Oh Dear...(kinda off topic...kinda not...)

[Lavender_Blue]

Well, what is definately helpful is rooming with someone. Once you're in the program, you can pick up the cast member magazine, Eyes&Ears and look at the classifieds OR you can look it up on the Hub. Cast members post up their listings looking for a roommate.

OR, if you do a professional internship, Disney can supply you with housing and they take the rent from your paycheck. You're rooming with someone and the place comes fully furnished. However, I've seen the area and though the apartment is really nice, the neighborhood....eh, not so much.

But there are nice areas like Broadwater apartments and Hunter's Creek - and there are plenty of people to room with and share rent.

That's what my fiancee and I are doing right now. We'll be looking for a new roommate soon, though. Not that there's anything wrong - we just want to move to Broadwater.

The pay isn't so bad, but definitely come here with some money saved up for any emergencies. It's not spectacular pay, but you get some nice perks. Never underestimate the power of a Disney discount - it sometimes applies to stores OUTSIDE the park. And I don't mean downtown Disney.

 

[froggy5657]

 

[Cinderella89]

Really? I didn't know that.
I was planning on staying on at the Disney houses just for the fact that it was convenient. My job right now has very limited hours so I'm not making that much to begin with to save. Plus I still have to take college courses here on top of the work week (Which I hear is sometimes 40+ hours from a CM that I spoke to last week) and the Disney Community College(?) thing they have going for us in the DCP.
I just hope I can bring my car! Lol

 

[TXYankee]

Lavender Blue.

I am sending a truck load of Pixie Dust and positive thoughts from Fort Worth TX!

 

[MenashaCorp]

Lots of pixie dust and very good luck to both of you!!!



Um.... is there an "Eighteen Years Out of College" Program??

 

[Cinderella89]

I think my mom wishes. Lol

That would be cool though, to give everyone a chance to be part of the Disney Magic.

 

[SamSam]

Wishing both of you lots of luck with your interviews. I'm sure you will do fantastic! Who knows, Dh and I may run into one of you on our next trip.

 

[Lavender_Blue]

Really? I didn't know that.
I was planning on staying on at the Disney houses just for the fact that it was convenient. My job right now has very limited hours so I'm not making that much to begin with to save. Plus I still have to take college courses here on top of the work week (Which I hear is sometimes 40+ hours from a CM that I spoke to last week) and the Disney Community College(?) thing they have going for us in the DCP.
I just hope I can bring my car! Lol

Animal Kingdom Park has better hours. At least for the PI's. They get to leave at 5:15pm every day. I'm not sure how it is for the others. But Animal Kingdom is never open that late anyways. I think it's probably the best park to work at.

And thank you everyone for your pixie dust!

 

[Cinderella89]

*busks in the pixie dust*

Only 30 more minutes until my interview!!! I think I've forgotten how to breathe!!

 

[wishspirit]

If Corey is reading this.....

DO A SEGMENT ON THE INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE PROGRAMME! You promised ages ago, and never got round to it. I am slowly running out of time!

 

[SweaterInJune]

I did the CP in Spring '07! It was the time of my life... I had such a great time that I'm moving back to work FT(in a different position though) in January. I wanted to do a PI, but I'm already finished with school, so no dice! Anyhow, I finsih my contract in Germany mid-November, then I'm home for the holidays, and onto FL! I have to stay w/friends until I can find a roommate... that's an inconvenience, but I'm sure it won't take too long. I was hoping to go it alone, but it's just too expensive solo.

Good luck!

Another good resource for questions, comments, or commiserating with other CP-hopefuls, is the college board on here if you haven't been to it yet... a lot of questions are answered! I'll be happy to answer whatever I can as well... Hope to see you both down there...

 

[Cinderella89]

Oh wow...I'm shaking so hard right now.... Has any one ever thrown up during a phone interview?

 

[aGoofyMom]

no throwing up on the phone - you don't want to disconnect it or short it out!

 

[SweaterInJune]

No, no! You'll be just fine... Remember to smile, take deep breaths, and rememebr your best Disney memories...

Trust me! The interviews aren't bad. In fact, I think they're fun...
Just think of it as talking to another Disney fan...or one of us on the boards! No big deal...they usually try to make them casual... don't worry...think of it as a conversation--NOT an interview...

Good Luck!

 

[timmac]

Be sure to let us know how it goes... we'll all be here watching the board waiting for your reply

 

[Cinderella89]

Well...that was rather painless.
I couldn't answer one question though. Ugh. Oh well. I don't think I'll be getting the role of character attendent. But it sounds like I might be working food service at the MK if I get in.

As long as I work at WDW. I'm happy.

Thank you everyone!

 

[exwdwcm]

good luck Ladies!

i did the program in the fall of 1996. i know, over 12 years ago, seems like yesterday. I worked at hollywood and vine cafeteria at MGM (we just did breakfast and lunch cafeteria style). i lived at vista way and had a blast. best experience of my life and i did 3 other internships outside of disney (marketing).

i can say, whatever past experience you have is where they will most likely place you- if you have retail experience, you will probably be put in merchandise. I requested everything except food/beverage, but i got stuck there since i had waited tables in college for years. it was my LAST choice, but they put you where you have related experience whether you like it or not. And you take what you get, since you are just so happy to go. lol I hear FGIT is the most difficult to get right now. of course that wasn't an option for me back in the day.

Just be personable, know your strengths, weaknesses and the disney way of customer service- the guest first!

oh and just for record- i had 5 roommates- 6 of us sharing a 3 bedroom. of the 6 of us- only 2 actually went back and finished college. so much for the 'college program'. lol 2 of my roomies were already on their second program. one still works for disney 12 years later- she contracts out with kodak at the imagination pavilion as that mad scientist camera act after the ride. she also does a variety of shows/parades etc. She worked characters when i was there. The other roomie ended up in guest relations, then the american ambassador and then disney weddings. her ex girlfriend is now the disney world ambassador (only one chosen!!), very cool! another roomie we lost touch with (she was in culinary) and the other two are now teachers and mothers. But funny how 2 out of 6 stayed at disney. I wish i could have, but i was about to graduate.

btw- we did have a few older students in our program. They went back to school and still got on the program! These were students in their 40s and 50s. not sure they still offer that, but i can't see why not, since the original point of the program was basically to find more available labor.

 

[Cinderella89]

Oh thank god!

She asked me a question about if I were busing tables, there was a spill, and guests asking questions. I said that I would mop up the spill and answer costumer questions before busing since guests and guests safety comes first.

 

[exwdwcm]

We'll have to see how it works out. I do have some family in Ormond Beach, but I also have a little sister who'd I miss terribly. But...I could always go to FSU after finishing up community school. I'm just worried about the lack of pay and how much it costs to live. But I last time I researched employee wages was somewhere around five years ago so they could have changed it since.

btw- i just got out of debt about 3 years ago and most of it was accumulated while on my program. when you are making min wage and they are taking your rent/utilities out of your check, you are left with VERY LITTLE. barely enough to buy groceries and really not anything for fun or shopping. So my CC was my best friend, especially when we got the special cast member holiday discount in december (50% off!). i went a little nuts. It is NOT a money making experience by any means, in fact you will probably come out in debt or need some help. save up now to supplement. it is so worth it no matter what though. the experience itself can't be counted in dollars or cents. I still have it on my resume at the very bottom even after I now have 10 years of work experience and I still get questions about it. Employers are impressed by it. in fact i start a new job in 2 weeks as a Director of Marketing and they asked about it in my interview.

 

[SweaterInJune]

They take CPs of all ages still

It's such a great time... I can't wait to get back and begin working for the mouse again! I'm just trying to decide what I want to do. I worked attractions last time and had a blast, but I need to make a little bit more than $7.25 an hour...although, if I recall there is a premium if you work a spieling attraction, so that could work as I've already worked in that caliber of attraction.

Otherwise, I'm considering Front Desk(I hear it's a good step towards Guest Relations which is where I want to be, aside from imagineering). Also, looking at Cosmetology. I have experience with wigs and make-up...this could help me to connect with people in Imagineering if I get assigned to work on the animatronics. Possibly BBB, but I don't know if I'd be best-suited there...

I guess I need to call casting and discuss this with them...and have some questions answered before I set my heart on something...