Question about departure dates

[PeaceLoveDisney]

Hey guys! So I have a question about the time frame of the spring program. I know there are multiple dates for arrival and departure but around when does the departure process start? Obviously those who have done a spring program in the past are the ones who will be able to help me out.

Basically, my brother will be graduating from high school, which is about the first week of June, and I don’t want to miss it. Would I be able to do the spring program and get a departure date early enough to attend his graduation or would I be pushing it?

I just need a general idea if I can continue with my plan of doing a spring program or if I need to start considering a fall program instead.

 

[epfootballcutie04]

The first departure dates for the regular spring program are around the end of May. I want to say this year was may 20th but I could be wrong. Then it's like the 1st or 2nd week in june, a couple in july and then the begining-middle of august

 

[PeaceLoveDisney]

Ok, that definitely helps. Here's another question. When it comes to picking a date, are there only a certain number of people who are allowed to leave each time? I mean, could I potentially get locked out of the date I would want to leave?

 

[krisTXyn]

The first departure dates for the regular spring program are around the end of May. I want to say this year was may 20th but I could be wrong. Then it's like the 1st or 2nd week in june, a couple in july and then the begining-middle of august

so if you choose to do spring advantage, and if you take classes, they would end around may right? so basically the summer would be spent living in the CP apt and working at WDW?

 

[epfootballcutie04]

Ok, that definitely helps. Here's another question. When it comes to picking a date, are there only a certain number of people who are allowed to leave each time? I mean, could I potentially get locked out of the date I would want to leave?

well, essentially there are only "x" amount of people allowed for each date to arrive and depart. When you get your acceptance letter you then log on to accept (or decline) the offer and that is when they will give you a list of available dates.

For me, I had the first dates available in Spring Advantage and they were January 21-Aug 7. I think it took a couple weeks for that date to fill up. You shouldn't have any problem if you apply right away... generally speaking if you apply right away and there are no problems with your application then you should be in the first or second batch of people to find out if they are accepted which would theoretically give you the best choices to pick from regarding arrival and departure dates.

If, for whatever reason, you need to leave the CP before your scheduled departure date you can talk to your leaders and see if they can set that up for you. I know one of my friends left 10 days early because she had to get back to school. If you work with Disney in a nice, respectful manner, they generally are happy to work for you

so if you choose to do spring advantage, and if you take classes, they would end around may right? so basically the summer would be spent living in the CP apt and working at WDW?

That is correct. I did spring advantage and classes started right away when I got down there and were for like 9 or 10 weeks... if you are regular spring you can take a total of 2 classes. If you are spring advantage you can take a total of 4 classes... as they have 2 different class sessions during the advantage program and you can take 2 classes during each session. Personally, I signed up for two classes right away but ended up dropping them both because I was a bit overwhelmed and hated having class time take up 4 hours of my days off

 

[krisTXyn]

That is correct. I did spring advantage and classes started right away when I got down there and were for like 9 or 10 weeks... if you are regular spring you can take a total of 2 classes. If you are spring advantage you can take a total of 4 classes... as they have 2 different class sessions during the advantage program and you can take 2 classes during each session. Personally, I signed up for two classes right away but ended up dropping them both because I was a bit overwhelmed and hated having class time take up 4 hours of my days off

ohh ok, thanks! yeah i'm not gonna lie i kind of only want to do SA because my birthday is at the end of june and i want to spend it at disney, lol

i have another question:
with the amt you worked, and how much you got paid, were you still able to afford everything? my parents are worried that i won't be able to afford my 150 a month car payment, and still have money for food and gas and whatnot.

 

[Toffy]

^I haven't done the CP myself, but here's a great blog post from Brenna that breaks down the costs for ya: http://brennailya.livejournal.com/24403.html

 

[krisTXyn]

^I haven't done the CP myself, but here's a great blog post from Brenna that breaks down the costs for ya: http://brennailya.livejournal.com/24403.html

but you get paid every two weeks right? :/ i'm hoping i'll be able to handle it, that or just try not to go out as much, like have game night and whatnot. lol

 

[PeaceLoveDisney]

well, essentially there are only "x" amount of people allowed for each date to arrive and depart. When you get your acceptance letter you then log on to accept (or decline) the offer and that is when they will give you a list of available dates.

For me, I had the first dates available in Spring Advantage and they were January 21-Aug 7. I think it took a couple weeks for that date to fill up. You shouldn't have any problem if you apply right away... generally speaking if you apply right away and there are no problems with your application then you should be in the first or second batch of people to find out if they are accepted which would theoretically give you the best choices to pick from regarding arrival and departure dates.

If, for whatever reason, you need to leave the CP before your scheduled departure date you can talk to your leaders and see if they can set that up for you. I know one of my friends left 10 days early because she had to get back to school. If you work with Disney in a nice, respectful manner, they generally are happy to work for you

Thank you so much. That gives me some good food for thought as I figure out when I want to do the program.

 

[epfootballcutie04]

ohh ok, thanks! yeah i'm not gonna lie i kind of only want to do SA because my birthday is at the end of june and i want to spend it at disney, lol

i have another question:
with the amt you worked, and how much you got paid, were you still able to afford everything? my parents are worried that i won't be able to afford my 150 a month car payment, and still have money for food and gas and whatnot.

well... the internship IS paid... but it's not very much and they take rent out of your checks. You get paid every week (think EPCOT... Every Paycheck Comes On Thursday) but my checks were a miracle if it hit 175 and i worked 40 hour work weeks. So... say that I got even 150/week... thats 600 a month. You COULD afford your car payment, but then think that youre living on your own so you have food to pay for, since you have a car, you'll have gas to pay for as well. Which at the time i left the Shell station right by the apartments was at 2.89, 2 weeks ago.

You'll also have to pay for any entertainment you want to partake in like movies, going out to eat, universal if that's something you're into same with seaworld... or whatever else your into.

Laundry isn't a big deal... it's a dollar to wash and a dollar to dry.

You just really have to break down your expenses week by week to see if it's something you can afford. Something else that might help a bit is if you lived in Vista since they have the cheapest rent.... even though chatham and Patterson aren't that much more

 

[DisneyGirl421]

I had a question about Fall dates... I graduate mid-may, but still want to be able to do the fall advantage. I also would like at least a week between graduation and leaving for the program, so I can see family as well as have time to pack my dorm/unpack at home/repack again for the cp. what's the latest date you could have for the fall adv?

 

[Joanna71985]

I had a question about Fall dates... I graduate mid-may, but still want to be able to do the fall advantage. I also would like at least a week between graduation and leaving for the program, so I can see family as well as have time to pack my dorm/unpack at home/repack again for the cp. what's the latest date you could have for the fall adv?

The dates vary every year, but the FA dates this year were May 20, and I believe May 27. The FA Quarter date was June 15.

 

[YesIStillLoveDisney]

The dates vary every year, but the FA dates this year were May 20, and I believe May 27. The FA Quarter date was June 15.

Actually, the June 15th date was for the regular Fall Advantage, not just quarter. I am not sure if that was also the start date for the quarter program as well but I know a lot of people who started that day and they were just plain Fall Advantage.

 

[Joanna71985]

It didn't start out that way though. I know in the beginning, people doing FA could only pick the 20th or 27th for the check in date.