College Program Parents Thread...

[wilkeliza]

Thank you both. I'll ask her if she sees that. I just thought the prices she was giving me sounded kind of high and I feel I could maybe get it as cheap on Expedia or something but it just may be a very popular time. We've never gone around October. Thanks again

When in October? With Halloween, Tower of Terror 10 miler, and Wine and Dine it can run big but not packed crowds.

 

[DCPmom2014]

Did anybody else's child enroll in Cigna Healthcare once they started with Disney? We just received a VISA flexible spending card and healthcare card with our daughter's name on it. She said she never enrolled in anything as we cover her on two employer plans here at home.

Just wondering what is going on.

 

[jce2]

Enrollment is automatic. She has to take action to stop enrollment. She should have gotten a booklet on benefits. Theres a number to call on front page. If she fails to cancel by a specified deadline they will deduct $10 a week for insurance that just barely covers the Obamacare minimun (ie. Huuuge deductables and copays!)

 

[wilkeliza]

Enrollment is automatic. She has to take action to stop enrollment. She should have gotten a booklet on benefits. Theres a number to call on front page. If she fails to cancel by a specified deadline they will deduct $10 a week for insurance that just barely covers the Obamacare minimun (ie. Huuuge deductables and copays!)

Hey it is better than nothing though. I have no ties to my parents and had graduated already so had 0 access to affordable healthcare on my program. I would have take terrible insurance for $40 a month over nothing.

 

[jce2]

The problem is a lot of these CP kids get the package and dont realize they need to cancel it. If they are still covered by parents insurance (and chances are they are), starting their own insurance may make them ineligible to use their parents.

 

[wilkeliza]

The problem is a lot of these CP kids get the package and dont realize they need to cancel it. If they are still covered by parents insurance (and chances are they are), starting their own insurance may make them ineligible to use their parents.

Isn't that life though? Eveyone who is on the CP is an adult over 18 and while i understand it may be some people's first job reading everything is an important lesson to learn. My newest company signed me up for a 401K with 5% deducted from every check. They didn't tell me or tell me how to remove it. All the information was apart of my new hire packet. It will just teach them to pay attention to everything their employeer hands then and what is being deducted from their checks.

 

[jce2]

I wish I could be a callous as you. Many of these kids are away from home for the first time and things like insurance are a shole new concept. I have been in the work force for 39 years now and not once has a company automatically enrolled me in a health plan. They have always been "elections" in my benefits package. This supposed is supposed to be a temporary position and in most cases "temp" positions and part time positions don't even make insurance available.

 

[wilkeliza]

I wish I could be a callous as you. Many of these kids are away from home for the first time and things like insurance are a shole new concept. I have been in the work force for 39 years now and not once has a company automatically enrolled me in a health plan. They have always been "elections" in my benefits package. This supposed is supposed to be a temporary position and in most cases "temp" positions and part time positions don't even make insurance available.

I don't see myself as callous and that is a very harsh word to use. I do believe name calling is not allowed on these boards.

We are all allowed our own opinions and having done the CP myself I know Disney does not baby CPs. If they were given a packet of information they were expected to read it. If they didn't or read it but didn't understand it but didn't ask for clarification that is not Disney fault. Sorry if that is callous but we all have to grow up at some point.

 

[Goofy4WDW1964]

If it is possible, the health coverage for the DCP should be voluntary and not automatic. A vast majority of these kids are college students and are covered on parents plans, which are probably better options. Granted, this doesn't apply to all, but probably does to most. I hope this isn't done because Disney gets a break by doing it this way.

You were probably automatically enrolled in your companies 401k program because a company has to have a minimum percentage of employees participating before they can pay a higher percentage in to managment's plan.

 

[dizagain]

I know that they explained the insurance thing to my DD at the beginning because she had no clue and called me to verify that she didn't need it. She also told me to expect a mental health packet to come in the mail- nothing needed to be done with that. So I do think they explain it to the kids- they just have to follow through and take action. I agree that it is hard and something foreign to most of them but it is good for them. Can it be canceled? Hopefully so!

 

[wilkeliza]

I know that they explained the insurance thing to my DD at the beginning because she had no clue and called me to verify that she didn't need it. She also told me to expect a mental health packet to come in the mail- nothing needed to be done with that. So I do think they explain it to the kids- they just have to follow through and take action. I agree that it is hard and something foreign to most of them but it is good for them. Can it be canceled? Hopefully so!

The way you explain it sounds like how my college handled insurance. We were told during orientation and in our acceptence packets that the school provides a high deductible insurance program that would give us free access to our schools health care center. I remember it was an auto enroll system and you had to prove you have coverage by a certain date or they just tacked the extra onto your tuition. I bet it is the same way seeing as your daughter called and asked if she needed it or not and took the steps to cancel.

 

[DCPmom2014]

Thanks for the info. I think everything was so fast and furious after getting checked in, moving into an apartment for the first time and then starting her job. Just slipped through the cracks.

We will follow up. If nothing else, she is covered under THREE plans now!! Just didn't want her to pay for something she doesn't need. And they mailed everything to our home so I have the insurance card and flexible spending debit card.

Lesson learned. I was under the impression you had to "opt in" to things like health insurance and flexible spending. At least at every company I have worked at. I was always afraid I was going to miss the deadline and not be covered!

She is looking into her options.

 

[wilkeliza]

Thanks for the info. I think everything was so fast and furious after getting checked in, moving into an apartment for the first time and then starting her job. Just slipped through the cracks.

We will follow up. If nothing else, she is covered under THREE plans now!! Just didn't want her to pay for something she doesn't need. And they mailed everything to our home so I have the insurance card and flexible spending debit card.

Lesson learned. I was under the impression you had to "opt in" to things like health insurance and flexible spending. At least at every company I have worked at. I was always afraid I was going to miss the deadline and not be covered!

She is looking into her options.

I do know that you can't use Disney's on site health center unless you have coverage under Disney. If she doesn't have a car I would look into it just because the health center is a bus ride to Epcot as compaired to begging for a ride to a doctor's office or paying for a cab.

 

[dcp1234]

Woo hoo! My daughter finally made the reservation for us to spend a week visiting her at Christmas at the Wilderness Lodge from December 20-27. Was able to get 50% off!!! Super excited. Courtyard view. Does anyone know if there will be an extra holiday discount? Can we call back and have that applied after the fact? Even with her incredible discount, it is still twice as expensive as Shades of Green!

But regardless, couldn't be more excited!

I'm confused. A couple of pages back someone just posted that room discounts have been released for Aug thru mid-Oct. How did your daughter book a discounted room for Christmas week?

 

[jce2]

I think there is a very limited number of "standard" cm discounts out there for December. By "standard" I mean 40% F&F or 50% cm-in-room. It seems the only thing readily available in December right now is AKL. What is not out there yet is the special holiday discounts. In know I have a 40% AKL rez for December but hoping for more later.

 

[grover]

My son was able to pull up moderate & deluxe resorts at 40 & 50 % off today for the time period over Xmas. Nothing at the values.

Looks like free dining is going to beat the discount for us though--unless he can get 60% off at some point.

 

[DCPmom2014]

Our CM discount was 50% at Wilderness Lodge for December 20-27, courtyard view were the only ones available to CMs. Still way pricier than Shades of Green but we will take it as we have never had the opportunity to stay in a Disney hotel!

 

[dcp1234]

My daughter is there now, and tells us one of her roommates is in Housekeeping, cleaning rooms at AKL? Seriously? I can see Disney using the students in many roles, but cleaning rooms for a semester? Crappy assignment if you ask me.

 

[mccreel]

Housekeeping is a one of the positions they ask about in the application process. In the application it asks the person what they would want to work. And say if you will not like it, do not put it down as an option. Like, my son did not want character positions or food service so he did not check those. If her roommate checked housekeeping, she knew that would be a possibility.

 

[mccreel]

Follow up on my son, he rotates his roles at the Magic of Disney Animation so sometimes he does the interactions with Mushu. After a show one day he had a some people come up to him and tell him they really enjoyed his show and asked for a picture with him. That happened in his first week off of training. So it really boosted his confidence in his role. It was rocky the first couple of weeks, adjusting to being away from home and basically on his own. But their reaction to his show really helped him settle in. He gets along with most everyone he works with and likes both his roommates. Even hit Animal Kingdom with one because the last time he was at the parks, AK was not built yet and he enjoyed showing him around. Especially Festival of the Lion King. So, so far so good....