Disney College Program for Parents Thread...

[tripletots]

My daughter just finished her Fall 2012 CP stay and is extending until May 2013. Her experience was wonderful and I thought I would just post a little about her experience. She ended up working attractions at Animal Kingdom's Kilimanjaro Safari. She really liked the people she worked with but the attraction itself was high stress sometimes because I guess a lot of people get removed or fired for safety violations while driving the trucks. However, she managed to make it through without any safety violations and really liked all of her managers. The only part she didn't like were rude guests. I can't believe some of the things people say to the cm's. She actually had someone tell her on Christmas day that she ruined their kid's Christmas because she wouldn't let them in the FP line when they didn't have a FP and told her if she refused, they were going to call a manager and "get her in trouble"! Luckily her manager was right there and overheard everything.

She had a 3 bedroom apartment in Patterson with 5 other roommates. Amazingly, they all got along really well and no one left early. She has had such a great experience, she wants to stay. She is actually considering living there permanently after she is done with the cp program. She wants to establish residency and then finish college in Florida. I guess we will see if that changes in May. Let me know if you have any questions!

My daughter checked in on Jan 7. She is working DAK Kilimanjaro Safari. She also lives in Patterson with 5 other girls! She is scheduled to leave in May as well unless she extends until August.

She says it is stressful and people can be rude. That really surprised her.

 

[jobro912]

My son has been on the CP mailing list since about 7th grade. We are former DVC Members...UGH! Yes, I sold. He has been to WDW 35ish times. He is finally in college, and this will be his first time to apply. Not real sure he will get past the Web Based Interview...he has applied for other jobs that require this, and has never gotten past it. We have been You Tubing and Googling up a storm though trying to figure out how to answer the thing. His role preferences are Character, Attractions, then he doesn't really care. He has spoken to CPers who have told him that Custodial CPs seem to have a really good time, so he is open to that. He has 2 friends from school on Spring 13 CP as we speak. I have told him to check with them about details...ie Financial Aid and Scholarships...maintaining enrollment, etc. Fortunately he is at a school that is very connected to the College Program, so those things should probably be non-issues. So away we go...Almost time to apply for Fall 13 CP. Fingers, Toes, Eyes, etc crossed.
John

 

[AnnaS]

My son has been on the CP mailing list since about 7th grade. We are former DVC Members...UGH! Yes, I sold. He has been to WDW 35ish times. He is finally in college, and this will be his first time to apply. Not real sure he will get past the Web Based Interview...he has applied for other jobs that require this, and has never gotten past it. We have been You Tubing and Googling up a storm though trying to figure out how to answer the thing. His role preferences are Character, Attractions, then he doesn't really care. He has spoken to CPers who have told him that Custodial CPs seem to have a really good time, so he is open to that. He has 2 friends from school on Spring 13 CP as we speak. I have told him to check with them about details...ie Financial Aid and Scholarships...maintaining enrollment, etc. Fortunately he is at a school that is very connected to the College Program, so those things should probably be non-issues. So away we go...Almost time to apply for Fall 13 CP. Fingers, Toes, Eyes, etc crossed.
John

Good luck to your son - John. Keep us posted. My dd is in custodial and so far we have heard great things about the role - they get to move around.....too

 

[momof3poohlovers]

Wow - I couldn't help but comment here - my DD was also a CP during the fall of 12. She also lived in the Patterson Apts. and she also worked at Disney's Animal Kingdom at the Kilimanjaro Safari. She loved being there and really enjoyed being a CP! I am sure our DD's would know each other working at the same attraction! So glad your DD had such a wonderful experience that she is staying! My DD had a tough decision to make but she signed a contract to go back and work this coming summer! We will see what happens! I hope all will go well with your daughter this semester as well!

Sorry I am just getting to post. We just got back from WDW yesterday. Anyway, I am sure they would know each other. I think they were a really tight group. My DD's name is Christina, maybe she will recognize the name. She loved working the Safari but wanted to try something else and got stuck with the Wildlife Express Train (at least I think that's what it is called) this session. She doesn't like it nearly as much and tries to pick up shifts often at the Safari. That is really cool that your DD may be going back. My DD may go seasonal but she will most likely be coming back to CA to finish school. Who knows though, she changes her mind daily!

 

[momof3poohlovers]

My daughter checked in on Jan 7. She is working DAK Kilimanjaro Safari. She also lives in Patterson with 5 other girls! She is scheduled to leave in May as well unless she extends until August.

She says it is stressful and people can be rude. That really surprised her.

It's funny, those are the exact words that my daughter used to describe it too but she also loved the people she worked with and her managers. My DD is working right next to it this session at the Wildlife Express Train but still picks up shifts from time to time at the Safari's. My DD's name is Christina, maybe she knows her? Hopefully she will enjoy her job as much as my DD did!

 

[stitchlovestink]

Good luck to your son - John. Keep us posted. My dd is in custodial and so far we have heard great things about the role - they get to move around.....too

Hi,
this is my first post to this thread...
My DD is down at WDW right now on the extended program in Custodial. She got stuck at a resort and is miserable. she heard how much fun custodial was in the parks but we never thought about the fact that they might put them at resorts. She is at DVC resorts and she said there are hardly any guests so there is very little guest interaction and it is just TOO quiet. She has seriously thought about leaving because she is that miserable and when she went to Casting and talked to them about moving and they said 'NO' if they moved her they would have a line outside the door and around the corner wanting the same thing. So.... sigh... she is dealing with loooong miserable boring days. Not at all what she was expecting. Just a heads up for those going into custodial that it is possible to get a resort. We NEVER expected that!!

 

[AnnaS]

Hi,
this is my first post to this thread...
My DD is down at WDW right now on the extended program in Custodial. She got stuck at a resort and is miserable. she heard how much fun custodial was in the parks but we never thought about the fact that they might put them at resorts. She is at DVC resorts and she said there are hardly any guests so there is very little guest interaction and it is just TOO quiet. She has seriously thought about leaving because she is that miserable and when she went to Casting and talked to them about moving and they said 'NO' if they moved her they would have a line outside the door and around the corner wanting the same thing. So.... sigh... she is dealing with loooong miserable boring days. Not at all what she was expecting. Just a heads up for those going into custodial that it is possible to get a resort. We NEVER expected that!!

That's funny - my dd did get CBR - at first I was worried and asked her if she was okay with it and she said yes. Of course she would not know at the time she got it if she was fine with it. It has been two weeks now and so far so good unless she is not telling me. I think it might be better so she does not get sick of whatever park she would have gotten. She has been enjoying the parks on her time off. We actually just spoke yesterday - she has started to meet people - bus/bus stop great place and she was asking me how she puts her debit card on the computer (no cc). A group of them are going to a concert in House of Blues, DTD and she needed to order her ticket for April.

I hope your daughter makes the best of it and likes it. She is there now til May? Where is she? I can see why they make it difficult for someone to leave one position and get another one. There are thousands of CP kids there. Keeping fingers crossed that both our dds are okay with their role.

 

[edk35]

Hi,
this is my first post to this thread...
My DD is down at WDW right now on the extended program in Custodial. She got stuck at a resort and is miserable. she heard how much fun custodial was in the parks but we never thought about the fact that they might put them at resorts. She is at DVC resorts and she said there are hardly any guests so there is very little guest interaction and it is just TOO quiet. She has seriously thought about leaving because she is that miserable and when she went to Casting and talked to them about moving and they said 'NO' if they moved her they would have a line outside the door and around the corner wanting the same thing. So.... sigh... she is dealing with loooong miserable boring days. Not at all what she was expecting. Just a heads up for those going into custodial that it is possible to get a resort. We NEVER expected that!!

Tell her to HANG IN THERE and give it time.. My dd did the program this time last year. She had MANY UPS AND DOWNS while there for 5 months. She was sick several times.....lost weight, worked VERY LONG LATE hours at the Emporium in MK...missed us...missed her BF. HOWEVER....looking back...she is soooo glad she stuck it out. She almost self termed over Easter week and she she had less than 2 months left to go. She has had a few doors already open for her because of being a part of the CP. Her roommate worked at POP I think in Quick Service....and even extended...so she was there a full year. She was not working in a park but she ended up meeting people at work and hanging out with them. THE CP is not all pixie dust and magic.....but there are FUN TIMES TO BE HAD. Just try and encourage her to work though it.

 

[momof3poohlovers]

Hi,
this is my first post to this thread...
My DD is down at WDW right now on the extended program in Custodial. She got stuck at a resort and is miserable. she heard how much fun custodial was in the parks but we never thought about the fact that they might put them at resorts. She is at DVC resorts and she said there are hardly any guests so there is very little guest interaction and it is just TOO quiet. She has seriously thought about leaving because she is that miserable and when she went to Casting and talked to them about moving and they said 'NO' if they moved her they would have a line outside the door and around the corner wanting the same thing. So.... sigh... she is dealing with loooong miserable boring days. Not at all what she was expecting. Just a heads up for those going into custodial that it is possible to get a resort. We NEVER expected that!!

My DD's boyfriend had the same experience. He ended up in Custodial at the Boardwalk Inn. He did not like it and said it was very boring. He usually worked from 4PM-12AM and mostly emptied trash cans around the parking lot and cleaned the pool. He also had very little guest interaction and basically worked by himself all night. Another bad part about working at a resort is if they want to go Seasonal, he was told, basically he had no chance because there are so few openings for Custodial at the Resort. He did decide to extend but asked to be transferred and he was accepted and ended up at working Attractions at EPCOT working at Mission Space. He is much happier there. My only advice is stick it out and if she decides to extend, she can switch roles at that time. I really hope it gets better for her!

 

[jobro912]

Welp...son made it through all the preliminary stuff...next up: Phone Interview

 

[Shelly]

Hoping everyone can help. I have been reading away but this thread is HUGE. so forgive me if this has been asked and answered. DD is applying for Fall advantage 2013. Her interview is Tuesday. I am so Jealous.
My question is how many days will she need someone with her to get settled.
We live in IL. We want to visit her later on in the program. My inlaws live in florida and have offered to pick her up from the airport and check her in, help get things for her room etc. I don't want them to have to take to much time off of work so I am trying to get a handle on what days they will be needed.
Also, I realize that when working there is a cm cafeteria. Does that cafeteria take Disney gift cards? Her b-day is coming up and everyone thought to give her disney gift cards to help with some of the food costs.
Thank you!

 

[Traveliz]

Hoping everyone can help. I have been reading away but this thread is HUGE. so forgive me if this has been asked and answered. DD is applying for Fall advantage 2013. Her interview is Tuesday. I am so Jealous.
My question is how many days will she need someone with her to get settled.
We live in IL. We want to visit her later on in the program. My inlaws live in florida and have offered to pick her up from the airport and check her in, help get things for her room etc. I don't want them to have to take to much time off of work so I am trying to get a handle on what days they will be needed.
Also, I realize that when working there is a cm cafeteria. Does that cafeteria take Disney gift cards? Her b-day is coming up and everyone thought to give her disney gift cards to help with some of the food costs.
Thank you!

Hmm I don't know about the gift cards - I know the Subway locations that are backstage do not take Subway gift cards though. She will still use the Disney Gift cards though as she will be in and out of parks playing and will incur costs there throughout her program.

Liz

 

[momof3poohlovers]

Hoping everyone can help. I have been reading away but this thread is HUGE. so forgive me if this has been asked and answered. DD is applying for Fall advantage 2013. Her interview is Tuesday. I am so Jealous.
My question is how many days will she need someone with her to get settled.
We live in IL. We want to visit her later on in the program. My inlaws live in florida and have offered to pick her up from the airport and check her in, help get things for her room etc. I don't want them to have to take to much time off of work so I am trying to get a handle on what days they will be needed.
Also, I realize that when working there is a cm cafeteria. Does that cafeteria take Disney gift cards? Her b-day is coming up and everyone thought to give her disney gift cards to help with some of the food costs.
Thank you!

I will ask my dd tonight about the Disney gift cards but they could also give her some Walmart gift cards (not as fancy, I know ) as well. My dd tends to go shopping there because it is less expensive than Publix. PP is right though, she could always use the Disney gc's in the parks for other things or even to eat at some of the regular restaurants. Also, your dd may not end up at a park, some cp's end up at resorts.

 

[Shelly]

Forgot that she could end up at a resort. Then where do they eat?

Also, anyone know the answer to my first question. How many days is it necessary for someone to be with her to help her for check in and such?

 

[stitchlovestink]

Forgot that she could end up at a resort. Then where do they eat?

Also, anyone know the answer to my first question. How many days is it necessary for someone to be with her to help her for check in and such?

Well honestly, they don't REALLY have to have someone come with them. MANY of the kids who came with my daughter's group came by themselves. As long as they have the paperwork they need, that's what's important. I didn't go to check-in with my DD. She's 20. I was married at her age. I came with her in case she needed me (and we didn't feel it was safe for her to drive an older car 1k miles by herself when she got her license at a later age) but I figured it was time to try to let her do it on her own. If she needed help she could ask, but she did check-in and all just fine on her own. She had already found a roommate ahead of time on the internet and they had agreed about their meet up. I guess to each his/her own. But I would say my stay was more to help her adjust to be away more than ANYTHING!
And as far as eating lunch...I would say it's gonna get expensive if she doesn't plan on taking sometthing most of the time unless you are supplementing her income. They are making minimum wage and then to eat lunch out every day?? Wow?? Good luck to her!! The kids we talked to said they couldn't afford that. My DD takes something microwaveable or the like every work day. They have an employee cafeteria where they can eat at the resorts...she cannot afford to buy lunch out everyday. Good Luck to your DD!!

 

[momof3poohlovers]

Well honestly, they don't REALLY have to have someone come with them. MANY of the kids who came with my daughter's group came by themselves. As long as they have the paperwork they need, that's what's important. I didn't go to check-in with my DD. She's 20. I was married at her age. I came with her in case she needed me (and we didn't feel it was safe for her to drive an older car 1k miles by herself when she got her license at a later age) but I figured it was time to try to let her do it on her own. If she needed help she could ask, but she did check-in and all just fine on her own. She had already found a roommate ahead of time on the internet and they had agreed about their meet up. I guess to each his/her own. But I would say my stay was more to help her adjust to be away more than ANYTHING!
And as far as eating lunch...I would say it's gonna get expensive if she doesn't plan on taking sometthing most of the time unless you are supplementing her income. They are making minimum wage and then to eat lunch out every day?? Wow?? Good luck to her!! The kids we talked to said they couldn't afford that. My DD takes something microwaveable or the like every work day. They have an employee cafeteria where they can eat at the resorts...she cannot afford to buy lunch out everyday. Good Luck to your DD!!

I completely agree. My dd almost never eats out. She works at DAK so if she did, it would be lunch because of the hours she works but she doesn't really make a lot of extra money to eat out often. Her boyfriend used to work at the Boardwalk resort and he said he never ate there (it would have been dinner for him because of his hours). I don't know if it had a cafeteria or not but the only meals he ate there were for special events where the employees were given a free meal. I think they saved what little extra money they had left over for special things. I'm sure your dd will figure it out though!

As far as check in goes, your family could easily only just spend the morning of check-in getting her settled and then leave. The PP's were right, there are many students there who are by themselves. We came from CA so we were there for 5 days but other than the first day when she checked-in, she was busy doing things. It is nice though if she doesn't have a car, for someone to take her shopping the day she checks-in for anything she might have forgotten or to get her started on groceries. I hope she gets accepted and has a great time!

 

[Shelly]

Thanks everyone. I will post again when we get the decision.

 

[Wishes Count]

Gift cards for Walmart would be more helpful. There is a subway located inside walmart and down the street from the complexes. Depending on what complex she lives in there is a Walgreens, Wendy's, Chick Fil A. Lots of CPs will go to Steak n Shake, IHOP or Denny's late after work too.


I worked at a resort, and they have a cast cafeteria, but it was sort of far and I didn't really have the time to go. I had the same problem when I worked at EPCOT. There are break rooms that have vending machines, fridges and microwaves, and bringing your lunch will save you money anyway!

 

[Shelly]

anyone know if there is a limit on CM rooms. I mean can they book as many as they want as much as they want?

 

[RobbiD]

I flew down with my D (she shares a car with her sister, so she wasn't able to take it with her to Disney.) We flew down on a Saturday night, spent Sunday doing the big Target run for non-perishable supplies for the 5 months, then rode the monorail to all the hotels on that line, then walked around Downtown Disney. Monday (move in day) I dropped her off at Vista Way at 7am, picked her up after housing sign ups, took her to lunch, then dropped her back off to go to casting. During that time, I ran to Costco to get some food supplies she likes from there. After casting, I took her to Publix. Also to the outlets for shoes that fit the official Disney guidelines.

I flew out Tuesday afternoon. We made it a nice mother/daughter trip. I wouldn't have felt the need to be there if she'd had a car, but I hated the idea of her having to buy all that stuff to get started and bringing it all back on the buses. Since she's lived on-campus for 2 1/2 years, I knew she could fend for herself. She's used the buses since she's been there to go to Publix, Walmart, and the mall.