College Program Questions Thread, Pt 3

[HallGirl]

Which park should I request to be put in? I've read that I can call and put in a word to recruiting that I'd like to be put in a certain park. Which one do you think would be the best?

If you want a lot of hours, Magic Kingdom is the way to go. Animal Kingdom always closes early so they don't get as many hours. Epcot has a pretty regular schedule of opening at 9 and closing at 9 except for Extra Magic Hours and during the Christmas season. I don't really know too much about the Studios custodial, but they often close earlier than Epcot. Downtown Disney I've heard is really boring and you don't do much. I think their schedules are pretty regular, though. You can pick up hours at any of the parks, regardless of where you end up.

 

[kateymcg]

I've been doing a lot of reading... no... I'm not obsessed... and it seems like everyone I've talked to or read about has switched roles a bunch of times during their program season. Why/how does this happen? How would I switch to a different role once I'm there and would I request a different role or would they just place me? Anyone have experience with this sort of thing happening to them?

 

[Berlioz70]

I've been doing a lot of reading... no... I'm not obsessed... and it seems like everyone I've talked to or read about has switched roles a bunch of times during their program season. Why/how does this happen? How would I switch to a different role once I'm there and would I request a different role or would they just place me? Anyone have experience with this sort of thing happening to them?

I can count all the people I know that have switched roles on their program on one hand.

One was cast as Tiana and was pulled from her role in QSFB. Another had to switch her role for medical reasons. And I'm sure Joanna will chime in, but she was able to switch on her alumni program back to a role she was already trained in.

There is an option called "extension." This is when you stay for another semester and have the opportunity to switch your role for the new program.

 

[MTEPCOT55]

So I know who I want my roommate to be since we are allowed to pick one person. We both got accepted (obviously) & we are both checking in on the 6th. How do we get in the same room? I've looked on the sight & all I see is the roommate matching survey. Should we send an email with both our application numbers letting the know we want to room?

 

[Pure_Imagination]

So I know who I want my roommate to be since we are allowed to pick one person. We both got accepted (obviously) & we are both checking in on the 6th. How do we get in the same room? I've looked on the sight & all I see is the roommate matching survey. Should we send an email with both our application numbers letting the know we want to room?

If you're both under 21 you can do the roommate matching notification system. It's all on the site, and there's a place where you can enter in a friend's applicant number if you know who you want to room with.

My question:

A little over two weeks ago I e-mailed Disney the papers I need signed for my school. I have heard nothing back from them, and the site says we should hear back within two weeks. I know there has been a holiday, so that's understandable, and I'm wondering if that's why. I'm wondering if I should give recruiting a call or if there's something else I should do?

 

[kateymcg]

Check out this blog entry: http://brennailya.livejournal.com/?skip=40#24403

NOTE: Pay wages are a little higher now, but so is the cost of rent!

Love your blog! Following you on my iGoogle now

 

[Nellyd87]

Does anyone know if Photopass Photographers do pin trading? I don't recall any having lanyards on my last trip to DLR and I figure they'd be too busy taking pictures to trade...but just checking.

 

[teamlouise]

Declining...

I need to decline my CP for Spring 2010, and I know there's no penalty for it but I still want to get in touch with Disney about it since I want to apply for Fall 2010. Should I call or just send an e-mail? I feel like a calling is more sincere, but I also feel like I would be able to more clearly explain my situation in an e-mail... so I can't decide.

Any tips for declining?

 

[OpsMatt]

I always think a phone call comes off as more personable than an e-mail. It also takes a little more effort. They'll also respect the fact that you took the time to call them rather than just shoot off an e-mail.

 

[Nellyd87]

I was offered a role for spring 2008 and declined through the link in the email. It gave me a little box for comments and my reason for declining. Honestly, I think just filling that out is enough. I didn't call or send a seperate email and I applied to both the WDW CP and the DLR CP for this spring and got accepted to both.
As long as you respond to your offer in the time frame given, they won't hate you or anything. I also assume they are kind of busy...so,in my opinion, wouldn't really care if you called or not. They have their automated decline/accept process for a reason. Just my honest 2 cents.

 

[mollay]

Hey guys -- I am still working on convincing my parents about the CP. A cousin of mine actually did the program (I don't know why, to tell the truth, he doesn't seem like the Disney type, and he actually did drop out, but anyway..) and according to him there was a *lot* of drinking/partying going on amongst the CPers.
Is that true? It's bad enough here at college, I was really hoping that in a Disney environment there'd be more people that didn't go crazy but I guess it'd be nice to know from someone who's experienced the CP firsthand..

 

[PFFoppa21]

Hey Mollay!

As far as partying goes, it is similar to college in the respect that, if you look for it, you'll find it and if you want to avoid it, you can. If you don't want anything to do with it, you'll do just fine. I did not party while I was on my CP. I knew people who did, but it wasn't something where I couldn't go anywhere without finding people drinking and partying all the time. There are quite a few people there who would much rather go to the parks or do something other than party. I wouldn't let that dissuade you from doing the program though.

 

[kateymcg]

If at the end of my tenure at WDWCP I decide I want to go seasonal, what would that entail? Would it just be coming back at the summers? All holidays? As a CP'er or as a regular old employee? Do they provide housing options for seasonal employees? Have any of you done this? What are your thoughts/experiences? I want to know more about this, please!

 

[QueenofPrideRock]

If at the end of my tenure at WDWCP I decide I want to go seasonal, what would that entail? Would it just be coming back at the summers? All holidays? As a CP'er or as a regular old employee? Do they provide housing options for seasonal employees? Have any of you done this? What are your thoughts/experiences? I want to know more about this, please!

seconded!

 

[Berlioz70]

If at the end of my tenure at WDWCP I decide I want to go seasonal, what would that entail?

Keep your record card in good shape (do not show up to work late or call in) and then talk to your manager towards the end of your program.

Would it just be coming back at the summers? All holidays?

The required number of hours vary based on the department. A friend of mine is seasonal and works one shift a year. Another friend went seasonal and then was called 3 months after his program ended requiring him to attend a new training session. When he said he couldn't fly down, they ended up terminating him. So it really varies.

As a CP'er or as a regular old employee? Do they provide housing options for seasonal employees?

You'd be considered a regular cast member (yay for hirer pay!!). No, they will not provide housing.

 

[Pecobill]

Now what about going Full Time.How hard will that be to get after the program?

 

[princess_chloee]

what kinds of classes can i take while working at disney?

 

[glendalais]

Now what about going Full Time.How hard will that be to get after the program?

Depends on the role.

At the Walt Disney World Resort, most of our Hourly Guest Service roles, along with some of our Office & Technical roles, are Unionised, so applications for transfer into a Full Time role are considered based upon Seniority and available positions.

In these cases, CPs are at the very bottom of people to be considered, right before we open positions for External Hires. It would be easier to convert into a Casual Temporary (Seasonal) or Casual Regular (Part Time) position and then apply for a conversion into a Full Time position from there.

In our Non Union roles (Photo Imaging, Reservation Centre, etc.), positions are filled based upon qualifications and availability. An interview would be required in those instances.

At the Disneyland Resort, all Disney College Program and Disney CareerStart Program Participants are statused as Casual Regular Cast Members and are eligible to roll over into regular Casual Regular positions at the end of their programmes. From that point, conversions to Regular Full Time (RFT) status are decided based upon the Collective Bargaining Agreement in place in their Line of Business. For those in Hourly Non Union roles, conversions are decided based on performance, qualifications and available positions.

And of course, all Full Time, Casual Regular and Casual Temporary Salaried positions throughout Walt Disney Parks and Resorts are filled based on qualifications and availability.

what kinds of classes can i take while working at disney?

At the Walt Disney World Resort, College & International Programme Participants can take advantage of a wide variety of Collegiate Courses which are recommended for College/University credit by the American Council on Education. These classes cover a wide variety of topics, from Hospitality Management to Self Development to the history and culture of The Walt Disney Company and Affiliated Companies.

Participants can also enrol in the Disney Education Series. These are a series of conversations and presentations faciliated by Leaders from thoughout the Resort, and give Participants a peek into the many intricate processes that go into making The Most Magical Place on Earth just that. The Professional Development Series operates in much the same way, but are centred around specific topics, and are intended for Participants who are majoring in related topics at their College or University.

At the Disneyland Resort, there are two Collegiate Courses, Corporate Analysis, which covers the history and culture of The Walt Disney Company and Affiliated Companies and Marketing You: Personal and Career Development, which covers just that. Like their Florida-Site counterparts, both courses are recommended for University or College credit by the American Council on Education.

The Leadership Speaker's Series allows for Participants to hear from Disneyland Resort senior leadership (Senior Director level and above) about their careers and how our Leaders got to be where they are today. In addition, the Professional Development Study: The Business of Show Business allows Participants to see first hand how the grand show that is the Disneyland Resort operates each and every day, amazing our Guests as we've done for over 55 years.

In addition, Participants at both the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort are eligible to take part in the many Professional Development Opportunities available to all Cast Members as part of the Disney Difference. Both sites also offer Disney University Libraries (formerly referred to as Disney Learning Centers), which offer a wide variety of resources for Self-Development.

For more information on Educational Opportunities available through the College & International Programmes, please visit one of the sites below:
Walt Disney World Resort
Disneyland Resort

 

[ZeroToHero]

Participants can also enrol in the Disney Education Series. These are a series of conversations and presentations faciliated by Leaders from thoughout the Resort, and give Participants a peek into the many intricate processes that go into making The Most Magical Place on Earth just that.

These are like one-time seminars, right? Or are they in a series format in that you have to attend multiple times on one topic?

 

[glendalais]

These are like one-time seminars, right? Or are they in a series format in that you have to attend multiple times on one topic?

It's actually an 8-week series, meeting once a week with each session consisting of a 2-3 hour presentation.