Family

[JamesPankywitz]

My dad and I are driving down together and he is flying back. I am checking in on a Weds. and he wants to start Thur. and Fri. My guess is that those days I will be spending more time with fellow cps and he'll end up sitting in his hotel room alone. Does anyone know if there are family events or anything the first few days? For those of you that have done the program before, did your family stay?

 

[JamesPankywitz]

*stay Thur. and Fri.

 

[OCgirl]

He may be alone a large portion of those days. On check-in day you will want to get to know your roommates and meet everyone. I would suggest instead that you guys get there before your check in, so you can spend time together without missing out on your first real night in the CP.

 

[BadDad]

My S arrived 2/7:
Have your dad come with you at check-in and get your apt key.

While you're going though the paper work (Other parent did this ~ we didn't )
1) He can choose the best room for you
2) He can move you in!

The rest of the day, you'll spend together!!
On 2/7/11 there were alot of parents there.

 

[ktrex]

I didn't have anyone with me when I got there. I did fine, if that's what you're worried about. Checking in doesn't require them, and as for moving in, EVERYONE is moving in if you need help carrying stuff.

I felt like most of my roommates had their parents there, and while they seemed happy, I did feel like it kept them from meeting new people right off the bat. It'd be great to have your dad there to see him before you get your ID and can get into the parks, but make sure to spend time at least with your roommates. Make sure your dad can entertain himself for a while.

 

[erincoke]

my mom wants to come down with me to help me move in and I was looking into hotel rooms for her at pop century but there are kinda expensive ($129 per night) she wants to stay from 08/07/2011 to 08/10/2011. I know I wouldn't be able to use my discount yet but does anyone know if there is some discount I could get for her or a cheaper hotel very close by or something that would make less expensive for her? Thanks!

 

[ashleykay89]

He may be alone a large portion of those days. On check-in day you will want to get to know your roommates and meet everyone. I would suggest instead that you guys get there before your check in, so you can spend time together without missing out on your first real night in the CP.

I believe it's a holiday inn but there is a hotel RIGHT outside DTD that's not too bad there's also a couple other hotels right there I haven't stayed at them personally but I know people who have. Are you checking in 8/8 too??

 

[ktrex]

my mom wants to come down with me to help me move in and I was looking into hotel rooms for her at pop century but there are kinda expensive ($129 per night) she wants to stay from 08/07/2011 to 08/10/2011. I know I wouldn't be able to use my discount yet but does anyone know if there is some discount I could get for her or a cheaper hotel very close by or something that would make less expensive for her? Thanks!

Holiday inn sunspree! It's RIGHT in between all the apartment complexes and is not too expensive. Any of the hotels around or just south of downtown disney are good (my dad stayed in the radisson or marriott one time because he has points there).

 

[Mousefan72]

My daughter was a CP in Spring 2010 and will be down there again in the Alumni Summer program this year. I went with her and it worked out great. I stayed in one of the preferred off-site hotels and went with her to check-in. While she was checking in I went to a waiting area they had set up for families of the CP's. Her training wasn't until later in the day so we went back to her apartment, Chatham, and picked out her room and started to unpack. While she was at her training I set up her room and then went shopping at Downtown Disney. We spent time together the next two days, and I flew home on Saturday. Your dad will definitely be able to spend time with you and he won't be by himself. My daughter even stayed in my hotel room the first night because some of her roommates were staying with their families. Your pass to the parks won't begin until your first day of work, which is usually a few days after training, so if he wants to go to the parks you'll have to buy a ticket. I hope this helps! Good luck and have fun

 

[parkhopmom]

 

[parkhopmom]

My daughter checked in on Feb 7th. After we got her moved in, we really didn't see a lot of her, with her meetings, training, and she started her class, too. She checked in on Monday, we left on Sat. morning and we met her for dinner on 2 of those nights, with a little shopping, and our last night she could get in the parks, so we took her to Crystal Palace for her birthday. That was about it! Of course WE went to the parks everyday and had a great time....

All in all, I'm glad we went for that long because we were there if she needed us and I think she appreciated being taken out for dinner after those first days of training and getting used to everything. We did some shopping for her, too, even though her roommates and she did go that first day, there were still some things she needed.

 

[KCMiller]

I was just told via PM by a parent whose child has done two CP's in the past two years that if I was to stay past dropping my DD off at registration, she would be left out of things by the other roommates - her exact comment was that the roommates who visited with their parents in the day or two after registration 'paid for it' by being left out of lots of things.

This bothers me - can any actual CP participants comment on this? I mean, I don't intend to keep my DD with me at all times and weep on her neck when we part or anything, but I'd like to think that if we have dinner together before I head out of town she's not going to be ostracized?

KC

 

[Mousefan72]

I was just told via PM by a parent whose child has done two CP's in the past two years that if I was to stay past dropping my DD off at registration, she would be left out of things by the other roommates - her exact comment was that the roommates who visited with their parents in the day or two after registration 'paid for it' by being left out of lots of things.

This bothers me - can any actual CP participants comment on this? I mean, I don't intend to keep my DD with me at all times and weep on her neck when we part or anything, but I'd like to think that if we have dinner together before I head out of town she's not going to be ostracized?

KC

My DD had to check in on a Wednesday and I flew home on Saturday. We went to dinner, shopped, and even went to Epcot before I left. She and her roommates got along great together and some of them even told my daughter that they wished their mom could have come with them. There are alot of parents who go down there and stay to help get settled in. And my DD and her roommates are still good friends and fly back and forth to visit one another during school breaks. It will be fine..nothing to worry about.

 

[Frizzbird]

My mom came down with me when I checked in. She flew home the day after checkin in the late afternoon. We got dinner check-in evening and I stayed with her in the hotel that night. We hit up Walmart and then bought my work shoes at the outlet before she left the next day. My roommates didn't do anything that night and I'm pretty sure at least 2 of them (maybe all three) stayed with their families that night. I wasn't ostracized for chosing to spend some time with my mom. I think if that happens there are much bigger problems in that roommate relationship.

 

[KCMiller]

Thanks, everyone - it struck me as odd, and kind of sad, that this person though they were giving me good advice by telling me that her childs roommate, who wanted to spend time with their parent before a multi-month separation, was penalized and ostracized by the other roommates. Seems very unDisneylike to me - it's all about family, right?

I have no desire to be a helicopter parent, but my DD and I are happily very close, and while I'm gratified beyond belief at her desire to spread her wings and fly, I want her to always feel that she's got a safe nest to come home to, anytime. So I'll do what's right for us, as I suspect all parents try to do.

Thanks!

KC

 

[Elenadc]

It's great to have parents come along! My roommates on my last program all had their parents there for move in. I didn't though, and when we left for the housing meeting the parents took it upon themselves to make decisions and to start unpacking. My roommates parents decided what space she got, and what part of the closet was hers. It's hard enough to make those decisions when you have just met each other, but when the parents make those decisions for you it's very difficult and awkward to ask to change things. My suggestion to parents is definitely to help out! Please help your child settle in, talk with their roommates and get to know the people your child will be living with. But please, let them make decisions between themselves! It's how we start getting to know each other and figure out the dynamic between the roommates.

 

[KCMiller]

It's great to have parents come along! My roommates on my last program all had their parents there for move in. I didn't though, and when we left for the housing meeting the parents took it upon themselves to make decisions and to start unpacking. My roommates parents decided what space she got, and what part of the closet was hers. It's hard enough to make those decisions when you have just met each other, but when the parents make those decisions for you it's very difficult and awkward to ask to change things. My suggestion to parents is definitely to help out! Please help your child settle in, talk with their roommates and get to know the people your child will be living with. But please, let them make decisions between themselves! It's how we start getting to know each other and figure out the dynamic between the roommates.

Now that's great advice!

Thanks!

KC