CPs placed in Entertainment

[DisneyChick1984]

I guess my first question is, why do I hardly ever see CP kids placed in entertainment? It seems like everyone's either in Merchandise, Attractions, Food and Bev or whatever.

It seems to me like a lot of college kids would WANT to be characters...

Does Disney set aside a certain amount of spots for CPs specifically in Entertainment? I was just wondering because I had mentioned in another thread that I would be auditioning soon as a character performer and I don't want to have to worry about competing with regular applicants AS WELL AS CPs.

 

[kcw]

it's funny because if you ask any full-timer, they'll tell you that there are too many CP's in entertainment. There's no set number, CPs just have to go through the same audition process as anybody else. If they make it they make it, if they don't then they're placed somewhere else. There has been talk about decreasing the amount of CPs that they allow in entertainment, as well as talk of eliminating them from the department altogether, but that has proven to be nothing but a rumor as of now.

Just as a side note, Career Start people aren't allowed to do entertainment- I don't know if you were grouping them altogether with the CPs.

Don't worry about any of it when you audition, just do your best! Good luck!

 

[DisneyChick1984]

it's funny because if you ask any full-timer, they'll tell you that there are too many CP's in entertainment.

Haha yeah...I didn't know how many are actually in entertainment, but all my friends that ARE in entertainment dread CP arrival times. lol

 

[WDWKat26]

Yes, we do dread it. Because, CP's take away hours from Full-Time and Part-Time people. They get trained in parades, and then leave 6 months later. This is a tough subject especially with Full-Time entertainment CP's who believe Entertainment should only have Part-Time, Full-Time and Seasonal CM's. Also, that rumor that CP's call in a lot. Which, in some ways is true. That's just my $.02.

 

[joanna71985]

I agree, which doesn't make me happy. That gives CPs a bad name. I do wish they wouldn't take away the FT, ect hours.

 

[Gorjus]

And there is just a HECK of ALOT of training that goes into being a character, especially a face character. I overheard one girl practice just saying hello for 30 minutes straight. And you put all that training in so that they can leave you in a few months.

Having said that, one of the best Cinderellas that we have is a CP. I'll be sorry to see her go.

As for hours, it doesn't seem as if characters are hurting for hours. Everyone is always telling me they are working 70 hour weeks. They are always being asked to extend. They haven't had a day off in 20 days. Of course that is face characters I'm talking about since they are the only ones that can talk to me. Pluto doesn't say a lot you know. So, I don't know how that gels with CP's taking away hours from Full Time and part time people. However, I'm not in entertainment, I just work with entertainment.

 

[WDWKat26]

When I was part time, I had about 40-50 hours a week. When a new batch of CP's came, my hours dropped to 30 or less. Right now of course we are working 70 hour weeks, but that's because it's the holidays. Come the first week of Jan. it'll be back to 40-50.

 

[Sir Hiss527]

I wish they would stop allowing CP's to do entertainment, so maybe I could get in the department part-time...sorry if that sounds stingy, but seriously come on now. But with that being said..any need for 5'11 height range right now?

I've auditioned so many times, only to be put in the character pool..so im really hoping that they give me a call soon.

 

[Atta83]

They never really get the numbers right. They sometimes have to many cps or they have to little. Also, with the different height ranges it can really stink at times. most full time, i know a few, get a little peeved when a cp gets picked over them for a parade or show.

 

[kcw]

Yes, we do dread it. Because, CP's take away hours from Full-Time and Part-Time people. They get trained in parades, and then leave 6 months later. This is a tough subject especially with Full-Time entertainment CP's who believe Entertainment should only have Part-Time, Full-Time and Seasonal CM's. Also, that rumor that CP's call in a lot. Which, in some ways is true. That's just my $.02.

I understand that to a point, but (and I'm sure I've said this before) when I was down there, it was always frustrating to get crap from FTs that said they should have gotten trained instead of me- when it was more than apparent they had two left feet. Yes, I understand it's cheaper to pay CPs than FT, but they go through the same audition as everyone else....

I do see how it would be frustrating as a FT to keep losing half your parade/show cast every few months though- and maybe once I go back FT I'll agree more... but it just seemed funny that when FTs complained about CPs being trained, it was always "I should be trained because I've been here longer than ____," and never "i should be trained because I am a better animator and dancer than_____"- and while the last might sound cocky, at least it would be a valid point!

and hey, just in defense of a least one former CP- I only called in ONCE on my entire program, and that was at the end when my family came to see me!

 

[Bug715]

I just worked a week where I only got one day off cause I'm a CP. A few full timers were upset but heck I would've given at least one shift to them if the computer and powers at be would've let me. I know I'm not in Entertainment but we still have the FTs from our areas being bitchy to us.

I hate the people who give CPs a bad name. I called in once so far and don't plan on doing it a much for my last month. The day I called in I was sick asleep on the couch all day. Unlike my roommate who called in and went to dinner and a concert that night. It just depends on the person and values I guess.

 

[DisneyChick1984]

One of my friends doesn't seem to have a problem getting hours. She's put in about 70 in one week too. She keeps busy...I saw her do tree lighting at Epcot the other night, plus she does the castle show, saw her in the Hollywood Hollyday parade on the weekend, and she does DDCT. Not to mention the overnights she's been doing for tree lighting rehearsals.

 

[joanna71985]

I agree about the calling in thing. One thing I am very proud of is that over my 3 CPs I have not called in once. I would feel bad knowing that my area was short-handed because I didn't come in.

 

[WDWKat26]

See, why can't we have more of you guys? One of my friends is a CP, and he called in on Thanksgiving, and the day after. Know what he was doing both days? A 4 hour shift on Thanksgiving, and another 4 hour shift the day after as well. While me and my collegues were working 16 hour days on both days.

 

[kcw]

See, why can't we have more of you guys? One of my friends is a CP, and he called in on Thanksgiving, and the day after. Know what he was doing both days? A 4 hour shift on Thanksgiving, and another 4 hour shift the day after as well. While me and my collegues were working 16 hour days on both days.

that's ridiculous-but I guess Disney kind of asks for it when they don't give CPs holiday pay........ shoot I worked on christmas day even though my fam was there visiting- granted it was only a six hour shift and half our sets were called due to rain!!! :lol: anyways, that's why it sucks that CPs get such a bad wrap- there are/were plenty of us who are/were completely dedicated!

 

[lilclerk]

See, why can't we have more of you guys? One of my friends is a CP, and he called in on Thanksgiving, and the day after. Know what he was doing both days? A 4 hour shift on Thanksgiving, and another 4 hour shift the day after as well. While me and my collegues were working 16 hour days on both days.

I don't even work for Disney but I'd be SO happy with those hours around the holidays!

 

[WDWKat26]

Well that's the thing. Some people complained that they had no hours, and he was complaining that he only had 4 for each day! I would have killed to work from 10-2.

 

[joanna71985]

See, why can't we have more of you guys? One of my friends is a CP, and he called in on Thanksgiving, and the day after. Know what he was doing both days? A 4 hour shift on Thanksgiving, and another 4 hour shift the day after as well. While me and my collegues were working 16 hour days on both days.

Wow. I would have killed for 4-hour shifts during the holidays.

that's ridiculous-but I guess Disney kind of asks for it when they don't give CPs holiday pay........ shoot I worked on christmas day even though my fam was there visiting- granted it was only a six hour shift and half our sets were called due to rain!!! :lol: anyways, that's why it sucks that CPs get such a bad wrap- there are/were plenty of us who are/were completely dedicated!

That's right. I got lucky last year and was given Christmas off (do not know how that happened). But I ended up picking up a CTS shift and extended for the evening EMH (only for you Jamie).

 

[Gorjus]

Thanksgiving and the day after were weird this year in Toon Town. On Thanksgiving the only princess they could promise was Cinderella. Once you got into the room you might also have 2 others and they might be Belle, Aurora, Wendy, or Snow White. I think it was the day after that we had to close down one of the princess rooms because there weren't enough people to run both rooms and even then sometimes there wasn't enough to run 1 room so Aurora was missing every other set until Snow White showed up for 2 sets. So lots of people must have called in, I don't know. In my department we were overstaffed. They kept trying to get rid of us. ER? ANYONE want an ER?

Last year I remember a day at the Studios where 17 Entertainment, 8 photopass, and 10 Character Attendant people called in sick on a Wednesday. All of us were thinking the same thing. Where was the party that we weren't invited to last night? It turns out it was ladies night at the Ale House near Crossroads.:ROFLOL::brick:

 

[Mecha Figment]

i was there in toon town the night after thanksgiving.

Now I have to chime in my 2 cents as well. I also got my start as a CP. And it was fun, I didn't really do that much with characters because i was always cast in shows. Now that i am in the nitty gritty of the department i see how cps get such a bad rap. So many of them don't take what they are doing seriously. i believe it's in their contract to be trained in at least two things while on property. And i think thats a good thing in part because it gives you a full experience. However, it also allows the company to run shows at a cheaper rate. If they can train a cheaper cast they will always train the cp over the Full timer.

In addition there is to many of a certain range of characters right now. While mickey mouse can often work up to 70 hours a week. Pluto and Goofy struggle at times to make 40. This is because of to many CP's in addition to to many other cast members as well.