My Florida / Walt Disney World Bucket List

After visiting Florida for the first time in April of 2013, I have yearned to go back - with the realisation of how much I actually DIDN'T do in my two weeks there! I feel like I missed a vast portion of Walt Disney World and some of the major things it had to offer!

The majority of my bucket list obviously takes place in Walt Disney World, but I've also included a few other none-Disney Florida things I'd love to have the chance to do if I managed to get on to the program this year!

• See Chewbacca the sloth in Animal Kingdom
• Ride the new Mine Train 
• Go on Space mountain 
• Four parks in 1 day challenge
• Stay at a Disney (World) hotel at least once - (I stayed in a Disney hotel in Paris)
• Attempt Everything But The Kitchen Sink
• Take a photo in Main Street with a bunch of balloons!
• Meet ALL the characters!
• Try a coke from everywhere in EPCOT
• Go on the Characters in Flight hot air balloon in Downtown Disney
• Go on both versions of the GMR
• Candy Artist!
• Visit all the resorts
• Dine at Be Our Guest
• Eat at each World Showcase
• Character breakfast at Ohana’s
• Watch Wishes! from the Polynesian
• Eat at Pizza Planet
• Go to the water parks
• Jungle Cruise
• Backstage Magic!
• Watch the fireworks from the Contemporary
• Drink around the “World” in EPCOT
• Draw 5 different characters at the Magic of Disney Animation
• River Rapids at Animal Kingdom
• See the Lion King stage show at Animal Kingdom
• Try all the snacks 
• Grow the balls to go on every WDW roller coaster
• Wear a birthday button for the day 
• Meet either Hercules / Tarzan / Flynn Rider (I know how impossible that sounds, but I can dream!)
• Attempt to go on EVERY ride in Magic Kingdom
• Purchase some Glow With The Show Ears
• Cirque de Soleil
• Eat at Chef Mickeys
• Ride Cinderella's horse on Prince Charming's Regal Carousel
• Make a wish at Cinderella's Wishing Well
• Afternoon tea at the Grand Floridian
• Try 5 different WDW Peanut Butter treats
• Arrive early enough to see the rope drop at Magic Kingdom
• Try a Dole Whip
• Ride all 12 monorails 
• Go on Tower of Terror for the first time
• Watch the Dapper Dans
• Eat at Liberty Tree Tavern

• Eat at the Cheesecake factory
• Visit the new Diagon Ally (It was only getting built when I was there!)
• Visit a Floridian beach!
• Take part in VoluntEARS

The girl...

So this is my first post of a fresh blog! 

I'm going to make it short and sweet, and just as a small introduction.

My name is Charlotte Appleyard. If you applied for the Cultural Exchange Program for 2014, you may or may not remember my previous YouTube Vlogs. Last year when I applied, I made it to the pre-screen interviews (which was such an amazing, new experience - especially for someone as socially awkward as me!) but unfortunately, I didn't make it any further.

This year, however, I am back with a vengeance and more determined than ever! 

I am widely known amongst my friends and Uni-peers as a complete Disney nut. It is basically my life and mostly what I think about 24 hours a day. Especially day dreaming about this program! I have had many eyes rolled at me, but who cares when it's something that you love? I also run an Etsy store where I sell Disney inspired jewellery - which kind of fans the flames of my obsession being able to work with Disney items nearly every day!

I am 21 years old, and I turn 22 in November. I am currently about to start my final year of University where I study Textiles. I have a foundation degree in Contemporary Textiles, and from September I will be starting my third year top-up BA degree in Textiles and Surface design! (Trust me, there's a big difference!) I'm hoping to secure a place on a Primary PGCE course for next year however (which makes working at Walt Disney World an ideal opportunity, right?) Unfortunately for me, I hadn't decided this last year - I'm sure it would have really aided my pre-screen interview!

Basically the point of making this blog is to hopefully help future candidates (if I get any further this year). That was my intentions with last years Vlogs and Blogs, but I was so ashamed of not making it any further that I deleted them. Hopefully this year I wont have to! I am going to be re-making my Vlogs, but I won't be posting them on YouTube unless I gain a position. I think blogs are a little less active that videos, which is why I'm starting this now and not later. (Hopefully not many people will read this unless I actually get somewhere!)

I'm going to make this very diary-esque, but obviously very informative as well - so I hope I end up helping someone in the future! And hopefully this year I will learn from the mistakes I made last year.