Animal Kingdom Parade

Saturday, August 31, 2013

After a week in the shop, my bug is FINALLY back! Can you tell I'm happy?

Something really cool happened to a couple of my roommates and I the other day! We were at Animal Kingdom, in line to see Pocahontas, when a Disney cast member approached us. He selected us to be in Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade! Out of 20,000 guests the 3 of us were chosen to ride on a parade float! This was definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity! We also ended the night at the Rainforest Cafe. Check out all the pics!

My First Package!

Thursday, August 29, 2013

I recently received my first package! My family set me up with brownie mix, a new pan, spoons, dried mangos, hand wash, candy, hair clips, and gift cards to Walmart, Panera, and Starbucks (the Pumpkin Spice Latte is BACK!) Mom, Dad, and Nic, thanks again for the package! It was perfect!! And Mina, thanks again for the stationary! It was nice of you to be thinking of me! Also, my friend Brett sent me a letter! If anyone wants to write me, I'll definitely write you back.

Yesterday, my roommates and I went to Cocoa Beach! Cocoa Beach is about an hour away from Disney World, so we took a little day trip. Fun Fact: Cocoa Beach is one of North America's top shark attack beaches. No sharks yesterday, thankfully! But we did rent boogie boards and enjoyed a HOT day at the beach! I am ready for this August heat to be over! You know the humidity is bad when you are sweating walking TO the gym, before you workout. We also did some shopping along the pier! I bought a t-shirt for $7! A good deal!

In other news, Disney World has officially started decorating for Halloween! Although it doesn't feel much like Fall around here yet, I'm excited to see the crazy things Disney has in store for this holiday!

My journey has been good so far! There have definitely been a lot of ups and a few downs, but one thing I've learned is to be VERY patient. Living with five others girls is one difficult task! Everyone does things their own ways and sometimes people clash, but it's making for an unforgettable experience. Plus, patience is key when teaching kids!

Check out more pics under my profile!

The Grand Floridian

Monday, August 26, 2013

Yesterday, my roommate Cathy and I walked around The Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. What a beautiful hotel! We had lunch at the The Grand Cafe, where I got the Rustic Chicken Sandwich. YUM! (I posted a pic of the menu and other pics under my profile, check it out). And getting 40% off made it even better! Hopefully I can afford staying at this hotel when I visit Disney World when I'm older. We plan on visiting all the Disney resorts! And yes, I'll take pics of all of them. So if anyone is planning a vacation, I could be your travel agent!

And as I promised earlier, here is a pic of my costume! I look like a flight attendant. I'm sure guys will be all over me in this HOT uniform. Plus, it's all white! Now I really have to keep up my tan. As far as work, I usually get scheduled from 2:30 pm to 8:30 pm. I get two 15 minute breaks. I don't exactly love my job (as of now), but working at Typhoon Lagoon definitely has it's benefits! I will never have late hours (since it's a water park) and I can buy park food for 50% off while I'm working (not many parks get this deal). Also, Typhoon Lagoon closes at the end of October, so I'll get transferred somewhere else. I'm excited to have work experience at two different places in Disney World!

Cuban Meal

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Today has been a really great day! I got off work at 11:30 then had some bonding time with my roommate, Alexis! Alexis is half Cuban and half African American, so she taught me how to cook a traditional Cuban meal. We fried plantains, sautéed chicken with sundried tomatoes, garlic, and orange peppers, and made Spanish rice with spicy sausage. And pineapple upside down cake for dessert, of course! This is one part of my journey that has been really tough. I'm new in the kitchen, so I've really enjoyed learning new aspects of cooking. I find it really relaxing and fun! I've also written down all the recipes, so I plan on trying them once I get home! Mom and Dad, hope you're ready! I'm excited to learn more!

Also, I got a letter from my parents! And a cool Mickey Pez! This definitely made my day! I love and miss you guys!

Day at Blizzard Beach!

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Just a quick entry!

I went to Blizzard Beach the other day! I don't have a picture of it, but you know that GIANT body slide that is iconic to the water park? It's called Summit Plummet and literally goes straight down! I DID IT! We also had pulled pork nachos with pineapple cream cheese for lunch! It sounds weird, but YUM! Although I work at Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach is my favorite! They even play Christmas music there! Blizzard Beach is also the closest I'll get to snow in the next 5 months. I bet some of you back home are jealous!

I've also been dealing with more car trouble. My bug is really really broken! After sitting in the dealership for 3 hours the other day, they finally gave me a rental car to use for the next couple of days. So on top of still not understanding the highway system here, I'm also driving a car that I'm unfamiliar with! Anyway, we ended the night at Magic Kingdom! I got to meet Pooh and Tiger! We also watched the light parade show again and finally got to see Wishes, the big firework show! TinkerBell flew out of the castle! If you're having a bad day, fireworks at Magic Kingdom are sure to make it better!

Finally, I've had two days of training at my new job! They went well! I enjoy walking around Typhoon Lagoon, but I'm really hoping that I'll meet some good friends at my job. Just like at The Egg! I promise I will have costume pics up soon! Like I said before, it's hideous. Also, I didn't realize before coming here how many international people there are! Or how HUGE Disney is! I found out recently that I am 1 of 4,000 that got this opportunity out of 32,000 college kids that applied. How did I get picked?! So far...I think some things about the program are overwhelming, but I'm really enjoying myself and the challenges it's making me face. I think some good things are about to come my way!

Check out more pics under my profile!

Time as a Tourist!

Saturday, August 17, 2013

I've definitely had my share of bad luck while I've been here, but these past couple of days have been full of FUN! The other night we went to Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom and visited Gaston's Tavern! For those of you who don't remember/know, I'm referring to Beauty and the Beast. In the tavern, we had LeFou's Brew, a frozen apple juice with a hint of toasted marshmallow and topped with passion fruit-mango foam. Yep, I'm not 21 yet! It was still good...I'd even go back for another! I make one GREAT tourist! We also rode everyone's favorite, "it's a small world"! I love that ride...especially since it's inside with air conditioning, you get to sit down in a little boat, and it's a long ride! And I can't help but like the song! This Florida weather is exhausting! That night, we also rode Mad Tea Party (the spinning teacups) and Under the Sea-Journey of The Little Mermaid. I don't think I'll ever get tired of fairytales.

Yesterday was another exciting day! I went back to Animal Kingdom! Remember, I have unlimited access to every park. In Animal Kingdom, we rode the Dinosaur ride! This is definitely one of my favorite rides. It's just like the Indiana Jones ride in Disneyland, but with scary dinosaurs! I also watched the Festival of the Lion King! It's a parade/celebration of one of our favorite Disney movies! There is a lot of dancing, gymnastics, singing, and great costume design to keep you entertained. It's definitely worth seeing! Disney does an excellent job at involving the guests in EVERYTHING. I had another exciting adventure in Animal Kingdom! We took the Kilimanjaro Safari ride and saw animals! Although some animals were on naptime, it was still a lot better than the Denver Zoo. This ride alone is equivalent to the size of Magic Kingdom! For those of you who don't know, Magic Kingdom is HUGE! So now you know how big Animal Kingdom is! A few fun facts that I learned on my safari ride: 1) Elephants are pregnant for 2.5 years, 2) Giraffes have tongues long enough to lick their own eyeballs, and 3) Ostrages can run 45 mph. Did you know that?

And last night, we went back to Epcot! I've officially decided that Epcot is my favorite park! We rode Test Track and Soarin' Over California, two popular rides! I'm not sure why we didn't soar over Florida, but it was still great! We finished the night eating ice cream in France and watching the Illuminations firework show. I could do that every night, but I don't want to get fat. It was such a relaxing night!

Aside from all that fun, we've had a few minor issues in our apartment. I LOVE all my roommates, but I don't love a messy kitchen. We had to post a "Kitchen Rules" list on the fridge. Stealing other people's food is not allowed. Anyway, I got a tour around Typhoon Lagoon today (since I work there)! You can swim with sharks for only $20! Any takers? As a cast member, we don't get in the waterparks for free. You have to pay half price. But since I work at one, I get in both Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach for free! YES! You know where I'll be the rest of August! I'll post pics of my costume soon! FYI it's not cute.

Check out more pics under my profile!

Job Info!

Thursday, August 15, 2013

It has been crazy around here! Let me first start by explaining the lifeguarding situation. I decided to change roles, so I am no longer a lifeguard. I went through three days of training and realized that lifeguarding is not for me. Everyone knows that I really prepared for the physical part of it, which I can do, but the responsibility of it makes me really uncomfortable. I don't want to go to a job where I feel anxious and nervous the entire time I'm on the clock. And that's exactly how I would have felt in regards to watching the water at all times, remembering the specific techniques on how to save a struggling swimmer, and how to correctly preform CPR on an adult, a child, and an infant. It's different practicing these techniques on a dummy than actually preforming on a real person. They also made it sound like there are a lot of saves at Disney World. Although I may not have ever had to save anyone, I'd rather not have other people's lives in my hands. The lifeguard instructor said that people with "tender hearts" have a difficult time in this role, so there you have it! I have a tender heart! But also from this, I realized that I would not have survived in the medical field! Good thing I'm going into education!

So now I'm doing guest services in Typhoon Lagoon. It's about 50% guest interaction and about 50% cleaning up the park. As far as the guest interaction, I get to trade pins with kids, talk to people about their visits, and give directions around the water park. And as far as the cleaning, do you remember that scene in Snow White when she is singing and cleaning her cottage with help from her animal friends? That'll be me! Except I won't be singing and I won't be getting help from wild animals. I'll be sweeping, mopping, and all that other fun stuff! As a lifeguard, I wouldn't have had very much guest interaction, so I really like that about my new job! Also, I think this job is better for my major (Elementary Education)! I'll get more time to talk to kids, but will also be approached by different kinds of people with a variety of different questions. And plus, kids aren't always cute. They do make messes that have to be cleaned up! I can do anything for 5 months, even if it does involve cleaning. Overall, I think it was a good switch! I realized that it isn't about the job I have here, but about learning more about me and how I can make this the best experience possible! Everything is new! It's kind of like my own Eat Pray Love journey...without the love.

But anyway, remember how I mentioned in earlier blogs how my bug made it all the way to Florida in one piece? Well, I spoke too soon. It didn't. My roommate and I were sitting at a light the other day, on our way to Ikea, and my bug just broke down. This happened right in the middle of the street with cars everywhere. SCARIEST MINUTE OF MY LIFE. Instant panic! Neither one of us knew what to do, but thankfully the car started up a minute or two later. So we spent about 2 hours at the dealership. Bad luck!

Aside from all that stressful stuff, my roommates and I went to Hollywood Studios the other night! We rode Tower of Terror, Rock-n-Roll Roller Coaster, and saw some cool shows! We watched Fantasmic, which is a water/firework show. And all the characters were there! Definitely worth seeing! It makes me excited to see what it's like during the holidays around here! I need to start thinking about what character I should be for Halloween! Any ideas?

This is a picture of my roommate, Kiesha, and I! Kiesha is from Washington D.C. We are in front of a big Monsters University sign, but it got cut off. Still looks cute!

Also, I've learned a little more about some of the discounts I get as a cast member. I get about 50% off Disney Resorts for friends and family! COME VISIT! But other than that, I get some sort of deal on almost everything here! Food, merchandize, golf, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, and many more! Expect to get Disney things for Christmas, everyone!

A few side notes:
1) Everyone knows I'm obsessed with Katy Perry and her new song just came out: Roar! SO GOOD. Check it out!
2) Somehow I got an A in my summer class! YES!
3) I got paid for the first time today! (But missing my tips for The Egg right now)

Visiting the Parks!

Monday, August 12, 2013

Okay, a lot has happened in the past couple of days! I'm just now having time to write a new post. On Thursday, I had my Disney Traditions class. We learned about Disney guidelines and I received my name tag, but the best part was that I got my park entrance pass! As a cast member, I get access to all the parks, free parking, and a ton of discounts! (I mentioned some of this in an earlier post). So that night, we went to Epcot for dinner! I ate tacos in Mexico and met Mexican Donald Duck! I plan on eating something from every country while I'm here, so this was a good start! We've also hit up Magic Kingdom! We started in Tomorrowland and rode some popular rides, like Space Mountain! It's really cool, one of my roommates had a liver transplant when she was younger (that's not the cool part), so anytime she visits amusement parks she gets a free fast pass for her and 5 other people. So we never have to wait in long lines! We also watched some of the firework shows! I still haven't seen Wishes (the biggest show), but we did watch one show where they project different scenes from each Disney movie on the castle and play music. It's very magical! We also watched the lights parade down Main Street USA. Everyone is so happy here, but it does make me miss my family! And on Friday night, we went to Frontierland! Splash Mountain is definitely one of my favorite rides! I'm going to ride every ride in every park while I'm here, that's my goal!

During the day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, I had lifeguard class from 8-5. 3 LONG DAYS. Things are complicated with lifeguarding right now, so I'm not going to go into details yet. But I did pass my CPR certification! More information will come soon!

On Sunday night, we celebrated passing my lifeguard tests! We ate pizza in Italy! We had the Proscuitto e Melone...a white pizza with fontina, mozzarella, proscuitto, cantaloupe, and arugula. I had never had anything like this before, but it sure was good! I'd recommend visiting Italy in Epcot. We also had crepes in France! YUM. Epcot is definitely one of my favorite parks here. It really makes you want to travel the world! I also had today off of work, so we went to Animal Kingdom! I got to meet Russell and Dug from the movie UP! This is another one of my goals here...to get pictures with as many characters as I can! One of my roommates wants to buy an autograph book haha, but I don't think I'll go that far. And we watched the show It's Tough to be a Bug! It's a 3D show with characters from A Bug's Life. It's a MUST GO! And we rode Expedition Everest, a thrilling roller coaster! A lot of fun!

But other than how AWESOME it is that I live in Disney World, I have had to keep up with some responsibilities. I still try to hit the gym, or be active, everyday. And clearing and grocery shopping are not fun. One thing that does suck; however, is that it costs me $1 for every load of laundry! And of course, I really miss my family! Things are going well though! I've already been here a week!

Check out more pictures under my profile! Off to Hollywood Studios! One last thing, any ways I can improve my blog? Open to suggestions!

Roomie Dinner!

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Things have been pretty slow in Orlando these past couple of days! I had yesterday completely off to shop for groceries and get our apartment organized, and had one meeting today! In our apartment complex there is a little gym (nothing like Lifetime) and a pool, so I kept busy there! It has been HOT here! HUMID! Not so great for those of us with thin hair. I have a roommate from North Carolina, so she cooked everyone a classic Southern meal! It was delicious! She made us collard greens, mashed potatoes and gravy, chicken fried steak, and biscuits. We definitely don't get this everyday in CO.

...time to hit the gym!

Tomorrow, I have to attend Disney Traditions, where we get introduced to Disney culture and learn about the heritage of the organization. We also get our park passes!! So tomorrow night at this time I will be in Magic Kingdom watching fireworks! All the fun pictures are about to come soon! A couple of other fun things: as Disney cast members we get discounts at a lot of places outside Disney! I bought crocs at the outlets here for my lifeguard uniform and I got a discount! Pretty cool! Also, we went to Planet Hollywood in Downtown Disney the other night for dinner and got to skip in front of everyone on the waiting list. We walked right in and got seated! This definitely helps, since every place in Downtown Disney is usually over an hour wait. I wish I got these kind of deals for working at The Egg in Parker. So we are taking FULL advantage of all our discounts, deals, and days off!

This is a terrible picture of me, but it's the only one I have with 3 of my other roomies. So Nic, don't make fun! Shelby, from North Carolina, is on the right. Ashley, from Utah (we also share a room), is in the middle. And Cathy, from Philadelphia, is on the left.

Off to a great start, but change can definitely be heavy! More excitement begins tomorrow!

Updates

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Just a few updates:

If you go under the About Me tap on the right hand side of my blog and click my name, you can check out some newly uploaded apartment pics!

Also, for those of you who wanted to know my address:

Ally Rizzo
13501 Meadow Creek Drive
Apt. 1605
Orlando, FL 32821

Hopefully some roommate pics will come next!

I'm Here!

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

IT HAS ALL STARTED! Yesterday, we pulled into the apartment complex, waited in many lines, and filled out every piece of paperwork imaginable. My little bug is all registered, I took a drug test and got fingerprinted for a background check...hopefully I pass, and found out where I work! I was placed at Disney's Contemporary Resort, working as a shallow water lifeguard! Thank God I wasn't put at a wave pool. I don't know much about the resort yet, but I've heard good things. Here is a link, check it out! https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/recreation/contemporary-resort/pools-contemporary-resort/
Yesterday, I also had my lifeguard test! They had originally told me to be prepared to do a 200 yard swim, tread water for 2 minutes without using my hands, and to be able to retrieve a 10 lb. brick from the deepest part of the pool. This was all wrong. That was the test for deep water lifeguards. So after months and months of practicing and stressing out, all I had to do was swim a 50 and retrieve a brick from 5 ft of water (and considering I'm 5'6", my feet never left the bottom of the pool). So guess what! I PASSED! My lifeguard training starts Friday, where I'll have to pass this test again. I've also met a ton of new people, but no one from Colorado! I got my apartment and had my first night with my roommates! My apartment is really cute, except it needs some major decorating. That's what today is for. So I'm not going to post any pics until everything looks better! And I love my roommates! There are 6 of us total, and everyone is so sweet and so excited to be here! None of them are lifeguards, but they all have a really cool job! They all seem to be doing something with food, so that will definitely come in handy. And we cooked our first roomie family dinner last night! A couple of my roommates really love to cook, so they can teach me! I need help.

Everyone close to me knew that I had a really bad experience at UCCS and that I've had the hardest last year of my life, so after having such a good start here in Florida, I think it was meant to be! I can't wait to see where this adventure takes me! And Kayla, thanks for the comment :)

Arrival Day!

Saturday, August 3, 2013

After 26 hours and 1847.4 miles, we are officially in Orlando! We made it without the bug breaking down, without getting pulled over by any cops, and without the bug getting smashed by huge trucks. I'd say it was a successful road trip! I mentioned in yesterday's blog about wanting to get Georgia peaches, and guess what! We got some...from some nice Southern boys! They sure do know how to treat girls well. Maybe I'd have better luck with one of them. ANYWAY, I have entered the world of Mickey Mouse...and terrible traffic!! Florida drivers are aggressive. They don't even wave when you let them in your lane! Funny story: We tried to find Downtown Disney from our hotel, so I told my mom to plug the info into her iPhone. This was mistake #1. After 30 minutes in the car, we realized we were headed to Downtown Disney in CA. THANK GOD we realized that soon. Better luck next time with the GPS, Mom! We never made it to Downtown Disney, but we have all day tomorrow to discover Orlando! My program officially starts on Monday, so more exciting info will be posted then!

My blog is set up so that people are able to comment on my posts, so feel free! I'd love to hear from everyone! Ally's Disney Adventure is just getting started, so stayed tuned!!

Friday, August 2, 2013

We survived day 2 of driving and the bug is still going! Except, the bug is covered in dead bugs. We left Columbia, Missouri this morning around 6:20ish and made our way through Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and stopped in Atlanta, Georgia. We drove through St. Louis and saw the Cardinals stadium and the arches! Morning traffic wasn't fun though. It was my first time in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia! So green and very pretty states! We also saw an Egg and I in O'Fallon, Illinois, but we didn't stop. No more Egg food until January! For lunch, we stopped in Nashville, Tennessee. I LOVED NASHVILLE. We went to a place called Athens Family Restaurant. And guess what! It was featured on Food Network: Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives! It was the best Greek food I've ever eaten! If anyone wants to go to this triple D, get the Greek lasagna and a bacon lamb burger. You won't be disappointed, but should probably hit the gym soon afterward. Also in Nashville, we made a quick stop at the Grand Ole Opry House! We didn't stay there long, but listened to some good country music and saw a GIANT guitar. I think I could live in Nashville. We've also been on the hunt for a Georgia peach, but haven't had one yet. I'm not going to pass through the peach state without eating a peach!  But so far, the drive has been very good! We haven't seen many cops and haven't run out of gas! Only 449.1 miles till Orlando, Florida! Tomorrow, we'll arrive!

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Today, my trip began! And thankfully, the bug fit everything! Barely. My mom and I left CO this morning, drove all the way through Kansas (where I don't feel like I EVER need to visit again), and stopped in Columbia, Missouri for the night! It took us about 11 hours to get this far! And we aren't even half way. For those of you who remember my softball career, I had an opportunity to play ball in Colby, Kansas...good thing that didn't work out! I wouldn't have survived the small town. But Colby was good for a Starbucks! Fun Fact: If anyone wants to see the largest prairie dog in the world, go to Oakley, Kansas! It's there! We saw the sign! And like any good road trip, the food was nothing to brag about! A dirty Wendy's and Cracker Barrel weren't the best choices. Especially since many of you know that I'm trying to eat healthy.

But anyway, this is the start of my DISNEY ADVENTURE! I will try to post as often as I can, so everyone knows what's going on in my life! I left with no expectations, except to have a great time and enjoy the journey! I'm going to take a lot of pictures and share ALL my experiences! Tomorrow the driving continues. Enjoy these first pics!