Mourning

Fillies and gentlecolts, I am in mourning.

Why, you ask?

Well, take a moment to recall when I posted my list of My Favorite Things. Go ahead and read it again, I can wait.

Ok, cool.

My favorite restaurant in all of Disney is the Yakitori House in Epcot. 

As I said, it's where I had my first taste of teriyaki as a child. It's my favorite place to go and eat whenever I'm at Disney, because I can always feel happy and at peace while I'm there, whether eating indoors or out in the garden.

Well, according to AllEars.net, the Yakitori House is no more. It closed shortly after I left Disney.  In its place is the Katsura Grill.

*sadface* Yes, it looks like the menu is mostly the same (besides adding a Featured Items section). However, I'm still in mourning. I loved the Yakitori House. It was, in my opinion, as perfect as one could get. I know rock gardens are traditional, but I liked the plants that surrounded it. It added to the peaceful feel. Now it just looks...plain. Uninspired.

Of course, I'll eat there when I go back to Florida...I'm just sad. It's not the same. And I think you shouldn't fix something if it isn't broken. (I'm looking at YOU, Alien Encounter!)

Cheers.

AGENT R IS OUT. PEACE.

The Parks - How to Tell the Difference

I am fully aware that sometimes people get confused and mixed up when it comes to the Disney parks - or amusement parks in general. Children especially are really good about going "OMG DISNEY WORLD" when they really mean Magic Kingdom.

However, one of my biggest pet peeves in the world is when adults mix up the parks. And it happens all the time. In the parks when I was working, I'd get asked for attractions at different parks or have to figure out what parks were being talked about when the person would get things mixed up. I know a lot of Cast Members find it amusing...I just find it annoying.

And in case you're wondering, the catalyst for this post was a conversation that I had at a holiday party. The guy (full grown adult, mind you) kept saying "Disney World" instead of Magic Kingdom, thought that Epcot wasn't a Disney park, and was insisting that Universal Studios was a Disney park (?!?).

SO, here is a guide to the different parks in Florida and California. GET IT STRAIGHT, PEOPLE.

*~*FLORIDA*~*

The Walt Disney World Resort

1. Magic Kingdom
We're going to start with Magic Kingdom, since everyone seems to think that it's WDW. Guess what? IT IS NOT. Magic Kingdom is only one part of WDW. This is the park that has Cinderella's castle. This is the park that has a lot of kid-friendly rides, like the Mad Tea Party and it's a small world. This is where Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Pirates of the Caribbean all reside. This is where Wishes and the Celebrate a Dream Come True parade take place. The monorail and the ferryboat both come here. Ok? Ok.

2. Epcot
Epcot is just a monorail ride away from Magic Kingdom. It also has fireworks - Illuminations. It's the one with Spaceship Earth in that "golf ball" (aka. GEODESIC SPHERE) at the front of the park. This is the home of Future World, which has Test Track and Mission: SPACE. This is the park where you can find Soarin'. This is the home of the World Showcase, where you can walk around the world, exploring shops and eating new foods. Besides the monorail, you can also take the Friendship Boat to...

3. Disney's Hollywood Studios
This park USED to be MGM Studios, but it's not anymore. It's Disney's Hollywood Studios. This is mostly a SHOW based park - there are only six rides, three of which younger children cannot ride (The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Rock-n-Roller Coaster, Star Tours: The Adventures Continue - all have height requirements and would probably terrify younger riders anyway). There are tons of shows, though, and a lot of them are very good. The Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! is a glorious stunt show that I love going to, Jedi Training Academy is really fun for your kids, especially if you can get them signed up to be in the show. The Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show is absolutely breathtaking (minus the jarring interruption by Lightning McQueen...seriously, that was a terrible idea). This is where the show Fantasmic! lies...it's one of the best shows that Disney has. It is NOT Universal Studios.

4. Disney's Animal Kingdom
You cannot get to DAK without a bus or a car. There is no monorail. There is no boat. It's bus or car.
This is where the Tree of Life is. This is where the Kilimanjaro Safaris is - a safari ride where you can take pictures of elephants and giraffes and what not. Expedition Everest, a roller coaster through the Himalayas, is here. Finding Nemo: The Musical is here. Pocahontas shows up to do meet and greets here. There are no fireworks or late night activities. This park does not have stickers or lids, and the straws are made of paper. Why? It's because of the animals. It's for their safety and comfort. Also: Don't complain if Kali River Rapids gets you wet. That's the whole point.
AND...it's not Jurassic Park. It's Dinosaur.

Universal Orlando Resort (aka. NOT DISNEY)

1. Universal Studios
THIS is where you'll find things like Barney, Shrek, Men in Black, and Terminator. A lot of big roller coasters, like the Rip Ride Rocket, are here. Basically, this is more for "big kids" with some piddly stuff for younger ones. And GOD HELP YOU if you take your five year old on Jaws. It's not a good idea.

2. Islands of Adventure
THIS IS WHERE THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER IS. It's not at Disney. It's at Islands of Adventure. This is also where all of the Marvel and Jurassic Park stuff is. It's not at Disney. It's here.

*~*CALIFORNIA*~*
Disneyland Resort


1. Disneyland
Disneyland. It's in Anaheim, California. It came first. It's got a Roger Rabbit Ride. Fantasmic! is here. The castle is Sleeping Beauty Castle. Mickey's Toontown is still in existence out in California, so Mickey still has his house out there.

2. Disney California Adventure Park
California Screamin'. World of Color. That is all.

And in case you're wondering about the rest:

Tokyo Disney Resort (Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea)
Disneyland Paris (Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park)
Hong Kong Disneyland Resort (Hong Kong Disneyland)
Shanghai Disney Resort (Shanghai Disneyland Park)

There you have it. KEEP IT STRAIGHT.

AGENT R IS OUT. PEACE.

Living on the Cheap

Straight up, dearies: You'll be making little better than minimum wage while on the Disney College Program. The Housekeepers and the Food & Beverage people make a bit better than the rest, but it's still not much to live on, especially when Disney is taking weekly rent from your paychecks.

I do have a few tips for you for saving your pennies, though. Listen well, my young Mouskerhoes...I did learn a few things about money.

1. Buses.

I know, I know...the DCP buses are irritating. They come at inconvenient times, they are generally crowded (well, the Magic Kingdom bus, anyway), and the bus drivers hate you. But, they do go to all of the places you would need to go: the parks, Downtown Disney, the various resorts, and shopping centers. And the bus is free. Therefore, all that extra money you'd spend on gas? You can use it for other things, like...

2. Food.

As much as some people like to deny it, eating is necessary. And you have to buy your own food while on the College Program - it's not provided. Therefore, you need to eat on the cheap. But you also cannot neglect your nutrition - the vast majority of you will be doing physical labor, and many of you will be doing this outdoors in the Florida heat. Staying healthy is absolutely essential. Even for you lucky ducks who get to sit inside - you still need to feel healthy and energized so you can project positivity to the Guests.
Now then:
-Obviously, ramen noodles are cheap and awesome. Heck, most forms of pasta are.
-Frozen vegetables are also fairly cheap, and they are easy to cook.
-Drink tap/fountain water - believe it or not, it IS safe to drink.
-Compare prices. Should be a no brainer, but it bears repeating.
-BRING YOUR LUNCH TO WORK. There are microwaves and fridges provided at most locations. It's a helluva lot cheaper to bring lunch than to buy lunch from wherever.

3. Walking.

There are quite a few things within walking distance of the apartments. For Chatham and Patterson, there is a Publix (cheap groceries galore!), various restaurants, and an outlet mall nearby. For Vista, there are also restaurants. There's also a pharmacy right nearby. If you don't want to wait for the bus, this is the best thing.

4. Discounts.

Disney Cast Members get discounts at a lot of places. (Not the grocery stores, unforunately....) But the restaurants, stores, and especially the parks (not the quick service restaurants)? Yes. If you're not sure, ask. But if you can use it, then use it. Saving money is good, after all.

5. Free.

Take advantage of free stuff. For example, all of the welcome events that Disney holds at the complexes have free pizza, drinks, and chips. A lot of times, the DJ will throw free stuff into the crowd - t-shirts, towels, pens, you name it. They also have competitions at these events, like hula hooping, bean bag tossing, and Find Me Bring Me. I got a free pair of iPod speakers and a giant cup because of it. There are also all kinds of free events and tours and stuff going on for Cast Members and/or College Programers. Find out the information and always take advantage.

6. Budget Fun.

Always, always, plan fun into your budget. You're in Disney, you're going to want to do things that do cost money. Plan out some extra cash every week that isn't for groceries or gas or whatever, and use it exclusively for souvenirs or fun nights out. Just don't spend over that amount.

Good luck, CPs!

AGENT R IS OUT. PEACE.

Ohana Means Family

For those who have been living under a rock for the last decade (ish), I bring your attention to the 42nd installment in the Disney Animated Canon, Lilo and Stitch.

Long story short: Stitch is the result of alien genetic experimentation. He escapes captivity and ends up in Hawaii, where he's adopted by Lilo and her older sister, Nani. (Honestly, though...the main focus of the movie is Stitch. I don't even know why Lilo is in the title.)

Anyway, Lilo and Nani are recent orphans, and Nani has suddenly been forced into being a parent for Lilo. This goes over about as well as expected, as she ends up wanting to strangle her a lot of the time. But Lilo always gets Nani back by saying their late mother's expression: "Ohana. Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind...or forgotten."

This is the underlying theme of the entire movie, and yes, eventually, Stitch learns it too:

Ok, that's all well and fine. What does this have to do with anything?

Well, my dears, I've recently been going and exploring the Disney world. Looking at jobs, talking to other CPs, watching videos. And you know what? The other CPs? They are my ohana. Every Cast Member, whether I knew them or not, is my ohana. And I miss my ohana...so, so much. Just watching Wishes (or even better, Hallowishes) on YouTube is enough to make me cry. I look at the maps of the parks, longing to go back. I watch people planning trips and swapping swifts, wanting to be a part of it all.

So, in short...

Disney is my ohana now.
Ohana means family.
Family means nobody gets left behind...or forgotten.

I'm coming back, Disney...just wait for me.

AGENT R IS OUT. PEACE.

Revisiting the Canon

Both to prepare myself for my inevitable return to Disney and to soothe the hole in my heart, I have been rewatching all of the Disney and Pixar films that I own, from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves to Tangled. Sadly, some of my films seem to have gone missing...I am no longer in possession of several of them. But I have enough to keep me going for now. And I got to relive some of my all time favorite moments!

Mulan
TAKE IT, CRI-KEE! Seriously, how can you not love the manliest film ever made?

Fantasia
Aka. Disney on Acid. It really shows the skill of the animators and musicians...and is just breathtaking.

Lady and the Tramp
Peg. Just...Peg.

Oliver and Company
Why should I worry? SING IT, DODGER!

However, several of my favorite films from my childhood are...well...not my favorites anymore. More than once while I was watching the Canon, I felt myself thinking "Did I really like this?" Films in question:

Bambi
Besides the whole "shooting the mom" thing, which was bad...I honestly didn't care for Bambi this time around. The only thing that caught my attention was the whole "attempted rape" subtext of the Bambi/Ronno fighting over Faline scene. Seriously, what else do you think Ronno had in mind?

Peter Pan
I was extremely uninterested. I found all of the protagonists extremely annoying (especially Peter and Wendy) and didn't care about what happened to them. Mermaids? Bitchy. The Lost Boys? Spoiled brats. Tinker Bell? EXTREMELY bitchy.


101 Dalmatians
I never thought I'd see the day when I talked down about a dog movie. But here it is. And honestly, the only part of that whole movie that people really remember is Cruella DeVil. Truth be told, she's a great villain. But the movie was just...plain. Nothing special here.


The Jungle Book
Again, plain. Uninteresting. Mowgli needs a good spanking.


The Little Mermaid (but really, who is surprised by this one?)
I think I made my opinions about this movie clear, but just in case you forgot: I hate it. Ariel is 16 years old. She sells her soul and mutilates her body for a CHANCE with a man she saw. Problem?


Obviously, I'm not done with the Canon yet. There are some films I haven't seen in ages, and there are some films I haven't seen at all. But, it shall be done! Hurray!

Brazilian Horror

The views reflected herein do not represent the views of the parent company, Walt Disney World® Parks and Resorts. But sure reflects the views of a lot of Cast Members in the parks.
This is why most of us cringe openly whenever we hear the word "Brazilian." *shudders*

Many times a year - mostly in the summer - the Parks are overtaken by tour groups from Brazil. (Ok, a few other countries too...but mostly Brazil.) Normally, I don't mind working with families from Brazil - the families are generally polite when asking for help or directions. (Unless you're closing the line for your character - then they just scream at you in Portuguese)
The tour groups are not.

My first run in with them was in my first days as a Character Attendant. I was working with Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. In their old Magic Kingdom haunt, it was a bit of a walk from their offstage area to the actual area. As you can imagine, the walk can get quite hazardous, especially since parents think shoving their kids into their path is a good idea.

Enter the Brazilians.

This day, we had heard rumors that Brazilians were in the park. It was only my third day, so I didn't know. I figured it couldn't be that bad. Then, when I was escorting Pooh Bear out to his spot, we got surrounded by Brazilian girls who wanted a hug from Pooh.
Surrounded.
Luckily, they weren't four years old, and they moved when Pooh Bear and I were about to run them over. It still left me shaking.
As a Guest in the parks, I continued to see behavior that wasn't nice from them. They would swarm food carts all speaking at once. They would argue about seating arrangements on rides. They would sing extremely loudly and off-key while waiting in queues, to the aggravation of all.

It got worse, though, when I began working at Voyage of the Little Mermaid. For safety reasons, flash pictures are not allowed during the show. It blinds the characters, and we don't want them to get hurt. Not to mention it disrupts the show for your fellow audience members. We stated as much prior to the show - we have an English, Spanish, and Portuguese spiel that tells the audience that for the safety of our actors, they can't take flash pictures.
And what happens, every single show?
Flash pictures. Flash pictures upon flash pictures. It is ridiculous. They have no regard for others, only themselves. And you are allowed to take photos without the flash - so it's extremely selfish and reckless that they use the flash.

If you have any Brazilian horror stories, feel free to share them.

My Disney Bucket List

This is a meme I've noticed among other College Program participants. They list all the things that they want to do, either on their program, or at Disney in general. I figured, eh, why not.
So, here are all the things I want to do at Disney - not just during my program, but throughout my entire Disney career. Booyah!

1. Eat at every restaurant at least once.
Obviously, this isn't going to happen overnight. Between quick service, casual dining, and formal dining, Epcot alone has 28 restaurants. Magic Kingdom has 25, Hollywood Studios has 15, Animal Kingdom has 9. Thus, the four main parks alone have a grand total of 77 restaurants. This doesn't include any of the resorts or Downtown Disney or the water parks or anything else. But it shall happen! The menus look too good for me to resist.

2. Try Dole Whip.
Related to #1, a lot of people I've talked to go absolutely ape shit when I say that I've never had a Dole Whip. (Pineapple soft serve you can get at the Aloha Isle in Adventureland) They consider it betraying mankind to not have ever had Dole Whip. Dole Whip, Dole Whip, DOLE WHIP. Even the Judgmental Disney Nerd says it:

Thus, I shall have to try this miraculous Dole Whip.

3. Drink Around the World
At Epcot, there are 11 countries represented in the World Showcase - Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, the United States, Japan, Morocco, France, the United Kingdom, and Canada. In addition to having attractions that make you feel as if you are in other country, each pavilion offers its own unique alcoholic beverages. There is a challenge out there to drink one beverage from each country before moving on to the next pavilion. I would like to take on this challenge.

4. Meet Rapunzel
Of all the meet and greets I went to, Rapunzel was the one that I just didn't get to. It's a shame, really - she's one of my favorite princesses. I just never got around to saying hi to her. Thus, I'd like to meet her.

5. Complete the Ultimate Tours
The Ultimate Tours are special planned routes that get you to every attraction in a park in the same day. This includes rides, shows, parades, character greetings - you name it. These are intense challenges, but they look amazing. They would also get me into some shows I would otherwise avoid. It would be fun!

6. Learn to draw at least 10 Disney characters from the Animation Academy
As I've said before, I love the Magic of Disney Animation. It's one of my all time favorite things about the parks. I only ever attended the drawing class once though, when I learned to draw Ray the Firefly. I regret not going there more. So, when I go back, I plan on learning a lot more characters.

7. Buy a Figment t-shirt
There's one t-shirt in the gift shop for Journey Into Imagination With Figment. It was Figment purple, with a deliriously happy Figment on the front and the words "One Little Spark." (aka. The Figment song) I loved going in and looking at it, but I never bought it. Next time...it's mine.

8. Collect all of the Figment pins
Yes, I collect pins - specifically, Figment pins. I have one set of Figment pins already - the senses. I need to finish collecting the emotions - apparently, there are two sets of five. Do want.

9. See Fantasmic!, Wishes and Illuminations in one night.
Easier than you think. At certain times of year, Fantasmic! is at 6:30 pm. Illuminations: Reflections of Earth is consistently at 9:00 pm, year round. Wishes varies almost daily, so you have to look ahead for times and plan accordingly. But it's entirely possible.

10. The Four Mountains
Space, Thunder, Splash, and Everest - all in one day. Boom, boom, boom, done.

11. Four Parks, One Day.
I want to hit at least 2 rides in each park in one day. (Like, the Mountains for Magic Kingdom, the Tower and Rock-n-Roller Coaster at Studios, etc.) When I decide to do it for real, I'll post a more defined plan on here.

12. Work in all four parks
Thus far, I've had official jobs in two - Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. I trained a bit in Epcot as a Character Attendant. But I would like to be able to pick up shifts in all four parks - that would be AWESOME. Working for the weekend!

13. Character Hunting
That is, meeting all of the characters in one park in one day, including photos and autographs. I'm not doing all four parks in one day for this - that's impossible, even for me. But in one park? Entirely possible. You just have to know where to be when and be willing to hunt around and ask questions.

14. Participate in Gay Days
Shocker! But yes, I would love to participate in Gay Days...I was sadly working during the last round.

15. Top scores on Toy Story Midway Mania and Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin
I was SO CLOSE last time I went on Buzz Lightyear. I was only a few points away! It makes me sad that I didn't make it...but I will! Just watch me!

16. College Program Attraction Tours
These are behind the scenes tours of various rides and shows that are exclusive to College Program participants. This is another thing that I passed up on - and I regret this immensely. I'd love to see behind the scenes of the Haunted Mansion or the Great Movie Ride. Please?

17. Visit DisneyQuest
This is an indoor, interactive theme park in Downtown Disney. I went there years and years ago, and I remember it being completely of the charts epic, other than the whole "paddling into lava" thing. I kept meaning to return during my months in Florida, but I never got around to it. I need to go back though...I need to redeem my title of Pinball Queen.

18. La Nouba
This is the Cirque du Soleil show that is exclusive to Downtown Disney. I've only seen pictures and video clips of it - never seen the real thing. Hell, I've never seen a Cirque du Soleil show anywhere. Thus, it must be seen.

19. The Water Parks
I have not once in my entire life been to either Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon. (I hear Blizzard is the better one, but I'll pass judgment on that myself) I would love to be able to go and slide down Summit Plummet like a giggling child.

20. Halloween at Magic Kingdom
I found some very good videos of the Halloween celebrations at Magic Kingdom. More specifically, Hallowishes, the Halloween fireworks. It not only confirmed my suspicions that "Heffalumps and Woozles" and "Pink Elephants on Parade" are two of the creepiest songs that have ever come out of Disney, but it also made me scream with delight. Grim grinning ghosts, come out to socialize!
Ahem.
I also want to meet the villains. Just saying...

21. Collect all of the Disney Fastpasses
As in, legit Fastpasses. Not the ones that say "Not a valid Fastpass." As in, the ones that actually have a time on them. As in, I will have to go into the parks and collect Fastpasses that I don't use. Yeah.

22. Club Cool
I want to try every soda offered in Club Cool at Epcot. Thus far, I've only had Japan (yummy) and Italy (YUCK). But I want to try the rest.

23. Visit every Disney Resort
From the All-Stars to the Grand Floridian, I want to visit all of them. I shall take a picture of the main entrance of each to prove that I was there.

24. Do a "bored face"/"silly face" photo on every photo-taking ride
Normal, screaming faces are boring. You've got to do something that makes the photo memorable. And I want to make special memories for a family. :P

25. Hidden Mickey Hunt
I want to go hunting for Hidden Mickeys (with the booklet in hand). Nuff said.

26. Spa Day at the Grand Floridian
After a hard day of work (that makes your back very stiff and your skin all red and sweaty), a spa day sounds reeeeeally good.

27. Visit Mickey's Retreat
Basically, it's a fun little area with pools and sports courts and other fun things. It's a place for Cast Members to go and relax and not worry about things. I want to visit it, especially since it's literally right next to Chatham Square, one of the apartment complexes for College Program people.

28. Get picked as an extra at the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular
Ok, yes...I have done this before. And you know what? IT WAS SO MUCH FUN.

29. Be on a ride during the fireworks
By this, I mean like riding Thunder Mountain while the fireworks are going off. That way, I can see them while screaming like a wee bern.

30. Rent a boat and explore Seven Seas Lagoon
Just paddle around, looking at all the lesser beings in cars...fun times.

31. Backstage Tour
I know that Disney offers a lot of backstage tours, like the Behind the Magic tour at Magic Kingdom. I'd like to go on it and learn what the Guests see and hear when they take the tour. You never know - I could learn something amazing to impress all you underlings with!

32. The Kitchen Sink
Because this seems to be on everyone else's bucket list, I'll add it too. The Kitchen Sink is a dessert served at Disney's Beach Club Resort. As you can see, it's huge and has more sweet stuff than you should ever eat in a single life time. It's designed for a group of people - but there is a challenge out there to eat it solo. I shall do it!

33. Explore the Wide World of Sports
Another one of those "Never been there" stories. I really don't have any idea what it is or why it's there, but I know there's a lot of testosterone involved. Either way, I want to go and check it out. Maybe eat some chicken wings...like a MAN.

34. Ride something at least 10 times in the same day
The closest I've ever come to this was on the Tower of Terror - seven times. Expedition Everest and Rock-n-Roller Coaster are tied for second, with six times. It'll likely end up being Tower, but I've heard other suggestions include the Haunted Mansion, Dinosaur, Test Track, Soarin', Mission: SPACE, and Star Tours. (Actually, Star Tours sounds like the better option, because it changes so often...)

35. See all the variations on Star Tours
If you missed the memo, Star Tours has been updated. Now the ride can change - you could go to Hoth, or perhaps Naboo. Maybe you'll get a message from Yoda, or maybe Princess Leia. Either way, there are many, many combinations of things that could happen. And I want to experience ALL of them.

36. Go on a Disney Cruise
YOU KNOW IT WOULD BE AWESOME.

37. Visit Disneyland
This really shouldn't need to be explained...beyond me wanting to ride the Matterhorn.


If I come up with any more, I shall let you know. But I think this is a pretty good bucket list for right now.

AGENT R IS OUT. PEACE.