WDWCP: Life After Disney

Just because your College Program comes to an end doesn't mean the friendships stop! Many of us went on to work for Disney again in various positions, which helped to keep reunions happening. But sometimes we would see each other again after long flights! Here are some looks at the reunions we have had so far.... 

In 1998, the year my program ended, I went back in December. I was supposed to go to Puerto Rico to see my friends there, but plans fell through and I was on my own. So my mom helped change my flights, so she and I could go back to Walt Disney World!

I was visiting Disney's Animal Kingdom for the first time. We were leaving Harambe and a funny little parade was coming through. I was lifting my camera to take a photo and as I snapped the lead frog and I realized we knew each other ... it was Danielle!! After the parade we were able to get our photo and have a quick chat. We were supposed to go to Pleasure Island together that night, but she never called me back. A year or so later we reunited on the phone, but she has since vanished into thin air. I have done MAJOR investigating into her whereabouts and she is impossible to find.

On that same vacation to Disney I ran into a couple of special men that I still hold dear to this day. Can you guess who they are?? Probably not a surprise... David and Vinny! I only got to spend one evening with Vinny, catching up on life since we had last seen each other. We had spent hours on the phone and sent letters, but still in person was the best way to catch up! He was still as eye catching as ever!

Back when we had Traditions at the start of our program, David and I rode in the front row together on Splash Mountain... so it was fitting that we took our same spots during our first post-WDWCP reunion! We spent a lot of time together during that vacation. He was working for Disney again at the Yachtman Steakhouse over at the Yacht and Beach Club. I had a blast being back with him again, and my mom was happy to get to meet him as well, something she would do again in the future!

Danielle may have flaked on me with Pleasure Island, but David didn't! My mom chose to stay at the hotel while David and I went back to our old stomping grounds at Downtown Disney. Below we are inside 8 Trax... and my clothing has graduated from t-shirts and shorts to different shirts and dressier pants!

A roommate I DID get to spend a lot of time with again was Sarah! She came over from Louisiana during Spring Break. I remember finding it so funny how she thought we were driving really fast through curvy mountains between the airport and our hometown. Mountains have snow, we told her. These were just hills!

Marcy and I took her hiking to some waterfalls. It was a good thing we had our Disney poncho jacket things since it ended up being a wet hike! We also went to the Oregon coast to see tide pools and a lighthouse. The coolest part, at least for me, was our day trip up to Mount Saint Helens. I'm pretty sure they don't have volcanoes in Baton Rouge! Most people that do Spring Break trips seem to go warm and tropical. We took Sarah to a volcano while it was snowing! 

The next person visit to Oregon was David! I tell ya, David and I can't stay apart for too long, even if we tried!

We met on my first night in Vista Way and stayed up for hours talking and listening to music. Little did I expect on that day that some time in the future he'd be sleeping on a mattress on the floor in my room during a summer break!

As is customary when people visit, David and I went to the ocean. If you live in Puerto Rico, you can't come all the way to the Pacific and not experience it for yourself! We also took him on a tour of local wineries in my mom's new car. I think I was the designated driver by the end of it since I still wasn't old enough to drink.... but prior blogs have taught us that David was the creator of my first ever jello shot at Vista Way! Instead of taking him to an active volcano, we took him over to Crater Lake. It was here that we hiked all the way to the bottom for a boat ride, which meant a mile long hike back UP. AND I convinced him to make his first snow angel, promising he wouldn't get dirty. I never said he wouldn't end up a little wet though!

One friend that we didn't see much in this series --- because I only have ONE photo?? --- is Christina, the adorable Texan. Well, she is really one of the sweetest people I've ever met and still holds that title to this day! I had a little, um... "party" we call it and that girl flew all the way to Oregon just to be there for it. That is just, Wow! Ha -- she's the only one from that wedding party I still keep in touch with!

Holland, Christina and some girl that looks like me.... karaoke time!

When I was back in Florida for a few years, again working with the Mouse, I was able to reunite once again with dear David! This time for a night out at Jellyrolls, the piano bar. We look quite good here! Seriously, you can't keep us apart, I bet it won't be long at all and we will be together yet again. Heck just days ago we were within only a few miles of each other but the timing just didn't work out.

And lastly, I was able to have another couple of reunions with Vinny. I had almost forgotten that we actually spent the evening of September 11th together. I had recently moved to Florida and since the theme parks closed after the attacks and we couldn't work, I had him come over to hang out and watch movies! Later I had a party in my apartment and insisted he come visit and meet all of my Kali River Rapids crew. Here you can see Vinny, me and Bobby.... I still talk to both of them to this day! I hope it won't be the last of my reunions with good ol' Vincent. I'd love to be able to catch up with each other again if I am ever allowed to return to Florida!

Hopefully I can have another follow-up post to share stories of seeing my old WDWCP chums again!

See ya real soon! °o°