Disney - My First Few Days

Hi all!!


I am so sorry I haven't updated in a long time. We actually just got internet yesterday. Luckily, I have been doing blog entries on my computer so today I will upload all of them to the blog so that you can see what we've been up to!!!!


Entry from August 16, 2011:


Today we arrived in Disney!!!! I am so excited and nervous and sad bundled into one. It's really great to be down here because the past few days have been a lot of driving, and they've been such a mix of emotions. It was really hard to leave Nate Sunday morning, as I knew it would be, but I really do feel like this is where I should be. He is so incredibly supportive, which I am so grateful for. It really has helped a lot. But it is definitely an adjustment and I really miss him.

I'm a Disney Cast Member!!!!!!!!! These past few days have been a complete whirlwind – they've been exciting, exhausting, and so much fun. There have been so many unbelievable moments and I will try to recount all of them for you!

I'll start with Saturday August 13. We had a BBQ that day where many friends and family members came to support our journey. It was so wonderful to be reminded of just how many people encourage us and are such a wonderful part of our lives. We had so so much fun. Part of the BBQ was a Disney trivia contest that my cousin Renee, and friend, Heather, won. Victoria and I are so looking forward to picking something out for them. We have some ideas but we haven't purchased anything yet. We'll definitely pick something out within the next week or so to send.

After the BBQ Nate and I were able to spend some time together, and I showed him the DVD I made him. It was a DVD of all movies and pictures while we've been dating set to music, and with a bit of a storyline. He loved it, but it was very sad. As much as I've wanted to do this my whole life, it has definitely been a difficult decision. We will really miss our friends and family, and it will be hard to be without each other. Thus far the most difficult part of my journey has been being so far away from him and knowing that I won't see him for a while. He has been so wonderful and encouraging and positive, which has really helped. I could not have asked for more.

Sunday morning we left around 7:45 am to begin make our way south. By the time we got gas and stopped at the bank it was 8:30 and we really got on the road. My mom drove with me (because she knew I would be really sad leaving Nate) and my dad drove with Victoria. Our plan was to stop in Arlington, VA for the night and stay with my cousin, Elena. The first part of our trip went by very smoothly. We made great time and stopped for lunch right before the NY border in CT.

Unfortunately, it was all downhill from there. We got stuck in HORRIBLE traffic on the NJ Turnpike and for two hours were going less than 5 mph. My mom and I kept our hopes up thinking when we got out of NJ everything would start looking up. However we hit hours of traffic in each state because of accidents and when we finally got to Maryland, it started down-pouring. I mean torrential rain. The kind of rain where your windshield wipers aren't even helpful. It was CRAZY. Then it started hailing!! Luckily, we finally made it to Arlington at quarter to midnight, overall a 16 hour trip. (We even took a detour at the Pentagon after getting lost. I got a little nervous when I saw signs about car searches, but fortunately there was a way out before the search. Can you imagine the time it would have taken with my car FULL of luggage and things for our apartment?) We had a really great dinner with Elena – it was so so great to see her, especially because I was having a rough time thinking about Nate. She encouraged me to enjoy my experience and her words really helped remind me of the positive reasons for doing the program.

The next morning we slept in a little and left at 9 am. It was definitely nice to sleep in and helped us start the next leg of our journey on a good foot. We drove south and for about an hour and then stopped at a Cracker Barrel just as Nate and I had done when we drove to FL. We enjoyed a nice family breakfast where we, amongst other things, contemplated whether or not VA is a southern state. Luckily, we had a WONDERFUL trip down to Savannah, our next destination. We got there around 7 pm and went straight to Uncle Bubba's Oyster Bar. This is the restaurant owned by Paula Deen's brother Bubba. I have been lucky enough to have gone to Savannah twice already, both times with Nate, and both times to visit Hillary. It was really weird and almost felt wrong to be in Savannah without both of them. (Hill is still on summer vacation and not back in Savannah for school yet). I was really happy to have my family, that definitely helped, but it was still odd and sad.

The next day we got up and explored Savannah for a bit, stopping at the Savannah Candy Kitchen, getting pralines, and of course going to lunch at Paula Deen's restaurant, The Lady & Sons. It was really fun to be there with my mom, dad, and sister, but again, weird that Nate, Hill, and Matt weren't there. I have been to Savannah twice before and each time with Nate to visit Hill and Matt. It was strange, and of course made me think about missing Nate.

After enjoying lunch, we decided to head out and get to Lake Buena Vista, FL earlier than we initially planned. (Fun fact: Disney is actually in Lake Buena Vista, NOT Orlando, although you have in is the town over and you have to drive through Orlando to get there). We had a practically perfect drive to Disney, only hitting traffic when we got to Orlando, and not for very long (though of course, because of the close proximity to our final destination, it felt a lot longer :) ). 

When we arrived in FL I drove everyone past Disney's 'Vista Way' apartments where we would go to check in the next day, and then we checked into a hotel right next to the complex. Afterwards we drove to Disney's Fort Wilderness Lodge to eat in the restaurant there 'Artist Point.' It was so delicious! We had never eaten there before, but the travel host Samantha Brown talked about it on her Disney special, and since then we wanted to try it. It was so worth it! It's definitely a more expensive restaurant but they had delicious steak and fish. Our waiter was WONDERFUL. My sister got a roasted shittake mushroom soup for an appetizer, because apparently when shittakes are roasted they develop a smokey, bacon like flavor. Since Victoria is a vegetarian she doesn't eat bacon, but she does miss it so she wanted to try. It was INCREDIBLE. It tasted like a bacon mushroom soup! When the waiter came and asked about it I told him I loved it and it tasted so good so Victoria would have to share, and next thing you know, he brought me a bowl out on him so we wouldn't have to! So so nice. With our bread, they gave us unsalted butter that had Hawaiin black sea salt on top that you mix in. It was so cool! (And according to the waiter, expensive) Needless to say it was a wonderful night. Here are some pictures of my meal:

Overall, we had a great journey down. I've gotten to spend a lot of time with my mom since we've been driving together and that's been really nice. I love talking to her and it's been great to have that time together before I spend the next five months here. I've been so focused on leaving Nate that I had forgotten I was also leaving my parents. I knew they were driving us down, and in my weird head I had envisioned them staying even though I knew it wasn't the case. It'll be really hard when they leave on Saturday, I'm definitely not looking forward to that.

I am more blessed than I can put into words. I can't believe this is happening. Literally every time I drive past the entrance to Walt Disney World, I feel like I'm in a dream. Because we have been wanting to do this program for so long it seems as though it can't possibly be real. But it is. Ugh!! It's so so amazing. If I could bottle the feeling of my dream coming true and give it to everyone I would because it is incredible. I can't wait to see where this internship takes me, but I know there are a lot of opportunities ahead. We shall see!

Ttfn!!