I found out today that I will lose my seasonal status in entertainment if I accept another role. That means that whenever my purple folder arrives, I will have to click decline in anticipation of the audition. The thing is, i'm not sure if I will lose my status if I go to the interview and don't pass. I was actually looking forward to maybe doing something with vocal interaction, but I guess that's no longer an option. I am so worried about not passing an audition and losing my status. I'm going to call again closer to auditions and find out, but until then my future with the college program is a bit in limbo. Although, if auditioning isn't an option for fear of loosing seasonal, I am thinking of just heading down for the semester anyway and working seasonally.
I just find it a bit irritating that I even have to audition again since I am already in that role. If i was going from seasonal to part-time or full-time I would not need to audition again, but to go from seasonal to college program then back to seasonal again I do? It just doesn't make sense to me that I wouldn't have to audition for full time, but I do for the college program. I'm afraid of getting remeasured. I am afraid of bombing my interview. I am afraid of losing Donald, Mickey and Minnie. I will not audition if there is a risk of loosing seasonal.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
A Change of Plans
A lot has happened over the past week or so. I made it all the way to the Bahamas, ready to begin my journey with Semester at Sea. However, I now find myself back in the states after some pre-existing medical conditions got in the way. However, Semester at Sea, proving once again to be absolutely incredible, was generous enough to transfer my entire tuition and fees over to the Spring 2012 voyage...THE DAY BEFORE THE SHIP LEFT! I am in awe of this program. I haven't even begun my journey yet, and I already recommend SAS to everyone. They are honestly amazing.
The Spring 2012 voyage has the exact same itinerary as the one I was supposed to be on, so that's pretty darn fantastic. I was supposed to graduate from school this coming fall, but I will now be graduating in May '12 instead. After quite the scramble at school these past few days, I was able to get enrolled in school for this semester, which means I have no classes to take in the fall if I am stretching graduation out.
So...I applied to Disney again! Because I am a seasonal cast member, I didn't have to do the web interview, which was nice, and I am scheduled for a phone interview on Saturday, exactly 3 weeks after my last shift on the Fall 2010 program.

^Mickey and I celebrating our last day together on January 1st. Funny how quickly I want to go back!
The Spring 2012 voyage has the exact same itinerary as the one I was supposed to be on, so that's pretty darn fantastic. I was supposed to graduate from school this coming fall, but I will now be graduating in May '12 instead. After quite the scramble at school these past few days, I was able to get enrolled in school for this semester, which means I have no classes to take in the fall if I am stretching graduation out.
So...I applied to Disney again! Because I am a seasonal cast member, I didn't have to do the web interview, which was nice, and I am scheduled for a phone interview on Saturday, exactly 3 weeks after my last shift on the Fall 2010 program.

^Mickey and I celebrating our last day together on January 1st. Funny how quickly I want to go back!
Labels:
Disney College Program,
Semester at Sea
Monday, January 10, 2011
Bahamas
It's back to sunshine and palm trees for me.
Yesterday morning at 7:15am, I said goodbye to Saugus after a very short 5 day visit, and made my way to the airport with my dad and brother. The airport was crazy busy, and we didn't even make it through bag check and security until 8:40. The flight was supposed to leave at 9:09, so we would have just made it, but it actually ended up being delayed for about 2 hours, so we were just fine. In the airport, I actually ended up sitting down next to 3 other SAS kids. The 3 of them didn't know each other either, so it was a very strange coincidence. There was also 4 or 5 more SAS kids on the flight, weird, but I guess it makes sense. It gave us all 2 full days in the Bahamas, which I think is a good amount.
Anyway, in the airport I called Dain one last time, and turning my phone off and knowing it won't be back on for months was so, so hard. It brought more tears and re-enforced how hard this will be. As soon as we got to the Bahamas and went through immigration and customs, we got a taxi to our resort, the Wyndham, and checked in. We made it up to our room where I immediately paid for the internet and logged on to talk to Dain again. I also knew I had to go out and meet people, and I knew I wanted to as well. Sitting up here crying really does nothing positive for me. So I went to the lobbyand met some SAS Kids down there for a while. Then my dad, brother and I went to dinner at some sketchy place that didn't know what gluten was and served me bread with my "plain steak with no sides." Eating in these ports will certaintly be no Disney. After that we came back to the hotel and I found a bunch of SAS kids in the lobby, so we started talking and decided to go to the hottub. So I went upstairs and changed, and when I got to the hottub, a bunch of people were in jeans and the ones that weren't had decided not to go in anyway! Oh well. So instead we all made our way over the bar at the hotel casino, picking up more SAS kids along the way. I met a girl that I instantly feel connected to. Her name is Jesi, and everyone kept asking us if we were friends from home, but we had really only met like an hour ago. It feels great to already know a few people, and it eased my nerves a lot. Eventually, Jesi and a few other people that we met, Laura, Issac, and Sam, went to the hottub over at the Sheraton, which is the resort next door..but I left after an hour because I promised Dain I would be back at 11:00 sharp to skype. I am trying my best to balance meeting SAS kids with fufilling my desires of wanting to see his face and hear his voice. It's hard though, because every time I am not occupied I start to cry and I want nothing more than to get on a plane to Detroit and see him. When I was hanging out with those SAS kids, I wasn't thinking about it at all, and I know i'll have a blast on this adventure, I just think the first week will be hard.
Anyway, I went to sleep around 1, and woke up around 9 this morning. I'm taking a shower soon, and heading to the Straw Market with the family. Tonight, some SAS kids are meeting in the lobby to go out, so i'll be there. As long as I keep occupied, i'll stay excited and stop crying. I just keep telling myself the hardest day has passed...and the next 15 weeks will fly by and be the best time of my life.
Yesterday morning at 7:15am, I said goodbye to Saugus after a very short 5 day visit, and made my way to the airport with my dad and brother. The airport was crazy busy, and we didn't even make it through bag check and security until 8:40. The flight was supposed to leave at 9:09, so we would have just made it, but it actually ended up being delayed for about 2 hours, so we were just fine. In the airport, I actually ended up sitting down next to 3 other SAS kids. The 3 of them didn't know each other either, so it was a very strange coincidence. There was also 4 or 5 more SAS kids on the flight, weird, but I guess it makes sense. It gave us all 2 full days in the Bahamas, which I think is a good amount.
Anyway, in the airport I called Dain one last time, and turning my phone off and knowing it won't be back on for months was so, so hard. It brought more tears and re-enforced how hard this will be. As soon as we got to the Bahamas and went through immigration and customs, we got a taxi to our resort, the Wyndham, and checked in. We made it up to our room where I immediately paid for the internet and logged on to talk to Dain again. I also knew I had to go out and meet people, and I knew I wanted to as well. Sitting up here crying really does nothing positive for me. So I went to the lobbyand met some SAS Kids down there for a while. Then my dad, brother and I went to dinner at some sketchy place that didn't know what gluten was and served me bread with my "plain steak with no sides." Eating in these ports will certaintly be no Disney. After that we came back to the hotel and I found a bunch of SAS kids in the lobby, so we started talking and decided to go to the hottub. So I went upstairs and changed, and when I got to the hottub, a bunch of people were in jeans and the ones that weren't had decided not to go in anyway! Oh well. So instead we all made our way over the bar at the hotel casino, picking up more SAS kids along the way. I met a girl that I instantly feel connected to. Her name is Jesi, and everyone kept asking us if we were friends from home, but we had really only met like an hour ago. It feels great to already know a few people, and it eased my nerves a lot. Eventually, Jesi and a few other people that we met, Laura, Issac, and Sam, went to the hottub over at the Sheraton, which is the resort next door..but I left after an hour because I promised Dain I would be back at 11:00 sharp to skype. I am trying my best to balance meeting SAS kids with fufilling my desires of wanting to see his face and hear his voice. It's hard though, because every time I am not occupied I start to cry and I want nothing more than to get on a plane to Detroit and see him. When I was hanging out with those SAS kids, I wasn't thinking about it at all, and I know i'll have a blast on this adventure, I just think the first week will be hard.
Anyway, I went to sleep around 1, and woke up around 9 this morning. I'm taking a shower soon, and heading to the Straw Market with the family. Tonight, some SAS kids are meeting in the lobby to go out, so i'll be there. As long as I keep occupied, i'll stay excited and stop crying. I just keep telling myself the hardest day has passed...and the next 15 weeks will fly by and be the best time of my life.
Labels:
Semester at Sea
Saturday, January 8, 2011
coming and going
I had absolutely every intention of writing a "goodbye to Disney" post - detailing the incredible experience I had and the amazing imprint that it left on my heart. However, i've been in quite a rush over the past few days, and suddenly, I am 15 hours away from leaving for Semester at Sea! It's crazy, crazy, crazy!!!
One week ago exactly, I was midway through my very last shift at Disney. I was at Epcot, hanging out with Mickey Mouse himself over at Character Spot, cherishing every moment knowing it was my last. After work, I came home around 10:00 and completely finished packing up all of my things. It was a surreal experience, because at that point 3 of my roomates had already moved out and the other 2 weren't home. A place that was a few months ago buzzing with noise was now empty and abandoned, a realization that this was the end.
After packing up the rest of the eery and empty apartment, I ventured to the first floor one last time to help Dain pack. It took us all night and all morning, but just in time, 1:45 the next afternoon, we finished and were able to leave. So we said goodbye to Chatham, dropped off our ID's, parking stickers and keys, and headed to the autotrain. The next morning we woke up in Virginia, and to Boston with stops in D.C and NYC. The five days were spent packing and prepping for Semester at Sea, while enjoying as much time together as we could before being separated.
This morning, Dain flew back home to Michigan. We spent the night before entirely awake, laying in each other's arms, remembering the memories, crying about being apart for 4 months, and planning our futures together. I parked at the airport and stayed with him through check in and up until security, and walked away with tears gushing from my body and a limp in my step that can only come from something so emotional. I have every faith in our relationship, despite how new it is (we are about to be apart longer than we have been together) but neither of us are in denial of how hard this is going to be. Going into this adventure, I never ever pictured being in this situation. I didn't cry when leaving Disney, and I don't think I would've cried when I left for SAS if it wasn't for this amazing, amazing person who I have grown to love and adore.
After I had a few hours of sleepless tears this morning, and then ran out to do some last minute SAS errands, and changing my focus was exactly what I needed. Though I find myself checking every method of communication constantly hoping it's Dain, I stopped crying and started to regain some excitement that I temporarily misplaced. That isn't to say that I am sad about SAS or in anyway not esctatic, I know how incredible this is and how blessed I am and I am so looking forward to this adventure, I just wish we didn't have to do it at separate times (he is looking into Spring 2012 - which means we will be going through this again in just a year). But now I am home, and both of my extremely packed suitcases have been forced closed and ready to go. And now I am taking a small break before getting started on this carry on stuff. In some aspects, I feel like i've packed way too much, and in some I fear I don't have enough. But, this suitcases are stuffed to capactiy, so I'll be making due. I also, of course, fear I forgot something vital. But whatever it is...i'll learn to live without it. Nothing except for clean water is truly vital.
I've had a few great, last minute, SAS updates that I would love to share. I spoke with one of the SAS directors, who has managed to allow me a third, small bag, to bring on board soley for food! I was worried about this at first because I was taking up so much extra space in my regular suitcases due to my celiac necessities, but being able to take a separate bag is so wonderful. Also, I have begun contact with my vicarious voyage class. Vicaroious Voyage is a program that sets SAS students up with a classroom near their home that they can connect with for the duration of the voyage. My class is a second grade class in Lakeville, MA..which is about an hour from me. Yesterday, I recieved a package with a letter and a flat stanely from each student. I am so exicted to connect with this class and truly feel involved in what these children are learning.
I've booked a few trips for SAS, but i still feel beyond unprepared. There are plenty of days where I have no plans at all, and others where I have booked trips, but don't know how to get there and what not. Everything will find a way to work itself out I am sure, but I am still nervous to the extreme. I can't believe it's tomorrow.
Rerouting back to Disney really quick, I cannot recommend the College Program enough. This isn't because I met a boy who has truly changed my life (although this is a definite bonus), but because it truly is the world's most magical adventure. You make people smile everyday, and the personal satisfaction is just so mesmorizing. Many people probably look at the Disney College Program website and think "none of these roles apply to my major," and the truth is, that's probably true. But Disney teaches invaluable skills by forcing you to handle mass crowds and thousands of transactions every day. Cast members learn exemplorary communication skills that are vital everywhere. Plus, it's an absolute blast. When else can you decide you are bored, and go walk around the Magic Kingdom for a few hours? I've built lifelong relationships and memories i'll hold forever.
What an incredible, incredible year.
Until I am at Sea,
Alisa
One week ago exactly, I was midway through my very last shift at Disney. I was at Epcot, hanging out with Mickey Mouse himself over at Character Spot, cherishing every moment knowing it was my last. After work, I came home around 10:00 and completely finished packing up all of my things. It was a surreal experience, because at that point 3 of my roomates had already moved out and the other 2 weren't home. A place that was a few months ago buzzing with noise was now empty and abandoned, a realization that this was the end.
After packing up the rest of the eery and empty apartment, I ventured to the first floor one last time to help Dain pack. It took us all night and all morning, but just in time, 1:45 the next afternoon, we finished and were able to leave. So we said goodbye to Chatham, dropped off our ID's, parking stickers and keys, and headed to the autotrain. The next morning we woke up in Virginia, and to Boston with stops in D.C and NYC. The five days were spent packing and prepping for Semester at Sea, while enjoying as much time together as we could before being separated.
This morning, Dain flew back home to Michigan. We spent the night before entirely awake, laying in each other's arms, remembering the memories, crying about being apart for 4 months, and planning our futures together. I parked at the airport and stayed with him through check in and up until security, and walked away with tears gushing from my body and a limp in my step that can only come from something so emotional. I have every faith in our relationship, despite how new it is (we are about to be apart longer than we have been together) but neither of us are in denial of how hard this is going to be. Going into this adventure, I never ever pictured being in this situation. I didn't cry when leaving Disney, and I don't think I would've cried when I left for SAS if it wasn't for this amazing, amazing person who I have grown to love and adore.
After I had a few hours of sleepless tears this morning, and then ran out to do some last minute SAS errands, and changing my focus was exactly what I needed. Though I find myself checking every method of communication constantly hoping it's Dain, I stopped crying and started to regain some excitement that I temporarily misplaced. That isn't to say that I am sad about SAS or in anyway not esctatic, I know how incredible this is and how blessed I am and I am so looking forward to this adventure, I just wish we didn't have to do it at separate times (he is looking into Spring 2012 - which means we will be going through this again in just a year). But now I am home, and both of my extremely packed suitcases have been forced closed and ready to go. And now I am taking a small break before getting started on this carry on stuff. In some aspects, I feel like i've packed way too much, and in some I fear I don't have enough. But, this suitcases are stuffed to capactiy, so I'll be making due. I also, of course, fear I forgot something vital. But whatever it is...i'll learn to live without it. Nothing except for clean water is truly vital.
I've had a few great, last minute, SAS updates that I would love to share. I spoke with one of the SAS directors, who has managed to allow me a third, small bag, to bring on board soley for food! I was worried about this at first because I was taking up so much extra space in my regular suitcases due to my celiac necessities, but being able to take a separate bag is so wonderful. Also, I have begun contact with my vicarious voyage class. Vicaroious Voyage is a program that sets SAS students up with a classroom near their home that they can connect with for the duration of the voyage. My class is a second grade class in Lakeville, MA..which is about an hour from me. Yesterday, I recieved a package with a letter and a flat stanely from each student. I am so exicted to connect with this class and truly feel involved in what these children are learning.
I've booked a few trips for SAS, but i still feel beyond unprepared. There are plenty of days where I have no plans at all, and others where I have booked trips, but don't know how to get there and what not. Everything will find a way to work itself out I am sure, but I am still nervous to the extreme. I can't believe it's tomorrow.
Rerouting back to Disney really quick, I cannot recommend the College Program enough. This isn't because I met a boy who has truly changed my life (although this is a definite bonus), but because it truly is the world's most magical adventure. You make people smile everyday, and the personal satisfaction is just so mesmorizing. Many people probably look at the Disney College Program website and think "none of these roles apply to my major," and the truth is, that's probably true. But Disney teaches invaluable skills by forcing you to handle mass crowds and thousands of transactions every day. Cast members learn exemplorary communication skills that are vital everywhere. Plus, it's an absolute blast. When else can you decide you are bored, and go walk around the Magic Kingdom for a few hours? I've built lifelong relationships and memories i'll hold forever.
What an incredible, incredible year.
Until I am at Sea,
Alisa
Labels:
Disney College Program,
Semester at Sea
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