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[DisneyAngie]

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[Berlioz70]

I did the program in the fall and loved being here during all of the holiday stuff. However, if I wanted to extend it would have been a whole semester extra.

If you do the spring program you can extend to just continue over the summer.

If your considering character performer I hands down say spring based on the different opportunities for you. I'm not sure about the other roles.

 

[Toffy]

If your considering character performer I hands down say spring based on the different opportunities for you. I'm not sure about the other roles.

Oh wow really??? Why is that??? I'm INSANELY interested in being a character performer for Spring Adv 2010 so now I'm really curious haha...

 

[DisneyAngie]

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[Berlioz70]

Oh wow really??? Why is that??? I'm INSANELY interested in being a character performer for Spring Adv 2010 so now I'm really curious haha...

There are more opportunities to get trained in things... DAK parade, etc. In the fall it's the holiday parades/shows, but you're competing with FT for that. It really depends on your height however. I know lots of CPs that were in the holiday stuff... but they were all tall and short (just a couple medium heights 5'4 ish) and no one my height (5'7).

Can anyone speak to the weather during the two "seasons"? For example, at what point in the fall does it begin to cool off a little (or does it?) When in the spring does it really begin to warm up?

Generally speaking - late July and early August are the hottest months. It started to cool down in late September and was freakishly cold for Florida in November (20s). Since I'm from Iowa it didn't bother me, but for the CM that work outside there were a lot of complaints.

I do not remember when it started to warm up.

 

[BethAnne Sthrn Belle]

really there is like 1 week of winter spread out over 2 or so months for whole cold days.. so i've heard.

But for other days warm in the day and cold at night in winter... like the desert sometimes is

 

[QueenofPrideRock]

Any other thoughts regarding Spring vs Fall? For character performer or otherwise? This is something I'm curious about, too.

 

[DisneyAngie]

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[GiAnnie]

I did my CP last fall, and I will admit I was scared about the holidays going into the program. Thanksgiving did make me pretty homesick, but my work area made it better. We had an all day long Thanksgiving feast that people could enjoy on their breaks, and honestly when I was working I was so busy that I mostly forgot I wasn't at home. Looking back I really did enjoy Thanksgiving with my work family.

With Christmas I really lucked out because my family came down to FL to be with me. If that doesn't work out that way for you, then try doing a celebration with friends and/or roomies. When my parents were down they took me and two of my roommates out for a nice dinner since their families were not able to visit.

So yeah holidays will not be what you are probably used to if you do the fall program (or for you it sounds like even the spring program), but the holidays are what you make them, with or without your family. Guess it is kinda a part of growing up!

 

[KBaum]

Holidays! The fall and holidays were the best. MNSSHP, Thanksgiving in Housing, Christmas was so fun because the guests were all excited. Secret Santa at work, seeing the parks dressed up for the holidays... oh man. It was amazing.

The best way to cope with being away from home with birthdays/holidays is to celebrate with your roommates/CP friends. They're in the same boat you are. My roommate, Jen, and I used the video camera on my computer (I have a MacBook) to film and edit movies that we sent home on holidays for our families.

(http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1028020354540000463 that's thanksgiving, the rest can be found at youtube.com/katius ... its the JK episodes).

I remember working all day on Christmas and then going to ihop with some of my roommates to celebrate. You really just make your own holiday traditions and it's not as bad as it feels!!

Plus, I went home in between (I worked Aug - June; CP plus a PI), in January, and I made my mom leave up the Christmas tree and things like that for after I got home. I didn't feel like I missed a thing.

OH And food and wine festival at Epcot is AMAZING. You can't miss it.

 

[Joanna71985]

I've done both, and I prefer Fall over Spring. I love being in WDW for the major holidays. It is such a great time to be in Disney.

 

[coorsie]

I'm considering, and am definitely applying for the Fall session. I'm trying to take a class during that time too, so it gives me all summer to save up for Disney!! Plus, I've always wanted to be there for the holidays, so this is a good chance.

 

[kmg148]

I would say the Spring. I'm really close to my family and fly home from school a lot anyway, so I would have hated missing Thanksgiving and Christmas. I was sad enough when I had to work all day on Easter and my birthday!

 

[MaryPoppins86]

i would choose the fall program over the spring because of all the holidays and my b-day. but i really want to do the program now, so i'll be applying for the spring program. if i get in, i would either extend or just go for fall another time. like everyone else said, holidays and birthdays are what you make of them. so it won't bother me too much if i'm not with my family during those times.

 

[Disney_Princess_89]

I did the fall and it was really fun!
But for my first time away from home it was very hard to be away from my family for my birthday and the holidays. plus it gets really crowded and busy too- which is good for hours at work but going to the parks on your free-time just becomes a hassle...just my opinion.

i'm gonna try spring this time to see what that's like

 

[CursedCarolers]

I'm speaking as a person who has never done the DCP but I'll put my two cents in anyway.

As much I love Halloween/Thanksgiving/Christmas/Hannukah/New Years/whatever at Disney...I'm kindof partial to spending it at home with my friends and family. I'm sure I could go without them and we'd just celebrate when I finally do see them...but I like being with them on the actual day.

On the other hand...leaving for Florida in January would be great because January and February are freezing here in NY. Wouldn't miss that at all. Also I'd be there for Spring Training so maybe I could catch some Mets games on my days off if they're playing against the Braves (who play in Disney in the Spring) and on top of that I'd be in Disney for Star Wars Weekends if I did Spring Advantage which would be HUGE for me if I could catch a few of those activities. I went last year during SWW but didn't really utilize it.

So it's all up to you, really. It just so happens to work out that Spring is better for me.

 

[Golden_Eagle426]

I did the Spring college program. The weather was usually sooo nice during that time of year. It was relatively warm with a few cold days sprinkled in. If I were to ever do another program, more than likely it would be in the spring again.

 

[QueenofPrideRock]

I had my heart set on fall but now I'm reconsidering, especially from what I've heard re: opportunities as a character performer. My school's on quarters (really they're trimesters because summer's a quarter but WHATEVER). So Winter Quarter starts like January 4... really early! Are there departure dates that would allow me to get back on time?

Spring seems to line up really convienently with the academic calendar though. I just have to figure out if it'd interfere w/ studying abroad as a junior... hmm. Lots of food for thought! (My general plan is to do the CP sometime sophomore year and then study abroad junior year, but a lot of the study abroad programs depart in like August if I remember correctly. So Spring Adv. Quarter CP >> Study Abroad is an insanely quick turnaround!)

 

[DisneyAngie]

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[QueenofPrideRock]

I obviously haven't done the CP, but I seem to remember hearing somewhere that they are accommodating of getting you back in time for school. Again, this isn't in any way definite, but my understanding is that if you have to leave early for school, that's not a huge deal. But hopefully someone who has done the CP can answer for sure one way or the other. I'm in the same boat; we're due back somewhere around the fourth of January as well, and I don't see it being much different next year.

My (very tenative) plan is to do the CP fall of my sophomore year, then study abroad spring of my junior year. That way I'm back on campus for a full year before leaving again. For some reason, I feel weird about missing the same term two years in a row (ex: two springs in a row), plus that gives me more time to save money for studying abroad. Personally (and this is just me ) I think it would be too much to be so far away from home for so long with only a short break. I think it would feel funny come back to school after essentially missing a year, plus I would really miss my family, and my friends, and just being home in general if I was gone for a semester, then home for a few weeks, and then on another continent for another semester. But again, that's just me. You might feel differently, of course.

That's actually very much along the lines of what I was thinking. I just have to figure it out with my academic advisor and make sure the CP fits into my plans as such!