5 months in the Most Magical Place on Earth...my College Program TR

[Joanna71985]

He is going to be QSFB!​

Oh fun! I did QSFB my 4th CP

 

[spiroff.natasha]

I am LOVING your trip report. It is bringing back so many memories. I first went to WDW when I was 17, a senior in high school. That trip, in and of itself was a dream come true as I had always wanted to go the WDW. My family didn't go on alot of vacations growing up and when we did it was usually to the beach or the mountains. We lived in N.C. and about 2 1/2 hours from either place.

Anyway, I was talking to a cast member in Toontown, a custoidan, who was a CP and told me about the program. From that moment on, I knew I HAD to do this program. During my sophmore year, I interviewed. I agree that it was a LONG wait to find out I had been accepted. I still remember opening that envelope. I was so nervous and excited. I was first assigned to the boats at Animal Kingdom but they were shut down the week before I started my CP. I was reassigned to Flights of Wonder. I did crowd control. Honestly, I would have done anything. I loved the group at FoW.

I must say my first CP was one of the best experiences of my life. Don't get me wrong, I have a great life now, I'm a professional with a husband and child. If I could stop time and just go back to one point in my life (for a couple of hours or days), I would probably choose my first CP. I met some amazing people (some I still keep in touch with) and had an amazing time. I loved it so much, I did a second CP the next summer, which was fun but not as much fun. I really missed the people from my first CP. Also, they realized they didn't have enough housing so we were placed in an apartment complex near Universal. There were three or four aparments of CPs in the whole apt. complex. The only upside is we were able to rent a washer and dryer from a rent to own place for the summer. We were all repeats doing a second CP with cars. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't the same. I worked at MK as a character greeter that time.

It is fun to see how much things have changed. In 1999, there was only one housing complex, Vista Way. They were actually building Chatham then; it was avaliable for my second CP b/c some of my friends that also came back that summer stayed there. (I didn't get in there because my school got out so late. I think once they ran out of room they started putting us in random apt. complexes.) Also, there were NO room checks ever. Ok, I take that back there were searches if someone suspected underage drinking or drugs (usually resulting in a termination) but not room checks for pictures/posters. We put whatever we wanted up on the walls.

I stayed in a 3 bedroom and no one cared about our ages. 3 of us were under 21 and 3 of us were over 21 although they did have wellness apartments even then but it was your choice to stay in one of them no matter your age.

Also, I'm jealous that you got to go to casting to get your role. They had conference rooms at Vista Way where we went to get our roles. When we checked in for our apartment, they gave us a time to go to the conference room to get our roles. I have completed 2 CPs and never once stepped foot in the casting building.

Anyway, thanks for letting an old woman reminisce about her youth and CP.

Welcome!! I'm glad you are along for the ride. Thanks for sharing about your CP, I LOVE hearing about other people's experiences and about how the program has changed.

Very cool that you worked at AK and had a good group of people you worked with. My experience would have been A LOT different if I didn't work with all the amazing people that I did.

Hope I can bring back some more memories for you as the report goes on ​

Great trip report! CAn't wait for next chapter.

Thanks! Next chapter coming up soon
​

Fantastic report! I'm loving it. I loved your last update; so cool with the Haunted Mansion story and the Tinkerbelle line. Thanks for sharing.

You're welcome!! I loved hearing everyone's different "magical" explanations for things while I was down there
​

Oh fun! I did QSFB my 4th CP

I see in your signature that you were at Casey's....very cool ​

 

[Joanna71985]

I see in your signature that you were at Casey's....very cool ​

I was! I was happy to be there. I loved the costume, and it was great getting to see the parade/fireworks every night. Plus, most of the time it wasn't horribly busy

 

[disbeachprincess]

LOVING the trip report! I don't know anything about the college program at all so looking forward to more updates

 

[kato0627]

Just read all of your chapters. Can't wait to read the rest.
Sounds amazing!!!

 

[mrsxsparrow]

Hey! Saw your post to me on the WBI thread... Just wanted to let you know I'm still here a following along

I was worried about the WBI from reading stories of people that didn't pass and couldn't figure out why but it all went well. I have my phone interview tomorrow at 1:00 and I HATE phones so definitely not looking forward to it. I've read like everything on here though and feel pretty prepared. Any last minute adive?

Anyway, I loved the Haunted Mansion story lol. I've heard a lot of different versions but that one is my favorite!

BTW, was FSFB one of your top choices or just where they decided to put you? And did you say you wanted to work in the castle or was that just chance? FSFB is one of my top three! (The other two being Hospitality and Concierge.)

 

[nannye]

I am loving your trip report. Being ing theCP just sounds like so much fun!!! I wish i had done it, but then I only discovered my love for disney last year at 27. (college has been done a long time!)

Can't wait for the next installment

 

[spiroff.natasha]

LOVING the trip report! I don't know anything about the college program at all so looking forward to more updates

Thank you! Hope you learn a lot about the program along the way ​

Just read all of your chapters. Can't wait to read the rest.
Sounds amazing!!!

I'm getting another update ready right now!​

Hey! Saw your post to me on the WBI thread... Just wanted to let you know I'm still here a following along

I was worried about the WBI from reading stories of people that didn't pass and couldn't figure out why but it all went well. I have my phone interview tomorrow at 1:00 and I HATE phones so definitely not looking forward to it. I've read like everything on here though and feel pretty prepared. Any last minute adive?

Anyway, I loved the Haunted Mansion story lol. I've heard a lot of different versions but that one is my favorite!

BTW, was FSFB one of your top choices or just where they decided to put you? And did you say you wanted to work in the castle or was that just chance? FSFB is one of my top three! (The other two being Hospitality and Concierge.)

I was SO nervous during the WBI haha Glad you passed! How did the phone interview go?

My top 3 were Hospitality, Concierge and FSFB. Once I found out that I got FSFB I sent an email with a list of restaurants that I thought I would like to work at. Luckily, I got my number one choice! ​

I am loving your trip report. Being ing theCP just sounds like so much fun!!! I wish i had done it, but then I only discovered my love for disney last year at 27. (college has been done a long time!)

Can't wait for the next installment

Thank you! I started reading your trip report this morning. Sounds like a lot of fun ​

 

[spiroff.natasha]

I love the costuming building for Magic Kingdom.

Every park/resort area has their own costuming department. Magic Kindom's is located in the cast member parking lot right across the street from Disney University (called Westclock) It was extremely convenient for me because that is right where the CP buses would drop us off and right where I would hop on a bus to take me "underground"

The first time I walked in I was a little overwhelmed. Every costume that a cast member wears at MK is in one building. Attractions, Photopass, audience control, character attendants, you name it - they got it.

Our guide that took us in for the first time asked each of us where we were working, showed us where to find our section and then told us to meet her at the dressing rooms. The CRT costume consisted of a skirt, a blouse, a vest and an optional pouch. I grabbed a few sizes and headed to the fitting rooms. This process took quite a while because there are only 4 or 5 rooms and a TON of new CMs there trying on costumes. You had to try your costume on for your leader and they would make sure that you were in the right size that made you in compliance with the Disney look. For example...my skirt needed to be around my true waist, not on my hips.

This is what my costume looks like...

(I HATE that picture haha)

I actually liked my costume (minus the puffy shoulders...and the arm ruffles got annoying after a while but I soon learned that I could tuck those in!)

Once I found the sizes that worked best for me, I went and grabbed a few more and checked out. We were allowed to have 5 costumes out at the same time. (5 shirts, 5 skirts, etc) Once I got into my rhythm I usually had 1 full costume in my locker at all times (in case I was playing in the parks before my shift and didn't have time to run to costuming) and then one or 2 at home. I almost always changed after work and returned my costume since I preferred to have a fresh one every day.​

 

[spiroff.natasha]

I can't believe I'm 17 chapters in and STILL haven't had a day at CRT yet

After finishing up all my DU training, it was finally time to start training on location! My first shift at CRT was a breakfast shift. I got up super early, dressed in my costume and caught the A bus to take me to Magic Kingdom.

Don't think I could ever get tired of seeing this on the way to work every morning...

My schedule told me to meet at "the white bench" I was pretty confused. Where am I going to find this white bench? Is it something I missed in my park orientation?! Luckily, I found the mystery bench pretty quickly outside of the Food and Beverage offices in the utilidors.

When I got to the bench, there were quite a few new CPs dressed in their Liberty Tree Tavern costumes waiting for their trainer to show up. I remember thinking to myself "awesome, I'll finally get to meet some more CPs working at CRT today!" but sadly, no other CPs showed up. But my trainer did! (thank goodness )

I had the same trainer for all of my on-site training which I thought was great. He met me at the bench and gave me a quick overview of what we were going to do that day and then it was time to go to CRT

We took the entrance from the utilidors (which means we walked up about 2394082309845 steps) and he first showed me the breakroom. Then, 242308 more steps later, the kitchen and finally the dining room.

This was my first time inside of CRT and I was already in love

{via}

I wanted to just sit in the restaurant and take it all in but we had work to do! My trainer took me down the stairs and gave me a small tour.

As a "seater" at CRT there are quite a few positions that you can be assigned to... podium 1, podium 2, greeter, greeter assist, seater 1, seater 2, seater/setter, set-ups, updater, and stocker. What you worked on any particular shift was assigned to you when you clocked in. I'll eventually get into all the different positions in more detail

Besides finally being in the castle, the best part about training was the taste testing. We got to try EVERYTHING from the breakfast, lunch and dinner menus and it was all delicious

After 3 days of on-site training I had my assessment and finally "earned my ears" which was super exciting because I could take the little red flag off of my nametag! ​

 

[ChattaAlley]

Love your costume, so cute. So do they dry clean the costumes every day? Is there a special place you put your dirty costumes? Not that I am ever going to be a CP but i am into the little details . Smart idea keeping a cpstume in your locker. .

It may be coming up but did you happen to snap any pictures in the utilidors? You have done great so far documenting. I would have been too amazed to have taken pictures, I would have forgot.

 

[spiroff.natasha]

Love your costume, so cute. So do they dry clean the costumes every day? Is there a special place you put your dirty costumes? Not that I am ever going to be a CP but i am into the little details . Smart idea keeping a cpstume in your locker. .

It may be coming up but did you happen to snap any pictures in the utilidors? You have done great so far documenting. I would have been too amazed to have taken pictures, I would have forgot.

Thanks

I almost always turned my costume in after my shift so that I could get a new one the next day. For Magic Kingdom cast members, you can return your costumes inside the building or, if they are closed, they have drop bins sort of like at the library You have to be careful when using them though because each piece of your costume has an electronic chip in it that needs to be scanned when you turn it in. If you just throw your items in all at once, you might miss one being scanned and then owe Disney some serious cha-ching

I do have a few pictures with the utilidors sort of in the background but they really frowned upon taking pictures down there so I don't have too many! Sorry!​

 

[jenseib]

I'm loving this!

 

[blessedby3]

Love the update. I just love CRT and that would be so amazing to get to work there everyday
I really love reading a TR from someone on the "inside" Keep it coming

 

[Joanna71985]

I think the CRT costume is so cute! If I ever decide to transfer to FSFB, that's one place I definitely would want to work

 

[JanetMom]

Loving this trip report!

Thanks for giving us the inside scoop and for working so hard to fill your report with pictures.

I'm so excited for you and can't wait to hear more in the days ahead!

 

[Shir Kahn]

Aw man, I'm at the end already! I'm loving it so far! DW and I have vowed that at some point in our lives we are definitely going to work at Walt Disney World somewhere! Can't wait to read more!

 

[Windsor Princesses]

Oh my goodness, this is like a dream come true! Thank you for sharing this with all of us future CP dreamers. I can't wait to read all about it.

 

[shan23877]

Joining in! So glad that you're sharing your experience. I'm way past my college days, but I find the "behind the scenes" stuff truly fascinating! Can't wait to read more...

 

[LilAnn]

I keep meaning to comment, but I keep forgetting. I am loving your TR and all the behind the scenes info. My friend did the CP and was a Jungle Cruise skipper and he kept telling us how much he loved it. I wish I had known about it when I was in college!