Help!! Apartment Choice!

[alice0826]

Hi All! My daughter is scheduled to check in on 8/20 for the CP. She and her roomate had previously agreed to try and room at Chatham, but now her friend wants to go for Vista Way. They have no car. Can anyone outline the pros and cons of each location for me? They are both 19 years old. I am worried about the "party" reputation of Vista Way as my daughter is in no way into any of that. Please help! We need some information ASAP!'

Thanks!!

 

[khancock]

College students act like college students in any location where a gathering of college students may be. A complex will not dictate someones actions nor will it change them as a person. It depends on whom one chooses to surround themselves with.

Parties take place at all of the complexes.

What is "best" is purely subjective. What may be a "pro" to one may be a "con" to another.

All of the complexes are great.

If your daughter still wishes to live at Chatham, she needs to make the decision on whether she wishes to remain with the other individual or not.

That said, Chatham may not be an option to her when she checks in and living in Chatham in no way means that she will not be around others who like to enjoy the stereotypical college lifestyle.

 

[ladypage]

College students act like college students in any location where a gathering of college students may be. A complex will not dictate someones actions nor will it change them as a person. It depends on whom one chooses to surround themselves with.

Parties take place at all of the complexes.

What is "best" is purely subjective. What may be a "pro" to one may be a "con" to another.

All of the complexes are great.

If your daughter still wishes to live at Chatham, she needs to make the decision on whether she wishes to remain with the other individual or not.

That said, Chatham may not be an option to her when she checks in and living in Chatham in no way means that she will not be around others who like to enjoy the stereotypical college lifestyle.

Vista Way does have a bad reputation (or good in some views!), but I saw my share of parties in Chatham as well. And the security guards apparently saw that kind of stuff all the time because they didn't even blink an eye at a guy dressed scantily in a french maid costume, including a feather duster!

VW is fine, and it's right next to food, which may be more appealing as well. I hated having to ride 30 minutes just to get to Taco Bell if the one at the outlets was closed.

 

[aznshents]

I will vouch for Vista Way as having parties, but I didn't attend any of them. Vista did have a reputation for being wild, but the people I lived with and around were not into that. Which I was kind of thankful for, since I am not a big party-all-the-time-er. No one around me had loud parties (not that we could hear), so I definitely saw the non-party side of Vista. It exists, and the fact that Vista is so close to applebees, chick fil a, wendy's, and Walgreens is EXTREMELY convenient.

 

[Disneygirl822]

Vista Way Pros:
-closer to food and entertainment (much shorter walk to a few food places and Walgreens, but any complex has SOMETHING within walking distance and the buses are not so bad, just takes planning)
-Seems like more buses go through Vista (many times you have to transfer at Vista to get to the other complexes when traveling from different locations)
-Cheaper rent
-CP buses actually go through the gates here and pick up/drop off on Vista property, so you can ALWAYS catch a bus when needed. We lived at Chatham and one night we were out to dinner by Vista past the time when non-complex people could be on property, and we needed to take a bus from Vista back to Chatham. Well the only way to get a bus to Chatham was to be on Vista property! And the guards would not let us in, AT ALL. We had to beg a stranger to sign us in just to catch a bus. Annoying.
-Hosts some classes on property (Chatham hosts none, Patterson hosts some)


Cons:
-MAJOR party place. Yes there are parties anywhere, but Vista has much more.
-OLD! The oldest property, and I was told things broke all the time, and it was dirtier than Chatham or Patterson (they are the newest)
-Pool was always dirty too
-Not within walking distance of other apartment complexes. Chatham, Patterson, and the Commons were really close to each other, which made hanging out "after hours" much easier (no buses needed)
-It seems like everyone hangs out at Vista, so it is much less quiet than the others (still have noise, but not as constant and loud)
-Right off a highway, so it has more traffic noise


When my friend and I went, we chose Chatham both because it was a lot newer and because we are not into partying and being loud. Of course all of these pros and cons are just my opinion, but it sounds like your daughter may want to room away from her friend. They can still hang out together at either apartment, when they have time. To be honest, rooming together does not mean you see each other all that much (my friend worked from 4AM until 1PM, and I worked from 2/3 PM until MK closed. Not much time to hang out except when we had the same days off, and even then we spent time outside of the apartment in the parks.

Its a tough decision to make though, and if she has any questions about living in Chatham, she should feel free to give me a message! I would love to talk about my experiences. Either way, it is a great time

 

[alice0826]

Thanks to all for your feedback. It seems now like she and her former friend (long story) no longer wish to room together. They had already requested to room with each other and now my daughter cannot unrequest her online. Does anyone know if she can just wait until check in to let Disney know that they no longer wish to be placed together? Thanks!

 

[Disneygirl822]

Thanks to all for your feedback. It seems now like she and her former friend (long story) no longer wish to room together. They had already requested to room with each other and now my daughter cannot unrequest her online. Does anyone know if she can just wait until check in to let Disney know that they no longer wish to be placed together? Thanks!

From what I remember, requesting online really does nothing. They base it on who you stand in line with for check-in, and who is behind you in line requesting the same complex and room size, so no worries there!

 

[ladypage]

Vista Way Pros:
-closer to food and entertainment (much shorter walk to a few food places and Walgreens, but any complex has SOMETHING within walking distance and the buses are not so bad, just takes planning)
-Seems like more buses go through Vista (many times you have to transfer at Vista to get to the other complexes when traveling from different locations)
-Cheaper rent
-CP buses actually go through the gates here and pick up/drop off on Vista property, so you can ALWAYS catch a bus when needed. We lived at Chatham and one night we were out to dinner by Vista past the time when non-complex people could be on property, and we needed to take a bus from Vista back to Chatham. Well the only way to get a bus to Chatham was to be on Vista property! And the guards would not let us in, AT ALL. We had to beg a stranger to sign us in just to catch a bus. Annoying.
-Hosts some classes on property (Chatham hosts none, Patterson hosts some)

Not true anymore. The only place that doesn't have busses that always go their stop is The Commons now, which the OP's daughter wont be in. And Chatham does have classes, over next to the pool.

From what I remember, requesting online really does nothing. They base it on who you stand in line with for check-in, and who is behind you in line requesting the same complex and room size, so no worries there!

For the actual roommate, the online system does work, it's for the rest of the apartment that bases off who you stand with in line. For instance persons A and B pair up online, and want to room with C and D, who also paired up online. A and B, will be together with very few exceptions, and C and D will as well, but getting in an apartment with the four of them would mean you should stand in line together.

OP, you can contact housing about the roommate thing, though there should be a place to unchoose each other. But housing should be happy to help if there isn't an easier way.

 

[Disneygirl822]

Sorry, I should clarify, with the buses thing I meant that yes, all apartments have buses to their complexes (well, Patterson didn't last time, seems to have changed) but to go to some places (not apartments, but less popular destinations) you have to transfer at Vista way from one bus to another.

And when we checked in (granted, it was three years ago) the cast member checking us in said that for them to honor you online system you needed to be together when checking in. Again, must have changed

Talking about the program makes me want to go back! This time for culinary Pastry

 

[ladypage]

Sorry, I should clarify, with the buses thing I meant that yes, all apartments have buses to their complexes (well, Patterson didn't last time, seems to have changed) but to go to some places (not apartments, but less popular destinations) you have to transfer at Vista way from one bus to another.

And when we checked in (granted, it was three years ago) the cast member checking us in said that for them to honor you online system you needed to be together when checking in. Again, must have changed

Talking about the program makes me want to go back! This time for culinary Pastry

Ah, yeah, it's changed a little bit now You are right about Patterson though, they share their stop with Chatham. But now every bus goes to all the apartments, except the Commons, though you can request a stop there. I double checked my route map earlier.

Yeah, that's also a little different now, I know a lot of people who weren't in line together but had matched up online, so that's all that mattered.

I agree! I miss it! I definitely want to go back But I know I would miss my friends from my first one!

 

[khancock]

From what I remember, requesting online really does nothing.

You remember incorrectly or things may have changed since you did the program (although this has been in place for around 5 years).

Info on roommate matching prior to arrival:
https://disneyprogramsblog.com/?p=2466

upon checking in, Housing asks anyone who was matched online if they still wish to reside with their match. They can decline at that time.