How easy is it to make friends?

[Cicero10]

So you arrive, you know no one and you're standing in line. What do you do?


You go to your apartment, you're the last one there, what do you say or do when you get there? What if you're the first one and you just picked your room, and other people come in, what do you do?


For some reason, these situations scare me. Thinking about it causes anxiety for me. I'm a bit shy as of right now, but hopefully by the time I can apply and hopefully get accepted I won't be as shy (Senior in HS).

What did you do when you got to sign ups or whatever? Is everyone pretty easy to talk to and how easy is it to make friends?

 

[AliSW]

Don't worry. I feel like you'd have to try harder to NOT make friends.
I didn't really talk to anyone in line and was one of the last roommates to arrive but of course all the other roommates are eager to meet their roommate.
Also everyone will probably want to have friends at work too to make it more fun.
I was pretty shy but just say hi to people or talk back when they talk to you and there's no way you won't make a single friend

 

[castlecouture2011]

My advice: join the Facebook group before/when you get accepted (there is usually one for each specific semester). Talk to people on there. Talk to people here on the college board. Find people who have the same dates as you that you want to room with, and arrive at check in at the same time as them (or meet them the night before and share a hotel room, that's what we did). You'll find stuff to talk about: your job assignments, how friends and family feel about you doing the program, your favorite rides and parks, etc.

Then by the time you've covered lots of Disney stuff, you'll be comfortable enough to talk about regular life stuff.

And when you meet people at work, friendship just happens. Depending on your job, you might have shifts scheduled consistently with the same group of CPers and that makes it way easier. Day after day of work and dealing with people just makes it easier to get to know each other. There is no script in any of this.

 

[leeg229]

Honestly you'd have to go out of your way to not make any friends on this program. The best thing you can do is smile and say "Hi" to everyone. Remember, Disney attracts some of the friendliest, most outgoing people from all over the world to work here on this program. When you get to your workplace and you've finished your training you'll likely be working with lots of other CPs that you will get to know and become friends with. I didn't know anyone before coming down here and tomorrow I'm going with a bunch of friends I made at the Emporium to Animal Kingdom to finish the Wilderness Explorers activity.

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

So you arrive, you know no one and you're standing in line. What do you do?

Talk to the person ahead of you and behind you in line. Hi! I'm (insert your name here), what's your name? ... Where are they from? Where will they be working? What are they studying in school? What are their hobbies? Have they been to Disney World before? What's their favorite ride? What's their favorite Disney movie? etc.

Is everyone pretty easy to talk to and how easy is it to make friends?

Part of the reason Disney hires people is because they're friendly.

 

[Cicero10]

Talk to the person ahead of you and behind you in line. Hi! I'm (insert your name here), what's your name? ... Where are they from? Where will they be working? What are they studying in school? What are their hobbies? Have they been to Disney World before? What's their favorite ride? What's their favorite Disney movie? etc.

Part of the reason Disney hires people is because they're friendly.

When you did the program is that what you and the other people did while in line? I'd just be worried I'd be the only one doing that and I'd be seen as weird or something. I have no problem doing that, but when I think of that situation I just compare it to high school (I'm a senior in HS) and think wht the other students would think of me if I did that. I already do that to a degree, and I'm seen as weird for doing it. Like ill ask "Hey how are you?" Or "How was your weekend?" And I don't wanna experience the same feeling I got from HS. I think I can safely say because of school I'm a little insecure (which I think I hide moderately well).

Like, how are the people who attend the program? Judgemental? Nice? Are they extra nicer than most people in HS, like a lot nicer? What kind of people attend DCP, like what type of personalities? Pretty much I'm not popular at all, I'm very nice (I don't talk like "Sup Brah, how you doin dawg" I'm kinda proper when I talk, but not overly proper (like I'd say "Hey what's up? Or hey how you doin, I hate when people talk "gangsta", I just don't talk like most teenagers talk I guess (which would seem to be gangster talk). I'm also seen as weird cause I'm really nice and I don't cuss that much [in fact, rarely]), and I'm shy. Based off of that, how we'll would I fit in?

 

[Cicero10]

Honestly you'd have to go out of your way to not make any friends on this program. The best thing you can do is smile and say "Hi" to everyone. Remember, Disney attracts some of the friendliest, most outgoing people from all over the world to work here on this program. When you get to your workplace and you've finished your training you'll likely be working with lots of other CPs that you will get to know and become friends with. I didn't know anyone before coming down here and tomorrow I'm going with a bunch of friends I made at the Emporium to Animal Kingdom to finish the Wilderness Explorers activity.

So people who attend Disney are WAY more nicer and outgoing than people in HS? I myself am very nice, like ill ask "How's your day been" and stuff like that, and cause I'm overly nice, some people think I'm weird at school

Hearing all this makes me feel a bit more comfortable about going (when I can sign up and get accepted which won't be until a year and maybe 2 months)

 

[castlecouture2011]

When you did the program is that what you and the other people did while in line? I'd just be worried I'd be the only one doing that and I'd be seen as weird or something. I have no problem doing that, but when I think of that situation I just compare it to high school (I'm a senior in HS) and think wht the other students would think of me if I did that. I already do that to a degree, and I'm seen as weird for doing it. Like ill ask "Hey how are you?" Or "How was your weekend?" And I don't wanna experience the same feeling I got from HS. I think I can safely say because of school I'm a little insecure (which I think I hide moderately well).

Like, how are the people who attend the program? Judgemental? Nice? Are they extra nicer than most people in HS, like a lot nicer? What kind of people attend DCP, like what type of personalities? Pretty much I'm not popular at all, I'm very nice (I don't talk like "Sup Brah, how you doin dawg" I'm kinda proper when I talk, but not overly proper (like I'd say "Hey what's up? Or hey how you doin, I hate when people talk "gangsta", I just don't talk like most teenagers talk I guess (which would seem to be gangster talk). I'm also seen as weird cause I'm really nice and I don't cuss that much [in fact, rarely]), and I'm shy. Based off of that, how we'll would I fit in?

Pretty much everyone will be chatting with each other in line. Remember, they are all going in (basically) alone too. But one thing you need to get past is feeling uncomfortable being alone. Just speaking from experience, because chances are you will be off when all your friends/roommates are working, and you CAN'T not go do stuff because you're alone. Don't feel awkward riding things alone, or eating alone at a QSR, or watching fireworks alone, etc. I think high school/college kids have this pack mentality and if you don't get rid of that self-consciousness you will probably limit your own fun on the program.

But back on topic, people won't think you're weird for talking to them. Read my earlier comment about facebook and meeting roommates ahead of time...that was honestly the BEST decision we all made, we had been texting and talking on facebook for months so we already liked each other enough that we WANTED to get along and be friends. If you go in with totally random roommates I just think that connection is missing and that's why so many CPers have roommate problems...and you don't want roommate problems, you want them to be some of your best friends.

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

Like, how are the people who attend the program? Judgemental? Nice? Are they extra nicer than most people in HS, like a lot nicer? What kind of people attend DCP, like what type of personalities?

As with any large group of people, there will be some people that you like, and some people you aren't a fan of. There will be some people that are exactly like you, and some that you have almost nothing in common with.

I don't think you'll be an outcast for wanting to have a conversation while you're in line. Everyone in line will be someone that is just starting a new job, and most likely excited, and a little nervous.

Myself, in HS and College, I was very shy. I really only had 1 or 2 close friends in HS, and for all 4 years of college, pretty much hung out with the same group of 5-8 people. I came to Disney not knowing anyone (my CP was back when you still had to have a college email address to sign up for facebook, and you could only connect to other people from your school), and I did fine, and liked it enough that I'm still with the company 9 years after my CP.

 

[Cicero10]

As with any large group of people, there will be some people that you like, and some people you aren't a fan of. There will be some people that are exactly like you, and some that you have almost nothing in common with.

I don't think you'll be an outcast for wanting to have a conversation while you're in line. Everyone in line will be someone that is just starting a new job, and most likely excited, and a little nervous.

Myself, in HS and College, I was very shy. I really only had 1 or 2 close friends in HS, and for all 4 years of college, pretty much hung out with the same group of 5-8 people. I came to Disney not knowing anyone (my CP was back when you still had to have a college email address to sign up for facebook, and you could only connect to other people from your school), and I did fine, and liked it enough that I'm still with the company 9 years after my CP.

Did you make friends while on the program, how many roommates did you have and how many of those roommates did you become friends with? What bout the coworkers, did you make good friends with them?

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

I had 3 roommates, and we all got along well, and hung out together when our schedules allowed. 1 still works for the company, and we keep in touch occasionally. As far as co-workers, I worked in an area that had a very unusual mix, there were 4 or 5 CPs, and everyone else in my area was either a retiree or a part time CM who was working at Disney as their 2nd job. They were all pleasant, but a 22 year old CP isn't really going to be close friends with a retiree.

I did make friends among people I met at Vista, a few of whom I still keep in contact with. After my CP, the subsequent areas I worked at had a much better mix of age demographics, and I have friends that I still keep in touch with from all of those areas.