August 26, 2009

New York City Pair Begins Orlando's 67 Days of Smiles Assignment

Week One Activities Include Dolphins, Alligators, a Mayor and a New Roller Coaster 

ORLANDO, Fla. – Broadway performer Kyle Post and Harlem childcare worker Stacey Doornbos from New York City have arrived in Orlando and on August 27 will begin day one of their 67 Days of Smiles assignment. Earlier this month Post and Doornbos beat out hundreds of applicants from more than a dozen countries for the coveted position created by the world's premier vacation destination that will have the pair experiencing all of Orlando's more than 100 attractions over the course of 67 days. 

Day One of their assignment will have them hitting the ground running as they become Animal Trainers for a Day at Discovery Cove and get the VIP treatment at Hard Rock Live for the OAR Concert. Over the course of their first week, the pair will wrestle alligators at Gatorland, tour downtown Orlando and meet Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and be among the first to experience Universal Studios' new roller coaster, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit.  

Kyle and Stacey have already begun blogging, tweeting and updating Facebook about their journey to this stage.  Followers will have the opportunity to win a variety of prizes including gift certificates to Orlando restaurants and attraction tickets.

"We've been counting down every day until we start our 67 day adventure in Orlando," said Kyle Post.  "The suspense of not knowing what we will be doing is killing us, but if Day One is any indication of our 67 Day experience, then we are two of the luckiest people in the world." 

Post and Doornbos will live in a two-bedroom condo in Downtown Orlando, compliments of The Paramount on Lake Eola, with furnishings provided by CORT. Both of these relationships have been facilitated through the Downtown Development Board as part of their partnership on this program with the Orlando CVB.  For their 67 day assignment, the pair will also be provided cell phones, digital video and still cameras, a Dollar Rent A Car and $25,000 U.S. to cover living expenses back home.  The attraction experiences will include everything from rollercoaster riding to hang gliding, swimming with dolphins, spa-ing, golfing, gator wrestling, museum exploring, theatre-going, dining and more.

Kyle and Stacey are childhood friends who grew up together in Holland, Michigan.  They share a passion for theme parks, having taken 30 amusement park trips together to enjoy more than 618 rides.  They took a "friendship honeymoon" to Orlando at the end of college to celebrate their friendship, not knowing where their lives would take them.  Kyle then moved to New York City and five weeks later was cast in the Broadway production of RENT.  Stacey traveled the world, touring seven countries in three months before also ultimately ending up in New York City to work with underprivileged children in East Harlem. 

Their 67 Days of Smiles assignment was recently named the top social media job of the year by applicant.com.

For more information and to follow Kyle and Stacey's adventures, go to VisitOrlando.com/67DaysofSmiles, follow Orlando on Twitter at Twitter.com/VisitOrlando or become a fan of 67 Days of Smiles on Facebook.