Moving the Princess to DisneyWorld - Disney College Program. Update 8/26

[TexasBelle]

OMG!!! I'm so excited!!! This is great! I'm so happy for your Daughter to be doing the CP!!! I know some CM's down there, so let me know ASAP what her job will be and I will try and hook her up with some friends!

I just happened to be looking for a new PTR to read and saw your name and got really excited!

LOVE the pictures!

Hey Christen.
I'm so excited you found me. I need to go back and catch up on your trip report. I just haven't seem to be able to find the time to do much writing plus I wrote a trip report on Cruise Critic about my 50th birthday cruise so I've been busy over there.
Rae will be working in Merchandising but we don't know where yet.
Hooking her up with some people will be great. Thanks.
How are your precious girls??? I really need to check out your trip report. Just to see how much fun they had on your trip LAST NOVEMBER... That was like forever ago.
Thanks for finding me
Carolyn

 

[TexasBelle]

Freshman Year!

We got home from Disney and started putting plans in motion.

Applications
Acceptance
Start school
Back in Dance
Back to cheerleading
and back to her favorite things.
She's all set.


Then one night in September she's over for dinner and she say's to me, "I think I want to apply for the Disney College Program"...
YESSSSS - (I was secretly praying she would do this when she could, I felt like she would but you never know with her.)

Oh my gosh!! I think that's a fabulous idea. (I was jumping for joy inside)

So she sat down that night and went on DCP webset and built her a profile and then filled out the applications. I txt'd Charlie, her Dad and told him what she did then I txt'd my Disboard friend MissCammie

We were so excited.

She applied for the Spring Program.

Then the waiting begans.

We waited

and

waited

and

waited

and

ok you get the idea.

September went by

then on into October

Still nothing.

Rae was getting really upset, She would check her emails everyday and nothing from Disney. We couldn't understand why. Not even an interview

So finally the first part of Novemeber came and Charlie suggested that I post a question about it on the College Board on here.

So I posted my question and quickly I got lots of responses. The post kept talking about "her dashboard". We couldn't figure out what her "DashBoard" was.

Then finally BAMM

WE found the DashBoard.

And Yes.

She had a reply.

But we had to reply to that email in 3 days and yes, it had been more then 60 days.

So we missed the deadline.



BUT - As my positive daughter reminded me.

There's always next time.

SOOOOOO

Christmas went by

and

Her Grades came out

She did fabulous of course

and then

We went on Mom's 50th Birthday Cruise

then

Back home

Back to her favorite things

Dance
Cheerleading
and yes school.

Then

She gets the email!!!



You ask what email...

Well

The email that says.

"ITS TIME TO APPLY FOR THE FALL DISNEY PROGRAM"



She txt'd me and told me that she got the email and so we made plans for her to come to the house that night and I'll make dinner and you can fill out the applications.

YES!!!!

So to the house she came.

I made dinner and she sat at the table and started filling out the application. In the questionnaire there are lots of the questions about where you wanted to work.

Now since Rae's major is Hospitality Management with a minor in Theatre.

She is hopeing that she can maybe work in those fields.

After about 45 minutes of filling it out

SHE SENT IT!!!!!!!!

of course I txt'd Charlie, her Dad and my favorite supporter MissCammie, to tell them she's applied.

Now the waiting was on again.

How long would we have to wait?????

5 minutes!!!

Yes I said 5 minutes!!!! Okay, maybe a little longer but she had a response that night while eatting dinner.

OH MY GOSH!!!!!

MOM - THEY want to have a phone interview...



MOM, I'm so excited....

So she filled out the rest of the paper work that they required and emailed it back. She also set up a time for the phone interview. Wednesday night between 10:15 and 10:45.

YES!!!! She's set.

Now to prepare her for the interview.

We started working on it the next day, because Wednesday was only another day away.

She wrote it all down, how she felt like she would answer the questions and what she felt about this and that.

She had been on FB's DCP Page following people that had interviews already and she had messaged with them inquiring about the questions that had been asked. SHE WAS SET!!!!

WEDNESDAY NIGHT

On my goodness. She's ready.

In the email about the interview information, they informed you that they would call somewhere from 30 minutes before your window time to 30 minutes after.

So she was at the house by 8:00 - Preparing.

9:45pm came

and we waited

and waited

It's 10:15 now and we're still waiting

and waiting. She's starting to get worried that they aren't going to call

then

RING!!!!

It's 10:25....

YES!!!!!!!

It's DISNEY

Oh my gosh... I start praying... I try to sit calmly while she starts the interview with this very sweet lady. They talk and talk.

Then the Tattoo converstation comes up. UGGGG Why did we get that silly tattooo. She has to measure the size of it. Then she ask about piercings and it a good thing we only have our ears pierced.

Then Rae tells her all about her 13 years of dance experiance, cheerleading since her sophmore year, competing gymnastics since she was 10, and about all the musicals she's been in. The lady was so excited about this and Rae loved telling her about her passion for Dance and how she would love to perform in Disney one day.

The interview went on for 25 minutes..

YES!!!!

Then she finished the interview and hung up.

And she fell into my arms so excited. She felt like she did a fabulous job and I did too.

Now the waiting.

The sweet lady informed Rae that she would find out by email in 2 to 3 weeks.

So

WE WAIT...

Remember that was Wednesday

SO...

On Tuesday (the next tuesday - 6 days later) I get a phone call up here at work at 4:45

She's crying...

Of course I freak out at first... I'm trying to make out what she's saying.

and finally I hear

"I GOT AN EMAIL FROM DISNEY... I'VE BEEN ACCEPTED!!!!"

I start crying with her...

DREAMS DO COME TRUE!!!!

More to come!!!
Putting a plan together.

Carolyn

 

[TexasBelle]

Hey Carolyn... Tell us the plan???

Tell us about the Who, When, Where and What???

Enquiring minds want to know...



She's been accepted! Disney World here she comes.

To Work

How awesome is that!!!

While filling out the application she could choose either the Fall Advantage or just Fall and she choose the Fall Advantage.
Fall Advantage is working during the summer and the fall.

Soooo When does she leave???

The next step after she recieved the email was to go back on the website and fill out more paper work and send in a deposit for housing. Rae could choose from 3 dates in May for check in, so she choose May 20th.

After filling out all the pages of paper work, She was set to go.

Before she had the phone interview, she found on the website information about an Audition for DCP participants in about 16 cities in the nation, and the closes one to us is Austin. During her telephone interview she informed the lady that she had planned on going to the audition, if she was accepted to DCP.

Austin here we come.

So I made reservations in Austin, for the weekend of the auditions, which was also the same weekend of the College Basketball Regional Tournment. and hotels were few and far betweem. But I found one for a few thousand dollars

Austin Bound... we got up early Saturday morning and off we went. First stop, Chick - Fil - A for breakfast (for those of you who have followed me on CC, any road trip we go on our first stop is Chick - Fil - A) Down the road we go, no problems at all. (just a little side note, The last time I went to Austin I was about 21 ) We got into Austin around lunch, which was great! The plan was to check into our hotel and find something for lunch, after lunch back to the hotel to rest and then head south to the downtown area.

The audition was set at Austin Ballet - Downtown Austin. Check in is at 4:30 audition starts at 5:00

Now a little side note. Rae has auditioned for many things whether it's cheerleader, a part in a show or gymnastics competitions and she has never been turned down, she has always made it or done really well. So She was feeling really good about this audition.

We got there early, and so did 300 other people!!!



After waiting about 25 minutes they started letting the kids in and that was my clue to leave.





Now since I was downtown, I did a drive by of the capital and not really a good idea to drive and take pictures out the window. But I did it.






So I was off to find my cousins and spend the evening with them - long evening.. I hope!!!

On the paper work for the audition it said that you could be there anywhere from 2 to 6 hours. So of course I was hoping for a long night.

Now I was very nervous for her and she was all calm. She made several friends as she stood in line and they all talked about where they were working and living.

So off I went to where my cousins were staying... To hang out and watch Basketball and eat some dinner.



It was after 7:00 - when I got the txt.

"I'm done"

I started crying. I knew she hadn't been there long enough.

She had been cut.



But she was ok when I picked her up, she was disappointed because she had never been cut, but she felt like this wasn't the audition for what she was wanting. She felt like this audition was more for charater. When she went into the studio they filled out some paper work and they measured her height and other things. She didn't qualify in the height requirment she was to tall for some and too short for others. She's 5'4.

She had a wonderful experiance and was really glad that she did it and is now really ready to tryout for things when she gets to Disney.

Now the plan is on...

When do we leave?

Who's going?

What should we take?


When we got back home from Austin, we started planning. Who's going to take her.

Well of course ME!!!! and well; her Dad. No he's a good guy and we're really great friends and we've made several trips to Orlando together for Eric's graduation and to see Eric. So I knew it would be Jeff, Rae and I.


This is Eric and Jeff



Mom



and of course Princess Rae - from the 2008 trip



She loves Cats - From our cruise last January




Sooooooooo, now when do we leave???
Where are we staying????
and how many days in the park???

So I got on the phone with Jeff.

Funny thing:

I'm a planner and he's a spur of the moment kind of guy and he's not very interested in making plans right now, he's like we can make reservation in May. We'll be fine...
But I know better then to wait.
So I got on a few website and started doing lots of research and making plans. I started sending him lots of information on places to stay and after a few days I got him really excited about the trip.

So the original plan was to drive to Biloxi, Miss on Thursday spend the night and then drive on into Orlando on Friday, but Jeff said, I'm not driving to Flordia that fast!!! I want to stop at the beach.

Great


So I started doing some research and I found a wonderful white sandy beach in Florida that we could probably make it to in one day. It would be a long haul but we could do it, so I sent Jeff the information and he loved it.

Pensacola Beach...



Margarittaville Hotel and Resort - Photo's courtesy of Website

Has anyone ever stayed here?????




This place looks fabulous, we are big parrot heads and of course we love the water and beach so it looks perfect for us.

So we (Jeff and I) decided to make a few more changes to our plans again. We talk to Rae and decided that we would spend 2 full days on the beach and drive into Orlando on Sunday. Oh, I'm so excited.

Rae loved the idea because she knew that she would be living in the "Magic" and she could go to Disney on her day off anytime. So Jeff made the reservations and that part of the trip was set.

Now for Orlando.

Since we weren't going to be in Orlando on Saturday and spending Sunday in the Parks, I wasn't sure if staying on property would be a great idea. But we knew that we needed to stay close because check in is on the property - Somewhere. We did find out that she would be living over by the Chick-Fil-A off of Hwy 535 or Kissimmee-Vineland Road off of I-4. Really close to Hotel Road and Downtown Disney. So I decided that I would pick Embassy Suites on Palm Parkway. Just Perfect.

Photo Courtesy of Internet.



So the trip is set.
Details to come.


Carolyn

 

[ciera321]

I'm lovin' all the plans. We're doing a cruise on the Breeze in May, so no Disney for us this year. We're headed there for 2 weeks in May 2014, but I don't think I can wait that long. I'll just live your trip with you!!!

 

[TLC371]

All of your plans sound so wonderful!!

My niece is in college and I keep telling her to apply for the college program. So far she hasn't listened to me! I think she would have so much fun doing it, but I think she is nervous about being away from family.

 

[francis6306]

How exciting! I have a friend who works at MK Front Entrance Operations but she started off in Merchandising on Main St. I also know someone who works in Entertainment in Epcot (Mostly Mary Poppins, but she also rotates at Snow White and Belle as needed).

I LOVE Pensacola!!! We stayed at the Holiday Inn there on PCB right before we moved to the cornfields about 2 years ago- you MUST MUST MUST eat at Flounders. This isn't even an option or a suggestion. Seriously. You will WANT to eat there!!!!!! Order the cheesesticks!

 

[TexasBelle]

Hello Everyone.
Sorry I haven't posted in month's and I have no excuse except that life gets so busy.
Hopefully I'll finish my pre-trip report and move on over to the trip!


Here's what the plan is
Now remember I'm the planner and Rae's Dad he's the spur of the moment kind of guy

Hopefully will stick to it.

We know that she checks in at Vista Way - Monday Morning at 9:00am
So the plan is to be in Orlando by Sunday. No matter what.

We don't know where Rae will be living - We think Vista Way
and
We don't know where she'll be working.
We find all that out Monday Morning.

We also decided that she is going to take her car since she may need it.
Plus I just feel safer with her having it - just in case!

So Here's the Plan

May 16th - Thursday
Leave Abilene & Drive to Pensacola Florida
Long hall - Long day

May 17th - Friday
Spend the day on the beach

May 18th - Saturday
Spend the day on the Beach

May 19th - Sunday
Leave Pensacola and head for DISNEYWORLD
Arrive in Disney around 3:00
check in to Embassy Suites
Head to Magic Kingdom

May 20th - Monday
Get up really early
6:00 - Head to Vista Way for College Program Check in
9:00 - check in starts
I cannot stay with her, so I'll leave just as soon as they start heading in the building.
When she's done - we will meet her at her new house!!!
Unload the car
Head to Target & Walmart
Spend the day decorating her room
Dinner


May 21st - Tuesday
Disney Hollywood Studio & Epcot

May 22nd - Wednesday
Say our goodbye"s
Head for Abilene - Drive as far as we can

May 23rd - Thursday
Get back home.

So this is the plan.
All reservations are made
Now the count down begins.

So much is going on before we leave.
Rae has finals
Going away party for Rae
Dance Recital
Lots of packing and Lots of buying things that she'll need.

So. Now that I know she's going!!!
It's time to start planning several trips to go and see her.

I'm thinking every other month.

August
October
Early December

But - NO

I didn't win the lottery.

So

Charlie and I decided that we would plan at trip for October.
Charlie turns 50 in October - so we started planning YES!!!!!
I'm going to see my baby and I'm going to DISNEY TOOO!!!!
But during Charlie's birthday wasn't Free Dining
so we - after several debating
We decided on Sept. 11 - 18th - BeachClub... Birthday Celebration
So trip #2 - Plans are set!!!!

Then We also decided that I could go in Early November.
Nov 7th - 11th - Coronado Springs Resort.
Trip #3 is in the works too...

Lots of Planning going on!!!!
Hopefully she loves Disney and we'll get to go and see her!!!

Time to start my Trip Report!!!!!!

Lots of fun things happened on this trip - so follow along with us.
Carolyn

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[wrcjr98]

Yippee! I'm glad you're back! Can't wait to follow along!

 

[TexasBelle]

Come on over and check out my Trip Report...

Disney College Program, Our Princess is moving to DW to follow her Dream

Thanks
Carolyn

 

[TexasBelle]

Yippee! I'm glad you're back! Can't wait to follow along!

Thanks!!!!! Life is so crazy right now... But yes, I'm back and I've started the trip report so come on over....

Disney College Program, Our Princess is moving to DW to follow her dream.

Carolyn