DCP Dilemma!

[PrincessJulia25]

Hi Friends!

So I've been seriously considering DCP for a few months now and wanted some feedback/input from people doing/have done/ or want to do the program.

I know its a ton of hard work and not all fun and games, but how much time can you really spend in the park in a normal week?

I'm also a little afraid and nervous about if I get in moving from Boston to Florida. I'm really close with my family and even though I live at school it's close to home and I go home a lot to work and stuff. So if anyone has any experience with that situation I would LOVE to hear from you!

I also wanted to know about if family did come to visit me can you take time off to spend with them? Or if I needed some time to maybe go home if I was going through a rough patch would I be able to take the time off to go home for a little while?

Those are my big questions I have but I'll take any advice someone is willing to give!! Thanks

 

[BobbyT]

Hi! I was a CP last summer. I worked at POR.

The first thing I'd like to say is that I feel that your experience will pretty much be based entirely on where you work. That's where you'll spend most of your time, thats where you'll make friends, etc...

I feel that the program was great experience, especially for me because I'm in culinary school and i had the opportunity to cook for thousands of people every day. But my final feeling was that I'm glad I got the experience, but I wouldn't do it again (for personal reasons) My program wasn't bad by any means and I'm not trying to turn anyone away, I just feel it was a one time thing for me.

You're right it is a lot of work, i worked at least 38 hours every week, usually 40+. I think a lot of people that complain and have negative opinions of DCP went into it thinking that it was just a vacation at WDW. You will work more than play. With that being said, you could go to the parks every day if you really want to. You just have to go around your work schedule. I started on day shifts (8-4:30) and I could have gone to the parks right after work. Some CPs at my location didn't start until 5/6 pm and they went before work. So yeah, you can pretty much go whenever you have time.

I had my family down to visit me twice while I was there. I did request off on the days I knew they were going to be there, but I didn't always get the days I requested.

Taking time off to go home for a week or so is possible, one of my roommates went back home for a week and a few people i worked with as well. It really depends on your work location though, and your managers and how many people work in your location.


My advice: bring your car if you have one. I can't stress this enough. The bus system is absolutely horrible they break down all the time and they're always late. People who take the bus to work have to leave 2 hours before their shift starts to make sure they have time to get to work on time just in case the bus is late and/or breaks down on the way. A quick example of how bad they are: I lived at Vista Way, a 10 minute drive from POR. When my parents came to visit me for a week in July, they took my car for their own use and I had the buses for the rest of that week. But anyways, one night I got out of work at 11:00. The bus usually showed up around 11:05-11:10 well that bus never showed up (it broke down somewhere) and I had to wait 40 minutes for the next one to show up which then made 3 more stops and I didn't get back to Vista until 12:45. So a 10 minute drive turned into an hour and 45 minutes. But that was just one time, they usually took 45 minutes- an hour. And to think I almost didn't bring my car! But if you don't have a car then sorry you'll have to deal with the buses.

But hey, maybe I was spoiled, I had my car for 2 months before my parents came and took it that week. So I ended up comparing the buses to my car. If you go without a car and you use buses your whole program, you'll get used to them. Crappy buses will just be a part of your CP life


Good luck on your application

 

[PrincessJulia25]

I have heard the buses aren't very reliable!!!! Thanks for the info on everything else!!

 

[::Snow_White::]

I just finished my CP in December for the Fall Program. I worked backlands merchandise at Hollywood Studios. As stated previously how much you go to the parks is up to you. I usually worked 38 hours a week but I also had to take a full schedule of online courses so I had to give up some of that time for work. During the non-holiday I usually worked 9-3 or 10-6 so I could've easily gone everyday. I worked about 38-40 hours a week and spent my two days off at the parks every week.

During the holiday you'll probably go less, especially if you're Fall because you are working a lot more, later hours, and you're coming to the end. I also just got kind of burnt out at the point and was just exhausted.

I got an entire week off to spend with my family, people usually go home once or twice, it's not too hard if you ask for the days off or trade shifts with some others. I really loved my work location and had great coworkers so they were helpful.

I had never left my family for an extended period and live at home and go to college and I didn't have any problems. You get so busy and have such a good time that you don't really notice I felt. If you are really close I suggest not doing Advantage unless you extend later, some of my friends got really homesick because they were there so long and hadn't had a break.

And yes, bring your car. It's not necessary but you'll appreciate it later.

 

[ZiPaD3doDAH]

Very helpful info, thanks for posting your experiences!

I have a friend who did the program twice and she said the bus situation is not as bad as it seems.

She told me to try it out because it's better than wasting gas money on something that is free

 

[touchthesky]

I was a fall '13 CP, and I was nervous about leaving home for the first time, just like you. The first week or so of the program I cried myself to sleep every night. But, honestly, once you start working and making friends, you get so busy that you hardly have time to be homesick. I'm extremely close with my parents, and I thought that leaving home and being without them was going to be the worst part of my college program experience. It wasn't, and with the exceptions of the big holidays, I really did get used to living on my own and not seeing my parents every day. It's hard at first, but it does get easier, especially once the work really starts and you start going out to the parks with friends.

As for the bus situation, it really is as bad as it sounds. I'd definitely recommend the car if it's an option for you. The only time I ever used the buses was during Christmas week, because traffic was a nightmare and sometimes managers will excuse lateness if you take the bus. It was terrible. 2+ hours to get to Hollywood Studios, which was only about 15 minutes away, 45 minutes top with traffic the way it was.

Overall, I definitely recommend the program. It really is a great experience. It prepares you for the real world, you get to meet people from all over the place, and you get to work for one of the best companies in the world, IMO.

 

[MagicAwaits2014]

The experience will prepare you for the "real world" where you will most likely work more than 40 hours a week. I have worked as a chef and I work about 50 plus hours a week. My fiance works about 80 hours a week, as a salaried manager in N.Y. he is exempt from overtime requirements. I understand your hesitation to work 40 hours, but in reality this is an expectation in most fields.

Good Luck