College Program Parents Thread...

what a great placement! What will he be doing most of the time? What was his prior work experience?
....he originally was supposed to be a lifeguard there - passed the test, but failed the eye test [said "F" but it was a "P"]...he can retake it in 3 weeks. He ran the gym at his college....he also has certification (lifeguard) and CPR/First Aid cert.
 
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That’s a really pretty complex! I’m not sure what I expected it to look like but I wasn’t thinking it would be that nice. How big is their 4 br ? That is a lot of guys to share with. Do they have two fridges for an apartment that big?

The grounds are so well kept. Very Disney feeling with the signage!
 
....would anyone mind if I posted a couple of apartment shots? :rolleyes:

Thank you for posting these photos! My DS left today, (he checks in tomorrow morning and had to leave a day early to beat the snowstorm heading our way) and it did my heart good to see photos of where he will be living. I miss him like crazy already, but know he's going to have the time of his life!
 
what a great placement! What will he be doing most of the time? What was his prior work experience?
As far as prior work experience goes, I don't think it really matters. It's more a case of what Disney needs, and matching people to those jobs. My dd worked two summers at a camp (that she had gone to for 5 years!), then when she was in college, she worked at our area Six Flags, in fur. She hung out with Scooby Doo, Sylvester the Cat, Foghorn Leghorn, and Grannie. She was also part of the elite improve troupe that roamed the park, interacting with guests. She could easily have gone into fur at WDW, but didn't get placed there. She did make it to the end of an entertainment audition. She's tall so characters in her height range aren't all that plentiful. She has been pretty happy at all her placements and is currently working her favorite so far!!
 
That’s a really pretty complex! I’m not sure what I expected it to look like but I wasn’t thinking it would be that nice. How big is their 4 br ? That is a lot of guys to share with. Do they have two fridges for an apartment that big?

The grounds are so well kept. Very Disney feeling with the signage!
....I wasn't sure what to expect either - certainly not that. I feel at ease knowing that they are gated communities, so they'll be somewhat safer. Each of the four bedrooms are shared by 2 guys, and yes, there ARE 2 full-size refrigerators in the apt.
 
....it seems like a lot of people in one apartment, but it is quite roomy. Also, the plus side of that is that what he thought he'd be paying per month actually is going to be less, since it is split 8 ways.
 
....sooooooo, today is my DSs first 'official' work day..he's in rec at the Yacht Club...
....I texted him last night to ask about his "costume"/"uniform". He replied that he was wearing 'regular clothes'; I was a bit taken aback. I would have thought that they would have outfitted him right away. Is this the norm?
 
....I texted him last night to ask about his "costume"/"uniform". He replied that he was wearing 'regular clothes'; I was a bit taken aback. I would have thought that they would have outfitted him right away. Is this the norm?
....as of yesterday, he's wearing blue shorts with a white polo/"sailor" [kind of nautical looking] type shirt....
 
update to my previous questions and to fill in gaps others might be questioning (things I wondered myself!):

My DS 22 was accepted into the Fall advantage program (June 4-Jan 3, 2018). He just finished his sophomore year in college (he spent two years playing jr hockey in canada so his college start was delayed).
  • He met roommates on facebook, and one was a CP return so he arranged everything which was very convenient. They got a 4 person (two bedroom) apartment in Vista Way (over 21 area). Vista Way is not the newest of residence offered, but most have been redone. Nicer than his college dorm room! The facility has a guard at the gate, pool, gym, tennis courts, laundry and a computer center. It is not the most expensive of apartments but seemed nice and simple.
  • I drove down with him, we arrived a couple days early, enjoyed the parks and I helped him move in. I was the only parent who was there of his roommates (he was fine with it, appreciated the help up three floors of steps with all of his junk).
  • He was given a move in time. Once we moved him in we went and picked up food and some kitchen items needed (he then went later with roommates and got shared room essentials and stuff). I said goodbye, went to hang at my resort until ME picked me up for the plane ride home.
  • Since then: he loves his job...Blizzard Beach. Two roommates left(self termed): one got a job offer back home he was waiting for, the other decided the hours (he was merchandise in one of the parks) were too crazy, he was unhappy, he literally left in one day. Now two new roommates will be moving in next week (regular fall program attendees) He is hoping they are going to fit in ok.....
  • The hotel discounts have been a huge bonus for us and family. He saved my nephew approx. $2,000 on his honeymoon! We are going to Disney alot this year which is a bonus for us! Park tickets come in slow, they need to work a certain amount of hours to earn single day/park hopper tickets. I think 150 hours for 3 tickets? They get a list of restaurants that have discounts up to 40%, but some are only breakfast or lunch or all meals, they need to keep track of that. It was really great when we visited him last. As a CM they get alot of other discounts, again they need to keep track of that.
  • He now wants to extend his time! I have read that some students wait until graduation to do the disney program...I sort of recommend that. My son is now looking at schools in florida, or going to an audition for Disneyland Tokyo and is all about Disney (more than he was before which is hard to believe). The funny thing is, his major is nursing.
So at this point I can say it has been a very positive experience for him. We also have been enjoying it, however it is sending him in a different path than we expected. He was an independent and responsible kid who had lived on his own for two years in a different country, so that was something he did not need to learn, however I would think it is a great learning experience for a kid out on their own for the first time.

If you have any other questions as a parent, fire away....I had so many as well.
 
Could you tell me a little more about the hotel discounts? Does your DS need to stay with you? Does it apply to all hotels? If so, which ones? My son was just accepted this week, and due to my job, we need to make early plans to visit. I'm hoping we can reserve a hotel soon and then end up using a discount.
 
Could you tell me a little more about the hotel discounts? Does your DS need to stay with you? Does it apply to all hotels? If so, which ones? My son was just accepted this week, and due to my job, we need to make early plans to visit. I'm hoping we can reserve a hotel soon and then end up using a discount.
Once your kiddo is done with Traditions and is considered a CP, they will be able to access the Hub. This is an online resource for Disney CMs. It has all the info they’ll need. There is an area there that they can go into that will allow them to see what WDW resorts are available to book for the days you need, and the discount available. This changes daily. And all resorts are not always available at a discount.
There are different discounts...the biggest discount is if your child stays with you.
The best thing to do is to book a room now, for the dates you want. Then, once your child can access the Hub, they can see what’s available for discounts. If there is a discount at a resort you like, it can be booked and you can cancel the original one you booked.
The thing to be aware of is this....don’t count on spending a lot of time with your CP when you’re here. They are scheduled for a lot of hours. And Disney really doesn’t care if family is visiting and wants to hang out with their child!!
 

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