Season of Thanks

Hello to all (: 
Happy season of Thanks! Hope that all of you had a very blessed Thanksgiving with family and friends. Mine was a little anticlimactic. I did have work on Thanksgiving, but at least I got to spend it with friends, and my job location provided a meal for everyone. The past week has been crazy busy, and I worked a ton! The weather has become chilly, which is glorious!! Seriously though, it got down into the high 40s at night. Orlando has finally realized that it is Winter time. As weird as it may sound, I actually kind of miss the cold weather in Pennsylvania. When November hits, it is automatically, in my mind, assumed that the temperature will drop. However, Orlando hasn't seemed to pick up on this fact. Even though it has been in the 60s the past week, beginning tomorrow, the temperature will be back to 75 degrees. Sheeesh! 
Tis the season for thanks, and there are many things about my life to be thankful for. Not only have I been given the blessing of life, 20 years in fact, but I have been blessed with opportunities to combine travel with learning. The fact that I am in Florida on a Disney College Program, is pretty spectacular! A lot of growing has occurred in my life since beginning the my adventure in Florida. I have a greater appreciation for everything that I learned while growing up. Things like, how to cook, how to clean, and how to do laundry. I have also continued to strengthen virtues that are needed to succeed in life, such as patience, respect, leadership, self-control and most important of all, how to be considerate of others. In addition to the life skills I have broadened while being in Florida, I am also thankful for my friends and family. This experience in Florida would not have been the same if it wasn't for the people who have stood behind me and supported me all along. Whether it be through a text, a call, an email, Skype, snail mail, or prayer, I am so very thankful for everyone who has supported me along this adventure.
How strange to think that in 5 weeks I will be saying farewell to my adventure at Walt Disney World. On Thanksgiving it crossed my mind that in less than a month everyone would be saying "Merry Christmas" to one another. The past few months have been very full, so this realization is quite easy to understand, but still?! One thing is for sure, and that is I do not feel as though I will be leaving this opportunity empty handed. There have been so many great times when I have been able to network with leaders within the Disney Company. This in it of itself has been an incredible learning experience that I am extremely thankful for! Not only is it important to know people, but for those people to know you back. As I continue to move forward in life it will be up to me to continue those professional relationships. 
Out of everything there is to be thankful for, the main person who deserves all the thanks is my heavenly Father. I am not sure where I would be without Him. Even in my times of distance from the body of Christ, He continues to stay very near. Though I am not sure why I receive the blessings that I do, I am continually grateful for His steadfast love and unchanging character.

As always, I do have some pictures to share with you all. This past Tuesday, a couple of my managers put on a scavenger hunt in Magic Kingdom for the Discovery Island Merchandise team. I was a part of a team of 4 girls and we called ourselves the "B.A.H Humbugs". It stood for Becca, Abigail, Holly, and the "humbug", Caroline. The evening was a blast and we all have a fun shirt as a reminder of the time we spent together. 

Front of our shirts

Back of our shirts

Got to meet The Little Mermaid

Hidden Mickey in Ariel's photo area

Castle Picture

Carousel and Castle. It ended up raining on us during the scavenger hunt

This view never gets old!

Looking towards Main Street Train Station

End of the night

 

A Poinsettia tree with the castle in the background

I got to meet Ariel too (:

Until I write again, 

Have yourselves a very joyful holiday season. 

And as we say on the Island (Disney's Animal Kingdom), have a Wild day!

Holidays are Here

Happy Holidays my dear readers!
Can you guys believe that Thanksgiving and Christmas are upon us? I sure can't. Christmas hit Walt Disney World on the 7th of November. Just like magic, over night every park was decorated. Each park, with the exception of Magic Kingdom, has a large Christmas tree and there are lights everywhere! Staying original to Disney, magic is alive and well this Holiday season. It took me a while to get into the holiday feel of things. Going strait from Halloween to Christmas is a bit overwhelming, no matter the beauty of it all. I think the reason for my "bah-humbug" attitude was because I started to realize how much I will miss being home for Christmas. Thanksgiving has become a no-brainer because I have been away at college, but Christmas has always been spent with family. I keep reminding myself though, that this is only a stage in my life and not a forever thing, at least not yet.
In a lot of ways I feel as though I am growing up to fast. I often find myself observing families at Walt Disney World and reminiscing about the joys and carefree reality of childhood. There is so much about my future that is unknown, and this bothers me. Although the unknown is what life is all about, I cannot help but feel as if I need to have all the answers. This mindset is becoming more common for me especially because leaders across property have been asking what is happening next in my life. When I do not have a specific answer, I worry that it comes off unprofessional. It is only when I take a step back from life, that I realize I am putting a slightly unrealistic weight on myself. The truth of the matter is, I know what I am talented at and I am continuing to learn where my passions are as well. Seeking out a career path seems to be a never ending cycle, but there are enjoyable aspects of this as well. Main thing being the fact that I have been able to travel and experience different aspects of life. 

Alright, so enough about my life in words. I have Holiday pictures to show you all. 
The first few are from the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party that my roommate, Kyra, and I went to on November 11. Being able to take part in this celebration was incredible. The park was literally empty in certain places, there was free hot cocoa, free cookies, and Christmas music playing everywhere! Definitely a magical evening.

Cinderella's Castle covered in Icicle lights

Got to meet the Seven Dwarfs!

Sitting on Santa Claus's seat

The next few pictures are of Hollywood Studios "The Osborn Family's Spectacle of Dancing Lights". This is such an incredible display of lights! Probably the best I will ever see in my life. I stood for a good hour on the street and watched the lights dance to music. No doubt, I could have been there longer. Next to fireworks, this is my favorite night time attraction! I did take a video of the lights, sadly blogger is not allowing me to upload it. You all will just have to enjoy the pictures and use your imagination regarding the dancing lights.

The next few pictures are of Epcot's Christmas decorations as well as Disney's Animal Kingdom Tree and Hollywood studios Tree. These pictures, with the exception of one, where taken in daylight. Maybe I will eventually be able to take and then upload pictures of these locations at night.

Display at Epcot

Epcot's Christmas Tree

Hollywood Studio's Christmas Tree

 

Disney's Animal Kingdom's Christmas Tree

As I hope you can tell from the pictures, the holiday season at Disney is gorgeous! They really know how to decorate and encourage holiday cheer. It has been enjoyable being able to take part in the festivities. I will admit it was very strange at first, but how could you not love Christmas, no matter the time of year?! 

Talk to you all soon! 
Have a Magical and/or Wild day :) 

Food, Art & Characters

Hey everyone,
It is November! Can you believe it? I have officially been here for 3 months. In less than 2, I will be home once more! Surprising November has brought some cold days -- yes cold days in Orlando -- In fact, this very evening I felt like I was in my Pennsylvania home once more because of how chilly and windy it has been. 
Within the last week and a half I have finished eating around the world at Epcot's Food and Wine Festival. I have also met some characters & had the opportunity to walk around Disney's Festival of the Masters.
Lets begin with the final few countries of the world:

Last day of Food & Wine

Rice Pudding

Lettuce Wrap with Roast Pork & Kimchi Slaw

Belgian Waffle with Warm Chocolate Ganache & Whipped Cream

  
Then there is the character meet and greets that I was able to do...

One of the events that happened this past weekend, and I think to be one of my very favorites, is The Festival of the Masters. This is a large art festival that goes on at the Downtown Disney district. It is a large art show where the best of the best artists come together in a large festival. In order for the artists to be able to display their master pieces, they must apply. Then Disney sends judges out and only the very best people are chosen and then among the chosen, there are awards given out. The art show is like a giant farmers market. There were photographs, paintings, sketches, wood work, clay work, jewelry, etc... In addition to all of that, there was also chalk art everywhere. I took pictures of almost every chalk art, and I would like to share some of my favorites with you.

That is all the pictures I have for now. There will be another blog post soon though, because I have more to share with y'all! 
As we say at Disney's Animal Kingdom, "Have a Wild Day!!!