Post Disney Depression

It's No Joke

     It's real, it's no myth, everyone leaving Disney will feel it, experience it and loathe it. We just spent 4-6 months living in a literal fantasyland. Minimal responsibilities, a livable wage for the DCP lifestyle and free access to a place where people spend thousands of dollars, travel thousands of miles, make major sacrifices just to visit. We all just lived the dream and took advantage of every second of it, and then it's all gone in the blink of an eye. It didn't fully hit me that it was all over until I pulled into my driveway and saw my house and had to unpack and realized I'm back in reality. Starting a full time job, moving to a new state again, building my own life and starting to take on real responsibilities. In relation to the DCP it sucks...bad. I have never had more fun, made better friends or been a happier human being than I was doing my DCP and now I'm on my own, all my friends back to their native states or extending their programs. The negatives of this time in our lives will greatly outweigh the positives, at least they did for me, but we all will find ways to combat that.

     Personally, I will never be shameful of where I came from and how much I love it, cherish it and value it. I go to my job everyday with a Mickey Mouse backpack with my Port Orleans Riverside key chain, my car keys have a Mickey Mouse key chain on them,  I will wear Disney World shirts to work and wear my Animal Kingdom hoody whenever the weather is right. I drink my coffee and eat my breakfast out of Disney mugs, I have a Simba sticker on my water bottle at work and my phone will forever have a wallpaper of my DCP family. I keep the photos from my DCP on my phone and reminisce when I've had a bad day at work on the train ride home. Call what I do what you want, but Disney asked so little of me and gave me so much in return I refuse to let anyone tell me I'm childish, immature or irrational. My co workers don't need to understand it, my family doesn't need to understand it, the people who understand are the ones I spent 4 months with...working, living and playing...forging the most real, legitimate friendships I have ever had in my lifetime. The early years of my life never gave me this, college gave me little of this, Disney is where I met real people who I really care about and feel the same way about me. I'd do anything for these people no matter the circumstances, they are more meaningful to me than they will ever know. For as long as I am connected to them through social media and have ways to contact them I will never lose touch, they are irreplaceable friends who saw me for who I was, both at work as a professional and outside of work as a 21 year old child. They ask me to jump, I'll ask how high.

     I think we will all go into our DCP expecting to have a ton of fun, and we do. But I don't think anyone expects the impact and value it will have on our personal lives, from the relationships forged, the life lessons we learn, this is a time to not take for granted. We will all hit rough patches, times where we're down and want to crawl into hole, even in Disney, but those are outnumbered by the moments of euphoric joy experienced during our DCP.

     During those final days, those waning hours of your DCP, spend them with the ones you know you will miss the most and do what everyone will enjoy. For me, this was my Port Fam, we forged a bond that you can't break. As time went on and drew shorter, we became closer and closer until by the final week of our program we wondered why we hadn't been hanging out outside of work the past 4 months, but rather than look back and regret...look forward and plan. Plan to see each other again, plan to do that Disney Vacation together, never lose touch. We all went back to our homes into completely different stages of life, back to college, into the real world, where ever life had us going next. But we never lose sight of where we met and came from.

     After all of this, a rant about my feelings towards my DCP, not a day goes by I don't sit back and smile and remember why I love it all so much. Whether it be from a Snapchat, a Facebook or Insta post, or just looking back at the photos of the good times I had, as sad as it is we are no longer there, I will never be happier I got there and did it all, met the friends I did and made the memories I have. Now I look forward to the next times I'll talk to my DCP family and when we can plan to see each other again and we can all reminisce together on one of the most valuable times of our lives.

     To my Port Fam, my roommates, my neighbors and anyone who I had the pleasure of spending time with during my DCP....you have all had an impact on my life I cannot express, no one is ever forgotten in my memory and I will never take our time spent together for granted.

Everything I Did, Everything I Bought

Kept track of it all...

     I knew of people who did this before I got to Disney and thought why not do it myself, so I did. I kept notes in my phone for each day I went to a park and which ones I went to, and another for each of the parks and how many times I went on the rides. Out of the 123 days I had my main gate, I went to the parks 60 of those days.

    

     I lived up to all of my expectations and then some and it is fun to look back at everything I did during my time at Disney. On top of all the visits I had to the parks, I also made plenty of purchases to represent my connection and love for Disney at home. All of my merchandise purchases were:

• Walt Disney World Mug
• Mickey Mouse Mug
• Port Orleans Riverside Mug
• Animal Kingdom Starbucks Mug
• Mickey Mouse Keychain
• Port Orleans Keychain
• Magic Kingdom Lands Magnets
• Walt Disney World Magnet
• Cast Member Magnet
• Sorcerer Mickey Ears Magnet
• Mickey Mouse Long Sleeve Shirt
• Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party Shirt
• Walt Disney World T-Shirt
• EPCOT Food & Wine T-Shirt
• Mickey Mouse Hoody
• Animal Kingdom Hoody
• Star Wars Snapback
• Duff Beer Pint Glass
• Duff Beer Tank Top
• Sorcerer Mickey Puzzle
• Fantasmic Pin
• Steamboat Willy Pin
• Splash Mountain Pin
• Kilimanjaro Safari Pin
• Squirt Pin
• Buzz & Woody WDW Pin
• Green Alien Christmas Ornament
• Hakuna Matata Lion King Painting

      And that was it, blew tons of money on all that to remember it by and do not regret a single penny of it.

The Bittersweet End

How bittersweet, yet fun it was...

     My final night in Disney, where I went from counting days to counting hours. I did the Wild Africa Trek that morning and by the time I returned to my apartment around 2ish, the texts were flowing about who was making it to Magic Kingdom that night and when. Once most of my Port Orleans family was confirmed to show up, I just left on my own and would eventually meet them all there. At this point I just wanted to soak it all in and enjoy it one final time before it was all over.

     

     I got in, immediately rode Buzz Lightyear and The Little Mermaid and then my family started coming in. We met up and started having the night of our lives, did Mickey's Philharmagic, Haunted Mansion, It's A Small World (stopped for food), Jungle Cruise, Buzz Lightyear and then made our way back to Main Street so we could make some final purchases and prepare to watch Wishes. We were having a blast on Main Street, I got one last Mickey Bar, we took some group photos and then Celebrate The Magic started. Next thing you know a bunch of early 20 something year olds are belting out "Let It Go" with no shame. And then Wishes started, everyone gazing up and I know I was nearly crying again but managed to keep it together. Once it was over, I had to say my final farewells and then go to Beaches and Cream to meet up with my roommates. It was sad, it hurt, but we all knew it had to happen eventually.

     The rest of that night was depressing, I made it to Beaches and Cream and my roommates  (who extended) could clearly see I was pretty upset. So we just hung out and talked for a while, eating our ice cream and we finally left and I had to spend the rest of my evening packing my things, I had a train to catch the following afternoon. As upset as I was to leave Disney and everyone I met behind, I was happy to finally be headed back to my family.

The Countdown to the End

Expect it, but embrace it...

     As my days become less and less, it begins to sink in more and more that leaving is inevitable and I will miss everything about my CP so much. It has been 4 months of a working vacation, minimal responsibilities, amazing friends and nothing but fun. What's most upsetting is how close I have become with my fellow CPs from Port Orleans in the last month. Sure we talked at work, but it wasn't until December that we all started becoming best friends, went to the parks together and now it's all ending. I have to try and squeeze so much into such a small amount of time to take advantage of the time I have left with these friends and it's bittersweet.

     It becomes more and more apparent as the days dwindle that each time I'm in one of the parks could be my last, I don't know when I will be back at Disney to have as much fun as I have had these past 4 months. Knowing this, I capitalized on every opportunity I had, to do the parks with as many of my friends as possible and the last two weeks of my program were my best. I went to the parks before work, after work, on all my days off and made the effort to do them with as many friends as possible. At this point I realized I did not know if or when I would see these people again, so I didn't want to regret anything during my final days.

     Even with the days dwindling though, they are becoming some of the best days I have had since I got to Disney. Work is even more fun because, knowing we are all leaving soon, we are just having fun getting to work with each other everyday and making the most of it. We have all started looking forward to our final days of work because we know we will be spending time with each other and we know how to make work almost as fun as being at the parks together.

     I will also be real, expect the waterworks to flow during this time because the floodgates opened when the days became numbered. Especially with my co workers, specifically around Christmas when we were missing our families and accepting we were leaving, we were all upset. Tears were shed at work quite often. But, having each other around, knowing we were all feeling the same way gave everyone comfort, we could all relate. To relieve some of the depression we went bowling after work on Christmas Eve, and it really brought us close together and we forgot about how much we missed our families.

       I remember one of my final days off, I ended up at EPCOT that evening on my own because everyone had work. This night was for me, I went to Morocco for dinner, finally went to see The American Adventure for the first time and when I exited, I lost it. Walking through World Showcase talking to my mom on the phone, within minutes I was sitting between China and Norway bawling to my mom about how hard it is to leave. The friends I made here are the best I've ever had and leaving them and all the fun behind is not easy. When I finally pulled myself together, I went to The Seas and walked around before watching Illuminations one last time.

     After all of that, I knew I still had about a week left until my departure. And with plans nearly all these days, I could still look back at my CP and know I had no regrets and made the most of my time here.

Save Money NOW, You'll Need it When You're Here

I know it isn't easy...

     It's difficult, it's not fun, but if you wanna make the most of your DCP I highly advise saving as much as possible leading up to it so you aren't restricted by financial difficulties. Now, I know everyone comes from different financial situations and this isn't the same for all, but do whatever you can...the last thing you wanna tell people when they offer up something to do is say, "I can't I have no money."

     I can almost guarantee the paychecks you will see when your doing your DCP will be the smallest you'll see for your entire life. They basically give you just enough to get by and everything else you better have saved up for. Especially since everything in the parks (primarily food) is so darn expensive, having money is even more crucial.

     My advice, don't spend unless you need to, and buy all your souvenirs toward the end. Especially if you are doing the fall program, your extra 40% merchandise discount will kick in midway thru October so buying anything before that is just silly.  Waiting also gives you time to determine if you really want or need some of these items. I basically inventoried everything I saw throughout the shops at Disney and toward the end decided what I really wanted and didn't want and bought it all selectively as I came across it again

     At the end of the day, most of the souvenirs I bought, were purchased with money I saved prior to arriving, not money I earned working with Disney. So do your best to save and you will have a much more flexible lifestyle during your DCP.

Rationalizing a Universal Pass

To buy or not to buy...

     Rationalizing getting a Universal pass will depend a lot on how your roommates and friends feel about it. Also how much you really, honestly expect to be going to Universal.

     For me, I knew I was going enough times for it to pay itself off so it just made sense, also having a car made it very accessible for me. I dropped a little over $300 on mine because I got the one that included parking and knew I'd be the one driving most of the time.

     Also, most of the friends I ended up making also talked about getting them so I knew I'd have people to go with. And I couldn't have been happier with my investment, I went about 6 times and had a blast, got some great merchandise and made the most of it. I'm just a theme park junkie in general and knowing how close I was to Universal, there was no way I wasn't gonna get a pass!

Don't Be Afraid to do the Parks Alone!

You won't regret it...

     There will be times where everyone you may wanna go to the parks with is either working, doing something with other people or just being straight up lazy and boring. When this is the case, especially on your days off, don't be afraid to fly solo at the parks. And honestly sometimes you need those days to yourself just to decompress from work and not worry about being social, just keep to yourself.

     At first it can be daunting and scary, most of us are raised to be taught that going out to do things requires someone to do it with. As I got older I realized this can hinder my ability to enjoy life, and became very true during my CP. I couldn't let other people's lack of willingness to go out, stop me from having fun.

     Another beauty of going alone, you can do whatever YOU want to do without anyone judging you for it. Browse the shops, meet your favorite characters, ride your favorite ride it's all up to you. One of the best things for me to do if I was ever stressed or frustrated for some reason...I went to EPCOT and rode The Seas with Nemo and Friends and would just spend time wandering the pavilion. It's my favorite movie and I love fish & aquariums so it just helped me relax. Your version of this may be different, but find what that is for you and when you need time to yourself, do your thing.

     I felt the same way about Animal Kingdom, I loved going alone because it was my favorite park and I could just do whatever I want. I loved riding Kilimanjaro Safaris and seeing The Festival of the Lion King, both I enjoyed over and over again on my own because I was such a morning person and got to the park early. One of the best moments I witnessed when out on my own, during the end of The Festival of the Lion King, when the performers pull the kids out of the bleachers to dance around, at the end they pulled some of them toward the float with Simba on it and had them wave at him, It was mind blowing to me and just pure Disney magic for Simba to wave back at them, it may have been small and not many people may have witnessed it, but it was awesome to see!

     You can also take your time and really observe and take in the parks. There is so much to see at all the parks you could spend hours just wandering around and not ride a single ride. Don't miss these opportunities, I promise going to the parks alone can be much more fun and enjoyable than you may originally think!

Breaking the CP Stigma

You're a CP...and everyone knows it

     It's just a fact, at the start of your CP it's gonna be a little uncomfortable going into your new workplace that will most likely be temporary while you are surrounded by people who do it full time. It took me weeks to feel fully comfortable and accepted in my role at Disney. No one was super talkative toward me, my role did not have a ton of other CPs and I felt alone. But it did not last forever and it shouldn't for you either.

     Don't be lazy, prove you are trying and doing your best to learn. At the end of the day that's all anyone wants or cares about, it's when you slack off and show you don't care...then your fellow cast members will never accept you. Also be social with them, no matter their age you share a role at Disney with them. I had cast members my age and ones twice my age and managed to become great friends with all of them.

     The stigma that comes along with being a CP is not permanent. If you work hard and prove your there to learn and enjoy work, they will accept you. Some of the best people I met in Disney were the full time or part time cast members at Port Orleans.

Making the Most of your Time

If you work nights, go out in the morning...

     Whether you do your DCP for 4 months, 6 months or extend up to a year, you have a lot of time and opportunity you have to enjoy everything Disney has to offer. It's also easy to let it all slip away and it took me a few weeks to realize this.

     The mornings are not only some of the best times to be at the parks because it's usually less crowded, often times it may be your only time to go because of your work schedule. For me, my shifts started at either 1, 2, or 3:30 PM...consistently...every week. I worked 6 morning shifts out of my 4 months and 5 of those were just for training. After that, I was assigned to be a true CP (closing personnel), so the best advice I can give is expect it and don't get upset about it.

     That being said, if you are anything like me and primarily looked to be at the parks as often as possible, get used to going for 3 or 4 hours in the morning before work. Since the parks usually opened up at 9, there is plenty of time to get a few rides in. Of course, this is substantially easier when you have a car as I did, but if you are motivated enough, you can do it while riding Transtar.

     Sleep is for the weak. And I lived by this everyday I was there. I was consistently getting my body used to waking up between 8 and 9, just to get to the parks before work and I do not regret it. Some days I may have only gotten 6 hours of sleep, but that's what coffee is for.

     I was a major advocate of hitting DAK on these mornings because I could usually get my 3 major attractions done in a small period of time and it was usually the least crowded. I'd get there, hit Kilimanjaro Safaris, see the 10 o'clock or 11 o'clock Festival of the Lion King show and made sure I rode Everest either after the Safari or the Lion King depending on wait times or when I showed up. Although I only did it once (primarly cause of $$$) go to Tusker House for the character breakfast! It was about $25 with the cast member discount and it has a massive breakfast buffet to dive into. I went HAM on the Mickey Waffles as you should and its never a bad thing starting your day off with some characters!

     I did Magic Kingdom a couple of times before work but only when I worked later since getting there is so time consuming. If you drive, you almost have to account for about an hour of travel to get to the main gate since you park at the TTC and it just takes a while. But to get a ride on Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear...well worth it.

     All in all, become a morning person and go have fun! Don't leave your CP regretting not going to the parks more!

     

The hunt for 999,999 and MNSSHP

It has been almost a month...

     And it is hard for all of us in the apartment to believe. Between working all the time and going to the parks consistently, time is FLYING by and that is not an understatement, but we are making the most of it. Out of the 25 days I have been here, 13 of them I have been to the parks, and I could not be happier.

     So far I have been to Magic Kingdom the most (shocker I know) but it has the most to do and always has the longest hours. During one of these trips I purchased the Mickey's Kitchen Sink Sundae, $15 yes but 1000% worth it, I got a great souvenir and serious stomachache, totally worth it though. If you plan on getting it I'd recommend sharing it with a friend as I did, even though I ate most and my stomach paid the price, its a significant amount of sugar that should be shared among two people in my opinion. 

     Since day one here, I have been determined to get 999,999 on Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin and I swear it will happen eventually. I have been on it 8 times already and the closest I have come is 918,000...I was LIVID when I missed by so little, but I'm getting there and before I leave Florida I will complete the quest for 999,999.

     On this past Tuesday myself and a few friends made the decision to go to Magic Kingdom all day and do nothing but character meet and greets. It was a great decision and a great day, we got to the park about an hour after opening and just went to work. We met Woody and Jessie by Splash Mountain, Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Minnie at Storybook Circus, Buzz Lightyear in Tomorrowland, Merida by Cinderella Castle and on our way out we met Aurora next to Guest Services. Sadly, I forgot my autograph book that day, but did not forget it that evening for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party!

     Yup, it is that time of year in Disney where the special ticketed events are in full force, and we are starting with the Halloween party. I went that evening with my friend from my building, she went as Spongebob and I essentially Disney Bounded as Mickey. Although 5 hours is no where near enough time to explore the entire party, you'll just have to prioritize what you want to do and do it. We ended up meeting Lots-O, Gaston, and Minnie, Donald and Daisy in their Halloween costumes, riding Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear, watched the Hocus Pocus Stage Show, the Boo To You Parade and Hallowishes, and Trick or Treated around MK. There is so much to do at the party with all the special characters out for meet and greets and the trick or treating locations, but just make the most of it and have fun, we did and had no regrets on what we ended up doing while there. 

     Lastly, work has been the same old same old for the most part, continuing to enjoy it for what it is and being content that it is rather stress free. The newest part of my job has been transfers, where we load up a van with guests' luggage who are moving from our property to another Disney resort. The most intimidating aspect is driving the big van with all the luggage, but after I do it enough times I will get more comfortable with it.

     As you may or may not be able to tell, I am loving it down here. I am making the most of my time, have met great people along the way and continue to enjoy my time here. Food and Wine starts today, more plans for other activities are in the works and I cannot wait to see what next week has in store!

Work Hard, Play Hard

Work has begun...but I won't stop playing...

     I'm exhausted and it is 100% worth it. Over the past days since my previous post, I have started working at Port Orleans as a Bell Service Dispatch/Greeter and I have gone to parks on almost all of those days and I could not be happier about it.

     Work is incredibly simple and, thankfully, after a rocky first day, it is a great role to have. I have worked primarily day shifts but I know that is changing as my upcoming week is all closing shifts #CP #ClosingPersonnel. And I know a lot of CPs will complain about them. but being here a week, I'd rather have the closing shifts because all my roommates and friends work them as well and we would all rather work at the same time so we can go to the parks at the same time.

     As a Bell Service Dispatch/Greeter at Port Orleans, we are first trained as greeters, which is as simple as it sounds. We stand outside the resort, say hi to everyone entering and exiting, store luggage, answer questions and things along those lines. So far it has been rather stress free and now that I have started to become more talkative and cordial with my co-workers, it has become rather enjoyable. I stand outside all day in the shade with a Mickey Glove on and wave to everyone, kids and parents love it and seeing the smiles on people's faces make it all worth it.

     So for the most part that is work, pretty easy and simple, not much to it yet. On the flip side, I continue to run myself ragged going to parks all the time and I love it. I've had 2 days off and went all day at the parks both days. Even after work, getting out at 5:30, pending the day and park hours, I could have 2 or 3 hours to spend at one of the parks....so I have. Whether alone or with others, I have tried to do something everyday after work. I have been to EPCOT and Magic Kingdom the most, primarily because their hours are the longest, but on my day off I did Animal Kingdom in the morning since you really need the park's full hours to get the most out of it, at least in my opinion.

     I have been keeping track of what parks I go to on what days, how many times I go to each park and how many times I ride everything. Just a personal thing, and I know a lot of other people do it as well, but I'd like to see at the end how much I REALLY did during my program.

Arrival and Check-In

It's finally real....

     And now your official a member of the DCP, you have your housing ID, your program guide and all the anticipation begins to fade, you move in and realize you are here for good. It was a crazy day, constantly occupied with something and by the end of it all I was exhausted, but it was all worth it.

     Check-in at 7:30, arrived at Vista a little after 7 and was one of the first in line which 100% paid off in the end. They started walking us through the check-in process starting with getting your sticker name tag so EVERYONE addresses you by name (only Disney) and you find out your work location, housing complex and roommates, get your ID, get a brief breakdown of your itinerary for that day and the ones to follow...next thing you know your on the bus off to casting.

     Since my check-in was so early they took me straight from check-in to casting (my casting time was 8:30) and when I was on that bus I realized it was real. When you pull up to casting, the building itself is whimsical and pure Disney. Depending on what time you arrive there will determine how long it will take you, but at the end of the day they just do all the usual pre-employment shenanigans and once your out of there you head back to Vista and then to your respective complex

     Being so fortunate, I headed out around 10ish and got to my apartment at Chatham Square at 10:30. I was lucky to end up with the 3 roommates I found on Facebook and linked with through DORMS, but we also ended up with 2 random roommates and are in a 2 bedroom....not pumped about the bunk beds but we'll make do. 

     Today has been pretty exhausting, I have traditions on Thursday my first training class Saturday and my first day of training next Tuesday...oh yeah, I'm working at Port Orleans, pretty excited. When you first move in I'd recommend heading past Walmart on 535 and going to the giant Target at the end of the road on the left. One of the guys from the Auto Train told us that and it was great advice, cause there was no one there; where Walmart (as I'm told) is a madhouse on move in day. Got some household essentials and did some grocery shopping as well.

     If you have a car you will also need to pick up your parking decal from your complex's clubhouse. It couldn't be easier, they ask for your license, vehicle registration and proof of insurance. Took literally a minute and I was done....while at the clubhouse you can grab any kitchen essentials that are not in your apartment. There was a sheet of paper for us to fill out upon arrival in our apartment and we took it to the clubhouse and came back with everything we needed.

     All in all I'm fried, if I lay down I'll be out for a good 2 hours. But it's nice to be all moved in, slowing getting settled and figuring out how the apartment will function, looking forward to the next few days for sure!

Down to Earth (aka Disney)

The journey begins...

Train cars that got to carry our cars.

     So your arrival is going to begin, as far as I’m concerned, about 5 days before your check in day when you receive the email with your arrival time. I received mine on Thursday, August 27^th and my arrival time is 7:30-8:30 AM. Early, yes, but in my opinion, likely well worth it. From everything I have been told, the earlier your arrival time, the faster check-in and casting go and the quicker you have the opportunity to get fully moved into your apartment. So waking up that early is a small price to pay to enjoy the benefits that (should) come along with it.

     Last night I made sure my car was (for the most part) completely packed, minus the carry-on bags I would be taking on the train with me. I tried to be as minimalist as possible but that is because my car is pretty small, so the less stuffed in it the better. I brought a backpack with my laptop, chargers and a few mags to read. With that I have a duffle bag with my changes of clothes for the next two days rather than trying to dig through my car to get to my suitcase…just much easier.

     A few immediate recommendations if you choose the Auto Train, its hot, but bring sweatpants, a hoody and a pillow. The train can be a bit chilly at first, and especially overnight, I was frozen and it was no fun. Also consider bringing a change of comfortable clothes to wear on the train, it will make your trip much less miserable. Lastly, reach out on Facebook to see who else is taking the Auto Train, trust me, you’ll be happy you did.

     From the area of Jersey I am from, it took me about 5 hours to get to the Lorton, VA Auto Train Station with minimal traffic and a few rest stops. Overall pretty painless, I left at 8AM and arrived in VA at 1PM giving me about an hour and change until they began boarding the train that departed at 4:30PM. As I sit on the train typing this, I just wrapped a glorious game of Apples to Apples with 7 other CPs….beauty of this mode of transportation, I can almost guarantee other CPs will be with you because we all want our cars and this is an easy option if you are from the Northeast. 

The next morning....

     Sitting in the station in Sanford feels fantastic right now. If you take the Auto Train and ride coach, sleeping will be horrible, just is what it is. We got here at around 9:30 and they are unloading the cars as I type this so myself and a few other CPs are just sitting, waiting, anticipating the greatest shower of our lives when we get to our respective hotels.
     All in all it wasn't a terrible experience, sleeping was tough but when you connect with other CPs you are no longer alone and the trip is much more enjoyable. I'm now less than 24 hours away from check-in and it is still surreal!

60 Days out....

Just when you thought they forgot about you...

    They send you and e-mail when you are 60 days from arrival and remember, YOU ARE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD! Thursday July 2nd, exactly 60 days from my arrival date I got the e-mail notifying me of course registration dates and term dates for the courses. I have a little under a week until registration for the collegiate courses and roughly a month until registration for the seminar classes open. More importantly, this e-mail was a reminder that my arrival date is rapidly apporaching and will be here before I know it. I have already been planning and anticipating my family's trip down for Thanksgiving, my brother's potential trip during the Food and Wine Festival and my friend's trip down at some point during my four month program. Not to mention I have thankfully found roommates, been preparing a packing list and talking about where we want to live and how we want to live as well. 

    In terms of courses, the seminar courses are really just for your own personal pleasure and development, while the collegiate courses have the potential to be credited by your college if they allow it. So far I have only considered the seminar courses, primarily the Disney Heritage course, and I am sure after you looked at the syllabus you will be just as interested as I am, (check it out and others at this link: DCP Courses) The overall beauty of the courses is their fee, its only between $10 and $30 which is nice and inexpensive so we can't complain there. From what I have been told and know, the seminar courses can be really enjoyable and not academically taxing, therefore they drew my attention. My friend tried to get into the Disney Heritage class, but was not able to get in because of how competitive it is to get in due to popularity. Therefore I am prepared, if I try to register, to potentially not get in, so I will not be too heart broken if I don't. Overall, these classes seem to be a good opportunity to learn and explore what Disney can show us, therefore keeping them in consideration is not a bad idea.

When Will My Life Begin

When will my program get here, the anticipation/expectations build

My trip in 2012. #Mexico

      Ever since I got accepted to the DCP, I have basically been counting down the days until my arrival date of August 31st. Even knowing how much I have to do from now until then between school and a summer internship, it doesn't help the fact that I am a Disney geek/nerd/call me what you want I love Disney! And, when I think about it, I have barely experienced all that WDW has to offer since I have only been 3 times in my 20 years of existence on this planet. My first trip was in 2000 when I was in kindergarten and I have a few vague, fuzzy memories from that visit; I went again in 2005 when I was in 4th grade, I have more vivid memories of that trip, primarily skipping Haunted Mansion with my Grandpa cause I was scared, getting a turkey leg and the going into the Hall of Presidents. And lastly, my most recent trip was in 2012 when I graduated high school and we did so much in such little time, I had a ton of fun but it was hard to enjoy everything because we were so rushed. Therefore, its easy to say that knowing I will have 4 months of free admission to the parks is filling me up with anticipation and expectations of what I could do and enjoy.

      In terms of these expectations, I can place them in 2 categories, work expectations and play expectations; let's start with the work ones:

• First things first, I understand that everyone who is accepted into the DCP is accepted to be a Cast Member and it isn't necessarily a, "vacation." So right away, I am prepared to work...A LOT! As DCPs we are basically the bottom the of the totem pole, I am prepared to get the worst hours and work a ton of those worst hours, but you also have to view it from a positive perspective. We are accepted to work and this work experience opens us up to learn so much and gain so much that it should not be taken for granted. I want to uphold those Disney standards, and, as a Cast Member at my resort, I will likely end up being the first face guests see when they enter Disney property, so I want to make those magical moments for everyone. 
• Next, I cannot wait to find out where I work! I discovered that the Value resorts do not have bell service so when I realized I will be at one of the Moderate or Deluxe resorts I was over the moon! I have only stayed on Disney property once, and it was back in 2000 at Port Orleans and I only have vague memories of it, so having the chance to work at one of these resorts will be awesome! Ideally, I'd want to work at a resort on the Magic Kingdom monorail loop (Grand Floridian, Polynesian, or Contemporary) but no matter where they place me, I'm going to be PUUUMPEDD! 
• Third, most of the money I make is probably going right back into WDW. It's true and I'm sure Disney knows this too, even though I'm gonna go into it with the intentions of making and saving money, I know that once I am there, I'm gonna end up spending most of my paychecks on food and various shenanigans at the parks. And after talking to one of my classmates who did the program before, she basically just cemented that for me. So yeah, the sooner I accept that the better. 
• Lastly, I hope to form strong relationships with my co-workers and supervisors. This is a goal I will have for all of my jobs but even more at Disney because it is a company I want to build a career with. I was extremely lucky this past summer to have built strong bonds with the front office staff at the Hyatt and still keep in touch with them today, so I hope to be able to do the same while I am working at Disney.

      When it comes to my expectations outside of work, let's just say I'm gonna aim REAL HIGH and know that it's unlikely everything will be met.

• First and foremost, I am super excited and super nervous to meet new people and make new friends. At the end of the day, most people are entering the program the same way they entered college, without knowing anyone, and that's me. I have met a few people through Facebook groups but that does not change that when I arrive on August 31st, I will be overwhelmed by the number of people and having to make friends all over again. But, its one of those things I just need to let happen naturally and try to not stress about. 
• Next, I want to go the parks, A LOT! Having only been to WDW 3 times prior to this, I want to make the most of having free admission for 4 months, so I want to get the parks whenever I can. It is my hope that most of the people doing the program will have the same anticipation, but I won't know until I get there.
• Avoiding being in my apartment a lot, besides just going to the parks just getting out and doing stuff in and around Orlando or participating in housing events. I am pretty sure there are intramurals for CPs; and if there are, I want to get involved! I have participated in athletics since I was 5 up until I finished high school and now I just go to the gym every day, I miss playing!

      At the end of it all, my excitement builds every day closer we get to August 31st. Like I have said, I'm sure my friends and family are sick of me talking about how excited I am but I don't care; this is who I am, this is what I love and this is my dream come true! Living vicariously through YouTube and every other form of media on the internet is all I can do for now, but my anticipation for this program will never die down, it'll only continue to grow! 

When You Wish Upon an Application

Waiting to hear back is gonna be rough, but you'll be alright

      By now, you have done everything you can to give yourself the best chance to get accepted into the Disney College Program for your desired role and you are now forced to wait....and wait....and wait for what seems like eternity. Like waiting for Space Mountain at 3 PM in the middle of July or standing in the 300 minute line at Princess Fairy Tale Hall to meet Anna and Elsa, its going to be a struggle, but you will make it. Like most things in life, your patience will be rewarded. For me, everyday was like mental agony! They told me, "we begin to make most of the hiring decisions at the beginning of March,"...THAT WAS A FULL MONTH FROM WHEN I FINISHED MY PHONE INTERVIEW! The only thing that kept me sane was being super tied up with school and work for the 20 days I had to wait to get my acceptance e-mail, and I recommend doing the same. The busier you are able to keep yourself while you are waiting to hear back, the easier waiting will be. But if you are as much of a Disney freak as I am you know, no matter how busy you keep yourself, it will always be in the back of your mind. And every time an e-mail comes in to your phone, you will jump and hope its subject line reads reads, "Congratulations!"

      And even though 9 times out of 10 it was either a spam email from my school or something completely non-Disney related, when that e-mail did come in, and it was from Disney, I borderline lost it in the middle of class. Yeah, I got my acceptance e-mail in the middle of class, no worse time, and on top of that, I would've grabbed my bag and straight up left mid-class if I did not have to do a presentation later in said class. So, I saw the e-mail, saw the subject line, and took a step out from class, read the e-mail, found out my role, basked in my own happiness and gave a good Tiger Woods fist pump and went back to class. And I sat there with a ridiculous grin on my face and my leg tapping the whole time because of how excited I was. When I left that class though I could not wait to drain what little I had left of my phone battery to tell the people I cared about most that my dream had finally come true, I AM GOING TO DISNEY WORLD! Every now and again in life you will have feelings of euphoria that are difficult to describe; being accepted for the DCP will give you this feeling!
      Now, one thing Disney does not tell you is that you will have one week from the day you receive your e-mail to accept or decline (but let's face it, your going to accept ASAP, its WDW, how could you not) and you must put down a $350 deposit to essentially hold your spot in the program for housing purposes (but again, its Disney, $350 is a small price to pay for 4-6 months at the most magical place on Earth). So I got back to my room, opened the e-mail on my laptop, placed my deposit and from then on out, nearly every moment of every day has been filled with anticipation and excitement, I'm going to Disney World and I'm gonna have the time of my life!

One Jump Ahead...of the Application

 Tips to give you the best chance of getting accepted    

      So like any other Disney fan who grew up with The Lion King, Toy Story and Finding Nemo (just to name a few) Walt Disney World has been and always will be a place I LOVE. So the minute I put together that WDW was the mecca of hospitality, I was majoring in hospitality and working there could be an invaluable experience...OMG HOW DO I GET A JOB THERE!? Now, this does not mean that you NEED to be a hospitality major to participate or benefit from the program, from what I have read, heard and know, Disney holds its Cast Members to the highest standards possible in order to maintain the reputation they have for being the best at what they do. When you put something like the DCP on your resume, understand that employers know how much the training from Disney effects how you work in the future. One of my past superiors at a previous job mentioned that an employee worked for Disney and they could tell just by how the employee carried themselves and the quality of their work. So no matter your major, if you are considering applying for the DCP, DO IT! We are young and during this time in our lives we have nothing to lose and everything to gain. So needless to say when I saw @DisneyCPInterns tweet that applications were live, I was jumping on that link and submitting my application ASAP!

The Tweet that start the journey.

      The application process is, for the most part, like every other application process for most jobs. They ask for all of your basic information and the standard jazz, following the application you will receive an e-mail asking you to complete your web based interview (it is essentially a personality test). If/when you pass the web based interview, you will receive an email to schedule your phone interview and once you complete the phone interview you will be playing the ever so agonizing waiting game. As you go through the application, it will ask you to specify your interest in each role, varying from none to very interested. Personally, I went about it with the mindset of, "put the most interest in the resort roles (because of my major) and then moderate/little interest in the roles you wouldn't mind doing," (essentially, if they could not place me in a resort role, I wanted any role with customer interaction because of 1. my major and 2. I REALLY wanted to do the program). Now, because I was so antsy to get my application in, there are a few mistakes I made that I do not want you to make as well.

1. First and foremost, have your resume polished and ready to roll, as well as a cover letter specifically targeted at the DCP and the role you want the most. Every college and university has a Career Services department full of advisors ready and willing to assist students in creating resumes and cover letters. 
2. Second, if you have previous employers or professors who would be willing to write you a letter of recommendation, ask them! Letters of rec. can do nothing but help your chances, my tip, ask them WAY before applications go live. Applications for Fall & Fall Advantage usually go up around late January and late August for the Spring & Spring Advantage programs. Therefore, in retrospect, I should've asked for letters of rec. around October or November because the individuals you will ask; they'll have plenty already on their plates to handle, so writing your letter of rec. could take them some time, just be patient! 
3. Third, know what roles you would be willing to work in. Like I said, I REALLY wanted to be in a resort but would've been satisfied with any roles requiring constant guest interaction. Some people only want to do it if they'll get a specific role, others are open to any role, they just want to get accepted! So know who you are and which roles you will be comfortable working!
4. Fourth, apply ASAP, as far as I know/am concerned, the earlier you apply, the quicker you will hear back and the more positions that will still be open. Although not everyone may hear back as quick as others, it never hurt to have your application in early to give yourself the best chance possible to get accepted. Personally, I applied within an hour of the applications going live, had my phone interview scheduled for the upcoming Friday, and heard back 20 days after my phone interview. 
5. Lastly, prepare for your phone interview! I will post in more detail about this soon, but being prepared for your phone interview is going to give you confidence and make you feel much more comfortable than being unprepared.

The dashboard links for your documents.

      Now, I've given you all of these tips and you have all these documents ready to rock and roll for your application. Where you post and upload them is not necessarily tricky, but it is not very clear cut in my opinion. When I do my job applications, they usually ask for these required/supplementary documents directly within the application...not for the DCP. Once you finish your application, you will be taken to your dashboard. Look to the top left of your dashboard and you should see each of these links there. Under Edit Profile Info is where you will attach any supplementary documents i.e. letters of rec., portfolios, etc. and under Resume/CV is where you will be able to post your resume and cover letter.

Below are links to the DCP application and program dates as well as the role descriptions.
DCP Application Dates and Program Dates
DCP Role Descriptions

My DCP

What's the Disney College Program and what am I doing in it

      The Disney College Program is quite simply a paid internship where you have the opportunity to work within WDW at one of the parks or resorts in a variety of different roles. Disney supplies you with housing (rent comes out of your paycheck on a weekly basis), there are buses for transportation but you can also bring your car and participants also have the opportunity to take classes offered by Disney if they so choose. The internship and classes can both be credited by your university, but this does vary from school to school (my school does not credit either for me). There are four different programs, Spring, Spring Advantage, Fall and Fall advantage; Spring and Fall are January to May & August to January, respectively; Spring and Fall Advantage are January to August & May to January, respectively.

      The roles they offer vary from Attractions to Merchandise to Concierge to Bell Service (my role!). You are able to specify your interest in each of the different roles as you complete your application, which I will go into more depth in during my next post.

      So, what am I doing in my program....Bell Service Dispatch/Greeter at a WDW resort. Being totally honest, I have no idea exactly what being on the bell service team at a WDW resort will entail beside the obvious luggage assistance. I struggled to find any information on the role once I found out it was what I got accepted for. I would have preferred the Hospitality (Front Desk) or Concierge roles, but I am satisfied to be working in a resort. From what I could tell, all of the resort operations roles are SUPER competitive and REALLY rare, so I am really happy that I am just in the role at all! A lot of people usually get accepted for roles like Attractions, Merchandise, Quick Service Food & Beverage or Custodial because there are so many different locations to place CPs in those roles.

      During my program I am primarily looking to get as much work experience as I can and do not have any plans to take classes right now, but that could change as time goes on. And since I am graduating early, this is technically my first job out of school so it works out pretty perfectly because I will not need to go through the hassle of getting my program credited!

Who Am I and What's this Blog All About?

Who?

      So who am I? My name is Andrew Wong, I am 21 years old and I am finishing my Hospitality Management degree at Johnson & Wales University (JWU). I have worked the front desk at the Hyatt Regency Newport in Newport, RI during the summer of 2014, I will be completing the Starwood Summer Internship Program in the sales department of the Sheraton Time Square New York in New York City this summer; and last but not least I will be completing the Disney College Program for Fall 2015 in the role of Bell Service Dispatch/Greeter! The excitement has been radiating from inside me ever since I got accepted on February 19th, I am fairly confident my friends and family are sick of hearing about how excited I am, and I am sure when you get accepted you will be as full of jubilation as I am!

      A little bit about who I am and what I am all about, I am a firm believer in the work hard, play hard motto. I currently live in Providence, RI at JWU, I was born and raised in New Jersey with my family's roots back in Massachusetts. My mother was born and raised on the North Shore of Mass. and my father immigrated to Mass. from Hong Kong when he was a teenager. I love to work in hospitality, putting smiles on guests faces is what I live for and I cannot wait to make a career out of it. Currently I am a tutor at my university and am finishing my second to last trimester before graduating a YEAR EARLY! WHAT?! It's crazy and I never expected it to happen, but with it comes the opportunity to be a Cast Member at Disney World so I can't complain! Ultimately, I hope to receive a full time position at a WDW resort upon completion of my program or a Professional Internship (PI); either of those would continue my dream of making a career with Disney.

What?

      From the application to the day my program ends, I want to (hopefully) be a wealth of knowledge to everyone who is curious about the program and is considering applying for it. This is going to document my journey through my DCP in the role of Bell Service Dispatch/Greeter, and I want to answer as many questions about the program as I can to put those of you out there with those questions at ease. So if you do have those questions you want answered, leave them in the comments of the posts, I want to answer as many as I can!

Why?

      Now why am I doing this blog? After two years of debating and considering the Disney College Program, I chose to apply and pray that I got accepted. Throughout those two years I did research on research on research about the program from where I'll live, to the different roles, all the way down to what shoes each role requires. Needless to say, I wanted to know everything I could before committing to applying, and I did, I knew more than I probably needed to know before filling out my application in January; but that didn't leave all of my questions answered. So that is why I am doing this. I want to answer any and all questions I had and any questions you may have regarding the program; while at the same time documenting my journey through the DCP.

When?

      My goal is to post something every week during my program, From now until then, it will be slightly more sporadic, every other week or so; primarily for a lack of real content regarding the program. Where this blog will go after that, who knows, for now, I will keep it simple and hopefully full of useful information.