Today there was a program at my school for people who have been accepted into the program. There was a good number of people and I was surprised at how many people were accepted into QSFB but then found out that food and beverage is 20% of business at Disney!
We talked to the recruiter and some CP alumni. They gave tons of valuable information. First of all they recommend arriving at the Orlando International Airport. From here we can take
Mears Transportation to Vista. If you're arriving the night before, the
Holiday Inn Sunspree is right across the street.
Day 1 The gates to Vista Way open at 8am so in my opinion it's pointless to get there earlier than that. Also, according to them you dont have to be in the
Disney Look while checking in, they'll simply point out what's 'wrong' about your outfit, hair, any visible/excessive piercings, etc... We were told that the check in process takes approx 4 hours! You can eliminate some time by printing out and completing the On-Board Paperwork that is downloadable from the
Disney College Program Cast Member page. You also need to bring various forms of identification which include a passport, a state ID with your birth date, Social Security Card, and if you opt to bring your Birth Certificate you must make sure it is the original; it must have a raised seal on it.
The first 250 students get assigned to welcome session 1 which takes place on the first day and is 2 hours long...that's a total of 6 hours! I'm not sure if I would rather be early and get it all over with or split it up and be in welcome session 2 that is held the next day.
Day 2 is a day to finish unpacking and to relax at the pool and pizza parties that will be held. This is also the day that people can fix any
Disney Look issues they have.
Day 3 is usually when Traditions is held. This is 4 hours. I see we're going to be given tons of info in a few short days! I hope I can remember it all! You must dress business casual for this and meet Disney Look guidelines. They're so serious about this look that they even have vending machines with razors, panty hose and deodorant in them! This is also the day that all of our Disney benefits kick in such as our complimentary cast member park pass. Our main entrance pass that we use to get friends and family into the park is mailed to us and will arrive about 2 weeks from this date.
Day 4 consists of on the job training
We also found out that Cast Members no longer receive paper pay checks. It is also no longer necessary to have a bank account at a local bank because we now receive pay cards. These are like credit cards, one alumni said his was Visa. You can set this up to transfer into your bank account, you can set it up so your rent gets deducted from it, etc...
We then talked about packing and were surprised to learn that once you get down there you should NOT open your windows in the apartments. The AC could frost over and shut down. For those who have never been to Florida in the summer: temperatures are typically over 100 degrees! Basically for the first few days everyone and their mother (literally) will be at the local Walmart, Walgreens, and whatever other stores trying to get things for their apartments so it is a very good idea to bring enough to hold oyu over for the first couple of days so that you can avoid the crowds. We were also advised to pack more than 1 sweatshirt because after dealing with 90 and 80 degree temperatures for months 50s and 60s will fell very cold. We will also need a combination lock for the lockers we will be assigned in our closets.
Because we will need to constantly carry our housing and cast ID with us it is a good idea to buy a lanyard so that we can easily keep track of them.
Other things w talked about were really random, they allowed us to ask questions. If this session is ever offered at your school or in your area I highly recommend going. It is your chance to ask whatever questions you may have and to get lots of information before you arrive in Florida.
Last but not least we received something that was written by a former CPer. This CPer never finished the program because she was terminated. It shows that this is a job, not a paid vacation. Hopefully this will prevent others from making her mistakes!
