#dcp fall 2012

*I wrote this for a good friend and wanted to share. 

Okay - I could talk about the program for days!  The application is in three parts. There's an application (which is easy peasy), a web based interview, and a phone interview. I wasn't intimidated by the web based interview at all- except that I just found out one of my good friends from the program applied again for next spring and she failed the web based interview - even though she's already done the program once! So that really stinks! 

If you do pass the web based interview you get to schedule a phone interview. For me it was pretty stress free- they ask a few questions and I'm pretty sure they know if they want to hire you right away. She asked me why I wanted to do the program, what role I wanted if I had ever had roommates before, and then if I had any tattoos...that was all the interview was! 

One of the earliest steps is to decide what you want to do in the program. You rank all of the roles into high, moderate, low, and no interest at all. If you do not want to do something I can not stress it to you enough DO NOT give it any interest. Don't think that you won't get in just because you don't put a lot of things in your interests! This is how I ranked all of the options. 

High: Character Performer, BBBoutique Hostess Moderate: Attractions, Merchandise, Main entrance operations, character attendant Low: quick-service food/beverage, lifeguard, recreation, full service food/beverage, hospitality, concierge No: custodial, photopass photographer, housekeeping, hopper, bell service, vacation planner, costuming, transportation 

I can give you the nitty gritty about some of the positions too! You hear a lot about other peoples jobs and how great/terrible the are! 

Okay so I highly recommend the program but I know there are some people who don't like it at all- there's always going to be some people who love it and some people who hate it. Lots of people leave before their program is up and lots of people extend for another program. The only reason I didn't stay is because I thought that I needed to get a real job and I would have wanted to switch locations (which is hard to do in back to back programs)

If you want to work, play, and live in Disney - do this program. If you want to play, live, and work in Disney - don't do this program. Does that make sense? You will work a lot- assume that you'll never have time to go to the parks or have any fun and then you'll be surprised at your days off and the amazing things you get to do! 

I am very glad that I did my program after I graduated. I would NOT have wanted to go back to school after my semester at Disney!  One that that I should have expected but would have liked to know before is that people joke that CP stands for Close Park. And it most certainly does. As a CP you will almost always be scheduled for the closing shifts. That means if you're working in retail at downtown Disney and the stores don't close until 1 am you will most certainly work from like 5pm to 2am. If you work at attractions in Animal Kingdom they almost always close that park by 7...so your shifts will most likely be 10am to 7:30pm. 

You don't get off weekends but you do get a weekend. I always got two days off in a row and it was almost always Thursday and Friday- so Wednesday was "my Friday" and I worked in a building that closed at 7pm so I was always scheduled until 7:30pm - sometimes my shifts started at 1:30pm, sometimes 10am, and the occasional 7:00am (those days aren't as bad as they sound) 

We’re staying in a hotel pretty much across the street from where I need to be tomorrow which is great. And apparently there are a bunch of other DCP people here, too.

I hope you’re all freaking out as much as I am!

pardon the title.

anywho, I saw what seemed to be a DCP alumni-type survey on the Disney College Program tag, and just thought I'd join in!

1 Name: Angela

2 Age: 21

3 When did you do the college program? Fall 2012

4 Did you live in Vista Way or Chatham Square or Patterson? Chatham Square

5 Did you get along with all of your roommates? There were some differences between a few of us in my first apartment, but luckily I was about to turn 21 right in the middle of when the issues took place, so I got a free move to another apartment right around my birthday. I was much closer with those girls.

6 Who was your favorite roommate? Oh I can't pick just one! They're all very sweet, and the girls in my first apartment will always have a special place in my heart too.

7 Where did you work? I was a Tour Guide on The Great Movie Ride in Hollywood Studios!

8 Were you good at your role? I think so. I had a tough time mentally/emotionally for some of my program, so things that shouldn't have bothered me at work, did. I really hope I didn't express that at all to the guests, because I did adore my job.

9 Best thing about working there? YOU'RE IN DISNEY WORLD! Every time I'd be in a poopy mood I'd go outside and there's the Mickey hat. I mean...it's not the best icon exactly...but it's Mickey!

10 Worst thing about working there? Nothing. I would say the occasional rude guest, but I miss them too! 

11 Who was your favorite manager? Loved them all.

12 Were you friends with your coworkers? YES. I felt like shouting that, because I loved them so much.

13 Who was your closest coworker friend? Ooo, I don't know! I became really close mostly with the other CPs, but everyone else was like family too, so yeah.

14 Did you have a crush on any of your coworkers? I did, at the time. The second I got home I was like...why. 

15 Was there anyone you would have liked to hook up with/date? I mean I would have liked to in general...I would have loved to be one of those people who finds their Prince Charming during the program, but now that I think about it, it would have been pretty inconvenient.  

16 Ever had a guest get mad at you? I can think of this one time when there was somewhat of a hold up in preshow, and by the time this old guy got to me I said, "sorry for the wait!" and he stopped in his tracks, turned to me and goes, "bull. shit." I was stunned silent. 

17 Ever get a reprimand? Yes, one attendance reprimand. I regret it oh so much :(

Your Favorites:

18 Park:  Magic Kingdom

19 Parade: Electrical Light Parade

20 Hollywood Studios show: Fantasmic 

21 Disney Character: Tigger

22 Land in the Magic Kingdom:  Tomorrowland

23 Country in the World Showcase: NERVEY

24 Your top 5 favorite attractions: 

Tower of Terror

Test Track

Space Mountain

Splash Mountain

Rockin' Roller Coaster

  Did You Ever:

25 Eat at the Sci Fi Dine in Theater: Probably more than I should have.

26 Go on the Carousel of Progress: Yes

27 Ride the Tomorrowland Transit Authority: Of course

28 Eat a Turkey Leg? I'd rather eat my own leg

29 Figure out what the Splash Mountain song is really saying: Yes, I've known it by heart since I was little. Also memorizing all the pre-shows is a fun activity. Don't say them out loud when there's a lot of people there though, because then you're just annoying.

30 Take any Disney classes: Yes, Entertainment Show Production. AMAZING.

31 Take the bus: Nope, thanks to Peter the car. *goes outside and high fives Peter*

32 Ever seen someone famous: Sarah Hyland from Modern Family was on the show in front of mine, twice I think.

33 Do something you weren’t supposed to do on a ride: No, but I high-fived the T-rex in Dinosaur (didn't actually touch him) which I think is awesome.

34 Would you ever consider moving to Orlando? Maybe, we shall see.

35 Would you ever do another College Program? Yes. I'll be applying for both Disneyland and WDW, Fall 2014 :)

36 Would you ever do a Professional Internship? Perhaps

37 Are you a campus rep? Nope :(

On my very last day, I visited my coworkers for the last time. They told me to go on something big, Splash Mountain big, because "GO BIG OR GO HOME"

Today was a fabulous day!! 

We started off going to Cast Connections which is the cast member discount store where you can find amazing discounted disney merchandise!!

Then we parked at the Grand Floridian and walked around the lobby and such. And BOY was it gorgeous!!! I was in awe of everything and immediately felt rich and classy the second we walked in! They were doing some construction so the beach area was closed off which was really sad because last year they had hammocks and such to lay on the beach.

Then we drove to the Polynesian and went out on the beach and sat in a hammock in the sun listening to the waves lap up on the beach with Cinderella's castle in the distance. i have to say it was one of the most peaceful and blissful moments of my life. In that moment i was truly able to appreciate my life here in disney and how happy i am! after that we walked around the lobby and explored and checked out all the yummy places they have to eat there! Honestly it made me miss Hawaii though!

On our way back we passed the Port Orleans Riverside hotel and decided last minute to go explore! So we parked and walked through the lobby which was so cute! there was a little boardwalk area that reminded me so much of louisiana (which was their goal i believe) and each little hotel area was built like a true southern mansion right out of Gone With the Wind. There was a cute path along the River that led to Port Orleans French Quarter. The hotel buildings there were fun colored and everything was New Orleans themed! So cute!! it was special to us because we just went through New Orleans on our roadtrip!! there was a cute quick service food place there that served beignets (not as good as the real ones in new orleans hehe) and the cement paths to and from the hotel rooms was shaped like little streets, like you were actually walking through the streets of New Orleans!! the amount of detail disney puts into everything is impeccable.

A couple hours after all that we drove to the Animal Kingdom Lodge to meet my Uncle Steve who was in Orlando on business for dinner at Boma. Boma is an African themed buffet. It was a little overrun with kids but that was easy to get over. We got drinks at the bar before and we ordered specialty drinks from the Animal Kingdom Lodge! Mine was a berry vodka cocktail with agave nectar yummmm

Boma is a giant 5 star buffet, because I'm vegan the chef came to our table personally and took me on a tour telling me what i could eat which was actually A TON!!!!

Some of the food we had tonight was saffron rice, curried cabbage and veggies, fresh salmon, beef and lamb casserole, quinoa spinach salad, artichoke heart olive salad, sun dried tomato hummus, white bean baba ganoush, salad bar with apple vinnagrette, mango vinagrette, chile cilantro vinagrette, falafel, couscous, and for dessert there were little pastries but the best one according to Kara and my uncle was this little Zebra Dome pastry that had cinnamon and white chocolate and some sort of chocolate mousse!! safe to say we were absolutely stuffed!! 4 hours later and kara and i are laying in bed still feeling like beached whales.

After dinner we walked around the lodge and thanks to a manager we talked to at dinner we learned about this cool night vision savannah sighting. The lodge has a whole savannah full of animals from giraffes to lions! And at night there have these amazing night vision goggles (yes the ones where you see green and can see in the dark!!) and we saw an antelope type animal called an Eland and a giraffe and wildebeest! We even talked to the Safari guide there who was from Botswana. He and my uncle bonded because my Uncle had been to Africa and Botswana. Amazing the people you will meet at disney world.

overall is was an AMAZING day and truly made me appreciate all that we can do around where we live. there is always something to see and do!! :)

YIPPEEE!!!! We plan to spend the whole day in Magic Kingdom then Downtown Disney for dinner nomzzz I've been waiting my whole life to spend my birthday in a Disney Park! Dreams really do come true!!

So somehow i ended up getting 3 guest service fanatic cards today (GSF cards)!!! Those are basically where you get recognized for great guest service. I got one from my manager, one from a coordinator and one from a coworker! I didn't get any my last program and i made a goal for myself to get a least one this program and now i have 4! They stress in my location the four keys (safety, courtesy, show and efficiency) so if we demonstrate those we can get recognized! Those four keys are get to think about for life in general too! I've become even more friendly since I've started my program! It really says a lot to just go up to a family and ask about their day and a little bit about themselves, you will learn SO MUCH! 

I helped a family find these little figurines for these 2 little girls back in Australia who lost their dad in the floods in Australia. All the girls wanted were a Tinkerbell figurine and a Minnie one. It felt so great to make their day! 

xx, Miranda

Hello everyone! just chuggin along working our little booties off! 

We went to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party on Friday! and boy was it amazing and worth the money! I worked from 8:30-6 then our roommate Tori picked me up and we met Kara and her boyfriend and our friend Megan in Magic Kingdom! It was so trippy seeing everyone walking around in costumes, I'm deffo not used to seeing Disney characters EVERYWHERE! I kept almost running to get pics with characters but then they were just normal guests hahaha the atmosphere on Main Street was unbelievable and entirely spooky and Halloweeny! It was very overwhelming but utterly awesome! Disney sure knows how to do Holidays.

We got in line to meet Gaston (who was real cute and had the best facial expressions) then we saw the villain show in front of the castle which was AWESOME and basically the villians jammin to their songs and doing really cool dances with back up dancers in awesome tutus! we then went and got a bunch of candy around the park (they were pretty stingy if i dont say so myself) and we also met the 7 dwarves which was rare!!!

But our ABSOLUTE FAVORITE part of the whole night was the parade. its very rare you see a disney parade for the first time (pretty sure we've seen the 3 o'clock parade at least 50 times). So that was amazing to see for the first time. They had tons of characters that never were out or never been in parades. Jack Sparrow had his own float and there was even a villain float! Oh and not to mention the parade song was the most adorable song in the world! BOO TO YOU!

Another highlight was meeting the hundred acre woods gang!!! Honestly we had more fun waiting in line watching the characters interact with the guests in front of us. A guest brought her little stuffed pooh and let pooh hold it. it was like mini me! SO PRESH! Kara snapped a marv pic of that moment. TIgger and Eeyore were having a dance battle too. it was great!