"See Ya Real Soon, Pal"

It was a beautiful three months. 

Full of trials, adjustments, 

and good ol' wholesome Disney FUN.

Girls I roomed with had 

the biggest hearts.

Special sneak-peaks of Disney behind-the-scenes 

made me feel special and more connected. 

Work had a magic of its own, 

but my favorite times {of course} 

was when I'd play Guest.

Magic moments happen to you as a Cast Member, as well. 

Some Guest interactions become your most treasured memories. 

Disney is always changing, always growing.
{Meegwetch, Pocahontas.}
I felt like we were kindred spirits.

Wild frogs, bunnies, and crocodiles 

were our pets away from home. 

Florida was a new set of shoes to grow into. 

And I don't regret any of my time. 

Now, however, that day has set.

I will forever treasure my memories as a Cast Member and Guest, 

and am so happy at the thought of visiting again.  

But now, a new sunrise is dawning. 

{"Beauty and the Beast" © Disney}

"A Little Taste of DINOSAUR"

Every day, I get asked a series of questions from Guests about our ride.  From British to Mexican, Black to White, they all have the same inquiries.  So here I am, posting the answers for the world to access,  even though most everything is already answered by our signs or website. 

Is this a roller coaster? No, it's a bumpy jeep ride. It's similar to our African Safari ride, but in the dark.  Think of daddy's driving.
So, it doesn't go upside down?  If cars could function upside-down, we'd be living in a whole different world. 
Is this a simulated ride?  No, your body will actually be transported.  Back in time. 
My child is only X inches shorter than the height sign. That's fine, right?  No, no, no, a thousand times, no.  Your child's head must touch the bottom of our sign, or they cannot ride.  We're not trying to ruin your vacation, we're trying to keep everyone in one piece.  Disney cares enough for your child's safety not to risk them falling out of the car. 
My girlfriend/wife is pregnant. Can she ride?  The seatbelt will push against her belly and the car will jolt her around.  For the baby's sake and for hers, I suggest riding something else. 
My grandfather/mother is old. Can they ride?  I won't presume to know the limits of your elderly loved one's body.  Being chased by dinosaurs can raise blood pressure.  It's up to you. 
Is the ride scary? Will my kids like it?  I've seen 4-year-olds exit laughing, and 11-year-olds leave weeping.  It depends on your child's tolerance for feral roaring and asteroid crashing.  This ride is LOUD.
¿Habla Español?  No, けれど日本語を話しますよ。 My language skills are wasted in Florida.  But seriously, if you have a language barrier, please research our Parks before coming. It'll make your stay easier. 

{images © respective owners}

"Sea World"

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” 
~Andre Gide

Since it's in the neighborhood... 
a few weeks back, we took a swim over to Sea World!

And what a delight to have a car down here!
I offered to play cabbie to get a magically free ticket.

Found Nemo's friend!

And we found dolphins!
Being so near them was a dream come true. ❤

The sheer size of whales is humbling.
We stared and gaped and flapped our mouths like fishies in awe.

And we even rode one!
...Er, sorta.

Roomie Shayle makes the best fish faces!

Bucket list shortened!
Now I just have to swim with them...
Any rich folks out there want to take me dolphin riding? ;) 

{♪ "Are You Still Waiting?" © Hee Young}

"Live Always"

I am becoming a regular at Quiznos. 

The service is lovely and quiet, 

and the food is a delicious alternative to cooking. 

One of the employees has learned my face. 

Today, he asked, 

"Why do you always come here alone?" 

And that's when I remembered Japan. 

Living there, on my own, 

taught me to explore the world by myself 

and not be ashamed about it. 

There is so much to do, so many things to see, 

that you should never hinder yourself 

from lack of company. 

True, life is better shared, 

but you should never stop living 

just because you're by yourself for a moment. 

{image © respective owner}

"Typhoon Lagoon"

"God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us 
to give ourselves the gift of living well." ~Voltaire

Happiest of birthdays to Roomie Chelsea! 
We ate an entire kitchen sink of ice cream and sweets to celebrate!

Then it was off to Typhoon Lagoon
to swim it all off!

Roomies Shayla and Chelsea. :)

I faced my fears that day,
and snorkeled with sharks.
They swam up alongside me!

We roamed, we played.
We soaked up all the sunlight and surf.

Disney is a magical place,
no matter what the celebration. 

{"Let's Get Loud" via Jennifer Lopez}

"Eat Your Neighbors"

"See that pond? A gator lives there." 

This is the most common phrase I hear in Florida. 

That and, "Fresh gator jerky for sale!"

Whenever I had pesky neighbors in the past, 

I just stomped on the floor, banged the walls, or hit the ceiling with a broom. 

The natives here have learned to eat theirs, instead. 

From jerky, to keychains, to souvenir heads, 

Floridians choose to bite rather than be bitten. 

Because it rains so much, there are bodies of water everywhere.

Which means gators have homes in your backyard, or just down the street. 

Time for dinner!

"This One's For the Birds"

On typical work days, I stay late to close DINOSAUR. 

With sore legs, I trudge to my car in the vast Disney parking lot. 

And every night, I am given a sweetly silent goodbye 

from these two Sandhill Cranes. 

They don't even flinch when I walk to their sides, 

close enough to touch their glossy feathers. 

They just watch me, patiently, until I leave,

lingering around to give a smile 

to the next exhausted soul who walks by. 

"Florida So Far..."

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” ~St. Augustine

It's been a journey, moving to Florida. 

Literally and metaphorically. 

Pickle and I loved watching the scenery change 

from dusty desert to green farmland 

to lush southern landscape. 

And even though we hit traffic, 

charged through angry thunderstorms, 

and spun in circles down wrong roads, 

we made it, after three days.

Our reward was The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, 

tasting, touching, and feeling the magic inside its gates.

   

Hogwarts! 

Still waiting for my letter...

Hogsmeade was a charming village,
bustling with Muggles and Magical Folk alike.
The scandal! 

What a site for fan eyes.

This lovely witch welcomed us
inside The Three Broomsticks for a magical meal.

The Hog's Head was attached to the restaurant,
offering even more magical refreshment for those who wished it.

The head would turn and grunt at us every so often.
Perfection.

Pickle and I both loved our Butterbeers, 

and I gobbled up the Cornish Pasties greedily. 

The turkey leg was... another story. 

Neither of us made much of a dent in ours. 

Turkey leg, ha. 

More like baby dragon leg. 

Butterbeer was so pleasurable,
but I enjoyed the Pumpkin Juice even more!

The streets of Hogsmeade were full of storybook shoppes,
and wares as small as snitches, to as big as broomsticks,
to as animated as this little wailing Mandrake.

Hogwarts has its own choir,
with singers from each House,
and baritone bullfrogs.

Hagrid's Hut, pumpkins and all!

Mister Conductor, sir,
please can I ride the train too?

Pickle and I patronized Honeydukes
for their lovely pastries.
Pumpkin Juice, Fizzing Whizzbees, Chocolate Frogs, Cauldron Cakes!

The packaging is so pretty!

Oh dear... I seem to have left his leash at home...

The remainder of Universal Studios was brilliant, of course,
but nothing like Hogsmeade, for Pickle and me. 

The day came for me to wave goodbye to my sweet Pickle, 

and move in with five new, spunky girls. 

To celebrate our first day off together,
we climbed into my car and drove to Cocoa Beach.

While we were trying to find parking,
Shayla looked out the window and said,
"That's an interesting cloud..."
Apparently, summertime is the chance for
tornados, supercell thunderstorms, and hurricanes to play, here in Florida.
Duly noted. 

After the storm rumbled further into the ocean, 

we came out of hiding and splashed in the waves, 

plucking up scattered shells in the silver sand. 

I miss my mountains, 

but the beach is a nice trade, I must say! 

So... this is my home, now. :)

And more specifically, Animal Kingdom. 

Where the giraffes, lions, and dinosaurs play. 

This big guy has an upcoming deal with Vogue, I feel it. 

One thing that's helped with this move 

is the immediate friendship made with other Disney lovers. 

We're one big, blended family here! 

August is coming to an end,
but my life here has just begun.
Time to play, Florida! 

"Hedwig's Theme" © John Williams

"Prologue F" © Yoko Kanno

"Put Your Arms Around Me" © Natasha Bedingfield