Brittany Earns Her Ears: What if I don't get accepted? & A Walk Down Memory Lane...

I was thinking that it may be too soon to be blogging about the DCP. I haven't even applied yet! I think I'm in a weird situation compared to other CPs, because I've been accepted before, but haven't been able to go. So I'm extra excited? I don't know how to describe it. Maybe I'm just overly optimistic, there is always the chance that I won't get accepted again. Regardless of whether or not I get accepted, I would still like to try for a professional internship (if I find any that don't require the CP alum status), and I still love Disney either way, so this blog isn't a complete waste!

To help my readers get to know me better, I thought I would make a "Memories" post about my past Disney trips. This will probably be more interesting than just writing a paragraph about myself, so you're welcome. :)

The first time I went to Disney World, I was three years old. Not surprisingly, I don't remember any of this trip, but I do know of a couple of things that were around in WDW in 1995. The parade in the Magic Kingdom, for instance, was "Mickey Mania," and if you don't remember this you are either a sad tortured soul, or incredibly lucky depending on how you feel about the largest Mickey marketing scheme in the history of the world. "Mickey Mania" was a parade all about Mickey. Now I know what you're thinking, but Disney is all about Mickey, so what's the big deal? Oh you just wait... go on youtube, and look up "Mickey Mania Parade." I'll be expecting your thank you emails, or death threats after you watch it. Again, you're welcome. :) There were a few other things around in 1995, that are no longer there now. The Concourse Steakhouse at the Contemporary-- gone. The ending of Spaceship Earth-- gone. And unfortunately... Mr. Toad's Wild Ride-- replaced by The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. One of the reasons why I absolutely need to get to Disneyland is to go on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, it was one of my favorites when I was younger.

Another monumental Disney trip came with the opening of Animal Kingdom. Here we are the summer after Animal Kingdom opened in 1998--

To introduce you to the usual Disney crowd of my family, here I am (in the green t shirt obviously), with my younger cousin Andrew, my Auntie Doris & Uncle Marc and my Nonnie and Dad.

This trip, was also our last time on the Skyway. For anyone who is wondering what that is, the Skyway used to connect Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, and its old station is now Rapunzel's tower/restrooms.

Here's my dad and I on the now extinct Skyway:

It wasn't until recently that I started going on the big, scary rides. And even now, I still won't go on most of the big, scary ones. Big/scary to me is Splash & Thunder Mountains. So the Tower of Terror, is one ride I still won't be going on anytime soon, though I would love to walk through the line someday just to see the inside.

Eventually, we broadened our Disney horizons and embarked on a Disney Cruise. In 2004, all 8 of us, the Griswal-- I mean DiCologeros, embarked on a 4 night Bahamian cruise on the Disney Wonder. Clearly 2004 was before I had control of the camera, because this is the only picture I have with us actually in it from the cruise:

There are a couple of weird things going on in this picture that need an explanation. I don't have all the answers, I was only 12 at the time, but I'll try to decipher what's happening here. First of all the Disney Wonder is a beautiful ship, so I have no idea why the only picture with us in it was taken awkwardly behind those covered up lounge chairs with only half of the group paying attention. Typical Griswalds I guess. Also, where did my aunt get a drink, and why don't the rest of us have any? What is Nonnie pointing at? Why does Andrew look disgusted? What is my dad staring at? Why did I take my shirt off? Oh, I know that one! Because I didn't want documentation of me wearing the same shirt as everyone else, though I guess it doesn't matter because I'm still surrounded by them.

After the cruise, we spent a couple of nights in WDW. Here I am c. 2004 with Cinderella! I assume this picture was taken before dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table.

Another restaurant we ate at on this trip was Liberty Tree Tavern. I don't think I've eaten here since, and that can be attributed to the fact that there are no longer characters there. I used to love the characters at Liberty Tree because they were dressed in colonial garb and it was adorable!

How cute does Minnie look!? Also in case you're wondering what that medal I'm holding is-- I won Disney trivia on the cruise. :) Surprising, right?

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of Disney trips after this until 2011. But I do remember that I went when they had Jack Sparrow out for meet and greets, and he almost got plowed down by teenage girls. I also went to the soft opening of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride the year that Jack Sparrow was added to it. Oh! and I got these awesome pirate Mickey ears... And my pirate obsession started right when the movies came out, which resulted in the purchase of this:

Why yes, that is a life-size cut out of Jack Sparrow.

Anyways, the next trip that I have some pictures of is from June, 2011, which was just myself and Papa. We stayed at the Contemporary for 3 or 4 days, and we got upgraded to a tower room, so that was pretty exciting! I spent some time in the parks by myself this trip, which I actually didn't mind. I don't know if it was just a nice change since I'm usually there with a big group, or if I'm just that much of a nerd but I was fine going off on my own if Papa was napping.

Being by myself for a bit on this trip also allowed me to do something kind of crazy... the 4 parks in one day challenge! It is exhausting. I have never run so much in my life. I started out with the rope drop ceremony at the Magic Kingdom, and then went to Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom and was back at the Contemporary by 4:00 to get ready for dinner. It was pretty insane, and my feet were really feeling it the next day.

Here I am the morning of that craziness at the Magic Kingdom.

My next trip, was also in 2011, this time right after Christmas! We packed up and were on our way to Orlando on December, 26, all ready for the most crowded week of the year in WDW.

Every now and then, there comes a time in a Disney-nerd's life that they must bring someone of the... less Disney-inclined nature to WDW. In this case, it was my cousin Andrew, who definitely came on this Christmas trip to please Nonnie and myself. Despite Andrew's grumpy faces in the pictures, I know he still loves Disney, and is just in a teenage phase where he feels "too cool" for it or something.

Smile Andrew!

How cute is Papa's shirt?! It has Mickey ice cream bars on it if you can't tell...

2012, was a Disney-less year, with the exception of Disney on Ice, (which I'm saving for later posts). But in 2013, I went to WDW again with Theresa (my roommate), for her 21st birthday!! I posted some pictures from this trip in another post, but here's a couple of more, since Gaston kind of took over, last time. ;)