Last week I had one of the most amazing experiences I have ever done while working here at the Walt Disney World® Resort. For those that have visited Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park, you know that there is an attraction called Kilimanjaro Safaris. This attraction takes you on a “two-week” adventure through the Harambe Wildlife Reserve where you get to see lots of animals up-close in their natural habitat from the comfort of a safari vehicle. Up until this year, that was the only way to experience Kilimanjaro Safaris. Now enter in the Wild Africa Trek.
Disney markets this unique experience as part of the Tours and Special Experiences that are offered to Guests who would like to explore more in to the parks than the usual Guest. The description for the Wild Africa Trek is:
Join the ultimate animal adventure! Journey deep into Pangani Forest on a thrilling, privately guided expedition featuring close encounters with exotic wildlife species. Get closer than you ever dreamed possible to Nile crocodiles and massive hippos. Venture on to a VIP safari across an open savanna teeming with native African creatures!
This experience truly is a VIP Safari. Our trek started us through the Pangani Forest where our amazing Guides, Andy and Devin, talked more in depth about some of the animals that are in the walking trail area of Pangani Forest. After walking through the forest, you come up on the hippo pool but this is where the experience really changes than what the average person sees. We exited from the walking trail in to the forest which is part of the Kilimanjaro Safari attraction and got to meet up with several trainers who were feeding the hippos who told us more details about them.
The next stop on the way to the savanna was a walking tour over the crocodiles on a rope bridge. Talk about a unique view and perspective! After crossing this step, it was time to board our VIP safari truck and head out to the savanna to view the animals. Along the way, we made a stop a a private outpost where food was served and yet another unique and VIP viewing experience for the animals in the savanna before returning back to the village of Harambe.
The total experience lasted just over three-hours and costs $189 on top of regular park admission. Included with the price is an exclusive Wild Africa Trek water bottle, a Disney’s PhotoPass® CD with all of the pictures your guide takes on your trip, and a light meal while out on the savanna. If you are looking for that unique experience or are looking for something new and exciting to do while at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, I highly recommend this experience. Below are the rest of my pictures from the experience:
Well, yesterday marked my last day in Ticketing after three years in the role. I have learned a lot and grown a lot while working at Walt Disney World Ticketing. I’ve moved from Park Operations to Finance, expanded from Walt Disney World to Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland and met a lot of really great people along the way. It has been a please working with all of you.
Tomorrow, I will embark on a new role for the first time in three years. I will be moving over as a project coordinator to Global Park Operations. This is a role that is right up my ally with my background in main entrance, Guest Relations, ticketing and attractions. I am looking forward to the new start and new direction I am heading now in my career with The Walt Disney Company.
Before I close though, I thought I would share the really great parting gift my team at Ticketing gave to me at my going away party. For those that do not know what it is, it is a Vinylmation which is a new collectible custom figure from the Art of Disney. Thank you all again and I have to say, I love the vinyl.
For those that know me, you know that for the last 5 years I have been a part of the Candlelight Processional at Epcot® here at the Walt Disney World® Resort. This is something that has been such a great experience for me and I have met some really great people because of it including some of those in the movie. Check out the video below from Disney Parks for a little more insight in to the show. Can anyone spot the person that looks like me in the video? Hard to say if it is me but cool none the less.
This weekend has been pretty fun so far. It’s been a much needed break from the stress of the distribution at work and I am just relaxing around the house and enjoying the parks in my backyard. On that note, for those that know, I love the Deadliest Catch on Discovery. It probably is one of my favorite shows that I seem to watch every week and even when it is on reruns. One of my favorite boats to follow is the F/V Northwestern with Captain Sig Hansen. Well, this weekend at Epcot® I had the opportunity to meet Captain Sig and his Brothers, Deck Boss Edgar and Engineer Norman. The brothers were in the Norway Pavilion promoting their new line of Helly Hansen products.
Hanging with the Hansen Brothers at Epcot®
I think one of the funniest parts about meeting the guys was when Sig asked me where I was from and I told him that I was enjoying my day off and that I worked at Disney. He started teasing me about it and had some funny comments but I can’t repeat them on here.
For those in Florida, we had a front seat view to Buzz Lightyear’s first trip to space! Good luck Buzz!
NASA Launches New Education Initiative With Disney Parks and Buzz Lightyear
WASHINGTON — As seven, well-trained astronauts begin an important mission to the International Space Station on Saturday, May 31, one toy astronaut, Buzz Lightyear, will begin a journey to help educate children across the country.
The liftoff of space shuttle Discovery kicks off a new education initiative between NASA and Disney Parks. A 12-inch-tall Buzz Lightyear action figure will be carried aboard the shuttle as part of the partnership to encourage students to pursue studies in science, technology and mathematics, one of NASA’s main educational goals.
Disney’s Youth Educational Series and NASA have developed an online program known as the Space Ranger Education Series. It includes fun educational games for students, as well as materials for educators to download and integrate into their classroom curriculum.
“NASA is excited to help students understand the science and engineering currently underway on the International Space Station,” said Joyce Winterton, NASA assistant administrator for Education. “The educational games and resources from this partnership will allow students to explore the science and math behind space exploration with a beloved character.”
Beginning Saturday, May 31, the online games featuring Buzz Lightyear will be available by visiting NASA’s homepage and clicking on the box for the NASA Kids’ Club at:
“Mission Match Up: Create a Game” — Match the International Space Station partner countries to space facts
“Connect it! Flight Path” — Attach the Kibo laboratory to the International Space Station using a sequence of commands
“Load the Shuttle” — Fill the shuttle with cargo to a certain mass
“I Spy: Reflections from Space” — Find everyday objects on the International Space Station that were built on NASA technology
“Toys in Space” — Navigate Buzz Lightyear to different toys to see a movie on how they behave in spaceSince 1985, NASA’s Toys in Space project has used toys flown aboard the shuttle and the International Space Station to help children learn science and mathematics. Scientific and mathematical principles make these toys work. For example, wind-up toys convert stored potential energy in their springs into kinetic energy as the springs unwind. Gravity often plays an important role in the actions of toys, but how would the same toys function in an environment where the effects of gravity are not felt? Only NASA can provide the settings, so students can discover the answer to questions like these.
“We are thrilled that Buzz’s lifelong dream of space travel finally will come true thanks to NASA,” said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “This launch fulfills his dream, and we hope it will inspire countless children to stay interested in science and believe in their own dreams.”
The beginning of Buzz’s space mission coincides with the opening of “Toy Story Mania!,” a new 4-D interactive attraction, on May 31 at Walt Disney World, Fla., and on June 17 at Disneyland Resort, Calif.
For information about other NASA education programs, visit:
Well, I know it’s been a long time since an update again. What can I say, I’ve been busy. My days off the last few weeks have consisted of a lot of meet and greets and 1:1 meetings with old mentors or various leaders through out the Park Operations teams at all four theme parks and Downtown Disney. I have been keeping my name active and getting feedback and advice for the next stage of my development with the company. This week I have taken the first step in the Leadership Casting Call Process. I have officially posted for the Park Operations Guest Service Manager pool. Posting is just the first step and I will not know if I have an interview until mid June. Rest assured, I will keep everyone posted.
Other than the posting and the meetings, not much else is really going on. Sawyer is moving in on June 10th which will be a nice change. I will have some great company and someone to help with the bills. I went and saw Indiana Jones the other night and I have to say I was pretty entertained but, I can see where others are still disappointed with the film. I still want to see Prince Caspian and Speed Racer if anyone is intersted.Â
Taking a relaxing night tonight. Was in the office most of the day today catching up on things so the extra holiday pay will be a nice bonus. Greek is on at 8 and then I will probably hit the gym from there. So there is your Catch Me Up-To-Date post for this month.
Well, this past month has just flown by. I have been busy with work as usual and doing all sorts of meetings in my effort to continue my growth with Disney. This past weekend though was a nice break a return to something that I used to do a lot, teach Lifeguard Training. I spent my two days off in St. Petersburg at Eckerd College doing a lifeguard refresher course for the pool staff. I had a nice relaxing night on Friday visiting with some college friends and Dean of Students, Jim Annarelli. I must say, Eckerd is looking great with all of the improvements and it is exciting to visit every time. Next visit, Kappa Karnival in May. I can’t wait.
This weekend though made me realize how much fun I used to have being a lifeguard and training. I remember living Lifeguarding and all things safety. May be I should consider a teaching career again after I am done at Disney. So many options. Well, I am beat after a day at the office and then an evening catching up with old friends here in Orlando. Normal day tomorrow with some more networking meetings later in the day. Ta Ta for Now.
Well, it’s been a crazy week with lots of “fires” that needed to be put out at work. Projects/deadlines that I was never made aware of being thrown at me with the expectation of a final product instantly. Always fun. I’ve also started to look more in to my career with Disney and setting goals for what I want to do in the long term.
Work aside, things are going well. I have started on a work out routine that includes a plan to go at least 4 nights a week and have set a goal to work on getting in to shape and working on my general wellness more. Disney has set up a program with WebMD Health that not only gives me a credit on my insurance (hey, it’s a free $100) but it also gives you a personal assessment that is tied with your doctor on the disney health plan to help create a tailored plan with coach to help set goals and work out a plan to achieve them. Its pretty nice and I’m hoping that it will help me loose the few extra pounds that I want to shed.
I’m also taking a long weekend this week with a personal holiday on Sunday so that I can spend the whole weekend with my cousins Lisa and Stephanie here at Disney. I’m looking forward to it as well as the extra time off. My next mini-vacation will be to St. Petersburg and Eckerd College in a few weeks for the 50th Anniversary Convocation with Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize Winner and writer of Night. Sounds exciting and will be a nice excuse to go back to Eckerd for a night.
Other than that, I’m just doing my thing. Catch everyone later.
I’ve come to the conclusion that we live in a pretty strange world. The past two days have been a real eye opener for me and how I look at life. Taking a step back a few more weeks, a friend of mine was recently admitted to the hospital with a severe case of pneumonia and has been there ever since. While he is slowly getting better, he still remains on a respirator and they don’t know how long it will be till he is fully awake again so they can take him off the respirator.
Fast-forward to this past Thursday, I had picked up a shift at Magic Kingdom with my old area, Main Street, and was doing a quick re-certification on my steam trains so I can keep picking up shifts. Shortly after leaving the train to go help with other things, I am paged out to Frontierland along with a manager for a guest who had passed out while in the que line for the train. Upon arrival, CPR and AED were in progress and once back stage, the guest was pronounced DOA. For anyone that has never first hand witnessed a sheet being pulled over someone’s head, it is pretty moving but death doesn’t end there.
Last night while picking up Adam from work, I was made aware that a fellow Cast Member from Steam Trains who had been in the hospital for a week had past away. Marie Belasthon had been working with Main Street and Trains since 1992. She could always been seen opening Frontierland Train Station every weekday. She was also a single mother of 3 with the youngest still in high school.
So as I am sitting taking in all that is going on, this week alone I have personally witnessed one death, had a co-worker pass away and still have another friend in the ICU fighting for his life. What a strange world we live in.
Welcome to Webby Aquatics! This site will give you a look in to the life of Tom Webster. For more information, please visit About Webby or one of the social networking sites above.
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Last week I had one of the most amazing experiences I have ever done while working here at the Walt Disney World® Resort. For those that have visited Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park, you know that there is an attraction called Kilimanjaro Safaris. This attraction takes you on a “two-week” adventure through the Harambe Wildlife Reserve where you get to see lots of animals up-close in their natural habitat from the comfort of a safari vehicle. Up until this year, that was the only way to experience Kilimanjaro Safaris. Now enter in the Wild Africa Trek.
This experience truly is a VIP Safari. Our trek started us through the Pangani Forest where our amazing Guides, Andy and Devin, talked more in depth about some of the animals that are in the walking trail area of Pangani Forest. After walking through the forest, you come up on the hippo pool but this is where the experience really changes than what the average person sees. We exited from the walking trail in to the forest which is part of the Kilimanjaro Safari attraction and got to meet up with several trainers who were feeding the hippos who told us more details about them.
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