearly two years ago and of course the new fantasy land wasn't there back then so it will be great to show them around.

A few very close friends have left recently, they have come to the end of their program and completed their 12 month contract respectfully, it gets harder and harder to say goodbye everything someone goes home because I am closer to them as I have known them longer. I have started a leaving book, even though these people leave before me, I asked them to write in my book so I have a good collection of nice words to read when I go home in the summer and cry my eyes out because I am not in Disney anymore. But it will be great to see all my friends and family back home again, I do get flashes of homesickness more than often now. I miss my house and being home. But I know that and everyone will be waiting for me when I get home for a big reunion! 

This week we also have eggciting news for the UK pavilion in Epcot, we have an Easter egg hunt, relay race for kids and mr and mrs Easter bunny are coming for a visit everyday for a week! It's part if this years limited magic experiences. Every week and new and limited time only event happens within Disney world. Last week it was and Easter egg hunt around the world showcase which was big fun, this week it's our visitors and entertainment Easter joy in the UK, as well as an Easter parade in magic kingdom. So we are all taking spare clothes to work to change into at lunchtime and go have our photo taken with the Easter bunnies! My mum has sent me an Easter package from home, I hope it arrives soon, I need cadburys chocolate, my stash is running low at home!! I have no idea when Easter is because I have no sense of time in this Disney bubble, I still think it's last summer when I first got here. The weather is so gorgeous at the moment (apart from the little tornado warning we got yesterday afternoon but we were all ok) 70mph winds and rain come and go, but the blue sky and sunshine joy last and is very frequent in my beloved Orlando!

February in Disney World

So, I have found my new love, it is to practice line dancing at home before going to cowboys on a Saturday night! I love it, I'm now listening to Country radio in my spare time, moving my feet on the bus to work to the songs playing in my ears. I've got "fake ID" down to a tee, just want to go to cowboys more now and practice with the professionals!

At work I've had a few short hour weeks which means I've spent a lot more time in the Disney parks when I finish which is nice, me and Kerry even did four animation classes in one day the other day. I enjoy the walk from Epcot to Hollywood via boardwalk. Had a very upsetting experience of buying a slice if pizza, eating a few bites and a seagull flew down, and stole it out of my hand!! I nearly cried, was in shock and alone and scared because I hate birds anyway, but for one to steal the piece if pizza I had just spent good money on, out if my hand, I was not best pleased. Others find it amusing...I do not. I had this two years ago when a seagull stole my ice cream out if my hand on clear water beach in Florida. What is it with Florida seagulls?? Anyway, worst things have happened! I'm not one to hold a grudge....but seagulls get nothing but evils from me now!

But now this week and next I have lots of hours at work so more money to be earned to save for trips :) plus I've got a few visitors from Plymouth coming in march and April including my mum and sister finally! It feels like everyone's family have come to visit apart from mine. Dads not coming, he's "done Disney and will stay and look after the dog" fiiiiiiine!! More time for me, mum and Alice to enjoy Disney world for freeeee!! 10 weeks to go, plus they are here when I have my week off paid vacation which is a bonus!

I got my tax rebate yesterday, thank you very much America! So going shopping after work I think and buying things I've wanted for a while, while my holiday discount lasts, it runs out on Wednesday so going to be purchasing a whole lot if Disney! Which is never a bad thing! Off to work at the moment on my Friday, I did an open-close yesterday (10:45am-9:15pm) which I haven't done in a while and I'm shattered. But probably because we went to the cinema after work and saw Warm Bodies and didn't get back until gone 1am but the film was really good. We all want a zombie boyfriend now! Haha. Only have an 8 hour shift today, then two days off, yaay. Think we will go around animal kingdom tomorrow to get some character photos and autographs because I haven't got one autograph yet! But of course I have several photos already. I'm thinking if buying a nice big SLR camera and getting back into my photography because if I'm going to be going to travel and see America, I want a nice camera to take with me. Thanks to the tax return and think that could happen now! Off to work, hope everyone has a good day, think if Disney joy!! 

And hello to my friend Rebecca in Australia, glad you got home safety and you had a good time in "the other park that shall not be named" after I met you at work! You're a star!

I keep writing this and forgetting to post it! It's now my Monday (Sunday) and I'm going back to work after a good weekend of sunbathing, magic kingdom and shopping! I treated myself to a Dooney & Bourke handbag!! And a new dress, pair of shorts, iPhone case, all things I 'needed' but now I'm stopping. It's back to work which means I try not to spend any money on the five days I work because I bring in a packed lunch and eat dinner at home. So lets see how that works this week. Today is my shortest shift of the week finishing at 5:45 and then tomorrow and Tuesday I'm working the dreaded open-close but at least it brings me more money to spend on pretty things- I mean save...yes, save (?)

Christmas and NYE working in Disney World 2012/13

Exciting news people, I am blogging from my new iPhone4!!! I have wanted to get one for a while now as my iPhone 3 was getting very slow and old and cracked- nothing to do with dropping it on NYE, well, maybe a little bit- but after going 9 days without an iPhone or laptop and having to walk to the PC room in the commons twice a day to have a quick check up, I am finally with iPhone again and very happy! There is music in my ears again on the way to work and I can type. I did start reading a book, which is very rare for me, and I aim to complete it because I got so far reading it with no phone to play with, but it felt right being glued to it until 2am again last night like normal!!

New Year's Eve was amazing, as were the MK fireworks we watched the night before. They were 360degrees around MK and looked fantastic from the Polynisian resort. But New Years Eve I worked until 6:45pm and then changed clothes to go out to the court yard and celebrate "real time" New Year's Eve back home in the UK, at 7pm. We all went nuts in the street, managers and coordinators covered the registers so cast members who were still working could celebrate with us. It was brilliant to all link arms and sing together with party hats etc. then it was off to enjoy the rest of the night at the Pub, Italian pavilion for the boppin rave that was going on there, who new Epcot could be so cool?!? We had food in Morocco and then back to the UK to watch the midnight fireworks, which were 7 mins late starting. But that was because of safety checks I believe. Fireworks came from everywhere around the world showcase, it was amazing, from what I remember, haha. Defiantly one of the best NYE I have had and will never forget. I will never celebrate NYE or Christmas in Disney World again (unless I come back and do a second program....or end up here living happily ever after in America forever) so I'm glad I got to work and enjoy all things Disney during the season.

As of january 10th, everything Christmas has gone. I was working for an hour the day before in the Crown and Crest store before I gasped and noticed the beautiful Christmas garland that goes all the way up the stairs had gone overnight.  I ran into HRC and sports store to confide in Sian, Clare and Jordanna for cuddles and "there there Chloe, it had to come to an end some time" very sad times, no more Christmas in Disney. The music disappeared on New Year's Eve and changed to the normal green sleeves uk songs we have on all day. Plus the massive tree came down in Epcot new year eve morning, and I didn't even notice! That's to make room for the thousands of guests we had that night. Other parks kept theirs up until yesterday. But I got to say goodbye and last photos of MK, Hollywood studios and animal kingdom which was nice. It is time....to look forward to my birthday!!!

In a few days I will be spending my birthday in another country which will be bizzare but something I've talked about since I got this job offer a year and a half ago, "I will be turning 26 in Disney world and it will be half way through my program" i can't believe it is already here. I plan to go to my favourite Panera bread for brunch, then off to MK with the girls for the day and the out for dinner somewhere and then to cowboys in the evening. I'm constantly checking the post to see if I have received my birthday cards and presents nice Plymouth people have sent me! Lucky girl. Plus, the weather this week has been amazing! It's been 28degrees C and blue skies and I've sunbathed three days in a row and got my tan back already! Never thought I'd be swimming and sunbathing this close to my birthday. I love Florida so much, how am I going to leave it in less than 6th months?? I am over half way now into my program, the time has flown by and I've been told it only goes quicker in the last 6 months. People I care about a lot are starting to go home in the next few months, it's going to be sad and so strange to be at work without them. But it's all part of the job and I have to remember I have made some friends for life who I can go visit after my program ends around the world, that's the best bit I think. Lots of Americans are moving into the commons now, which is new so I intend to make friends with them too, I would love to travel America and get to as many states as I can and visit people I know who can show me around!

P.s. went to cowboys last night for the first time in 6 weeks and loved it, picked up the line dancing moves quickly and felt like a happy cowgirl in my boots dancing with strangers on the dance floor in unison, looking forward to going back again on Thursday night for my 26th birthday!!!

Back on the blog!

For the first day in over a month, I was at the bus stop early enough this morning to get a seat on the bus so I can sit here and blog in peace...apart from the boppin' tunes playing through my headphones.

Since my last blog I have been on a cruise to the Bahamas on the Disney Dream, which was one of the best things I have done since I got here. Everything about it was amazing, the food, the company, the shows, the restaurants, the entertainment, shops, clubs, parties, rooms, day trips, cast away cay, Christmas decorations, room service, character meet and greets etc. I was swaying for three days afterwards mind you, I would be stood at work serving guests and would sway from side to side without realising. I defiantly want to go on another cruise and have as much fun and laughs as we did on that one. To sunbathe on December 1st and get a tan was insane, how could I not love my life??

Christmas has been and gone, sad Chloe. But I was very lucky to get so many presents sent to me from back home and from my friends here with me on the program. I skyped my family on Christmas morning as they opened my presents for them and I opened mine from them. I did it as I wore my work costume with my winter Christmas Disney mickey ears hat, standard and jingle bells on my wrist. I have sounded like an elf everywhere I go since i went to Walmart and bought the best purchase of my life, $2 hair bands with big silver jingle bells on them!! It brought a lot of joy to people as I wore them in my hair on Christmas eve, day, and boxing day. I had very long shifts those days and got quite quiet and slightly upset during lunchtime on Christmas day as I ate my lunch on my own as no one had the same breaktime as me, so that was rather sad. Thinking how my whole family were together back home including my 6 month nephew enjoying his first christmas, who I've only met twice before I came out here, and of course they took a picture of the food they were eating and sent it to me and my empty merchie belly rumbled. But it just made me look forward to next christmas.... Or August when I go home and nicely order mother to cook me a full roast dinner with all the trimmings to make up for it!!

Now I'm looking forward to new years eve tomorrow at Epcot. We are starting tonight at magic kingdom watching their fireworks which will be the same as tomorrow nights so we are going to get two new years eve celebrations because I'm sure tonight will be amazing. But tomorrow is going to be insane. I'm working until 6:45pm to finish in time for 7pm to celebrate the Uk pavilion celebrate new years eve in real time because back home then it will be midnight. Epcot will make an announcement too to let everyone know in the park the reason we are all singing and jumping up and down in our street. They have put up two big screens in UKs courtyard where the band plays, we hope thats to air BBC one live from home at 7pm, that would be amazing, it wouldnt feel the same seeing in the new year without hearing bigben chime! Then we get to go nuts at midnight USA time with the rest of the 80,000 guests estimated to be in the park. That's the most Epcot can hold. And it's the busiest day of the year. I've heard stories of how it's going to look and I'm a little scared. But there a good group of us finishing early so we shall all be together to brave the crowds in the evening and see in the new year together, I'm so excited...

...and now I'm on my way home from work to go have tea, a quick nap and then go to watch magic kingdoms fireworks tonight. Got to get up early tomorrow as I start at 9:15am and we have all had a lot of late nights lately at the cinema etc so need a quick nap before a very long day tomorrow, only to start early at work new years day too. Not used to all these early mornings and working during the holidays! But it's good, I'm looking forward to payday this week and next after all my hours working. 

Going to start saving lots of money in the new year for trips around America, instead of spending it on meals out and Disney merchandise (think I have enough now to last me a lifetime!!)

Catch up of joy

Can't believe that there are floods at home and awful weather and Im on my way to work in the blazing sunshine. It's cold in the evenings, I wear jeans and hoodies then, but when the sun is shining its still hot. Why doesn't everyone move to Florida, come on people, it really is called the sunshine state for a reason.  I still don't believe it's November, it still feels like I'm July and Iv only been here for a couple weeks.

I've been behind on my blog lately, I wrote one out last week and then accidentally deleted it on my phone and got stressed so left it.  I survived my seven day stretch with no days off. I got extended at work several times to be floor stock which I was happy about because it meant extra hours, plus something different to do at work and I got to train Elle on floor stock one day too so it was nice to be a trainer for a day. 

Me, Anna and Kerry went to mickey's very merry Christmas party at magic kingdom two nights ago  which was magical. We met loads of characters and got free hot chocolate and cookies and watched the holiday wishes fireworks and the Christmas parade which was amazing!!! We all bought Christmas hats with mickey ears and looked the part walking around the Park dressed for Christmas! Even met Santa at the end for a quick photo! I asked my manager if we could wear those hats at work on Christmas day and she said yes, woop!

On my days and evenings off last week I decorated my apartment for Christmas, went to the Grand Floridian Resort to see the life sized ginger bread house, went around the world at Christmas time in Epcot and watched Candle light in America with Geena Davis and a choir singing Christmas songs, it was amazing and very Christmassy! We got to ride test track which has been closed for months being refurbished, but cast members got a sneaky peak at the updated ride which was awesome. I saw the Osbourne's Christmas lights again at Hollywood studios, have had a couple of lazy evenings watching Christmas films at mine with the gang and generally loving  Orlando life still 4.5 months in. 

Work is busy, as it was thanks giving week last week. We had a little feast at work at lunchtime and then a few if us went to Walmart and the Florida Mall for black Friday. It was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. Hundreds of shoppers ready to dive for the sale items once midnight hit. They said at the mall "do not run"... I don't think he said it loud enough, because once the shutters went up at midnight we all sprinted through the mall laughing and screaming, slightly panicing, to our favourite stores to grab the bargains as everything was on sale! I was happy with 50% off everything Roxy as the girls went for other designers. So much fun and we ran into a few other people from work at the mall, such a local now recognising people you know outside if Disney!

Got a nice parcel from my sister and another from mum, both containing a cadburys advent calendar and paper chains, like mother like daughter!!l it's so nice to get things from home and even better when it comes in a big parcel cuz I love getting post!! Must go to work, just waiting for the "lazy bus" to take me to UK pavilion from the cast services building as I don't have the right shoes on to walk across onstage, would look a bit silly and I would get told off for not being show ready walking in my costume with flip flops on! Everything in Disney has to be perfect and it is.

I'm currently loving the compliments we get about our new costumes. It's nice to get regular guests coming in and going "oo, new costumes, they look beautiful" and yesterday I was in the Lords and Ladies store most if the day where we sell pretty shinny things (jewellery) and I said this to a guest and she replied "well you are one of those pretty shinny things too" so cute. And we had the jewellery designer in this week too, Kit Health from my home county, Devon England. He was in for a few days chatting to guests and signing autographs and so I bought the very pretty ring from the expensive cabinet that I have had my eye on for months and got Kit to sign the box. My Disney discount helped with the price because it was more than a days wages!! But worth it, it will last forever made of 925 sterling silver. I know this because we had a training class about all his jewellery that we sell in our store so now I know what I'm selling rather than just going, it's pretty!

Brimming with Joy

Christmas is coming to Disney, in fact it's just about here!! Magic kingdom has all its decorations up along main street usa and we watched the show at the castle how they turn the lights on on the castle. It looks absolutely stunning! When I saw main street for the first time I welled up with tears in my eyes because it just looks so darn pretty!! My favourite place in the world covered in Christmas joy! The only way it could have been better is if they had a "joy" sign on the castle haha. Then we went over to see Hollywood studios decs and were greeted by the biggest tree Iv ever seen and then we found the lights. The Osbourne's spectacular Christmas dancing lights down the streets of new York in hollywood studios. They are amazing! Every ten minutes a Christmas song starts to play and the lights dance to the beat of the music! It's ridiculously good because there are  million lights up there along every building and how they make them all flash and change colour absolutely baffles me! The best bit was when a Spanish Christmas song came on "Feliz Navidad" everyone started a flash mob of a cowboys routine I recognised so we all jumped in and joined in with the line dance! We were there for a few hours so it happened a few times, was so good!

My shifts and days off are all over the place the last couple of weeks as I have done so many swaps for myself and other people so it's fun to go to work and know you've got the next day off. But come Friday I'll be paying for it as I have to work seven days straight until I get my normal Friday Saturday off again next weekend. But it's all worth it as I have tomorrow off to watch the twilight marathon at the cinema all day!

....and what a marathon it was!! Five films in one day, back to back, we got free posters, lanyards, the whole audience were all together cheering and booing and laughing in unison by the end. Every time a films started and ended we cheered, all the team Edwards cheered for him when he first appeared in each scene, all the team Jacobs did the same, but then we all wolf whistles and cheered together every time Jacob took his top off, which happened a lot! It was such a funny day and even though we were sat down all day watching Twilight films, we were exhausted by the end of it.

We had a housing event Wednesday night at Chatham square, it was thanks giving themed so me Nathan and Tom fitted right in when we came straight from work in our costumes. We got free food and drink including turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing, happy Chloe. And they were throwing out free teeshirts to the crowd, we all had one by the end of the night. Plus, not forgetting a bit if line dancing with the crowd to Cupid shuffle! We got all the newbies to join in as they looked at us like, "what's going on" so got them involved to the easiest of the cowboy routines. I am ready for cowboys tomorrow night with my new cowboys boots I got, might be able to dance a bit better in them rather than flip flops! I did a bit if shopping last week, 'had' to buy three skirts, three pairs of jeans, one pair if boots and a top, all for $100 which I thought wasn't bad! No more shopping now until the new year (apart from Christmas presents)

I had a lovely evening out Monday night with Gill, Graham, Thomas and Becca who are visiting from home.  They found me in my store a few days before and we went out to dinner to Charleys and I experienced my first steak, and oh my god it was amazing! All the food was so nice and it was lovely to spend time with them again as we had been talking about this meal for months and months when I met them back home in the early summer. When they said they were visiting in November I thought that will be ages away, but it's come and gone. Time is going so fast out here, but the seasons don't change so I don't notice. It still looks like July outside so I still think its July! But when I walk into my stores at work I know it's winter now as all the Christmas decorations have gone up around Epcot ! Plus, the music loop has changed at work too! It's amazing, Christmas songs get stuck in my head - well what else is new? - and all the stores look amazing with trees and garlands and decorations!

I am going in today for my first of a seven day stretch and this one will be longer and different than the rest by far. 11:45am - 1:00am tonight. I will be in rotation (on the registers) until 2pm and then I go onto a stocker shift until 1am. I got trained up on floor stock on Sunday by Clare and she showed me what the floor stock  does all day. Basically you have to be the one to pick up the packages for delivery, stock all the registers, all the stores, and deal with the money al the end if the night putting it into clever counting machines with the coordinators. After training I have been really looking forward to it. And as I am working it on a Friday, I get more time as Friday nights at Epcot are now extra magic nights so rather than getting everything ready by 9, I have until midnight which I think is a little easier to give myself more time to get everything done in my own as I won't have my trainer with me, but I do have my list if things to do that I made on Sunday, so here goes, wish me luck! (hops off the bus, goes through the backstage gates into Epcot and skips onstage to the cheery Christmas music, yes it's going to be a long day people!!)

My Disney vacation with Erika and Princess Steph

What a magical holiday I have had with Steph and Erika! We've been staying in all star music resort and extended our stay for one more night for more Disney joy! (why do we fall in love-with Disney- is our new song girls!)

We had 14 hours in magic kingdom on Friday, which included lunch and dinner in the Be Our Guest restaurant! We got a walk in for lunch and then I made a reservation for us and my fellow cast member buddies for dinner there for 7pm so they could eat there too. So even though my cast member preview was for 2-4pm, the lovely Disney people let us in earlier and we got to experience all that new fantasy land has to offer. We met ariel who was lovely and so funny, she said "oh my, you've been to the new restaurant, do they let you eat with those dingle hoppers up there on dry land? You know they are meant to be used to brush your hair don't you?" and we met gaston who is our new favourite character. He was so cheeky and flirty and had all us girls in giggles!! 

We went on the new ariel ride and got to go on the new story time with belle which was just amazing. You will have to go yourself, I won't give away any secrets. But it was just amazing and her dress is fabulous!! 

And then we got to enjoy the magical eating experience that is the Be Our Guest restaurant. Lunch is quick service, but like I've never seen it!! You make your order, get given a rose pager to put in the table, go sit down at any table you want in the ballroom, rose garden or the west wing, and the rose talks to the plates and your food comes and finds you! And rather than plastic cutlery and paper plates, it's real fancy ones as in lovely nice knives and forks and lovely white real life plates and bowls for your magical food to be presented in! We tried a few things on the menu, the leak and potato soup was so yummy and made me think of home! Dinner was full service with our waitress, Sashi, who was excellent! She kept bringing us bread and butter and helping us choose what to eat off the beautiful menu. Such a good experience, can't wait to go back again, I'm do glad Steph and Erika got to go twice in one day! We also spent a great day going on lots of classic rides in the lovely Florida sunshine. 

Saturday was a 12 hour Disney joy day starting in animal kingdom (after a much needed layin!) turn to Hollywood studios where we did two animation drawing classes, and of course tower of terror (twice) and rock n roller coaster! Also, there were Christmas decorations up in Hollywood studios which was magical to see. I hadn't seen any yet. The lights are up but weren't turned on so I will go back for that in a few days when they are. You could tell from the amount of stringed lights up that it's going to be amazing. Then we walked to boardwalk as there were no buses to downtown that we could find, and got a downtown Disney bus from the boardwalk to go have an Earl of Sandwich and get some shopping done! I personally loved my one and only purchase which was a Christmas fairy light necklace that looked spectacular around my neck light up in the dark once the lights went out on the bus on the way home! Can't wait to dress up like a Christmas tree in december (on a night out, not just around the house to suddenly stand still in the corner and see if some jolly fella puts presents at my feet.....the more I talk about it, the more light a plan it sounds!!!) 

Sunday was a quick stop to magic kingdom to ride thunder mountain as it was closed on Friday, then we got the monorail to Epcot and enjoyed the food and wine festival together. After only recently that morning crave a roast dinner with Yorkshire puddings, I bought the lamb meatball from the new Zealand stand, purely for the fact that it comes in a Yorkshire!! Amazing! We stayed for the fireworks and then power walked back to the bus stop to go back to the resort, beat the crowds!

Monday was Guy Fawkes day, as well as Hayley G's birthday! We tried to Skype her and Lauren who are holidaying in Portugal at the moment but bad Internet connections and time difference didn't make it happen unfortunately :( but hope she had an awesome birthday in the sunshine! Steph and Erika turned into my personal photographers as we had our UK cast member photo in the street at 10:30am to celebrate guy Fawkes day and our new costumes! It's the first full photo to feature our new costumes will all cast members together and I was very happy to be in it with all my fellow cast member buddies! We then had a celebration backstage with food, drink, freebies and music all afternoon which was brilliant for my lunchbreak back at work after having three days off. Erika and Steph decided to extend their stay one night so they had a lazy day back at the resort after I went to work in the afternoon and I said goodbye to them at the resort yesterday morning as I had to go back to the commons and drop all my stuff (and shopping) and get ready for an open-close shift at work. It was rather emotional, as they won't be in Plymouth next summer waiting for me to come home, they are continuing their trip around the world and will be in Australia by next summer so a trip to Australia is certainly a possibility to help me get over my PDD when I'm back (post Disney depression) I will miss them terribly but glad they had such a good Disney stay with their Disney joy girl cast member friend making extra magic happen. I know Steph will find it tough to leave the Disney bubble as I'm sure she could stay here forever like me, but Erika was very sweet saying she could live without Disney as long as she had me in her life as I am 'Disney'. Well you don't have to worry about that girls, Chloe Disney joy girl will always be around and blogging for your entertainment and joy! Can't wait for a video and photo session when we are both back home at the same time (in about two years) to go through all the ones we took over the past five days and make photo collages/scrap books of Disney joy!! Enjoy the next part of your travels girlies!! Xx

Magical moments and creating joy!

Had a really long day yesterday at work but it had a certain few perks about it! Starting off with in the morning a family came in looking for me with a parcel and as soon as I saw the hand writing on it I knew it was from my boss from my previous job at Churchwood Valley!! This family had been given this parcel back in August when they went to visit Churchwood valley on holiday in Devon, and have held on to it until now to bring it too me, so sweet. Inside was a nice big bar of cadburys chocolate which I recognised is from Churchwood's store and a lovely card with a photo of my local beach, Wembury, and it was signed by all my former work colleges who wish me well and that they miss my joy around the place which brought a tear to my eye. It feels like a million years ago that I was last there but it was only four months. I had worked at that place for ten years and knew most of them for that long. Was so nice to see their hand writing and read all the comments, including Handy Andy's "don't get too fat on all that American food" made me laugh, typical men! Think it's time for another postcard to Churchwood V!! The family took a photo of me at work that they would email back to John and Shirley and afterwards the son whispered to his sister "I remember her from the shop on holiday now". Such a nice perk to the day and as they had asked a few cast members how to find me, they all wanted to see what was in the parcel too and they thought it was really sweet and happy the family found me. Many thanks to that family from Bristol!! 

Later on in the evening when I felt I had been working for 600 hours that day in the busy tea store, I had a big line of guests and tried to get them through as quick as possible because I don't like to keep them waiting, a fellow cast member was doing some Christmas shopping as she had lots of items, and showed me her ID to get magical discount, I asked where she worked, and she's from the California Disneyland, a manager of entertainment. What a cool job?! And at the end she asked for my managers name, I thought oh no, what did I do wrong? But she said its because she thinks I'm doing such a great job she wanted to let my manager know in writing. I was flattered and thanked her and gave her Tom's full name and then she could find him on some sort of magical network for Disney managers I guess. And soon enough, Tom came and found me later that night when I was STILL at work, and mentioned, "you made quite an impression today with a guest, check this out" and I read the email she had sent him, singing my praises "you have an outstanding cast member working with you in the UK pavilion, not only does she smile and greet each guest, but talks to them, about the merchandise, their day, their vacation and had different interaction with each guest instead of just repeating the same question each time" I said to Tom, please can I print that out and send to my mum to print out and keep :) 

Today at work I knighted a little guest called Owen and made a fuss of him, and then we had a sword fight and if course he won, whilst wearing our crowns. I was with them for a while and making his mum laugh a lot, then they went on their way. 20 minutes later I found out that they had told Bradley who was working in another store to tell Dee, my manager, that "Chloe has made our trip, she was so funny and really engaging with our son, we just wanted to make sure she knows it" :) it makes me so happy to hear nice comments like that, reminds me why I'm here, to spread the Disney Joy!! Dee and Sherry both said they should call me Joy from now on...considering changing my middle name to Joy at least!

And now Steph and Erika have arrived! We are checked into all star music resort and had a pizza and now getting to sleep before a whole day if magic kingdom joy tomorrow!! We are getting there for the 9am parade. And then they are coming with me to the cast preview of the New Fantasyland!! It's going to be magical, so happy to have my travelling Plymouth buddies with me!!

Chilly Florida!!

Very very excited about my two travelling girls coming to visit me this week. They started their trip around the world on October 1st in New York and are making their way down to Orlando this Thursday to stay with me at disneys all star music resort for four days! So excited. We are going to celebrate Christmas, birthdays everything all in one because I may not see them again for a couple if years! Eventually they are 

making their way to Australia to work for a year and then working their way back home to the UK. But I haven't seen them since July at a very tearful fair well at my house so I'm super excited to squeal and run towards them for a big hug on Thursday. As a magical cast member I can let them in to the four Disney parks for free using my main gate pass and I've also managed to get them tickets to come with me for the New Fantasy land cast preview (as we are allowed to bring up to three guests) and what I've just realised is when that happens on Friday, magic kingdom will have transformed from Halloween decorations to Christmas decorations over night!!!! I'm grinning on the bus as I type this!! Can not wait to see main street USA decorated for Christmas! That means Epcot will be decorated shortly too, including the Christmas tune loop being played all day instead of the 'lovely' traditional English 

music loop we have at the moment. I do love it, my fellow merchie cast members have seen me dance and sing around the stores to that music several times, and I'm not joking when I want a copy of it to take home with me to play and cry to when I have PDD (post Disney depression) but it will be nice to have a change of music and especially if it's Christmas!!

I did another spot of shopping the other night, some Christmas presents, some just presents for me, using my 40% discount. On my Friday off I went to Hollywood studios with the current newbies which was nice, and in the evening me and Kerry went to Mickeys not so scary Halloween party with the lovely Ben and Brett. Had a brilliant night with lots of laughs, rides, character photos, parade and firework watching, and of course trick or treating! I came home with another bag full of candy (sweets and American chocolate, almond joy chocolate bar? Not as joyful as I thought as I don't like almonds or coconut, but I still ate it, Obvs!)

I also have magical news that my best friend James is coming to visit me for ten days in december for his first trip to Disney world. And what a better way to spend it that with the best unofficial tour guide of Disney (me) flights are booked, hotel being booked, YES YOU NEED TO BOOK HOLIDAY INSURANCE JAMES and hopefully he can fit a few presents into his suitcase from my magical family and inturn I will send presents back with him to go home to the Bradley's, that's free postage for you! :)

On another note, it's freezing here!!! It's gorgeous and sunny, but the humidity has gone and ok it 18degrees, but to all us Disney folk who've been surviving working in 35degrees all summer, this is cold man! It's like a fresh December morning in England when it's sunny but cold. Coats at work are being worn already, I didn't think this day would ever come. I've only got a cheeky 6 hour shift today, then me, Clare, becky and Sammie are getting the monorail to MK to see if we can get food at the Be Our Guest restaurant. A little birdie told me they are having a soft opening today for lunch and dinner. Which means they are open but don't advertise it. It's like a dress rehearsal without having to deal with the crowds.

And another thing Facebook! I hope you let me post the link to this blog from my page, I have been banned from updating statuses and adding photos for two days because I put up 600 photos last night and I did it too quickly. Many of you may remember when I got told off a few years ago for tagging too quickly. I'm sorry if I like to share joy to all my friends via Facebook. But for the next two days at least, I guess twitter will be my new best friend. 

@chlober

Follow me people!! I've been out of touch with twitter since I got here but now I'm back with bells on!!

My Magical Guests at Disney

Working in Walt Disney World is actually as magical as you would think. I am constantly telling guests how to apply, what I had to do to get this job and telling them all about it, where we live, how long the program is for etc.  I think I should get some business cards for www.yummyjobs.com because I've lost count of how many times I've written it on a piece of receipt paper and handed to a guest.  Guests are so interested in where I'm from and how I'm liking staying here. Of course the answer is 'magical, I love it here' because I love Disney, i love Orlando and i am an American trapped in an English body!! I feel like I have been here for years already and that I've know my friends out here all my life. We work, travel and spend our days off together and are constantly making each other laugh and planning trips around America.  I've been here for just over 3 months and today is the first day I'm spending by myself which will be strange, but I'm going shopping to demolish my new 40% holiday cast member discount.  I keep talking to people in shops and making friends all the time anyways so I'm sure I wont feel lonely. My Disney buddies keep saying "you're making friends again Chloe" when I start chatting to people whether I'm waiting in line for coffee in Starbucks or to the person serving me at Universal Studios.

When I'm at work it's the same, I have had some lovely amazing conversations with guests and it's these moments where I really love my job. I wish I had started writing down the funny things guests say to me like "why is it called a digestive biscuit, is that laxatives in them?" and -spoken in a very southern American accent - "oh my lord, you are just so precious, can we adopt you Chloe?". I've had a few mothers trying to marry me off to their sons, plenty of lovely guests giving me their cell phone numbers and with "if you're ever in the area give us a and we can show you around" and yesterday a guy who asked me "if you stubbed your toe and it really hurt, what swear word would you say in England?" to which I replied "I couldn't possible repeat the true answer while I'm at work sir, but 'oh jolly hock sticks' is my answer" and he laughed his head off, to his wife's disgrace who muttered "only you would ask a nice girl like her question like that" reminded me of my patents a lot!!

As I mentioned in a previous blog, Disney World received an email from a guest about me dancing around and singing like Mary Poppins and making their 10 month old son laugh. That email is now printed and framed in my apartment, along side my Applause-o-gram I received last week from a family from New York who had a daughter called Chloe. I get very excited when I meet fellow Chloes and this family I remember came into my store a few times throughout the day and every time I cheered "yaay, Chloe's family are back" and I chatted to them for ages. Well before they went home they went to guest relations and wrote out this Applause-o-gram for me saying "we just wanted Chloe's helpfulness and magic to be recognised as she was lovely to us today" which was very nice of them. It's a shame I can't get hold of them to say thank you for taking their time to do that for me because it made my day. Another couple who I met outside when I was working on Cart, were talking about blogs and how they blog about Disney and had just bought some epcot 30th mystery pins to take photos of and write about. I said that's a shame you can't do it here because I love seeing what's inside those mystery boxes, so they both said "ok let's open them here with Chloe, do you want to be in the pictures?" -did you have to ask?! So we did several 'here's the box, what's inside, yay check them out' photos. It was so much fun, and the lady said I photographed really well, I just love my guests! Then they gave me a card which read 'you've helped my Disney vacation great' and wrote a link on the back to their blog which was brilliant. So I wrote a link to my blog on my trusty Disney receipt paper as I'm not as professional as them! But it was a really nice experience and yesterday I found the link to the blog they did about the pins and loved it and loved the photos, thank you so much you guys, hope to see you around the parks again, and I still want to do what you do for a job one day, I would love to go around the parks and just write about it and take photographs. 

The other day had a mum and daughter come in to the Lords and Lady's store where we sell jewellery including a ring that features in buffy the vampire slayer series. It's real name is a Claddagh ring, but after a few attempts of mentioning buffy, every guest looked at me strangely. So I didn't say anything again, until this girl who must have been in her late teens exclaimed "look mom, it's buddy's ring that angel gave her" and I said "yes! Thank you, finally someone who understands me!" we then continued to talk about buffy and burst into song at the same time "every single night, the same arrangement, I go out and fight the fight" to which her mum looked at us strangely, but at least I wasn't alone this time!! 

All in all, my guests are magical and I do love the compliment I get nearly everyday from an Americans, "we just love to hear you talk/it sounds so much better when you say it in that accent Chloe". I'm learning where most of the states are in America by asking guests where they are from all the time, still to this day the Alabama accent is my favourite, I was the one going "no you talk, I want to listen to your accent" that time.  And I had another couple the other day from Missouri who talked to me for ages about the good places to eat around WDW and then they came back the next day to say goodbye and thank you to me for being so kind and lovely and that they had spoken to a manager at Disney and I will be getting recognition for my hospitality soon, which might mean another Applause-o-gram, I don't know, but the fact that they took the time to talk to someone else about me really makes my day and makes me think maybe I've got the hang of this job now.  I think I would like to work for Disney forever!!

Two weeks of joy update

It has been two weeks since my last blog, I apologise people!! I've been a very busy lady moving house, tanning and enjoying myself yet again :)

Last week I spent my days off at Seaworld, universal studios to watch Impact Wrestling and then me and my friends hired a car to drive to ClearWater beach and had dinner at Seabreeze and then to the Original hooters which is near Clearwater and I bought my teeshirt! Always wanted a hooters teeshirt! During that week I also dressed up as Pocahontas for Monday nights Lasses 'Heroes and villians' and spent time with Charlie and Sarah after work to do Food and Wine festival as it was their last few days with us :( very sad. This place is magical but it's very hard when someone who's been with you since the beginning comes to the end of their program and has to go home. Charlie was my trainer and I don't know what I'm going to do without her around to double check things with. Although I did make her roll her eyes at me the other day because she did something with a returned receipt that I don't normally do when I return stuff and I said "oh, that's what you do?" and she looked at me like "yes Chloe, that's what I trained you to do"  oops! Training was a long time ago and I'm old, I can't remember it all :P

This week I had the first lazy day off I have ever had here in 3 months. I stayed in, cleaned the apartment and finished unpacking all my stuff into my and ariannas nice new one bedroom apartment, it is gorgeous.  We have made it really homely. Which paid off because on our inspection yesterday we received the highest award possible which is a white glove award because it was so darn clean! And we got a big box of chocolates to say well done, yaay! Then I went to Earl of Sandwich and had a Holiday Sandwich which was the most magical thing I've ever tasted, it was a roast dinner in a sandwich and it was warm! Then we went to wrestling, standard Thursday evening, and then we went to a Uk throw-in for the newbies who arrived which was fun, we all went out after we got back from wrestling and had a few drinks. Then yesterday was spent sunbathing for a little too long because I was then late to go to universal studios. But had a very good day there including dinner at the three broomsticks and crazy golf  which was awesome even if I did come last! Then I came home to a load of mexicans as Arianna was having a little party for the new Mexicans but I didn't mind, there was Mexican food and beer :)

And we had a behind the scenes tour if the haunted mansion this week. Had to get up at 5am and to Magic kingdom for 6:30am but it was so worth it!! We got to walk the 1.5mile track of the ride where the cast members pointer out all the secrets and told us stories about the rides history. We got to go into the famous ballroom and got to go behind the glass and become a ghost sat at the table. It was just amazing. Then we were the first people to ride the ride and were able to take flash photos. That's the only time people are allowed to. Then we checked out New Fantasyland as it is having a soft opening at the moment and it was gorgeous. The new ariel ride was lovely but storyline with belle wasn't running which was a shame. But to be in the New Fantasyland after following it for years since it was first announced was amazing!! We have a cast preview to go look at everything in the November 2nd so that's going to be magical!! AND our 40% cast member discount kicks in tomorrow so I'm going shopping before work tomorrow! I'm going to get the Christmas JOY stocking I saw months ago that's $70 normal price, so the extra 20% off than normal will help with that!! I love everything joyful, I bought philidalpia the other day with "philled with Joy" on the packaging, I absolutely freaked out when I saw it, JOY!!

What a lot of joy I have to share this time!!

Sooooo much has changed since my last blog! Me and arianna had a meeting with housing about moving apartments and we settled on me moving in with someone else in a one bedroom flat at the commons and ariannas doing the same but in Patterson court which was a very sad decision to make because we want to live together but the only way we could do that was to move into a 6 person apartment in the commons which we didn't want. So we are not living together anymore.....until we got a phone call the next day saying an empty one bedroom apartment had become available in the commons if we wanted it, YES!!! So that was the happy happy news I got and made me the best bubbly cast member I could be at work. I was bouncing all day!! So we are moving all our stuff in the next few days, I've already been buying coca cola glasses and Starbucks mugs and everything for our new home which will be ours until we leave in 9 months, no more moving :)

The first day of food and wine was ridiculous, I was in the tea store all day, I have never worked so hard in my life!!! I couldn't move from behind the register all day, just to go on break. We had free tea samples and free mugs given to guests when they spent over $25 on tea etc. it was insane, but I still had delightful chit chat with each guests and made it different to each guest so they didn't hear me repeat myself as they waited in line to buy copious amount of tea!!

We then had Epcots 30th birthday on Monday where I went into work early to get a limited edition park map and badge to celebrate. Got a free cupcake from work, listened in on a cast member only talk with an imagineer who's been here since the beginning of Epcot, but then had to go to work but we all got a present and pin to trade with guests, special 30th anniversary ones which the guests where looking for, they dived towards you if they saw this special yellow pin on your lanyard, it was a bit intense!! It was a long busy day at work because there were so many guests. I treated myself to chips from the chippy at lunch. And then, we had all heard there was special fireworks that night for the anniversary and begged our managers if we could go out and watch them. So we closed the stores at 9pm sharp, cashed up in record time and ran outside to watch the end of illuminations followed by the magic that was Epcot's special 30th anniversary fireworks. I've never heard anything so loud in 

My life. Car alarms went off in the car parks, the last fireworks could be heard in resorts  close by and even in magic kingdom guests told me the following day. It was a very special moment to watch and get paid for to watch :) great ending to a bust day! During the day in the American pavilion there was a special show to celebrate the 30th and my friends Sophie and Richard were on stage representing the UK. During this, a letter was read out to the audience, that had been received recently from a guest who had been on holiday here three weeks earlier and read something like "we would like to write in to mention a girl who works in the UK merchandise location who paid our ten month old son a lot of joyful attention. She couldn't stop smiling and telling everyone how cute he was, that he was the cutest baby shed ever seen and gave him lots of stickers. Every time another cast member walked into the store she would get there attention and point him out to them.  We said he was laughing at her because she was so amusing and he must have thought she was Mary Poppins, to which she started singing and dancing around the store to Mary Poppins songs. It wasn't the fireworks or parades that we remember most from our vacation, it was this girl's attention and entertainment that stuck out to us the most and our only regret is that we didn't get her photo so would it be possible to have a photograph of the girls working that evening in that store posted to us, here is our address" and that crazy girl dancing around and singing like Mary Poppins was me. So proud. My manager read it out to me at work the following day and I nearly cried! I've asked him for a copy of the letter to frame and that family's address to send them a postcard to say thank you. My manager also took a photo of me Kerry and sammie to send to them :) pure Disney joy!

The food and wine festival is amazing! I've been to a few countries stands so far and everything in tried has been yummy, and only $3/4 each. I've eaten in Hawaii, Greece, Canada, France and Italy so far. You get a free passport to take around with you and stamp once you've eaten there. So good. On a few occasions I have stayed after work or gone in early to try more foods. It's so good and very quiet during the week, but at the weekend the lines for food can get quite long at each country. 

My last two days off have been mostly relaxing by the pool, shopping (treating myself as it was my big pay day, found a surfy shop so bought roxy shoes, reef flip flops, o'neil dress and a billabong dress) Starbucks (skinny vanilla latte is my new drink, yes I drink mild coffee drinks now!!) and universal studios. Went to watch the wrestling again Thursday night and then last night we went for Halloween horror nights. Oh my god it was the best/scariest thing ever!!! We went through all 7 scare houses. Which are massive warehouses/sound stage buildings in the depths of universals backstage areas. They all took a bit of walking to to get there. The organisation of the thing makes the mind boggle! That park closes at 5pm and they turn it into hellville by 6:30pm! Each house had a theme, mostly a scary film like silent hill or dead end. And the houses are mazes inside but with only one path through it that you have to take and every corner every few metres there are actors dressed as the dead and scary jumping out at you with loud noises and strobe lighting to make it worse and make you scream louder!! I've lost my voice. You feel the relief of getting to the end of it because you are alive, it was like being in a real life horror film. But then once you get outside, there are scary people roaming the steets going around the whole park scaring the Disney joy out of you!! They come out of no where screaming in your face! Dressed as dead things or scare scows or demons. I did feel I was in a buffy episode at one point. I was very brave towards the end and wasn't as scared as I was when we first got there, but it was absolutely amazing!! I'd defiantly go again in a few years when I come back on vacation!! Actually thought the whole thing was excellent, one point to the other park that shall not be named!!

Quick weekend

Good afternoon chloe's Disney joy reading people! Once again I am blogging from the magical 'C' bus on my way to work on a sunshine joy day of Friday which is different than usual as I only got a one day weekend yesterday. I have been by the commons pool all morning with my lovely UK lady friends, but now it's time to go to work for a 6th day as today is a Twinnings event day in our tea shop at work. I was asked a few weeks ago if I could work extra because of the event and because today is Epcot's opening day of the Food and Wine Festival so it's going to be busy compared to the last few weeks! But it's good, it's all extra money in the bank and a busy day at work makes the time go by a lot quicker! I'm excited to see all the stands up and running because they have been creeping into Epcot over night for the last month. The stands are little huts all decorated to the country they represent including Australia, Greece, Belgium, Ireland etc. most are countries we don't have pavilions for in The World Showcase so it's going to be nice to eat foods from other countries around the world (I hope Belgium has a Belgium waffle with chocolate for me to eat!!)

My one and only day off yesterday was brilliant, sunbathing (yes the tan is coming back at last after fading for the last month) and a standard panera bread for lunch where I had soup in a bowl made of bread, yes, it was amazing!! Then me, Amy and Nathan went to universal studios to have dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe- yummy, and we the watch Impact Wrestling which was being filmed live for tv! I was laughing to begin with because I didn't realise how fake it actually was. They were running around in that ring jumping on each other, but all the punches were miles away from the faces etc. but eventually I really got into it and all three of us were cheering for Magnus at the end because he was from the UK (and rather gorgeous!) Hulk Hogan opened the show with fireworks and all, it was a brilliant free night at universal, you don't need a ticket just get there early enough to get a seat!  After we managed to race back to the iride stop and get the last bus home at 10:32pm (phew) we got a housing bus to the boardwalk and met a lot of fellow merchies at Jellyrolls. I have never been there before and it was brilliant. It's one of the evening entertainment places that was always on the holiday planning videos we had when I was little and of course I couldn't go so when I got to go inside for free because I'm a Disney cast member, I had a brilliant time with the gang and a big cocktail in a massive big red cup! Happy days. Still loving the Disney lifestyle out here, everyday. My only concern at the moment is housing are trying to move me and Arianna to a different apartment as our other housemates move out in 2 weeks and they want to apartment empty for four new cast members to move into, but me an Arianna didn't move into an empty apartment, and we would be lovely housemates to two new arrivals so I don't see why we should move. The only reason why I would move is if we could get our own one bedroom apartment and make it nice and homely, so that shall be discussed nearer the time. But our apartment is so clean, we are quiet, get on really well and feel very settled in that building, so I do not want to move, we shall see. Updates about that later on when I know more.