made a new "friend"

Wellllll, I got remeasured and am now officially 5'3.5" meaning I can make some new friends! I am officially a good friend of Pooh bear now :-) and got to hang out with him yesterday for the first time. I was with him for 11.5 hours (hooray for being paid time and a half for overtimeee) at the crystal palace where I was thrown into the zoo that the restaurant tends to be. Pooh bear got a little lost (almost as if he was blind...) when he first went out to greet the guests having lunch, as he wasn't very familiar with the restaurant... at all. He might have bumped into a few tables and wasn't a happy pooh bear... but as the day went on he learned his way around and started to love it! 

In other news, I forgot to mention Amy Fitzgerald came to visit me and had a great time with dale at the dance party! It was so so so great to see her and catch up about school, chio and the magic of disney.

Last week my roommate and I went to typhoon lagoon (first time ever) and swam with sharks. I had a major freakout to say the least. 1. There was no separation between the sharks, sting rays and sea life and the guests floating on top of the water (we couldn't kick our feet to attract their attention). 2. We were using snorkels in which I always think water is going to get stuck in my mask and I will choke and that will be the end of me. I was hyperventilating in the water and swam so fast across the other side I forgot to even notice any of the sealife under the water. I felt like I had someone sitting on my chest for a good 15 minutes after getting out of the water. I will neeeeever do that again, but at least I can say I did it now!

After being here for almost 2 months, I finnnnnnally met Mickey and Minnie! My roommate Jess recommended we meet them because she's very good friends with them herself. I hadn't seen them since I met them when I was 5 years old in Mickey's toontown (may it rest in peace), and I was probably as excited now as I was back then. 

well look who dropped by for a visit!

After 8 years of anticipating plans to go to disney together, the weekend finally came! Mike Pisseri and I took full advantage of our free admission into the parks as we hit up all 4 parks in two days (disney record in my book). The first night we grabbed dinner in Epcot in the UK and had great seats to watch the firework show, illuminations. We were so close that ashes from the fireworks were sprinkled all over our clothes and hair and a hugee piece landed on our table, for the scrapbook of course! Never would have guessed I'd be having drinks with my former teacher.

We started our second day at 7:45am with extra magic hours at studios (never have I ever been to a park so early as to see the rope be cut and crowds sprint into the park) and headed straight for Midway Mania - the semi new toy story ride. Being with the man who might as well be Walt Disney himself, I got slaughtered, TWICE, with not a chance at redemption (or maybe so on the buzz lightyear ride...)

Off we went to animal kingdom to hit up the most popular rides there. Big mistake in deciding to wear jean shorts as we were the token seats to get DRENCHED on the river rapids... It was fun to experience Disney with another person who can quote the pre and post show script like I can... "next time you check into a deserted hotel on the west side of hollywood..." (tower of terror)  "oh and seat belts, use them." (dinosaur).

I was taught where 3 hidden mickeys were on numerous rides in addition to hearing countless fun facts about everything and anything disney. We stayed at Magic Kingdom until 12:30am that evening after sitting front row in Splash Mountain and finally getting my revenge by beating Pisseri in Buzz. Known from one of his most famous quotes, ya can't win em all...

Disney Character Event - St Patty's Day Parade

Well I was finally in a parade!! (although it's not a true disney parade...) I was cast in a DCE - disney character event which could consist of special events such as weddings, celebrity visits or companies that request specific disney accommodations. I got a call from casting for this DCE for st patty's day as a parade performer in Hollywood Studios after hours. It's great to have the opportunity to do something a bit different too.

The thing about the Disney company is they tell you abbbsolutely nothing in advance (if you already hadn't noticed from the lack of parade knowledge I know). I arrived there clueless and surprisingly found my way  to the green room. We wore the most adorable green sparkly costumes in addition to a red wig, eyelashes, airbrush shamrock on my cheek, shamrock earrings, light up ring, knee high tights, green booty shorts and character heels. Not to mention my parents, Jamie and Josh didn't recognize who the girl picture below was!

They told us to line up for the parade route after hearing instructions to just walk and wave. It was so much fun to just smile and occasionally throw in the princess wave as US bank conference attendees snap pictures of the parade along the way. I'm still anxiously waiting real Disney Parades, I had my orientation but still no training on my schedule! :-(

In other news from the Selikoff house, Lexi had three more puppies!!! Two boys and a girl: Little J, Tigger and Minnie :-)

NFL player asked for MY autograph

Jeff came to visit this weekend! After a long and successful conference at fun and adventurous Universal, he needed to experience the magic of Disney. He came to eat at Garden Grille so he could dine with his good friends Chip, Dale, Mickey and Pluto. He was starstruck to say the least ;-)

During that night's shift, I happened to bump into Jason Whittens and his family dining at Garden Grille. Playing for the Dallas Cowboys and being a hugeeee attractive athlete I was most definitely starstuck. It's not everyday that you get to give Jason whittens a hug, take a photo and have him ask me for MY autograph!

I happen to loveee dining shifts. It's much more controlled and you really get to play around with the guests. The families get a kick out of me feeding little kids and sitting down to join them for their meal.

I had parade orientation yesterday and learned a whole presentation about everything to do with the parades. We walked the parade routes and got a tour of each parade float up close and personal. Although I don't have any training on my schedule yet, the instructor said to be excited because somewhere my name is written down to be trained for something! One day!

and a month has passed

Unfortunately, we lost our beloved Pop this past week so I had to put my disney fantasy life on hold to go home to CT. Among all the sadness I was so grateful to be able to escape back to the happiest place on earth.

Well picking up where we left off, dance party kicked my butt. It was such a fun shift but the most exhausted I've been since i've been here. 30 minutes of dancing felt like a workout at the gym and after 5 sets that night it was safe to say I was beat. oyeee! Here's good friend chip rocking out at the dance party.

On a happier note, Josh came to visit this weekend :-) Spending the day in magic kingdom was genuinely up there in one of the happiest days of my life. We rode 18 rides 22 times banking in at the most productive day i've spent at disney in my life. No big deal that I maxed out the score of Buzz Lightyear's space ranger spin, at 999,999 scoring in as a Galactic Hero. Gotta brush up on your video game skills josh. We watched both day and night parades, and ended our day at magic kingdom with Wishes. Josh wouldn't believe Disney's fireworks were actually choreographed to the music,  but of course they are and was blown away by the pyrotechnics. Perhaps a change in his career path...? haha

We also got stuck on Splash mountain for 10 minutes. Some guy decided it was a good idea to get out of our log right before the last drop. The emergency lights when on and the ride held us at the base of the drop while a cast member had to come and retrieve this nervous guest. Pretty cool to see the briar patch all lit up!

Extra magic hours brought us to epcot where we rode test track and mission space freaking out at the continuous motion sickness warnings, we safely landed on mars no worries crew

Saturday was devoted to HARRY POTTER! Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey still blows me away and is the most technologically advanced ride I've ever experienced. After the 4th time riding it, I finally got the science behind the mechanics down. ABBBBsolutely fabulous ride so worth the wait.

"I'm still alive, but really badly burned"

Well on the first day off with 80 degree weather and not a cloud in the sky, I got my first bright red sunburn of the season. I'm super blotchy and look like a Mosaic. oopsieee

Thursday and Friday of this week I had off and a couple friends and I spent the day at animal Kingdom and hollywood studios as guests. We rode expedition everest for the first time which was fabulous to say the least, and tower of terror and rockin roller coaster twice. We haven't waited in line for more than 10 minutes for anything which has been verrrry surprising.

Tonight there was a special after hours party for all cast members that work in Animal Kingdom, and since entertainment gets to work all the parks we were allowed to go. We rode dinosaur twice with the lights on which was verrrrry awesome and way less scary (mind you we all lost our voices from uncontrollable screaming the entire ride without the lights on).

Below are some photos from Magic Kingdom, a sunset on the castle and a choreographed fireworks show, wishes.

This week I got the opportunity to work with my trainers and roommate out with the guests which was a ton of fun. My roommate Jackie and I got to be partners in crime teasing each other on set. Tomorrow I'll be hanging out at the tomorrowland dance party in Magic Kingdom with her as well. My character performing roommates and I are still anxiously awaiting rehearsals for parades and shows to show up on our schedules which come out tomorrow! As unbelievably rewarding and fulfilling it's been so far, I can't wait to be able to dance for disney. That's all for now, I'll check back after the dance party :-)

and so it begins...

Hey guys!

Sorry it's been a couple days, it's been hectic around here with the first couple of days of real work! Unfortunately I can't give away any of the secrets that are all part of the magic, but if I've spoken to you personally you might have a better idea of what I'm actually doing.

Anyway, actual guest interaction is so incredibly fulfilling. It's such an surreal, fantastic feeling making people smile and giggle with memories that they'll always remember of Disney World.

After four days of training we graduated to be real Cast Members in Entertainment character performing. After countless Disney videos about making and becoming the magic for the guests, our training ended with some touching stories that I cannot wait to experience for myself.

I got my first day off and got to spend it going to the park for a full day. It was actually freezing (sorry wisconsin I now get cold at 50 degrees) A couple of my friends and I went to epcot to visit one of our friends from training. Pictured below is my roommate Jess and I, and some very close friends of mine...

I also got to meet my idol: Snow White. Although I'm 20 years old, being next in line to meet her made me so giddy like I was actually meeting a celebrity hahah I told her I wrote my admissions essay on her and she said it must have worked considering im in the College Program! Spitting Image if I do say so myself

My first day arrived to work at the Magic Kingdom and I was very nervous to say the least. I didn't want to get lost, and definitely wanted to be on top of my game as I worked side by side with my trainer (which was a blessing and a curse). It was a fabulous first day and I couldn't have ended my day feeling any happier. Bringing smiles to peoples faces reinforces why people never leave this place. This job is truly a living dream.