Life in Florida: Conventions

One of the best things about living in Florida is the opportunity to attend dozens of conventions. Whether you live close to Orlando or Tampa, there's a convention happening once every few months. I've been to a few conventions since I moved down here a little over two years ago. My first was Walker Stalker Con in June 2015. The others I've been to have been the following: Fan Fest Orlando in September 2016, Star Wars Celebration in April 2017, and the most recent one... MegaCon Orlando.

I never thought conventions were going to be something I would be interested in. While I work for Disney and go to the parks as a guest when I can, the idea of being surrounded by more people at a convention waiting around to meet celebrities never did appeal to me. All of that changed in 2015 when I heard of a Walker Stalker Con coming to the Orlando Convention Center. I've been a fan of The Walking Dead for a few years and when I heard starts like Steven Yeun were going to be there, well, I had to go, and how they had the cast of Lost there convinced me to attend.

And since I knew people at conventions cosplayed various characters, I decided to go as Maggie Greene since I had a Steven photo op. The second I entered the building my heart started bounding. The second I stepped foot on the floor I felt a wave of excitement come over me. I realized then that conventions were fun, a great place to chat and meet fans of various shows, and a great experience for the whole family. It's a lot of fun people watching and seeing families pull off a wonderful cosplay! I'm always impressed with the talent it takes to make such costumes.

The downside of conventions are the price for the ticket and the prices celebrities charge for selfies and autographs. Unless you have a savings dedicated for conventions, you will need to go on a strict budget and a concrete plan on who to see and when to leave to avoid going over budget. It can be a bit overwhelming and yet it's also a once in a lifetime experience for the few who can't afford to go so much. It can be okay to "treat yo self" every so often, my friends, haha. <3

I just went to MegaCon and had the time of my life! It made up for the horrible experience at Star Wars Celebration last month. If you want a story time post about said experience, be sure to leave your requests in the comments! :) Unlike Star Wars Celebration that I went to with my dad, it was organized from start to finish. The volunteers were helpful and polite as well. I had no complaints and walked away satisfied with the interactions I had.

And now that my introduction is out of the way... :)

STORY TIME.

Disney approved my time off on Saturday to go to the convention. I was thrilled since Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Norman Reedus were going to be there. I was going to go just for them and no one else, leave once I had my photo ops with them. I was disappointed when they cancelled due to filming conflicts and yet happy that I could use that money towards something else. However, when Paige O'Hara was announced as one of the guests, I bought my ticket right away so I could meet the voice behind my favorite Disney princess.

The night before I was struggling on whether or not I wanted to get a photo op with Tom Wilson. I have a Europe trip to save for and while I have a fund dedicated to do fun activities with my free time, I wasn't sure if meeting Tom Wilson... BIFF HIMSELF YOU GUYS... would be a wise decision. How can you not meet Biff though??? There's no questioning it.

Make like a tree and get outta here, folks. :D

They even had Jordan from The Walking Dead in attendance! He is a Floridan and commutes to and from Georgia when he has to film the show. We talked as if we knew each other for years. He was interested in getting to know me and because of how kind he was, I took that as an opportunity to tell him that I majored in film and want to work in the film industry.

Here are a few other photos taken from the convention for you guys to look at:

The voice of Prince Eric himself. 

YouTube celebrities known as Hannah and Hilly Hindi (sisters) from the Hillywood Show.

From meeting YouTube celebrities, seeing amazing cosplays, and meeting some of my favorite celebrities, this was probably one of my favorite conventions I've been to over the past two years. My favorite encounters of the day though were were Jordan, Paige, and Tom. They didn't rush me and were interested in getting to know me. They were the most polite and respectful celebrities to not only me but the fans in their line. I could not have asked for a better way to spend my Saturday! 

Fingers crossed that things will work for me to go to Walker Stalker Con in Atlanta next year.  

-B

Explore. Dream. Discover. | My Maryland & New York Vacation

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain

I just got back from a two week stay in Maryland visiting friends and family. Maryland was where I was born and lived up until my birthday in January 2015 when I packed up my car and moved south. I visited in April of that same year and my recent trip happened two years later, which is something I want to avoid doing in the future. It was wonderful seeing my friends and family I haven't seen in so long and my tears showed it. Those who know me won't be surprised by that statement. :)

I landed earlier than expected and hoped that was a good sign when it came to picking up my rental car, but I was unfortunately stuck at the airport for 3 hours instead. I won't go into the details as it's a bit of a long story... haha but I did get a car from another company. My friends were kind enough in letting me stay with them for my entire stay. We had a lot of fun catching up and they were so kind in treating me to meals whenever we went out despite me telling them they didn't have to. Their love and support was greatly appreciated. I even made a new friend! Meet Mac, folks. A cute bird who ended up really liking me when I thought he didn't, haha!

My first week was quite a busy one as it was spent traveling to New Jersey for a few days to visit my Nana. I spent my time with her by exploring the neighboring city I love so much. I was able to visit the Plaza and Central Park for the first time, and both were beautiful and exceeded my expectations. If I had time to walk around the area more, my poor Nana would probably have to drag me out of the park by my teeth! It was just so beautiful and going on a carriage ride through the park provided us with a more in depth experience by learning about the history surrounding the park. Another highlight was seeing Phantom of the Opera for the fifth time the following day. And yes, my friends, you read that correctly. :) Five times... and still not enough! I sat literally four rows away from the stage. The opening where the chandelier is uncovered and when it crashed over my head was life changing, folks. Trust me on this one. Sitting in premium seats in the orchestra pit is the way you experience Phantom.

I could see every detail of their make-up, costumes, sets... I could see the expressions on their faces so clearly when they overcome with fear of the Phantom, and the love between Christine and Raoul during All I Ask of You. Did I mention that song gives me goosebumps? No? Oops! Everything about the musical was a masterpiece! It felt as if I was watching the show for the first time. I've had the pleasure to see Hugh Panaro, Mary Michael Patterson, and Jeremy Hays prior to this latest performance each time (keep in mind that my first time seeing the musical was when I turned 21). They have become three of my favorite theatre actors to bring the roles of Erik (the Phantom), Christine, and Raoul to life. Having the privilege to see Greg Mills, Ali Ewoldt, and Rodney Ingram for the first time was a memory I won't forget. They brought a different portrayal to their characters; giving them a modern feel while still holding true to their backstory.

Not only did I enjoy my time in New York visiting my Nana, I also enjoyed catching up with my Aunt Grace. She is such a kind and loving woman with a heart for God and loving others. It was wonderful having a rental car to get the opportunity to drive around the back roads I took to avoid traffic and see my old stomping grounds. When you're away from your old home for as long as I was, you tend to forget the beauty that you took for granted around you. Maryland really is a beautiful state. I didn't fully appreciate the beauty of God's creation as much as I wanted until I left. From the beautiful surroundings of Downton Annapolis and the trees covering the back roads, just driving around with no plans to guide me and WJTS 91.9 playing on the radio was relaxing. I really didn't want to leave.

Another reason why I didn't want to leave was due to catching up with close friends. When I met up with some of my best friends like Katie, Nancy, and Maggie, I couldn't help but let a few tears fall down my face the second I hugged them. The same can also be said for my church family. After attending church with my family for many years and creating friendships with people that I think of as family, I moved memberships and joined another church since I was so active with their youth program. Being in Maryland for two weeks allowed me to attend both churches, to reconnect with people I also consider to be some of my best friends. However, my last two days in Maryland really bring my vacation in full circle.

I spent the majority of the day with the Reid's. They are a family that is just so kind, loving, and encouraging. They're practically a second family to me in a sense that in the 10+ years we've known each other, they have been there for me and my family and encouraged me when school challenged me. They even know how silly my family can be and still love being around us, haha! Mrs. Reid invited me to see Beauty and the Beast (which was also my fifth time seeing... haha) with her, Joanna, and Juliana. We continued the fun day by having pizza at their home, great conversation, coffee punch, and then a very entertaining game of Phase 10. That night really made me realize how much I missed Maryland and the people in it. It reminded me that I can't let two years go by before another visit. It reminded me how grateful I am to have so many kind and wonderful people in my life. I miss everyone and already I want to go back!

It also reminded me that I love to travel and don't do much of it. Growing up I would drive down here to Florida to vacation at Disney World. I went up to New Hampshire when I was younger but I don't remember much of it. I went to California twice with the most recent trip being last June... not enough!

I AM OFFICIALLY GOING TO EUROPE IN THE SUMMER OF 2018!

Coming to that realization has made me want to travel all over the world. There are beautiful states I want to visit here, but I'm sure I will want to visit Europe as often as I can once I visit Scotland, London, and Ireland next summer. Groupon and Living Social have some amazing deals that I want to look into more once I get back from Europe.

Here's to visiting more gorgeous states and countries in person instead of admiring God's creation on paper. :)

-B

P.S. - I need to get better at this whole blogging thing... :P

Hey Stranger! + Starbucks Challenge Update!

Wow! I took a lot of time off from this blog... That was was not my intention at all, but things have been so busy here since my California trip this past June. Along with the summer crowd and the start of Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween party on September 2nd, I've been busy capturing memories for guests. The same can also be said for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party that has now finished for the 2016 season. I'm also busy trying to get back into a healthier lifestyle by working out regularly and eating healthier.

I just wanted to check in with everyone to let you know that I'm still here and plan on updating this blog regularly. My plan is to post new entries twice a week on my days off, so that would be either Sunday/Monday or Monday/Tuesday. If you are new to my blog and to those that have been with me since I started this journey, Chasing Dreams is going to be a place for me to share stories from work, document my weight loss journey, share what God has been teaching me, interests/hobbies, and so much more! I've always liked the idea of blogging about such things and going back years later to read and think back back on those memories. Blogging has also been a suggestion from my friends encouraging me with my weight loss journey!

To start things off with this goal of updating Chasing Dreams regularly, I want to take this time and update everyone on my progress with my Starbucks Challenge. If we're friends on either Instagram or Facebook, than you probably already know about my goal to avoid my usual drink of choice for one month. Over the past two years I have gained the weight that I lost back, which has proven to be very discouraging when I look back when I first started to lose weight about 3 years ago.

I always get a grande Peppermint Mocha whenever I visit Starbucks. My drink is at least $5 and with the amount of times I visit Starbucks... well... haha that's just a lot to spend on coffee. My drink is also over 400 calories. As someone who is trying to get back into eating healthier and working out regularly, I would rather eat those 400 calories than drink them. I decided on December 1st that I wouldn't buy my drink for one month. If I do step foot in a Starbucks to visit with a friend or on my way to work, then I will get a healthier alternative instead.

It's now the evening on December 28th and I'm proud to say that I haven't given in. I've avoided my drink and made healthier choices instead when visiting Starbucks. In fact, whenever I visit the Disney parks on my days off or after work, I always find myself going into Starbucks. I've been ordering a tall coffee so I can monitor the amount of cream and sugar I put in myself. Not ordering my usual drink has been hard, but I'm really proud of myself for sticking with it. During these past few weeks of avoiding my drink and working out, I've also managed to lose six pounds out of the ten I want to lose before my birthday on January 17th. If I continue to stick with this over these the few days, my prize to myself is a new outfit for the new year. The timing is perfect as I will be attending a wedding next month for one of my best friends.

Thank you all for your support and encouragement through this and resuming my blogging hobby. Again, I hope to have a new post for you all every Monday and Tuesday, so be sure to check back often!

Lastly, if you have any suggestions on what you would like to see here, just comment on this post and I will refer to it for future entries!

I hope you all have a lovely evening.

xoxo

Bethany

California Series: Hooray for Hollywood

I'm not sure if I stated this in my introduction post, but I participated in two internships with the Walt Disney Company. In 2012, the roommates I had for my second program became family to me, and we have remained close ever since. It became a yearly tradition for us to have reunion trips once our program ended, so this year we decided to do something different from our usual Walt Disney World vacations.

Disneyland had always been on our bucket list since the program, but were never able to find the right time to go. Our original California vacation was set for a week at Disneyland, but we changed plans yet again by taking part in our first Adventures by Disney vacation that consisted of Hollywood and Disneyland. What was our destination package? Backstage Magic of Hollywood and Disneyland! If you're like me and have never taken an Adventures by Disney trip, I highly recommend starting with the Backstage Magic tour.

Flying out of Orlando at 6:20 AM with Jackie was exhausting as we didn't get much sleep beforehand, but it was all worth it knowing that Hollywood and Disneyland were waiting for us. We landed in Los Angeles with Meagan landing a few minutes after us. I think the reality hit then that we were in Los Angeles and about to embark on a fun adventure once we were all reunited and then picked up by drivers... DRIVERS! Being treated like a celebrity for a day was quite nice, especially when our driver gave us a quick tour before dropping us off at the Loews Hollywood Hotel.

We met our tour guides (Lori and Lauren) once we arrived where we got a welcome packet and a time to come back for our first dinner. I knew right away that this trip was worth every penny as our guides had so much energy and made us excited for the week. They gave us our room keys and we decided to drop off our bags before getting lunch at In-n-Out Burger. In the last few pictures above, you can see our room and the incredible view we had.

We spent the rest of our afternoon at the pool and exploring our hotel before we met everyone in the group for our welcome dinner. There were about thirty people on the tour, so we were able to mingle with other Disney fans and get to know our guides better. The tables were decorated to celebrate Disneyland's Diamond Celebration, and we even played a quick ABC game involving Disney characters as an ice breaker.

We weren't expecting to do much on our first day, but our guides surprised everyone with a trip to Madame Tussauds Wax Museum! It was a great way to start our week.

Is it possible to go back right now? Please? haha! 

Stay tuned for the next post!

-B

"Adventure is out there."

A week of glitz, glitter, and fantasy is over and now I'm home getting ready to go back to work. Why is that weeks and months leading up to vacations always go by so slow while the vacation itself goes by fast? This was my first trip with Adventures by Disney and it definitely won't be the last. I've been to California once prior to this trip and going back a second time opened my eyes to more sights that the beautiful state has to offer. I even learned some new things about the sights I've been to before thanks to the knowledge our tour guides had.

I will go into more detail over the next several days with photos and stories from the trip, so this entry is just making an announcement for all of you to know what is to come. There is far too much to write for just one blog post. :)

I left my heart in California, folks. I'm already counting the days until I can go back! 

-B

There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow...

...just a dream away!

This past month went by so slow once I knew my vacation was just around the corner. I tried focusing on other things and yet mind wouldn't stop focusing on all that I would be experiencing in California. It's June 18th and the wait is almost over for I board the plane for Hollywood and Disneyland tomorrow!

I participated in the Walt Disney World College Program in Fall 2012. The roommates I had were absolutely wonderful and we created a close friendship. I think of them as my sisters and we have been getting together for reunion trips ever since. The past two summer reunion trips have been at Walt Disney World, but this year we decided to change things up a bit with Adventures by Disney!

The last time I visited Hollywood and Disneyland was back in 2007. I went with my family when my Dad won a business trip, but we spent a few extra days in Hollywood. I knew majoring in film was something I wanted to pursue back then, so we spent the majority of our time touring Hollywood. We only spent one day at Disneyland and I don't remember much because of how excited I was to be in the first park. I'm so excited to go back for a week and re-visit the places I loved while experiencing new things.

There are quite a few adventures planned for this upcoming week! Our first day (tomorrow) is going to be a bit laid back as there is an orientation and a welcome dinner, but the following are just a few the many adventures our tour guides will be taking us on: 

• Private Hollywood Excursion 
• The Jim Henson Company (original site of Charlie Chaplin's movie studio)
• Walt Disney Studios and Walt Disney Archives Tour 
• Walt Disney Imagineering Tour 
• VIP visit to Disneyland (Walt's apartment included) 
• VIP visit to Disney's California Adventure 

As someone with a film major background, I'm really excited for the Hollywood and Walt Disney Studios and Archives Tour. Getting the chance to see Walt's apartment for the first time is another thing I can't wait to see. Honestly? I'm really excited to see everything! My camera will never leave my side either. This will more than likely be my last blog for the week, but be sure to check back next weekend for an entry all about my time in California. :) 

Is there anything you want me to take photos of or talk about in the next entry? If so, comment below and I will consider it! 

-B

First Subscription Box Unboxing with FabFitFun

Looking for a theme that best fits my liking is a bit exhausting, but at least it took me 24 hours to find one instead of several days... :) I really like the overall look of the blog. I have to include the basics when I have time, which will more than likely take place once I get back from my California vacation. I know, folks. California. Home of celebrities and Disneyland. Jealous yet? I will be sure to blog about it once I return.

I typically browse the YouTube world when I'm sick in bed. Videos I stumble across vary between funny videos, music videos of my favorite artists that I binge watch (old school Backstreet Boys, Nsync, and Taylor Swift... ;) shhh), and various video blogs. In one of the many videos I watched on there about a month ago, I came across an unboxing video and I immediately fell in love with the concept. It lead me into watching other YouTube videos for subscription companies like Birchbox and Ipsy. After watching several videos and researching, I came to the conclusion FabFitFun would best suit my interests.

FabFitFun is a seasonal subscription box that delivers a new box to your door every 3 months. What I love about this box is that the products they give you are full size and not sample sizes. The price is $49.99 and it's charged four times a year. The necklace that was include in the box pictured below by itself is $65. That's more than what the box costs, so you're getting a really good deal! Once you get your first box delivered to you, you have the option to upgrade your membership and make additional add-ons for your next box from previous subscriptions. Each box consists of items that will improve your health along with items to pamper yourself whenever your body needs it.

I've had this box for several weeks now and I'm just now getting around to blogging about it... but knowing that I have a box coming to my door every 3 months excites me and I wanted to share it all of you. I love it and I can't wait for the summer box! I highly recommend you to look into this fun idea, especially with this $10 off coupon for your first box!

-B