The Great Cross - Country Road Trip to Disney

On August 25th, I closed a very special chapter in my life. I worked my last day at the UNLV Office of Admissions. For two years, the office was basically my second home and I met many wonderful people during my time there. I made so many friends that I know I will be keeping in close contact with. They surprised me with a card and cake before my shift was over. I cried, of course. But I was very touched and hope all my coworkers know what it meant to me!


The next morning found my mom and I attempting (and eventually succeeding) to load a trailer full of my life and leave Las Vegas. A planned leaving time of 11 AM eventually turned in to 3 PM, but we eventually made it out. We spent an evening in Provo, UT that included smuggling my cat in to our hotel room and eating take out from Cracker Barrel at 11 PM.

I then spent around a week in my home town of Rawlins, WY. I got to see some of my friends (but, as always, not enough - I'll be glad to see them again in January) and spend a little time at home. I also made sure to make plenty of trips to the restaurants I won't get in Florida. But September 2nd came very quickly and I was off on the road again.

My dad and I made a four day trip across country to Orlando, FL (also known as the Tour de Fairfield - I'm pretty sure we've earned stock in Marriott/Fairfield now). Along the way, I decided to take a picture with each of the state lines we crossed. The first day of our trip was a long one, and brought us all the way from Wyoming to the middle of Kansas. In general, this leg of the trip taught me that Kansas is pretty indistinguishable from Nebraska.

Kansas

Colorado

The next morning brought us another long day of driving. We left Kansas and crossed in to a small portion of Oklahoma, in to Arkansas and to our final stop in Memphis, Tennessee for the night. We actually stayed in a small town right outside Memphis called Southaven. I was hoping to get a chance to see my friend Tara, but unfortunately time and weather were not our side. Tropical Storm Lee was making it's way in, and we would see much more of him tomorrow. We did get a free appetizer at the Longhorn Steakhouse next to this particular Fairfield!

Oklahoma

Arkansas

Tennessee, right outside of Memphis

The next morning was a sleep in day. We took our time getting up, and then headed over to spend the morning at Graceland. Graceland was beautiful. The house was much smaller than I expected, but beautiful none the less. It was also very 70's. We got to tour the house (minus the upstairs, which were Elvis' private quarters as well as where he died), the yard and trophy building, his car collection, two airplanes and an exhibit of some of his clothes. The tour finished with a visit to Elvis' grave site in his former meditation garden. Afterwards, we ate lunch at the Chrome Grill and had meatloaf made from Elvis' favorite recipe.

The living room, including a 15 foot white couch

A portrait of Elvis near the stair case to the upstairs

Some of Elvis' iconic "Vegas" style outfits

Elvis' grave site, including his eternal flame at the top

It was a very interesting experience altogether. I expected it to be a popular place and see other people there, but it was SO busy! This may have been in part due to the fact that it was Labor Day Weekend, but we were very glad we got there as early as we did. If anyone has the FourSquare application on their phones, here's another reason to make use of it: I got a free poster just for "checking in" at Graceland.

We continued our driving for a short while after we left Graceland, crossing in to a small corner of Mississippi and Stopping for the night in Birmingham, AL. We both decided that we liked Alabama over the other states we had previously driven across. It's very, very pretty  land. Despite dealing with people who consider sweet tea "regular" tea (seriously, what?), I enjoyed my time in Alabama.

Mississippi, with my Elvis poster

Alabama

The next morning, we were up fairly early to finish the last leg of our drive. We left Alabama, crossed through Georgia and at long last, made it into Florida! Unfortunately, despite our best efforts including exiting off the highway, turning around and driving part way back in to Georgia, we were unable to locate a "Welcome to Georgia" sign and I have come to the highly logical conclusion that Georgia doesn't believe in them. Instead, please enjoy the picture of a forlorn Steamboat Willie looking out the car window where the Georgia sign should be. Florida, the Sunshine State, greeted us with rain. But it did smell beautiful!

Georgia

Florida

We (once again) checked in to the Fairfield once we arrived in Lake Buena Vista. We had dinner at a nearby Carraba's and I was lucky enough to get to say hi to room mate, Ellen, for a few minutes. She had flown in, around the same time we'd arrived, all the way from California.

Now that we had made it, the craziness was about to begin! Expect an update about my check in day soon!

TOP 5 List // I'll take a pass...

My last Top 5 post featured my dream work locations, or the cream of the crop of my favorite attractions at Disney World. On the flip side, there are a handful of attractions (even some I may love experiencing as a guest) that would make me question my sanity if they became my work location.

5) Ellen's Energy Adventure at the Universe of Energy - Epcot

Rawr! if you love energy!

I have to state up front that I actually enjoy this attraction. I will never forget that I once saw a Disney World commercial when I was 5 that featured the dinosaur scenes from this attraction and how excited it made me when my mom told me that when I graduated high school, she'd take me to Disney World to see those dinosaurs.

The attraction is a bit different now, as it features Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye the Science Guy as the "hosts" of the show. It's still an educational and entertaining show/ride about the world of energy. However, if I don't do this ride first thing in the morning, it becomes a huge, moving napping couch to me.

Yea it's interesting, but it's also soothing in the movement department, has air conditioning and lasts 45 minutes. After spending hours in the Florida sun, sitting for longer than 10 minutes = automatic nap. While I appreciate the attraction, I don't want to spend my days working in a gigantic napping arena that happens to include dinosaurs.

4) Chester and Hester's Dinorama - Disney's Animal Kingdom

Step right up!

I enjoy Triceratops Spin here, and actually adore the themeing (it's intentionally tacky in that good ol' American road side tourist trap way). I appreciate that kids of all ages enjoy midway games and carnival-esque rides. Heck, I love those! The area does a good job of what it sets out to be.

But, to put it simply: I didn't apply for the Disney College Program to work at a carnival. Yea, it's a Disney level carnival, but it's still a carnival.

I would much prefer to work at an attraction that is more immsersive, where I can really get into character. Chester and Hester have built a nice place to visit, but not live day to day.

3) Studio Backlot Tour - Disney's Hollywood Studios

The Michael Bay demonstration area

This tour was cool once. Back during the brief era that DHS actual housed buildings involved in production of their shows and movies. The pre-show is decent and involves the audience. There's a costume shop and some other points of interest that you could actually see in operation. There's also a pretty neat collection of props from popular Disney and Paramount films that you get drive by and check out. There's also a little demonstration featuring an earthquake, flood and crashing semi (a la Universal) that is pretty good entertainment.

However, the days when this back lot was actually "real" are long gone. (It's the same story for the big sound stages that are gathered in the far corner of DCA in California). It's basically just a shell of what it used to be, and you can drive by old buildings and be wowed by what was formerly housed there. The props are neat of course, and it's always fun to watch a small semi blow up. Last time I was there, at least there was a fun and interesting Cast Member serving as tour guide.

So why wouldn't I want to be that tour guide?

Oh, that's right. Because they don't exist anymore.

Yes, the Cast Member is still on tram with you. But they don't spiel. You listen to pre-recorded voice overs. This thing literally exists now just to suck up a lot of guests at once.

2) Fantasyland - Magic Kingdom

When I started working at Disneyland, Fantasyland there made my list of places I didn't want to work as well. Not because I don't utterly adore Fantasyland, because I love it. I just didn't want to work on the teacups or Small World, mostly. Still, the Fantasyland attractions are beautiful, tell wonderful stories and are a ton of fun. The architecture is some of my favorite in all of Disneyland.

Please explain.

Which brings me to one of the main reasons I don't want to work in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom. For whatever reason, nearly every attraction here is inside a facade that looks like a circus tent. No cute little village here. Even Small World, which (even if you don't like the ride) looks super impressive from the outside. That facade is inside a circus tent - like building. I have no idea why. Also, the first word that comes to mind every time I walk into Florida's Fantasyland is "concrete."  Which is usually followed by "sun."  Granted, this Fantasyland is a lot newer than DL's, and the trees haven't had the time to grow into the aged beauties in California. And yes, a big expansion project is going on that looks to be fantastic when completed. But still, what is with the circus tents?

I do love those rides inside the circus tents and enjoy eating at Village Haus, however.

1) Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin - Magic Kingdom

When I first found out my work location during my last program, my excitement came with just a teenie tiny bit of disappointment, as I'd been hoping for Adventureland. Throughout my program, I grew to love my "little Buzz ride" and greatly miss my boss man Mr. Lightyear. I worked with wonderful people, loved the attraction, and wouldn't trade my Space Ranger experience for anything.

That said, I'm looking to try something different in Florida, rather than be a Space Ranger again.

However, this goes a little bit deeper. 

Space Ranger Spin does not come close to matching Astro Blasters at Disneyland. The blasters are attached to the cruisers, and though that's probably nice for the Cast Members at the end of the night, it sure makes the game a pain to play. The queue is "meh." The scenes inside aren't as well done. They're also out of  story order in the middle. And to top it off, the characters don't have the same voices as the DL ones (which happen to be the original film voices. There might be a valid reason they're different in Florida, I just don't know it). 

LIAR!

That's not my boss man. That's an imposter and I don't want to work for him.

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That concludes another round of "Top 5 List!" Are there any attractions you think would bring your sanity into question if you were a Cast Member working on them?