WDWCP97 Journal. Days 112-115. The End.

Date: December 31 - January 4, 1997 

Places: Splash Grille (hot dog cart), Disney-MGM Studios, Pecos Bill Cafe, Pleasure Island, Holli's apartment (3508), Orlando Airport, SFO, PDX, Hard Rock Cafe

People: Jeff, Kristin, Vinny, Ryan, Germane, Axel, Victor, Gianni, Holli, Jamie, Jaime, Dan, Kathy, Erica, Rebecca, Jeff, Alisha, Jodi, Recco, Edward, Brenda, Danielle, Jessica, Amy, Anne, Ting, Scott aka Loco o Senor Pendejo, Zaira, Joe, Quame, Josh, Denise, Ricardo, Justin

Sights: Doobie Brothers at the Studios, 1998 fireworks, Hard Rock Cafe, "1000 Acres" - movie on plane

Dining: Wendy's, toast, Fantasyland Cafe, airplane French toast, Hard Rock Cafe

Lodging: Vista Way

Expenses: $16.12 - New York Newsstand; $.83 - Walgreens; $14.36 - Walgreens; $6.79 - Mickey's of Hollywood; $15 - dinner @ Hard Rock Cafe; $1.05 - Diet Pepsi from Walgreens; $35 - Mail Boxes etc.

Vinny & Kathy

Check out that Cast list! It's like the ending credits of a movie, right?!? Talk about going out on a high note with so many friends and coworkers living it up until the last possible minute! Anyone ever heard of or watched the movie I saw on the plane? I must google.... found it... maybe it did a good job of helping me sleep?

So I guess I can't procrastinate anymore. I've been dreading this post. Those last 4 days were just... they were great! I felt like all of us CPs in Frontierland were really appreciating our time together. So many emotions for all of us. We knew it was all coming to way too fast of an end. Every time you said good bye you hoped it wouldn't be the final time. Taking off my costume for the last time, dang, that hurt. That last walk out of Vista Way? Extra painful. Lucky for me I did go back, I had more costumes and more CRAZY times in Vista Way. But for now, let's wrap this up...

And be prepared for just tons of photos of all these awesome people!

Eric and his fashionable pirate socks!

Steve - who used to have my
exact bed/room/apartment
3101 when he lived in Vista Way

Wednesday wasn't that bad. For reference, it is now New Year's Eve. Jeff & I did Splash together & Kristin stocked, so obviously we goofed around a lot. 

I took a quick nap after work & then Jamie & I hit The Studios. I was disappointed because I didn't get to see  Kevin Bacon, (the Bacon Brothers were performing), but we did see the Doobie Brothers on New York St Stage. We rang in the New Year just outside Mickey's of Hollywood with Gianni (a friend of Jamie's who gave me his party hat). I think I still have it. I got to of Tower of Terror one last time. fun!

Happy New Year from Ronda & Jamie!

We took an hour to get home. About 45 minute waiting, then an hour on the shuttle. 22 people in all & I couldn't walk once I got home. Ouch!

**It was a 12 person van. I was the 22nd person to get in. It was get in this shuttle, or walk back to Vista Way because there weren't anymore running. I was squished between the seats and the door. The step up was digging into my shins. I couldn't feel my legs once we got to Vista Way. I almost fell out of the van once the door was opened. Traffic was INSANE, as you could expect in a major theme park on New Year's Eve. It was definitely memorable!

Erica & Carlos

Thursday - 11 hours doing tray runs. Boring! But I got to be in my saloon girl dress again! I got to goof around with Jeff & Vinny & I actually talked to Edward a lot. Don't remember him off hand. I spent a lot of the 1st hours talking to Joe, too. Not the Joe that threw a cigarette on me. Lunch was sad. It was all 6 CPs all in counter outfits (how we began). Rebecca cried when her day was done, & Jodie got plastered. I hope she wasn't plastered at work?!?

We all look so different in real life, right?!? I mean, dang, Hello, Victor!

We all met at PI in 8 Trax. I got pushed onto Victor & danced with Axel a bit. It was the funnest night I've ever had at PI - & now no more! 😭 Gianni took us around all night -> no shuttle! 

Friday was spent packing & doing laundry. How I'll fit all of this into 4 things, I don't know. My bags couldn't have possibly fit one more thing into any of them! 

Saturday was stress! I carted my $5 box weighting 30 lbs to & from 2101 to the Clubhouse 3 times; the shuttle left early; Traditions had to load on the bus; & I still couldn't make my things fit well.

Work was fun. More pictures of people, plus - a 4 hour ER! I still have my ID, too. I got lucky and only made the weenies for about 2 1/2 hours. Ryan & I were working together again I got to say my good byes & get the last addresses from everyone and joined Ryan in Fantasyland for lunch. Will had to kiss me 2 times in less than 10 minutes - yuck - plus PR  kiss from Victor (Puerto Rican aka just kisses on the cheek like all the friends from PR did.)! 

The Pecos crew came out to play!

I left out that at the very end of my day I actually worked at Sunshine Tree terrace in Adventureland doing desserts! Mine were not at all perfect looking, as one would expect from Disney!

Vinny & I both had to cry a little at night - before & after dinner. Yummy - Hard rock Cafe! I even got 2 grilled cheese for 1. I felt so terrible making him cry. 

Wow I left out a lot from that, didn't I!?! It was really nice. Our first actual meal out that wasn't just fast food. It was wonderful, but we also both felt so sad. Universal CityWalk didn't exist then. It was just a big parking lot, with a long walkway up to the Hard Rock Cafe. So different from how it is today!

I'm procrastinating....

Sunday morning almost killed me. My suitcases were so heavy. Vista Way security wouldn't let Vinny in with his truck, so I was on a solo mission. Justin (the Boston guy - never would have expected he'd  be the last CP I'd see on this adventure!) ended up helping me. I think we cried all morning. Don't Speak by No Doubt came on as we pulled into MCO. Saddest song ever to me now? Pretty much. I even made him come to the actual plane with me. Back then that was allowed. I could see him in the window while the plane taxied way and took off. 

 

My first flight was delayed ~ 40 minutes - landed at 11:15 (in SFO) - my next flight was 11:15. I ran from 1 end of the United terminal to the other. I dropped my Santa Pooh in the process, but someone made sure to get it to me! To my luck, Flight 2 was delayed till 12:30. How do I get so lucky! Especially lucky since security screening within SFO took forever. A huge black mass showed up on my luggage x-ray. The TSA agents laughed and were very impressed when they saw it was a souvenir cup full of change! Wow, it is so good being back with mountains - but I think Florida is calling my name!

And we all know Florida won! For a while anyway. I was back in January 1998, and returned to Florida in August of 2001. Had to get my degree first, education is important, kiddos! Get your Psychology Degree and you, too, can go operate a theme park ride on a moving platform!

Tomorrow will be the official end... of this series. Time to start working on new stories!

 ~ See ya real soon! º0º ~