College program fall departure dates? Can I leave in Mid December?

[jjj943]

Hello,

I really want to do the disney college program in Fall 2013. I know that's far away but I'm excited already! The only problem is I really don't want to be gone for Christmas. I know it would be impossible to take off for Christmas, so I was wondering if there's any way I could get a departure date for mid December instead of early Janurary? Has anyone ever done this? I could start as early in the summer as I needed to but really want to leave by mid December. Let me know

THANKS!

 

[bopnopper9]

Unfortunately, in short, the answer is no. The entire point of CPs is that they are cheap labor who will work the Holidays. As you probably know, Disney is cuh-razy for the Holidays, and they need all the help they can get. Therefore, it would be counter-productive for them to have an end date right before the Holidays, right before the madness begins.

The most you could get could possibly get is New Years if you're careful about changing your end date to the earliest possible (I believe January 2 or 3) and then requesting off, or giving away those last few days.

Another possibility is to request off Christmas Day and the days surrounding it literally the day you get your Hub ID. My roommate did that on my second CP and actually got both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off (still not New Years, though)!

Or, you could do what some CPs do and break your contract with Disney and simply leave before your end date, giving your location two weeks notice. If you don't plan on putting Disney on your resume, and you don't plan to ever come back for Disney, and you don't care about your rehire status, then you would probably be able to get away with it. However, this is a very juvenile option, and I would highly recommend against it. It's better to keep your integrity and fulfill your full contract.

I know it's hard to be away from home for Christmas. But the good thing is that you will be with lots of other people who will be away from their families on Christmas too. We all understand each other, and the unity of working for Disney, creating the magic, and celebrating Christmas "Disney style," has it's own sort of Holiday magic to it. It's an experience you will never forget. Sure, it's sad. But you're an adult and you will be able to handle it. And if you try to make the most of it, it will be totally awesome. At least, it became that way for me.

Still, it is sad they don't have an end date in early December.

 

[jjj943]

Alright, I guess my question is then how hard is it to take off work? If I did it in the spring I would want to be able to take off a view days to see my friends on spring break (which for me would be the first week of march). What is your experience with this? Thanks!

 

[bopnopper9]

You would have more luck in the summer than during the Holidays with asking days off. Plus, you will be more likely to be able to give your shifts away to friends. But really, that depends a lot on your location. You will almost definitely get at least some of the days you ask off. However, you also will almost definitely NOT get all the days you ask off.

 

[Iris]

Alright, I guess my question is then how hard is it to take off work? If I did it in the spring I would want to be able to take off a view days to see my friends on spring break (which for me would be the first week of march). What is your experience with this? Thanks!

A lot will depend on your location but if you put in your request early enough, it should be approved. When I say early enough, the minute you have HUB access, put a request for the days you want off immediately and hopefully they will get approved. During my dd first program, she rarely got any requests approved due to her location (resort with very few people in her role). She maybe had one or two days approved during her program. When she extended and changed roles, she got every single request approved including the first week of March last year. So a lot will depend on your role and location. She did put in her requests as soon as possible and I do think this makes a huge difference as well.

 

[KCMiller]

Depending on your role, you might not be able to get ANY time off during the holidays. My DD was in attractions, and even though her last week was the first week in January (for her first CP), she and her co-workers were not allowed to request any time off from a few weeks before Christmas to the end of her CP, and she was not allowed to call in sick, trade, give away or do anything but show up for ALL of her shifts, even that last week - for her to have any time off, I think she would have had to be actually admitted to a hospital. She knows of at least a small handful of CP'ers who were termed that final week because they called off shifts.

The Mouse is a stern taskmaster . . . .

KC

 

[wdwislife]

I don't have any experience to contribute, but I just wanted to say that I'm planning on Fall 2013 as well!

 

[nanitee]

Could anyone come down to you? My family is from Georgia and they are all coming down to spend Christmas with me.