Aug 1st is first batch. Then it looks like ever 2 weeks there will be a new arrive through the fall.
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Cultural Representatives Returning to EPCOT This Summer
- Thread starter castlecake2.0
- Start date
Indy_UK
Well-Known Member
Awesome. We arrive on the 2nd so should get to see them back during the trip.
They all absolutely make World Showcase
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Cultural Reps from Asia and Africa will return at a later date.
CaptainAmerica
Well-Known Member
Do you know whether the current hold-up is Disney or the State Department?
I believe on Disney’s side. Multitude of factors, mostly being that those countries are not needed as bad operationally as others.
aladdin2007
Well-Known Member
It will be great to see cast in costumes again at the pavilions. I've still been worried they would or will still make cost cutting measures and not have the costumes like before. Hoping we will see a full return for all the pavilions, eventually.
I can confirm (because I wore one last week) that the national costumes are prepped and ready to make their return.
I could see one day making one costume for each country, right now many countries have different versions based on line of business, but I don’t see them going any further than that.
mattpeto
Well-Known Member
Haven’t heard any dates mentioned specifically, but yes DAK and DAKL should be included.
nickys
Premium Member
So what’s the difference between the Cultural Exchange Program participants and the Cultural Representatives?
I know some Canadians started back in June but now they’re saying the first group arrived yesterday. Either someone’s confused, or there’s a subtle difference.
Or they’re conveniently ignoring those who came in June and July because they were returning from their previous program that got cut short.
I know some Canadians started back in June but now they’re saying the first group arrived yesterday. Either someone’s confused, or there’s a subtle difference.
Or they’re conveniently ignoring those who came in June and July because they were returning from their previous program that got cut short.
Cultural Exchange is basically an international version of the college program. These participants are eligible to come work in the US because it is part of their college degree path. They come for 2-3 months and can work in any role in any location. They are on a J1 visa.
Cultural Representative Program is a one year program that is not linked through schooling and these participants can only work in a role representing their country and are only allowed to wear their national costume. So they are basically limited to working in their country’s pavilion (or DAK, DAK Lodge -Asia/Africa, or the Riviera- France/Italy). Sometimes cultural reps will be used as audience control in different parts of EPCOT but they must always be wearing their country’s costume. They are on a Q1 visa.
They aren’t ignoring anyone, they are two very distinct groups of participants, who rarely overlap in any capacity, even when being from the same country.
CaptainAmerica
Well-Known Member
The green shirt Brazilian tour guides are also part of the program.
They’re a mix. Usually the green shirts are part of cultural exchange while the full on Guest Relations Hosts from Brazil are CRPs. The GR CRP is usually for cast that have done a previous program or have worked for Disney in one of the international parks, currently that program hasn’t returned yet.
nickys
Premium Member
Thanks.
But I know a Canadian woman whose daughter is a Cultural Representative and started back in June. She’s got about seven or eight months left to go now.
So yesterdays arrivals may be the first new intake but not actually the first to arrive.
I’m not sure what’s going on with that, but I work in the pavilion and there’s no CRPs here, just permanent residents originally from Canada and domestic cast, maybe she was offered an extended cultural exchange?