Questions about Cast Member Discounts for Resorts and Tickets

[alice0826]

My daughter has been accepted into the CP for Fall. We are arriving on 8/19I have been trying to plan for the family to visit her during the first or second week of December but I am unsure of what discounts will be available to her. My questions are this:

What discount is available for resorts? Are all resorts included?
What is the discount for tickets?
Can we add the dining plan?
What resort is best for a family of 5 adults?
Can I book ahead and then have her change the ressie?

I would appreciate any input you can provide. I am very confused!

[CruellaDuVille]

First, let her settle in then she can share what she has learned with you.

As for advance reservations, they have to be in her name, using her employee ID, she has to be the one to check in at the hotel, and they have to be made at a special reservation system for cast members. The discount varies based on what is available and what time of year it is (don't bank on cast member room discounts during the high holiday season).

Hope this helps.

If you are dead certain that you want to be there at high holiday season I would be making my own reservations now, the regular way. If she comes up with something good when the time approaches you can cancel, if not, you have your room reserved.

BTW, the first two weeks of December are usually pretty slow, good weeks for the family to visit and prices and availability are usually pretty good.

[mickeymomtx]

Our daughter starts the same time and we are also planning a trip in early december. Here's hoping for some great discounts. How I'd love to try one of the deluxe resorts!

[casedilla]

Cast members receive a 50% discount on all Disney resort bookings if the cast member will be staying in the room (aka, if they will be there at check in and can show their ID). If not, they can get a 40% discount if friends/family will be staying at a Disney resort.

College program cast members receive a main gate pass a couple weeks after their program starts that allows them to give free entry to up to 3 friends/family members on 6 days during their program. However, say she were to bring in only one person for free one day, that would count as one of their 6 days. After the cast member first brings his/her guests into a park that day, their guests receive park hoppers for the day so they may go to as many parks as they like. If all these passes have been used, cast members can buy tickets at a 10% discount.

The dining plan can be added and I believe there may be a cast member discount on it, but I'm not sure exactly what it is.

[saturdaygirl]

what are the discounts for booking a cruise? i'm planning on doing the cp again when i graduate and i want to go on a cruise. i just looked up prices and GOOD LORD. lol i had no idea they were so expensive so i want to start saving money now

[Berlioz70]

Cast Members (after 90 days of employment) are eligible to book special space available discounts. Meaning, if a certain cruise is not full, about 2 months out they'll post it with highly discounted rooms. Some seasons/ships have much more availability than others.

There is also a Fl Res discount that allows you to book cruises about 10% off... this used to be available for CMs too, but they took the CM offer away when the 2 new ships rolled out.

Be warned, CM rooms go QUICK, especially anything at PC. Here are the cruises that are currently being offered:

Disney Magic 09/02/12 5 NYC Canada & New England Coast Oceanview $75
Disney Magic 09/07/12 5 NYC Canada & New England Coast Inside $70
Disney Wonder 08/27/12 7 SE Alaska Verandah $115

[saturdaygirl]

Originally Posted by Berlioz70

Cast Members (after 90 days of employment) are eligible to book special space available discounts. Meaning, if a certain cruise is not full, about 2 months out they'll post it with highly discounted rooms. Some seasons/ships have much more availability than others.

There is also a Fl Res discount that allows you to book cruises about 10% off... this used to be available for CMs too, but they took the CM offer away when the 2 new ships rolled out.

Be warned, CM rooms go QUICK, especially anything at PC. Here are the cruises that are currently being offered:

Disney Magic 09/02/12 5 NYC Canada & New England Coast Oceanview $75
Disney Magic 09/07/12 5 NYC Canada & New England Coast Inside $70
Disney Wonder 08/27/12 7 SE Alaska Verandah $115

thank you! those prices are the TOTAL? wow, that is a huge discount

[Berlioz70]

prices are per night

[saturdaygirl]

Originally Posted by Berlioz70

prices are per night

oh LOL i was gonna say. those aren't bad at all, thanks again!

[KayMeg'sMom]

My daughter did the CP program last spring and is currently a seasonal CM. To let you know the discounts are not always 50% off! They vary and sometimes are not available! It is indeed something that she will need to check on the HUB after being in the program a while and is set up.

I did not want you to depend on getting the 50% when it may be as low as 30%!! SO much depends on supply and demand to be honest.

Good luck! It is an amazing experience for your daughter to participate in.. I can personally not say enough good things!

[ohsnapxitsamanda]

Originally Posted by alice0826

My daughter has been accepted into the CP for Fall. We are arriving on 8/19I have been trying to plan for the family to visit her during the first or second week of December but I am unsure of what discounts will be available to her. My questions are this:

What discount is available for resorts? Are all resorts included?
What is the discount for tickets?
Can we add the dining plan?
What resort is best for a family of 5 adults?
Can I book ahead and then have her change the ressie?

I would appreciate any input you can provide. I am very confused!

I just completed the CP in May, and I was there since August, so hopefully I can help you out a little bit. Sometime in October, your daughter will get information about the holiday discounts for CMs. And Disney treats their CMs really well, especially around the holiday season. The hotel discount goes from 50% to 60% (if she's staying in the room with you). All the resorts are included (my parents and I got to stay at the Grand Floridian thanks to this discount), but be aware that there will be blackout days. So if you know what days you want to visit her, let her get settled in and then she can find out what the blackout days will be on the HUB (she'll become very familiar with the HUB very quickly).

As far as tickets go, she'll get a maingate pass that allows her to get in up to 3 guests for free on 6 different days throughout her program. Once again, there are blackout dates, and she can also find out when these are on the HUB. If there are more than 3 of y'all going to visit her, or if you're going when her maingate is blacked out, CMs get park tickets at a 10% discount.

For the dining plan, she needs to talk to the person she books the room with. Sometimes, there are deals where CMs who book rooms can get the dining plan at a discount, as well.

You can book the resort, but in order for her discount to be applied, she has to book it in her name with her employee ID number (I know someone else pointed that out). If you wanted to go ahead and book it and then cancel if she found a better deal, you can. But, keep in mind that once you get a certain number of days away from check-in (I believe it's 45 days out), then Disney will charge you a cancellation fee. So you have to decide if that will be worth it or not.

I hope this helps. If you have any other questions, feel free to send me a PM. Your daughter is in for the time of her life. I absolutely loved my time on the program, and I miss it every day. It's an amazing experience, and she's going to love it.

[amb195]

I am currently a cast member right now. My last day on the program is may 17th, and that is the day my family wanted to check into the hotel. Am I allowed to do this? Because my ID is still valid that day.

[leeg229]

I am currently a cast member right now. My last day on the program is may 17th, and that is the day my family wanted to check into the hotel. Am I allowed to do this? Because my ID is still valid that day.

Yes you can do that. As a matter of fact you can make a reservation for as far in advance beyond the end of your program as possible and you can still get the discount as long as you show your ID at the hotel before the end of your program. If your leaders or housing asks you to turn in your blue ID tell them you need it to check in to the hotel.