Kate Causey

My name is Kate Causey, and I am from Birmingham, Alabama. I am finishing my freshman year at Furman studying Mathematics on the Pre-Health track. Since middle school, Math has always been my favorite subject, so continuing to pursue Math at Furman seemed natural. I honestly could not imagine a semester without math. When I heard about a trip to Disney World to study exactly that, I simply could not pass it up! I have loved my Furman experience thus far, taking advantage of every opportunity I possibly can, and the more I hear about our course of study and itinerary, the more excited I get about this adventure to come. I cannot wait to see how math is applied daily in the behind-the-scenes operation of the major enterprise that is Walt Disney World. After this trip I will be staying in Orlando with family friends, a Furman graduate and owner of Grace Medical Home where I will be a summer intern. We have joked that my summer consists of Math with the Mouse and Medicine with Marvin.

Disney 

My parents are very clever on my first trip to Walt Disney World. We attended a breakfast with Mickey and his gang at one of the resorts, spent the day swimming in the hotel pool, rode the monorail all the way around the parks, and went back to stay with our family friends, never stepping foot in the park with my sister and me none the wiser. At seven I thought Disney World was great! We repeated that routine once or twice more before 2006 when we did Disney for REAL. My family stayed in the Polynesian Resort and spent time in every park. We were even one of the first groups to ride Expedition Everest because we went in the week that it opened. Over spring break Hayden and I took advantage of our annual pass we purchased for May and spent a day in Disney World, managing to hit three parks. It was a very busy day, taking advantage of our time by attending as many attractions as possible. This trip reminded me of the magic I had seen on previous trips and sparked our interest in a few areas such as the logistics of park-to-park transportation, maximizing time with efficient routes and choice of attractions, and the workings of the new FastPass+ system.

Dining

One of my favorite memories from our 2006 trip was the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue at the Wilderness Lodge. At this dinner, a country-western themed barbeque, a comedy troupe entertained with a hilarious performance. It was great food and a highlight of our trip. In addition, one of my dad's favorite parts of Disney is the turkey legs from a cart. Although a hot greasy turkey leg does not sound super appealing in a hot amusement park, I will of course try one in honor of my dad. That might me just the high protein snack I need after a long day. Finally, at our first meeting for Math and the Mouse, I heard about the Dole Whip pineapple ice cream treats which are only available at Disney Parks. Opposed to a turkey leg, this cold fruity treat sounds like the perfect refreshing treat on a hot Orlando afternoon.

Attractions and Events

I love roller-coasters, but as I have gotten older I have realized that the thrill of the super fast wildest rides simply is not worth the severe headache and motion-sickness afterwards. On my spring break trip I realized that biggest roller coasters at Disney provide the perfect combination of thrill without queasiness. Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror, and Expedition Everest are my favorites. I have a particular affinity for Expedition Everest after our experience as one of the first groups to ride. I was reading in the annual passholder mailout that the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is opening in the new Fantasyland of Magic Kingdom. Maybe going to Disney near its grand opening will give me a new favorite ride!

I am also excited about some of the events that are occurring during our stay. Over Memorial Day weekend, Disney is hosting a twenty-four hour party in which the park will be open 24 hours and guests are expected to dress up like their favorite characters. They will also be unveiling the new and improved fireworks show during Star Wars weekend this May. It will be a blast to be a part of these fun events.

Finally, I am excited to discover new tips, tricks, and lesser known attractions or activities of Disney. I know that studying behind the scenes and even just being in the parks for three weeks will not ruin the magic, but will make us experts of all things Disney.

I am so excited to experience the Mathemagic of Disney!