Probably Getting Gorgeously Tanned in Summer

Hello friends!

I have a week's worth of adventure days to catch you up on.

My lovely friend Lesley (whom you may remember from the 29-time-on-Star-Tours day) was visiting this week. I knew she was coming and that she was coming to see me at Epcot after she arrived, but she still managed to surprise me while I was at the bar. Therefore, pictures were necessary. In retrospect, I regret not getting any of the two of us while I was in costume, but she's coming back in October so more fun will be had then.

Happy to be photographed, so-so about serving alcohol. 

We stayed at Pop Century resort and made a hard commitment to sleep in as frequently as possible. We made it to Hollywood Studios on our first day in time for our Rockn Roller Coaster FastPass at 12:15. It was also May the 4th, aka Star Wars Day ("May the 4th Be With You"... get it?), so Hollywood Studios was the place to be. It was also drizzly all morning so the park was not as full as we were anticipating. We were able to ride Star Tours with a minimal wait, we experienced Muppet Vision 3D, and just before we attended the Frozen Sing Along, we were able to have a surprise meet and greet with Olaf! It was one of his very first days in the park and we were able to see him with, again, a minimal wait. Sticking it out during rainy days has its rewards, people. Also, looking super cool in a poncho is its own reward.

Ponchos are totally rock and/or roll. 

We only stuck around til 3, because we felt a nap was necessary. When we returned, it was to Magic Kingdom, as we felt we needed to conquer it. We arrived when it was just bucketing down rain, meaning we made straight for Emporium to purchase and mail some postcards (to wait out the rain), and find my former coordinator and now leader at Emporium, Dave. We were at Magic Kingdom from 7pm until 1am, the end of Extra Magic Hours, in which we did actually all the attractions one needs when attending Magic Kingdom on vacation - Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, Monsters Inc Laugh Floor, Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, Mickey's Philharmagic, Voyage of the Little Mermaid and Mad Tea Party (we don't spin in the tea cups, we just sit in them). There was probably more. We felt very accomplished. And very hungry. So we made an emergency trip to McDonald's near the All Star Resorts, since everything else was closed.

Lesley, Ariel and I taking a "shellfie".
See what I did there. 

We obviously slept in hard the next day, then finally rolled into Epcot in the early afternoon. We had a leisurely day of wandering around World Showcase in our matching Epcot 30th anniversary shirts, checking out the the new band in Canada (they're called "Alberta Bound"), eating an entire baguette in France (and telling people where they can purchase said baguette), getting our own private boat for the Gran Fiesta Tour in Mexico, and generally having a wonderful day. We ended the day by going to Disney Springs for a late meal at House of Blues (despite all the eating, we were starving) and some shopping at World of Disney.

Cheers from the American Adventure!
See Spaceship Earth behind us?

Baymax selfies! 

Friday was our Universal Studios day. We had many adventures at Universal on my last program, so this park deserved its own day on our vacation. We were able to get there for 11, even though it closed at 6 (whyyyyyy though), we still got all the money's worth of fun. We started in the Universal Studios half with The Mummy, Transformers, ET Adventure, Men in Black and finally lunch in Springfield. We were evacuated off of Kang and Kodos Twirl & Hurl, although it never actually started so it was less of an adventure. But we were given an Express Pass (Universal's FastPasses) to use later in the park, so no big deal. Then we explored Diagon Alley and escaped from Gringott's Bank, before taking the Hogwarts Express to Islands of Adventure.

Clowning around with Krusty in Springfield

You have to pay for a picture with ET. Nope. 

We started with a quick single riders trip through Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, then moved along to Marvel Super Hero Island to use our Express Passes for Spiderman. Our passes were never taken from us, so we used them again in Seuss Landing to board the High in the Sky Seuss Troller Train Ride (that's the real name of the ride). We also did the Cat in the Hat ride before circling back through Hogsmeade to board the Flight of the Hippogriff before we had to leave. Universal Gradventure was that night, so there were tons of elementary school grads from across the country in their matching tees and it was terrifying.

Unmatched shirts today.
We're lucky no one got lost. 

Hogwarts Express, and somehow the Hulk coaster.
#badshow

Mandatory castle picture. You can kind of see the castle...

We went back to our hotel, dined, then changed into our newest matching shirts and went to Hollywood Studios at 9, which had extra magic hours until midnight. Basically we're park champions. We met Olaf again, watched the Star Wars fireworks, rode Star Tours again, braved a stampede for Great Movie Ride, rode Rockn Roller Coaster again and ended our day with a small wait for Toy Story Midway Mania, already showing signs of expansion (another track is happening soon-ish).

We match Olaf's carrot nose!

It was fantastic times, and my Fitbit steps were through the roof. Vacation is the best exercise there is.

See you real soon,

Lindsey

Magical Moment: Our new friend Hayden at Rock'n Roller Coaster totally played along during the preshow and personally asked Steven Tyler for backstage passes "for the girls in the orange shirts". Thanks bro! Also to that one American Adventure CM who IDed me and did a double take at my birth year. I don't care if you do that every day, it made me feel awesome.

Pixie Dust to: My mom! For making sure Lesley's Magical Express info got to her in Woodstock, although it was mysteriously sent to Perth.

EDIT: Lesley made a video of our brief but memorable vacay. You can see it here!

Love is an Open Door

It appears as if having Thursdays and Fridays off will be the new normal for me. If anyone recalls, these were also my regular days off on my last program. Fine by me!

This Thursday, by some strange set of circumstances, Laura had the day off as well! It was also the last day this season when the cast member merchandise discount could be used (that's 40% off, yo), so we had some perusing and shopping to do. We managed to hit up an astounding three parks that day. We started at Hollywood Studios, where Laura got to go on a parking tram for the first time (buses will drop you off at the front).

Parking tram selfies are the best!

We had matching Star Wars-themed name badges made and instinctively put them where our real life name badges go. I also got a hoodie I had been eyeing, which actually worked out perfectly because I was wearing the wrong layers for the kind of sunny day it turned out to be. When we stopped for lunch, I was able to track down my magical friend Anna, who makes magic somewhere on the premises of Hollywood Studios now, who was conveniently on her lunch break.

Heeeeeeey Anna from Montana. 

When Anna had to leave us (darn you, working), we debated an attraction of two but honestly, there's not a lot a lot left at Hollywood Studios and the lines were getting longer by the minute (luckily there's an app for that. Actually. It's called My Disney Experience and I use it to check wait times). So we drove over to Epcot, since we sell merchandise in the Canada pavilion I legitimately needed to buy. We also went to Mouse Gear, the giant shop of the park, but mostly stayed under control. I think I bought tea. We had a peaceful ride on Living with the Land and met our favourite healthcare robot, Baymax (absolutely no name badges or trading pins allowed around Baymax).

Just like hugging a warm marshmallow.

Totally legit Spaceship Earth selfie with our fave scientist.

We were able to go on a whirl of Spaceship Earth before bussing to the TTC and taking a monorail to Magic Kingdom (two of three monorails were mysteriously not operating for most of the day). We had a plan for Magic Kingdom but the crowds didn't allow for a quick jaunt through Haunted Mansion, so we got out merch and my Dole Whip, and headed back to Vista.

The next day I had intended to do more park-running-around, aka blog fodder, but after a rather large and carb-filled Perkins breakfast, my slightly ill body decided it was nap time. For two hours. Luckily I had social plans in the evening to talk about. Nicole, Justine and I, 3/4 of our arrival group squad, went out for Chinese food at a place called Ming Court. It had a giant dragon in it and the food was yummy. Also the three of us accidentally all wore Star Wars shirts. It happens. Mine was courtesy of the now gone holiday discount.

Not an awesome selfie with Justine and a dragon.

We met our missing piece Sarah at Disney Springs for a very sold out showing of Deadpool and ummmmmm it was awesome. 4/4 squad girls recommend. We also met a California Cast Member in line who's job it is to watch multiple channels several hours before they air... are they hiring?

Sunday, Valentine's Day, the same squad went for Galentine's breakfast/lunch/brunch (there was traffic so brunch became lunch but it was pancakes so it was breakfast?) before those lucky three got to go to Animal Kingdom for a day of fun but I had to go to work for, let's face it, a day of fun. The park was busy busy and full of the nicest people, but alas no proposals for me.  No more pictures in costume... yet. If you're cast and you see me at work for the love of my blog take some pictures for me. Thanks in advance, friends.

Squad and sunglasses on point. 

See you real soon!

Lindsey

Magic Moment: Attractions Cast Member Katrina sang "Love is an Open Door" with me on Valentine's Day during the television premiere of Frozen and it was so so magical.

Pixie Dust to: The merch cast of Canada. You're all so nice and adorable.