What do you do on your days off and before/after shifts?

[digsbyloft]

Wondering what CPers tend to do in their free time. Do you hang around at the parks or around your apartment? Is there stuff nearby to do that aren't the parks?

 

[Musings]

Personally I only go to the parks after my shift if I get off early enough. I tend to work nights or graveyard shifts, so I am sleeping before my shift. It also depends on your mode of transportation. You aren't allowed to walk around the parks in your costume, so you would need enough time to change. If you have a car, this is possible. Some CPers will grab lunch or dinner with friends who they work with. It all varies, mostly reliant on when you get off work.

 

[digsbyloft]

Do you come to work already in your costume or do you change there? I wonder wether disney allows cast members to ride the bus wearing their costumes etc. Do you get a locker at work to keep a bag and a change of clothes?

 

[Musings]

Do you come to work already in your costume or do you change there? I wonder wether disney allows cast members to ride the bus wearing their costumes etc. Do you get a locker at work to keep a bag and a change of clothes?

The Disney busses being the one that Disney provides to work - yes you can wear your costume to work. That is typically what I do. If you want to play in the parks, you have to get off the busses before they get to backstage areas. You just can't wear your costumes while wandering around the actual park unless you're working. Most locations do have lockers they provide, yes.

 

[BigDreamer]

When I did the DCP, I had NEVER before been to WDW, so I literally spent almost every day off in the parks and running around like crazy. The buses that the CP's use are completely different from the buses that guests use. ONLY CP's can use these buses, and as such, you must have your housing ID on you at all times (seriously, do not leave home with out it). This means you can wear your costume on the bus since only you and your fellow CP's will be there. You also take these same buses when going to the parks to play. Just try and be polite and let the workers get on the bus first if you're going to play. I have had MANY friends get left behind cause the bus filled up with people who were out playing, and there was no space left.

If you have a car, this is awesome! You can go to beaches, cities like St. Pete's, Miami, Daytona, etc. Other parks such as Busch Garden in Tampa, and lots of people get a year long pass for Universal Studios (it's only like 25 min away). If you don't have a car, then make friends with someone who has a car. And offer them bribes to drive you places. Otherwise you'll be dependent on the side trips that Housing plans roughly once a month. They do have a bus that runs to the mall like twice a week, but it's a very random time. If you live in Chath or Patt, you can walk to the outlet mall.

 

[Hollsey]

I second what others said, and if you don't mind walking, there's some things you can do in the area as well. My friends and I walked from Vista to Golden Corral once and that was a lot of fun, haha. And we also liked walking from The Commons to Panera a lot (it could be a 20 minute walk if you take your time, but it was SO WORTH IT). Another friend of mine really liked the I-Ride Trolley. There's a pick-up location at Publix, and she used it to go to places that the CP bus might not go to. The trip could be an hour one way, but she really liked exploring things so I Don't think it bothered her too much!

But I second finding a friend with a car if you don't bring your own. One of my friends was PT and drove me, another one of our PT friends, and another CP to Crystal River and we swam with manatees, which was a ton of fun! (And an easy day trip.) A few of the CPs that I worked with had cars, and since we all worked nights we would go every couple of weeks to Steak and Shake at 1:30 in the morning (it's down the street from Vista) and I have a lot of memories from that. I think IHOP is a big one for CPs, too. We went in our costume, but we just took off our hats, aprons, and our name tags.

And the outlets! So many trips to the outlets and so many wonderful finds. The parking garage is right across the street from the Commons, so it's an easy bus ride from Vista or a super easy walk from Chatham. (We also walked to Publix a lot from Chatham. Would not recommend if you live at Vista, but if it's a nice day out and you only need a few things...)

Since all my friends and I worked nights at a Resort, we usually slept late, but on occasion we'd go crazy and we'd hit the parks early. We'd just take a bag with our costume in it and then stick them in the Guest lockers (They were free, I'm not sure if that changed or not), and then we'd take the Guest bus over to work and change there. It made for really, really long days, but some of the best memories!

 

[leeg229]

Wondering what CPers tend to do in their free time. Do you hang around at the parks or around your apartment? Is there stuff nearby to do that aren't the parks?

In the beginning it was all parks all the time. One time I rode Rock n Roller Coaster 6 or 7 times in a row then ran to Take 5 to change and headed to work. Hitting the parks every off day got less common after a while but still really fun. I started seeing a CP who worked in the same area with me (I know, I know) and me and her would venture out into Orlando and the surrounding area on our off days hitting the mall, drive in movie theater, beaches, dave and busters, etc... I had a car so it was easy to do all of that. My roommates and I would go out and play mini golf or see movies downtown. My sister's softball team came down to play in a tournament at the Wide World of Sports Complex so I went over there watched her play. There is TONS to do other than just the parks.

You are allowed to wear your costume to work and the parks offer you a locker room to change if you need and small lockers in your work area to keep your personal belongings.

 

[jenniy122]

I second what others said, and if you don't mind walking, there's some things you can do in the area as well. My friends and I walked from Vista to Golden Corral once and that was a lot of fun, haha. And we also liked walking from The Commons to Panera a lot (it could be a 20 minute walk if you take your time, but it was SO WORTH IT)
And the outlets! So many trips to the outlets and so many wonderful finds. The parking garage is right across the street from the Commons, so it's an easy bus ride from Vista or a super easy walk from Chatham. (We also walked to Publix a lot from Chatham. Would not recommend if you live at Vista, but if it's a nice day out and you only need a few things...)

I'm so happy to hear you can walk places! I live in the city so I'm no stranger to walking a lot, but I didn't know if anywhere would be close/accessible enough.

 

[Hollsey]

I'm so happy to hear you can walk places! I live in the city so I'm no stranger to walking a lot, but I didn't know if anywhere would be close/accessible enough.

Oh yeah! It's mainly restaurants, but I walked a lot because, let's face it, Florida weather is pretty awesome! If you live at Vista (like I did), there's a Walgreens that's right across the street (and you'd look ridiculous taking your car there, honestly), so I walked there constantly, and there's also a Starbucks across the street from Vista that I think I went to a lot. If you live at Chatham/Patterson, there's a Starbucks in the outlets (I did so much research before my program and found out the close proximity to one once I got there).

 

[RogerRadcliffe]

What must-do lists would prevous/current CP's and CM's recommend accomplishing during the College Program?

I found the list originally and it included things like people watching, but I can't seem to find it anymore...

Oh yeah! It's mainly restaurants, but I walked a lot because, let's face it, Florida weather is pretty awesome! If you live at Vista (like I did), there's a Walgreens that's right across the street (and you'd look ridiculous taking your car there, honestly), so I walked there constantly, and there's also a Starbucks across the street from Vista that I think I went to a lot. If you live at Chatham/Patterson, there's a Starbucks in the outlets (I did so much research before my program and found out the close proximity to one once I got there).

Really great to know that there's a CVS within walking distance, as I'll need to take a trip every other week or so if I can't get extras.

Thanks, and Have a Magical Day!

 

[leebee]

We've been to Disney a LOT (26? trips) but I have no idea where Vista, Chatham, and Patterson are. Is it safe to walk in this area to shops/restaurants after dark? Not that DD would be walking around alone at 2am, but it gets dark by 5pm in the winter. Hopefully she'll have a car, but as she's just now getting her license... don't know!

 

[Musings]

We've been to Disney a LOT (26? trips) but I have no idea where Vista, Chatham, and Patterson are. Is it safe to walk in this area to shops/restaurants after dark? Not that DD would be walking around alone at 2am, but it gets dark by 5pm in the winter. Hopefully she'll have a car, but as she's just now getting her license... don't know!

In Chatham/Patterson, outlets/stores are a bit away. I would not suggest walking alone in the dark but walk with a friend. By a bit away, I mean about 2 blocks. The supermarket is close by and in Chatham, you can rent a wagon to haul the groceries back! I enjoy that.

 

[leeg229]

We've been to Disney a LOT (26? trips) but I have no idea where Vista, Chatham, and Patterson are. Is it safe to walk in this area to shops/restaurants after dark? Not that DD would be walking around alone at 2am, but it gets dark by 5pm in the winter. Hopefully she'll have a car, but as she's just now getting her license... don't know!

I have to stress how much care you need to have when crossing the street going from Vista to Applebees. I hate bringing it up but an ICP from China was struck and killed by a hit and run driver that ran a red light at night right outside of Vista. I don't say this to scare anyone but to highlight the need to pay extra careful attention when you're in an area with tourists who are unfamiliar with where they're going and in a rush to get to their destination.

Here is a map of the locations of where Vista Chatham The Commons and Patterson are. Downtown Disney looks like it's close but in reality it's a solid 7-8 minutes drive and easily an hour or so walk.

 

[taythegibs]

I have to stress how much care you need to have when crossing the street going from Vista to Applebees. I hate bringing it up but an ICP from China was struck and killed by a hit and run driver that ran a red light at night right outside of Vista. I don't say this to scare anyone but to highlight the need to pay extra careful attention when you're in an area with tourists who are unfamiliar with where they're going and in a rush to get to their destination.

Here is a map of the locations of where Vista Chatham The Commons and Patterson are. Downtown Disney looks like it's close but in reality it's a solid 7-8 minutes drive and easily an hour or so walk.

x2 on the bolded part, she was from my area. Drivers in the area are HORRIBLE, ive had a close call or two, one was a new cp who drove up onto the sidewalk taking pictures.

I am not a small guy by any means but i was hesitant to walk around past about 11, but there really isn't much reason to be walking around that late. There is a pretty steady stream of cp's walking to and from publix until around 8 and as long as one keeps a conscious eye about themselves and pay attention to where you are going you should be fine.