Just Keep Swimming - A 2015 Disney Professional Internship [7/20 - 5x Update]

[randinicole]

Sunday, June 28th​

I must have had a ton of pent-up exhaustion because I slept in until about 1:00 p.m. on the 28th. On a typical day off I can usually stay asleep until around 10:00. I’ll occasionally sleep until noon if it’s been a very long week and I was awake pretty late the night before but 1:00 p.m. never happens unless I force it (or unless I’m hungover but in that case I typically just stay in bed all day anyway ).

Anyway, after sleeping in for like ever, I made my way out into the living room where I proceeded to idly sit for another two hours or so.

Despite my incredible laziness, my stomach demanded that it be fed and as I pondered my breakfast options – although at 1:00 p.m. I guess that makes it lunch; oh well, minor details – and remembered that I most definitely did not eat my peanut butter cookie from the night before. So, what better idea than to eat it right now.

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Okay, okay – enough with the lackluster details, let’s get this Trip Report to a park.

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Jess and I finally made our way out of the apartment around 3:00 and headed for Magic Kingdom. Much like yesterday, we didn’t have a real agenda which also means that I don’t have an exact account of everything we did. I do, however, have more pictures from this particular day which is always fun!

Jess had arranged some FastPasses for us, beginning with a trip down Splash Mountain. Well, apparently the mountain didn’t exactly feel like splashing this particular afternoon because it was down.

So, rather than wait to see if the attraction would reopen again soon, we decided to cash in our FastPass at another nearby Frontierland ride:

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But before we could take the wildest ride in the wilderness, Jess and I were given a very special, very prestigious job. We were given the red badge of honor. We were given this:

Please tell me I’m not the only one who geeks out when they’re chosen to hold the time card. ​

Okay so maybe it’s not the most exciting job in the world but I always feel a twinge of privilege when I’m given a time card. IT BRINGS ME HAPPINESS, OKAY?!?

You know what else brings me happiness? This sign. This sign in the queue area of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad brings me insane happiness.

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I’m not sure why – maybe it’s the sarcasm, maybe it’s the condescending tone, heck maybe it’s the line that says, “Always yell, ‘fire in the hole’ so everyone in the hole can hear you,” but something about this particular sign just really makes me giggle.

Thankfully there were no lost fingers, lives, or jobs during this romp around the railroad so Jess and I moved along in the Kingdom.

I’m not sure if Space Mountain was our next destination or just the next attraction that I have a photo of but nonetheless, Jess and I received the ‘all clear’ from Command and jetted into the great abyss.

Our little stint in Tomorrowland was followed by an even littler stint as we attempted to make our way onto the teacups. Apparently Alice and her friends were having just as rough of an afternoon as Brer Rabbit because their attraction was also down. Luckily for us, however, we were already in line for the maddest of tea parties, which meant that Jess and I were able to walk away with a paper FastPass.

We continued moseying around Fantasyland, stopping for Prince Charming Regal Carrousel:

Sorry I'm not sorry for the shameless selfie.

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‘it’s a small world’:

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and, with many thanks to that paper Fastpass, Peter Pan’s Flight:

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Apparently taking the second star to the right can really make a girl hungry because after our return from Neverland, Jess and I wandered over to Casey’s Corner for dinner. Now, if I didn’t make this abundantly clear yesterday when I ordered the Barbeque Pork Waffle Fries, I love barbeque. Love it, love it, love it.

So, naturally, I ordered the Barbeque Slaw Dog (which, surprisingly enough – or not – has the exact same toppings as the fries).

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It was obviously yum. So much yum. It was also yum when I first ate one a few months ago on my College Program. Still so much yum.

Jess and I were planning to watch Celebrate the Magic at 9:45, Wishes at 10:00, and the second showing of the Main Street Electrical Parade at 11:00. Since we were in the area and it was relatively close to the beginning of Celebrate the Magic, we found a nice spot along Main Street. This was going to be the first time either of us saw both the castle show and the fireworks since our Professional Internships began and I think we were both anticipating that a few tears would be shed.

Well, we certainly weren’t wrong. A few stray happy, fantastical, and adoring tears escaped my eyes as I realized that I would once again be living at Walt Disney World. Not only was I having a second chance to live out my dream but I already had some incredible people to share the journey with – and it was all just beginning. And to be here for Halloween and Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years...it’s all just too much!

So sappiness aside, Jess and I wanted to take a trip to the briar patch and say hello to our friends Br’er Rabbit, Br’er Fox, Br’er Bear, Br’er Gator, Br’er Roadrunner, Br’er Terrapin, and Br’er yadda yadda before the parade began.

Since I had just visited the Laughin’ Place the day before, I was very aware of the current intensity of the big splash and, rather than get totally drenched, I decided to take matters into my own hands – or, well, bag. Ya see, the day before, Jess (the intern) and I got SOAKED. S-O-A-K-E-D. SOAKED. and instead of repeating history, I grabbed a bag from the merchandise location outside of the attraction so that I could wear it over my head, thusly protecting my hair from the immanent, watery doom.

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It may not have been the most attractive fashion statement and it certainly garnered quite a few laughs from our log buddies but – and this is what matters most – it was incredibly effective. I swear I walked out of there dryer than when I come on.

...okay, so that’s probably not true but I definitely did walk out of there less wet than the day before and that my friends is a victory; a victory that calls for dancing chickens!

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After singing some zip-a-dee-doo-dah’s and some zip-a-dee-a’s, Jess and I headed out to find a parade spot.

BUT FIST, nourishment. Apparently history was all about repeating itself on this particular evening because Jess and I headed back to the same candy store that Jess and I had visited last night. This time, however, I picked up some sugar rather than some sweets.

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I bought these little beauties expecting them to taste a little something like the Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers; you know, these little pieces of heaven:

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Instead, these gummy worms were like WOAH. Granted, I probably should have heeded the large word ‘sour’ printed on the packaging but I was a rebel...a rebel that kept making this face:

I only got through a handful of pieces before I had to call quits for the evening. People, my sour tolerance is zero. Actually, it’s probably less than zero. And these worms were certainly not less than zero. Not at all.

Jess and I plopped down right in the middle of Frontierland to watch the Main Street Electrical Parade (which now has me thinking – if you watch the Main Street Electrical Parade not on Main Street, does that make it any different? Like, would it now be the Frontierland Electrical Parade? hmm...). Crazily enough there weren’t many people left in the park and it oodly felt like the many nights I watched the parade back in the beginning months of the year. In all honesty, the crowds in July haven’t been nearly as chaotic as I’ve been anticipating. When I was growing up, I visited Walt Disney World almost every year in July and I swear I can remember those crowds being much more overwhelming than they seem to be this year. Maybe it’s because I’m older or maybe it’s because I haven’t vacationed here over the summer in nearly five years but each time I visit a park it always seems as though it isn’t crowded enough for July. But hey, less people means more Frontierland Electrical Parade for me!

You can’t see it but that drum says ‘Disney’s Frontierland Parade.’

Once our nearly-private viewing of the Frontierland Electrical Parade wrapped up, Jess and I lazily made our way out of the Kingdom and into our beds.

Tomorrow was my final full day of training!

[continued in next post]​

 

[randinicole]

Monday, June 29th​

The 29th was my seventh day of ‘On the Job Training.’ I worked from 10:30 to 7:00 p.m. and then spent the evening at home with my roommates. I spent the day at work, however, with some very interesting marine life – and luckily you all get to learn about one of them! Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to the Giant Shovelnose Rose (also at times known as the Guitarfish).

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The Giant Shovelnose Ray, related to both rays and sharks, has a body form intermediate between those of sharks and rays. The tail has a typical shark-like form, but in many species, the head has a triangular, or guitar-like shape. This species commonly lives in coastal tropical waters. While the adult rays live at depths up to 100 meters, juveniles prefer more sheltered areas, such as mangroves, atolls and estuaries. The Giant Shovelnose Ray can tolerate wide variations in water salinity and, in fact, there are some examples of individuals living permanently in fresh water.

These rays are bottom feeders and bury themselves in mud or sand to find their food. Shovelnose Rays hunt for crustaceans and small fish, using the powerful jaws on the underside of their body to break open the hard shell of their prey.

[continued in next post]​

 

[randinicole]

Tuesday, June 30th​

Although I was off on the 30th, I am not joking when I say that all I did today was update this Trip Report and watch the Twilight series.

All. Five. Movies.

That’s all.

[continued in next post]​

 

[randinicole]

Wednesday, July 1st​

Today was the last official day of ‘On the Job Training’ (apparently there was still some more training to be done tomorrow) which also meant that it was Assessment Day!

I know, I know, we’re all so excited for the tests.​

What was even more exciting than taking a series of tests, however, is pictures! Intern pictures!

So, from left to right, we have Jess, me, and Samantha – the three education interns!

Sam told us to make a fishy face and this is what happened...

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Since we arrived at 8:30 on this particular morning, we had a few moments outside before Guests entered the park and the pavilion. It’s always so relaxing when I first arrive to work at the beginning of my 9:00 a.m. shift and the whole pavilion is still quite and calm – that’s when I really love to watch the different aquariums around our building; when the animals are existing in their private world for just a few more minutes, I feel truly grateful to be apart of their lives.

But, as does everyday, our morning had to carry on which meant that the three of us had to take our end-of-training assessments. Despite my worrying, we all did swimmingly (I’m sorry, I just couldn’t help my-shell-f) and luckily still have jobs today! Just kidding, they wouldn’t have fired us – at least, not on porpoise.

OKAY PUNS ASIDE, we spent the rest of the afternoon with the Marine Mammal interns learning about the different games and activities that both of our teams host throughout the Undersea Viewing Area (the large, circular observation deck down the long undersea hallway for those who are familiar with the pavilion). It was so nice to spend time with some of the other interns – it’s crazy how quickly it happened but we all really are such a close group of friends already!

I can’t exactly remember what I did after work on this day, which leads me to believe that I most likely did nothing remarkable.

Oh well, that’s the ever-exciting life of an intern!

[continued in next post]​

 

[randinicole]

Thursday, 2nd​

Even though we had officially wrapped up ‘On the Job Training’ the day before, both the Education Interns and the Marine Mammal Interns still spent a bit more time working with the different games and activities we had learned about yesterday.

Since I spent the day learning about some of the experiences I’ll be hosting in the Undersea Viewing Area, why not read about another animal that we can find in this main environment. Partly because I find them to be intimidatingly beautiful fish and partly because I myself would like to learn more about them, I think this is the perfect opportunity to introduce the Atlantic Tarpon.

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Related to eels, Tarpon fossil records date back to 100 million years ago. They have slender bodies covered with large plate-like scales that give the fish a shiny, silvery appearance.

A ton of Tarpon facts:

• Adult Tarpon can be four to eight feet long and weigh 60 to 280 pounds.
• Tarpon tolerate wide ranges in salinity and can be found in the open ocean to brackish bays and even freshwater rivers.
• Tarpon prefer a water temperature of 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C).
• Tarpon are a pelagic species that lives near the surface. They are commonly found to depths of about 100 feet, though recent research has shown that they may dive to depths greater than 400 feet.
• The Tarpon is able to gulp air at the water’s surface and breathe through their swim bladder. Tarpon frequently rise to the surface and take gulps of air, which gives them a short burst of energy. This accounts for the characteristic rolling behavior of tarpon at the surface.

 

[I_Luv_Stitch]

Haha I'm glad you like the sound of Marshall's! Yup, we have Hollisters and Abercrombies here too though I haven' heard of Jack Wills.
Candyland is actually a really simple children's game. The board is just a series of colored spaces and after drawing a card, you move to the nearest space with that color.
You've maxed out on Buzz?!? That's crazy, I'm so bad at that game.

I'm planning on going to America (whether it is Disney or somewhere else) with a friend of mine in a couple of years time and I will definitely have to find a way of checking out Marshall's!!! Jack Wills is an English starting company but I know there is one or two in the US!
Oh sounds good, I think my cousins have it but have never played it...I will make that a priority when I see them soon!
Yeah I've done it twice now!! It is mainly luck as unlike TSM you can't see where you're shooting can you!! But my family don't like going on it with me anymore as I've done it twice now!

Loved reading about all your experiences so far and loved the photos of you education interns outside of The Seas!!!
Your photos are lovely, and love all the different angles that you take them, I really need to pay more attention on BTMR as I normally just breeze past everything, but that sign looks hilarious! All the fact based posts about the sea creatures, are so interesting, but can I ask how do you remember all of it? Do you have to remember all of it? As I would be hopeless!!
Sometimes you need those days where you don't leave the house and just watch tv and films! Especially with your busy schedule!!
Can't wait to read more

 

[HikingBelle]

Luckily for us though, The Magic of Disney Animation was still open so we ducked inside and decided to sketch a bit while we waited out the nearby explosions.

Aww Magic of Disney Animation. *sniff* So sad it won't be there when I visit in October. Your Winnie pic was great!

Also, in general, you have fantastic GIF-to-narrative selection. So much fun to read.

And thanks for all the great sea creature info! The chocolate chip starfish is so cool.

 

[disneyguy4life]

I definitely did walk out of there less wet than the day before and that my friends is a victory; a victory that calls for dancing chickens!

The question is, when does a victory not call for dancing chickens?

 

[PixieDustGirl18]

I am in love with reading your experiences! As a girl who is dreaming of the college program and the day she can work for the best place on earth, it is so cool getting insight to what is in store. Can't wait to see how your internship goes! So question, when you applied for your college program, how were you able to choose your "top" roles? There just seem like so many I'd love to try!

 

[sparkle.castle]

Ahh, it's an honor to meet a Disney Bride! Do you mind if I ask where your location was? I always love hearing about people's ceremonies and receptions!

Thank you! Ceremony was at the Wedding Pavilion and reception at Citricos. We got married in the morning, so we were able to use Citricos for the reception location since they were not open yet.

Just caught up - love reading about all of your adventures and what you've been learning!

 

[jandlinz]

All caught up! You've had some fun adventures! I love that you are enjoying your experience and taking advantage of playing in the parks.

 

[Mousefan mom]

Following! Sounds like fun.

 

[Lauren97]

Hi Randi! Thanks so much for sharing about your internship! It is my dream to work for Disney while being a college student, but unfortunately my school will not allow me to take a semester off for the DCP because of my scholarship. I am hoping to participate in a summer only PI if available and was wondering what age most PI participants are? Can't wait to hear more updates about your experience!

 

[sparkle.castle]

Come back! Would love to hear how it's going.