The past 3 days have been jam packed but as I've woken up early today I'm able to sit down and take some time to tell you all what's been going on here.
Tuesday, 29th April 2014
My start date was a long and stressful one indeed, far more than I had anticipated. I woke up at 6am, got ready and threw my last few bits into my suitcases. Mum drove me to the airport and I was through security and into the departure lounge by around 8.30am. Grabbed a quick bacon, egg and hash brown breakfast then replied to some well-wishing texts until I was able to meet up with two of my fellow April 29thers, Talie and Roisin.
Our flight was delayed from 11.15am to midday but fortunately we only landed about 20 minutes later than scheduled. It was a very smooth and pleasant flight and if you can get seats upstairs on a Virgin flight I highly recommend it, we were right behind Premium Economy and it felt like we were on a private plane! During the flight I watched About Time, which I absolutely fell in love with, and Dallas Buyers Club, as I'm still trying to get all this year's Oscar noms under my belt.
When we landed at Orlando International we found another April 29ther, Sam, in the queue for immigration. Once we'd gotten past that and picked up our luggage we began the long pilgrimage to the Mears Shuttle Stop. By 6pm, local time the four of us where on our way to Housing, with our driver Chester at the wheel.
To our dismay it began POURING with rain after about 15 minutes, which is not ideal when you've been on a flight for 9 hours and have to move three bags weighing a total of over 35kg to a new home! Chester took us to Vista Way to get checked in with Housing. Here we received our Disney Housing ID, which is used to access all of the four Housing Complexes (The Commons, Vista Way, Patterson Court and Chatham Square), as well as to get us on the free buses to the parks/Walmart etc. I also received my apartment key and I am living in The Commons! I didn't know very much at all about the apartments when I filled out my Housing form, but the girls were very excited to be in TC as it was their first choice. It is useful being here because a lot of the meetings are held in The Clubhouse at The Commons which is literally two seconds walk round the corner from my apartment.
Unfortunately, arriving at the apartment didn't mean it was time to rest, even though by this point I'd been awake and travelling for over 17 hours. I dropped my luggage off and met my awesome Canadian roomies, Amanda and Hana, who welcomed me with open arms. Then my roommate Susan, who I'l be sharing with for the next year, came home and the first time she met me I'm afraid to say I was crying - great first impression! Emotions run high on the first day and I think I was a bit overwhelmed. Fortunately she's not easily shaken and before long we'd all bundled into her hench American car and driven to the next stop - Walmart!
Here we bought bedding and towels so we'd be able to sleep comfortably and have a shower in the morning. I should really have bought some food too but my brain was just not functioning properly by this point from tiredness and hunger, so we grabbed a Subway for dinner and just got the basics.
By the time we got back to our apartment, it was 11pm local time, meaning 4am back home in London - I'd been awake for 22 hours! No energy left for making my bed properly, let alone unpacking, I threw my new comforter over me and fell immediately asleep.
Days #2 and #3 on the way...
