The fun continues....

Having sorted our visas, Heather and I decided that we were actually quite hungry so stopped at the nearest Starbucks for a White Chocolate Mocha, a toastie and a muffin! Yes, we were heffers but we had also been up since 6am and had eaten no breakfast yet...


Whilst we were leaving I caught sight of someone out of the corner of my eye....who was it I hear you ask?! Why it was none other than James Nesbitt, the guy from Cold Feet!! He was sitting by the door drinking his coffee.

Once we'd finished in Starbucks we decided that whilst we were in London and there was one so near to us, it would be rude not to go to THE DISNEY STORE!! We both wanted to buy a special pin as a memento of the day and to celebrate being approved for our visas.


Pin trading is really big in Walt Disney World. Basically, guests can go up to cast members (us!) and ask to trade any pins that they are wearing. Some though just wear special pins which they do not wish to trade. I think I will do a mixture of both. My special ones, like the one I bought today will definitely not be traded.

So anyway, we were in the Disney store having a whale of a time, being silly, acting like children and taking photos when who should walk by but another famous actor...this time it was John Hannah! He's a guy in Four Weddings and a Funeral for those who don't know. I was too slow to take pics I'm afraid.

Heather and I saw the BEST Mickey Mouse, dressed as a beefeater - he was really cool and very patriotic. We thought about how good it would be to take one with us to Florida but they were too expensive. A few minutes later a cast member came and told us they were on offer and so.....WE BOTH GOT ONE!! Yay!!! We're going to take them with us to show off to our roommates who will be from other countries.

After a fair bit of playing around in the shop we decided it was time to stop as we would be able to play lots in Florida (and get better discounts!). So we walked to the station and said goodbye. And do you know what the best thing was? I was able to say to Heather "see you in Florida"! Yep, the next time we meet, I will be waiting for her (and the others) in the airport in Orlando :o)

I had some train issues getting back to my friend's house due to track maintenance issues but got there eventually and have just spent a lovely afternoon playing in the snow and drinking tea to warm myself up!

Tomorrow I'll be heading home. Next on the list? To find a new job.....

I am desirable.....

....well at least that's what they told me at the US Embassy today! That's right, I have now been approved for my visa, which should be posted back to me in a few days :o)

The whole process is easy as pie (so long as you have all the correct paperwork and listen out for your number to be called!), but I'll explain more about that in a minute. I'll start with yesterday, as that was the beginning of my Embassy adventure....

I got up, went to work (late - because I forgot my scarf, gloves and hat, which I am VERY glad I went back to pick up!) and then travelled to my good friends "The Bollens", which is where I would be fed, watered and given a place to sleep for the night (thank you very much Bollens!). Throughout the day I kept saying that it looked like snow clouds were rolling in, but nothing happened. That is until I got near to my friend's house where it started to snow quite heavily. In fact by the time I got to their house about 20 minutes later, at least a couple of inches of snow had settled on the ground!

I was VERY excited by this as I really wanted to make sure I saw some snow before moving away...snow's not really Florida weather! So, I got to my friend's house, was given a very yummy homemade pizza, got all my paperwork sorted and went to bed. The alarm was set for 5.45am so that we had time to get ready, clear the snow off the car and drive slowly to the station. It was a good job we left time because it really was icy.

Anyway, I'll skip the train journey as it was uneventful. Eventually I made my way to Bond Street tube station where I was going to meet Heather, or Disney Heather as she is known on my phone!! We are both going to Florida in December to work in f&b, and despite chatting lots online and getting on really well, we had never actually met! I phoned Heather and saw her down the street, I just knew it was her so I started waving like a loon!

We walked around the corner to the pharmacy where we were going to leave our phones and cameras as you're not allowed to take ANY electricals into the embassy. Really, if you are going to the embassy, don't even risk it, they will tell you to "throw away" any electricals you may have in the bins provided. This pharmacy was really good, I would recommend it but can't remember it's name so I won't bother! Heather had her visa pics taken here, they took 5 mins to do and cost £5 for 2. To keep a sealed bag of your stuff costs £5 also but that is for as long as you like. They give you a ticket etc and ask for you to sign so that its all secure.

After this we were on our way to the embassy! Nothing much to say here other than we queued up for about 10 mins outside. They check your paperwork a couple of times here, so keep it out. Take all belts/watches etc off and put them in your bag and basically just follow the arrows into the embassy. As easy as that!

Once inside we had to wait in a big room with lots of chairs and tv screens and waited for our numbers to be called. We were one after the other which was handy. When they called our numbers we went up to the little booth and chatted to the officers inside and they took our fingerprints/asked a bit about our trip etc.

Then we sat down and filled out a delivery form for our passports to be delivered back to us (taking a pen is useful!) and waited for our number to be called again. This time it's a bit more random and this is where the wait can happen. When our numbers were called we went to the booths and re-scanned our fingerprints and answered a few questions about our trip. Really standard stuff like what it's for, had we worked in America before etc. And after that we were done!! All in all it took about 1.5 - 2 hours for both of us to be seen. Oh I forgot, before leaving we went to pay for our passport delivery, it's £14.50 now.

One of the most beautiful morning's ever - despite the challenge of driving in the snow...

My car survived the night of snow...

Ducky having fun in the snow...

I'm on my way to the US.....well the Embassy at least!

Hi All!

I don't have any blog related pics so instead, here are some my Mum took when she and Dad went to Disneyland Paris....WITHOUT ME!!!

Sorry for the lack of updates, not much has been happening lately, other than work! I now have a couple of quite big updates to share with you....

Firstly, my visa appointment is booked for next week. I'll be travelling to a friend's the night before (to save myself a 2 hour train journey from home), then getting a VERY early train to London the next morning so that I can get to the US Embassy for 7.30am, to get in a big queue and wait to be called.

The booking process was all very easy. All I needed was a credit/debit card (to pay a fee of $131), my passport number, visa application number, date of birth, address etc. I had to give the lady on the phone all this info and then she asked when I wanted to have my appointment, I said next week and she said, yep Wednesday was free. All appointments begin at 8.00am, so basically everyone with an appointment that day all turn up at the same time and it's simply luck of the draw as to which order you are seen.

I've heard from people who've been through the process before that you can be there for a good 4-5 hours if you are unlucky as there doesn't seem to be much of a system. Basically, when you're called, you go up and give your forms etc and then have to wait around until you get called again. Also, the most STUPID thing of all.....they do not allow you to take any electricals including mobile phones into the Embassy. Which is fair enough I suppose, but they don't provide ANY lockers or storage facilities. I was told to "find a locker at a train station". Now I find it a bit silly that such a place would not provide this facility - especially when people travel from all over the country to get there. Who would go without a phone?!

Ok, enough ranting! There is a positive side to this appointment. Heather (another Disney person) has her appointment on the same day as me so we're going to meet up in London! I am so excited, it means we can have a chat whilst we're waiting which will hopefully make the time fly by :o)

What else has happened? I was sure I had something else to update? Oh I know.....I have now decided to have some "Goodbye drinks" in Bristol with my friends. Which means my best uni friends will be coming to stay with me for one weekend in November and we'll all go out with my more local friends. The best party is that the dress code is DISNEY FANCY DRESS!!! Haha, how exciting? I don't think the boyfriend is too thrilled as he's not a big Disney fan so I've agreed to think of a very tame character that he can dress up as. I think I'm going for Minnie Mouse - classic Disney.

I'm going to spend this weekend finalising my list of what I still need to get done and will start going through my room, chucking out stuff I don't need, storing things I want to take etc so that it's not all a mad rush at the end of November.

I think that's enough for you to read now, especially seeing as there are so few pictures in this post, which let's face it, are the best bit! So I'll update again after my visa appointment, hopefully with lots of pics of me and Heather being silly in London! xxx

Party of Four?......Right this way...

Today I received an email from Michele at Yummy confirming a BIG change to my WDW plans. I am no longer known as a Merchandise Hostess....I am now a Food & Beverage Hostess!

Rachel and I have swapped roles, a fairly painless task which involved little more than emailing Yummy and asking for their permission. They in turn contacted the Disney recruiting team who gave us the all clear and we are now switching.

In a way I am a little sad because I have made some good friends with merchies in the UK and I know that f&b is usually more challenging/stressful but I am also very happy because this is the role which I originally applied for and I think it will suit me better than merch. Also, Rachel really wanted to work in merch so I am glad to have helped her to get her preferred role! :o)

I've been looking around and found some info on the areas which I will now be working in. The f&b locations are still within the UK Pavillion of Epcot, just on the other side of the street.

Rose and Crown Pub and Dining Room - Fish and chips, bangers and Mash, Prime Rib and Sherry Trifle are among the regular items at Rose and Crown. The Rose and Crown is open for lunch and dinner, inside or outside.

Thirsty?? Sit at the pub and enjoy yards of Bass Ale, Guinness Stout, Harp Lager or Caffrey's Irish Ale. The Rose and Crown contains a varied history of pub styles, combining elements from three basic pub designs: the street pub, the waterfront pub, and the country pub. The exterior design was modeled after the Elizabethan period of the late 16th century. The interior decor was pattered after Victorian architectural forms of the 1890s.

Yorkshire County Fish and Chips - counter service

Here are some sample menus from the Rose and Crown Pub and Restaurant:

Starters-
Samosas - Indian-inspired pockets stuffed with spiced vegetables served with greens and tamarind and mango sauces $7.99
Rose and Crown Cheese Plate - Irish Cheddar, Mushroom Brie, and Stilton Pastry with individual accompaniments $9.99
Roasted Mushrooms - cooked with Cream and Garlic, served on a puff pastry $5.99
Crab Timbale - lump crabmeat mixed with peppers and onions with a hint of curry served with a fresh fruit salsa and watercress $8.99
Potato and Leek Soup - $5.49
Mixed Greens Salad - with spinach, bibb lettuce, tomatoes and bacon with your choice of stilton cheese dressing or mustard vinaigrette $5.49

Entrees -
Tamarind-glazed Pork Loin - served with roasted potatoes $20.99
Steak and Fish - Grilled Steak and Harry Ramsden's Battered fresh cod, green beans and mashed potatoes $24.99
Bangers and Mash - traditional English sausages, with braised cabbage and bacon, mashed potatoes and shallot gravy $15.99
Harry Ramsden's Fish & Chips - Battered fresh Cod served with English Chips $15.99
Herb-roasted Lamb - with Irish cheddar potato gratin and Guinness Barbeque Sauce $22.99
Marinated Chicken Breast - served with roasted garlic bread pudding and onion broth topped with onion marmalade $17.99
Vegetable Curry - fresh roasted vegetables in a mild curry served with grains and Indian bread $12.99

Side Orders -
Green Beans $2.99English Peas $2.99Mashed Potatoes $2.99English Chips $2.99

Desserts -
Chocolate Scotch Cake $5.99
Baileys Irish Coffee Trifle $5.99
Warm Apple Crumble topped with ice cream $5.49
Frozen Vanilla Custard - $5.49
Sticky Toffee Pudding - $4.99

I can personally recommend this restaurant as a FANTASTIC place to eat. We went there before I knew I would be working there and have a great meal with an amazing view of the fireworks, friendly service and very yummy food. It is also reasonably priced!

Oooh....I've also just found this comment about the UK Pavillion on a holiday planning website....Chat with the Cast Members in the UK, they are among the friendliest in World Showcase.

That's it for now :o)

Halloween and the swinging sixties.......

(Yes, that is a full sized tea-cup, from the ride, filled ENTIRELY with "candy"!!)



I've reached the 60s...

Well, there you have it, I've reached 68 days...and still have nothing new to say! Nothing really Disney related is happening these days as there's not a lot to be done just yet.

The girls and I will need to finalise our plans and book a hotel room and car hire pretty soon, I REALLY need to buy my medical insurance (just need the funds to do it!) and make sure I have travel insurance.

It's pretty scary that the XL company has now gone bust, I nearly booked my flight ticket through them but at the last minute wanted to change to Claire's flight so that I had someone to talk to. So it's pretty lucky I swapped as I would be hugely out-of-pocket if I hadn't swapped :o(

I was talking to one of my friends at the weekend and he will be coming over next October to visit me with a friend. He's determined to get me to go to the Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights :o(

As most of you know, I'm not a good person to go and watch a scary film with, mainly because I will flat out REFUSE to go with you! So trying to take me to this event is just silly. I'd be much happier to go to Disney's more tame version...Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. The clue is in the title of that one! The Disney one is basically a night in the Magic Kingdom, with limited crowds because you need a special ticket for it, fancy dress (optional but fun!), trick or treating = LOTS of candy (notice the use of the American word there) and great fireworks, a parade and characters dressed up!

Here are some great links for both events in case anyone is interested:

http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2008/09/mickeys_not_so_scary_halloween_1.html

http://www.halloweenhorrornights.com/orlando/

They celebrate Halloween in style over there so it's quite a big holiday.

I think that's about enough rambling for now, hopefully I'll have sorted more stuff out by the end of next week so will have more to say! Oh I almost forgot, I made some large photo collage posters to hang up in my room in Florida, they are supposed to be here soon so I'll try to take pics of them when they arrive :o)

How many days.......?!

..........................................78 to be exact!! Wow, I cannot believe how quickly time is flying by. I thought that my 8 month wait would be a nightmare but it hasn't been at all. It seems even more strange that some of the friends I have made over the past few months have just started their programmes in WDW this past week. I can remember talking to them about how long they had to go and suddenly they're all there!

I have been having second thoughts once again about my role. I am currently placed in merchcandise but am thinking of making the move to food & beverage. There are a couple of people who would like to do the opposite, so a swap could be quite straight forward. I have been talking to some of my Disney friends, in both roles, to get a better idea of what it is that they do and which role they fell is best to work in. I still have a few months to decide so I am not going to rush into anything.

Other than that, I am still working as a temp. I have never had so many random and odd jobs as I have had as a temp! It's quite interesting but also I seem to be far too efficient as I am getting my work done too quickly. There are officially 3 of us on my flight now; Me, Claire and Sam. It's going to be so much fun, and meeting the others at the airport the next day will be great!

As you can tell I am still very excited about moving, but I must admit my first anxieties have started to kick in now. Firstly about one person in particular who I know I will miss more than I initially thought, and also I had my first Disney-related bad dream last night which made me feel a little worried. But I blame the fact that I am ill, drugged up and was sleeping in a room full of vapour rub fumes last night! It will all be fine in the end......................

Signed, sealed, delivered...I'm yours!

That's right, I have signed on the dotted line, sealed the envelope and delivered my confirmation of acceptance to Disney. I had another slight mix up with them in that they sent my a letter describing the role of the UK Food and Beverage Hostess rather than a Merchandise Hostess. I had to contact Yummy to check that they had me listed as a merchandise hostess, which they did, so the nice people working for Disney simply sent me out the correct letter and everything is a-o-k!

I have also now booked my ONE WAY flight....meaning I won't be coming back...EVER! Haha ok ok I will be coming back as my visa won't allow me to stay for more than a year : (
I'll be flying with Claire, from Aberdeen and possibly Sam, from Brighton and Kayleigh, from London. I hope that Sam and Kayleigh do manage to get on our flight, it would be so much fun to have a small group of us!

I've been looking into prices of transport from the airport and because we're leaving a day early, we will need to get to a hotel and then the next morning, from the hotel to the housing complexes. So I am 99.9% certain that I will hire a car with Claire, that way we can drive to our hotel, go and get food, got to Walmart etc and have loads of space. It also means (hopefully) that we can move into the Disney housing complexes first thing on our official start date and bag the best rooms in our apartments! Clever? Yes...we're geniuses!!

Nothing much else has been sorted yet. I can't do anything about my visa until October/November when Yummy send me my appointment info so I suppose the next thing is to sort out some medical and travel insurance? I also need to do loads of silly little things like enquire about my contact lenses and medical prescriptions. I mean, where do I get them from?! I'm thinking stocking up here and taking loads with me is a good idea...but I'll see what I can find out.

Oh I've also started working on my leaving book. I'm making up a photo book online comprised of my favourite pics of family and friends as well as some empty spaces for people to write me messages, a bit like a wedding guestbook. I'll take the book with me so that I can look at the pics and messages whenever I feel like it.