Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.
Social Media Release
NYC PAIR STILL SMILING AFTER COMPLETING MORE THAN 120 ORLANDO ATTRACTIONS IN 67 DAYS
With roller coasters, motorcycles, alligators and massages behind them, Orlando’s Smile Ambassadors Wrap up 67 Days of Smiles
11.04.2009 – (ORLANDO, Fla.) — After experiencing more than 120 attractions and events; producing hundreds of tweets, Facebook updates and pictures; writing more than 160 blog posts; and with thousands of fans following every adventure, best friends from New York City Kyle Post and Stacey Doornbos completed the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau’s (Orlando CVB) 67 Days of Smiles. After beating out hundreds of applicants from more than a dozen countries, the former Broadway performer and Harlem childcare worker, were named Orlando’s Smile Ambassadors back in August. The two were awarded $25,000, put up in a luxury condo at The Paramount on Lake Eola in downtown Orlando, provided with a Dollar Rent A Car rental car and equipment to begin their 67 day journey on August 27, 2009.
Billed as the year’s top social media job by applicant.com, the Orlando CVB created the Smile Ambassador positions to launch their social media sites and showcase the diversity of experiences Orlando has to offer.
“67 Days of Smiles was a new milestone for the Orlando CVB as we dove into social media head first by bringing Kyle and Stacey on board to tell Orlando’s story in a way that had never been done before,” said Gary Sain, Orlando CVB president and CEO. “Through the eyes of this fun-loving pair, thousands not only learned more about what Orlando offers, but really became engaged and connected, which is what social media is all about.”
On November 1, as they served as Grand Marshalls in Walt Disney World’s famous parade at Magic Kingdom, Kyle and Stacey completed their final day as Orlando’s Smile Ambassadors. For 67 consecutive days the friends faced something new everyday – from jumping out of an airplane at 18,000 feet and being some of the first to stay at the New Waldorf Astoria Orlando to singing the national anthem at an Orlando Magic game and celebrity encounters including Shaquille O’ Neal, Iron Chef Cat Cora, The Bangles and Joey Fatone. Through the journey Kyle and Stacey documented each experience with updates on Twitter, Facebook and their blog 67daysofsmiles.com. They also developed a final video recapping their entire 67 Days of Smiles experience in Orlando.
“It seemed like almost every day we had at least one, ‘pinch me’ moment where we just couldn’t believe this was happening to us,” said Kyle Post. “From kissing a beluga whale at SeaWorld Orlando to an entire day the The Spa at the Ritz Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes with a butler, something every day took our breath away.”
“We knew that Orlando has amazing theme parks and great resorts, but what really surprised us was the diversity of things to do,” said Stacey Doornbos. “We had no idea about the arts and cultural aspects of Orlando and no idea that downtown Orlando was so hip. And the adventure stuff – skydiving, flying a warbird plane, riding Harley’s, parasailing and so much more - that really blew us away.”
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, prior to their 67 Days of Smiles Adventure. 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.
For more information about 67 Days of Smiles and Kyle Post and Stacey Doornbos visit 67daysofsmiles.com. For more information about vacation experiences in Orlando, visitors can log onto Orlando’s official Web site at VisitOrlando.com or call an Official Travel Counselor at 1-800-551-0181 (United States and Canada) or 407-363-5872. For real time updates, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/VisitOrlando or Facebook at facebook.com/VisitOrlando.
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- After experiencing more than 120 attractions and events; producing hundreds of tweets, Facebook updates and pictures; writing more than 160 blog posts; and with thousands of fans following every adventure, best friends from New York City Kyle Post and Stacey Doornbos completed the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau’s (Orlando CVB) 67 Days of Smiles
- Billed as the year’s top social media job by applicant.com, the Orlando CVB created the Smile Ambassador positions to launch their social media sites and showcase the diversity of experiences Orlando has to offer.
- After beating out hundreds of applicants from more than a dozen countries, the former Broadway performer and Harlem childcare worker, were named Orlando’s Smile Ambassadors back in August.
- The two were awarded $25,000, put up in a luxury condo at The Paramount on Lake Eola in downtown Orlando, provided with a rental car and equipment to begin their 67 day journey on August 27, 2009.
- Through the journey Kyle and Stacey documented each experience with updates on Twitter, Facebook and their blog 67daysofsmiles.com
- Resource Links
- 67 Days of Smiles Recap Video
- Orlando Twitter Account
- Orlando's 67 Days of Smiles Blog
- Orlando's Facebook
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- Orlando, 67 Days of Smiles, Kyle Post, Stacey Doornbos, Orlando CVB, vacation ideas, attractions
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