A list of helpful links for everything you need to know about the DCP :)
Video Blogs (Vlogs):
https://www.youtube.com/user/kelsiedoingdisney/videos
This one is from a fall 2012 program, but her earlier blogs are super fabulous :) She was a Photopass Photographer.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp6GLTo9J6-t-_xJMkwPptA/videos
This girl is in my program! So a current fall 2014 CP :) She's QSFB.
https://www.youtube.com/user/angelinammraz/videos
A 2013 fall - 2014 spring CP in Merchandise.
https://www.youtube.com/user/amypuddlesDCP/videos
Fall 2013 Merchandise CP, she's really quirky but a lot of fun:)
These all have great information and an insider look on the DCP!
Blogs:
https://disneyprogramsblog.com/disney-college-program-questions-of-confusion-part-3/
This one is actually through the DCP, and you can ask questions and have them answered. I recommend specifically the blogs on "Disney College Program Questions of Confusion".
http://racheldoesdisney.wordpress.com/
One of the most popular blogs run by an actual CP :)
There are plenty more blogs out there! Just google "Disney College Program blog fall" or whatever specifically you want to know :) Also, there's a lot of Tumblr accounts out there that are awesome, I just don't like Tumblr much.
Other Helpful Sites:
http://cp.disneycareers.com/en/default/
The official DCP website is probably a good place to start.
https://disneyprogramsblog.com/disney-professional-internships-recruiter-tips/
These are tips from recruiters regarding Professional Internships!
Everything is out there for people! You just have to put the effort into finding it :)
Hope these are helpful for the more curious people out there!!
D-Fam
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Week Seven
So Thursday I had class at Epcot which was pretty sweet. We rode the Living with the Land ride and got the whole backstage tour from one of the Professional Interns (PIs). We also got to wear whisper units which are ear pieces hooked to a battery pack so you can hear the tour guide over the crowd, which is cool because it makes us look like spies. :) I just hung around Epcot after class and enjoyed Food and Wine some more! I tried the melon shave ice form Japan which is really good. I also tried the beef tips from Africa, which were super spicy. I've been working since Friday, and it's all been good, not too exciting. It's been super slow, we've been getting around 20,000 guests a day and we had been getting 30,000 so that's kind of random. I've mostly been inside on drinks, kitchen, or prep, which are all my favorite spots so that's nice!! Yesterday (Tuesday) was Allison and Sarah's birthday, and we went out to Ohana for dinner. I got an ER (early release) from work, so I was off at 3pm and met them all at Magic Kingdom. So 5 of the 6 roommates were together! For once. Haha we got LeFou's Brew at Gaston's Tavern, rode It's A Small World, Journey of the Little Mermaid, and watched Mickey's Philharmagic, the classics. :) We had reservations for 9:45pm because Ohana is so popular, so we made our way to the Polynesian (where Ohana is) for dinner. IT WAS FANTASTIC. It's family style, so our waiter kept bringing out different dishes and we would pass them around. The Polynesian is across the water from the castle, and we were sitting at a window, so we got to see the castle when Wishes went off, and we all cried. SO magical <3 <3 <3 Anyways, for food there was a sweet fruity bread, dumplings, chicken wings, pork, steak, shrimp, noodles and vegetables, lettuce wraps, and bread pudding a la mode. Major food coma but it was all superb. I highly recommend. I worked today and tomorrow, then I'm off Thursday - Saturday because I managed to give away my Saturday shift :) So I'm pretty stoked for my 3 day "weekend". Yep that's all I got...life is good! Osbrone Family Christmas Show thing starts next week, cast preview on Wednesday! YAY! But that means extended hours...oh well! Money. Hahaha
Here's photos from Playalinda Beach!
Here's photos from Playalinda Beach!
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Week Six
Not much to report here! Work's been good, nothing exciting really. Oh, but some girl from Teen Mom came to our restaurant which apparently is exciting. My birthday was the 14th so I went to Le Cellier Steakhouse in Canada (Epcot) with Sarah, Mikaela, and Lindsey, 3 of my roommates. IT WAS SO GOOD. I got a shirley temple, filet mignon, and grapefruit cake. Absolutely fantastic, I almost cried it was so good. Here's my cake :)
I actually worked on my birthday but my SCC family all sang me happy birthday <3 On my days off I went to class and grocery shopping, and on Friday went to Universal with my friend Katy! Here's us at Fred and George's shop.
On Monday I worked 10:30-4:30, so I went to Hollywood Studios with almost all of my roommates (except Allison) and I did One Man's Dream for the first time! SUPER cool, everyone should see it. It's Walt's life and is super magical and stuff. Today I had off, so I went to the beach for the first time! SO NICE. We went to Playalinda Beach which is kind of near Cocoa Beach, but MUCH less populated. There were like 10 people there total. And it's super nice, undeveloped, and beautiful. But I got super fried. Oops. Tomorrow I have class in Epcot in the Land, so that'll be exciting :) I'll probably just spend the rest of my day there too! Then I work Friday-Wednesday, so six days in a row, but I don't close a single time next week which is weird. Well that's it for now! Have a super magical day <3
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Disney College Program: The REAL Deal
So here's a super unorganized post on what to REALLY expect on your college program. Updated on January 24, 2016.
When you arrive it is super magical and training and Traditions is FABULOUS and you think you're going to play all the time! Not true. The majority of your time here is working, but none less magical because of that :)
You will have these preconceived notions of what your roommates will be like due to your online interactions, but they are never what you expect. Sometimes this is good, and sometimes it's bad. Sometimes you will get a roommate who spends every other waking hour either watching anime without headphones or skyping her boyfriend. Or roommates who apparently don't know how to clean a dish. Basically, you will gain valuable communication skills, or will want to move out. We patched up our disagreements early on and had an awesome program together! JUST PRAY YOU DON'T GET THE PASSIVE AGGRESSIVES.
You will make basically minimum wage, and have rent taken out each week. After working around 35 hour weeks, I make about $170 after rent (but I have the cheapest rent). AKA learn how to budget, bring money from home, or eat ramen for every other meal.
Contrary to popular belief, HOUSEKEEPING is where the money's at. Yep, it's the only tipped role! I know a girl who's been here a couple months, and has made $500 in tips alone. But the job itself can be extremely lonely and stressful. 8am-4pm shifts everyday.
You have never felt so much like you're in some foreign country while being in the US. It feels like there are more International College Program students (ICPs) than American CPs! Also, even though all of these people have good English (otherwise they wouldn't have been hired), they only speak English at work and when directly addressed. Expect to spend your time at the bus stop deciphering the ten languages being spoken around you. Edit: this is not a negative, I LOVED all the ICPs I met!!
The application process is so thorough, you expect everyone to be shining Disney stars of magical happiness, NO. You will wonder how the heck these people got past the WBI, some are fantastic, and some are the most unmotivated people you have ever met.
You will be tempted to give away shifts and call in sick. AVOID. Save this for special occasions, because the people that end up broke, are the ones that never actually work. I know some people that give away a shift every week, so they work four days a week instead of five.
You will meet guests that are the kindest people you have ever met. You will also meet people that make you sick. I've seen parents feed their infant beer, drunken parents swearing at people for not getting out of their way, been shoved by a lady because I didn't speak Spanish and didn't know what she was trying to say, and met some of the most selfish people ever to exist. But the magical moments you make far outweigh the negatives. If you make an effort to talk to guests, they automatically are SO much happier! I've made people's days just by giving them a cup of water...it really doesn't take much effort to make someone smile :)
THE BUSSES. They will be late, they will be early, the bus drivers will be rude, and on late shifts, you will be standing on the bus with 50 other people after standing all day for your 10 hour shift. BUT THEY'RE FREE. Take advantage of this! But if you do have a long and late shift, you're going to want to drive. It sucks standing squished on a bus after a long day.
Also noting the busses, you will hear so much negativity on them from the Facebook page, but when you get there you will realize that most of the time, they aren't that bad. As long as you take the early bus to work, you will be fine. I was only late to work one time because of busses, and the traffic was so bad that I'm pretty sure you'd still be late if you drove your car. Just be grateful you have free transportation!
You will not get sick of Disney! Seriously, the backstage magic that some say "ruins the magic" really does the opposite. You get to see how much Disney puts in to making every guest experience as authentic, safe, and magical as possible. You will admire Walt and his daring to dream, the Imagineers that make so much magic come to life, and all of your fellow Cast Members that keep up the show <3
You will watch Celebrate the Magic and Wishes, and cry every time. Because it makes you realize how truly lucky you are to be able to work everyday to essentially create happiness. That's all you're getting paid to do, put smiles on people's faces and enhance their vacation.
Some call it Disney brainwashing, but you will want to live and work here forever. True story.
You will spend all of your time on the bus on the way to work analyzing everyone else's costume, picking your favorite, and trying to figure out who works where. It's a great game to pass the time...
Days off will be spent sleeping in, and enjoying evenings in the parks. You never need a whole day when you have months to enjoy every part of it!
The amount of people that self term will astound you. Homesickness, long distance relationships, being broke, hating their job after working a whopping two days....the reasons go on and on. But every day people self term, get termed, and do stupid stuff. You were accepted out of...what...20,000 applicants? 50,000? Take advantage of this amazing opportunity! Don't throw it away. Obviously they're not paying you to take a semester vacation, you're here to work, and so many people don't know what that means.
You will quickly learn to appreciate the fact that almost every business does Cast Member discounts. Downtown Disney Starbucks does 10% off, all Disney merch is 20% off (40% off for Christmas season! AKA November - February), Panda Express at Universal CityWalk does 10% off, and many other places do special discounts as well which is cool.
You will buy groceries as if you were at home, then realize you buy half your meals in the parks. Honestly, buy the minimum and work up from there if it's not enough. Pretty sure I ate just about every lunch in the parks on my days off, and packed a Smuckers Uncrustables and an apple for my work days.
You will learn to love your location, and your coworkers and roommates (at least mine) will become your family.
When it comes time for you to say goodbye, you will feel as if you are leaving a piece of your heart in Orlando. You will watch Wishes for the last time while holding your Disney family, and you will cry. Lots. Finally, when you say goodbye to all your closest Disney friends to leave for home, you will feel so many emotions that you feel like your emotional circuits got fried. Thankfulness, sadness, joy, heartbreak, you really never knew you could feel so many emotions at one time.
You will get home and spend the next year (or two, or three..) reminiscing with your D-fam in your group message, being depressed because you have to go back to real life, and telling people about how magical Disney is, regardless of whether or not they actually care.
It will change your life.
When you arrive it is super magical and training and Traditions is FABULOUS and you think you're going to play all the time! Not true. The majority of your time here is working, but none less magical because of that :)
You will have these preconceived notions of what your roommates will be like due to your online interactions, but they are never what you expect. Sometimes this is good, and sometimes it's bad. Sometimes you will get a roommate who spends every other waking hour either watching anime without headphones or skyping her boyfriend. Or roommates who apparently don't know how to clean a dish. Basically, you will gain valuable communication skills, or will want to move out. We patched up our disagreements early on and had an awesome program together! JUST PRAY YOU DON'T GET THE PASSIVE AGGRESSIVES.
You will make basically minimum wage, and have rent taken out each week. After working around 35 hour weeks, I make about $170 after rent (but I have the cheapest rent). AKA learn how to budget, bring money from home, or eat ramen for every other meal.
Contrary to popular belief, HOUSEKEEPING is where the money's at. Yep, it's the only tipped role! I know a girl who's been here a couple months, and has made $500 in tips alone. But the job itself can be extremely lonely and stressful. 8am-4pm shifts everyday.
You have never felt so much like you're in some foreign country while being in the US. It feels like there are more International College Program students (ICPs) than American CPs! Also, even though all of these people have good English (otherwise they wouldn't have been hired), they only speak English at work and when directly addressed. Expect to spend your time at the bus stop deciphering the ten languages being spoken around you. Edit: this is not a negative, I LOVED all the ICPs I met!!
The application process is so thorough, you expect everyone to be shining Disney stars of magical happiness, NO. You will wonder how the heck these people got past the WBI, some are fantastic, and some are the most unmotivated people you have ever met.
You will be tempted to give away shifts and call in sick. AVOID. Save this for special occasions, because the people that end up broke, are the ones that never actually work. I know some people that give away a shift every week, so they work four days a week instead of five.
You will meet guests that are the kindest people you have ever met. You will also meet people that make you sick. I've seen parents feed their infant beer, drunken parents swearing at people for not getting out of their way, been shoved by a lady because I didn't speak Spanish and didn't know what she was trying to say, and met some of the most selfish people ever to exist. But the magical moments you make far outweigh the negatives. If you make an effort to talk to guests, they automatically are SO much happier! I've made people's days just by giving them a cup of water...it really doesn't take much effort to make someone smile :)
THE BUSSES. They will be late, they will be early, the bus drivers will be rude, and on late shifts, you will be standing on the bus with 50 other people after standing all day for your 10 hour shift. BUT THEY'RE FREE. Take advantage of this! But if you do have a long and late shift, you're going to want to drive. It sucks standing squished on a bus after a long day.
Also noting the busses, you will hear so much negativity on them from the Facebook page, but when you get there you will realize that most of the time, they aren't that bad. As long as you take the early bus to work, you will be fine. I was only late to work one time because of busses, and the traffic was so bad that I'm pretty sure you'd still be late if you drove your car. Just be grateful you have free transportation!
You will not get sick of Disney! Seriously, the backstage magic that some say "ruins the magic" really does the opposite. You get to see how much Disney puts in to making every guest experience as authentic, safe, and magical as possible. You will admire Walt and his daring to dream, the Imagineers that make so much magic come to life, and all of your fellow Cast Members that keep up the show <3
You will watch Celebrate the Magic and Wishes, and cry every time. Because it makes you realize how truly lucky you are to be able to work everyday to essentially create happiness. That's all you're getting paid to do, put smiles on people's faces and enhance their vacation.
Some call it Disney brainwashing, but you will want to live and work here forever. True story.
You will spend all of your time on the bus on the way to work analyzing everyone else's costume, picking your favorite, and trying to figure out who works where. It's a great game to pass the time...
Days off will be spent sleeping in, and enjoying evenings in the parks. You never need a whole day when you have months to enjoy every part of it!
The amount of people that self term will astound you. Homesickness, long distance relationships, being broke, hating their job after working a whopping two days....the reasons go on and on. But every day people self term, get termed, and do stupid stuff. You were accepted out of...what...20,000 applicants? 50,000? Take advantage of this amazing opportunity! Don't throw it away. Obviously they're not paying you to take a semester vacation, you're here to work, and so many people don't know what that means.
You will quickly learn to appreciate the fact that almost every business does Cast Member discounts. Downtown Disney Starbucks does 10% off, all Disney merch is 20% off (40% off for Christmas season! AKA November - February), Panda Express at Universal CityWalk does 10% off, and many other places do special discounts as well which is cool.
You will buy groceries as if you were at home, then realize you buy half your meals in the parks. Honestly, buy the minimum and work up from there if it's not enough. Pretty sure I ate just about every lunch in the parks on my days off, and packed a Smuckers Uncrustables and an apple for my work days.
You will learn to love your location, and your coworkers and roommates (at least mine) will become your family.
When it comes time for you to say goodbye, you will feel as if you are leaving a piece of your heart in Orlando. You will watch Wishes for the last time while holding your Disney family, and you will cry. Lots. Finally, when you say goodbye to all your closest Disney friends to leave for home, you will feel so many emotions that you feel like your emotional circuits got fried. Thankfulness, sadness, joy, heartbreak, you really never knew you could feel so many emotions at one time.
You will get home and spend the next year (or two, or three..) reminiscing with your D-fam in your group message, being depressed because you have to go back to real life, and telling people about how magical Disney is, regardless of whether or not they actually care.
It will change your life.
Monday, October 13, 2014
Week Five
This week is my BIRTHDAY WEEK! HURRAY! Well my paycheck was astronomically low due to me only working 12 hours the week before. But we got a $1 pay raise because Florida raised minimum wage, which is so awesome. On Tuesday a group rented the entire park out from like 8pm - midnight, so we all had really long shifts. I was supposed to work noon - 9:15pm but extended to midnight, so I worked a 12 hour shift. Overtime holla. Well the park shut down for normal guests at 6pm, and we closed our restaurant down so a couple hours in between. I have the best managers in the entire world, and they set us up with some magical moments <3 We made a nice single file line (all like 50 of us) and got to ride Toy Story Midway Mania when the park was completely dead, and in full costume. AND we got to ride it twice in a row, which was so cool. Then we got to go ride Rockin' Rollercoaster with the lights on, which was super fabulous. And I got paid for all of this. It was actually the best shift ever!! But the next morning I had a safety class at 7:45am....so I got 4 hours of sleep. But it was so worth it because I got a lot of overtime hours. By the way, Disney overtime is if you work over 8 hours in a day, not if you work over 40 hours in a week.
So that was super bomb. Then Thursday I had my first class field trip to Animal Kingdom where we did a scavenger hunt by Rafiki's Planet Watch/Conservation Station. That's the place where the petting zoo is, and you have to take the little train to get there. We actually learned some super fascinating things, and I highly recommend this class. Well after our scavenger hunt we got to all ride Kilimanjaro Safari, and get the special cast member spiel, instead of the normal one. Seriously SO cool, and something you can only do if you take this class, or work the ride. My scavenger hunt group was super cool, so we hung around after class, and rode Everest and Dinosaur. One of the girls works Everest so we got to go through the FastPass lane and got front row!! Here's my giraffe friend from the Safari.
Ugh this day was just so good. So after that I met up with some of my roomies at Hollywood Studios, basically just for snacking and walking because we got there at like park close. On Friday I had my second day off, and went to Magic Kingdom in the morning, and Epcot in the evening. Oh, and I got the exciting news that I got accepted to study abroad this spring in New Zealand!!! So I entered this scholarship contest and they wanted a picture of me with a kiwi. So here's me with a kiwi.
So that was super bomb. Then Thursday I had my first class field trip to Animal Kingdom where we did a scavenger hunt by Rafiki's Planet Watch/Conservation Station. That's the place where the petting zoo is, and you have to take the little train to get there. We actually learned some super fascinating things, and I highly recommend this class. Well after our scavenger hunt we got to all ride Kilimanjaro Safari, and get the special cast member spiel, instead of the normal one. Seriously SO cool, and something you can only do if you take this class, or work the ride. My scavenger hunt group was super cool, so we hung around after class, and rode Everest and Dinosaur. One of the girls works Everest so we got to go through the FastPass lane and got front row!! Here's my giraffe friend from the Safari.
Ugh this day was just so good. So after that I met up with some of my roomies at Hollywood Studios, basically just for snacking and walking because we got there at like park close. On Friday I had my second day off, and went to Magic Kingdom in the morning, and Epcot in the evening. Oh, and I got the exciting news that I got accepted to study abroad this spring in New Zealand!!! So I entered this scholarship contest and they wanted a picture of me with a kiwi. So here's me with a kiwi.
I rode Haunted Mansion with my roommate Sarah, and we got candy corn cotton candy, and LeFou's Brew and it was fabulous. Then at Epcot (still with Sarah) I got the potato leek waffle from Belgium which was SO GOOD OH MY GOSH I DIED IT WAS SO GOOD. I also got a teriyaki gyoza bun from Japan, a strawberry oolong tea slush from China, and I think that's it. We met up with my other roommate Ashley and her friend, and had fun soda tasting at Club Cool. Then we went home. Work's been good, but I had to call in sick today for the first time :( I've just been super nauseous lately and needed a day to recharge. Every time you call in you get a point on your record card, so I now have one point. (3 points to a reprimand, 3 reprimands = termination)
Well that sums it up! It's my birthday tomorrow and my roomies and I are going to Le Cellier's Steakhouse in Canada :) SO EXCITED! I work tomorrow and Wednesday, then am off Thursday and Friday! Hope y'all have a magical week <3
Monday, October 6, 2014
Week Four
This week was great! Got to fly home to surprise the family <3 SO awesome being able to go home, even if it was just four days. But that means my paycheck is tiny for the week....so that sucks. But we got a raise! YAY!! That's super exciting. I work 12-9:15 tomorrow, my longest shift yet, so that'll be interesting. I'm actually excited because my leaders and coordinators and coworkers are super cool and we're having a potluck! Apparently a group rented the park out, so we're staying open much later than usual. I know some of my friends are working 13 hours...yikes. Applications for extensions came out! So people who want to extend, you fill out an application and rank your preferences as far as role goes. So for example:
1) attractions
2) merchandise
3) character attendant
4) same role same location
5) same role different location
I'm personally not applying to extend, but I know of many who are. But exciting news...I GOT ACCEPTED TO STUDY ABROAD THIS SPRING! So I will officially be spending my spring in Christchurch, New Zealand. SO SO SO psyched about that.
Back to work stuff, yesterday I got to go meet my roommate Sarah at Epcot for some Food and Wine Festival goodness. I tried garlic shrimp from Australia, a spicy shrimp roll from Morocco, mango green tea slush from China, melon rice cakes from Japan, and a pumpkin spice macaroon ice cream sandwich from France. So a VERY good night ;) The last three were in the pavilions, not the special Food & Wine booths. I think my favorite thing was the mango green tea slush, but the melon things were also really good, and both shrimp dishes were great. So much good. So much food. So much money. I made reservations for my birthday dinner!! YAY! Next Tuesday, three of my roommates and myself will be having dinner in Canada (Epcot) at Le Cellier Steakhouse! So excited. Can't believe I'm going to be 20...I wish so bad it was 21. Well this week I have a class field trip to Animal Kingdom, so I'll probably just be playing there before/after class. And Friday I have off, so my roommate Sarah and I are going to pick one (or more) of the parks to play in :) Someday I want to go to the beach...but not this week. It's been cool out here! SO nice. Like, I wear yoga pants and don't sweat. It's fabulous. Perfect park weather. Not rainy, and not uncomfortably cool.
I've had some awesome guests this week, and they make my day just by talking to me. Remember that the next time you're a guest, the girl bussing your table just needs a smile and a "hi, how's your day going?" to make her day better :) Well I think that's about it for this week! I finally cooked a meal, and made homemade pumpkin muffins so obviously it's been great. Have a magical rest of your week <3
1) attractions
2) merchandise
3) character attendant
4) same role same location
5) same role different location
I'm personally not applying to extend, but I know of many who are. But exciting news...I GOT ACCEPTED TO STUDY ABROAD THIS SPRING! So I will officially be spending my spring in Christchurch, New Zealand. SO SO SO psyched about that.
Back to work stuff, yesterday I got to go meet my roommate Sarah at Epcot for some Food and Wine Festival goodness. I tried garlic shrimp from Australia, a spicy shrimp roll from Morocco, mango green tea slush from China, melon rice cakes from Japan, and a pumpkin spice macaroon ice cream sandwich from France. So a VERY good night ;) The last three were in the pavilions, not the special Food & Wine booths. I think my favorite thing was the mango green tea slush, but the melon things were also really good, and both shrimp dishes were great. So much good. So much food. So much money. I made reservations for my birthday dinner!! YAY! Next Tuesday, three of my roommates and myself will be having dinner in Canada (Epcot) at Le Cellier Steakhouse! So excited. Can't believe I'm going to be 20...I wish so bad it was 21. Well this week I have a class field trip to Animal Kingdom, so I'll probably just be playing there before/after class. And Friday I have off, so my roommate Sarah and I are going to pick one (or more) of the parks to play in :) Someday I want to go to the beach...but not this week. It's been cool out here! SO nice. Like, I wear yoga pants and don't sweat. It's fabulous. Perfect park weather. Not rainy, and not uncomfortably cool.
I've had some awesome guests this week, and they make my day just by talking to me. Remember that the next time you're a guest, the girl bussing your table just needs a smile and a "hi, how's your day going?" to make her day better :) Well I think that's about it for this week! I finally cooked a meal, and made homemade pumpkin muffins so obviously it's been great. Have a magical rest of your week <3
Friday, October 3, 2014
The Bus System
So for all of you that come from across the country (or world), the buses are your main mode of transportation. Everyone will tell you that Transtar (the bus company) is terrible, the buses are always late and don't show up, and it's the worst thing ever. Well they're all complainer babies. I have never had any trouble with the bus system, AND it saves money. There are about 10 buses that each have their own specific route. Each bus comes every half hour, and they hit all Disney resorts, water parks, theme parks, and special sites like Casting (but different buses will go to different sites, they obviously don't go to all of the above sites because that would take forever!). I take the E bus for example, and it stops at Chatham Square (my apartment), the Commons, Vista Way, the Boardwalk, Yacht and Beach Club, and Hollywood Studios, in that order. So I have about a 45 minute bus ride, but it really doesn't feel that long, and this way I don't have to find parking. I have been here a month and have yet to be late to ANYTHING, have a super late bus, or have a bus not show up. People who are late either take the bus that would get them to work just on time (always take one bus early), or if it's really busy might not be able to get on a bus if there are a ton of people trying to get on. The worst is for people working at Magic Kingdom because they have the most amount of cast members, and SO many CPs that go and play in that park. So at night there is a lot of people standing since all the seats are taken. Just a piece of etiquette advice, even if you're exhausted from a fun day playing in the park, give your seat up to the exhausted cast member who made your day so great. They really appreciate it.
So the buses really aren't that bad, but I do recommend making friends with people with cars. This way you can go to Universal Studios or Sea World without taking an expensive taxi, or extremely long trolley ride. It is also really nice for grocery shopping. The H bus does go to Walmart and Publix, but it sucks carrying grocery bags from the bus stop to your apartment. If you're going to play in the parks on your day off, I would just take the buses. They're cheaper, and it doesn't matter if you're early or late. Also you don't have to worry about parking (which is free with your cast ID by the way), and having to walk a long ways or take the shuttle thing.
All in all, it is very convenient having a car, but also very expensive. If I were to do another program, I would not bring my car, and use the bus system again. Yes, the buses get you to work either 10 minutes early (risk being late), or 45 minutes early (what I do), but overall they're reliable and cheap transportation. And only CPs can use the buses we take, so you don't have to worry about the general public, or creepy adults. Make friends with people with cars, but don't take advantage of them, and offer up a couple dollars once in awhile. Don't depend on their ride or they'll get irritated really quick and feel taken advantage of. The one time I REALLY do recommend getting a ride from a friend and coughing up the gas money, is going to the airport. It cost me about $25 to take a shuttle with other strangers, but when my friend picked me up, I gave her $10 in gas and it was much more fun and comfortable. It's only a 25 minute drive to the airport, so taking a shuttle or taxi kind of feels like a waste unless your flight is super early (like mine was!!). I've only been late to work one time because of traffic, but even people who drove their cars were late that day so it's a moot point. So that's my two cents on the subject. It probably VERY different than most people, but people in the DCP seriously complain about Transtar, about housing, about security, about each other, about their job, the list goes on and on. The program is what you make it, negativity only makes your experience worse.
Well that was so much longer than I originally planned! I hope y'all have a fabulous week <3
So the buses really aren't that bad, but I do recommend making friends with people with cars. This way you can go to Universal Studios or Sea World without taking an expensive taxi, or extremely long trolley ride. It is also really nice for grocery shopping. The H bus does go to Walmart and Publix, but it sucks carrying grocery bags from the bus stop to your apartment. If you're going to play in the parks on your day off, I would just take the buses. They're cheaper, and it doesn't matter if you're early or late. Also you don't have to worry about parking (which is free with your cast ID by the way), and having to walk a long ways or take the shuttle thing.
All in all, it is very convenient having a car, but also very expensive. If I were to do another program, I would not bring my car, and use the bus system again. Yes, the buses get you to work either 10 minutes early (risk being late), or 45 minutes early (what I do), but overall they're reliable and cheap transportation. And only CPs can use the buses we take, so you don't have to worry about the general public, or creepy adults. Make friends with people with cars, but don't take advantage of them, and offer up a couple dollars once in awhile. Don't depend on their ride or they'll get irritated really quick and feel taken advantage of. The one time I REALLY do recommend getting a ride from a friend and coughing up the gas money, is going to the airport. It cost me about $25 to take a shuttle with other strangers, but when my friend picked me up, I gave her $10 in gas and it was much more fun and comfortable. It's only a 25 minute drive to the airport, so taking a shuttle or taxi kind of feels like a waste unless your flight is super early (like mine was!!). I've only been late to work one time because of traffic, but even people who drove their cars were late that day so it's a moot point. So that's my two cents on the subject. It probably VERY different than most people, but people in the DCP seriously complain about Transtar, about housing, about security, about each other, about their job, the list goes on and on. The program is what you make it, negativity only makes your experience worse.
Well that was so much longer than I originally planned! I hope y'all have a fabulous week <3
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Week Three
My week was good. Nothing too exciting happened, but I'm finally comfortable with my job and coworkers! Yay! I pulled trash a lot which kind of sucked, but I also got to work a lot of counter and did drinks for the first time by myself. So that was good :) I got some coworker bonding in over prep as we were all extended an hour, so that was actually really fun. I weighed chicken for two hours. Fun. I actually worked more hours then I was scheduled, so that made up for last week which is good. I had Wednesday and Thursday off, and they were both FABULOUS. Wednesday I went to Universal Studios with my friends Katy and Marlene, then we went to Epcot's Food and Wine Festival in the evening. GO TO FOOD AND WINE. It is the best thing that ever happened to you. ;) They have booths up for every country in the world showcase plus a bunch of additional ones. I got a Kahlua pork sandwich in Hawaii, cheddar cheese soup in Canada, and a mango green tea in China. Hawaii was my favorite. Next time I'm going for Australia and Morocco, but the dishes are about $3-$6 each and are appetizer sized. Really awesome authentic food, and you can get a passport which is cool. You get a stamp for each country you eat in. Also, if you're lucky enough to be 21, they have really unique drinks. I've heard fabulous things about the pineapple wine in Hawaii, and grapefruit beer in Germany. Definitely going back.
Thursday I slept in, and had my first day of my class. It started at 2:30pm and went until 4:30pm in Patterson. I am SO excited for this class. We get to go to Animal Kingdom and Epcot, and have speakers from around the parks. If you do the program, take a class. There are so many networking opportunities here!! And if you take a seminar (like me) you don't have homework, which is fab. After class I went to Property Control and Cast Connections, two discount stores for cast members. You can buy damaged merch for 75% off, cheap groceries, and other discounted finds. I got my sister a super cute blue Mickey shirt with lace, bought myself a Captain America mug, and got some apples. I spent less than $20.
On Friday I was extended an extra hour, but went to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. We get discounted tickets in September so I got one for Friday. My roommate was supposed to go with me, but she didn't get hers in time and it sold out :( So I did all the candy lines, watched the parades, and watched the fireworks. GO TO MNSSHP. Seriously, it's WELL worth the money. They have trick-or-treating all over Magic Kingdom (one of my friends got 35 pounds!!), special character meet and greets (all 7 dwarves at once AND Tarzan and Jane!), shorter ride times, and the AMAZING parade, which shows twice throughout the night. The villains take over Wishes and make it Hallowishes, which is super great, and you will never regret going. I'm actually going again in October so I can go all out with my costume and actually go with people.
Saturday after work I went into Hollywood Studios, went in the singles line on Rockin' Rollercoaster, got ice cream, and watched the last performance of Frozen fireworks with my roommate Lindsey, and friend Mary. The show will be missed. Sunday I flew home to surprise my family which went really well after I reassured them I was NOT fired from Disney, and stayed until today (Wednesday). I just got back to the apartment, but have tomorrow off as well for class. Then I work Friday-Wednesday and have Thursday and Friday off. Tuesday I work 11:30am-9:15pm because apparently a group rented out the park, so that will be interesting. And Saturday I work 1pm-7pm for the Tower of Terror 10 Miler. So that'll be fun? Hopefully. Hahaha. I'm already planning the holidays, and getting super excited. Family dinner for Thanksgiving (roomie family), decorations for Halloween, and all the Disney Christmas festivities. My family will be here over Christmas so that will be awesome. I REALLY want to go to the Candlelight Processional at Epcot which is where a famous person reads the biblical Christmas story. So I'm planning on going when Neil Patrick Harris does it, or Whoopie Goldberg.
That's about all I got. The DCP is going amazing, the people are great and the experience is one of a kind. I can't wait for the adventures to come :)
Thursday I slept in, and had my first day of my class. It started at 2:30pm and went until 4:30pm in Patterson. I am SO excited for this class. We get to go to Animal Kingdom and Epcot, and have speakers from around the parks. If you do the program, take a class. There are so many networking opportunities here!! And if you take a seminar (like me) you don't have homework, which is fab. After class I went to Property Control and Cast Connections, two discount stores for cast members. You can buy damaged merch for 75% off, cheap groceries, and other discounted finds. I got my sister a super cute blue Mickey shirt with lace, bought myself a Captain America mug, and got some apples. I spent less than $20.
On Friday I was extended an extra hour, but went to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. We get discounted tickets in September so I got one for Friday. My roommate was supposed to go with me, but she didn't get hers in time and it sold out :( So I did all the candy lines, watched the parades, and watched the fireworks. GO TO MNSSHP. Seriously, it's WELL worth the money. They have trick-or-treating all over Magic Kingdom (one of my friends got 35 pounds!!), special character meet and greets (all 7 dwarves at once AND Tarzan and Jane!), shorter ride times, and the AMAZING parade, which shows twice throughout the night. The villains take over Wishes and make it Hallowishes, which is super great, and you will never regret going. I'm actually going again in October so I can go all out with my costume and actually go with people.
Saturday after work I went into Hollywood Studios, went in the singles line on Rockin' Rollercoaster, got ice cream, and watched the last performance of Frozen fireworks with my roommate Lindsey, and friend Mary. The show will be missed. Sunday I flew home to surprise my family which went really well after I reassured them I was NOT fired from Disney, and stayed until today (Wednesday). I just got back to the apartment, but have tomorrow off as well for class. Then I work Friday-Wednesday and have Thursday and Friday off. Tuesday I work 11:30am-9:15pm because apparently a group rented out the park, so that will be interesting. And Saturday I work 1pm-7pm for the Tower of Terror 10 Miler. So that'll be fun? Hopefully. Hahaha. I'm already planning the holidays, and getting super excited. Family dinner for Thanksgiving (roomie family), decorations for Halloween, and all the Disney Christmas festivities. My family will be here over Christmas so that will be awesome. I REALLY want to go to the Candlelight Processional at Epcot which is where a famous person reads the biblical Christmas story. So I'm planning on going when Neil Patrick Harris does it, or Whoopie Goldberg.
That's about all I got. The DCP is going amazing, the people are great and the experience is one of a kind. I can't wait for the adventures to come :)
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