Disney College Program for Parents Thread...

[Joanna71985]

My daughter checks in August 24. Can someone (Joanna???) please tell me what to expect on this day? We will be driving down and staying on property. I'd just like to get an idea of what is involved that first day.

Thanks so much!

I'm wondering the same thing?? We are going to try to arrive as early as possible. However, I have to turn in my rental car by 6PM the first day- do you think the activities on the first day will be done in time for me to do so?

Somehow we need to find time to buy groceries and go to Walmart too. I imagine the day will be hectic, yet exciting for the CP students (sad for me though).

Day 1 is check-in. The official time of check-in is 9am to 1pm. At Vista, you get your apartment/roomies, get the housing ID, fill out paperwork, take care of fingerprinting, and other things. There is also a housing meeting. The time of the meeting varies by the time you get to check-in. But the times usually are around 11-12, and 2-3. After the housing meeting, you are done for the day.

 

[tlynk]

Unless things have changed (and I heard they were going to) on the first day you arrive you go through registration --- get there early and that will get you through the process faster.

After you are all the way through registration (I believe it took my daughter an hour and a half and we were there before registration officially opened) then you can move into the apt.

The housing times have been 12 and 3 (I think) ... my daughter was in the first batch - its a rather long meeting -- and then she was done with official stuff to do for the day.

That would leave a little time for Walmart run.

Liz

Thanks Liz!

 

[kathyg]

Thank you Liz and Joanna. Things are much clearer now and I have a better idea of what to expect on the first day!

 

[tlynk]

Day 1 is check-in. The official time of check-in is 9am to 1pm. At Vista, you get your apartment/roomies, get the housing ID, fill out paperwork, take care of fingerprinting, and other things. There is also a housing meeting. The time of the meeting varies by the time you get to check-in. But the times usually are around 11-12, and 2-3. After the housing meeting, you are done for the day.

Thank you Joanna!

 

[kathyg]

Since you have been kind enough to answer my question about the first day, could you please tell me a little bit about the last day? Is it just pack up and go or will there be functions or other "last day" duties to attend to? Trying to figure out if we can leave Florida that day or should wait until the next day.

Thanks so much!

 

[Traveliz]

Since you have been kind enough to answer my question about the first day, could you please tell me a little bit about the last day? Is it just pack up and go or will there be functions or other "last day" duties to attend to? Trying to figure out if we can leave Florida that day or should wait until the next day.

Thanks so much!

I think it will vary for each person but ours was rather hectic. My daughter worked right up until the last day. She had to be out by I want to say 12 or maybe 2 - its fairly early and she worked the entire week every day right up to the night before and she closed that night (Animal Kingdom though so it wasn't too late).

So we had been there a few days before since we were driving her home and got some stuff packed up (but its amazing how much junk they accumulate) but there was still some to pack up the morning of departure. They have to turn in their costumes and keys that day but there were people at the complex to take the costumes (so they didn't have to take them back to costuming) and the keys they returned at the main building.

Now I have heard of kids who aren't scheduled the day or two before their departure days so it makes for a different kind of experience.

And the apartment is suppose to be left clean - that can also be a challenge depending on who has left ahead of you and who is still there. In one of her apartments it was just her and another girl left at the end and the ones before had basically just left so she had a bit of cleaning to do.

In the second one everyone was pretty much leaving at the same time so it sort of got cleaned all at once by everyone.

Liz

 

[kathyg]

thank you very much Liz

 

[Joanna71985]

Since you have been kind enough to answer my question about the first day, could you please tell me a little bit about the last day? Is it just pack up and go or will there be functions or other "last day" duties to attend to? Trying to figure out if we can leave Florida that day or should wait until the next day.

Thanks so much!

I was one of the people who got the last couple of days off, for all of my programs. Last summer, my last day of work was the Wed before check-out (so I had the Thurs and Fri off). So for the last day, I was already packed up. I just helped my roomies clean the apartment, make sure everything was packed up, then returned the key and apartment ID and was off. We had to be out of the apartment by 11am, and were out by 10:30 at the latest.

 

[kathyg]

thank you Joanna

 

[windan]

Hey parents. Has anyone used the CP CM resort discount, and if so, at what resort did you stay and what was the percentage of the discount? We are thinking of going in October to visit our DS who is doing the Fall Advantage in MEO. Thank you

 

[glendalais]

Hey parents. Has anyone used the CP CM resort discount, and if so, at what resort did you stay and what was the percentage of the discount? We are thinking of going in October to visit our DS who is doing the Fall Advantage in MEO. Thank you

Cast Members and Employees of The Walt Disney Company and Affiliated Companies may book Walt Disney World Resort Hotel Rooms at up to a 50% Discount, so long as they stay in the Hotel Room.

In addition, Walt Disney World Resort and other Florida-Site Cast Members and Employees may book Walt Disney World Resort Hotel for their Friends and Families at up to a 40% Discount. This discount does not require the Cast Member or Employee to stay in the Hotel Room with their Guests.

The discounts are valid at all Disney-Owned and Operated Resort Hotels located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida; as well as at Disney's Vero Beach Resort in Vero Beach, Florida and Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort in Hilton Head, South Carolina.

It is not valid at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort, the Downtown Disney Area Hotels, any other non-Disney Owned or Operated Hotels on WDW Property, nor at the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort in California.

Cast Members and Employees with any questions regarding the Cast Room Discount, should contact Walt Disney World Resort Cast Reservations.

Information regarding this discount and other Cast Discounts will be discussed and communicated to new Cast Members and Employees, including Walt Disney World Resort College and International Programme Participants, during the Check-In and Onboarding process.

 

[tlynk]

What value resort would be the easiest drive to the Vista Way apartments? Not necessarily the fastest drive? I'm still contemplating which resort to stay at, and I am one to get lost easily in a place I'm unfamiliar with. I've read that POP and All Star Music are the closest, but what one would be an easier drive?

 

[Berlioz70]

The three all-star resorts are together (on the same street off a main drag) so they would all be the same in terms of getting between them and Vista.

Pop is in a different location, but would still be pretty easy.

Here's a map of the 3 locations!
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=100021101601552632234.00046aaa48f6716ff2c4f&ll=28.355604,-81.537437&spn=0.067526,0.11055&t=h&z=13

 

[graygables]

What value resort would be the easiest drive to the Vista Way apartments? Not necessarily the fastest drive? I'm still contemplating which resort to stay at, and I am one to get lost easily in a place I'm unfamiliar with. I've read that POP and All Star Music are the closest, but what one would be an easier drive?

Pop would be. It's basically only 3 turns to Vista.

 

[cp'ersmom]

Does anyone know the thought process behind not telling the cp'ers where they will work and live till they get there? Seems to me it would be much easier for everyone involved if they knew ahead of time.

My daughter is in Merch, arriving on the 12th of August. We are all flying down and making it into a little family vacation so the hope is we can use 1 suitcase for 3 of us and fit most of her stuff in 3 others.

Another question, can the family be there for the registration part or do we drop her off and wait till she gets the green light to move in?

THX

 

[Traveliz]

Does anyone know the thought process behind not telling the cp'ers where they will work and live till they get there? Seems to me it would be much easier for everyone involved if they knew ahead of time.

My daughter is in Merch, arriving on the 12th of August. We are all flying down and making it into a little family vacation so the hope is we can use 1 suitcase for 3 of us and fit most of her stuff in 3 others.

Another question, can the family be there for the registration part or do we drop her off and wait till she gets the green light to move in?

THX

I think part of it is they don't know based on availability/need.

There is a family tent on the Vista grounds during the registration process and they take tours from there. You can do that until your daughter gets through registration.

My advice (not that you asked) is to be early for registration -- they open it early so she gets through the process faster. That way you can get on with the moving in part faster.

Liz

 

[Berlioz70]

Does anyone know the thought process behind not telling the cp'ers where they will work and live till they get there? Seems to me it would be much easier for everyone involved if they knew ahead of time.

They don't know.

A person is placed in their role based on the interview (Attractions)

After the fee is payed then they are placed in an area (Adventureland)

About 1-2 weeks before they arrive the AREA will place them in their specific location (Pirates of the Caribbean).

The CP office does not make that final decision so there is no way they could tell anyone ahead of time.

 

[cp'ersmom]

Thanks for the answers. We plan to be there a few days before check-in so the hope is to get there as early as possible for check-in.

Thanks for telling me about the tent. Are the tours of the housing areas or the whole resort?

I really am as excited as she is!!

 

[Traveliz]

Thanks for the answers. We plan to be there a few days before check-in so the hope is to get there as early as possible for check-in.

Thanks for telling me about the tent. Are the tours of the housing areas or the whole resort?

I really am as excited as she is!!

It's a tour of the housing facility - including a sample apartment, the bus stop area, pool, clubhouse etc.

Liz

 

[cp'ersmom]

Great Thanks!