Question about becoming a seasonal CM

[Pancakes]

Hi, I am going down the the program for Spring 12! I was just wondering what the process and qualifications are for becoming seasonal after my program is over. I would love to go back down to disney for my winter and summer breaks...but I don't exactly know how becoming seasonal works. Would I be able to go down and work my winter and summer break? Or is that not a long enough time to go back? I live in Jersey so it's not like I can go back and forth all the time. Any advice would be much appreciated

 

[theclaw]

I became seasonal at the end of my program. Your eligibility is based on how many points you get during your program. It is best to keep them very low if you want to go seasonal. They recently increased the hours to be seasonal. Now you must work a minimum of 150 hours over the course of a year. I imagine this might be a stretch for you because of distance. To apply to be seasonal, I just had to talk to my managers and they gave me an application. They emailed me about a month after my program ended to let me know that I had been approved to become seasonal. At the time, the minimum hours to be worked over a year was 40. This was much more realistic for me. I probably will not make it to 150 hours but I'm still pretending that I will. Hopefully I'll be accepted to the Spring CP so I won't have to worry about it.

 

[elphie101]

Your record needs to in "transfer requirements", meaning only so many points, I'm not 100% sure what the number is but again, the best advice is to keep your record card as low as possible.

Unfortunately they did just change the hourly requirement to 150 a year, but you could do that easily if you say, spent the month of July down in Orlando. For still being on a school schedule, I would say that would be your best bet, as the summer months are when WDW is at it's busiest (save for Christmas season) and the CPs they often depend on are in shorter supply.

 

[Jayana]

If you are seasonal, are you responsible for your own housing?

 

[theclaw]

If you are seasonal, are you responsible for your own housing?

Yeah, they don't provide seasonal CMs with any housing.

 

[Spo0nfulofSugar]

Your record needs to in "transfer requirements", meaning only so many points, I'm not 100% sure what the number is but again, the best advice is to keep your record card as low as possible.

Unfortunately they did just change the hourly requirement to 150 a year, but you could do that easily if you say, spent the month of July down in Orlando. For still being on a school schedule, I would say that would be your best bet, as the summer months are when WDW is at it's busiest (save for Christmas season) and the CPs they often depend on are in shorter supply.

Points?
Sorry for the cluenessness.
I'm just getting started in the world of CP and still have four years to go until I can even do the program.

 

[KCMiller]

Yeah, they don't provide seasonal CMs with any housing.

So if they don't provide any housing, how do CP's who then move into seasonal do it? Where do they live - are there apartments that rent by the month in Orlando, near to WDW?

KC

 

[polymerpig]

So if they don't provide any housing, how do CP's who then move into seasonal do it? Where do they live - are there apartments that rent by the month in Orlando, near to WDW?

KC

My daughter always checked into a Value resort with her 50% discount. She had friends down there she could have stayed with, but staying on property with no car she could use Disney transportation to get to work. She was of course only working on her 40 hours, not 150, so just a few quick trips worked for her.

Also keep in mind, just because you give them your availability and you go down there for a month, there is no guarantee they will give you enough hours. That would be 4 weeks (5 days a week), almost full time. They probably are not going to give that schedule to a seasonal employee.

 

[Jamie25UGA]

If you are seasonal, are you responsible for your own housing?

You're responsible for housing and transportation as well.

So if they don't provide any housing, how do CP's who then move into seasonal do it? Where do they live - are there apartments that rent by the month in Orlando, near to WDW?

I drive from GA to FL so I stay offsite since I have a car. It's way cheaper and working a week covers the price of the hotel which is always nice. I work at DTD and it's a 10 minute drive to work.

 

[disneymegs]

Points?
Sorry for the cluenessness.
I'm just getting started in the world of CP and still have four years to go until I can even do the program.

You get a half point for being late less than two hours and one point for being late more than two hours. You also get one point for every call in. If you call in a few consecutive days you can have it combined into one if you have a doctors not, but as a CP you can't really do that more than once I don't think.

I went seasonal after my CP and all I had to do was ask and they just said yes. I'm part time now.