"Somehow I can't believe there are any heights that can't 
be scaled by a man who knows the secret of 
making dreams come true." -Walt Disney

It's been brought to my attention, by me, that I've been negligent of this blog. Sorry 'bout that...
So here's what's new!
It's November! Yep, I've successfully made it through the Halloween season. It's not as big a deal in Studios because there's very little they change for Halloween. But Magic Kingdom was DECKED OUT! I'll post pictures later of it. For select days during September and October, Magic Kingdom was hosting Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. For those of you who don't know what it is, it's a special event (which requires a special ticket). It lasts from 7pm-Midnight and there are all sorts of fun things. There's the "Boo to You" parade, as well as Hallowishes: A Grim Grinning Ghosts Spooktacular in the Sky, and lots of candy. Here's a youtube version of Hallowishes that's really good. I love the music from Hallowishes!
The event has limited tickets, so it's a great chance to enjoy the Magic Kingdom with practically no wait on just about every ride. Of course you have to dress up for it! I went as Batgirl. Again, photos to come. While my night to enjoy Not-So-Scary as a guest was at the end of September, closer to Halloween I also got to enjoy Not-So-Scary as a Cast Member. I picked up shifts at Splashdown Photos (Splash Mountain) and I also picked up a glow shift. My favorite was the Glow shift, because not only was I located right next to the carousal with a panoramic view of Hallowishes, I also got to wear the special events costume for Not-So-Scary. If there's one thing I love about picking up shifts, it's getting to wear funny costumes.
So now Halloween is over and the parks are decorated for Christmas. At Magic Kingdom, I got to see the first castle lighting. That was really exciting. Also, The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights has arrived at Hollywood Studios. This coming Thursday (the 14th of November), I will be enjoying Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party (think Not-So-Scary but with more holly). I realize that it's not even Thanksgiving yet, but with all this Christmas around, I'm feeling very festive. A quick trip back to Pennsylvania for a weekend visit also reminded me that, while down here the warmth is lingering, winter is definitely coming, as is the end of my College Program. So what's the plan?
Recently, I have committed myself to staying down here in Florida for another seven months after January. Yep, I now have a roommate, and we've been officially approved for our apartment come January. I'm still waiting to hear about my Professional Internship (hopefully news will come sometime this week!), but I've decided that I'm just not done with Disney yet. Whether this means I continue on as a Casual Regular (part-time in Disney-speak) or as a Professional Intern, I'm sticking it out down here. The truth of the matter is, yes, my job can be difficult at times, but every time I look forwards, I can easily see myself still working for Disney. Am I drinking the Kool-Aid? You betcha! Out of my Beauty and the Beast souvenir goblet! I like the people I work with and I like what I do. On paper it might look like I'm just doing retail, but being a Disney Cast Member is so much more. For example, did you know that I also bring out smiles? Whether it's after Tower of Terror, or in the dark part with the dragon of Fantasmic, I've gotten really good at bringing out smiles. The best part of my job is that I make memories. Whatever role I end up in at Disney, I hope that I always get to continue doing that.
So that's what's new with me. To all my friends up north, I'm sending warm thoughts your way. As soon as I know about my new internship, I will let you know.