Gettin' PAID

[vickalamode]

My friend said he did the CP 2 years ago and only got paid 6.45 an hour when the minimum was 6.50 and he said that after they took out his rent at Vista Way (80 a week) he only had 40 bucks left over for the week...is it really THIS bad? Do they really give you only that small amount of hours and pay very badly? For people who have done CP recently, how many hours did you typically work in a week and what did they take out of the check and how much did you usually have left over? I will be going to the CP with a 220 a month car loan and 150 a month insurance so I need to be making at least 150 a week on my paycheck after rent is gone to be able to realistically go to the CP...

 

[chevyrules05]

it is impossible to get paid under min wage, i get about 38 hours a week on min wage and get about $180 after vista way rent ($77) but if i pick up shifts and work 60+hours my check will reach over $300 after rent

 

[khancock]

My friend said he did the CP 2 years ago and only got paid 6.45 an hour when the minimum was 6.50....

The CP wage has never been below the federal minimum wage. It was always been equal to or higher. It wasn't until recently when the state of Florida raised their wages to be above the federal level that the CP was "technically" minimum wage. I believe their level is adjusted every 6-12 months with the next adjustment going into effect in January (I think).

Right now the Florida minimum is $7.25. With the CP range being $7.25-8.39, it meets or exceeds the minimum wage for the state and federal.

What may have happened is that your friend lived in a state where their minimum wage was above Florida's at the time and the 6.50 was for their state.

Disney guarantees CP's to be scheduled 30-45 hours a week and 45+ during really busy times like holidays. Housing is $82-108 per week. The larger apartments are on the lower end of that range.

It is possible to pick up additional hours at your work location or at other locations through the extra hours hotline.

disney says the cp is a break even experience. there are people that do walk away with money.

you may be OK, but you are really going to have to budget yourself and save $$ where you can (cook food at your apt, pack your lunch for work, if you take a car use the bus to go to and from work and your car to go out).


BTW- even though I'm a big nerd ;-), I did several projects involving minimum wage/cost of living when I was in school and wouldn't know this otherwise.

Sources:
http://www.dol.gov/esa/minwage/america.htm
http://www.wdwcollegeprogram.com/sap/its/mimes/zh_wdwcp/students/work/work_payrate.html
http://www.wdwcollegeprogram.com/sap/its/mimes/zh_wdwcp/students/work/work_hours.html
http://www.wdwcollegeprogram.com/sap/its/mimes/zh_wdwcp/students/housing/housing_costs.html

 

[Toffy]

Whenever money is in question regarding the CP, the answer for me is always: Brenna's Blog Post

 

[vickalamode]

Whenever money is in question regarding the CP, the answer for me is always: Brenna's Blog Post

Ahh awesome! Thank you!!! I don't really care about making a bunch of money or anything but I just need to cover my car and insurance payments and some money for living...lol...I don't need to come home with money saved!

 

[Jelliebean]

My friend said he did the CP 2 years ago and only got paid 6.45 an hour when the minimum was 6.50 and he said that after they took out his rent at Vista Way (80 a week) he only had 40 bucks left over for the week...is it really THIS bad? Do they really give you only that small amount of hours and pay very badly? For people who have done CP recently, how many hours did you typically work in a week and what did they take out of the check and how much did you usually have left over? I will be going to the CP with a 220 a month car loan and 150 a month insurance so I need to be making at least 150 a week on my paycheck after rent is gone to be able to realistically go to the CP...

I have a similar issue as well. My car payment is a tiny bit more and my insurance is a little less. I'm not sure where you are from or what kind of insurance you have for your car, but I know that I was thinking about leaving my car at home (even though I REALLY want to bring it), and dropping my insurance down to the "parked" rate, where my car stays insured but basically has to stay parked in my garage or driveway. SO, maybe you could also look into that?

I'd really rather bring my car but I don't want to run into a situation where I can't pay my bills or anything.

 

[vickalamode]

I have a similar issue as well. My car payment is a tiny bit more and my insurance is a little less. I'm not sure where you are from or what kind of insurance you have for your car, but I know that I was thinking about leaving my car at home (even though I REALLY want to bring it), and dropping my insurance down to the "parked" rate, where my car stays insured but basically has to stay parked in my garage or driveway. SO, maybe you could also look into that?

I'd really rather bring my car but I don't want to run into a situation where I can't pay my bills or anything.

I'm really not even considering NOT bringing my car...I'm going to be paying my car payment whether I bring the car or not, so I would rather just have it for the convenience and stuff...ahhh money stress. I will probably try to save up money in the next few months to have some savings for the CP available to use. My parents have paid my insurance in the past for a few months at a time for getting honors in school or for a Christmas present so maybe they will do that again this year if I get into the CP!

 

[Jelliebean]

I'm really not even considering NOT bringing my car...I'm going to be paying my car payment whether I bring the car or not, so I would rather just have it for the convenience and stuff...ahhh money stress. I will probably try to save up money in the next few months to have some savings for the CP available to use. My parents have paid my insurance in the past for a few months at a time for getting honors in school or for a Christmas present so maybe they will do that again this year if I get into the CP!

Yeah. I REALLY want to bring mine. I am going to try to save as well. We'll see how that goes! It probably would really bug me if I was paying my car payment and didn't have my car with me.

 

[rachaelfig]

I actually wasn't going to bring mine, just so that I wouldn't have to pay for gas, but my parents want me to bring it just in case. So I guess I'll take the bus to work and use the car to go to Publix and go places and such.

 

[vickalamode]

Yeah. I REALLY want to bring mine. I am going to try to save as well. We'll see how that goes! It probably would really bug me if I was paying my car payment and didn't have my car with me.

It's only five months of really tight budget so I think we can do it...from the stuff other people posted in this thread it seems like (At least for me anyways...) I should be able to make it happen as long as I bring around $1000 with me to start out with...but yeah I would FREAK OUT if I didn't have my car! I wouldn't be able to handle it

 

[Jelliebean]

It's only five months of really tight budget so I think we can do it...from the stuff other people posted in this thread it seems like (At least for me anyways...) I should be able to make it happen as long as I bring around $1000 with me to start out with...but yeah I would FREAK OUT if I didn't have my car! I wouldn't be able to handle it

Yes. And most people there will be on some sort of budget as well, so that will be helpful too, I think!

I actually wasn't going to bring mine, just so that I wouldn't have to pay for gas, but my parents want me to bring it just in case. So I guess I'll take the bus to work and use the car to go to Publix and go places and such.

That is a good idea!

 

[vickalamode]

Yes. And most people there will be on some sort of budget as well, so that will be helpful too, I think!

Except for kids with trust funds or parents who just give them unlimited amounts of money lol. Seriously though, as long as I can make enough to pay my two car bills and enough leftover to eat and have a little fun I'm happy with just those basics. I will probably play that grocery bingo that they talk about like every time they have it lol

 

[ZoeDisney]

Is it really possible to get 60 hrs with overtime?? do you work in other roles to get the ot?

 

[Jelliebean]

Except for kids with trust funds or parents who just give them unlimited amounts of money lol. Seriously though, as long as I can make enough to pay my two car bills and enough leftover to eat and have a little fun I'm happy with just those basics. I will probably play that grocery bingo that they talk about like every time they have it lol

Ha ha, I've heard good things about grocery bingo!

 

[glendalais]

Is it really possible to get 60 hrs with overtime?? do you work in other roles to get the ot?

At the Walt Disney World Resort, it really depends on where you work. I know some areas have had their FT and CP CMs on mandatory 6-Day weeks, while other areas have been barely able to schedule their CMs 35 hours per week.

You can sign up for Additional Hours through the process approved by Labor Operations, if you would like to get additional hours within your Statused Area and Job Classification.

You can also pick up shifts on the Extra Hours Hotline, which may or may not be within your Area or Job Classifcation. To pick up shifts in other Job Classifications, you may be required to have special training.

At the Disneyland Resort, it's a bit of a different story. Because of the higher pay rate, as well as CBA rules and State Laws regarding Overtime, they're much more stingy with OT Pay than WDW. Except for certain peak seasons, CP-CR CMs (and indeed, most CMs) very rarely exceed 35-38 hours on the posted schedules.

Neither Extra Hours Hotline nor Additional Hours Sign Up (at least in the same form) exist at DLR. Most areas will allow CMs to call in to try and pick up Extra Shifts on a day-of basis. However, there just aren't as many hours; and Management does cut hours on a more frequent basis than WDW, from my experience.

 

[moviekid21]

It's only five months of really tight budget so I think we can do it...from the stuff other people posted in this thread it seems like (At least for me anyways...) I should be able to make it happen as long as I bring around $1000 with me to start out with...but yeah I would FREAK OUT if I didn't have my car! I wouldn't be able to handle it

I had a car payment of $306 a month and couldn't do it. Had to get rid of my car. I was getting 6.49 an hour at the time (I know it's more now, but so is living and the cost of food) and was only getting about 30 hours a week for the first part of my program. I wasn't in a position where I could really pick up more hours.

Just expect to be scheduled about 30-35 hours a week. Some roles may schedule you more hours, but it seems most CP's were scheduled about 30 hours on average. During the Spring the times you'll work more than 35 hours a week will be the week before, of, and after Easter. So it's best to expect the worst and do the math expecting to be scheduled 30 hours a week.

The best thing is like you said, come into the program with lots of money saved up to help out.

 

[NicoleRose]

i'm VERY fortunate in the fact that my parents split the cost of my car as a birthday/graduation gift for me
but i still owe my mom 120 bucks a month for insurance
i just did the math, and it looks like i should be able to do that without too much of a headache

its nice that the parks are free for us though lol makes it so you dont have to spend a whole lot of money on recreation!

 

[ZoeDisney]

Good point on the rec aspect! Yea my parents are talking about buying me a car when I graduate and letting me pay for the insurance too. I just don't like it because they always hold it against me when they pay for stuff. But being without a car has made my life extremely difficult.