127 Days: 4 days From Forever.

The Disney college program is actually just a legal form of slavery.

People have been asking me how I liked the program. How is it? Is it so much fun? Oh, I bet you just love it. But HONESTLY (and I can say this because I am leaving in four days) I wouldn't reccomend this program to anyone. And it takes a special kind of person to make it out here.

1. The housing.

People are making decals that say "I survived vista way" because, well, it's an accomplishment. From cockroaches (no biggie I have those at home too) and lizards and aggressive fat ducks, to black mold growing everywhere and rambunctious foreigners screaming outside your window, vista way is an experience. I have realized that my personal bubble is larger than the average human's, and even though I was blessed with a roommate I enjoy being around, there is an emotional hurdle I've had to get over sharing a room with someone. Since all our other roommates moved out, housing gave us three loud Brazilian girls as well, and privacy is something I'll never take for granted again.

2. The transportation.

Oh, transtar. The busses have been more than unpleasant. There have been times I've gotten off of work after a 12 hour shift and waited 58 minutes or longer for a bus to pick me up. On nights where I close and the busses are crowded, a group of CPs turns into a mob of people attacking one bus, just to be packed tighter than the ships that transported slaves over from Africa.

3. The lack of benefits.

CPs aren't given holiday pay, but are scheduled to work every holiday. We aren't paid overtime. We do the exact same jobs as full time and part time cast members, sometimes working twice as hard and twice as long as they do, and we don't see any of the rewards. All we see is $90 a week coming out of our checks to pay for the housing and busses I talked about up there^.

So no, I wouldn't do this program again. And maybe I am just a negative person, but if you're thinking about doing the program here's what you need.

-don't leave a boyfriend/girlfriend/life at home.

-come AFTER you graduate college so you don't have to do online classes at the same time.

-bring a car no matter what

-either save up or have rich parents that can send you money every week so you can give most of your shifts away and you aren't working 40-60 hours a week.

So the real question is, am I glad I did it?

Absolutely.

If anything I have learned that I can do hard things. I didn't give up once (even though Skyler probably wishes I would have) and I "survived." I made some of the most amazing friends, and memories I will cherish forever. (I would work for Disney again in a heartbeat, they're an amazing company, but under different circumstances.) I have learned to tolerate people, I have learned to master the fake smile, and above anything else I have learned that Skyler and I can make it through anything. I told him the other day that I hope in 2015 we only spend a total of 6 days apart, he didn't get it, but I was trying to be cute. (Because I come home on the 6th? Come on.)

So here's some final pictures. Some added memories to go along with the stories I'll tell when I get home, and this is me saying goodbye to the blog and goodbye to Disney. It's been magical, but I'm ready to return home to my prince.

xoxo

Whitney