WDW college program experiences

Post by **addlema** » Feb Thu 02, 2006 4:47 pm

Boy, we need an update Lion.... Im addicted to your daily reports.. Please give me my fix man!

jkm8113 · Post by **jkm8113** » Feb Thu 02, 2006 7:54 pm

Lion, how many hours a week are you working so far?

What fun things are you doing on your off time?

G2-4T · Post by **G2-4T** » Feb Thu 02, 2006 10:39 pm

That was my question! So what all have you been able to do that you wouldn't normally do on vacation [like me, I never eat at sit-down, never enough time...].

Lion Sleeps Tonight · Post by **Lion Sleeps Tonight** » Feb Sat 04, 2006 1:59 am

As a CP, you're supposedly guaranteed at least 30 hours per week. I say supposedly because that isn't always the case. There have been and always will be scheduling problems.

Guests to come up to me and ask me where to get hamburgers or anything that's not a hamburger or popcorn. We get asked the times for shows and hours of restaurants. Since we can't memorize everything, we get Tell-a-Casts every week. It lists the important phone numbers, theme park and restaurant hours, locations of specialty food items, emergency plans, wrist band locations and other important stuff. On our blue pouch, it says "guest services."

So far on my days off I've done a lot of shopping. We had the 40% holiday discount, so I tried to take advantage of that. Also, I've done a lot of park hopping and eating at the sit-down restaurants at Magic Kingdom and Epcot. Eating at those places is expensive and almost 1/3 of my paycheck. I'm also learning the different backstage areas so I can get to places faster or take short cuts to the buses. For some reason, I like taking the Disney theme park and resort buses. It's a nice change from the crowded and noisy CP buses. Other than that, I just like to chill with roommates and new friends.

Since all the shopping is taken care of, I think I'll just really take my time at the theme parks. Enjoy the atmosphere and do all the attractions eventually. An d try all the different margaritas at Margaritaville.

This isn't related to Disney, but next week two of my roommates are going to a tattoo place after work. I'll probably join them if I don't spend my paycheck.

So today it rained. It rained a lot. About an hour after I clocked in, my shoes and socks were soaked through and my rain gear had a huge rip in the crotch area. The plastic material of the rain gear is so thin and cheap; it's really ridiculous. So I traded those in for a poncho and some galoshes that go over your shoes. So with my new battle armour I was ready for more rain!

I had parade duty, so I was relieved that the parade was cancelled. When it rains and the streets are too wet, we can't use the Powervac, so we gotta do it the old fashioned way with the pans and brooms. Believe me, it ain't fun sweeping junk all along the parade route and then some. One area, right next to the smoking cans near Sci Fi and Dine has so many leaves on the ground- it drives me crazy.

Since the park was really empty today, I took a lot of breaks and just sort of wandered around the "backlands" area- which is Streets of America, Lights Motor Action, Backlot Tour, Mickey Ave. etc... [anecdote]I remember the first time I visited Disney-MGM Studios a few years ago, it rained for pretty much the entire day. My family and I were sitting under some shelter at the Sunset Market Ranch, just hearing the screams of people on ToT and seeing the lightning and thunder. It was a pretty miserable day because all I remember was seeing the Voyage of the Little Mermaid. I guess my point is that it must really suck to have it rain on your only day that you were supposed to visit the Studios.

Around 5pm, the rain let up and there was a break, so us custodials began the tedious task of wiping down benches and pushing water. See, we don't want people falling on their butts because they were running from Star Tours to Epic when they know it's wet and slippery outside. I think for a while, Star Tours was closed down, because the floors were too slippery and three people fell down. But I didn't have to worry about that for too long because I got off at 5:30.

The cheerleaders("im a dancer, not a cheerleader!") have landed. There's a huge white tent in the TV parking lot. I really have no experience with cheerleaders other than what I've seen on TV and the movies. So it'll be interesting to say the least.

So if you're a guest trying to use the restroom, and you see the "dancers" changing and putting their glitter on, go ahead and tell them to leave because they have their own changing facilities.

packwingfn · Post by **packwingfn** » Feb Sat 04, 2006 6:26 pm

That is why I avoid going to Disney World during Cheerleader week.....heh

AngelJ · Post by **AngelJ** » Feb Sat 04, 2006 8:33 pm

I and my brother was a CP from May 2005 to January 05, 2006. I lived in Chatham Square and was "guest show" at Downtown Disney. "Guest Show" is custodial. My brother Bill worked at "epic". Be very happy you are not working during Super Soap Weekend or during the holidays. My shifts was 7:30am to 4pm, 4pm to 12:30am, and 6:30 to 3am at PI. VoBan will be your best friend

.

jkm8113 · Post by **jkm8113** » Feb Sat 04, 2006 8:55 pm

Hi AngelJ, welcome to the Boards. It will be fun to hear about some of your experiences as a CP student, too. It is always interesting to hear the behind the scenes stuff.

AngelJ · Post by **AngelJ** » Feb Sat 04, 2006 9:02 pm

The most ignoring thing for me was the cigarettes, not so much the cleaning part but everything else. DD did not have areas where people can smoke so all of DD is a smoking area (minus indoor area) and many people smoke and blow it right in your face plus many people will flick it in places other than where it suppose to be

. While sweeping that is what I frequently sweep up.

jkm8113 · Post by **jkm8113** » Feb Sat 04, 2006 9:13 pm

Lion, have you found any favorite places to eat yet? places you definitely want to go back to?

You were lucky to get to participate in the 40% discount. It makes the prices almost reasonable, doesn't it? I used to get 35% when I worked for the Disney Store, and I used to love getting that disount in the Parks. I hope you found yourself lots of keepsakes to take home from your CP program. I am sure that any prior CP parpticipant will tell you that the time flies by and is over before you know it.

Have you had much luck at Property Control yet? That was always one of the highlights of each trip.

lovesdisney44 · Post by **lovesdisney44** » Feb Sun 05, 2006 7:52 am

AngelJ wrote:I and my brother was a CP from May 2005 to January 05, 2006. I lived in Chatham Square and was "guest show" at Downtown Disney. "Guest Show" is custodial. My brother Bill worked at "epic". Be very happy you are not working during Super Soap Weekend or during the holidays. My shifts was 7:30am to 4pm, 4pm to 12:30am, and 6:30 to 3am at PI. VoBan will be your best friend .

Angel - having to do it all over again, would you still have done the 8 month (according to your dates) program or the 5 month program like Lion is doing? Also, how many hours a week did you work? Lion said they are guaranteed 30 hours, but I was wondering if you got what you got, or could request only 30 hours, or go for the full 40 hours?

Lion Sleeps Tonight · Post by **Lion Sleeps Tonight** » Feb Mon 06, 2006 12:35 am

Despite the 40% discount, I didn't buy a whole lotta stuff. I think I'm just used to not being able to afford a lot of Disney merchandise, so I just pass by it. But I did find a few good deals on things.

Today I realized that tomorrow marks my one month anniversary of being here doing the CP. It sort of suprised me, and it feels like I've been here a long time. Time does fly when you're...busy.

Any favorite restaurants? Just one place, the quick service restaurant in Morrocco at Epcot. I don't remember the name, but the dish I had was pretty good. I ordered the chicken platter. I only really recognize the chicken and the couscous on the plate, but when you eat everything together, it's awesome. That's really the only place I've eaten at multiple times and have been wanting to go back to. Oh, and the Launching Pad's sweet cream cheese pretzels at Magic Kingdom- so good. I think I might get one tomorrow, cuz it's my day off(finally).

Hey AngelJ. Cool to see other CPs on the board. Any helpful tips for me? I get ESPN weekend and all the cheerleaders! Cheerleaders gah!

Speaking of hours, I'm barely scratching 30. I feel like I need to work more, but at the same time, I need my days off as well.

So yeah, yesterday was the first taste I got of what the park is like when overrun with teenagers. Make-up, pom-poms, bright colors and bobby pins everywhere. We were supposed to get special assistance for restrooms, but the attendants stood so far away from the restrooms, the cheerleaders would just shrug and go right in. The line for the Shed(near Drew Carey) female restroom was ridiculous. I feel bad for the person doing restrooms that day. Luckily I was only a Mid and had to only assist and monitor certain restrooms and Epic- where the competitions were held. I'm tired of cheerleaders, but it's only the beginning.

Haven't visited Property Control yet, but someday. There's a merchandise sale thing going on in the Studios this Friday for cast members, so I might check that out.

Today during our track talk, we got news of the Pirates rehab so the ride would fit the movie. I want to go on it before it changes.

On a non-Disney related note, three of my roommates came home at 3am, and were chatting and making food for three hours. All in all, I got three hours of sleep and today was not a good day at work. I feel like you get trained, and then they send you out there too prematurely. It's been almost a month since I've been at my job, and I still have to ask around where certain things are and how things are done. For the first few weeks, all I did was Streets(sweeping, trash runs etc...), but suddenly I was scheduled to do Restrooms and it was like I had to relearn everything about cleaning them again. Since I've been here long enough, they put me in restroooms fo the next two week.

Remember to write your name, keep receipts, keep count, and take pictures, and hide your food so others won't steal it! Some people are so petty!

Esmeralda · Post by **Esmeralda** » Feb Mon 06, 2006 11:27 am

Pirates is officially being rehabed to fit the movie? That's horrible! I mean, I love the movie and all, but I adored the ride long before that. They'd better not mess too much.

Keep the updates coming Lion! I've seen signs go up around campus that say CP coming soon, maybe I'll have to check it out. Your experience sounds fabulous and it's very tempting to see what they could do for me!

Post by **addlema** » Feb Mon 06, 2006 11:34 am

The Pirates changes make addlema a very sad panda!

Leave pirates the way it is! Open a new ride themed after the movie in MGM or something.

zenmondo · Post by **zenmondo** » Feb Mon 06, 2006 12:10 pm

We have been discussing the rumors of changes to POTC since July in the Disneyland Forum.

viewtopic.php?t=938

Last week, there was a Press Release officially announcing the changes.

Sarah Turp · Post by **Sarah Turp** » Feb Mon 06, 2006 1:54 pm

I probably should'nt be writting this in this post but I love your idea Addlema.

addlema wrote:Leave pirates the way it is! Open a new ride themed after the movie in MGM or something.

Two Pirates of the Carribean, the original and the new. That would be fantastic!!