The TOWER OF TERROR!!!!

It was my roommate Alyssa's birthday a while back and we both had the same day off. So we decided that we'd go play at one of the parks. We went to Disney's Hollywood Studios (aka: MGM Studios). We went on rides like the Rockin' Roller Coaster and ate at one of my favorite resturants, The Sci-Fi Drive-in. It was a lot of fun just hanging out. Then she told me that her favorite ride in the whole world was Tower of Terror, but she didn't want to make me go on it since she knew I was kind of a ride-chicken. But I sucked it up! I declared to her that for her birthday, I would go on it with her for the first time, as my gift to her.

It's called the Tower of TERROR for a reason which I understand now... Even the lobby to the ride was frightening. Not to mention the black and white introduction video telling you the story of how this couple, an elderly lady, a small child and a bell-boy all disappeared on an elevator when it was struck by lightening. That sure was soothing...

To get to the line, you walk through this really creepy boiler room where you're greeted by solemn looking bell-boys (or girls) which would give Haunted Mansion a run for it's money! They load you into an elevator and make you sit. Granted, the whole elevator looks rusted over and you have to share this short rand rail with the person next to you.

Alyssa thought my panic was hilarious, even though I was trying my best to suppress most of it for the crying child next to me! She told me that she would warn me before it fell so I could brace myself.

Then the car starts to move... it takes you to one floor where it opens up and you see a floor with Hotel rooms on it, then the Ghosts of the unfortunate riders show up and creepily beckon you forwards. Then they get all lightning-y and the whole floor turns into stars with a creepy window breaking in the background. Then those doors close and the elevator takes you to another room, the car starts to move through, the "Twilight Zone" including giant creepy eyes and ghostly creepy things. At this point my inner-self is freaking and wondering how I could escape without looking like a chicken to the child who's crying next to me.

Then a door opens and things are completely black. It's hot, so you can tell you're right near the out-side and clicking is warning you that the elevator car is hooking up to the shaft of doom. Just then, Alyssa laughs and says, "Don't worry, I'll tell you wh.... AAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

My muscles TIGHTEN! To the point where I feel like I will never move and the whole car erupts in this high pitched squeal that echos the rises and falls of the elevator. I honestly couldn't tell you which part was worse, the rising or the falling. All I know is that normally, I can scream. And when I say scream, I mean scream... but on this ride, I could honestly not make a SOUND! I eyes WHERE(!) open! So I wasn't completely chicken, but I also think I didn't take a breath during that whole ride.

By the time the ride ended, I was still gripping on the handles like death itself. Alyssa enjoyed the ride thoroughly, and turned to me laughing about to ask me what I though of it, but her laughed stopped abruptly and she asked "Are you ok?" In my mind I was thinking I thought you were going to warn me? But the only words that could come out were "YOU LIED!"

Needless to say, I survived and once I got off and started walking, I realized I could survive it one more time. I needed to ride it again so I didn't have that tramatized feeling whenever I was faced with the opportunity to ride it. But it still took me 5 more rides before I could scream, and 7 more rides before I could not hold on.

But when they named it Tower of Terror, they were NOT kidding!

I look incredibly nasty in this photo, but it was really hot and I had just been on a ride where I thought I would die

He can sing and dance, but now he can talk and blink?

When you were little, did you ever wonder why Mickey Mouse never talked to you? He always just moved around, overly expressive but silent with that same stupid grin on his face! I mean, since he IS that same world famous Mickey, then he should be able to talk to you like he does on every Silly Symphonies we've ever seen.

Well now Disney has remedied that problem. Last week in Anahiem California, in Disneyland, they brought out the world's first talking Mickey. He actually communicated with a 5-year-old girl. Answering her questions, calling her by her name, all the while blinking and moving his lips *gasp*!

Although it is going to be a while before that technology can spread to other characters and other parks, Disney has brought a form of it to Disney World's Magic Kingdom. Down on Main Street in front of the castle is a show called "Dreams Come True". It features Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy as they discus how dreams can come true in the Disney's Magic Kingdom. Of course girls can be princesses and boys can be pirates. This was demonstrated with the typical presentation of dance numbers and overly expressive dancers and a clean set of friendly pirates. But the kicker was that Mickey and his little gang actually blink and move their mouths to the audio. It was so strange! So exciting that even at 20-years-old, I still found myself saying "WOW" "Look-it!"

So years from now, when I bring my in-the-FAR-future-children, I'll say, "you know I remember when Mickey couldn't talk..." I can already hearing them say "oh Mommmmm..." with an eye-roll attached.

PROOF! She can blink, and he can sing!!

The Indiana Jones Stunt Show

So today was my Sunday, meaning that I had today and yesterday off (and yesterday was my saturday). Three others had today off so we decided to go to Hollywood Studios and see the shows they have. We saw the Voyage of the Little Mermaid and then the Beauty and the Beast show... both incredibly cheesy and short. We watched the Pixar Block Party Parade and then we saw it... The Indiana Jones Stunt Show!! Kendall had told us all about how they choose people in the audience to act as extras, so we decided we'd try it. We actually got a really good seat in the third row up front. The show was starting and they were all acting like they were filming for an Indiana Jones movie, including fake cameras and cheesy directors. Then they asked for volunteers over the age of 18. The four of us cheered like crazy!!! But only two of us were chosen, me and Kendall. We had an introduction part where they asked for our names and made us act as "Gigglers". Then they sent us to costuming for some overly-starched robes. It was SO much awesome, I even got picked to play my own death scene!! Plus I got to shake Indiana's hand!!! SO much fun! The videos are down on the bottom, sorry the order's backward and some are long, but it was hilarious...

Kendall and I, the famous ones!

Indie shook my hand!!

Second one on the left is kendall, I'm the third on the left

Getting excited in front of over 200 people!

That's right, we rock the Indie look

Part 3 (sorry it's out of order, the download thing confused me)

Part 2

Part 1

I love my Job

So it's 4:00 in the morning... because my clock is so screwed up, 4 AM is my 8PM. So instead I'm just adding in a new blog post. Below I've listed several reasons why I love my job. I know I may complain about my hours but I really do love my job.

I have 20 new grandpas

I don't have to worry about sun burns at 9:00 at night

it's not as hot when it's so late

the people are too tired to really scream at you

I can get more breaks than most Disney cast members and longer too

Early Release-- given to those who request to go home early if they're not needed

less crowds at night

air conditioned tram cabs or breezy back of tram

a quiet dark apartment to come home to but not creepily alone-- Holly-wind-down time

SLEEP IN!

time to play with roommates at parks before work

my messed up clock saves on groceries because I don't need more than one meal and one snack a day

I end up missing most of the ten-minute downpours

my costume's not so bad, it could always be worse... I could wear the neon full-body hammer-pants for Dino land in Animal Kingdom!

Five after 4AM and time for dinner... oreo cookies and milk? Why not... I work where Wishes Come True ;D

Getting Ready for Work

yup... just getting ready for work...

Oh the Things I've Learned...

So here's a few things I have already learned here on my Florida Adventure:

For some people, Disney is NOT the happiest place on Earth

Leg hair grows slower here (less shaving for my skort!)

My hair is frizzy and red in the sun

Buses are never on time and always smell like petrol oil

Always use more than 20 SPF

Gatorade is Awesome!

PB&J sandwiches are staples

Walmart is the next Nordstroms

Yellow is my color

Everyone is always the exception to safety rules... or so they think

iPhones contain your life and soul... and work schedule

Point with two fingers instead of one, so not to offend foreign guests

Drink twice your weight in water every day

Not every old man is sweet, some are creepy and get escorted off the premises

You can live on one meal a day

Lastly:

Disney is going to take over the World!

Obsessed!

So we're all aware of my ever-increasing love for the Beatles... Well I've been slowly branching out... well, kind of. I'm liking some of Paul's solo work (favorite: click here!) , but I've found the next best thing. Sean Lennon!!

I know, he used to be kind of a creeper when he went through that Daddy-look-alike phase, but I'm sure he's gotten over it by now. And the music that he's been producing sounds nothing like his Dad's, but still wonderful. Look up my favorite Freaking out.

He also has come out with a couple of new songs with his gorgeous model girlfriend. Their band's called The Ghost of a Saber Toothed Tiger, but for some reason you can only find it on iTunes under the name Goastt. Click here to hear my favorites. The best one is Rainbows in Gasoline.

Why are all these beautiful girls ending up with quirky guys? He's not bad though...

Rock Around the Clock... Literally

I love my job

I just needed to say that first off before I continued with the rest of my post because I'm going to go a little rant here for a while...

When I was given my assignment, no one told me what my hours would be like. I know that I had to be available 7 days a week and that my hours would never be the same for every day and I would be allotted two days off a week. But they never told me what my hours would be like!!

In the TTC (Ticket and Transportation Center) where I work driving the trams, there are a lot of old men (to put it lightly). And because they've been working here longer, they get the first dibs on when they work. Which means that these poor college kids get the bottom of the barrel! So all the old fogies get to work the daylight hours and I'm stuck doing the grave-yard shift!

My typical work day is like this:

At 6 or 7 I start work. Six hour shifts at the minimal which means that I don't get to go home until 12 or 1, and that's ONLY if there's no Extra Magic (or Tragic) Hours, at which time I can be working until almost 5AM!!!

Then I go home, sleep until 2 or 3 in the afternoon missing everything fun and only eating one meal a day! I could go three days without actually seeing a roommate! Gah!!!!

Now that I've ranted... I have to go to work

The Frog that crossed the road

I was at work the other day, being a pointer at a closed lot. That means I stood at the cones directing cars onward if they tried to stop and helped them with directions if they didn't know where they were going. It was getting kind of dark but I could still see. I was completely alone and getting really bored of being there by myself waving at the buses as they passed when I saw a little frog.

He hopped behind me and on to the side walk. I thought he was cute but I stayed away incase he decided to redirect towards me. Just because he looks cute doesn't mean I want to touch him. So I watched him.

Then I noticed that he was heading towards the street. I got a little panicked because there was a lot of cars passing at faster speed then the frog could hop. I couldn't watch because I just KNEW he was going to get run over! But I couldn't not watch because I wanted to make sure that he made it safely.

He quickly made it safely past the first lane. But then he must have forgotten where he was going because he stopped. Now I was getting really anxious. What would my managers think if they found out I stopped traffic for a frog? I decided against it. Instead I hoped that he'd make his mind up soon.

Then the inevitable happened... a huge semi-truck. That's right. Our poor frog was struck by a truck. It was awful. I don't normally like bugs or amphibians but I didn't want to watch him get squished!

When I got back to the break-room one of the bus drivers who would pass me came up and asked me how my shift went. I thought this was weird especially since it's an unwritten rule that parking lot cast and bus drivers don't mix. It's like a mafia of polyester. It turns out that during this whole frog incident I looked like I was watching two on-coming trains colliding, and everyone saw me.

What can I say? I'm a sympathetic soul (pathetic being the key word)

Sorry I have no current posts! My Internet dead and all I have is my iPhone. More soon to come!

First Impressions Always Matter... Woops...

So it's taken me a while to write this and I apologize. But I've literally been so exhausted that it's difficult to function. But I'm not complaining, I'm enjoying every minute!

I've told some people about my first day of work, but now I'll explain to the rest of you. I was a little nervous for my first day. I didn't know anyone that I'd be working with and I was nervous to get started. However, I had no idea that I was worrying about the wrong thing!

When I got to the TTC (Ticket and Transportation Center), where I'll be working in the Parking Lot, I signed in and met my Trainer. Wren is 24 and from Florida, he seems like a pretty cool guy so I relaxed. He showed me around and he walked me through the whole parking lot so I could get familiar with my surroundings. Then he took me to where the trams were parked. He was going to teach me how to actually drive the tram...

They're not too difficult to drive. It's basically like driving a really slow tractor with a huge back end. It took me a while to get used to driving it but I basically got the hang of it. Then Wren told me to pull out on to the Tram track so I could get used to driving the tram where you pick up and drop off passengers. Then disaster struck...

I was doing EXACTLY what I was supposed to. I was obeying orders to go around a planter with a bunch of trees in the middle. And I was doing exactly what Wren told me to do. But what he didn't put into account was the fact that there was a construction sign on the side of the planter. We thought we cleared it but as the tram was passing it the hitch of the sign was picked up by one of the cars and moved the sign about three feet! We had to stop and get out, then we had to call our manager (who I hadn't met yet) to come down and check everything for protocol's sake.

It was so humiliating! My manager came down in his huge truck and a van full of the old guys I work with came down to see what was going on. And I'm just STANDING there! Completely humiliated! Then my manager told me that I'm officially the first Trainee to crash! Ugh! It was awful! All the old guys were grinning at me and patting the top of my head telling me it's ok, all the while I'm shrinking every second. Eventually my manager told me that because I was perfectly on the line and the fact that the sign shouldn't have been there in the first place, that I wouldn't have to write a report or anything like that.

Well, needless to say, by the time I got back to the break room, EVERYONE knew. And as soon as I walked into the room, Solomon (my favorite little old Jamaican guy) pointed at me and loudly proclaimed "Dat's da gurl!". Now whenever they see me, they give me this pity smile and a pat on my head like a pitiful puppy. But no... that's not all...

On the back of the tram is a platform where the "Spieler" talks and tells the guests to keep their hands and feet inside the tram. Well, I'm learning how to spiel and the tram is loading passengers. The chain next to me wasn't clipped on (my bad...) and the tram made a kick as it started. Now granted I was already shaky from my horrible start of the day, but I fell off!! That's right I fell off the back of the tram! On my first day! My trainer laughed at me and then asked me if I was ok. Normally they would have to call the manager to come and make sure I was ok, but I was really fine and I couldn't stand calling him for another one of my stupid accidents. So I got back on and we kept going...

So I crash the tram, AND I fall off the back of the tram all on my first day!!

My ride... yes it has air conditioning inside

So Happy to be So Tired!

Ok guys, I am so sorry but I am just so exhausted. For the last two days I have been wanting to sit down and write my hilarious first day story but I am so tired I can hardly stand it. But I want you to know that I have never been so happy with being so exhausted. It only makes going to bed even more delicious! But tomorrow is my day off so I'm going to write a nice big one tomorrow!