Disney College Program for Parents Thread...

[wilkeliza]

For hotel stays and even the dinning discount anyone can pay. The merchandise discount is the only one that specifically states the CM must pay.

 

[DCPmom2014]

For hotel stays and even the dinning discount anyone can pay. The merchandise discount is the only one that specifically states the CM must pay.

Thanks. Will she have access to any type of dining discounts during our stay? I am finishing up ADRs and would love to take advantage of discounts for meals!!

 

[DCPmom2014]

DCPmom2014, you should be fine using your credit card. My daughter just recently completed her program. We used my credit card for the deposit and the final bill every time I visited her. Have a great time visiting. I can not believe how fast the past 8 months went. My daughter is now in severe Disney withdrawal and not at all excited about returning to college in a couple weeks.

Thanks. That will make things easier! I hear you about time flying. My daughter started May 19th - can't believe three months have gone by already!

 

[wilkeliza]

Thanks. Will she have access to any type of dining discounts during our stay? I am finishing up ADRs and would love to take advantage of discounts for meals!!

I don't remember your trip dates but over holidays the food discount is normally blacked out. The winter cat discount booklet will come with a 30%, 40%, and 50% coupon and the booklet has the rules. CMs also usually get 20% off table service meals.

Just note cm discounts have auto tip of 18%. Most CMs whine over it but I would leave 20% usually so the auto tip doesn't bother me.

 

[lacy1101]

Thanks. That will make things easier! I hear you about time flying. My daughter started May 19th - can't believe three months have gone by already!

DCPmom2014 - I sure hope my daughter's four months go by as fast!! She checks in on September 2nd - four months is sounding like a reaaaaaaally long time to me right now!!

 

[jce2]

Just a quick FYI: My daughter tells me the ability to make F&F reservations from the hub is down and has been for at least the last 24 hours.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

We have started a parents' group on Facebook for Spring/Spring Advantage 2015. Search "Disney College Program Spring/Spring Advantage 2015 Parents" and request to join.

 

[stitchlovestink]

I don't remember your trip dates but over holidays the food discount is normally blacked out. The winter cat discount booklet will come with a 30%, 40%, and 50% coupon and the booklet has the rules. CMs also usually get 20% off table service meals.

Just note cm discounts have auto tip of 18%. Most CMs whine over it but I would leave 20% usually so the auto tip doesn't bother me.

My biggest issue was I think that is AN EXTREMELY GENEROUS tip for the buffets where all they do is bring you a drink and maybe a refill and clear away a few dirty dishes. We tend to have our crappiest service at those! And for the prices for a buffet in Disney, they are getting a Daggone good tip. I generally tip pretty well and especially in Disney.
You should read the statistics on tipping. When people were polled anonymously about how they tip, the average tip is only 10%!!

 

[wilkeliza]

My biggest issue was I think that is AN EXTREMELY GENEROUS tip for the buffets where all they do is bring you a drink and maybe a refill and clear away a few dirty dishes. We tend to have our crappiest service at those! And for the prices for a buffet in Disney, they are getting a Daggone good tip. I generally tip pretty well and especially in Disney. You should read the statistics on tipping. When people were polled anonymously about how they tip, the average tip is only 10%!!

I always say if you don't like the policy don't use the discount. I know some people think it is too much for buffets but usually the wait staff at the buffets is who make sure it stays stocked and do other "behind the scenes" type work so that you enjoy your meal. I've had some buffet wait staff work harder than regular waitstaff.

 

[DCPmom2014]

Just found out my daughter is being trained for a new position - GT/Seater! What is this exactly? She seems happy about it! All I've been able to get out of her is a text.

 

[wilkeliza]

Just found out my daughter is being trained for a new position - GT/Seater! What is this exactly? She seems happy about it! All I've been able to get out of her is a text.

I believe GT/Seater is the non-tipped position at table service restaurants. It means she will be taking guests to their table and also standing at the check in booth or outside the restaurant by the menu answering questions.

 

[DianeV]

We just got back from getting our daughter checked in 8/18. She is merchandise and is working at the 2 stores at Animal Kingdom Lodge which is her favorite resort so she is very happy about that. She also is in a 4 bedroom apt. with 4 girls who planned ahead and 4 random and they all seem to like each other which is good. The weird thing is they had 8 girls picked out but when the DORMS email came it didn't give them an option for 4 bedrooms so they had to split up. Then my daughter's group ended up in the 4 bedroom anyway with different people. They did get Chatham which was their first choice

Her costume is so cute. She said she feels like she is in pajamas. I have seen some pretty interesting costumes so this is a nice one

 

[reesecup]

Just found out my daughter is being trained for a new position - GT/Seater! What is this exactly? She seems happy about it! All I've been able to get out of her is a text.

My dd is off today and I'll ask her what GT stands for (if she knows). She is a seater / hostess for Sci-Fi. She absolutely loves it! She gets to do a little "spill" while seating guests which she has fun with. She does not get tipped but her hours are great. She just got her new schedule for next week and works pretty much 6.5 hours each time (no more than that) and she is off by 10 each night. I'm glad she did not get a job where she was working so much and way into the early hours. She is taking one class while down there and I really want her to enjoy her time there. She deserves it!

 

[lacy1101]

Just found out my daughter is being trained for a new position - GT/Seater! What is this exactly? She seems happy about it! All I've been able to get out of her is a text.

Just curious - they switched her role after she got down there? Do you know why? That's great that she's happy with it!

 

[wilkeliza]

Just curious - they switched her role after she got down there? Do you know why? That's great that she's happy with it!

Could be many different reasons. Most common is a shortage in that area. However it can be overcrowding of first position or medical reasons (not saying that is the case here) or b their original department is no longer taking CPs. They don't always tell the CPs why.

 

[Goofy4WDW1964]

My son goes to school in our home town so he hasn't had the experience of moving away for college. This will be his first time away from home and really, his first time working. He has had part time jobs and done odd jobs, but nothing as structured as this. We drove him down from central IL and stopped in Atlanta the first night of the trip. Evidently, while I was unloading th car, he had a conversation with his mom that he was thinking about only staying two months and then coming home. We had noticed a change in his mood the last couple of weeks. Evidently, he was begining to feel overwelmed and apprehensive. He wasn't very talkative the following two days and was quite cranky the morning of check in. Once he went through check-in, spent time with his roomates, checked out his apartment and got his work assignment, he did a complete turnaround. He is working at Lotta Watta Lodge at Blizzard Beach and really likes it. He has great hours. He has spent a lot of time at the parks with his roomates. It has been a huge relief. I seriously thought that I was going to be turning around and driving back down to get him right after we got back to IL.

Just a follow up on my son's experiences. He has gone through the basic of training, (safety, etc.), and has been given his role. He is working at "The Magic of Disney Animation". At first he was a little disappointed, he wanted Toy Story, but who doesn't. But after his first day of training for his role, he feels a lot better about it. He is nervous about learning the script to interact with Mushu, but that is not unexpected. There are a lot of different rolls in that attraction so it is less likely to get monotonous. I had told him it was better than the Lights Motor Action, there is hardly any shade at all, if any, and he has never really been that interested in that attraction. Where he is at now is almost all inside and the only outside role for crowd control is under a huge shade. He likes his costume too so that is a plus. I think that he has been there a little over a week so the combination of adjusting to being away from home, combined with an attraction he was not expecting just hit him all at once. He said he was unsure about the whole thing the night before because let's face it, working at Disney is huge. He felt like he was way out of his element. This is also his first job ever. There was really nothing around here for him, he applied but no one was hiring. So he was feeling overwhelmed. But he said his trainer is really really nice and that always helps. So he hit his first rough spot but has seem to come out of it. His first day with his trainer went great. and he is starting to get hours so he will have money. Being broke is never a feel good time either. So we are all starting to feel better. We were concerned that he would not adjust and be just miserable. But he is adjusting pretty well. The way his schedule has worked out, he has been easing into his roll as well and that is good. He gets along wonderfully with his roommates, they visit the parks together when they are off at the same time. So things are looking up. To anyone else, your child will go through a doubting, rough spell, it's just part of it. But if they hang in there it does get better.

 

[reesecup]

Okay, so this may have been answered at some point on this thread but my dd is looking at some dates for us on the hub for resort reservations. Is the total she is seeing already with the discount or is that before the discount? I wish I could see this with her so we would both be on the same page.

 

[MichelleVW]

Okay, so this may have been answered at some point on this thread but my dd is looking at some dates for us on the hub for resort reservations. Is the total she is seeing already with the discount or is that before the discount? I wish I could see this with her so we would both be on the same page.

Pretty sure it's the discounted price they see.

 

[wilkeliza]

Okay, so this may have been answered at some point on this thread but my dd is looking at some dates for us on the hub for resort reservations. Is the total she is seeing already with the discount or is that before the discount? I wish I could see this with her so we would both be on the same page.

If she is in the cast booking area it will be the discounted price. You can tell you are there because it will have a banner than says XX% off

 

[reesecup]

Thank you both. I'll ask her if she sees that. I just thought the prices she was giving me sounded kind of high and I feel I could maybe get it as cheap on Expedia or something but it just may be a very popular time. We've never gone around October. Thanks again