WDW college program experiences

[ckc0915]

thats right!!! i remember now!! anna told me you were on here, i just totally forgot!!
my bad!

[usetonamick]

You chose that?

[Soarin08]

I'm in the process now of filling out my Spring 2010 application!!!!!! I'm transferring to BYU's Idaho campus so my program (if accepted) will be from the first week of January till around April 15th. I cannot WAIT!! I'm hoping for Attractions this time.

[elizabethswann]

I'm going to try for the college program for 2011. I was going to try for the Fall 2010 but I promised my mother I would help work for one of her reunions and that's at the end of August. I get paid for it so I'll be saving whatever I get for the trip. I have a jar going for my "Disney World" fund and while I was going to take a trip to it, I think it'll be even better to try out the college program.

My friend did the program last year and she gave me a lot of info regarding it. I'm going to try and convince another one of my friends to join me. She and I are dying to try this out.

[Amy]

If we all do decide on doing a May get together we will all walk around the Star tours area and Shout out "LION", or "Here Kitty Kitty". Just kidding, but I do think we should have a meet on the east coast. Lions already there and several others are as well.

Reading though a really old thread and I come across this ~ I finally get your location status!

[yodi1yensid]

I'm from Canada, and had the opportunity to enjoy the summer (3 months) at WDW, and looking forward to doing it again! My role was in Custodial, at the Magic Kingdom on Main Street and Backstage areas, and I enjoyed every second of it! I had a great time meeting new friends, roommates, talking to guests, relaxing at the parks, pretty much anything you could do. Because I was in the International College Program, I didn't have to take courses and get credits and such, but I would love to take some classes on my next trip!

[Amy]

I noticed several CP name tags on CM's during this past trip and tried to ask some of them how they were enjoying their time at Disney. It was nice to see enthusiastic faces and know they were having a great time. The CP CM's did seem to be more likely to cluster around and talk and not as attentive to guests as the "regular" CM's however.

[Satchel T]

I think the college program at Disney is a great opportunity for people to get their feet in the door, gain experience, and have an incredible time. I've known a few people who went through this and ended up staying with the company and is now doing quite well.

[Satchel T]

I noticed several CP name tags on CM's during this past trip and tried to ask some of them how they were enjoying their time at Disney. It was nice to see enthusiastic faces and know they were having a great time. The CP CM's did seem to be more likely to cluster around and talk and not as attentive to guests as the "regular" CM's however.

That's the way it tends to go with "some" not all but some of the folks who are just there for the Cp experience.

[Satchel T]

I'm going to try for the college program for 2011. I was going to try for the Fall 2010 but I promised my mother I would help work for one of her reunions and that's at the end of August. I get paid for it so I'll be saving whatever I get for the trip. I have a jar going for my "Disney World" fund and while I was going to take a trip to it, I think it'll be even better to try out the college program.

My friend did the program last year and she gave me a lot of info regarding it. I'm going to try and convince another one of my friends to join me. She and I are dying to try this out.

YOU CAN DO IT! Let us know how it goes!

[Soarin08]

I noticed several CP name tags on CM's during this past trip and tried to ask some of them how they were enjoying their time at Disney. It was nice to see enthusiastic faces and know they were having a great time. The CP CM's did seem to be more likely to cluster around and talk and not as attentive to guests as the "regular" CM's however.

Am I the only CP who doesn't do this?? Or, didn't do this? I preferred talking to my guests over my coworkers unless it was dead at the Fort.

Different story at Saratoga... We are were so close it was like working with my siblings and parents.

[Lion Sleeps Tonight]

I noticed several CP name tags on CM's during this past trip and tried to ask some of them how they were enjoying their time at Disney. It was nice to see enthusiastic faces and know they were having a great time. The CP CM's did seem to be more likely to cluster around and talk and not as attentive to guests as the "regular" CM's however.

Am I the only CP who doesn't do this?? Or, didn't do this? I preferred talking to my guests over my coworkers unless it was dead at the Fort.

Different story at Saratoga... We are were so close it was like working with my siblings and parents.

I remember being on my own a lot as custodial, but would cluster at times as well. I think it was because I was too shy to talk with guests all the time and just felt comfortable in a group. Of course, it wouldn't be long before a manager would come around or duty would call and we'd scatter.

It's better to cluster with your co-workers ON STAGE as long as you're working, than to disappear totally, letting trash overflow, and only come out when you're supposed to do a trash run or spill run. I remember both FT CMs and CPs doing that.

[Soarin08]

True that, I agree. It was total teamwork at Saratoga. Not so much at the Fort. I despised the morning shift at Trail's End because of two FT CMs who had been there since Pioneer Hall opened. They never did a THING because they had an attitude of entitlement and superiority so it was always dumped on the CPs while these two ladies TALKED ON THEIR PHONES ON STAGE and would disappear for ages without a trace. Extremely annoying.

[laurie5658]

Our family has CP experiences. Our daughter was in the CP program summer of 1998 and she called home crying almost every day for a while. That is when she was stuck in the kitchen at Pecos Bill's scrubbing chicken broilers at 2am. She eventually moved to the el Pirito (very bad spelling LOL) right next door and had a blast. She met all kinds of fellow college Disney fans from all over the world and wouldn't trade that summer for anything.

[packwingfn]

Hey all! I figured I would give an update on my life.

So last summer I did another CP (summer alumni) and ended up at Wide World of Sports as Custodial. It was awful but I met 2 awesome friends that made the summer memorable at work and outside of work...then I transferred to Ad/Lib Attractions as a CP and ended up at the ATT Complex (Aladdin, Tiki Room, Treehouse) I was really bummed at first because I really wanted Pirates of the Caribbean (dream job) but I ended up really liking the ATT Complex. It really got me socialable with families, kids, guests a lot because you have a good amount of time to talk while they wait for the next cycle or as they enter the tiki room or the treehouse. It really makes my day seeing how excited the kids get for the Magic Carpets. I can make a kid smile just by smiling & waving at them which really is magical.

So my CP ended in January and I stayed seasonal at ATT from January to Feb 13th when I got a call from casting that I would be hired as a PT CM in my same area (ATT Complex) so now that I was PT, I was able to cross train in other Ad/Lib Attractions. Since I was still trained in Custodial, I was able to pick up Custodial shifts as well as ATT Shifts. I also worked Guest Ops at the Braves Spring Training so I was working 3 different areas in the same week, working like 60 to 70 hours a week as a PT CM. It really make me become a hard worker and now I have no problem extending shifts to work longer hours etc.

On may 2nd (1 year exactly after I left RI in 2010) I got a call that I would be Full TIme as of June 5th and I would be cross training at Pirates of the Caribbean!!!

I've been at Pirates for a few weeks now and I must say it's teaching me how to handle some stressful guest situations when we are down for techinical difficulties or just guest situations in general. Every role I've had so far has taught me something and I am happy