CP alum - apartment/roommates advice please!

[Bennet21]

I will admit I am so nervous about the living situation for the College Program. I've heard your roommate situation can make or break your experience, which I totally believe. At first, I planned on matching up with someone at random, because leaving it up to chance worked out so well for me in college and my freshman year roommate is still one of my best friends. But of course, I got lucky, and I'm a part of a group on facebook that people from my arrival date created and it seems like everyone has found their roommates through that already. Should I try to find someone, or leave it to chance and hope it works out?

I'd love to hear experiences from any CP alum, good or bad. Also, which apartment complex do you suggest? I know Vista isn't the nicest, but I've heard it's the most fun, and I'm incredibly social and love to party so I feel like if my roommate situation doesn't work out, I'll have a better chance of having a good time with other people in that complex.

Please give me any feedback you have! Thanks so much.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

I guess I found a middle way between complete luck and picking someone months in advance...I was part of an online group (AOL Instant Messenger and e-mail...dinosaur days! :lol who met up on our first night in Orlando. I went down with no roommate, but met a guy on the night before checkin who I got along with and we agreed to stick together the next day. The two of us were then matched up with two other guys whom we got along with fairly well.

Trusting to blind luck can definitely be a gamble. I had two different college roommates assigned my junior and senior years. The first I clicked immediately with, the other I never particularly got along with. I wouldn't stress over finding someone online, but if it happens to work out that you fall in with someone, I'd prefer that over complete chance.

And Vista is definitely the more social complex (or it was in my day). Plenty of people to meet around there if your own space doesn't end up feeling so welcoming. But I knew some nice people in Chatham as well. It was always quieter, but that's not necessarily so bad. Really, you're going to be surrounded by so many people that the situation will largely be what you make of it.

 

[Atta83]

My first experince in 03 was great, I didnt know about the finding of roommates thing. But my first group worked out really well. When I extended I lived in filth and constantly complained about it, (though finally something was done about it). My third apartment when i was down on a sumer internship was a hit or miss. My roommate had an opposite scheudle of me and worked nights while i worked days so needless to say i got no sleep.


But honestly its a hit or miss. GOOD LUCK!

 

[steviej]

living situation
I've done 2 dcp's. The first one I lived at Vista Way. Vista is the party scene. If you wanna always be able to find a party (if you're under 21). If you are a light sleeper and can't go back to sleep easily if a little noise wakes you up, this may not be the place for you.

my 2nd dcp I lived at chatham. A world of difference. So much more relaxed, quiet, you may not like it if you are a partier. I noticed the difference between the 2 complexes at the pools the most.

But, until 9 pm, you can drive to any apartment complex without being signed in (assuming you have a car, TAKE YOUR CAR).

Roommate situation
I never picked mine in advance. I made a bunch of friends over fb groups, became really cool with this one kid, but he had done the advance thing with a roommate, guess what? He was one of my roommates anyway and is now one of my best friends and will be one of my groomsmen at my wedding.

During my experience, I had 1 crummy roommate that would steal food here and there. Make the best of it, it is not true that a roommate could make or break your cp experience. Know why? Dude, you can go in and out of friggin disney world as often as you want FOR FREE!

Good luck and let me know if i can help anymore. Feel free to pm me if you don't want to ask publicly

 

[Snoballego]

3 Summer Programs (2000-2002) = 15 different room mates.

Some became best friends and others were just solid roommates that did their own thing, all were cordial and polite, but it was a different mentality back then because you were only going to be there for 10-12 weeks - so you could deal with it.

I got really really lucky that my actual roommate (one that I shared the bedroom) was awesome each summer. A lot of the funniest/most awesome moments of my life came from camaraderie with my room mates. Additionally, having solid people throughout your entire building can make the summer that much better.

During my second summer, my roommates were all very nice but we didn't have the same social interests. So, I being the outgoing type made friends with other apartments that pseudo adopted me and I am glad I did because I made some amazing friends that I still talk with on a weekly basis.

Unfortunately,there was no Facebook back then, so I lost touch with a lot of good folks as phone numbers changed and e-mail addresses became inactive. However, it sure makes my day when I get a request from someone I hadn't talked to or seen in ages and we catch-up.

Three Pieces of Advice:

1) Be open minded: You will have people of different ages, different races, different sexualities, and different belief systems. Prepare yourself for that in advance. Look through all of that and know most importantly that you already have a good bit in common with them because they are passionate for working for Disney too.

2) Set ground rules with your direct roommate: In all three of my summers, to be frank, I had no issues and my roommate had no issues with either of us bringing over a "female friend" for a slumber party now and again. However, I know not everyone is cool with that so make it known up front if you don't want anyone else in your bedroom. Another example, sleep and days off schedule. I like to snooze a lot on my alarm. My roommate and I made a deal where he could literally throw my alarm against the wall (if I snoozed twice in the same morning) and I would have to buy a new alarm clock. This happened at least six times. It was a fun compromise.

3) There is always one "weird" roommate to every group of six. If it is not obvious at first who the "weird" roommate is, then it is most likely you. If it is you, embrace being the kooky roommate. If it is not you, always make sure to include the kooky roommate in activities. Seriously, part of your responsibility is to make sure that others are having a nice time on their program. Most folks don't know anyone when they arrive - be the big person and constantly include people on activities.